Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part Xxviii. Scorpions Of Djibouti, František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe

Euscorpius

All scorpion species known from Djibouti are listed, with color photographs and maps of their distribution. Buthus awashensis Kovařík, 2011 known from Ethiopia and Somaliland is reported for the first time from Djibouti. The diagnosis of Orthochirus afar Kovařík & Lowe, 2016 is revised; O. borrii Rossi, 2017 is determined to be a junior synonym of O. afar Kovařík & Lowe, 2016 syn. n.; O. aristidis (Simon, 1882) syn. res. is returned to synonymy with O. olivaceus Karsch, 1881; and O. arenicola Lourenço & Ythier, 2021, is relegated to the status of nomen dubium. Hemiscorpius lipsae sp. n. …

Description, Diversity, And Phylogeography Of The North American Spider Beetle (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) Genus Coleotestudo, Robert Chambliss

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A new genus, Coleotestudo, is proposed for the American species currently placed in the genus Niptus LeConte and are transferred herein. Two new species from Mexico are also described as C. potosi n. sp. and C. nahua n. sp. Distinguishing morphological characteristics for the North American Coleotestudo species are given. The combined set of morphological evidence, DNA sequence data, and a Western New World distribution strongly support the hypothesis that Coleotestudo does not share a recent common ancestor with N. hololeucus and both represent unrelated clades of spider beetles.

During the summer of 2021, Coleotestudo was collected mainly from …

Evaluation Of Noninvasive Methods For Determining Pregnancy, Diet, Nutrition, And Stress Among Pronghorn Antelope: Implications For Population Monitoring, Cole Bleke

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was conducted to increase our understanding of the influence of adult female pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) physiology on fawn summer survival. Pronghorn are a valued big game animal in Idaho, but are particularly sensitive to capture; therefore, we designed a noninvasive fecal sampling study to measure pregnancy (progesterone and estrogen), diet, nutrition (fecal nitrogen and DAPA), and stress (cortisol), during metabolically-demanding female life history stages (late gestation, early lactation, and breeding season). We also compared survey results between ground and aerial methods within mountain valley landscapes.

Pregnancy determination, via progesterone, is possible for pronghorn, but sample collection …

Conservation Genetics Of A Declining Bumble Bee In Western North America; The Influence Of Geography, Dispersal Limitation, And Anthopogenic Activity, Ashley T. Rohde

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Conservation biology addresses the problem of species loss by identifying species in need of protection. Conservation biology has subfields to address different aspects of biodiversity loss, including genetics and sociology. I used genetic approaches to assess the conservation status of western bumble bees, a bumble bee species of conservation concern.

The western bumble bee is a bumble bee species that ranges from Alaska to New Mexico and as far east as Wyoming and Colorado. This species is disappearing in some places. It may soon be listed as endangered in the United States and is already listed as endangered in parts …

A Bayesian Hierarchical Approach For Modeling Virtual Species With Realistic Functional Trait Relationships, Sarah Bogen

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of plant populations has important implications for the fields of ecology and conservation. A rich body of mathematical modeling approaches, including reaction-diffusion equations and integrodifference equations, have been developed to mechanistically model population spread based on species demography and seed dispersal characteristics. However, with over 390,000 plant species on Earth, it is not feasible to collect complete information on all species for the purpose of drawing generalized conclusions. One means of overcoming such a problem is through trait-based modeling, which seeks to represent realistic combinations of organismal traits rather than focusing on individual species. …

Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 22: Stumbling Blocks To An Understanding Of Wallace's Worldview, Charles H. Smith

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

The writings of Alfred Russel Wallace (1823−1913) present a challenge to modern readers, both for the large range of subjects he entertained, and his unique point of view. In this short treatment, ten ‘stumbling blocks’ to an appreciation of Wallace’s thought are outlined which, it is suggested, have caused problems of interpretation in the past.

Guidelines For Model Adaptation: A Study Of The Transferability Of A General Seagrass Ecosystem Dynamic Bayesian Networks Model, Paula Sobenko Hatum, Kathryn Mcmahon, Kerrie Mengersen, Paul Pao Yen Wu

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In general, it is not feasible to collect enough empirical data to capture the entire range of processes that define a complex system, either intrinsically or when viewing the system from a different geographical or temporal perspective. In this context, an alternative approach is to consider model transferability, which is the act of translating a model built for one environment to another less well-known situation. Model transferability and adaptability may be extremely beneficial—approaches that aid in the reuse and adaption of models, particularly for sites with limited data, would benefit from widespread model uptake. Besides the reduced effort required to …

Regional-Scale Climate-Induced Variation In Ant Physiology And Morphology, Daniel E. Murphy

Biology Theses

The biology of ectotherms such as insects is influenced by ambient thermal conditions. Ants are a ubiquitous and ecologically important group of insects and are well-established as bioindicators of thermal conditions. Ants are sensitive to the thermal extremes that vary with latitude, elevation, and land use, and these thermal gradients influence their spatial and temporal distributions. As a result, ants have evolved physiological and morphological thermal adaptations in response to the thermal environment of their habitats. These adaptations include increased physiological and morphological tolerance for temperature extremes. In Western New York (WNY), temperatures are temporally and spatially heterogeneous, changing with …

Combining Historic Records And Multi-Criteria Habitat Suitability Analysis For The Potential Reintroduction Of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser Fulvescens Rafinesque) Into Tributaries Of Lake Erie, Kylie P. Wirebach, Christopher Pennuto, Dimitry Gorsky

Biology Theses

Predicting the location and quality of habitat for imperiled species is an increasingly important application of modeling technology. The Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) is a widely-extirpated fish of the Laurentian Great Lakes whose recovery is dependent on the availability and connectivity of suitable stream habitat today. This is especially true in Lake Erie, where the largest Lake Sturgeon fishery was once found. I predicted that modern habitat suitability would be dependent on land use legacies from the past 200 years, with western Lake Erie tributaries having less suitable habitat compared to the eastern Lake Erie tributaries. I developed a multi-criteria …

Hiding In Plain Sight: Accounting For Rate Heterogeneity In Trait Evolution Models, James Boyko

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Within the last four decades, phylogenetic comparative methods have become the defacto method of analysis for comparative biologists. The availability of high-quality comparative datasets has been matched by an explosion of possible phylogenetic models. In large part, the efforts to increase the realism of phylogenetic comparative methods has been successful as evidenced by their widespread use. To this extensive literature, my contributions are modest. I have focused my dissertation work on two main themes. First, most phenotypic evolution is not independent of other phenotypes. Changes in a particular character may influence changes in another and modeling these characters in isolation …

Community Structure Analysis Of Turtles With Application To The Early Pliocene Gray Fossil Site, Julian Conley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Turtles are important components of ecosystems around the world, with diverse ecological niches and adaptations. However, there are few detailed studies of how turtle community structure reflects local environments. This project applied techniques of community structure analysis to sites across the United States to infer past ecosystem and environmental conditions of the early Pliocene Gray Fossil Site (GFS) in northeastern Tennessee based on the ancient turtle community. Results indicate extant turtle community structure closely reflects environmental conditions, and that ancient turtle communities can be used to infer climate and habitat conditions of past ecosystems. Application to the GFS turtle community …

Integrating Social, Political, And Economic Factors Into Spatial Models Of Grizzly Bear Conflict And Connectivity, Shannon Spragg

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The rapid expansion of the global human footprint is forcing humans and wildlife to share more space. There is rising concern over human wildlife conflict and its effects on human and animal wellbeing. Investigation into the biophysical and social landscape features that shape conflict or how spatial patterns in conflict ultimately affect species’ movement or survival is limited. Characterizing landscape connectivity and identifying potential movement corridors is a key conservation strategy, but is challenged by the fact that many wildlife species navigate a mosaic of infrastructure, available habitat, land uses, and political boundaries. In this thesis, I investigated the social …

Chromosome Number Evolution, Phylogeography, And The Effects Of Climate Change On Species Distributions In Polyploid Plant Systems, Courtney H. Babin

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Polyploidy, a term used to describe organisms with cells having more than two paired sets of chromosomes, is a significant driver of diversification among land plants. Over a century of research has advanced our understanding of polyploidization in some taxa, but polyploid organisms remain understudied. In this dissertation, I investigate chromosome number evolution, phylogeographic structure, genetic differentiation, and the effects of climate change on ploidy level distribution using polyploid plant systems. In the first chapter, I inferred a molecular phylogeny of Allium, an economically important genus that includes cultivated crops and ornamentals, to investigate evolutionary transitions in chromosome number …

Investigation Of Dead Ocean Quahogs (Arctica Islandica) Shells On The Mid-Atlantic Bight Continental Shelf, Alyssa Leclaire

Master's Theses

Ocean quahogs, Arctica islandica, are a long-lived, widely dispersed, biomass dominate in the Mid-Atlantic; therefore, quahog shells are valuable resources for studying climate change over time. Recently, dead ocean quahog shells were discovered south and inshore of the present biogeographic range of this animal. The presence of ocean quahog shells outside the current range is presumably a consequence of past regressions and transgressions of the Cold Pool, the bottom-trapped, cool body of water that allows boreal animals to live at lower latitudes. Dead ocean quahog shells were collected offshore of the DelMarVa Peninsula then radiocarbon-dated, evaluated for taphonomic condition, …

Investigating Cause-Specific Mortality Of Sheep To Determine The Impacts Of Carnivores On Domestic Livestock, Nathan Jacob Floyd

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Livestock and carnivores interact in ways that are considered conflict throughout the world. In the western United States, livestock are often grazed on public lands in close proximity to predators in their natural habitat, and can be killed as prey. Livestock losses to predators can threaten rancher’s livelihoods. Sheep and lambs are especially vulnerable to predators due to their small size and lack of defensive abilities. To reduce the impacts that predators have on livestock, it is important for ranchers and wildlife biologists to have an accurate understanding of how many livestock die and are killed by predators when grazing …

Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis In Broilers: Genomics, Phylogenomics, And Methods To Detect Specific Pathogens During Outbreaks., Abdulkarim Abdulaziz A. Shwani

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lameness is a major issue in animal welfare and the broiler industry. Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is one of the main causes of lameness. Many staphylococcal species, including Staphylococcus agnetis isolate 908, have been isolated from the bones and blood of lame broilers at the University of Arkansas. Staphylococcus agnetis is a coagulase-variable, Gram-positive bacterial species that has been previously associated with subclinical or mild clinical cases of mastitis in dairy cattle. The annotated complete genome of hypervirulent strain 908 was published at NCBI. In this study, it has been compared to nine genomes we assembled for hypervirulent isolates …

Nestedness And Modularity Of Avian Metacommunities Across Gradients Of Chesapeake Bay Island Characteristics, Grant Walter Bowers

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Islands are not only great models for understanding the ways in which communities are linked by the dispersal of their members to form metacommunities, but are of particular interest to conservationists. One important aspect of metacommunity structure is the degree of nestedness—whether or not less speciose communities are perfect subsets of more speciose communities. Another important metric of metacommunity structure is modularity—the degree to which communities belong to modules composed of other communities that share the same species but have little species overlap with communities from different modules. Environmental gradients have received insufficient attention as predictors of metacommunity nestedness and …

The Influences Of Disperser Behavior, Host Availability, And Environmental Conditions On The Distribution Of Oak Mistletoe [Phoradendron Leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M. C. Johnst.] In Eastern Virginia And North Carolina, Nicholas Pearce Flanders

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Mistletoes are shrubs that typically parasitize the branches of host trees and rely on avian frugivores for seed dispersal. Because mistletoes are restricted to a narrow range of suitable recruitment sites and avian frugivores are more visible than other guilds of seed dispersers, mistletoe-frugivore systems afford opportunities for assessing the roles of dispersal limitation and local environment in determining plant distribution. These mechanisms have been proposed as determinants of the observed association of oak mistletoe [Phoradendron leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M. C. Johnst.] with forested wetlands in eastern Virginia and North Carolina, USA. I tested the alternative hypothesis that …

Evaluating Bat Roost Abundance: A Comparison Of Drone-Acquired Thermal Imagery And Acoustic Estimates With Visual Observations, Karah Jaffe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Roosts provide an opportunity to census philopatric populations of bats. Comparing the efficacy of traditional methods with novel methods can provide guidance on the use of new technologies in the field. This project aims to compare the count efficacy of external emergence methodologies, i.e., drone-acquired thermal imagery, acoustic estimates, and visual counts. Surveys were conducted ten nights at two emergence sites and synchronized to compare counts. Acoustic estimates could not be established as there was a weak prediction of the linear relationship between root-mean-square pressure and emergence count; therefore, this method was removed from the comparative analysis. A linear mixed-effects …

The Paleoecology Of High-Elevation Bison In The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem And Implications For Modern Bison Conservation, Darian Bouvier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The national mammal of the United States, the American Bison (Bison bison) was once nearly extinct. Populations have recovered to the degree that thousands roam the Great Plains today. Due to their large numbers and body size, this species has an oversized impact on the ecological communities where it lives and is considered a keystone herbivore in modern North American grasslands. This study explores the detailed, seasonally resolved, paleoecology of seven bison from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem during the Late Holocene through stable isotope analyses and species niche modeling. Isotopic analyses of δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, …

In Vivo Efficacy Of Pyrantel Pamoate As A Post-Exposure Prophylactic For Rat Lungworm (Angiostrongylus Cantonensis), John Jacob, Argon Steel, Lisa Kaluna, Steven Hess, Israel Leinbach, Carmen Antaky, Robert Sugihara, Lindsey Hamilton, Peter Follett, Kathleen Howe, Steven Jacquier, Supakit Wongwiwatthananukit, Susan Jarvi

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) is a neurotropic nematode, and the leading cause of eosinophilic meningitis worldwide. The parasite is usually contracted through ingestion of infected gastropods, often hidden in raw or partially cooked produce. Pharmaceutical grade pyrantel pamoate was evaluated as a post-exposure prophylactic against A. cantonensis. Pyrantel pamoate is readily available over-the-counter in most pharmacies in the USA and possesses anthelmintic activity exclusive to the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Administering pyrantel pamoate immediately after exposure should theoretically paralyze the larvae in the GIT, causing the larvae to be expelled via peristalsis without entering the systemic circulation. In this study, pyrantel …

Development Of Graphical Models And Statistical Physics Motivated Approaches To Genomic Investigations, Yashwanth Lagisetty

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Identifying genes involved in disease pathology has been a goal of genomic research since the early days of the field. However, as technology improves and the body of research grows, we are faced with more questions than answers. Among these is the pressing matter of our incomplete understanding of the genetic underpinnings of complex diseases. Many hypotheses offer explanations as to why direct and independent analyses of variants, as done in genome-wide association studies (GWAS), may not fully elucidate disease genetics. These range from pointing out flaws in statistical testing to invoking the complex dynamics of epigenetic processes. In the …

Tools To Advance Environmental Monitoring, Wetland Restoration And Education In The Desert Southwest, Anna Elisa Pina

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The relatively rare freshwater ecosystems in the southwestern United States serve as biodiversity hotspots, yet they are among the most threatened systems in the world due to human impacts and climate change. Despite their importance to this arid landscape, the aquatic communities of desert wetlands remain relatively understudied. To restore and create new wetland habitats, effluent is becoming a more commonly used water source for these habitats. However, the effects of byproducts within the treated wastewater on these unique systems have not been well studied. In this study, we aim to better understand the factors that drive water quality and …

Population Genetics Of Two Sympatric Species, The Round-Tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma Modestum) And The Greater Earless Lizard (Cophosaurus Texanus), In The Indio Mountains Of West Texas, Logan Miles Horne

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Population genetics of two sympatric species, the round-tailed horned lizard (phrynosoma modestum) and the greater earless lizard (cophosaurus texanus), in the Indio mountains of West Texas.

Metal Accumulation In Soils, Invertebrates, And Whiptail Lizards In The Northern Chihuahuan Desert, Allyson Benson-Pedraza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Smelting activities by the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) lead to the substantial release of metal pollution into the El Paso, Texas, and border cities region. To-date few studies have examined metal accumulation within vertebrate taxa in these areas. As reptiles are currently experiencing population declines globally for a variety of reasons including pollution, lizards were chosen to be evaluated for trace element (As, Cu, Cr, Cd, Pb, and Zn) concentrations. These metals were measured within soils, invertebrate prey items, and the livers of three species of whiptail lizards (Aspidoscelis) from the un-remediated University of Texas at El Paso …

Chihuahuan Desert Rock Pool Community Assemblages: Patterns Of Taxonomic Diversity, Joseph Lee Mcdaniel

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

As climate change continues to become more prevalent, increasing temperatures and altering precipitation patterns will disrupt the environmental balance of ecosystems and spark the imminent threat of a 6th mass extinction event. Many researchers believe this has already begun, as losses for numerous taxonomic clades have been well documented; however, the loss of invertebrates is still unknown and may be much more severe than those of other animal clades. A significant factor contributing to the shortfall of invertebrate biodiversity loss is rooted in the lack of understanding of the diversity and distribution of these animals. There is still much to …

Hidden Mechanisms Of Climate Impacts In Western Forests: Integrating Theory And Observation For Climate Adaptation, Sara J. Germain

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fire, insects, and disease are necessary components of forest ecosystems. Yet, climate change is intensifying these tree stressors and creating new interactions that threaten forest survival. This dissertation combined field observations with statistical predictions of changing disturbances in western forests to identify 1) how conventional models may underestimate future forest loss, and 2) how positive relationships between trees may be exploited by managers to prevent forest loss.

In Chapter II, I tested whether increasingly extreme weather with climate change increases Pacific yew extinction risk. I found that conventional modeling methods underestimated local extinction risk because trees were adapted to a …

Patterns Of Evolutionary Conservation And Divergence In The Short-Term Hyposalinity Stress Response Of A Euryhaline Diatom, Skeletonema Marinoi, Kathryn Judy

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Survival under fluctuating environmental conditions, such as those increasing in frequency and magnitude under environmental change, requires a successful response to stress. Interspecific differences in stress responses may result in differential survival of species, even within a lineage. Diatoms may constitute one such lineage, as salinity tolerance among extant species is diverse, and the observation of frequent historic habitat transitions between marine and freshwater environments indicates that diatoms successfully mitigated (low) salinity stress in the past, followed by adaptation and diversification over evolutionary time scales. To understand to what extent the diatom hypoosmotic stress response consists of conserved and variable …

Current Ecotoxicity Testing Needs Among Selected U.S. Federal Agencies, Patricia Ceger, Natalia Garcia-Reyero Vinas, David Allen, Elyssa Arnold, Raanan Bloom, Jennifer C. Brennan, Carol Clarke, Karen Eisenreich, Kellie Fay, Jonathan Hamm, Paula F.P. Henry, Katherine E. Horak, Wesley Hunter, Donna Judkins, Patrice Klein, Nicole Kleinstreuer, Kara Koehrn, Carlie A. Lalone, James P. Laurenson, Jessica K. Leet, Anna Lowit, Scott G. Lynn, Teresa Norberg-King, Edward J. Perkins, Elijah J. Petersen, Barnett A. Rattner, Catherine S. Sprankle, Thomas Steeger, Jim E. Warren, Sarah Winfield, Edward Odenkirchen

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

U.S. regulatory and research agencies use ecotoxicity test data to assess the hazards associated with substances that may be released into the environment, including but not limited to industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, food additives, and color additives. These data are used to conduct hazard assessments and evaluate potential risks to aquatic life (e.g., invertebrates, fish), birds, wildlife species, or the environment. To identify opportunities for regulatory uses of non-animal replacements for ecotoxicity tests, the needs and uses for data from tests utilizing animals must first be clarified. Accordingly, the objective of this review was to identify the ecotoxicity test data …

Defining An Epidemiological Landscape That Connects Movement Ecology To Pathogen Transmission And Pace-Of-Life, Kezia Manlove, Mark Wilber, Lauren White, Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Anni Yang, Marie L.J. Gilbertson, Meggan E. Craft, Paul C. Cross, George Wittemyer, Kim M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Pathogen transmission depends on host density, mobility and contact. These components emerge from host and pathogen movements that themselves arise through interactions with the surrounding environment. The environment, the emergent host and pathogen movements, and the subsequent patterns of density, mobility and contact form an ‘epidemiological landscape’ connecting the environment to specific locations where transmissions occur. Conventionally, the epidemiological landscape has been described in terms of the geographical coordinates where hosts or pathogens are located. We advocate for an alternative approach that relates those locations to attributes of the local environment. Environmental descriptions can strengthen epidemiological forecasts by allowing for …