Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Phytoplankton Community Of Boalia Khal Tributary Of The Halda River, Chattogram, Bangladesh, Md. Shafiqul Islam, M.A. Azadi, Munira Nasiruddin

Journal of Bioresource Management

Boalia Khal is one of the important tributaries of the River Halda. The productivity of the Boalia Khal tributary of the Halda River mainly depends on the phytoplankton diversity. A study was conducted for two years period from January 2017 to December 2018 to identify the phytoplankton community of the Boalia Khal tributary. A total of 61 species of phytoplankton under 37 genera belonging to 8 classes were recorded. The dominant group of phytoplankton was 25 species of Diatoms (40.98 %) followed by 18 species of Green Algae (29.5 %), 9 species of Euglenophytes (14.75 %), 7 species of Blue …

Eavesdropping On Animals: Can Bioacoustics Help Save Species?, Zoe Grueskin

Capstones

Around the world, scientists are using sound to study the natural world in a growing field called bioacoustics. Researchers are eavesdropping on frogs and fish, elephants and earthworms, and many hope what they hear can inform and inspire conservation action around the world. From the field’s auspicious beginning with accidentally-recorded whales, to researchers today listening to locations as diverse as the Arctic seafloor and India’s Western Ghats mountain range, this capstone project explores the potential — and limitations — of conservation bioacoustics. Read the story, see photos and listen to audio pieces featuring three bioacousticians and their field recordings here: …

Description Of A New Species Of Aleuroparadoxus Quaintance And Baker (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) From Guatemala, José Francisco García Ochaeta, Anil Kumar Dubey

Insecta Mundi

Puparia of a new whitefly, Aleuroparadoxus marisae García-Ochaeta and Dubey, new species (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), collected on leaves of Brosimum alicastrum Sw. in Santa Ana, Petén, Guatemala, and on Pimenta dioica (L). Merr. in Calzada Mopán, Dolores, Petén are described and illustrated. Drawings of morphological structures and differential diagnosis of the puparium are provided, and differences from congeners are discussed. A key to puparia of the Aleuroparadoxus Quaintance and Baker species is included.

Review Of The Physical And Chemical Properties Of Seagrass Soils, Nerea Piñeiro-Juncal, Oscar Serrano, Miguel Ángel Mateo, Elena Diaz-Almela, Carmen Leiva-Dueñas, Antonio Martinez-Cortizas

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Seagrasses are a polyphyletic group of angiosperms that colonized marine environments more than 30 million years ago and currently inhabit coastal soft and rocky substrates in all continents except Antarctica. Due to their evolution from terrestrial plants, seagrasses have belowground organs that interact with the substrate, transforming it through chemo-physical processes analogous to terrestrial soil formation. Although seagrass substrates provide valuable ecosystem services including carbon and coastal stabilization, they have been largely regarded as sediments by marine scientists and neglected in soil science research. However, over the last decades, the increasing interest in carbon accumulation by seagrasses has generated multiple …

Influence Of Environmental Factors On Surface Activity Of Paruroctonus Marksi (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) In The Mojave Desert, Zia Nisani, Destiny Frederick, Alejandro Garcia-Plascencia, Daian Lopez, Robert Miller, Linhsan Trinh-Nguyen

Euscorpius

Many environmental factors may influence the activity pattern of scorpions in arid ecosystems. We investigated the seasonal variations of Paruroctonus marksi scorpion activity in the Mojave Desert (California, USA). Black light surveys were carried out within two 100 ×100 m plots from August 2017 to September 2018. The majority (85%) of scorpions were found in open areas compared with being in vegetation. The presence of P. marksi was positively correlated with both water vapor pressure and soil temperature, while moon illumination had no significant effect on P. marksi foraging behavior. Scorpions might be using humidity as an indicator of prey …

Microplastic Accumulation In The Digestive Tract Of Young-Of-Year Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks (Rhizoprionodon Terraenovae) In The Grand Strand, Sc, Andrew Curtis Sitlinger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the presence and accumulation of microplastic fibers in the digestive tract and livers of young-of-year Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks (Rhizopriondon terraenovae) from two sampling locations along the Grand Strand of South Carolina. R. terraenovae is a small, mesopredatory elasmobranch found abundantly along northwestern Atlantic Ocean coastlines. Thirty specimens of R. terraenovae were collected from May through August of 2020. Microplastics were found in all specimens. A total of 672 plastic particles were identified over the course of the study, with an average of 22.4 ± 10.5 (SD) plastics per specimen. The majority of the plastics were classified …

Fine-Scale Site Selection Of Strand-Feeding Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) And Their Prey, Deborah Kleinclaus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Strand-feeding is a unique, cooperative foraging strategy used by some common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at low tide in South Carolina and Georgia salt marshes, where a group of dolphins charges schools of fish, thrusting them onto the bank with their bow wave and then capturing prey items onshore. Strand-feeding dolphins are estuarine residents and frequent predictable stranding sites, suggesting an intimate knowledge of the area. Dolphin behavior prior to stranding suggests they do not herd the fish before charging, but instead prey on fish already shoaling near the bank. The use of active acoustics from strand-feeders in order to …

Extraction, Analysis, And Comparison Of Microplastics In Sc Marsh Substrates, Austin G. Sige

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The global, rapid increase in plastic production is a widespread problem for coastal environments such as marshes that present favorable conditions for plastic retention. This study looked at the microplastic abundance within three previously unstudied South Carolina marshes located in Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, and Waties Island. A comparison between the microplastic types and abundances between locations provided knowledge about the impacts of sediment composition (sand, silt, clay, and organic matter) on microplastic sequestration. This study also produced a novel microplastic extraction methodology for cohesive marsh sediment that used elutriation to effectively break apart aggregates prior to chemical digestion and …

Distribution And Soil Characteristics Associated With The Neches River Rose-Mallow (Hibiscus Dasycalyx), Morgan E. Langlinais

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Neches River rose-mallow, Hibiscus dasycalyx, is a rare herbaceous perennial endemic to East Texas. The threatened, obligate wetland species is currently at risk of being lost in the wild due to habitat loss, encroachment of nonnative and native plant species, and hybridization with two other Hibiscus congeners, Hibiscus laevis and Hibiscus moscheutos. Known locations of each of the three Hibiscus species were used to measure select soil characteristics and habitat variables associated with each of the rose-mallows. H. dasycalyx was concluded to be associated with more fertile soils and slightly more canopy coverage than H. laevis and …

Animal Husbandry In The 21st Century: Application Of Ecological Theory And Precision Technology To Inform Understanding Of Modern Grazing Systems, Ira Lloyd Parsons

Theses and Dissertations

Ruminant animals comprise the greatest proportion of herbivores around the world, provide essential ecosystem services and human consumable protein by consuming grass and human inedible dietary fiber. Herbivory pressure alters plant communities and species diversity, effectively making grazing animals ecosystem engineers in dynamic ecosystems. Development of advanced computer processing power coupled with biometric and ecosystem sensors may be employed in the internet of things framework to create an integrated information system designed to inform understanding of grazing system function and animal energy balance. Towards this end, I utilized Bos indicus / Bos taurus crossbred steers (n = 20) across two …

Growth Of Pseudocotalpa Giulianii Larvae In Sand From Different Dune Sources, Cosset Hernandez Pena, Mandy Mountain

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Pseudocotalpa giulianii (PSGU) is an endemic species known to inhabit two sand dunes in Nye County, Nevada: Big Dune Recreational Area and Lava Dune. Differences in sand properties between Big Dune and Lava Dune could impact survival and growth of the larvae of P. giulianii. Use of permitted off-road vehicles (ORV) in Big Dune can impact its habitats and cause disturbances to local populations, including the Giuliani Dune Scarab as ORV activity is correlated with changes in dune vegetation. Lava Dune has no permitted ORV activity, however, differences in sand composition, including eroded basalt, have the potential to influence the …

Our Natural World, Jennifer Mattei

Biology Faculty Publications

It’s nothing earth-shattering to say our natural world gives us everything we need to survive, from the oxygen we breathe and the clean water we drink to that apple you are enjoying with your lunch today. We all know this. However, we sometimes fail to appreciate and act on the converse—if we fail to maintain a well-functioning and resilient natural world our future is literally at risk.

What’s more, our reliance on nature goes deeper than the base physical essentials of air, water and food that are required for life. Our bodies—physically, mentally and emotionally—are healthier for their interaction with …

Vegetation And Nutritional Changes Over 20 Years Of White-Tailed Deer Exclusion, Gabrielle Nicole Ripa

Theses and Dissertations

Knowledge of the impacts of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; hereafter deer) as dominant herbivores throughout the Southeastern United States of America is lacking. To address this, three paired experimental units of exclosures and controls were constructed in 2000 on three Wildlife Management Areas across Mississippi within the ecoregions of the Upper Coastal Plain, Lower Coastal Plain, and the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Vegetation was sampled in the summers of 2000, 2005, and 2021 including vegetation structure, canopy coverage, basal area, and species composition. Additionally, in 2005 and 2021, biomass was sampled to determine potential impacts on nutritional carrying capacity. Among the …

Towards Structured Planning And Learning At The State Fisheries Agency Scale, Caleb A. Aldridge

Theses and Dissertations

Inland recreational fisheries has grown philosophically and scientifically to consider economic and sociopolitical aspects (non-biological) in addition to the biological. However, integrating biological and non-biological aspects of inland fisheries has been challenging. Thus, an opportunity exists to develop approaches and tools which operationalize planning and decision-making processes which include biological and non-biological aspects of a fishery. This dissertation expands the idea that a core set of goals and objectives is shared among and within inland fisheries agencies; that many routine operations of inland fisheries managers can be regimented or standardized; and the novel concept that current information and operations can …

Assessing The Legacy Of Erosion And Flood Control Management Efforts On The Fish Assemblages And Physical Conditions Of Yazoo Basin Bluff Hill Streams, Nicky M. Faucheux

Theses and Dissertations

The hills of Yazoo Basin have a long history of land use modification and subsequent erosion and flood control issues. In response, federal actions were taken to address these issues beginning after the Mississippi River flood of 1927. Four major flood control reservoirs were built in 1932-1957, and instream low-drop grade control structures (GCS) were installed beginning in the 1980s. The objective of my dissertation was to ascertain the long-term effects of these efforts on stream fish assemblages and channel morphology. To assess whether the reservoirs affected upstream fish assemblages as barriers to recolonization by fluvial fishes or as source …

A Subspecies-Level Database Of Amazonian Bird Distributions, With Inferences On Suture Zones And Conservation, Marco Antonio Rego

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Amazonia has the largest and most biodiverse tropical forest on the planet. However, the distributions of its species are still poorly understood, even for well-studied vertebrates such as birds. Available distribution maps for Amazonian birds often lack accuracy in delimiting the area where species occur. Existing distributional information for Amazonian birds is often limited to species-level level taxonomy, even though many Amazonian bird subspecies represent biological species. Here, I investigate the geographic distributions of 4,148 bird taxa (species and subspecies) using museum scientific specimens as the primary source of data. To build the data base I use more than 600,000 …

Examining The Relationship Between Stomiiform Fish Morphology And Their Ecological Traits, Mikayla L. Twiss

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Trait-based ecology characterizes individuals’ functional attributes to better understand and predict their interactions with other species and their environments. Utilizing morphological traits to describe functional groups has helped group species with similar ecological niches that are not necessarily taxonomically related. Within the deep-pelagic fishes, the Order Stomiiformes exhibits high morphological and species diversity, and many species undertake diel vertical migration (DVM). While the morphology and behavior of stomiiform fishes have been extensively studied and described through taxonomic assessments, the connection between their form and function regarding their DVM types, morphotypes, and daytime depth distributions is not well known. Here, three …

Integrative Revision Of Five Genera Type Species For Zoanthidea To Bridge The Parataxonomy Gap, Jacob Colbert

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Cnidarian order Zoanthidea is a relatively understudied group of invertebrates inhabiting a diverse range of marine habitats. Over/During the last two decades, species descriptions within this order have largely been based on a novel molecular parataxonomic system that relies almost exclusively on DNA barcodes to detect and describe new species. DNA barcodes are short, conserved sequences that are readily compared across taxa and used to detect previously described species. The existing taxonomic system, based on anatomical analysis and the identification of evolutionarily informative characters for phylogenetic inference, has been recently replaced by molecular parataxonomy by some scientists/researchers. While molecular sequence …

Worldwide Distribution Of Cave-Dwelling Chelodesmidae (Diplopoda, Polydesmida), Rodrigo Salvador Bouzan, Jackson C. Means, Kaloyan Ivanov, Rodrigo L. Ferreira, Antonio Domingos Brescovit, Luiz Felipe Moretti Iniesta

International Journal of Speleology

Chelodesmidae is one of the most species rich families within the Myriapoda. However, little is known regarding their association with caves. We provide a list of all Chelodesmidae taxa reported from caves, map their worldwide distribution, and discuss the troglomorphic features of the group. A total of 25 species and subspecies from 20 genera and 2 subfamilies have been recorded from 59 caves and cave systems in 11 countries. These numbers represent a surprisingly modest proportion (~3%) of the approximately 800 described species in the family. Records of cave-dwelling chelodesmids appear to be geographically biased with most taxa reported from …

Genetic Variation Among Populations Of, And Evidence Of Deep Divergence Within, The Rio Grande Chirping Frog, Eleutherodactylus Campi (Anura: Eleutherodactylidae), Kebede Beshera, Avery A. Williams Mr., John A. Hamlin Dr., Peter J. Bergeaux Mr., Christian C. Morgan Dr., Aubrey N. Armstrong Ms.

Faculty Publications

Herein we report the first molecular assessment of intra-species genetic variation and interrelationships within the Rio Grande Chirping frog, Eleutherodactylus campi. We analyzed 548 base pairs of 16S rRNA gene for 71 ingroup individuals belonging to the genus Eleutherodactylus (including 42 E. campi sampled from 15 localities in the United States and Mexico) and four outgroup samples. By unveiling two highly divergent and geographically structured clades within E. campi this study provides a novel phylogenetic placement of E. campi populations north and south of the Rio Grande Valley as sister groups to each other. The observed level of genetic …

Guano Among Bat Species From Two Regions Shows Influence Of Geography And Diet On Bacterial Community, Rahma Ahmed, Thomas Mcelroy, Shannon Whitney, Lydia Moore

Symposium of Student Scholars

Studies of bat guano have shown that the diversity and structure of associated microbial communities can be related to factors such as host phylogeny, life history and reproductive stage, geography, and diet. Many insectivorous bat species in the southeastern U.S. have generalist diets that may shift seasonally to take advantage of abundant prey species or maximize caloric intake. Seasonal shifts in prey availability or consumption should be reflected in a guano microbiome change. We also expected to detect distinct guano microbiomes within species. Within species, distinct microbial communities related to geography, and finally life history and reproductive stage. We compared …

Insect Availability And Parental Care Behavior In A Common Bird, Cole Bourque

Symposium of Student Scholars

Populations of aerially insectivorous birds are declining throughout North America. Urbanization may indirectly contribute to this decline through its negative effects on populations of insects, an important food source in insectivores' diets, where low insect availability may be especially challenging for birds during breeding. How fluctuations in insect populations impact various species at higher trophic levels is an important area of current study for future conservation biology. Here, we examine whether nestling provisioning, brooding and guarding behaviors in a breeding bird—the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris)—may be altered depending on the relative insect availability in the environment. We found …

Preliminary Analysis Of The Effects Of Non-Target Supplemental Feeding On Camera Trap Captures Of Small Mammals In Central Georgia, Raena Mccown, Travis Cunningham, Alfred J. Mead

Georgia Journal of Science

Supplemental bird feeding is a widespread hobby throughout western culture. Although it brings joy to many people, bird feeding has been shown to have potentially negative effects on local bird populations and small mammalian species. To study the differences in local occurrence of native small mammalian species around bird feeders and in more distant settings, six camera traps were placed in a rural residential area in Putnam County, Georgia. Three cameras were placed facing bird feeders and three placed a minimum of 60 m away from the feeders. Species presence was recorded three days a week from 12:00 am Monday …

Exposure Of Egyptian Rousette Bats (Rousettus Aegyptiacus) And A Little Free-Tailed Bat (Chaerephon Pumilus) To Alphaviruses In Uganda, Rebekah C. Kading, Erin M. Borland, Eric C. Mossel, Teddy Nakayiki, Betty Nalikka, Jeremy P. Ledermann, Mary B. Crabtree, Nicholas A. Panella, Luke Nyakarahuka, Amy T. Gilbert, Julian C. Kerbis-Peterhans, Jonathan S. Towner, Brian R. Amman, Tara K. Sealy, Barry R. Miller, Julius J. Lutwama, Robert M. Kityo, Ann M. Powers

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The reservoir for zoonotic o’nyong-nyong virus (ONNV) has remained unknown since this virus was first recognized in Uganda in 1959. Building on existing evidence for mosquito bloodfeeding on various frugivorous bat species in Uganda, and seroprevalence for arboviruses among bats in Uganda, we sought to assess if serum samples collected from bats in Uganda demonstrated evidence of exposure to ONNV or the closely related zoonotic chikungunya virus (CHIKV). In total, 652 serum samples collected from six bat species were tested by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) for neutralizing antibodies against ONNV and CHIKV. Forty out of 303 (13.2%) Egyptian rousettes …

Caribbean Reef-Building Coral-Symbiodiniaceae Network: Identifying Symbioses Critical For System Stability In A Changing Climate, Shaman Patel

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Increasing global ocean temperatures and frequency of marine heatwaves pose dire consequences for coral reefs. High temperatures often lead to disruptions in coral symbiosis resulting in coral bleaching, increasing the mortality of corals. However, corals can potentially avoid bleaching peril by associating with thermally tolerant symbionts. Here we provide a tool for understanding symbiosis network stability of Caribbean reef-building corals. We created a network of Caribbean hermatypic corals and their associated Symbiodiniaceae phylotypes. A bleaching model was applied to this network to test for resilience and robustness (R50) to thermal stress. It was also layered with trait data for coral …

On The Firefly (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) Species Of Carl Linnaeus, Oliver Keller

Insecta Mundi

The firefly species described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 and 1767 (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) were checked to determine the actual dates of publication. Nine out of twelve species were originally described in 1758 and not in 1767 as published in the majority of firefly literature. Lampyris hespera Linnaeus, 1767 as a junior synonym of Aspisoma lampyris (Linnaeus, 1758) is established.

Se revisaron las especies de luciérnagas descritas por Carl Linnaeus in 1758 y 1767 (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) para la determinación de fechas de publicación. Nueve de las doce especies fueron originalmente descritas en 1758 y no en 1767 como aparece publicado en …

New Distributional Records For Mexican Cleridae (Coleoptera) With The Description Of Three New Species, Jacques Rifkind

Insecta Mundi

New state records for 32 species of Mexican Cleridae (Coleoptera) are presented. In addition, 10 species of Cleridae are reported for Mexico for the first time (new country records). Cymatodera bezarki new species and Enoclerus sepultura new species are described from Chiapas, Mexico. Enoclerus primulus new species is described from Chiapas, Mexico and El Salvador.

Approximately 550 species of Cleridae are known from Mexico. These are divided among approximately 63 gen­era, of which the most speciose are Cymatodera Gray (ca. 110 species), Enoclerus Gahan (ca. 105 species) and Phyllobaenus Dejean (ca. 40 species). Faunistic studies are limited to Vaurie’s (1952) …

Crustacean Assemblage Structure Over The Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone Of The Mid-Atlantic Ridge Collected During The 2009 Henry B. Bigelow Expedition, Kathryn Medina

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone (CGFZ) consists of two nearly parallel fracture transform faults that intersect the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) axis. This area has high primary productivity and biomass levels due to the topography and water. A predominant hydrographic feature of the MAR is the Sub-Polar Front (SPF) which runs along the southern edge of the CGFZ and is known as a biogeographical boundary for multiple species. As part of The Census of Marine Life project Patterns and Processes of the Ecosystem of the northern Mid-Atlantic (MAR-ECO), this study analyzed the abundance and distribution patterns of the CGFZ crustacean community …

Abundance And Territory Location Data Of Forest Songbirds To Determine Effects Of Pipeline Collocation As A Mitigation Strategy, Lillie Langlois

All Data Sets

These data were collected for the purpose of determining potential ecological costs associated with a mitigation strategy used in shale gas development in the Appalachian basin. Collocation is the practice of siting new shale gas pipelines adjacent to existing surface disturbance such as forest roads to reduce habitat fragmentation and loss of core forest. These data result from spot mapping for species of songbird at paired forest road and shale gas corridors (expanded access roads collocated with pipelines) between May and July 2013 in north-central Pennsylvania, USA. The data file contains nine sheets that report data from different pieces of …

Aquaculture In Africa: Aquatic Animal Welfare, Impact On The Environment And The Sustainability Of The Sector, Mwenda M. Mbaka, Janice H. Cox, Stephen Ronan

Aquaculture

The African aquaculture sector recorded the fastest growth in the world between 2006-2018, averaging 10% or more, and is expected to partially fill the growing fish supply-demand gap up to 2063. In 2018, there were about 1.2 million aquafarmers across the continent, an increase from 920 thousand in 2014. According to the African Development Bank, expansion of aquaculture in Africa is hampered by "the overwhelming predominance of tilapia farming, which relies heavily on the production of fingerlings from a limited number of genetically improved strains that are resistant to the many diseases affecting this species, and on the production of …