Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Catching A Fever: A Comparison Of Vachellia Xanthophloea Populations In The Limpopo And Luvuvhu River Floodplains Of The Makuleke Contractual Park, Kianie B. David

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study investigates patterns of stand structure regeneration, growth characteristics, and coarse woody debris (CWD) patterns in Vachellia xanthophloea (fever tree) stands within the Makuleke Contractual Park (MCP), a semi-arid savanna system in northern Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa. Fieldwork was conducted across two stand types: a monospecific fever tree stand in Rietbok Vlei and a mixed-species stand in the Western Nhlangaluwe Floodplain where fever tree is established with Faidherbia albida (ana tree). Data were collected from 20 total 1/4-acre (1,011 m²) circular plots between both stands in 2024 and 2025, including seedling root collar diameter (RCD), …

Bioenergy Crop Production: Implications For Grassland Bird Communities In Southwestern Nebraska, Grace E. Schuster

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Biofuel and bioenergy systems are components of most climate stabilization pathways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming. Currently, corn (Zea mays) is the predominant feedstock used for bioenergy production in the United States. However, widespread production of this monoculture crop has resulted in many negative environmental impacts. The most notorious impact has been the loss of grassland habitat due to agriculture expansion which has had detrimental effects on wildlife that depend on grassland habitat. One such group, grassland birds, has faced steeper, more consistent, and more widespread declines than any other avian guild. Therefore, strategies …

Occupancy Sampling To Examine Spatial Distribution Of Oklahoma Salamanders (Eurycea Tynerensis) Among Headwater Streams In The Ozark Highlands, Sophia Anreder

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Water conditions are changing globally due to climate change (Gleick, 1989). Headwater streams specifically are vulnerable to changes in hydrology, water quality, and physical characteristics from anthropogenic practices due to their small watersheds with shallow soils, yet they are often not a priority in conservation (Campbell et al., 2011; Abell et al., 2017). Within streams, plethodontid (i.e., lungless) salamanders, which are also sensitive to environmental changes, may be restricted in their distribution due to undefined stream characteristics and predation by fish (Welsh and Droege, 2002; Kuhajda et al., 2015). To better understand the pressures that influence stream salamander occupancy, I …

Mammals Of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge And Surrounding Harney County, Oregon, John E. Cornely, Leslie N. Carraway

Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist

Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), located in southeastern Oregon, is part of the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) of the United States. Currently, NWRS includes more than 568 NWRs, 38 Wetland Management Districts, and 5 Marine National Monuments. Malheur NWR, like a majority of the refuges in the NWRS, was established for the conservation of migratory birds. Many of these NWRs also provide significant habitat for mammals. Malheur NWR, one of the oldest (established 1908) and largest refuges in the system, is one of those with significant habitat for mammals. In addition to the refuge, we have included Harney County, …

Bite By Bite: How Ungulate Browsing Shapes North America's Forest Future, Darius Hardalau, Vladut Stefanescu, Mindaugas Bakševičius, Michael Manton, Charles Ruffner, Gediminas Brazaitis, Georgeta Ionescu, Ovidiu Ionescu

Aspen Bibliography

Ungulate browsing represents a contemporary issue for forest development, influencing forest regeneration, composition, and management practices across the world, especially in North America. This review synthesizes findings from 101 studies conducted between 1980 and 2025 to examine patterns of herbivory damage through browsing by moose, elk, white-tailed deer, black-tailed deer, and bison. Despite regional variation, high ungulate density consistently emerges as the primary factor driving browsing intensity and ecological and economic impact, leading to decreased social acceptance of coexistence with ungulates. This review highlights the selective suppression of palatable species such as balsam fir, red oak, and white cedar, leading …

Annotated Checklist And Distribution Of The Jewel Beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) Of Idaho, Luc Leblanc, Emma L. Eakins

Insecta Mundi

An annotated checklist of the 102 species of Buprestidae (Coleoptera) known to be present in the state of Idaho is provided, with photographs and detailed distribution maps for each species. The checklist is based on label data from 7,506 museum specimens, 21 observations obtained from iNaturalist.org and Bug-Guide.net, and 63 distribution records from published literature. Buprestis consularis Gory is a new record for Idaho, formerly reported as Buprestis nutalli Kirby, which is not known to occur in the state. Obscure past records of Anthaxia retifera LeConte and Melanophila occidentalis Obenberger published in the literature are regarded as dubious and are …

Genomics-Based Taxonomic Refinement Of Emesis Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae), Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Nick V. Grishin

Insecta Mundi

Expanded genomic sequencing of Emesis [Fabricius], 1807 (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae Grote, 1895) reveals additional taxonomic insights. As a result of this study, one subgenus and 10 species are proposed as new (type species or type localities in parenthesis): Sinuata Grishin, new subgenus (Emesis sinuatus Hewitson, 1877) of Exoplisia Godman and Salvin, 1886; Emesis (Mandania) mandaca Grishin, new species (Mexico: Oaxaca); Emesis (Mandania) mantunga Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Tungurahua); Emesis (Tenedia) hidalga Grishin, new species (Mexico: Hidalgo); Emesis (Tenedia) vera Grishin, new species (Mexico: Veracruz); Emesis (Tenedia) nica Grishin, new species …

The Millipede Genus Alocodesmus Silvestri, 1896 (Polydesmida: Chelodesmidae: Batodesmini): Description Of A New Species From Colombia And The Identity Of A. Hanseni (Silvestri, 1898), Juan Romero-Rincon, Santiago Alvear

Insecta Mundi

The genus Alocodesmus Silvestri, 1896 (Polydesmida: Chelodesmidae: Batodesmini) currently comprises six valid species, three of which are recorded for Colombia, including A. danielae Romero-Rincon and Alvear, new species, from Yondó, Antioquia Department. Two species are known from Panama and one from Venezuela. The new species differs from its congeners by having a spoon-shaped prefemoral process that is ventrally extended forming a conspicuous concave space with branch Z being shorter than branches X and Y. The identity of A. hanseni Silvestri, 1898, previously of uncertain status, is revised, and the species is herein proposed as a new synonymy …

Living Heritage, Resilience And Ethically Informed Infrastructures In Malawi, Martha B. Lerski, Frank Puluputu Mwale

Publications and Research

Rooted in a rural community’s needs, this paper explores how historically, and ethically informed infrastructures can support community engagement towards identification, documentation, and dissemination of local, traditional, and indigenous knowledge relating to climate change. The paper examines climate adaptation and sustainability issues through the lenses of community organizing and Library & Information Science best practices. It draws on a growing body of literature identifying a role for expanded epistemological and subject discipline perspectives. While the impacts of climate on material culture are increasingly recognized, intangible, and biocultural heritage have not received as much attention. Living heritage traditions and knowledge systems …

Three New Species Of Dichotomius Hope, 1838 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) From Mexico And Central America, Ángel Solís, Burt Kohlmann

Insecta Mundi

Three new species assigned to the satanas species-group of Dichotomius Hope (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) are described from North and Central America: Dichotomius pisuicas Solís and Kohlmann, new species, from the Caribbean slope of Honduras to Panama; D. lucifer Solís and Kohlmann, new species, from the Costa Rican and Panamanian Pacific rainforests; and D. chamuco Solís and Kohlmann, new species, from Mexico to Honduras. A description, diagnosis, images, and distributional map are presented for each species.

A Battle Of Armies: Massive Attack Of Natural Enemies To The True Armyworm Mythimna Unipuncta (Haworth, 1809) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) In Forage Crops, Armando Falcon-Brindis, Raul T. Villanueva

Insecta Mundi

Understanding the interactions between plant-host-parasitoid plays a major role in insect pest management. Farmers in the southeastern United States rely on pasture systems for cattle milk and beef production, but the benefits of parasitoids and predators on major lepidopteran pests on pasture lands are still overlooked. Here, we aimed to identify and quantify the effect of parasitism on the true armyworm Mythimna unipuncta (Haworth, 1809) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) attacking teff grass Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter (Poaceae) and crabgrass Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. (Poaceae) in western Kentucky. In early August of 2023, 547 larvae of M. unipuncta were collected from experimental …

In Memoriam: Donald B. Thomas, Jr., January 26, 1949–November 10, 2024, Brett C. Ratcliffe, Joseph E. Eger Jr., David Rider

Insecta Mundi

We honor the life and contributions of Donald Byron Thomas, Jr. (January 26, 1949–November 10, 2024) with a short review of his professional life followed by three appendices listing his published papers, taxa described, and patronyms.

Erratum To Golovatch Et Al. (2025): Contributions To The Taxonomy Of The Neotropical Millipede Genus Iulidesmus Silvestri, 1895 (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Paradoxosomatidae: Catharosomatini), Sergei I. Golavatch, Juan Romero-Rincon, Nesrine Akkari, Santiago Alvear

Insecta Mundi

After publication of Golovatch et al. (2025), it was noticed that Figure 3 was accidentally omitted. The authors and the Insecta Mundi editorial staff apologize for this error. Figure 3 is reproduced here. Insecta Mundi has also released a revised version of the Golovatch et al. (2025) manuscript, with this error corrected. However, the revised version is not an official version of record, and anyone wishing to reference the findings of Golovatch et al. (2025) should cite the original manuscript or this erratum.

A New Species Of Leaf Litter Inhabiting Species Of Stevenaltica Konstantinov, Linzmeier And Savini From The United States (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini), Amy L. Brown, Shawn M. Clark, Alexander S. Konstantinov

Insecta Mundi

A new species, Stevenaltica parvarotunda Bown, Clark, and Konstantinov (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is described from Ohio, U.S.A. This is the first report of this genus in North America. Brief comments are made regarding Exoceras Jacoby and Leptophysa Baly.

The Northern Lapwing (Vanellus Vanellus Linnaeus, 1758), A New Species In The List Of Charadriidae In The Western Steppes Of Algeria, Youcefi Ahmed Toufik, Litim Kouider

Journal of Bioresource Management

This manuscript aims to authenticate the presence of a species of wild bird: Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus Linnaeus, 1758), which represents a first in the western steppes areas of Algeria. The sighting was recorded in the treated wastewater treatment plant west of the municipality of Mécheria. The phonological status of this species can be classified as a passing visitor. This presence can be justified by the food rules of the Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus Linnaeus, 1758) which is insectivorous and finds in this area prey on which it feeds.

Cutthroat Trout In Utah, Hope Northagen, Ethan Gilliam

All Current Publications

This fact sheet is intended to inform anglers, aquatic recreationalists, and backyard conservationists interested in learning about a Utah native species, current restoration steps, and how their actions can help professionals restore native cutthroat trout populations.

The Perfect Pairing: Early Stand Dynamics In Conventional Aspen And Mixedwood Forests In Northern Minnesota, Usa, Chelsea C. Semper, John M. Zobel, Sawyer S. Scherer, Michael R. Reinikainen, Matthew B. Russell, Tyler S. Gifford, Marcella A. Windmuller‑Campione

Aspen Bibliography

In North America, mixedwood management is being increasingly considered by natural resource managers as an alternative to single species management for a variety of ecological, economic, and cultural reasons. In northern Minnesota, USA, natural resource managers are increasingly using treatments to establish mixedwood forests in aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx, Populus grandientata Michx) dominated ecosystems by planting white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench). However, little quantitative information is known regarding differences between stand structure and composition in conventional aspen and aspen-white spruce during early stand development. To provide greater clarity for managers, we sampled 40 aspen stands across a chronosequence …

Crayfish Microhabitats Provide A Close Association With Benthic Microbiomes To Support Cleaning Symbionts., Kyle J. Harris, John Hoverson, Matthew Becker, Matthew M. Cooke Mr

NEXUS: The Liberty Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies

Stream ecosystems promote variable microhabitats along a longitudinal gradient. These microhabitats support dynamic biotic assemblages. One such microhabitat in freshwater streams involves the external surface of crayfish. We investigated the microbiome of crayfish exoskeletons and the surrounding environment (water and substrate) in association with the presence and abundance of crayfish cleaning ectosymbionts (branchiobdellidans). These ectosymbionts actively consume the biofilm on crayfish as they live and reproduce in association with crayfish microhabitats. Sequenced microbes of the environment and crayfish were compared for dominant taxa. While the sample types (water, substrate, and crayfish) had significantly different microbiomes, there was not a significant …

Using Stomach Content Analysis To Determine The Trophic Ecology Of Omosudis Lowii, A Deep-Sea Predator In The Gulf Of Mexico, Claire De Noyo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the feeding dynamics of deep-sea communities, despite their significant ecological importance. Deep-pelagic communities contribute to marine biodiversity and ecosystem stability while directly offsetting climate change via carbon sequestration. Omosudis lowii is an understudied, deep-sea fish found in temperate and tropical waters worldwide, including the Gulf of Mexico. Omosudis lowii have large jaws and distensible stomachs, allowing them to capture prey items larger than their body size. The present seminal study used stomach content analysis to quantitatively describe the O. lowii trophic ecology, providing baseline data regarding diet composition, feeding selectivity, and factors that impact prey selection. …

Exploiting Genomics To Advance Genetic Gain For Reproductive Traits In Sheep, Mujibur Rahman

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

Poor reproductive performance has a negative impact on the profitability of sheep production systems with the number of lambs reared highlighted as a key driver of farm profitability. Nevertheless, the genetic improvement of reproductive traits in sheep has been constrained by their low heritability and pleiotropic nature. Understanding the underlying genetic architecture can improve genomic prediction estimates and enhance genetic gain.

This study will utilize large-scale genomic and phenotypic datasets to enhance genetic gain in sheep reproductive traits through four approaches: 1) to determine the effect of inbreeding depression on reproduction, 2) to identify causal variants impacting reproductive performance through …

Evolutionary Dynamics Of Artificial Agents: Exploration And Learning In Games, Brian Mintz

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

The natural world abounds with examples of complex behavior in humans and many other species. Evolutionary game theory is a powerful mathematical framework to understand the origins of many such behaviors like cooperation. Since these behaviors are often selected against initially, understanding why they are so widespread has been a longstanding question. Rather than assuming agents' rationality, like in traditional game theory, this approach studies the mutation and selection of strategies themselves. However most behavior is neither perfectly rational nor entirely determined by genetics. This dissertation works to bridge the gap between these two perspectives by analyzing models where individuals …

Analyzing Human - Nonhuman Primate Conflict Mitigation Techniques In Mto Wa Mbu, Northern Tanzania, Lil Adams

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

Human-wildlife conflict is a widespread challenge faced by those living in regular contact with wildlife that can have profound impacts on livelihood outcomes for humans, wildlife, and their shared environment (Barua et al., 2013; Blackie, 2023). Human – non-human primate conflict is particularly crucial due to primates’ high capacity to live among human populations (Chapman & Chapman, 1990; Alberts & Altmann, 2006; Reader et al., 2011; Sinha & Vijayakrishnan, 2017), and is currently on the rise due to increasing contact between human and non-human primates (Hockings, 2016; Uddin et al., 2020). To characterize and analyze techniques currently being used to …

More Equal Than Others: Taxonomic Bias In Animal Management, Barrett L. Christie

Animal Sentience

Oldfield & Bonano (2024) point out not only the scarcity of research on fish welfare but also significant taxonomic bias in broader research on these species. This bias extends to the management practices of aquaria and zoos, where the focus is on higher vertebrates. More resources need to be allocated to research to address this disparity. We also need to develop welfare constructs that recognize the inherent differences between aquatic and terrestrial species, taking into account the unique ecological contexts and behavioral patterns of fishes.

Influence Of Increasing Fires On Mixed Conifer Stand Dynamics In The U.S. Southwest, Simon D. Baker, Kristen M. Waring, David Auty, Nicholas Wilhelmi

Aspen Bibliography

(1) Stand-replacing fires may threaten the continued stability of mixed conifer forests in the U.S. Southwest. Increasing fire frequency and severity have made post-fire forest recovery trajectories uncertain for many coniferous species, potentially leading to long-term shifts in forest structure and composition. (2) The purpose of this study was to examine post-fire stand dynamics over a 10-year period, using a network of permanent plots established prior to wildfire events across Arizona and New Mexico. We assessed changes in over story composition, regeneration, and fuel loading across different fire severities. (3) High severity fire caused near-total over story mortality, with little …

Bat Occurrence And Microclimatic Conditions Of The Sima Del Órgano Cave, Mexico, Luis A. Hernández, Jaime E. Gómez, Cyntia Reyes

International Journal of Speleology

Caves represent an important type of shelter for many species of bats, particularly in karstic regions. In Mexico, about 60 bat species regularly use caves as roosts. The microclimate of a cave is a key component of the overall cave ecosystem. So, an adequate microclimate can minimize the energetic costs of bats associated with thermoregulation, gestation, embryonic development, parental care, lactation and social interaction. Cave environments are among the least known and most threatened on the planet, which is why we aimed to determine the monthly occurrence of bat species in the Sima del Órgano Cave, estimate the population size …

Experiments To Enhance Post-Fire Aspen Seedling Survival And Growth, Larissa L. Yocom, Mark R. Kreider, Owen T. Burney, Tammy Parsons, Ryan T. Choi, Emily K. Liese, Karen E. Mock

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen forests provide wildlife, watershed, and aesthetic value, and the potential for reduced fire occurrence, behavior, and severity. There is interest in planting aspen to achieve various management objectives. However, few studies have investigated the optimal conditions for aspen seedlings in the western US. We conducted two experiments to address this knowledge gap. First, we tested the effects of shading structures (i.e., logs) and biochar on the survival and growth of 960 outplanted aspen seedlings in three exclosures in a recent fire footprint. Second, we tested whether experimentally placing logs near 120 naturally-occurring post-fire aspen seedlings affected survival or growth. …

Colonization-Persistence Trade-Offs In The Human Microbiome, Liam F. Nokes

Environmental Studies Senior Theses

Understanding how diverse microbial taxa coexist in the human body without competitively excluding one another remains a key challenge in microbiome ecology. One proposed explanation is the colonization-persistence trade-off, where species with high colonization ability are poor persisters, and vice versa. We test for this trade-off across human associated microbial communities among many individuals and in multiple body sites using a large-scale participant-level meta-analysis of longitudinal microbiome datasets curated from the MGnify database. We applied island biogeography-based models to calculate effective colonization and persistence rates for microbial families and genera across 606 individuals over twenty-six studies. Regression of the log-transformed …

Distribution And Habitat Use Of Sounders Gray Whales From 1990 To 2023, Sara N. Mach

Honors Projects

Abstract: Every spring, a small subgroup of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), referred to as “Sounders,” migrate to northern Puget Sound (NPS), Washington State, to forage on small crustaceans, particularly during years of low prey availability in the Arctic, the primary foraging habitat for gray whales. In contrast to gray whales in other locations, Sounders primarily forage on ghost shrimp (Neotrypnea californiensis) while in NPS. These small crustaceans live in the sediment in the intertidal to shallow subtidal zones, so gray whales must wait for higher tides to feed. Gray whale abundance in NPS and time spent …

Patterns Of Late Holocene And Historical Extinctions On Madagascar, Laurie R. Godfrey, Zachary S. Klukkert, Brooke E. Crowley, Robin R. Dawson, Peterson Faina, Benjamin Z. Freed, Evon Hekkala, Cortni Borgerson, Harimanjaka A. M. Rasolonjatovo, Patricia C. Wright, Stephen J. Burns

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Around 1000 years ago, Madagascar experienced the collapse of populations of large vertebrates that ultimately resulted in many species going extinct. The factors that led to this collapse appear to have differed regionally, but in some ways, key processes were similar across the island. This review evaluates four hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the loss of large vertebrates on Madagascar: Overkill, aridification, synergy, and subsistence shift. We explore regional differences in the paths to extinction and the significance of a prolonged extinction window across the island. The data suggest that people who arrived early and depended on hunting, …

Changes In Morphology, Phenology, And Demography Of Several Avian Species Over 18 Years At A Restored Grassland, Ashley Mcmahon, Katie Stumpf

Georgia Journal of Science

In response to a changing climate and the loss of habitat, avian species are displaying changes in body size, migration phenology, and demography. Several species have adhered to Allen’s and Bergmann’s rules by displaying increased wing length and decreased mass, respectively, over time in response to higher temperatures. Climate change has also resulted in earlier spring migration and depending on species, either earlier or later fall migration. Finally, species affected by habitat loss often display male-skewed sex ratios and juvenile skewed age ratios. Our goal was to determine how body size, migration phenology, and demography have changed for grassland birds …