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Articles 1 - 23 of 23
Full-Text Articles in Behavior and Ethology
Beat Behind The Bark: Investigating The Effects Of Music Tempo On Canine Physiological And Psychological States, Marley Lanier
Beat Behind The Bark: Investigating The Effects Of Music Tempo On Canine Physiological And Psychological States, Marley Lanier
Honors Theses
This study explores how the tempo of music, measured in beats per minute (BPM), affects dogs' heart rate and oxytocin levels, adding to past research that shows that music affects physiological and behavioral states in dogs. Being able to understand these effects holds practical implications for improving overall well-being in canines in environments such as homes, shelters, and clinical environments. Using a within-subjects design, the dogs were exposed to slow and fast versions of one instrumental track, along with a white noise baseline condition before each randomized condition. Heart rate was recorded continuously throughout the session, and oxytocin saliva samples …
Acute Effects Of The Psychoactive Pollutant Fluoxetine On The Antipredator Behavior Of The Gulf Killifish (Fundulus Grandis), Semyra Reus
Honors Theses
Pharmaceutical contaminants are increasingly prevalent in aquatic environments, yet their sublethal effects on ecologically relevant behaviors remain poorly understood, particularly in estuarine systems. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as fluoxetine, are of particular concern due to the conserved role of serotonin in regulating behavior across vertebrates. Here, we investigated how acute exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of fluoxetine influences anti-predator behavior in Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis), a key estuarine fish commonly found in saltmarsh habitats. Killifish were exposed to control (0 ng/L), low (17.8 ng/L), and high (596 ng/L) fluoxetine concentrations and subsequently tested in the presence …
Evaluating The Environmental Parameters Impacting Spawning Movement Of Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser Desotoi) In The Bouie River System., Olivia St. Germain
Evaluating The Environmental Parameters Impacting Spawning Movement Of Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser Desotoi) In The Bouie River System., Olivia St. Germain
Honors Theses
The anadromous Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser desotoi) is federally listed as “threatened” and is natal to seven rivers from Louisiana to Florida. Only one spawning reach for Gulf Sturgeon natal to the Pascagoula River has been verified via the collection of eggs and larvae; a reach of the lower Bouie River. This reach is anthropogenically modified by four gravel mining formations, hereafter referred to as pits. The greater depths associated with this area have prompted previous researchers to suggest that Gulf Sturgeon may over-summer in pit formations instead of migrating to downstream holding areas in the Pascagoula River after spawning. The …
Ghosts In Glass: Ghost Crabs As Judges Of Glass Sand For Coastal Restoration, Emily Parrish
Ghosts In Glass: Ghost Crabs As Judges Of Glass Sand For Coastal Restoration, Emily Parrish
Honors Theses
Over 60% of the Gulf of Mexico coastline is actively eroding, which has resulted in thousands of miles of lost coastline over the last 100 years. This drastic loss of coastal land highlights the dire need for coastal restoration across the entirety of the Gulf Coast. A vital aspect of restoring these eroded areas is replenishing eroded substrate, traditionally conducted through offshore dredging of substrates which comes with high economic and ecological costs. Recycled glass sand may be able to fill this role and reduce our reliance on dredging while lowering the amount of glass waste entering landfills each year. …
Designing An Optimal Thermal Preference Arena For Southern Cricket Frog (Acris Gryllus) Juveniles, Eleanor E. Briggs, David M. Phillips Jr.
Designing An Optimal Thermal Preference Arena For Southern Cricket Frog (Acris Gryllus) Juveniles, Eleanor E. Briggs, David M. Phillips Jr.
Honors Theses
Climate change has been altering ecosystems across the world at a substantial rate, disrupting the delicate ecophysiological relationships between ecosystems and the organisms that live in them. Ectotherms, such as amphibians, rely on external temperatures to behaviorally thermoregulate, making it especially imperative to study their thermal biology. Thermal preference, which assesses the environmental temperature an organism would seek out in the absence of external stimuli, provides valuable information about an amphibian’s thermal biology and can be used to predict the effects of climate change on a species or population. A commonly used method to measure thermal preference is an arena …
Influences Of Sex, Morph, And Weather On Roosting Distributions In Overwintering White-Throated Sparrows (_Zonotrichia Albicollis_), Rebecca Stephens
Influences Of Sex, Morph, And Weather On Roosting Distributions In Overwintering White-Throated Sparrows (_Zonotrichia Albicollis_), Rebecca Stephens
Honors Theses
Habitat choice influences survival by affecting access to resources, shelter from predators, mating opportunities, and numerous other costs and benefits. As such, habitat conservation is crucial, especially for migratory songbirds which are declining primarily due to habitat destruction. White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) are a well-studied migratory songbird, but little is known about their roosting behaviors or how those behaviors are affected by sex, color morph, or weather. To determine this, we tracked White-throated Sparrows to their roosts, determined core home ranges, and analyzed the average distances of roost sites to the home range centroids according to these factors. …
Striped Blenny (Chasmodes Bosquianus) Presence And Behavior Between Sunrise And Sunset At Oyster Landing, South Carolina, Madeline Schuetze
Striped Blenny (Chasmodes Bosquianus) Presence And Behavior Between Sunrise And Sunset At Oyster Landing, South Carolina, Madeline Schuetze
Honors Theses
Lunar and diel cycles of fishes can help to interpret their behaviors during their reproductive season. Temperate estuaries are used by many benthic fishes for shelter and reproduction. This study examined the behavior and presence of striped blennies (Chasmodes bosquianus) during diel and lunar cycles. PVC pipe shelters were placed to mimic oyster shell nests, a natural habitat for blennies, and cameras were placed to monitor these shelters in April, May, and June 2022, during the striped blenny reproductive period. Video footage was reviewed and analyzed for the presence and behavior of both male and female blennies. Male presence …
Variations In Thermoregulation Strategies Of Northern And Southern Populations Of Mischocyttarus Mexicanus, Taylor Guild
Variations In Thermoregulation Strategies Of Northern And Southern Populations Of Mischocyttarus Mexicanus, Taylor Guild
Honors Theses
Mischocyttarus mexicanus is a species of eusocial paper wasp that is found across much of the Southeastern coastal region of the United States. Contrasting wintering strategies have been seen in northern versus southern populations. Anecdotally, northern populations overwinter by clustering on top of palmetto fronds, their preferred nesting substrate, in a sort of "taco" shape, while southern populations stand on their nests that hang on the underside of the palmetto frond throughout the year. I tested three hypotheses related to the adaptive value of northern over-frond clustering behavior: 1) Over-frond clustering is thermoregulation related, meaning it would be temperature driven. …
Developing A Novel Place Preference Assay To Compare Drosophila Species Over Time, Martha M. Brinson
Developing A Novel Place Preference Assay To Compare Drosophila Species Over Time, Martha M. Brinson
Honors Theses
Across phylogeny, integration of external factors, memory, and internal states of the organism dictate organismal behavior and mechanisms. The underlying genetic components can affect these behaviors such as in genomic changes arising from speciation. In this thesis, a new place preference assay was evaluated in the analysis and investigation of two species of Drosophila flies (D. melanogaster and D. simulans) to measure similarities and differences and their attraction to two different food substrates. Sleep and circadian measurements were also recorded during experimentation. The Drosophila Activity Monitor 5M (DAM5M) System and Sleep Circadian Analysis MATLAB Program (SCAMP) analysis were …
Habitat Preference Of F. Notatus And F. Olivaceus From A Reversed Hybrid Zone, Elizabeth Hart Williams
Habitat Preference Of F. Notatus And F. Olivaceus From A Reversed Hybrid Zone, Elizabeth Hart Williams
Honors Theses
Understanding the mechanisms driving habitat preference throughout an organism’s life opens doors to the further understanding of the origins of diversity. Two species of minnow, Fundulus notatus and Fundulus olivaceus, are ideal for ecological research on habitat preference. Ordinarily, F. notatus and F. olivaceus display habitat preferences of downstream and upstream, respectively, with minimal coexistence at confluences. However, in some drainages, these preferences are flipped, like those in the Tombigbee River basin. Members of both species were collected from the Tombigbee River, tagged with species and sex specific colored elastomer marks, and placed in either a homogeneous control or …
Ecology Of Estuarine Birds: Differences In Desensitization Of Year-Round And Transient Species, Sarah Thomas
Ecology Of Estuarine Birds: Differences In Desensitization Of Year-Round And Transient Species, Sarah Thomas
Honors Theses
Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet, SC, USA is considered a “hotspot” for birds, according to the eBird database (eBird, 2020). The park is also visited by approximately 300,000 people, annually (Hobdy, 2019). The causeway at the park is an area of high human and wildlife activity. Here, the differences in desensitization, or lack thereof, of year-round and transient bird species to the stimuli of vehicles and humans were determined. Multiple surveys of the birds at Huntington Beach State Park were conducted from 22nd September, 2019 to 13th June, 2020. Desensitization was quantified by use of a range finder …
Predator-Prey Interactions Between Escherichia Coli Strains And Caenorhabditis Elegans At Various Temperatures And Resource Levels, Elizabeth Haynes Whitaker
Predator-Prey Interactions Between Escherichia Coli Strains And Caenorhabditis Elegans At Various Temperatures And Resource Levels, Elizabeth Haynes Whitaker
Honors Theses
Predation is an important component of both evolutionary and ecological interactions across nature. The predator-prey relationship can be altered by differential species’ responses to changes in abiotic factors. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of temperature, resource levels, and their potential interactions using two strains of Escherichia coli prey and a Caenorhabditis elegans predator. It is concluded that an interaction exists between temperature and resource level on this predator-prey relationship however further testing must be done to confirm results due to contamination in the results.
A Foray Into The Interval Timing Capabilities Of Tufted Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus [Sapajus] Apella), Gryff Griffin
A Foray Into The Interval Timing Capabilities Of Tufted Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus [Sapajus] Apella), Gryff Griffin
Honors Theses
Time is a critical part of life and timing on the range from milliseconds to minutes has proven to be critical for several behaviors such as foraging and movement. While the exact neurological structures of interval timing are currently undefined, several studies have been completed comparing the interval timing capabilities of humans and nonhuman primates. However, these studies have unanimously utilized members of Macaca, which limits the abilities for researchers to make apt comparisons between humans and all nonhuman primates. This study sought to investigate whether tufted capuchins (Cebus [Sapajus] apella) have the capability to measure time …
Blenny Territoriality At Oyster Landing, North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina: Seasonal Patterns And Ecological Factors, Sydney Davis, Juliana Harding
Blenny Territoriality At Oyster Landing, North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina: Seasonal Patterns And Ecological Factors, Sydney Davis, Juliana Harding
Honors Theses
Temperate oyster reef blennies use oyster shells that are still articulated as habitat year round. During the breeding season when water temperatures are > 18-20°C, many species of blenny males use the oyster valves as nesting sites. Male blennies exhibit territorial behavior when guarding their nesting sites and can interact differently with conspecific and transient species. Striped blenny (Chasmodes bosquianus) and freckled blenny (Hypsoblennius ionthas) behavior was described from April 2020 to August 2020 at Oyster Landing, North Inlet estuary, South Carolina to quantify typical blenny behavior, general presence or absence of residents, and potential environmental parameters …
Behavioral Ecology Of Territorial Aggression In Uca Pugilator And Uca Pugnax, Abbey N. Thomas
Behavioral Ecology Of Territorial Aggression In Uca Pugilator And Uca Pugnax, Abbey N. Thomas
Honors Theses
The nature of animal aggression has long been a research interest in many different scientific fields. Resources, including food, shelter, and mates are all common assets for which animals compete. Two species of fiddler crabs, the Atlantic Sand Fiddler Crab (Uca pugilator) and the Atlantic Marsh Fiddler Crab (U. pugnax) were studied in regards to their aggression shown when competing for shelter. One crab was placed in a contained shelter for two days, and then a second of the same species was introduced. Aggressive interactions were scored and compared with claw and carapace size to ascertain …
Is Anyone Home? Year Round Site Fidelity Vs. Temporal Territories In Estuarine Blennies, Nicholas Govostes
Is Anyone Home? Year Round Site Fidelity Vs. Temporal Territories In Estuarine Blennies, Nicholas Govostes
Honors Theses
Temperate oyster reef blennies use articulated oyster shells as nest sites in warmer months during breeding season but little is known about their site fidelity during non-breeding season. Unlike coral reef blennies that occupy territories year-round, rocky intertidal temperate blenny species display temporal territories and seasonally migrate into breeding shelters. Striped blenny (Chasmodes bosquianus) shelter use was described from November 2019 through March 2020 at Oyster Landing, North Inlet estuary, SC to quantify the proportion of daylight hours when fish were in residence and describe potential relationships between shelter occupancy and neighboring fishes. Replicate PVC shelters were monitored …
Demersal Fish Use Of Printed Oyster Shells As Nesting Habitat In North Inlet Estuary, Sc, Annie Boyd, Juliana Harding
Demersal Fish Use Of Printed Oyster Shells As Nesting Habitat In North Inlet Estuary, Sc, Annie Boyd, Juliana Harding
Honors Theses
Temperate estuarine blenny species establish subtidal territories and nesting sites. Four blenny species co-occur in North Inlet, SC including the striped blenny, Chasmodes bosquianus, crested blenny, Hypleurochilus geminatus, feather blenny, Hypsoblennius hentzi, and freckled blenny, Hypsoblennius ionthas. All four fishes use empty oyster (Crassostrea virginica) shells as nesting sites. Current 3D printer technology was used to create standard nest substrates to describe relationships between blenny habitat use and nest site dimensions. Replicate printed shells of 2 gape widths (5, 7 mm) for each of 2 shell cavity volumes (22 mL, 15mL, Oyster A and …
African Savannah Elephant Group Size And Behavior In The Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana, Katherine S. King
African Savannah Elephant Group Size And Behavior In The Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana, Katherine S. King
Honors Theses
African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana), the largest elephant species, influence the structure of the environment they inhabit. Elephants exhibit complex patterns of social behavior between individuals within a population. Many behavioral studies focus on interactions among individuals within a population rather than broader trends related to group size. My study seeks to understand how male African savannah elephant group size is influenced by seasonality, age, physical condition and distance to permanent water resources. I examined the interaction of these variables in two ways: (1) a literature review of elephant behavior and conservation, and (2) an analysis of male …
Effect Of Reinforcement Selection On Mate Selection Rates Of Gambusia Affinis And Gambusia Holbrooki, Molly Stephens
Effect Of Reinforcement Selection On Mate Selection Rates Of Gambusia Affinis And Gambusia Holbrooki, Molly Stephens
Honors Theses
This study was conducted in order to investigate the effects that reinforcement selection has on non-hybridized and hybridized populations of two separate species of Gambusia (G. affinis and G. holbrooki). In order to examine if organisms from a population that had been previously exposed to hybridization would choose mates so as to not produce species hybrid offspring, 29 trials consisting of 9 different mate preference combinations and 87 individuals were recorded and analyzed. Once mate preference was determined for each female used in each trial, the effect that reproductive isolation had on reinforcement in hybrid zones was analyzed. The results …
Role Of Nest Site Microclimate And Food Availability In Chick Development And Reproductive Success In Black-Legged Kittiwakes (Rissa Tridactyla), Lindsay Mae Lacey
Role Of Nest Site Microclimate And Food Availability In Chick Development And Reproductive Success In Black-Legged Kittiwakes (Rissa Tridactyla), Lindsay Mae Lacey
Honors Theses
Seabirds are marine top predators, and as such are often studied as bioindicators of climate shifts (Oswald and Arnold 2012). Though many studies have analyzed the effect of macroclimatic variation on marine prey species availability and thus seabirds, few have analyzed effects of microclimate - fine spatial patterns of climate (Mantua and Hare 2002; Hatch 2013; Kim and Monaghan 2005a). I tested the hypothesis that localized temperature and humidity at nest sites interact with food availability to alter black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) nest site quality, chick body condition during growth and development, and reproductive parameters including Julian lay …
The Debate On Marine Mammals In Captivity, Lorna C. Scribner
The Debate On Marine Mammals In Captivity, Lorna C. Scribner
Honors Theses
Are marine mammal species better off today because of captivity? Is captivity ethical and should it be continued? As this debate grows stronger, both of these sides of the argument offer substantial evidence in their favor. In this paper, I discuss data for both sides and evaluate the justifications of marine mammal captivity. Ideally, no matter the outcome, this research will educate the public on influential factors of wild and captive populations.
Do Male Physiological Condition And Territory Quality Affect Female Choice In The Brown Anole, Anolis Sagrei?, Sarah P. Flanagan
Do Male Physiological Condition And Territory Quality Affect Female Choice In The Brown Anole, Anolis Sagrei?, Sarah P. Flanagan
Honors Theses
Female mate choice is an important component of sexual selection because traits that influence male mate preference, such as physiology, and proficiency in acquiring resources, are favored. In lizards, the importance of mate choice remains unclear as reported results from experiments are contradictory. In this study, I investigated whether male physiology and territory quality are important to female mate choice for male Brown Anoles, Anolis sagrei. I tested the hypotheses that female A. sagrei prefer males with greater physiological capacities, and prefer higher quality territories, regardless of male phenotype. To test these, male A. sagrei were first rated for …
The Effects Of Enrichment Treatments On Jaguar Behavior At The Warner Park Zoo, Miranda Cagle
The Effects Of Enrichment Treatments On Jaguar Behavior At The Warner Park Zoo, Miranda Cagle
Honors Theses
Not long ago, Sasha walked onto grass for the first time in seven years. For Pasha, it was the first in six. The two jaguar inhabitants of the Warner Park Zoo, Sasha, a nine-year-old female, and Pasha, her eight-year-old half-brother, were transferred to a new enclosure on 12 November 1995. Prior to that date, they had been housed in a smaller cage with a cement floor. The new enclosure was a long-awaited improvement for the zoo, designed to house two of its most wellknown animals. It was expected that the new enclosure would promote more natural behavior in the two …