Population Biology Commons^™

Comparisons Of Morphology And Reproductive Status Of Plethodon Glutinosus At High, Middle, And Low Elevations In West Virginia, Cynthia F. Lucas

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Plethodon glutinosus populations in West Virginia were looked at in three different elevations. Objectives were to determine if there is enough difference in elevation to cause different populations to vary in morphology and reproduction. Nine morphological measurements were taken to represent both size and proportional shape. Sexual dimorphism was found in all measurements only in low elevations, males being larger (p<0.001-p=0.041). Mean measurements between the three elevations showed significant differences (p<0.005) in all measurements excluding head width, tail length, and 3rd digit length. Salamanders were dissected; testes and vasa deferentia were removed from males and ovaries with follicles were removed from females. Results showed males in lower and middle elevations deposit spermatophores May-July. Low sample sizes in higher elevations provided inconclusive results. Females of lower elevations lay eggs early-mid summer. Middle and higher elevations results revealed a likely spring oviposition, or possibly a fall oviposition.

Determining The Genetic Distances Between Sub-Populations Of Aneides Aeneus In The Westvāco Wildlife And Ecological Research Forest, Andrew Nicholas Johnson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Aneides aeneus, the Green Salamander, is a plethodontid species ranging from southern Pennsylvania to central Alabama and from eastern Mississippi to Maryland. Populations of Green Salamanders most often inhabit cliffs and rocky outcrops which are moist but not wet and shaded. The animal is listed as a species of special concern by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Diversity Program. Genetic and reproductive isolation due to strict habitat preferences of the Green Salamander could be a factor in the decline of the species. Seventeen tissue samples were retrieved from five sites within the Westvāco Wildlife and Ecosystem …

Status Of The Small-Mouthed Salamander, Ambystoma Texanum (Mathes) In West Virginia, Robert Fiorentino

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Over the past 60 years little natural history information on Ambystoma texanum (Small-mouthed Salamander) has been collected in West Virginia, the eastern most location for the species. Three historical breeding populations of A. texanum have been documented in the state, but salamanders from 2 of these locations have not been documented for the past 30 years. Searches of historical sites and favorable habitat in Mason, Jackson, and Wood counties yielded no evidence for the presence of A. texanum, except for the known breeding site in Wood County. Information on time of breeding and egg development was collected at the Wood …

Natural Succession Of Benthic Populations In Constructed Sediment Ponds And Ditches In Southwestern West Virginia, Robin E. Dolin

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Strip mining causes major disturbances of the natural environment. One such disturbance is the creation of valley fills, which often fill in the headwaters of small streams. Runoff from these valley fills can cause heavy siltation as well as acid and heavy metal deposition downstream. One way to combat this problem is through the construction of sedimentation ponds, which slow down the flow of water so that sediment can settle out and water chemistry can be altered before the water is discharged into the stream. Since these ponds are, in effect, temporarily replacing small headwaters once present, the question is …

Factors Influencing Spatial Variability In Soil Nitrogen (N) Dynamics In N-Treated And Untreated Watersheds Of The Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia, Nikki Lenore Lyttle

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The central Appalachian region of the United States receives some of the highest inputs of nitrogen (N) due to acidic deposition in the nation. It is believed that these high could levels contribute to a decline in forest soils within the next 50 to 70 yrs. This study examines factors that influence spatial variability in N-treated and untreated watersheds of the Fernow Experimental Forest, Parsons, West Virginia. Within each of the two watersheds [WS4 untreated control, > 100 yr.; WS3 N-treated, acidified, clear cut, ~ 31 yr.], two 0.04 ha plots, one high N and one low N, were selected for …

The Life History Of The Cave Salamander, Eurycea Lucifuga Rafinesque, In West Virginia, Andrew James Longenecker

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In West Virginia, as throughout its range, there is limited information about the life history of the cave salamander (Eurycea lucifuga). The purpose of this study was to describe the natural history of this species in West Virginia. The objectives of this study were to determine habitat selection of the cave salamander, to ascertain its environmental characteristics, and to study its reproductive and non-reproductive biology. Three study caves were located in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. All sites were examined at least once each month from May 1999 through April 2000. Caves were divided into three zones: entrance, twilight, …

Ecology And Sympatric Relations Of Crevice Salamanders In Randolph County, West Virginia, Jayme Linn Waldron

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

By implementing a mark-recapture study, I investigated the ecology of three species of sympatric plethodontid salamanders (Aneides aeneus, Desmognathus ochrophaeus, and Plethodon glutinosus) on rock outcrops in the Westvaco Wildlife and Ecosystem Research Forest, Randolph County, West Virginia. By examining activity patterns, vertical stratification, and habitat preference for A. aeneus, D. ochrophaeus, and P. glutinosus, I attempted to offer some insight into how these sympatric species avoid competition on small, isolated rock outcrops. Twenty-one surveys, both nocturnal and diurnal, were performed between 11 May and 17 October, 1999. During this time, 89 salamanders, encompassing five species ( …

Changes Among Ohio River Fish Populations Due To Water Quality Improvements And High-Lift Dams, Benjamin Lowman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Fish populations in the Ohio River have been monitored extensively by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), along with state and Federal agencies, for over 40 years. The population data, collected via lock chamber rotenone surveys, showed that many species of Ohio River fish have demonstrated marked increases in abundance since these studies began. These trends in population density, both gradual and sharp, are likely associated with water quality improvements and the construction of high-lift dams. Pearson-r correlation through linear regression analyses showed 23 species or 42% of populations examined exhibit significant density increases from 1957 to 1998. …

Ecology And Population Demography Of The Hellbender, Cryptobranchus Alleganiensis, In West Virginia, W. Jeffrey Humphries

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Using mark-recapture, I studied the population demography and habitat use of the hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, in the West Fork of the Greenbrier River, Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Eighteen nocturnal surveys were conducted between April and October, 1998, during which 29 hellbenders were implanted with permanent tags. Male to female sex ratio was 1.06:1. Hellbenders were sexually dimorphic, as females were significantly longer and heavier than males. Total lengths for all captured animals ranged from 29.5 - 56.5 cm and mass ranged from 150.0 - 905.8 g. Seasonal linear movements for 12 individuals ranged from 0.8 - 70.2 m (mean …

Feeding Niches Of Forest Salamanders: Indirect Effects Of Gypsy Moth Pesticides On Prey Selection And Potential Overlap Between Adults Of Six Species, Sandra Raimondo

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Amphibian declines and deformities are indictors of pollution and other environmental impacts. Pesticides, such as Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Bt), may produce non-target effects on salamanders by impacting their food supply, ultimately resulting in population declines. Salamanders were used as an assessment tool of pesticide impacts before populations decline. Diet analysis determined if Bt affected food consumption of two salamander species (Desmognathus ochrophaeus and P. cinereus). Nine plots in the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia were used in this study. Three plots were sprayed with Bt in 1997 and 1998, three were sprayed with a gypsy moth …

Distribution Of The Sucker Family (Pisces: Catostomidae) In The Ohio River, Tara L. Rose

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The family Catostomidae represents a major component of the fish fauna in the Ohio River. Because of their abundance, large biomass, and susceptibility to environmentally-induced anomalies, suckers are expected to significantly influence the Ohio River Fish Index (ORFIn), a biological index being developed by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) for large river systems. To correctly interpret information obtained from ORFIn, the impact of suckers upon the index must be thoroughly understood, including relative importance and uneven spatial distribution of Ohio River suckers. In this study, suckers represented 7.1 percent of the total fish captured and 36.6 percent …

Ecology And Natural History Of Rana Clamitans Melanota In West Virginia, Alison M. Rogers

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Fourteen study sites were sampled with aquatic funnel traps and D-frame net sweeps in the plateau and mountain region of West Virginia to determine differences in larval period. Larval stage class abundance and larval total length and mass measurements were recorded from February to December 1997. Larval stage classes 25 and 26, the first free living stages, were absent from the plateau region from February to April, but were present in the mountain region. Pre-transformation larval stages, 40 through 44, were found from May through October, and peaked in July. Significant relationships were found with simple linear regression analysis between …

Natural History Of The Northern Spring Salamander Gyrinophilus Porphyriticus Porphyriticus At The Westvaco Wildlife And Ecosystem Research Forest In Randolph County, West Virginia, Brian A. Lindley

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this thesis research was to study the natural history of the northern spring salamander Gyrinophilus p. porphyriticus in West Virginia. The objectives of this study were to determine the environmental characteristics of the habitat of Gyrinophilus p. porphyriticus, to determine its reproductive biology, and then examine non-reproductive aspects of the natural history of the species. Study sites were located at the Westvaco Wildlife and Ecosystem Research Forest (WWERF) in Randolph County, West Virginia. Four sites on three streams were divided into two 25m transects. All sites were examined once each month from August 1997 through November 1998 …

Ecology And Natural History Of The Cow Knob Salamander, Plethodon Punctatus Highton, In West Virginia, Robert B. Tucker

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Very little has been written on the ecology and natural history of the Cow Knob salamander, Plethodon punctatus Highton, since it was described by Highton (1971). Plethodon punctatus is known only from the higher elevations of Great North (above 2,800 ft) and Shenandoah (above 3,000 ft.) Mountains in Virginia and West Virginia (Highton, 1972; Conant and Collins, 1991). The type locality is Cow Knob, Pendleton County, West Virginia. Plethodon punctatus is a large (up to 75 mm snout-to-vent length) dorso-ventrally flattened salamander with creamish iridiophore spots on the back and sides, webbed feet for a fossorial lifestyle, and large …

Life History, Ecology, And Low Ph Tolerance Of The Freshwater Prawn, Palaemonetes Kadiakensis Rathbun, In A Mitigated Wetland Of The Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area, West Virginia, Jennifer Ann Aderman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

An ecological life history study of the freshwater prawn Palaemonetes kadiakensis was conducted at the mitigated wetland of the Green Bottom Wildlife management Area (GBWMA). Monthly samples were collected from November 1996 through November 1997. In addition, weekly samples were collected from May through November for growth and reproductive analysis. Monthly samples yielded 520 prawns. Palaemonetes kadiakensis had a one-year life cycle, with all adults dying by September. Males averaged 23.82 mm (range = 14.15 to 36.75 mm) and females averaged 26.78mm (range = 15.06 to 38.60 mm) in length. Males averaged 0.087g (range = 0.014to 0.293 g) and females …

An Assessment Of The Prevalence Of The Bass Tapeworm, Proteocephalus Ambloplitis, And Other Parasites In Five Species Of Basses From River And Lake Ecosystems In West Virginia, J. Alyce Bradbury

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Two-hundred and fifteen basses were collected from four river sites (Racine Locks and Dam, Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam; Ashland, KY—Ohio River; London Locks and Dam—Kanawha River) and five reservoir sites (Beech Fork Lake, East Lynn Lake, Summersville Lake, Burnsville Lake, and Stonewall Jackson Lake,). The five species of bass caught were: largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides; smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieui; spotted bass, Micropterus punctulatus; white bass, Morone chrysops; and hybrid bass, Morone chyrsops x Morone saxatilis. Basses were collected by three methods: 1) local anglers (hook and line), 2) gill netting surveys; and 3) …

The Use Of Emergent Rocks As Refugia For The Cheat Mountain Salamander, Plethodon Nettingi Green, Beth Anne Pauley

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Plethodon nettinqi was listed as a threatened species in 1989 by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (Pauley, 1991). Its total range is within 5 counties in eastern West Virginia. There are fewer then 60 disjunct populations known and most populations are above 3,000 ft. and are associated with emergent rocks or narrow ravines with Rhododendron. It is hypothesized the P. netting! survived lumbering practices at the turn of the century by taking refuge beneath large emergent rocks and narrow ravines with Rhododendron. This study examined environmental factors associated with emergent rocks that might regulate the distribution of P. …

Ecological Life History Of Caenis Amica Hagen (Emphemeroptera: Caenidae) From The Mitigated Area Of Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area, Cabell County, West Virginia, Gail Lynn Perrine

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The ecological life history of a population of Caenis amica Hagen from the Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area was studied from November 1996 to November 1997. Water quality data and 2,505 larvae were collected from the newly mitigated area of Green Bottom Swamp. Total body lengths of larvae were measured using a computer-digitizing program. These results indicated a bivoltine life cycle. Most larvae were found in the spring and summer months of April, June, and July. The highest peak of larvae (1,035) occurred in July. The pH values ranged from 7.0 to 8.0 with a mean of 7.6. Temperatures ranged …

Natural History Of The Red-Spotted Newt, Notophthalmus Viridescens Viridescens (Rafinesque), In West Virginia, Jennifer M. Piascik

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Many studies have been conducted on Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens but none have occurred in West Virginia. There are variations in the life history of newts depending on location. In this study, I studied a population of newts in Wayne County, West Virginia from February 1996 to June 1997. I examined population structure, seasonal activity, and reproductive biology.

The population structure can be divided into four classes: egg, larvae, eft, and adult. Eggs at Shoals were deposited in mid-May and larvae were present from mid-June to early September. Larvae began to transform at an approximate total length of 32.8 mm. Red …

Observations On Reproduction, Isozyme Patterns, And Meristics In Mosquitofish (Pisces: Poeciliidae) From West Virginia, Matt Mcreynolds

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Prior to 1988, two subspecies of the mosquitofish Gambusia affinis (G. a. affinis and G. a. holbrooki) were recognized along the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts of the United States. Based on electrophoretic analysis, subsequent investigators recognized G. holbrooki and G. affinis as separate species. Populations in drainages west of Mobile Bay were considered G. affinis, and those east of this divide being G. holbrooki. The only mosquitofish population in West Virginia is found in the Meadow River wetlands (1392 ha). This wetland complex is located at the western end of Greenbrier County in the Allegheny Mountain Province. …

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 …

An Analysis Of Habitat Utilization And Feeding Ecology Of Plethodon Richmondi And Plethodon Cinereus In Northern West Virginia, Peter A. Kramer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Studies were conducted on the comparative microhabitat requirements and feeling habits of the ravine salamander, Plethodon richmondi and the redback salamander, P. cinereus in northern West Virginia. Plethodon richmondi had a mean SVL of 49.7 ± 7.1 mm and were significantly larger than P. cinereus which had a mean SVL of 37.2 ± 8.0 mm. Both species had biennial egg laying patterns and deposited eggs in late spring or early summer. Juvenile P. richmondi were not surface active except for the early spring and neonates did not become surface active until the ensuing spring; conversely, P. cinereus juveniles exhibited more …

Reproductive Biology Of The Grass Pickerel Esox Americanus Vermiculatus Lesueur, From The Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area, Cabell County, West Virginia, Ronald Clifton Tipton

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The grass pickerel, Esox american us vermiculatus LeSueur, is listed as Undetermined on the Vertebrate Species List of Concern in West Virginia. The reason for the West Virginia status is that lentic, vegetated habitats required for spawning by the grass pickerel are limited within the state and are being reduced by agricultural, residential, and industrial developments. Green Bottom Swamp, a naturally occurring wetland of 58 hectares, provides habitat for the grass pickerel. A proposed habitat alteration to add marshland by building dykes prompted this study. Information from this investigation will establish a baseline for reproductive activities of the grass pickerel …

Utilization Of Wood Duck Nest Boxes With Respect To Plant Community Type, Orientation And Juxtaposition At The Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area, West Virginia, Anthony Benjamin Borda Jr.

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Utilization of wood duck (Aix sponsa, L.) nest boxes was evaluated at the Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area, a 1,110-acre mid-Ohio Valley floodplain. Primary focus was directed upon nest box utilization by the wood duck but use by other wildlife was observed and recorded. Utilization of the nest boxes by the wood duck was analyzed with respect to plant community type, orientation and juxtaposition to other wood duck nest boxes. Forty-three wood duck next boxes were observed and inspected in 1993. Wood ducks nested in 24 of the nest boxes, and 361 eggs were found. Clutch size ranged …

A Survey Of The Mussels (Pelecypoda: Unionoidia: Unionacea) Of Twelvepole Creek, West Virginia With A Study Of Commensal Algae Found On Selected Mussels, Kevin Joe Smith

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A survey of the Unionacea of Twelvepole Creek, West Virginia was conducted coupled with a qualitative study of commensal algae found on selected mussel species. The naiads and the algae were found to have diverse populations. Naiads collected during the survey were represented by 23 species, 16 genera and 2 families. Corbicula fluminea was found to be confined largely to the main branch of Twelvepole, with no individuals being collected from the East or West Forks and only limited collections near the mouth of Beechfork Creek. Lampsilis radiata luteola and L. ventricosa were found to have the greatest distribution, being …

The Naiads (Mollusca: Unionidae) From Two Prehistoric Sites Along The Ohio River, Mason County, West Virginia, Beverly Dawn Spurlock

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Archeological naiad valves representing 29 species were recovered from two Late Prehistoric Indian villages along the Ohio River, Mason County, West Virginia. Surface collections and limited excavation provided a total of 1,599 identifiable valves and valve fragments. Dif­ferences in species compositions and relative abundances between the two middens were noted. Samples from the Rolf Lee Farm Site (46MS51) contained 28 species while the Lewis-Old Town Farm Site (46MS57) produced only 23 species. Comparisons were made with other nearby prehistoric shell deposits and also with more recent twentieth century collections from this reach of the river. Nine of the archeological species …

Mayflies, Or Ephemeroptera, Of West Virginia With Emphasis On The Nymphal Stage, Gerald M. Faulkner

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This thesis presents the first detailed study of the Ephemeroptera of West Virginia. Eight hundred twelve cites were collected with five hundred eight yielding mayfly specimens. Twelve families are represented including twenty-seven genera and one hundred fifteen species. Four new species are reported along with seventy-seven state records and five hundred twelve county records. Distributional trends of species collected from four or more counties are proposed along with distributional maps on all species reported.

Three Physical Measurements Of Male White-Tailed Deer In West Virginia Correlated With Soil Fertility And Population Density, Charles C. Coffman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Differences in the physical size of male white-tailed deer from varying parts of West Virginia were known to exist a considerable number of years before any sophisticated attempts were made to explain them. Prior to 1940, the state's deer herd had been making a slow, but increasingly steady, comeback from a period of extreme scarcity around the turn of the century. To supplement the original remaining stock, shown in Figure 1, page 2, a deer restocking program was initiated in 1923. In 1937, federal legislation, in the form of the Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration Act, gave added support to …