Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Five Unusual New Species Of Rhyparus Westwood, 1845 From Mexico And Central America (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Rhyparini), Paul E. Skelley, Andrew B. T. Smith

Insecta Mundi

Five new species of Rhyparus Westwood, 1845 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Rhyparini) are described: R. cucullatus Skelley and Smith from Guatemala, R. hexadentatus Skelley and Smith from Mexico and Guatemala, R. loughlini Skelley and Smith from Mexico, R. platypygus Skelley and Smith from Guatemala and Honduras, and R. pteronellus Skelley and Smith from Mexico. A description, diagnosis, images, and distributional map are presented for each species.

New Synonym Of Attagenus Tigrinus (Fabricius, 1792) (Coleoptera: Dermestidae: Attageninae), Graham J. Holloway, Andreas Herrmann

Insecta Mundi

The Attagenus bifasciatus species complex (Coleoptera: Dermestidae: Attageninae) surrounds the Mediterranean and extends into Asia. Several species are recognised but all of them are very similar to each other, and brief, old descriptions do not help to distinguish among them. Here the holotype A. tigrinus (Fabricius) and a syntype series of A. bifasciatus rossii Ganglbauer (subsequently raised to A. rossii) all collected from Italy were dissected to facilitate genital examination. From this genitalic study, Attagenus rossii is placed as a new synonym of A. tigrinus.

Descriptive Report On Dietary Remains From Aztec And Salmon Ruins Coprolites, Karl J. Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

This report focuses only on dietary results from the Aztec Ruins and Salmon Ruins coprolites. The parasitological analysis was completed in 2018 and was the focus of several papers that were summarized by Camacho and Reinhard (2020). This did not include DNA analysis. The coprolites from these sites are not appropriate sources of DNA testing.

The main conclusion of the analysis are:

1) Two very distinct plant spectra are represented in Aztec Ruins West (ARW) room 219 and room 225.

2) The three contexts of ARW room 219 show interesting variation in food selection, however these are small samples.

3) …

Social Interactions And Spatial Structure Drive Community Assembly Of Bacterial Biofilm, Matthew C. Bond

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Despite the critical nature which microbial communities play in the natural world and human civilization, the breadth of understanding remains shallow. Challenged by scale, high variability between environments, and extensive diversity, microbial ecologists strive to understand connections between a community’s structure and function, as well as the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying observed natural patterning of communities. Biofilms are the predominate mode of growth for microbial communities—characterized by cellular attachment to a surface via a self-produced matrix and heterogeneous structure, often resulting in a primary growth front along the biofilm surface due to differential access to bulk nutrients (cite). This …

Can Edna Be Used To Locate Shawnee Hills Cavefish Forbesichthys Papilliferus?, Megan Brandt, Timothy Spier Phd, Gary Zeruth Phd

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Traditional stream fish sampling methods, such as seining and electrofishing, are time consuming, expensive, and limited to short stretches of stream. However, the analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA) from water samples promises to be a quick, inexpensive method for detecting fish. The streams of the Land Between the Lakes Recreational Area (LBL) are unique, undisturbed streams which contain many interesting fish species for which little information exists. One such rare species is the Shawnee Hills Cavefish Forbesichthys papilliferus, which is known to exist in a few LBL streams. However, the complete distribution of the Shawnee Hills Cavefish in LBL …

Herbicide Management Alters Fungal Biomass And Community Composition In Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands, Erica Danae Lathers

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Wetlands provide many ecosystem services, and invasive species and their management can alter these services. Plant responses to wetland management actions are typically monitored, but less is known about how soils respond. Phragmites australis, an invasive wetland plant, can alter soil conditions, potentially impacting soil microbial structure and function. We sampled soil communities in Great Lakes coastal wetlands in southeastern Michigan dominated by Phragmites and sites that had been previously invaded by Phragmites then treated with herbicide from 2011-2017, to understand how herbicide management alters soil fungal communities. We assessed microbial and fungal biomass, fungal community composition, greenhouse gas emissions, …

Stealing, Scavenging, Or Storing? Breeding Behaviors Of Unisexual Ambystoma Salamanders, Jane Venezia

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The unisexual Ambystoma salamander complex is a lineage of all-female salamanders that use a unique form of reproduction: kleptogenesis. Kleptogenesis requires sperm from male salamanders of co-occurring sexual species, potentially putting unisexual and sexual females in breeding competition. We investigated if unisexual salamanders require courtship from sexual males or if they can use sperm left over from previous breeding events. We put unisexual salamanders into boxes containing spermatophores from a previous courtship and examined if they laid viable eggs. We also genotyped adults and embryos to assess parentage. Some of the unisexuals in the boxes produced viable eggs; however, the …

Behavioral Ecology Of The Colorado Brown Tarantula (Aphonopelma Hentzi): Activities Displayed Around The Burrow Through Juvenile Group Dispersal, Bradley Allendorfer

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The life history strategy of the Colorado brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) typically includes males spatially scattering in search for a female mate in the fall, followed by female attendance of fertilized eggs the following summer. Here, I highlighted aspects associated with this female parental care. Specifically, I compared the activities of maternal (egg-attending) tarantulas to their non-maternal (not egg-attending) counterparts, as this may be a costly time for these egg-attending individuals. I concluded that maternal individuals tended to show reduced activity at the burrow entrance, however; these, results were significant in only one comparison. After weeks of this parental care, …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Natural Wood Treatments Against Eastern Subterranean Termite (Reticulitermes Flavipes) Damage: A Comparative Study, Emma Goettel

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research is to discover alternative natural chemical cues to the use of borates to deter Eastern Subterranean Termites (R. flavipes) that remain in place in areas of high moisture content. Common sources of food for Eastern Subterranean Termites include materials that are high in cellulose content. As one of these sources, wood, is an abundantly used material in society such as in home construction, research into potential methods to make this material less susceptible to termite predation is an area of public interest. The current method of deterrence is pressure treatment of wood with Borates as they disrupt the …

Compliance And Roughness In Relation To Gecko Locomotion, Brooklynn Campbell

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Geckos move efficiently through a variety of substrates, from swaying branches to wooden fences to the sides of structures. Previous studies have studied locomotion and adhesion on manmade and rough substrates; however, the work is limited when discussing locomotion and adhesion as a relationship of compliance and roughness. Ease of movement was quantified by speed, under the assumption that the faster a gecko moves, the easier it is for the gecko to cross the substrate. Gehyra oceanica geckos from Moorea, French Polynesia were tested on substrates varying in compliance and roughness with four different treatments in total. Compliance, roughness, and …

Characterizing New Plant Fossils With Woody Growth From The Battery Point Formation Of Quebec (Canada), Emma T. Casselman

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The oldest woody growth has been recognized in several Early Devonian (ca. 410-395 Ma) euphyllophytes. Their taxonomic diversity is difficult to evaluate due to a lack of quantitative methods for comparing plants based on secondary xylem anatomy. In turn, this hinders understanding of their implications for the evolution of plant development. To develop metrics that quantify secondary xylem anatomy and allow for conclusive comparisons, I investigated extant taxa and Early Devonian fossil woody taxa. I developed multiple metrics for quantifying tracheid size as a function of position in the secondary xylem and tested them on a dataset of extant gymnosperms. …

The Nature And Extent Of Algal Symbiosis In Three North American Ranids, Zachary T. Vegso

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The symbiotic relationship between the chlamydomonad green alga Oophila amblystomatis and embryos of certain amphibian species is often presumed to be mutualistic. However, the existence of a mutualism has only been experimentally tested and established in two closely related ambystomatid salamanders. These experiments showed a positive correlation between intracapsular algal density and embryonic growth, survival, hatching synchrony, and hatchling body size. Oophila has been documented within egg capsules of a growing number of amphibian species, including several frogs in the family Ranidae. However, the nature and extent of this relationship remains unclear. Ranid eggs are better oxygenated than ambystomatid eggs, …

Effects Of Habitat Selection And Individual Quality On The Reproductive Success Of Barn Owls (Tyto Furcata), Jaime E. Carlino

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The hypothesis of adaptive breeding habitat selection proposes congruence between the evolved selection of habitats and fitness components such as reproductive success. However, mismatches between habitat selection and observed fitness outcomes are not unusual and can arise for multiple reasons. Variation in individual qualities of animals has also been found to affect reproduction and survival. I examined associations between barn owl nest box selection, reproductive output, and plumage characteristics previously shown to correspond to individual quality. I found that barn owls selected tall nest boxes made of wood, mounted high off the ground, and with increased proportions of grassland around …

Scale And Habitat Effects On Measurement Of Streptomyces Biogeography And Biodiversity, Terilyn A. Stoflet

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Bacteria in the genus Streptomyces are detected in most soils around the world, as well as on and in seeds, plants, animals, insects and the wind. Currently, more than 700 valid species of Streptomyces have been identified worldwide. Streptomyces produce the majority of antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals, as well as important agricultural bioactive molecules due to their unique genetic capabilities. Their distinct genetic abilities allow them to produce an unlimited amount of biosynthetic gene clusters, or BGC’s. Although many compounds come from Streptomyces, scientists have not discovered the biogeographic patterns of this genus. The biogeography of Streptomyces is a …

Evaluating The Trojan Y Chromosome Strategy For The Removal Of Invasive Sacramento Pikeminnow From The Eel River, Ca, Alexander W. Juan

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The recent introduction and spread of Sacramento Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus grandis) in Northern California’s Eel River Basin represents a significant threat and impediment to the recovery of several threatened native fish species. This study was undertaken to evaluate the Trojan Y Chromosome Strategy (TYC) for the extirpation of pikeminnow from the basin. TYC is a genetic biocontrol method that relies on the production and stocking of fish with YY sex chromosomes, which may be phenotypically male (YY male) or female (YY female). These YY fish produce all-male offspring when mating with their wild conspecifics and TYC can lead to …

Interactions Between New Zealand Mud Snails (Potamopyrgus Antipodarum) And Toxic Cyanoabacteria (Anabaena) In Baduwa’T (Mad River), Humboldt County, California, Cecilia F. Kennelly

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Invasive species in freshwater systems are circulated around the globe, wreaking havoc on natural communities. The New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) is a very successful aquatic invader that has established populations in freshwater streams, lakes, and rivers around the globe. The goal of this project was to evaluate the interactions of invasive New Zealand mud snails (NZMS) and toxic cyanobacteria Anabaena in the Mad River in Humboldt County, California. These two species of concern are found in similar habitats along the river, but their whether NZMS consume Anabaena or affect toxin production is unknown. First, I conducted …

Barn Owls Exert Top-Down Effects On The Abundance And Behavior Of Rodent Pests, Katherine C. Larson

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Predators can exert top-down effects on their prey by direct consumption, by imposing risk of predation, or a combination of both. However, empirical evidence for these effects is mixed and inconsistent. Barn owls in agriculture present a system with attributes that should, according to theory, lead to strong top-down effects, but research is limited and the distinction between effects on prey abundance and behavior remains unresolved. Understanding the top-down effect of predators on pests is a cornerstone of integrated pest management and important where barn owls may contribute to the control of rodents on farms. Vegetation can mediate the top-down …

Season Influences Interspecific Responses Of Canopy-Forming Kelps To Future Warming And Acidification At High Latitude, Lauren E. Bell, Lily Westphal, Evan O' Brien, Jason A. Toy, Haleigh Damron, Kristy J. Kroeker

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Variability in primary producers' responses to environmental change may buffer higher trophic levels against shifts in basal resource composition. Then again, in instances where there is a lack of functional redundancy because consumers rely on a few species to meet their energetic requirements at specific times of the year, altered community production dynamics may significantly impact food web resilience. In high-latitude kelp forests, a complementary annual phenology of seaweed production supports coastal marine consumers' metabolic needs across large seasonal variations in their environment. Yet, marine consumers in these systems may face significant metabolic stress under the pronounced low pH conditions …

Deconstructing The Mangrove Carbon Cycle: Gains, Transformation, And Losses, M. F. Adame, N. Cormier, P. Taillardat, N. Iram, A. Rovai, T. M. Sloey, E. S. Yando, J. F. Blanco-Libreros, M. Arnaud, T. Jennerjahn, C. E. Lovelock, D. Friess, G. M. S. Reithmaier, C. A. Buelow, S. M. Muhammad-Nor, R. R. Twilley, R. A. Ribeiro

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mangroves are one of the most carbon-dense forests on the Earth and have been highlighted as key ecosystems for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Hundreds of studies have investigated how mangroves fix, transform, store, and export carbon. Here, we review and synthesize the previously known and emerging carbon pathways in mangroves, including gains (woody biomass accumulation, deadwood accumulation, soil carbon sequestration, root and litterfall production), transformations (food web transfer through herbivory, decomposition), and losses (respiration as CO₂ and CH₄, litterfall export, particulate and dissolved carbon export). We then review the technologies available to measure carbon fluxes in …

State Of Coastal And Marine Resources: Lian, Batangas, Joseph Benedict T. Garcia, Mary Joyce P. Velos, Jemelyn Grace P. Baldisimo, Joey P. Cabasan, Ma Celina J. Añonuevo, Denmark B. Recamara, Hazel O. Arceo

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

[Introduction] Lian (13.9852° N, 120.6545° E) is a third-class municipality in the northwestern part of the province of Batangas. It is bounded on the north by the municipality of Nasugbu, on the east by the municipalities of Tuy and Balayan, on the west by the WPS, and on the south by the municipality of Catatagan (Figure 2.7-1). It has a total land area of 76.80km² that is divided into 19 barangays, six of which are coastal and two are integrated coastal barangays (LGU-Lian 2013). Its total population is 56,280 individuals in 15,991 households as of 2020 (PSA 2020).

The main …

Taxonomic Status, Distribution And Conservation Of The Critically Endangered Plant Psychotria Angustata (Rubiaceae), Walter Simbaña, Alan Tye, Timothy J. Motley, Uno Eliasson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Simbaña, W.; A. Tye, T. J. Motley & U. Eliasson. 2024. Taxonomic status, distribution and conservation of the Critically Endangered plant Psychotria angustata (Rubiaceae), endemic to Floreana Island, Galapagos. Darwiniana, nueva serie 12(2): 204-219.

Two species of Psychotria have been recognised in the Galapagos Islands, both understorey shrubs endemic to the archipelago: P. rufipes Hook.f. occurs on seven islands, including Floreana, while P. angustata Andersson is endemic to Floreana. Since their mid-19th century discovery, the taxonomic and ecological status of these species has been uncertain. To clarify this, we examined historical specimens and numerous recent collections of both species, and …

Investigating Changing Macronutrient Dynamics At A Plant, Microbe And Plant-Microbe Interactions Scale, Emel Kangi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Nutrient limitation drives forest ecosystem processes by altering net primary production, belowground (C) investments, and microbial activity. As such, the availability of essential macronutrients, such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), can severely impact plant growth, microbial decomposition, and the strength of plant-microbial interactions. However, our understanding of plant and microbe responses to changing nutrient availability, and the extent to which nutrient availability affects plant-microbe interactions, remains somewhat limited. Therefore, in this dissertation, I aimed to investigate nutrient limitation on a plant, microbe, and plant-microbe interaction level. First, to connect the phenotypic responses of nutrient-limited plants to key molecular mechanisms, …

Better Understanding The Barred Owl, Adam Lee Potts

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis research presents an analysis of barred owl nest site selection in an understudied region of their expanded range. The barred owl has dramatically expanded its range westwards over the last 150 years, prompting multiple conflicting reinterpretations of their species account. Hypotheses of range expansion are reviewed to provide context for this study’s research. This study gathers empirical data on nest site selection in the mixed conifer forests of Montana’s Seeley-Swan and Mission Valleys. Eight barred owl nests were located following extensive territory surveys. Field measurements of tree height and diameter using USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plot …

The Invasive Species We Love And The Ones We Don't, S. Nicole Frey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is the letter from the editor-in-chief of Volume 18, Issue 1.

An Effective Method For Long-Term Control Of American Bullfrogs Syntopic With Special-Status Native Amphibians In California, Usa, Jeff A. Alvarez, Jeffery T. Wilcox

Human–Wildlife Interactions

American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) are invasive in western North America and are well established in California, USA, where they are widespread. This invasive species has been implicated in the decrease of native amphibian populations and is believed to have contributed to the decline of threatened and endangered amphibians regionally. We utilized air rifles, tin alloy pellets, and 2 shooters to systematically control L. catesbeianus in both lentic and lotic habitat types within 2 counties in California. We visited sites monthly (April through November) for approximately 8 and 14 years to lethally target and remove L. catesbeianus …

Forthcoming Hwi Monographs

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The HWI Monograph Series is publishing open access monographs on free-ranging domestic cats and coyotes.

Impacts Of Wildlife–Vehicle Collisions Create Cascade Effects, S. Nicole Frey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is the letter from the editor-in-chief of Volume 18, Issue 2.

Flashtags: Evaluating A Novel Deterrent To Reduce Livestock Depredation, C. Aaron Bott, Stewart W. Breck, Tom W. Murphy, Brad A. Freking, Carlos A. López González, David Prause, Corey Peavey, Albert Sommers, Coke Landers, Julie K. Young

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Social tolerance of carnivores can be improved by preventing conflicts through nonlethal predator deterrents (e.g., livestock protection dogs [Canis lupus familiaris] and human presence) that have been used for centuries. However, many livestock producers feel the existing preventative methods are inadequate for extensive production systems where livestock can be spread widely and have less human supervision. To address this issue, we developed and tested a new nonlethal tool called FlashTags to reduce livestock predation. FlashTags are ear tags worn by livestock that flash a random-light pattern at night when motion-triggered. In the first year, we tested the devices …

Is Mitigation Translocation An Effective Method For Reducing Laysan Albatross–Military Aircraft Collisions?, Brian E. Washburn, Katherine D. Rubiano, William P. Bukoski

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wildlife–aircraft collisions (wildlife strikes) pose a serious risk to civil and military aircraft. Each year, Laysan albatrosses (Phoebastria immutabilis) attempt to establish a breeding colony on the airfield at the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) located on the island of Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i, USA, resulting in a hazard to safe military aircraft operations at this facility. A long-term management program, with an emphasis on mitigation translocation (e.g., live-capture and translocation away from the area) of problematic individuals, has been conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services. However, the efficacy of mitigation translocation as a nonlethal …

New Associate Editors, S. Nicole Frey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

New associate editors include Neil Jordan and Allen Rutberg.