Behavior and Ethology Commons^™

Mortality Risk Associated With Urban Land Use For Adult Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus), Mya Wiles

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Snakes have been a traditionally under-represented organism in urban ecology, but they face similar, if not greater challenges in the face of growing urban sprawl. Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus, EDBs) are under consideration for listing under the Endangered Species Act due to population declines resulting from historical human persecution and habitat loss. This study used radio-telemetry data from a long-term monitoring project of adult EDBs on a developed sea island in South Carolina, USA. I reclassified a National Land Cover Dataset to reflect relative mortality risk for snakes attempting to move through the landscape. High-risk cover types …

Using Occupancy Modeling For Protocol Development And Habitat Assessment Of Necturus Maculosus In A Large Nagivational River, Alyssa Rachelle Jones

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Determining the survey effort required to reliably detect population change can be challenging for cryptic, elusive species. The secretive nature of amphibians makes it difficult to monitor population status and gather information about their natural history, including habitat use, which is essential for amphibian monitoring programs. The goals of this study were to examine if detection probabilities were affected by bait (i.e., light and food), breeding activity, and environmental covariates in a population of fully aquatic salamanders, Necturus maculosus. I evaluated the effectiveness of three bait treatments (light bait, food bait, combined light and food bait) and an unbaited …

Seasonal Variation In Home-Range And Core-Area Size In Verreaux's Sifaka, Brynn Harshbarger

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Primates living in seasonal forests must adapt to extreme fluctuation in resource availability. Verreaux’s sifaka ( ) live in Madagascar’s highly seasonal tropical dry forests and experience periods of extreme resource abundance and scarcity. Home- range and core-area size were measured using 95% and 50% kernel estimation, and 95% minimum convex polygons to compare seasonal shifts in space use based on resource availability. There have been no long-term space use studies on Verreaux’s sifaka; therefore, we do not know how their space use changes over time in an environment which is both highly seasonal and highly variable. Our study leverages …

Foraging Strategy Plasticity In Fiordland Penguins (Eudyptes Pachyrhynchus): A Stable Isotope Approach, Jeffrey Wayne White

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Foraging ecology in the crested penguins (genus: Eudyptes) is an active area of research, with new techniques rapidly increasing our understanding of these charismatic species. The most common techniques to assess foraging ecology include stomach content analysis, fecal DNA analysis, stable isotope analysis, tracking, and video loggers. Here we review dietary research on all 8 taxa within the genus Eudyptes to identify gaps in our current knowledge. However, foraging studies that assess dietary segregation require a method for quickly and accurately sexing penguins in the field. Obvious sexual dimorphism in plumage is largely absent in penguins leaving behavioral cues …

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus Adamanteus) Ambush Site Selection In Coastal Saltwater Marshes, Emily Rebecca Mausteller

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus; EDB) is a species of conservation concern associated with the imperiled longleaf pine-grassland ecosystem. The longleaf pine ecosystem is characterized by an open canopy and rich ground cover. Researchers have speculated that the vegetation structure of salt marshes may serve as a surrogate habitat for longleaf pine savannas. Although these marshes have little topography, they provide a heterogeneous landscape with patches of mud flats, sandy hard marsh along upper tidal areas, and salt marsh hummocks throughout. I used radio telemetry to monitor free-ranging EDBs on a South Carolina sea island. The goal of my …

Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger Niger) Foraging Behavior And Population Dynamics, John Huang

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The change in the interaction between southern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger niger) and eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) provided an opportunity to examine sublethal effects of predation as it relates to a species’ risk perception and habitat structure at two scales. The interactions allowed us to examine the evolutionary responses of the southern fox squirrel and eastern gray squirrel to predation risk reflective of their historically associated landscapes and habitat structures. Second, the succession of savanna woodlands into closed-canopy mixed forest provided an opportunity to assess the flexible behaviors of both species in response to changes …

Long-Term Effects Of Elevated Manganese On Procambarus Clarkii Behavior, Cody W. Lambert

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Manganese is a prominent heavy metal within the earth’s crust and a micro mineral essential for biological function, however, high level exposure may lead to neurological defects. Industrial activities allow elevated manganese (Mn²⁺)to enter air and waterways. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implements secondary standards for aesthetics in drinking water at 0.05 ppm Mn2+, although evidence indicates levels at, or below this concentration negatively impact aquatic life. Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) were exposed to environmentally relevant Mn²⁺ concentrations for 6 months, while the control group was kept in reconstituted fresh water for the same time period. …

Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger Niger) Translocation, Occupancy, And Foraging Behaviors, Katelyn Marie Amspacher

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Southern fox squirrels (SFSs) are habitat specialists within the longleaf pine ecosystem of the southeastern US whose populations are declining due to habitat fragmentation. Eastern gray squirrels (EGSs) are generalists found throughout the eastern US that have historically avoided competition with SFSs through habitat-partitioning. The purpose of this study was threefold: 1) use translocation as a conservation tool to establish a population of SFSs on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island (MCRDPI), South Carolina and monitor survival, home range size, and habitat use post-translocation, 2) estimate SFS density on Spring Island, SC and examine patterns of SFS and EGS occupancy, …

A Characterization Of West Virginia Coyotes (Canis Latrans) Utilizing Skull Morphology, Katharina E. Scholer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are now found throughout North and Central America, but before European colonization were restricted to west of the Mississippi. Migration occurred in two major paths to the East; north over the Great Lakes (through Canada) and south below the Great Lakes. The location of these routes is significant because those migrating north interbred with the wolves that reside there. These hybrid animals are larger and behaviorally different from their western counterparts. It is possible to differentiate these hybrids morphologically and genetically. Hybrids are known to be located in Maine, New York, and Pennsylvania, but the interest of …

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus Adamanteus) Telemetry Techniques And Translocation, Michael Thomas Jungen

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Internal implantation of radio-transmitters is the preferred attachment technique for snakes, but the high costs and invasive nature of the surgery make a functional alternative desirable. External radio-transmitters are cost-effective alternatives to surgical implantation. Rattlesnake rattles are unique morphological features that can serve as an attachment site for external radio-transmitters. Using thread and epoxy, I attached transmitters to the rattles of eastern diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus; EDB). I calculated average monitoring duration using radio telemetry data collected from 49 adult EDBs telemetered from 2014 to 2017 in coastal South Carolina. On average, we monitored EDBs for 189 ±78 days with …

Hibernacula Site Selection Of The Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene C. Carolina, In A West Virginia Population, Benjamin Owen Koester

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene c. carolina) are a terrestrially hibernating reptile found throughout the eastern United States. Despite their prevalence, little, outside of anecdotal observations, is known about their hibernacula selection. This study examines if they preferentially select hibernacula locations, and if so, what characteristics they select in a West Virginia population. Over the course of two years, radio-tagged turtles (n=12) were followed into hibernation in Wayne County, WV. Upon entering hibernation, ~36 data point were collected in a grid-like fashion around the hibernacula, with an additional point collected at the hibernacula. At each point, seven variables were recorded: soil …

Testing The Efficacy Of Anuran Callback Surveys, Matthew S. Grisnik

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Monitoring programs often suffer from imperfect detection resulting in skewed population estimates, biased estimates of changes in occupancy over time, and can result in an underestimated proportion of area occupied (PAO) by a species. To increase the detection probability, researchers must increase sampling both spatially and temporally. Callback surveys are an active form of sampling that have been used to monitor many avian and mammal species. During callback surveys, the call of a conspecific male is projected with the intention of increasing probability of detection by eliciting a response from territorial males. These methods work for organisms that establish breeding …

Effects Of Roads And Trails On Peaks Of Otter Salamander (Plethodon Hubrichti) And Eastern Red-Backed Salamander (Plethodon Cinereus) Movement Behavior, Cory Benjamin Goff

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Habitat fragmentation negatively affects movement and dispersal of wildlife by altering useable space and creating barriers. The objective of this study was to assess impacts of fragmentation by roads and trails on the movement behavior of two terrestrial, woodland salamander species. I evaluated whether proximity to roads and trails affected the movement behavior of two species: the Peaks of Otter Salamander (Plethodon hubrichti), a species of special concern, and the Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus). I examined movement behavior in three treatments: paved roads, gravel roads and hiking trails. I compared treatments to controls located at least 200m from treatment …

Using Ailuropoda Melanoleuca As A Model Species For Studying The Ecomorphology Of Paranthropus, Ryan Andrew King

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) have cranial morphology similar to the extinct hominin genus Paranthropus which makes them an excellent model species when studying Paranthropus diet. Both species have wide skulls with flared zygomatic arches adapted for chewing. To gain insight into possible food sources of Paranthropus, I investigated the giant panda’s specialized diet of bamboo. The toughness, hardness, and stiffness of various bamboo species was determined to assess mechanical challenges facing giant pandas during feeding. Bamboo is thought to be tough, but studies on such properties and how they apply to mastication of giant pandas are largely …

The Status And Distribution Of Invasive Crayfishes And Their Effects On Native Crayfish Communities In West Virginia, Casey David Swecker

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introductions of non-native crayfish species have resulted in the global decline of native crayfish populations, including those in North America. The last large survey of crayfishes from West Virginia was in 1988 and 1989. In this thorough document Raymond Jezerinac, Whitney Stocker, and Donald Tarter identified three separate areas in West Virginia where non-native crayfish species have been introduced. One area is located in the Potomac River drainage in northeastern West Virginia commonly referred to as the eastern panhandle of the state. This is also the only drainage in West Virginia where the native spiny cheek crayfish (Orconectes limosus) occurs. …

The Natural History Of Cave-Associated Populations Of Eurycea L. Longicauda With Notes On Sympatric Amphibian Species, Kevin Wayne Saunders

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to collect data on the natural history of the Long-tailed Salamander (Eurycea l. longicauda) in eastern Kentucky and West Virginia. The objectives of this research included characterization of epigean and hypogean habitat for this species, recording distances moved by individuals in populations associated with caves, and collection of data on courtship, oviposition, and larval development. The primary study site was Carter Caves State Park in Olive Hill, Kentucky. This area was visited from October 2007 to December 2008. Salamanders were photographed for identification based on unique pattern aberrancies and distances were measured between the …

The Natural History And Distribution Of The Mountain Earthsnake (Virginia Valeriae Pulchra) In West Virginia, Daniel Ware

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Mountain Earthsnake, Virginia valeriae pulchra, has received little attention in the literature to date. It is imperiled in West Virginia with only 6 to 20 populations known throughout the Allegheny Mountain and Ridge and Valley Physiographic provinces. Eighty snakes were collected during the 2006 and 2007 summers. Typical habitat is open fields with short grass, flat to moderate slopes that have scattered fine sandstone rocks near a source of water and forest edge. Fine sandstone rocks were the primary cover objects used. Snakes were sexually dimorphic with males having longer tails expressed as a percent of total body lengths …

The Breeding Ecology And Natural History Of Ambystomatid Salamanders In An Ephemeral Wetland In Mason County, West Virginia, S. Douglas Kaylor

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A forested ephemeral wetland in Mason County, WV, documented to contain 4 of 5 Ambystoma species found in the state, was studied to learn about population sizes, breeding cycles, and habitat use. Minnow traps were placed along three drift fences with additional traps placed throughout the study area. From February 5 to March 27, 2005, 85 captured adults were identified to species, marked by elastomer injection for mark-recapture analysis, and measured for morphometrics. Larval salamanders were identified, staged, measured, and returned. Egg clutches were mapped and counted. Mark-recapture analysis suggests the A. texanum population size is between 635 and 735 …

Home Range And Behavior Of The Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus Horridus), Jennifer P. Adams

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Seventeen timber rattlesnakes were surgically implanted with radio transmitters and subsequently radio-tracked to determine the home range and behavior, as well as cause-specific mortality, of timber rattlesnakes on production forests in Randolph County, West Virginia. Mean home range sizes were 94.3 ha, males; 31.2 ha, nongravid females; 8.5 ha, gravid females; and 44.7 ha, among sex classes. Among sex classes, the mean daily movement rate was 20.2 mper day; the mean maximum known distances from den sites was 1110.2 m; the mean distance from den sites was 514.2 m; and the mean total distance moved was 2852.9 m. Mean active …

The Natural History And Morphology Of The Eastern Cricket Frog, Acris Crepitans Crepitans, In West Virginia, Kimberly Ann Bayne

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Two subspecies of cricket frogs, Acris crepitans blanchardi and Acris crepitans crepitans, historically have occurred in West Virginia. The range of Acris c. blanchardi, Blanchard’s Cricket Frog, begins along the Ohio River extending into West Virginia. The Eastern Cricket Frog, Acris c. crepitans, is found in counties located in the eastern panhandle. The Eastern Cricket Frog is a species of great concern. Two sites where Acris c. crepitans historically occurred, two sites that never contained A. c. crepitans, one historical site that currently has A. c. crepitans, and two new sites that have A. c. crepitans were studied by auditory …

Distribution, Morphometries, And Tooth Morphology Of The Genus Desmognathus In West Virginia, Jessica Ann Wooten

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Very few genera of vertebrates demonstrate variation in body size, color, pattern, and life history traits to the extreme that is demonstrated in the genus Desmognathus. Exact distribution of Desmognathus, as well as other genera of salamanders, is very difficult to outline because of hybridization between certain desmognathine species. Tooth morphology, tail keeling, head and body shape, and geographic location are factors used in the separation among species in this genus. There are five desmognathine salamanders, including D. monticola, D. fuscus, D. ochrophaeus, D. quadramaculatus, and 0. welteri in West Virginia. The purpose of this study was to analyze the …

Habitat Utilization Of Fish Species On The Ohio River: Preliminary Development Of A Multi-Metric Habitat Index, James P. Hawkes

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Development of a habitat index requires an understanding of the longitudinal distribution of habitat, fish assemblages, and how the two interact. Because of the complexity and size of the Ohio River, this understanding has not been reached. Habitat analysis has long been considered, and is essential, in assigning impaired and reference condition of habitat quality. The Ohio River is diverse in the distribution of its habitat within pool and river-wide. An Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze these distributions. Within pool assessment of % habitat composition revealed woody cover and vegetation types were significantly greater in the lowest …

Natural History Of The Marbled Salamander, Ambystoma Opacum (Gravenhorst), In West Virginia, With Special Notes On Reproduction And Larval Development, Jason J. Watkins

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study observed a population of Ambystoma opacum in Kanawha State Forest, Kanawha County, five miles south of Charleston, West Virginia. Data were collected from September 1995 to November 1997. Reproductive biology and salamander development were examined. Predation of A. opacum and potential predators were also noted. Like other species in the genus Ambystoma, adult A. opacum are mostly fossorial and rarely seen above ground outside of the breeding season. During the breeding season, adults make their way to the breeding pools. Males ventured to the breeding pool first in early September and ranged in size from 49 to 75mm …

Diet And Growth Of Larval And Juvenile Grass Pickerel, Esox Americanus Vermiculatus, And Central Mudminnow, Umbra Limi, In The Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area, Cabell County, West Virginia, Erica Midkiff

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The grass pickerel, Esox americanus vermiculatus, is listed as Undetermined on the Vertebrate Species List of Concern in West Virginia. The central mudminnow, Umbra limi, is a disjunct population in Green Bottom Swamp. The lentic, vegetated areas that are required for spawning for the grass pickerel and the central mudminnow have been reduced by residential, agricultural, and industrial developments. Green Bottom Swamp, a naturally occurring wetland of 58 ha, and a nearby mitigated wetland of 29 ha, provides spawning habitat for the grass pickerel and the mudminnow. Fishes were collected in beds of Potamogetan crispus and Ceratophyllum demursum …

A Study On The Life History And Seasonal Foraging Habits Of The Salamander Desmognathus Quadramaculatus Holbrook, In Wv, Glenn R. Mills

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A study was conducted on Desmognathus quadramaculatus in the northern periphery of its range with some aspects of its life history, surface density, and seasonal foraging habits. The results in this study are compared to studies done on D. quadramaculatus in the southern portion of its range. Female D. quadramaculatus have been found tending egg clutches from June to September in the southern portion of its range and data collected in this study shows that egg deposition also occurs during this period in the northern population. Female size (SVL) at which D. quadramaculatus reach sexual maturity ranged from 57.6- 77.5 …

The Distribution, Ecology And Natural History Of Shrews (Insectivora: Soricidae) In Southern West Virginia, Jeffrey Jerome Hajenga

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A survey of the soricid (shrew) fauna of southern West Virginia was conducted between May 16, 1994 and May 27, 1995. Twenty-five sites were established in Mercer and Summers counties within seven habitat types. Pitfall traps were used and through a limitation of fluid depth within the trap the selectivity for soricids was increased to over 83% of the total capture. Overall, a total of 653 shrews comprising seven species (Sorex cinereus, S. /ongirostris, S. fumeus, S. dispar, S. hoyi, 8/arina brevicauda, and Cryptotis parva) was captured. Two of the species taken (S. hoyi and S. dispar) are new county …

Food Habits Of Largemouth Bass, Micropterus Salmoides (Lacepede) And Spotted Bass, Micropterus Punctulatus (Rafinesque), From Beech Fork Reservoir, A New Impoundment In Wayne And Cabell Counties, West Virginia, Michael A. Arcuri

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A study was undertaken to determine the food habits of two game fishes, the largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede) and the spotted bass M. punctulatus (Rafinesque) in Beech Fork Reservoir shortly after its impoundment. A total of 171 largemouth bass and 95 spotted bass were collected from July 1978, through June 1979, and their stomach contents analyzed.

Largemouth bass fed primarily on fishes, particularly young-of-the-year bluegill. Aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates were also important food items, especially during the spring and fall . The dominant aquatic forms were chironomid larvae and pupae while the dominant terrestrial forms were adult dipterans.

Spotted …