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2026

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Articles 331 - 360 of 479

Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Mapping The Distribution Of The Common House Mosquito (Culex Pipiens) In The City Of Spokane: Mosquito Breeding Sites And Blood Meal Analysis, Oluwapelumi Hannah Sonoiki Jan 2026

Mapping The Distribution Of The Common House Mosquito (Culex Pipiens) In The City Of Spokane: Mosquito Breeding Sites And Blood Meal Analysis, Oluwapelumi Hannah Sonoiki

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Mosquitoes in the genus Culex are the primary vectors of West Nile virus (WNv) in the United States, with Culex pipiens and Culex tarsalis serving as the dominant species in Spokane. In urban environments, catch basins and other artificial water bodies that collect stagnant and polluted water provide favorable breeding habitats for Culex pipiens. This study aimed to assess the spatial distribution and seasonal dynamics of Culex larvae in Spokane. We examined 303 randomly selected catch basins in the summer of 2025, and at each site we recorded the presence or absence of water, water depth, and mosquito larval …

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Dietary Ecology Of Waterfowl Nest Predators In The Prairie Pothole Region: Evaluating Resource Use From Species To Individual Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Grace Barthelmess Jan 2026

Dietary Ecology Of Waterfowl Nest Predators In The Prairie Pothole Region: Evaluating Resource Use From Species To Individual Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Grace Barthelmess

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Nest predation is a primary factor influencing waterfowl productivity in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America. Although this system is intensely managed and studied, research has largely focused on how predators affect waterfowl populations, with comparatively little attention to how predators actually rely on waterfowl as a resource. Understanding predator feeding ecology is therefore critical for informing effective management strategies and interpreting the complexity of predator-prey interactions on this landscape. My objective overall was to elucidate the feeding ecology of nine focal predator species commonly associated with waterfowl nest predation in the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion of the PPR: …

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Using Genetic Analysis To Infer Familial Relationships Of Westslope Cutthroat Trout In The Lower Priest River, Idaho, Kolby Emtman Jan 2026

Using Genetic Analysis To Infer Familial Relationships Of Westslope Cutthroat Trout In The Lower Priest River, Idaho, Kolby Emtman

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

The Westslope Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus lewisi) is a native species of salmonid that holds both cultural and ecological significance in the Idaho Panhandle region of the United States. Within this region, the Priest River is a major contributor of migrant Westslope Cutthroat Trout to the Clark Fork Pend Oreille basin. This study aimed to estimate the proportion of juveniles that have at least one migrant parent, illustrate gene flow using juvenile half sibling relationships, and showcase varying levels of spawning success using juvenile full sibling relationships. Sampling of juvenile individuals occurred in 11 tributaries of the Priest River over …

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Assessing Forest Health And Small Mammals After A Limited Suppression Wildfire In Colville National Forest, Samantha J. Kennel Jan 2026

Assessing Forest Health And Small Mammals After A Limited Suppression Wildfire In Colville National Forest, Samantha J. Kennel

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

In the face of a wildfire crisis, there is a growing need to expand the pace and scale of forest treatments, including the strategic use of wildfire as a management tool. However, ecological outcomes remain uncertain in forests shaped by more than a century of fire suppression. The 2022 Thor Fire, a managed wildfire in the Colville National Forest, Washington, provides an opportunity to evaluate forest health in a relatively understudied system. Using a control–impact design, I established 100 monitoring plots in burned and adjacent unburned forests to assess how wildfire and fire severity influence forest structure, fuels, and tree …

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Evaluating Donor Site Recovery Following Halodule Wrightii Harvest For Restoration In Northwest Florida, Katie M. Konchar, Becca A. Hatchell, Colin P. Shea, Bradley T. Furman, Kent Smith Jan 2026

Evaluating Donor Site Recovery Following Halodule Wrightii Harvest For Restoration In Northwest Florida, Katie M. Konchar, Becca A. Hatchell, Colin P. Shea, Bradley T. Furman, Kent Smith

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Bare‑root harvesting of Halodule wrightii is widely used to supply donor material for seagrass restoration, yet the capacity of donor meadows to recover in near‑temperate systems remains poorly documented. We evaluated donor‑site recovery following bare‑root harvesting in St. Andrew Bay, northwest Florida—an estuary at the northern extent of Tropical Atlantic Bioregion 2 where H. wrightii exhibits strong seasonal senescence and a shortened growing season. Thirty harvest impact sites were monitored for 388 days to quantify changes in shoot density, percent frequency, and sediment elevation relative to nearby reference conditions. Shoot density and percent frequency at harvested sites converged with reference …

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Preventing Coccus Longulus Infestation, Nicholas Wellls Jan 2026

Preventing Coccus Longulus Infestation, Nicholas Wellls

Honors College Theses

In the Armstrong greenhouse, the Coccus longulus scale insect is a prevalent problem on a specific species of Begonia known as Begonia ‘Richmondensis’. Inside the greenhouse there are several types of begonias with very similar characteristics to the Richmondensis begonia. However, none of these other begonias are infested by C. longulus, despite similar leaf thickness and environmental conditions such as humidity and light. This project examined whether differences in the chemical composition of the Begonia leaves can explain this pattern. Results were not statistically significant, but they showed that the chemicals had a noticeable impact on the scale, and …

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Genomic Signatures Of Decline And Recovery In An Endangered Bat, Myotis Grisescens, Marxe Altman-Orbach Jan 2026

Genomic Signatures Of Decline And Recovery In An Endangered Bat, Myotis Grisescens, Marxe Altman-Orbach

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Tremendous population declines may result in the loss of genetic diversity, which can, in turn, lead to reduced adaptive potential, overexpression of deleterious phenotypes, and further population declines. In this way, genetic drift from a severe demographic decline may ultimately lead to an extinction vortex. However, populations that avoid the loss of genetic diversity may remain viable, despite demographic crashes. Therefore, understanding genetic diversity is vital for assessing the conservation status of species that have undergone declines, and can even reflect the effectiveness of management actions. I investigated signatures of genetic bottlenecks in the gray bat (Myotis grisescens), …

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An Ecological-Evolutionary Investigation Of Phenotypic, Genetic, And Environmental Variation And Correlations Among Reproductive Traits Of Tall Goldenrod (Solidago Altissima), Michael J. Wise, Daniel Lavy, David E. Carr, Warren G. Abrahamson Ii Jan 2026

An Ecological-Evolutionary Investigation Of Phenotypic, Genetic, And Environmental Variation And Correlations Among Reproductive Traits Of Tall Goldenrod (Solidago Altissima), Michael J. Wise, Daniel Lavy, David E. Carr, Warren G. Abrahamson Ii

Faculty Journal Articles

Although fitness-related traits are expected to be under strong selection, traits related to reproduction are often quite variable within plant populations. We used data from two large greenhouse experiments to quantify phenotypic, genetic, and environmental variation, as well as genetic tradeoffs that might help explain the maintenance of withinpopulation variation in four traits related to sexual or vegetative reproduction in tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima). The goldenrod population exhibited high levels of both phenotypic and genetic variation for capitulum (flower head) number and size, seed production, and rhizome growth. Significant negative genetic correlations were present between the number of capitula and …

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Seasonal And Lunar Patterns Of Peach Blossom Jellyfish (Craspedacusta Sowerbii) In Michigan, Claire Kozal Jan 2026

Seasonal And Lunar Patterns Of Peach Blossom Jellyfish (Craspedacusta Sowerbii) In Michigan, Claire Kozal

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The peach blossom jellyfish (Craspedacusta sowerbii) is the only freshwater medusa found in the United States, yet its distribution, abundance, and mechanisms of dispersal remain poorly understood. Given its uncertain status, understanding the ecology of this species is a priority. To characterize population dynamics during the medusa season, surface water temperature and medusa abundance were surveyed at six inland lakes in Michigan. Occurrence records of C. sowerbii in Michigan were then used to compare co-occurrence patterns with nine aquatic invasives as a window into potential dispersal mechanisms and to create a regional ecological niche model. Medusae were observed in one …

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Vegetation Species And Bed Position May Drive Epifaunal But Not Nekton Habitat Use In Estuarine Submerged Vegetation In The Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, Alabama, Steven Vroljik, Kathryn O'Shaughnessy, Ashley Mcdonald, Zoey Hendrickson, Bethany Kiley, Anna Reimer, Sierra Robertson, Samantha Smith, Edward Sullivan, Charles Martin Jan 2026

Vegetation Species And Bed Position May Drive Epifaunal But Not Nekton Habitat Use In Estuarine Submerged Vegetation In The Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, Alabama, Steven Vroljik, Kathryn O'Shaughnessy, Ashley Mcdonald, Zoey Hendrickson, Bethany Kiley, Anna Reimer, Sierra Robertson, Samantha Smith, Edward Sullivan, Charles Martin

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) supports nekton and epifaunal macroinvertebrates, sustaining food webs and ecosystem services in estuaries. Invasive SAV can alter these dynamics by displacing native vegetation and restructuring communities. In Alabama’s Mobile-Tensaw Delta (MTD), Eurasian milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) is rapidly expanding and outcompeting native wild celery (Vallisneria americana). This study compared nekton and epifaunal assemblages between M. spicatum and V. americana, focusing on edge versus interior positions. Nekton surveys identified 22 taxa (M. spicatum, n = 13; V. americana, n = 18), but assemblages did not differ significantly between vegetation types …

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Climate Change And Species Interactions Jointly Shape Migration Timing And Growth At A Critical Ontogenetic Transition In Juvenile Sockeye Salmon, Margaret E. Veatch Jan 2026

Climate Change And Species Interactions Jointly Shape Migration Timing And Growth At A Critical Ontogenetic Transition In Juvenile Sockeye Salmon, Margaret E. Veatch

Honors Theses

Climate change is shifting the timing of biological events globally, but the mechanisms linking environmental variation to phenological changes are poorly understood in many systems, particularly those where individuals undergo ontogenetic habitat shifts. Here, I examined the join influence of climate-driven environmental variability and species interactions migration timing and body size at migration in juvenile sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in Lake Aleknagik, Alaska, using a multi-decadal dataset (1967–2024). Migration timing varied widely among years and was best explained by a combination of ice-out phenology, epilimnetic temperature, and fish densities in littoral habitats. Juvenile sockeye salmon migrated earlier in …

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Long-Term Compositional Shifts In The Fish Community Of The Wabash River, Olivia R. Wertman Jan 2026

Long-Term Compositional Shifts In The Fish Community Of The Wabash River, Olivia R. Wertman

Masters Theses

There is concern about declining biodiversity in the world today and an increasing need to monitor biodiversity through collecting data and gauging changes occurring in biodiversity over time. Large river fish communities are one area of particular interest due to their sensitivity to environmental changes. One program seeking to address this is the Long-Term Survey and Assessment of Large River Fishes, LTEF, which monitors fish populations in the large rivers of Illinois. In this study, I assessed changes in the fish community of the lower 322 km of the Wabash River from 2010-2025 using annual direct current boat electrofishing surveys …

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Testing The Influence Of Increased Predation On The Evolution Of Morphological Coloration Plasticity In Trinidadian Killifish (Anablepsoides Hartii), Alyssa M. Laux Jan 2026

Testing The Influence Of Increased Predation On The Evolution Of Morphological Coloration Plasticity In Trinidadian Killifish (Anablepsoides Hartii), Alyssa M. Laux

Biology Theses

The ability to camouflage is a widespread trait in both vertebrates and invertebrates that enhances survival in risky environments. The ability of organisms to respond to shifts in environmental conditions and change color is a conspicuous example of camouflage. Such coloration plasticity can occur rapidly (seconds to minutes) versus longer periods of time (days to months). There are numerous examples of physiological coloration plasticity (short-term) and morphological coloration plasticity (long-term). Yet, there are few tests of the conditions that drive the evolution of physiological vs. morphological coloration plasticity. In this study we use Trinidadian killifish (Anablepsoides hartii) as …

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Soil Respiration Drivers And Challenges In A Changing Environment, Olivia Rae Haas Jan 2026

Soil Respiration Drivers And Challenges In A Changing Environment, Olivia Rae Haas

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study aims to understand post agricultural forested soils (sandy loam, silt loam, and loam) and the influences that drive carbon sequestration and soil respiration flux. Duke Farms in Hillsborough NJ, has historically been utilized as an agricultural zone for farming a variety of crops. Currently the area is protected with a focus on environmental conservation and restoration of the land. This includes getting a better understanding of the forested portions of the property. Understanding the quality of forested areas is vital as they have the potential to act as a carbon sink which can mitigate the effects of climate …

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Mapping Coastal Vegetation To Evaluate Salt Marsh Decline From 2016 To 2025 In South Carolina, Usa, Zak Henry Bartholomew Jan 2026

Mapping Coastal Vegetation To Evaluate Salt Marsh Decline From 2016 To 2025 In South Carolina, Usa, Zak Henry Bartholomew

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Accelerating sea-level rise and storm surge events pose a substantial threat to salt marsh ecosystems, which provide critical ecosystem services. Classification and mapping of coastal vegetation through remote sensing can identify marsh dieback events and provide spatial context for patterns of marsh vulnerability. We used a multi-sensor approach that incorporated LiDAR data, multispectral imagery, and field-derived cover estimates to classify Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) dominated marsh types on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island (MCRDPI), a sea island in South Carolina, USA. In summer 2025, surveys were conducted within marsh classes to collect training and validation data. We used random …

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Effects Of Desiccation On Invasive Faucet Snail (Bithynia Tentaculata) And Trematode Survival, Elise Marie Jordahl Jan 2026

Effects Of Desiccation On Invasive Faucet Snail (Bithynia Tentaculata) And Trematode Survival, Elise Marie Jordahl

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Parasitism is one of the most common and diverse life history strategies, yet relatively little is known about the role of parasites as invasive species. Invasive species, which present one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, often need to overcome adverse environmental conditions as they establish and spread in new habitats. Invasive parasites are subject to these same conditions, though the effects may be mediated through their hosts. Here, I use an invasive snail and its trematode parasites to quantify the effects of desiccation on survival to better understand how processes of invasion play out in host-parasite systems. The faucet …

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A Review Of Mockingbird Song, Jacqueline Milander Jan 2026

A Review Of Mockingbird Song, Jacqueline Milander

Student Theses

The northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) is known for its large repertoire and highly versatile song patterns.  It is a frequent mimic that is thought to continue learning sounds from its environment for the duration of its life.  Utilizing available song studies, this is a comprehensive review of northern mockingbird song, including learning, mimicry, repertoires, song dependence on seasonal cyclicity, and song function, particularly interspecific territoriality. While much discussion has surrounded the idea that northern mockingbirds engage in interspecific territoriality and that vocal mimicry functions in intersexual selection, this review provides new insight into the possibility that latitudinal differences among populations …

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Rewilding The Coral Reefs, Magali Rodriguez, Luciana Alvillar Jan 2026

Rewilding The Coral Reefs, Magali Rodriguez, Luciana Alvillar

Posters - 2026

Coral reefs are among the most valuable ecosystems globally, contributing an estimated $10 trillion annually and supporting hundreds of millions of people through food, livelihoods, and coastal protection. (NOAA 2026) They also provide critical habitat for diverse marine species. However, reefs are rapidly declining due to rising ocean temperatures, acidification, pollution, invasive species, and physical disturbances. Globally, 30–50% of coral reefs have already been lost(NOAA 2026), and without intervention, many may face extinction by the end of the century. Rewilding and restoration efforts have become essential strategies to address this crisis. Initiatives such as NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program highlight …

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Impacts Of Native And Nonnative Plant Species On Avian Community Diversity, Matty John Mackay, Steven Van Dang, Brandon Lee Corn Jan 2026

Impacts Of Native And Nonnative Plant Species On Avian Community Diversity, Matty John Mackay, Steven Van Dang, Brandon Lee Corn

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Avian communities play an essential role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem dynamic by regulating insect populations, assisting in plant pollination, and seed dispersal. These contribute to the overall health of natural ecosystems and mitigate ecological disruptions that would arise in their absence. However, the introduction of non-native invasive plant species can interrupt the balance avian communities bring to ecosystems by reducing availability of food sources, altering habitat structures, increasing competition among individuals, and disrupting ecological relationships through rapid invasion of ecological spaces. Point count observations of birds at Shelby Bottoms Park, Nashville, Tennessee in areas dominated by non-native privet and …

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Evaluating Sampling Strategies To Monitor Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger Niger) Populations, Casey Robin Hitchens Jan 2026

Evaluating Sampling Strategies To Monitor Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger Niger) Populations, Casey Robin Hitchens

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Reliable population monitoring is essential for evaluating wildlife translocations and informing conservation management, yet traditional monitoring approaches are often labor intensive and require prolonged sampling. This study evaluated marking techniques, survey methods, and population estimation approaches for monitoring a translocated population of southern fox squirrels (Sciurus niger niger) at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, USA (MCRDPI). From January-June 2023, I conducted six live trapping and camera trapping sessions across five survey sites. I compared the performance of color-coded collars and tail shaves for individual identification and the recapture probability between live traps and camera traps. Logistic mixed-effects …

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Cordgrass (Spartina Alterniflora) In Bio-Restoration Integrated Coastal Substrate (Brics): Restoring The New England Coastline., Kaitlyn Frances Shelley Jan 2026

Cordgrass (Spartina Alterniflora) In Bio-Restoration Integrated Coastal Substrate (Brics): Restoring The New England Coastline., Kaitlyn Frances Shelley

UNH URC Open (2026 and after)

The Engineering for Agri-Environment Laboratory (EAE) is dedicated to developing nature-based solutions that enhance the resilience of agricultural and coastal ecosystems. The study involves current work (trial 2) underway in Spring 2026 and Summer 2026, integrating principles of sustainable engineering and plant science. BRICS, our Bio-Restoration Integrated Coastal Substrate, proposes a new way to reduce erosion, stabilize root structures, provide a critical habitat for wildlife, and promote vegetation throughout the coast.

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Interactions Between Red Foxes And Coyotes Across Urban And Wild Habitats, Caroline E. Savage, Taylor S. Readyhough, Remington J. Moll, Jonathon D. Cepek Jan 2026

Interactions Between Red Foxes And Coyotes Across Urban And Wild Habitats, Caroline E. Savage, Taylor S. Readyhough, Remington J. Moll, Jonathon D. Cepek

UNH URC Open (2026 and after)

Dens are critical to the life history of many mammal species, particularly when raising young. Excavating a den is energetically costly, so several species can use existing dens, and multiple species may inhabit the same den complex simultaneously. However, the extent of den sharing among urban mammals is understudied. Between March 2021, and June 2023, we used camera traps to monitor a multi-species den site in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. We documented den visitation and use by at least 11 mammal species, including red fox, coyote, raccoon, woodchuck, and Virginia opossum. Coyotes and red foxes both exhibited scent-marking at the den …

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Inferring Genes And Biological Systems Under Selective Pressure In The Secondarily Temperate Cryonotothenioids, Esteban Cabrera Jan 2026

Inferring Genes And Biological Systems Under Selective Pressure In The Secondarily Temperate Cryonotothenioids, Esteban Cabrera

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Notothenioid fishes represent one of the most compelling examples of adaptive radiation driven by extreme environmental change, having diversified in the chronically cold waters of the Southern Ocean. While most cryonotothenioids evolved highly specialized cold-adapted characteristics, several secondarily temperate species later re-invaded warmer environments. These lineages provide a rare opportunity to examine evolutionary reversibility and the genomic mechanisms enabling escape from extreme specialization. In this study, we investigate two secondarily temperate species, Dissostichus eleginoides and Champsocephalus esox, comparing their protein-coding orthogroups to background sets from Antarctic cryonotothenioids and basal temperate teleosts. Using phylogeny based evolutionary models (BUSTED, aBSREL, and RELAX) …

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Characterization Of The Genetic Diversity Of Curlyleaf Pondweed (Potamogeton Crispus L.) In The Contiguous United States And Canada And Analysis Of Possible Hybrid Potamogeton Crispus Lineages, Mallory M. Kaiser Jan 2026

Characterization Of The Genetic Diversity Of Curlyleaf Pondweed (Potamogeton Crispus L.) In The Contiguous United States And Canada And Analysis Of Possible Hybrid Potamogeton Crispus Lineages, Mallory M. Kaiser

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Curlyleaf Pondweed (Potamogeton crispus L.) is a prolific invasive species that has spread across the United States and into parts of Canada since its introduction to North America in the 1840s. It causes extensive economic and environmental damage across its invasive range, and its control and eradication are of utmost importance to agricultural, ecological, recreational, and transportational stakeholders. Developments in molecular ecology and invasive management have found that genetic diversity and hybridization of aquatic macrophytes may affect their susceptibility to herbicide treatments, and genotype or lineage identification are important control variables that must be considered in field and …

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The Impacts Of Wing-Flashing By Northern Mockingbirds On Foraging, Parental Care, And Reproductive Success, Anna R. Starman Jan 2026

The Impacts Of Wing-Flashing By Northern Mockingbirds On Foraging, Parental Care, And Reproductive Success, Anna R. Starman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Foraging efficiency may be enhanced by flashing patches of white wing and tail feathers and has been documented in several avian species. Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos, NOMO) exhibit this “wing-flashing” (WF) behavior while foraging, during displays, and in response to predators. In NOMOs, WF has been hypothesized to increase foraging success, but previous findings are inconclusive. To further investigate the biological role(s) of WF behavior in NOMOs, the ventral surface of white primary feathers of male NOMOs were artificially darkened, and the foraging and provisioning rates of undarkened (control) males and their mates were compared. While foraging, undarkened …

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Fisheries Research Report No. 359: Metropolitan Monitoring Program 2025, Alissa Tate, Claire B. Smallwood, Karina L. Ryan, Troy Matthews Jan 2026

Fisheries Research Report No. 359: Metropolitan Monitoring Program 2025, Alissa Tate, Claire B. Smallwood, Karina L. Ryan, Troy Matthews

Fisheries Research Reports

Ongoing monitoring of recreational fisheries in the Perth Metropolitan zone is essential to ensure the sustainable use of fisheries resources. Surveys of shore- and boatbased recreational fishers within the Metropolitan zone of the West Coast bioregion provide information on human dimensions and catch-per-fisher as well as mean length and weight of key recreationally caught species. For shore-based fishers, estimates of fishing effort, catch and harvest are also presented for key nearshore species. This information is used to support ongoing assessments for key nearshore species and the development and evaluation of harvest strategies and other management actions, such as for Australian …

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Buzzes Over Burrows: Bats And Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs In Western Kansas, Patrick L. Geyer Jan 2026

Buzzes Over Burrows: Bats And Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs In Western Kansas, Patrick L. Geyer

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The native grasslands of the Great Plains and the organisms that inhabit them are threatened by the anthropogenic disturbance of land-use change; prairie dogs (Genus Cynomys) are one such example. These mammals are considered ecosystem engineers due to their behaviors that physically modify the areas they inhabit, directly affecting the resources available to surrounding organisms. Much research exists on established or potential relationships between black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) and other taxa; until recently, one taxon group absent from mentions of an association with black-tailed prairie dogs was bats (Order Chiroptera). Results of acoustic studies in eastern …

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Floodwater Salinity And Flood Duration Regulate Greenhouse Gas Production In High- Latitude Coastal Wetland And Tundra Soils, Mia J. Dicianna Jan 2026

Floodwater Salinity And Flood Duration Regulate Greenhouse Gas Production In High- Latitude Coastal Wetland And Tundra Soils, Mia J. Dicianna

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coastal high-latitude ecosystems are increasingly flooded from storm surges associated with climate change, exposing soils that were historically infrequently inundated to higher-salinity waters for longer durations. Sub-Arctic wetlands and tundra store large amounts of carbon, yet how flooding characteristics, particularly flood duration, influence microbial mineralization and, consequently, greenhouse gas (GHG) production in these soils remains poorly understood. We conducted a full-factorial microcosm incubation experiment in which coastal wetland and tundra soils were subjected to simulated flooding with three durations (1, 3, and 10 days) and four salinity treatments (unflooded, freshwater, 3 ppt, and 12 ppt) and measured carbon dioxide (CO2) …

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Oyster Drill (Stramonita Haemastoma Complex) Habitat Preferences In A Shallow Coastal Estuary, Coen Mcgarrah, Cynthia Lupton, Eric Sparks, Jennifer L. Debose Jan 2026

Oyster Drill (Stramonita Haemastoma Complex) Habitat Preferences In A Shallow Coastal Estuary, Coen Mcgarrah, Cynthia Lupton, Eric Sparks, Jennifer L. Debose

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Southern oyster drill snails (Stramonita haemastoma complex) are nuisance organisms within the Gulf of Mexico. This is due to their damaging impact on recovering and farmed oyster (Crassostrea virginica) populations, which are one of the drills’ main food sources. Oyster reef recovery and increased aquaculture production are priorities for Mississippi and the wider northern Gulf coast. The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) hosts multiple oyster reef restoration sites within its boundaries, yet no comprehensive survey of oyster drill abundance has been conducted in this area to date. Additionally, knowledge of oyster drill preferences for sediment …

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Does Fishery Management For Groupers (Teleostei: Epinephelidae) Protect Them Effectively? Context From The Iucn's Red List Of Threatened Species, Sean T. Fennessy, Christi Linardich, Kevin Rhodes, Joao P. Barreiros, David Pollard, Eloy Sosa-Cordero, Felicia Coleman, Alfonso Aguilar-Perera, Christopher R. Malinowski, Thierry Brulé, Pedro Afonso, Kayan Ma, Min Liu, Muktha Menon, Colin Wen, Stanley K. H. Shea, Sean N. Porter, Matthew Craig, Yvonne Sadovy De Mitcheson Jan 2026

Does Fishery Management For Groupers (Teleostei: Epinephelidae) Protect Them Effectively? Context From The Iucn's Red List Of Threatened Species, Sean T. Fennessy, Christi Linardich, Kevin Rhodes, Joao P. Barreiros, David Pollard, Eloy Sosa-Cordero, Felicia Coleman, Alfonso Aguilar-Perera, Christopher R. Malinowski, Thierry Brulé, Pedro Afonso, Kayan Ma, Min Liu, Muktha Menon, Colin Wen, Stanley K. H. Shea, Sean N. Porter, Matthew Craig, Yvonne Sadovy De Mitcheson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Worldwide, groupers (Epinephelidae) are commercially valued fishes, which also play key ecological roles on tropical and subtropical reefs. In 2007 and 2016, the IUCN's Groupers and Wrasses Specialist Group assessed all 160+ grouper species, with 17 of these being identified as threatened in 2016 and the major threat factor being overexploitation. Our present study aimed to identify whether management measures (MMs) for previously assessed groupers were established, whether these measures aligned with IUCN's Red List categories, and whether they effectively protect grouper populations. Experts in grouper biology and management assigned scores per grouper species based on the extent to which …

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