Population Biology Commons^™

Impact Of Urban Factors And Invasive Species On White-Footed Mouse (Peromyscus Leucopus) Habitat Use And Foraging Behavior In An Urban Forest Park., William Persons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

White-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) select for areas of greater canopy cover at the macro scale, and for areas with more CWD at the micro-scale. White-footed mice potentially avoid habitats with higher invasive species richness. White-footed mice preferentially foraged under the honeysuckle canopy in response to changes in temperature and humidity. This study suggests that the interaction between P. leucopus and ground layer invasive species is complex, and that the effect of moonlight may be diminished in this urban park. Urban ecosystems demonstrate high levels of anthropogenic land-use change, modification of abiotic inputs, and altered disturbance regimes. These changes result …

Genetic Analyses Determine Connectivity Among Cave And Surface Populations Of The Jamaican Endemic Freshwater Crab Sesarma Fossarum In The Cockpit Country, Manuel Stemmer, Christoph D. Schubart

International Journal of Speleology

The Jamaican freshwater crab Sesarma fossarum (Decapoda: Brachyura: Sesarmidae) is endemic to western central Jamaica where it occurs in cave and surface streams of karst regions. In the present study, we examine the population genetic structure of the species, providing evidence for intraspecific differentiation and genetic substructure among twelve sampled populations. Interestingly, crabs from caves appear genetically undistinguishable from representatives of nearby surface waters, despite previously observed and described morphometric differentiation. In contrast, genetic isolation takes place among populations from rivers and caves belonging to different watersheds. In one case, even populations from different tributaries of the same river were …

Examining Temporal Sample Scale And Model Choice With Spatial Capture-Recapture Models In The Common Leopard Panthera Pardus, Joshua F. Goldberg, Tshering Tempa, Nawang Norbu, Mark Hebblewhite, L. Scott Mills, Tshewang R. Wangchuk, Paul Lukacs

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

Many large carnivores occupy a wide geographic distribution, and face treats from habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, prey depletion, and human wildlife-conflicts. Conservation requires robust techniques for estimating population densities and trends, but the elusive nature and low densities of many large carnivores make them difficult to detect. Spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models provide a means for handling imperfect detectability, while linking population estimates to individual movement patterns to provide more accurate estimates than standard approaches. Within this framework, we investigate the effect of different sample interval lengths on density estimates, using simulations and a common leopard (Panthera pardus) …

Integrating Resource Selection Into Spatial Capture-Recapture Models For Large Carnivores, K. M. Proffitt, Joshua F. Goldberg, Mark Hebblewhite, R. Russell, B. S. Jimenez, H. S. Robinson, K. Pilgrim, M. K. Schwartz

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

Wildlife managers need reliable methods to estimate large carnivore densities and population trends; yet large carnivores are elusive, difficult to detect, and occur at low densities making traditional approaches intractable. Recent advances in spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models have provided new approaches for monitoring trends in wildlife abundance and these methods are particularly applicable to large carnivores. We applied SCR models in a Bayesian framework to estimate mountain lion densities in the Bitterroot Mountains of west central Montana. We incorporate an existing resource selection function (RSF) as a density co-variate to account for heterogeneity in habitat use across the study area …

Spreading Holiday Spirit And Northwestern Salamanders, Ambystoma Gracile (Baird 1859) (Caudata: Ambystomatidae), Across The Usa, Michael R. Rochford, Jeffrey M. Lemm, Kenneth Krysko, Louis A. Somma, Robert W. Hansen, Frank J. Mazzotti

Papers in Herpetology

Introduced species of amphibians and reptiles are of growing conservation concern (Bury and Luckenbach 1976; Krysko et al. 2011; Meshaka 2011). Unintentional introductions result largely from individuals escaping from enclosures or hitch-hiking in cargo or on vehicles, whereas intentional introductions occur primarily because a species is perceived to be of value to humans or from deliberately releasing sick or unwanted animals, including pets (Kraus 2009; Krysko et al. 2011). In Florida, most known introductions are directly related to the pet trade, but about 12% are related to the cargo pathway (Krysko et al. 2011). In this paper, we report the …

Habitat Use By Spruce Grouse In A Fragmented System, Laurel A. Hill

All NMU Master's Theses

The spruce grouse is a boreal obligate species that has been protected in Michigan since 1915 (Ammann 1963). Despite protection, the status of spruce grouse is uncertain in Michigan and other parts of the Midwest, and there have been few attempts at large-scale surveys or monitoring (Williamson et al. 2008). I studied a population of spruce grouse near the southern edge of their range on the Yellow Dog Plains in Marquette County, Michigan.

I investigated fecal pellet counts as a possible method to assess spruce grouse presence and habitat use. My results validated the use of fecal pellet occurrence as …

Mammalian Records From Southwestern Kansas And Northwestern Oklahoma, Including The First Record Of Crawford’S Desert Shrew (Notiosorex Crawfordi) From Kansas, Cody A. Dreier, Keith Geluso, Jennifer D. Frisch, Brittney N. Adams, Alyx R. Lingenfelter, Anthony E. Bridger, Patricia Freeman, Cliff Lemen, Jeremy A. White, Brett R. Andersen, Hans W. Otto, Curtis J. Schmidt

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Mammalian distributions are constantly changing. Some distributional shifts reflect habitat change, climate change, and human transplantations; thus, such shifts are due to actual expansions or contractions of populations. However, other species ranges that appear to shift as the result of new records being added to known distributional limits actually might reflect populations that previously were undetected due to a lack of past surveys or species that are difficult to detect. In 2013, multiple techniques were employed to document mammalian distributional records in southwestern Kansas and northwestern Oklahoma. We discovered three new county records in Morton County, Kansas (Crawford’s Desert Shrew, …

Seasonal Dynamics And Micro-Climatic Preference Of Two Alpine Endemic Hypogean Beetles, Stefano Mammola, Elena Piano, Pier Mauro Giachino, Marco Isaia

International Journal of Speleology

Hypogean beetles generally live in stable environments, characterized by constant temperature and high relative humidity. Changes in the underground microclimatic conditions generally induce local migrations of the beetles through the hypogean environment in search of suitable microhabitats. We studied the seasonal dynamics and the micro-climatic preference of two Alpine endemic hypogean beetles - Sphodropsis ghilianii (Coleoptera, Carabidae) and Dellabeffaella roccae (Coleoptera, Cholevidae) - in the hypogean complex of Pugnetto (Graian Alps, Italy). We surveyed the two species for one year, using baited pitfall traps and measuring temperature and humidity along the two main caves. We used logistic regression mixed models …

The Characterization Of A Vital Wisconsin Waterway: A Biological Assessment Of The Lower Fox River From 2006-2014, Emily L. Kiehnau

Lawrence University Honors Projects

The Lower Fox River has historically been used as a navigational crossroads, a waste disposal system, and source of hydroelectric power. Over the years, heavy use of the river has negatively affected water quality and the overall health of the system. Unhealthy rivers cannot function properly. Biological assessment based on animal surveys are often used to determine river health. I used data from the Lawrence University and Fox River Navigational System Authority invasive species-monitoring project to explore how the distribution of animals in the Fox River has changed over time and across locations. Monitoring surveys have taken place between June …

Distributional Expansion Of The Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon Hispidus) Into Dawson County, Nebraska, Jennifer D. Frisch, Keith Geluso, Joseph T. Springer

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

In the last century, the Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus) has moved northward in central parts of the United States, reaching Nebraska in the late 1950s. Recent surveys demonstrate Hispid Cotton Rats inhabit counties across southern parts of Nebraska south of the Platte River. Herein, we report on captures of S. hispidus from a new county (Dawson County), its seasonal occurrence at our study site, and the first known record of the Hispid Cotton Rat north of channels of the Platte River. Our captures represent one of the northern-most records in Nebraska.

Fisheries Management Paper No 274 - Finfish Resources Of The Peel-Harvey Estuary - Harvest Strategy 2015-2020 (Version 1.0), Department Of Fisheries, Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

WEST COAST ESTUARINE MANAGED FISHERY (AREA 2)

Harvest strategies for aquatic resources managed by the Western Australian Department of Fisheries (the Department) are formal documents prepared to support the decision-making processes required to ensure the management of these resources are consistent with the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD). The objectives of ESD are reflected in the objects of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (FRMA), Section 3, and the draft Aquatic Resources Management Bill 2013 (ARMB), Clause 9, which will replace the FRMA once enacted.

The publication of these strategies is intended to make the decision-making considerations and processes …

Distribution Of The Egyptian Goose (Alopochen Aegyptiacus) In Northwestern Arkansas And In The United States Of America, Cameron Chesbro

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) is an exotic member of the Anatidae that has been residing in northwestern Arkansas since the 1980s (Smith and James 2012). Following the discovery of Egyptian Geese in the area, not much attention has been given to the consequences of population increase. The Egyptian Goose has shown many diverse population growth patterns in areas where it has been introduced and started feral populations. The purpose of this study was to assess the current population size of the Egyptian Goose in northwestern Arkansas,and confirm successful breeding. The methods used in this study included conducting road surveys …

Genetic And Morphological Variation In Ecuadorian Astroblepid Catfishes, Katherine M. Lawry

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

The Andean ichthyofauna remains a poorly understood component of Neotropical biodiversity, and stands in stark contrast to the lowland ichthyofauna in terms of number of species and range of distribution. The Climate Variability Hypothesis (CVH) predicts rapid turnover of species along elevational gradients in tropical climates, but it remains unclear whether stream fishes follow this pattern. Astroblepid catfishes represent a distinctive assemblage of species that inhabit high elevation streams throughout the Andes from Panama to Bolivia, and constitute the only native fish family present in the Ecuadorian highland region. In this research, population samples of Astroblepids collected throughout Ecuador’s Napo …

Ecology And Management Of Superabundant Fish Populations, Nathaniel T. Stewart

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

Fish population biomasses can reach extreme levels; we term these populations superabundant fish populations. Superabundant fish populations may negatively affect aquatic communities and anglers, necessitating the effective management of the superabundant fish populations. However, there are gaps in our understanding of these populations. The gaps in our understanding hamper our ability to predict effects on valuable sportfisheries and to effectively manage superabundant fish populations. The overall goal of my thesis research is to provide further insight into the ecology of superabundant fish populations and to provide information that will aid in their effective management. First, we described a new method …

Fauna Census Of Intertidal Cliffs, Mangapwani, Zanzibar, Emily Jankowski

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Due to their extreme variations in condition over the course of a day, intertidal zones are challenging environments. Organisms that live there must be prepared to cope with both exposure and submersion, not to mention the temperature variations that accompany these conditions. The differing tolerances and adaptations of various organisms to these conditions generally cause patterns of vertical zonation to occur in the intertidal zone, especially when the shore is steep and rocky. Understanding the ecology of shore environments is important to future conservation and management efforts. This study was conducted on a beach in Mangapwani, Zanzibar at at 6˚ …

Marine Animalia Organism Diversity And Reef Condition On Two Reef Sites At Big Creek Beach And Boca Del Drago, Bocas Del Toro, Panamá, Bri Tiffany

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Ocean acidification, climate change, overfishing, and coastal development are endangering coral reefs across the globe. In Bocas del Toro, Panamá, coral reefs are especially threatened by the rapid growth in tourism and the subsequent anthropogenic effects caused by an increased human presence. To evaluate reef condition in this area, a study comparing percent coverage of live and dead coral as well as the diversity of marine Animalia organisms was conducted at one reef site in Big Creek beach and one reef site in Boca del Drago, Isla Colón, Bocas del Toro. It was predicted that dead coral cover would be …

Fisheries Management Paper No.273 - Blue Swimmer Crab Resource Of The Peel-Harvey Estuary Harvest Strategy, 2015-2020. Version 1.0, Department Of Fisheries, Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

Harvest strategies for aquatic resources managed by the Western Australian Department of Fisheries (the Department) are formal documents prepared to support the decision-making processes required to ensure the management of these resources are consistent with the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD). The objectives of ESD are reflected in the objects of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (FRMA), Section 3, and the draft Aquatic Resources Management Bill 2013 (ARMB), Clause 9, which will replace the FRMA once enacted.

The publication of these strategies is intended to make the decision-making considerations and processes for the management of specified aquatic resources …

The Behavioral Causes Of Reproductive Skew In Cooperatively Polygynandrous Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes Formicivorus), Anna C. Brownson

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Reproductive skew, the degree to which reproduction is shared among same-sex individuals in a social group, is a pattern affected by ecological conditions, sociality, cooperation, and the inter- and intrasexual behavior of individuals in complex animal societies. Transactional and compromise skew models assume that high skew is the product of dominance hierarchies among cobreeders, yet this has rarely been tested. Both model types fail to incorporate the decisions of more than two individuals, generally overlooking the effect of female behavior on male reproductive success in multi-male groups, and are ineffective at predicting skew in larger groups characterized by more than …

A Comparison Of The Genetic Diversity Of The Class Ii Major Histocompatibility Complex In Ex Situ And In Situ Populations Of African Penguins (Spheniscus Demersus), Emily Willmer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

As an endangered species, the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is at risk of becoming extinct in the wild due to destruction of their coastal habitat and reduction in food availability. The development of a genetically diverse and healthy captive population is important in helping to conserve the species. The goal of this project was to determine the genetic diversity of the class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of a wild population of African penguins and compare it to the diversity of the captive population at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut that has previously been studied. We found that …

Global Warming And Population Responses Among Great Plains Birds, Paul A. Johnsgard

Zea E-Books Collection

Based on an analysis of 47 years (1967–2014) of Audubon Christmas Bird Counts (CBC), evidence for population changes and shifts in early winter (late December) ranges of nearly 150 species of birds in the Great Plains states is summarized, a region defined as including the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and the Texas panhandle. The rationale for this study had its origins in Terry Root’s 1988 Atlas of North American Wintering Birds. Root’s landmark study provided a baseline for evaluating the nationwide winter distributions of 253 North American birds in the mid-20th century, using data from the National Audubon Society’s …

The Role Of Citizens In Detecting And Responding To A Rapid Marine Invasion, Steven B. Scyphers, Sean P. Powers, J. Lad Akins, J. Marcus Drymon, Charles W. Martin, Zeb H. Schobernd, Pamela J. Schofield, Robert L. Shipp, Theodore S. Switzer

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Documenting and responding to species invasions requires innovative strategies that account for ecological and societal complexities. We used the recent expansion of Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) throughout northern Gulf of Mexico coastal waters to evaluate the role of stakeholders in documenting and responding to a rapid marine invasion. We coupled an online survey of spearfishers and citizen science monitoring programs with traditional fishery-independent data sources and found that citizen observations documented lionfish 1–2 years earlier and more frequently than traditional reef fish monitoring programs. Citizen observations first documented lionfish in 2010 followed by rapid expansion and proliferation in …

Asian Carp Population Status And Reproductive Potential In Illinois River Tributaries, Clinton Wesley Morgeson

Masters Theses

Large floodplain rivers are among the most complex natural systems characterized by exchange between the river and its floodplain. Information regarding fishes in main channel habitats is abundant, however much less understanding extends into their tributaries. Tributaries of large rivers provide critical habitats for main channel fishes, important for foraging, spawning, and refuge. In addition to native diversity, large rivers are host to multiple exotic species invasions, threatening biodiversity, ecosystem function, and habitat quality. Two notorious invaders are Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and Bighead Carp (H. nobilis), collectively Asian Carp, presenting an imminent threat of invasion …

Carnivore Diet Identification Through Scat And Genetic Analysis In Namibia, Africa, Alicia J. Walsh

Honors Theses and Capstones

Worldwide the cheetah population is declining making them Africa’s most endangered large cat. Namibia, Africa currently has the largest population of cheetahs in the world. During the summer of 2014, I did scat analysis of carnivores on the property of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in Namibia in order to better understand the predators that compete with the cheetah and how the ecosystem works as a whole. I worked at CCF for nine weeks to analyze the diets of carnivores in the area through genetic and scat analysis. Analyzing carnivore feces would ultimately identify the diet of various carnivores in …

Assessing The Contributions Of Two Stocked Strains On A Minnesota-Wisconsin Border Water, Douglas Zentner

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Stocking has long been used as a management tool in the United States even though many of its effects remain cryptic. Past comparisons between stocked strains were generally based on the survival and growth rates of physically marked individuals. More recently the use of genetic markers to assess contributions of stocked individuals has been employed by fisheries managers. Using 13 microsatellite markers we assessed the contributions of two muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) strains (Wisconsin and Leech) stocked into the St. Louis River Estuary. Ancestry in the adult samples remained relatively constant with differences only observed between the 2008 and …

Spatial And Temporal Factors Influencing Northern Pike Fry Density Estimates, Nate Stott

Journal of Earth and Life Science

The Tamarac River in northern Minnesota is an important spawning site for northern pike (Esox lucius) in the Red Lake system. However, little is known about fry production in the river. This study investigates migration densities and spatial and temporal factors influencing northern pike fry density estimates. Northern pike fry were collected with drift nets between 28 May and 4 June 2014. Thirty northern pike fry were randomly selected to have total length measured from each sample. Northern pike fry were observed in the first sample day. Northern pike fry density maxima occurred on 29 May at midnight …

A Genetic Based Approach To Management And Stocking Of Muskellunge, Douglas Zentner

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Fish stocking has long been used as a management tool among fisheries biologists and continues to be met with popular public opinion. Despite perceived simplicity, the full effects of stocking remain cryptic for many fish populations. Stocking has frequently been used to maintain or establish successful muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) populations. Coupled with other management practices the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has established Minnesota as a premier muskellunge fishery. From 1958 to 2012 the MNDNR stocked three strains of muskellunge in Big Mantrap Lake, MN. The first from Shoepack Lake, MN (hereafter Shoepack-strain) was used until the …

Observations Of Hippopotamus H. Amphibius In The Little Scarcies River Of Sierra Leone And Arguments For Their Conservation Based On Roles They Play In Riverine Grasslands And Nutrient Loading, Lindsey R. Perry

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

A small population of Hippopotamus amphibius remains in Sierra Leone and conservation efforts may be needed to support the Hippos and their indirect benefits to fisheries and grassland production. The hippo is a known ecosystem engineer, and a potentially important contributor of nutrients to the river systems they inhabit supporting the food web and local fisheries. In this study I observed hippos in the Little Scarcies River and uplands of the Outamba-Kilimi National Park to estimate their numbers and ultimately their potential input of nutrients into the river. Hippos forage at night in grasslands neighboring rivers, removing up to 3.62 …

Trophic Interactions In A Semiaquatic Snake Community: Insights Into The Structure Of A Floodplain Food Web, Cynthia M. Carter

Masters Theses

Food webs provide a useful conceptual framework for evaluating the relationships that exist within ecological systems. Characterizing the interactions within these webs can improve our understanding of how communities are structured and what mechanisms stabilize them. Untangling these interactions can be an intractable problem in complex systems and insights gained from conventional methods are often accompanied by inherent sources of bias. This study used stable isotope analysis, an alternative to traditional methods, to investigate the roles and relative contributions of consumers at the top of a food web to community structure and stability. I compared the niche parameters of five …

Provisioning And Its Effects On The Social Interactions Of Tibetan Macaques (Macaca Thibetana) At Mt. Huangshan, China, Brianna I. Schnepel

All Master's Theses

The dispersal patterns of food resources has a significant effect on the composition of primate groups and social interactions within those groups. Humans often alter the dispersal of food. Non-humans often use affiliative behaviors to elicit tolerance or support from other group members. I investigated whether provisioned food resources alter the social interactions and group dynamics of Macaca thibetana. All-occurrence sampling and scan sampling were used for data recorded by camera traps. Trail-cameras were placed at six locations that contain natural and human food resources and recorded 60-second videos. Social behavior and proximity of the monkeys were recorded. I …

Registration Of ‘Newell’ Smooth Bromegrass, K P. Vogel, R B. Mitchell, B L. Waldron, M R. Haferkamp, J D. Berdahl, D D. Baltensperger, Galen Erickson, T J. Klopfenstein

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

No abstract provided.