Population Biology Commons^™

History And Distribution Of The Dark Ibises (Glossy Ibis Plegadis Falcinellus And White-Faced Ibis P. Chihi) In Arkansas, R. Tumlison, P. D. Rodriguez

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) and White-faced Ibis (P. chihi) sometimes are reported simply as Dark Ibises due to difficulty in identifying them when mature characters are not clearly visible. We evaluated reports verified on citizen science websites to examine the origins and distributions of these migratory species in Arkansas. The Glossy Ibis was first documented in Arkansas in 1956, has been reported in 21 of our 75 counties, and is found more commonly in eastern Arkansas. The White-faced Ibis was first reported in Arkansas in 1971, has been reported in 41 of our 75 counties, …

Occupancy Sampling To Examine Spatial Distribution Of Oklahoma Salamanders (Eurycea Tynerensis) Among Headwater Streams In The Ozark Highlands, Sophia Anreder

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Water conditions are changing globally due to climate change (Gleick, 1989). Headwater streams specifically are vulnerable to changes in hydrology, water quality, and physical characteristics from anthropogenic practices due to their small watersheds with shallow soils, yet they are often not a priority in conservation (Campbell et al., 2011; Abell et al., 2017). Within streams, plethodontid (i.e., lungless) salamanders, which are also sensitive to environmental changes, may be restricted in their distribution due to undefined stream characteristics and predation by fish (Welsh and Droege, 2002; Kuhajda et al., 2015). To better understand the pressures that influence stream salamander occupancy, I …

Migration And Breeding Ecology Of King Rails (Rallus Elegans) In Southeast Arkansas, Jessica Schmit

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

King Rails (Rallus elegans) are a secretive marsh bird species of conservation concern in Arkansas. Freddie Black Choctaw West WMA in southeast Arkansas has multiple confirmed pairs of breeding King Rails and offered an opportunity to investigate King Rail migration ecology, as well as nesting ecology and nest site selection. In Chapter 1, we determined migratory status (resident vs. migratory) and described seasonal movement. To do this, we captured and outfitted 23 birds with Argos GPS tags to track migration patterns throughout the season. We found that most of the population did not make long distance migrations but instead were …

Exploring The Interrelationships Among Structural Complexity, Multi-Trophic Biodiversity, And Ecosystem Productivity In Forested Ecosystems., Ayanna St. Rose

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Forests play a pivotal role in sustaining global biodiversity and mitigating the global climate, as they serve as the primary refuge for terrestrial biodiversity and effectively capture and store atmospheric carbon dioxide. However, changing climate and land use are altering the geographic distribution, physical structure, and productivity of forested ecosystems that can have profound impacts on biodiversity conservation, forest productivity, and global climate. This dissertation contributes to our understanding of multifaceted interactions between the physical and biological structural complexity and ecosystem functions in forested landscapes across the United states by using openly available data from two national networks: the National …

Effects Of Landcover On Mesocarnivore Density And Detection Rate Along An Urban To Rural Gradient, Leah E. Mctigue, Brett Degregorio

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Human development has major implications for wildlife populations. Urban-exploiter species can benefit from human subsidized resources, whereas urban-avoider species can vanish from wildlife communities in highly developed areas. Therefore, understanding how the density of different species varies in response to landcover changes associated with human development can provide important insight into how wildlife communities are likely to change and provide a starting point for predicting the consequences of those changes. Here, we estimated the population density of five common mesocarnivore species (coyote (Canis latrans), bobcat (Lynx rufus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), raccoon (Procyon …

The Effects Of Landscape And Yard Features On Mammal Diversity In Residential Yards Within Northwest Arkansas, Usa, Emily P. Johansson, Brett A. Degregorio

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The human footprint is rapidly expanding, and wildlife habitat is continuously being converted to human residential properties. Surviving wildlife that reside in developing areas are displaced to nearby undeveloped areas. However, some animals can co-exist with humans and acquire the necessary resources (food, water, shelter) within the human environment. This ability to coexist may be particularly true when development is low intensity, as in residential suburban yards. Yards are individually managed “greenspaces” that can provide a range of food (e.g., bird feeders, compost, gardens), water (bird baths and garden ponds), and shelter (e.g., brush-piles, outbuildings) resources and are surrounded by …

Wild Bees Respond Differently To Sampling Traps With Vanes Of Different Colors And Light Reflectivity In A Livestock Pasture Ecosystem, Roshani S. Acharya, Joan M. Burke, Timothy Leslie, Kelly Loftin, Neelendra K. Joshi

Entomology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Wild bees are important pollinators and monitoring their abundance and diversity is necessary to develop conservation protocols. It is imperative to understand differences in sampling efficiency among different trap types to help guide monitoring efforts. This study used a new vane trap design to collect bees in a livestock pasture ecosystem and examined the impact of six different vane colors on wild bee sampling. We recorded 2230 bees comprising 49 species and five families. The most abundant species were Augochlorella aurata (25.8%), Lasioglossum disparile (18.3%), Lasioglossum imitatum (10.85%), Agapostemon texanus (10.8%), Melissodes vernoniae (9.9%) and Halictus ligatus (4.7%). Traps with …

Life After Death – Does Carcass Biodiversity Scale With Carcass Body Size?, Troy Warfield

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mammals play a large role in the ecosystems where some, especially large-bodied mammals, act as ecosystem engineers. Mammal carcasses, particularly those of large body mass act as a temporary island of dense nutrients that support other organisms, including other mammal species, for an extended period. Research in this field currently focuses on the link between mammal carcass size and nutrient availably or on non-mammalian size and biodiversity, but little is available on the correlation between mammal carcass size and its influence on ecosystem biodiversity. Here we ask, does the available biomass (i.e., body size) of the carcass affect its role …

Distribution And Breeding Of The Black-Bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna Autumnalis) In Arkansas, With A Brief Chronology Of Distribution And Breeding In Southeastern United States, C. Renn Tumlison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Black-Bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) was a rare bird first reported from Arkansas in 1982, when it was seen in Hempstead Co. in southwestern Arkansas. Observations surged in parts of the state about 2005, then again about 2016, and the bird is now fairly common seasonally in many parts of the state. By use of online sources for citizen science, we elucidate the history of occurrence and present analysis of seasonal distribution of this bird in Arkansas. Individuals occur in Arkansas throughout the year, but observations are most common and widely distributed from March-September, after which most individuals …

A Study Of Dental Pathology In River Otters (Lontra Canadensis) In Arkansas, C. Renn Tumlison, Jimmie Harper, Karson Grant

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

River otters (Lontra canadensis) consume a variety of foods, including mussels, fishes, and crayfishes. These foods have hard body parts that cause wear of the teeth as the predator ages and incurs more damaging feeding experiences. This can lead to exposure of the pulp cavity and possible abscess and resorption of bone around the alveolus. Further, strong bites against harder parts of prey sometimes results in mechanical breakage, which can lead to pulpitis and severe pathology leading to tooth loss. We investigated the frequency of different forms of dental issues in a sample of 178 skulls of river …

The Effects Of Commercial Harvest On The Density And Demography Of Aquatic Turtles In Arkansas, Andrhea Darleen Massey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The United States is home to the second highest concentration of turtle species in the world, after Asia. As of 2018, there are 57 turtle species recognized within the US, 40% of which are listed as threatened or endangered, with the primary threats to population persistence identified as over-consumption and/or habitat loss. Within the US, the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) region represents the second highest turtle species richness, after the Mobile River Basin. The MAV region of Arkansas is one of the least regulated in terms of commercial aquatic turtle harvest and has undergone large-scale habitat conversion from bottomland hardwood …

Host-Parasite Interactions Within Food Webs, Adam Zvanut Hasik

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Parasitism is one of the most common life history strategies employed in nature, yet the effects of parasites are often thought to be minimal, and the vast majority of studies fail to consider parasites and their effects on host organisms. This is likely a problem, as the magnitude of parasite-mediated effects on their hosts can be quite large. Additionally, the effects of parasites are known to extend beyond the host to affect other species interactions. I used a series of approaches to gain a more integral understanding of host-parasite interactions by studying (1) the effects of parasites on biotic interactions …

Of Biodiversity, Boundaries, And Distribution: The Myxomycetes Of The Philippines And Beyond, Sittie Aisha Bustamante Macabago

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation contains a compilation of independently performed studies primarily focusing on the myxomycetes (plasmodial slime molds) from the Philippines and integrating local and worldwide data to demonstrate regional and global trends. The major themes include the following: (I) a review of the diverse group of spore-producing amoeboid protists, including the myxomycetes; (II-IV) diversity assessments in three different groups of islands in the Philippine archipelago; (V) mapping the myxomycetes found in the Philippines for databasing and analyzing the geocoded data; (VI) a study on regional boundaries, including the Philippines, using myxomycete species composition; and, (VII) creating a global species distribution …

Analysis Of The White-Tailed Deer Population Of Hobbs State Park, Jesse Morrison

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

White Tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are the only deer species native to Arkansas, playing a crucial role in the ecosystem. Healthy deer populations are important for environmental and human wellbeing, and overpopulation can lead to poor herd health, overgrazing, increased vehicle collisions, and transmission of diseases. Monitoring deer populations through surveys can be a useful tool in managing wildlife and maintaining Arkansas’ natural resources.

This study analyzed trends in Hobbs State Park’s deer population and estimated the current roadside deer population of the park. Data from past surveys was analyzed for trends using a Mann-Kendall Test, and a distance sampling …

Population Connectivity Of The Eastern Collared Lizard Crotaphytus Collaris In Arkansas, Whitney Allison Murchison-Kastner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Habitat reduction and fragmentation can isolate populations and decrease genetic diversity, making them susceptible to local extirpation. Additionally, geographic barriers can further impede dispersal among populations thus reducing gene flow. Field studies suggest these factors may be responsible for the decline in Eastern Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) populations in Arkansas. To address the impacts of habitat loss and fragmentation on the Eastern Collared Lizard (C. collaris) in Arkansas, I used DNA fragment analysis to examine genetic diversity, population structure and connectivity among C. collaris populations. I do so herein by employing microsatellite data from 138 adults across 11 loci to …

Dynamics Of Hybrid Zones At A Continental Scale, Bradley T. Martin

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hybridization has traditionally been viewed as a happenstance that negatively impacts populations, but is now recognized as an important evolutionary mechanism that can substantially impact the evolutionary trajectories of gene pools, influence adaptive capacity, and contravene or reinforce divergence. Physiographic processes are important drivers of dispersal, alternately funneling populations into isolation, promoting divergence, or facilitating secondary contact of diverged populations, increasing the potential for hybridization. In North America, glacial-interglacial cycles and geomorphological changes have provided a dynamic backdrop over the last two million years that promoted such oscillations of population contraction and expansion. These biogeographic processes have resulted in regional …

Distribution And History Of The Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea Ajaja) In Arkansas, C. Renn Tumlison, Grace Wills, Karen Rowe

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Roseatte Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) is a rare bird in Arkansas and was not reported from the state until 1959, when it was seen in southwestern Arkansas. By use of online sources for citizen science, we elucidate the history of occurrence and present analysis of seasonal distribution of this bird in Arkansas. Individuals arrive in Arkansas as early as April, observations peak in August, and the birds may remain to late October when colder weather promotes southward migration. Most observations are of a few birds, but a maximum of 128 has been counted at one location and time. …

History, Distribution, And Reproduction By The Swallow-Tailed Kite (Elanoides Forficatus) In Arkansas, Grace Wills, C. Renn Tumlison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) is a rare bird in Arkansas, and its historical populations are believed to have declined over much of the last century due to loss of bottomland hardwood forests and associated wetlands. However, sightings have increased in the recent 2 decades. By use of online sources for citizen science, we elucidate the current distribution of this bird in Arkansas, and comment on the status of reproduction. Swallow-tailed Kites arrive in Arkansas as early as March and remain to mid-September, but numbers of reported sightings have a bimodal occurrence with peaks in May and August.

The Conservation And Population Ecology Of The Imperiled Crawfish Frog (Lithobates Areolatus) In Human-Altered Landscapes, Chelsea Shannon Kross

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Crawfish Frog (Lithobates areolatus) is an imperiled amphibian currently experiencing severe declines across its range. As a species with unique habitat requirements that is threatened by habitat loss, understanding their status across the landscape and how they respond to environmental stressors is key to developing effective conservation strategies that maintain and expand viable populations. We used a combination of observational, experimental, and theoretical approaches to understand the status of Crawfish Frog populations in Northwest Arkansas (NWA), their individual and population-level response to human-induced changes in vegetation surrounding breeding wetlands, and the effects of fire management on larval development within …

A Macroevolutionary View On Extinction In Aves, Chiroptera, And Odonata, Peter Hasik

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A central goal of conservation biology is to identify and understand the factors that lead to extinction. The Earth is currently undergoing a 6th mass extinction event, in large part because of human activity. In the last century, rates of extinction have increased anywhere from 8-100 times the background rate of 2 extinctions per 10,000 species every 100 years. However, there remains a debate over whether certain species are predisposed to a higher extinction risk. In particular, it is not known if the macroevolutionary history of a lineage is a major contributor to the probability of extinction, nor is it …

Distribution And Reproduction By The Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio Martinica) In Arkansas, C. Renn Tumlison, Terry L. Tumlison, Tamzen T. Bryant

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) is a rare bird in Arkansas, and its populations likely have declined due to loss of marshy areas with emergent vegetation. By use of online sources for citizen science combined with a field study, we elucidate the current distribution of this bird in Arkansas, and document characteristics of reproduction and development. Purple Gallinules arrive in Arkansas as early as April and remain to late October. Nesting occurs from early May into July, and nests may represent second broods. Ontogenetic changes in hatchlings are described.

Vertebrate Natural History Notes From Arkansas, 2020, C. Renn Tumlison, Matt Connior, Blake Sasse, Henry Robison, Stan Trauth, S Higdon, L Baer, Z. Baer, R. Stinson, D. Carson, T. Inebnit, L. Lewis, Roger Perry, Ron Redman

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Smaller details of natural history often go undocumented to science if those details are not parts of larger studies, but small details can provide insights that lead to interesting questions about ecological relationships or environmental change. We have compiled recent important observations of distribution and reproduction of fishes and mammals. Included are new distributional records of mammals, and observations of reproduction in several mammals for which few data exist in Arkansas. A rare record of the Long-tailed weasel, a special of special concern in Arkansas, is documented from Newton Co. We also provide evidence that Seminole bats likely reproduce in …

A Survey Of Earthworm Communities Across Areas Of Varying Land Management In Northwest Arkansas, Alyssa M. Ferri

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Earthworms are an integral component of the soil ecosystem, impacting factors including soil formation, maintenance of soil structure, and nutrient recycling. Earthworm abundances and distributions are related to abiotic soil properties and can influence the community structure. The goal of this study was to survey earthworm populations across areas of different land management histories and soil characteristics to determine if a relationship between earthworm density and land management characteristics was present. Earthworm and soil samples were collected at irregular temporal intervals from September 2017 to March 2018. In total, five sites were sampled, three at the Botanical Garden of the …

Mammal Species Inventory Using Various Trapping Methods In Zone 4 Of Billy Barquedier National Park, Belize During Rainy Season, Mersady Redding

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Belize is a small country, but it is extremely ecologically diverse. Based on the few studies conducted in Belize, the abundance of mammals is low but diversity is high. Particular findings note the number and identity of species differed between four sites in the Maya Mountains of Belize, indicating that a data set from a single site is not representative of the Neotropical region. Insufficient data is available to estimate current species richness of many areas in Belize, including Billy Barquedier National Park (BBNP). The objective of this study was to explore trapping and documentation methods of terrestrial mammals in …

Biogeography Of Endemic Dragonflies Of The Ozark-Ouachita Interior Highlands, Wade Alexander Boys

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A common pattern across many taxonomic groups is that relatively few species are widespread while the majority are restricted in their geographic ranges. Such species distributions are used to inform conservation status, which poses unique challenges for rare or cryptic species. Further, priority status is often designated within geopolitical boundaries, which may include only a portion of a species range. This, coupled with lack of distributional data, has resulted in species being designated as apparently rare throughout some portions of their range, which may not accurately reflect their overall conservation need. The Interior Highlands region of the central United States …

Plains Spotted Skunk Pelt Purchase Trends In The Ozarks And Ouachitas, 1943-1990, D. Blake Sasse

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Plains spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius interrupta) is a small carnivore that has experienced population declines across much of its range and is currently being considered for listing as an endangered species. I utilized harvest data on pelts from the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas and the Ouachita mountains in Arkansas that were purchased by fur dealers from 1943-1990 to examine trends in harvest levels over time. Purchases in all three regions declined in the late 1940s and early 1950s, but purchases in the Arkansas returned to near or at historic levels in the early 1960s and the …

De Novo Development And Characterization Of Tetranucleotide Microsatellite Loci Markers From A Southeastern Population Of The House Finch (Haemorhous Mexicanus), Edgar E. Sanchez, J Dylan Maddox, Douglas G. Barron

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Microsatellites are short tandem repeats (e.g. TAGATAGA) of base pairs in a species’ genome. High mutation rates in these regions produce variation in the number of repeats across individuals that can be utilized to study patterns of population- and landscape-level genetics and to determine parentage genetically. In this project our objective was to develop microsatellite markers for the House Finch, Haemorhous mexicanus. This species has become one of the most well-studied species of songbirds due to its unique geographical, evolutionary, and epidemiological history. Using mist-nets we captured birds on the Arkansas Tech University campus and collected blood samples to …

Ecological Importance Of Invader Source Population And Disturbance In Aquatic Invasions, Nicole Elizabeth Graham

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Invasive species are a global problem and their effects on recipient ecosystems may be mediated by disturbance and intraspecific variation. Crayfish can substantially influence stream structure and function, and invasive crayfish often have differential impacts than native crayfish in aquatic ecosystems. Since species traits often vary across a distribution, it is possible that invasive crayfish from different source populations may have distinct impacts on recipient ecosystem structure and function. In the Ozark Highlands of Arkansas and Missouri, USA, invasive O. neglectus (the Ringed Crayfish) may be leading to the displacement of native O. eupunctus (the Coldwater Crayfish). The objective of …

Impacts Of Man-Made Structures On Avian Community Metrics In 4 State Parks In Northwestern Arkansas, R. D. Keith, B. Grooms, R. E. Urbanek

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Avian community metrics often differ between areas with no human disturbance and areas with high levels of human disturbance. However, the relationships between avian community metrics and smaller-scale disturbances are not as clear. Our goal was to investigate if avian abundance, richness, evenness, and diversity differed in areas with and without small-scale human developments. We used fixed-radius 50-m avian point counts to compare points which contained a man-made structure (n = 47), such as a picnic area, road, or campsite to those that did not contain a man-made structure (n = 181) at 4 state parks in Arkansas during 18 …

Occurrence Of Shoal Chub, Macrhybopsis Hyostoma (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) In Unusual Habitat In The Arkansas River System Of Arkansas: Could Direct Tributaries Be Refugia Allowing Persistence Despite Fragmentation Of Instream Habitat?, J. A. Brown, H. W. Robison, C. T. Mcallister

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.