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Full-Text Articles in Population Biology
Invasion Genetics Of The Non-Native Geckos Phelsuma Grandis Gray 1870 And Gekko Gecko (Linnaeus 1758) In Southern Florida, Usa, Thomas William Fieldsend
Invasion Genetics Of The Non-Native Geckos Phelsuma Grandis Gray 1870 And Gekko Gecko (Linnaeus 1758) In Southern Florida, Usa, Thomas William Fieldsend
FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Biological invasions cause tremendous damage to ecosystems, economies, and human livelihoods worldwide. Florida is home to more established non-native species of reptiles and amphibians than anywhere else on Earth, many of which cause substantial harm to native biodiversity and human well-being. The relatively new discipline of invasion genetics promises to significantly improve the understanding, prediction, prevention, and management of biological invasions. The purpose of this dissertation is to utilize invasion genetics techniques to further understanding of the patterns and processes of biological invasions, especially as they pertain to Florida’s destructive and diverse non-native squamate reptile assemblage. In the first phase …
Investigating The Population Dynamics Of An Avian Apex Predator Across An Urban Gradient, Donna Marain
Investigating The Population Dynamics Of An Avian Apex Predator Across An Urban Gradient, Donna Marain
FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Predators are often the focus of conservation efforts. They can be useful sentinel species, umbrella species, and flagship species. Predators can also be the first guild lost when ecosystems are under stress, especially from anthropogenic land-use change. Avian predators (raptors) can be an exception to this trend, filling the role of apex predators across the urban gradient. South Florida contains the Everglades ecosystem and one of the fastest growing human populations in the country. In the current study, I investigated the population dynamics of South Florida’s most abundant hawk: the Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus, RSHA) across the urban …
Characterization Of Rhizobial Diversity And Relationship Of Rhizobial Partner And Legume Performance In Four South Florida Pine Rockland Soils, Vanessa Sánchez
Characterization Of Rhizobial Diversity And Relationship Of Rhizobial Partner And Legume Performance In Four South Florida Pine Rockland Soils, Vanessa Sánchez
FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Pine rocklands are endangered ecosystems unique to south Florida, the Bahamas and Cuba. As a result of their karstic calcium carbonaterich soil, these systems are limited in phosphorus and nitrogen, making symbiotic associations critical to plant growth. Four leguminous species (Cajanus cajan, Chamaecrista fasciculata, Tephrosia angustissima, and Abrus precatorious) were used to determine the relationship between rhizobial partners and plant performance, and the symbiosis related gene nifH was amplified to characterize the diversity of rhizobial symbionts. Plants were grown in soils from four different south Florida pine rocklands, and a salinity treatment was added to determine …