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Articles 2041 - 2070 of 3773

Full-Text Articles in Population Biology

Automated Detection Of Deep-Sea Animals, Dallas J. Hollis, Duane Edgington, Danelle Cline Jul 2016

Automated Detection Of Deep-Sea Animals, Dallas J. Hollis, Duane Edgington, Danelle Cline

STAR Program Research Presentations

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute routinely deploys remotely operated underwater vehicles equipped with high definition cameras for use in scientific studies. Utilizing a video collection of over 22,000 hours and the Video Annotation and Reference System, we have set out to automate the detection and classification of deep-sea animals. This paper serves to explore the pitfalls of automation and suggest possible solutions to automated detection in diverse ecosystems with varying field conditions. Detection was tested using a saliency-based neuromorphic selective attention algorithm. The animals that were not detected were then used to tune saliency parameters. Once objects are detected, …

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The Maintenance Of Phenotypic Divergence Through Sexual Selection: An Experimental Study In Barn Swallows Hirundo Rustica, Rebecca Safran, Yoni Vortman, Brittany R. Jenkins, Joanna K. Hubbard, Matt Wilkins, Rachel J. Bradley, Arnon Lotem Jul 2016

The Maintenance Of Phenotypic Divergence Through Sexual Selection: An Experimental Study In Barn Swallows Hirundo Rustica, Rebecca Safran, Yoni Vortman, Brittany R. Jenkins, Joanna K. Hubbard, Matt Wilkins, Rachel J. Bradley, Arnon Lotem

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Previous studies have shown that sexual signals can rapidly diverge among closely related species. However, we lack experimental studies to demonstrate that differences in trait-associated reproductive performance maintain sexual trait differences between closely related populations, in support for a role of sexual selection in speciation. Populations of Northern Hemisphere distributed barn swallows Hirundo rustica are closely related, yet differ in two plumage-based traits: ventral color and length of the outermost tail feathers (streamers). Here we provide experimental evidence that manipulations of these traits result in different reproductive consequences in two subspecies of barn swallow: (H. r. erythrogaster in North …

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The North American Grouse: Their Biology And Behavior, Paul A. Johnsgard Jun 2016

The North American Grouse: Their Biology And Behavior, Paul A. Johnsgard

Zea E-Books Collection

The ten currently recognized species of grouse in North America have played an important role in America’s history, from the famous but ill-fated heath hen, a primary source of meat for the earliest New England immigrants, to the ruffed grouse, currently one of the most abundant and soughtafter upland game birds in more than 40 states and provinces. This book summarizes the ecology, reproductive biology, and social behavior of all ten of the extant North American grouse species. It also describes the current status of grouse populations, some of which are perilously close to extinction. The social behavior of grouse …

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Effect Of The 2013-2015 California Drought On Small Mammal Abundance And Diversity In Chaparral, Oak Woodland And Riparian Habitats, Nicole Desideri Jun 2016

Effect Of The 2013-2015 California Drought On Small Mammal Abundance And Diversity In Chaparral, Oak Woodland And Riparian Habitats, Nicole Desideri

Biological Sciences

Long-term biodiversity surveys are a useful tool for assessing the impacts of stochastic events on wildlife and their communities. A recent stochastic event to affect the state of California is the historic 2013-2015 drought. This drought, described as a one-in-one-thousand year event, brought precipitation to a historic low; the statewide rainfall reaching 34% below average (Swain et al. 2014). While humans are feeling the impact of this water shortage, the effects on native ecosystems and wildlife populations are poorly documented. Baseline small mammal biodiversity data collected in 2011, before the drought, allows us the opportunity to study the impacts of …

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Anticipating Elimination Of Mosquito-Borne Diseases, Suzanne M. O'Regan, Jonathan Lillie, John M. Drake May 2016

Anticipating Elimination Of Mosquito-Borne Diseases, Suzanne M. O'Regan, Jonathan Lillie, John M. Drake

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

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The Influence Of Temperature Variation On Dengue Fever: A Model-Based Investigation, Michael A. Robert, Paula D. Weber, Rebecca C. Christofferson, Christopher N. Mores, Helen J. Wearing May 2016

The Influence Of Temperature Variation On Dengue Fever: A Model-Based Investigation, Michael A. Robert, Paula D. Weber, Rebecca C. Christofferson, Christopher N. Mores, Helen J. Wearing

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

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Dynamics Of Two Pathogens In A Single Tick Population, Alexis White May 2016

Dynamics Of Two Pathogens In A Single Tick Population, Alexis White

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

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Growth Dynamics For Pomacea Maculata, Lihong Zhao, Karyn L. Sutton, Jacoby Carter May 2016

Growth Dynamics For Pomacea Maculata, Lihong Zhao, Karyn L. Sutton, Jacoby Carter

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

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Movement And Dynamics Of Norway Rats In An Urban Landscape, Rosalyn Rael, Caz Taylor May 2016

Movement And Dynamics Of Norway Rats In An Urban Landscape, Rosalyn Rael, Caz Taylor

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

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Tropical Trees As Islands: Diversity Accumulation Of Armored Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) On Trees As A Function Of Forest Age, Hannah Shapiro May 2016

Tropical Trees As Islands: Diversity Accumulation Of Armored Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) On Trees As A Function Of Forest Age, Hannah Shapiro

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Armored scale insects (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) are some of the most invasive insects in the world. These cryptic plant parasites are most often encountered in managed agricultural ecosystems, but very little is known about their distribution, abundance, and diversity in tropical rainforest canopies, where they are likely to have their highest diversity. Because these ubiquitous insects are extreme generalists with undirected dispersal, their diversity (alpha and beta) accumulation can conceivably be modeled according to tenets derived from island biogeography theory. For example, one expectation is that older established trees should boast a higher species diversity and abundance than younger ones. Other …

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The Origin And Expansion Of The Eastern Red Fox, Adrienne Egge Kasprowicz May 2016

The Origin And Expansion Of The Eastern Red Fox, Adrienne Egge Kasprowicz

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

When new populations are first identified in a region there are multiple potential sources: introduction of a non-native species, extra-range expansion of a nearby population, or demographic growth of a previously unnoticed species. Red foxes were absent or rare in the mid-eastern portion United States until the late 1800s. Their origins potentially include natural population increase/expansion, translocations from Europe, and, eventually, 20th century fur farming. In this study I attempt to identify the relative impact of native expansion versus human mediated introductions of both colonial era European foxes and early 20th century fur-farm foxes on the establishment of red …

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Population Projection And Habitat Preference Modeling Of The Endangered James Spinymussel (Pleurobema Collina), Marisa Draper May 2016

Population Projection And Habitat Preference Modeling Of The Endangered James Spinymussel (Pleurobema Collina), Marisa Draper

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The James Spinymussel (Pleurobema collina) is an endangered mussel species at the top of Virginia’s conservation list. The James Spinymussel plays a critical role in the environment by filtering and cleaning stream water while providing shelter and food for macroinvertebrates; however, conservation efforts are complicated by the mussels’ burrowing behavior, camouflage, and complex life cycle. The goals of the research conducted were to estimate detection probabilities that could be used to predict species presence and facilitate field work, and to track individually marked mussels to test for habitat preferences. Using existing literature and mark-recapture field data, these goals were accomplished …

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Investigation Of The Enviromental Factors Associated With The Temporal Abundance Of Lutzomyia Anthophora On A Ranch Near Poth, Texas, Maha Alshhrany May 2016

Investigation Of The Enviromental Factors Associated With The Temporal Abundance Of Lutzomyia Anthophora On A Ranch Near Poth, Texas, Maha Alshhrany

Theses & Dissertations

Leishmaniasis is caused by infection with protozoan parasites within the genus Leismania transmitted by the bites of female sand flies within the genus Lutzomyia in the New World. This study investigated the seasonal abundance of sand flies and evaluated the correlation of temperature with abundance data. Sand flies were collected at the Garrison ranch near Poth, Texas (28° 57’ 10” N; 98° 7’ 28” W) from May in 2014 through October, 2015. Recorded highest abundance of sand flies in 2014 was in October, 2 females Lu.anthophora and 5 males Lu.anthophora were captured producing 0.58 sand flies /trap night, while, mean …

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Fishery And Population Dynamics Of Mississippi’S Spotted Seatrout, David Arthur Dippold May 2016

Fishery And Population Dynamics Of Mississippi’S Spotted Seatrout, David Arthur Dippold

Master's Theses

Spotted Seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) is the most popular recreational inshore fishery in Mississippi coastal waters. Because of the popularity of Spotted Seatrout in Mississippi as a recreational target and the magnitude of harvest, quantitative approaches to describe the population and fishery dynamics of the Mississippi stock are needed to continue the sustainability of the stock. Quantitative approaches to describing stock dynamics are useful because they can help describe population characteristics, assess the current status of the stock, and be used to evaluate alternative management strategies. In this thesis, I use a suite of quantitative methods to describe, evaluate, …

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Depression In Thermal Performance Of Age-Structured Spirodela Polyrhiza Due To The Presence Of Rhopalosiphum Nymphaeae, Mitchell Matis, Chad Brassil, Colby J. Tanner May 2016

Depression In Thermal Performance Of Age-Structured Spirodela Polyrhiza Due To The Presence Of Rhopalosiphum Nymphaeae, Mitchell Matis, Chad Brassil, Colby J. Tanner

UCARE: Research Products

Thermal performance curves are keys components of population ecology. We performed this study to determine the effects of aphids on duckweed age-structured models across temperature. Results show a depression in birth rates and maturation of rates of duckweed in the presence of aphids. Regression analysis shows that this depression in maturation and birth is directly proportional to aphid growth rates across temperatures. This hints of the idea of modeling duckweed and aphid growth via nested thermal performance curves.

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Insights Into The Introduction Histories And Population Genetic Dynamics Of The Nile Monitor (Varanus Niloticus) And Argentine Black And White Tegu (Salvator Merianae) In Florida., Jared Price Wood May 2016

Insights Into The Introduction Histories And Population Genetic Dynamics Of The Nile Monitor (Varanus Niloticus) And Argentine Black And White Tegu (Salvator Merianae) In Florida., Jared Price Wood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the population genetic dynamics of two Florida invasives: the Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) and Argentine black and white tegu (Salvator merianae). I also provide insights into the introduction histories of both species. This study was developed as part of a collaborative effort with the Florida Wildlife Commission to expand our knowledge of these highly detrimental, invasive lizards. All research activities involving animals and animal tissues were approved by the University of Louisville’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC Proposal #: 12024). I start with a brief introduction into what makes invasive species …

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Assessment Of American White Pelican Predation And Reproductive Success Of Walleye In The Tamarac River, Mn, Jake Graham May 2016

Assessment Of American White Pelican Predation And Reproductive Success Of Walleye In The Tamarac River, Mn, Jake Graham

Biology Graduate Theses

The Tamarac River is a major tributary of the Red Lakes MN, which provides an economically important multispecies fishery. The river experiences spring spawning migrations of northern pike, walleye, and white suckers. However, limited data exists related to reproductive success of fishes in the river. Furthermore, in the previous decade large congregations of American white pelicans (AWPE) have been observed using the Tamarac River as a foraging ground each spring. Assessing reproductive success of fishes in the Tamarac River provides a more holistic understanding of fish ecology in the river and the importance of the Tamarac River to the Red …

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The Joint Effect Of Phenotypic Variation And Temperature On Predator–Prey Interactions, Jean Philippe Gibert May 2016

The Joint Effect Of Phenotypic Variation And Temperature On Predator–Prey Interactions, Jean Philippe Gibert

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Understanding the factors underpinning to food web structure and stability is a long-standing issue in ecology. This is particularly important in a context of global climate change, where rising environmental temperatures may impact the way species interact, potentially leading to changes in food web structure and to secondary extinctions resulting from cascading effects. In order to understand and predict these changes, we need to hone our comprehension on the way predators and their prey interact. Recent studies suggest that, in order to do so, we need to focus on the traits controlling those interactions, such as body size. Mean body …

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Sea Turtle Conservation: Reviewing The Efficacy Of Land- And Sea-Based Management Strategies For Loggerhead (Caretta Caretta) And Leatherback (Dermochelys Coriacea) Sea Turtles, Glenn D. Goodwin Apr 2016

Sea Turtle Conservation: Reviewing The Efficacy Of Land- And Sea-Based Management Strategies For Loggerhead (Caretta Caretta) And Leatherback (Dermochelys Coriacea) Sea Turtles, Glenn D. Goodwin

HCNSO Student Capstones

As cosmopolitan species, loggerhead and leatherback turtles are confronted with a multitude of threats as they progress through their respective life stages. These range from depredation and poaching of eggs, hatchlings, and females on nesting beaches, to incidental hooking in pelagic longline fisheries and capture in trawl fisheries. Some threats are species specific on regional scales, though most impact both species. To confront these threats, various conservation strategies have been developed and implemented, including monitoring and caging of nests and changes to hook shape and trawl design. Here, current conservation methods are presented and discussed on a global scale for …

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Reef Fish Spatial Distribution And Benthic Habitat Associations On The Southeast Florida Reef Tract, Dana Fisco Apr 2016

Reef Fish Spatial Distribution And Benthic Habitat Associations On The Southeast Florida Reef Tract, Dana Fisco

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

The Florida Reef Tract (FRT) extends from the tropical Caribbean up the southeast coast of Florida into a temperate environment where tropical reef assemblages diminish with increasing latitude. This study used data from a three-year comprehensive fishery-independent survey to quantify reef fish spatial distribution along the Southeast FRT and define where the assemblage shifts from tropical to temperate. A total of 1,676 reef fish visual census samples were conducted to assess the populations on a stratified-random selection of sites of marine hardbottom habitats between the Miami River and St. Lucie inlet. Multivariate analyses were used to investigate differences in assemblages …

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Occupancy Rates And Detection Probabilities Of Red-Backed Salamanders On The Virginia Fall Line, Jay D. Mcghee Apr 2016

Occupancy Rates And Detection Probabilities Of Red-Backed Salamanders On The Virginia Fall Line, Jay D. Mcghee

Virginia Journal of Science

To meet the conservation needs of declining amphibian populations, there is a need to assess monitoring techniques in various habitat types and seasons. I assessed detection rates and proportion of area occupied via transect monitoring for red-backed salamanders at a site along the Virginia Fall Line in Doswell, Virginia. I established 24 transects in a 3.2-ha area in both riparian and upland habitats. Objects providing natural cover along these transects were sampled 3 times a week in fall and spring over a two-year period. Models of occupancy and detection were developed and compared using Akaike’s Information Criterion. Based on 113 …

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Acoustic Detection Reveals Fine-Scale Distributions Of Myotis Lucifugus, Myotis Septentrionalis, And Perimyotis Subflavus In Eastern Nebraska, Jeremy A. White, Cliff Lemen, Patricia Freeman Apr 2016

Acoustic Detection Reveals Fine-Scale Distributions Of Myotis Lucifugus, Myotis Septentrionalis, And Perimyotis Subflavus In Eastern Nebraska, Jeremy A. White, Cliff Lemen, Patricia Freeman

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

ABSTRACT.—Before white-nose syndrome arrives in Nebraska, it is important to document the preexposure distributions of cave bats in the state. We examined the distributions of Myotis lucifugus (little brown myotis), Myotis septentrionalis (northern long-eared myotis), and Perimyotis subflavus (tri-colored bat) in eastern Nebraska by setting acoustic detectors for a single night at 105 sites in wooded habitats during summers of 2012 and 2014. We compared 2 methods of determining presence at each site. Results of our analyses are fine-scale distributional maps for these bats and some range extensions from published records. Results for M. septentrionalis and P. subflavus are largely …

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Molecular Analysis Confirming The Introduction Of Nile Crocodiles, Crocodylus Niloticus Laurenti 1768 (Crocodylidae), In Southern Florida, With An Assessment Of Potential For Establishment, Spread, And Impacts., Michael R. Rochford, Kenneth L. Krysko, Frank J. Mazzotti, Matthew W. Shirley, Mark W. Parry, Joseph A. Wasilewski, Jeffrey S. Beauchamp, Christpher R. Gillette, Edward F. Metzger Iii, Michiko A. Squires, Louis A. Somma Apr 2016

Molecular Analysis Confirming The Introduction Of Nile Crocodiles, Crocodylus Niloticus Laurenti 1768 (Crocodylidae), In Southern Florida, With An Assessment Of Potential For Establishment, Spread, And Impacts., Michael R. Rochford, Kenneth L. Krysko, Frank J. Mazzotti, Matthew W. Shirley, Mark W. Parry, Joseph A. Wasilewski, Jeffrey S. Beauchamp, Christpher R. Gillette, Edward F. Metzger Iii, Michiko A. Squires, Louis A. Somma

Papers in Herpetology

The state of Florida, USA, has more introduced herpetofauna than any other governmental region on Earth. Four species of nonnative crocodilians have been introduced to Florida (all since 1960), one of which is established. Between 2000–2014 we field-collected three nonnative crocodilians in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and one in Hendry County, Florida. We used DNA barcoding and molecular phylogenetics to determine species identification and native range origin. Also, we described diet, movement, and growth for one crocodile. Our molecular analyses illustrated that two of the crocodiles we collected are most closely related to Nile Crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) from South Africa, suggesting …

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Diversity-Dependent Cladogenesis Throughout Western Mexico: Evolutionary Biogeography Of Rattlesnakes (Viperidae: Crotalinae: Crotalus And Sistrurus), Christopher Blair, Santiago Sánchez-Ramírez Apr 2016

Diversity-Dependent Cladogenesis Throughout Western Mexico: Evolutionary Biogeography Of Rattlesnakes (Viperidae: Crotalinae: Crotalus And Sistrurus), Christopher Blair, Santiago Sánchez-Ramírez

Publications and Research

Rattlesnakes (Crotalus and Sistrurus) represent a radiation of approximately 42 species distributed throughout the New World from southern Canada to Argentina. Interest in this enigmatic group of snakes continues to accrue due, in part, to their ecomorphological diversity, contributions to global envenomations, and potential medicinal importance. Although the group has garnered substantial attention from systematists and evolutionary biologists for decades, little is still known regarding patterns of lineage diversification. In addition, few studies have statistically quantified broad-scale biogeographic patterns in rattlesnakes to ascertain how dispersal occurred throughout the New World, particularly among the different major biomes of the …

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Avifaunal Community Composition In A Tropical Forest Corridor: A Case Study From The Atherton Tableland, North Queensland, Don Jones Apr 2016

Avifaunal Community Composition In A Tropical Forest Corridor: A Case Study From The Atherton Tableland, North Queensland, Don Jones

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Bird communities in tropical forest ecosystems are highly threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. Replanted corridors connecting isolated forest remnants are a popular method of ameliorating certain negative impacts of habitat fragmentation. Such linkages can theoretically facilitate greater dispersal, increase gene flow, and reduce the risk of local extinctions in forest birds. However, relatively few studies have examined the utilization of reforested corridors by birds, and little hard data exists to support claims that this type of resource and time intensive project is the best use of often scarce funding for conservation. This study examined the avifaunal community present in …

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Population And Morphological Changes In American Kestrels Through Space And Time, Teresa E. Ely Apr 2016

Population And Morphological Changes In American Kestrels Through Space And Time, Teresa E. Ely

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A once common raptor, the American kestrel (Falco sparverius) has experienced population declines in the last two decades throughout North America. Many hypotheses exist about the decline, including mortality from West Nile virus, rodenticide poisoning, climate change, an increase in predators, and core habitat loss or degradation, which could influence food availability. Food availability is key to raptor survival and reproduction, and changes in food availability throughout the year can have lifelong effects on size and body condition. Here we examine how morphology, specifically mass and wing chord, has changed at seven migration sites throughout North America as …

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Effects Of Environmental Factors On The Abundance Of Blacklegged Ticks, Jasmine L. Miller, Roger A. Lebrun, Howard S. Ginsberg Apr 2016

Effects Of Environmental Factors On The Abundance Of Blacklegged Ticks, Jasmine L. Miller, Roger A. Lebrun, Howard S. Ginsberg

Senior Honors Projects

The nymphal stage of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is the major vector of Lyme disease, the most common vector-borne disease in North America. Tick abundance has generally been estimated using either flag/drag samples or samples from hosts. However, the biases of these sampling methods have not been adequately studied. We compared samples using both methods from sites in Massachusetts and Wisconsin. Tick abundance was compared with variables related to weather (temperature, relative humidity, and tick adverse moisture events), vegetation (canopy cover, tree density, shrub density, ground vegetation, and leaf litter cover), and host abundance (mice, small mammals, medium …

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Surveys For The Alabama Map Turtle (Graptemys Pulchra) In The Coosa River, Georgia, John B. Jensen Mar 2016

Surveys For The Alabama Map Turtle (Graptemys Pulchra) In The Coosa River, Georgia, John B. Jensen

Georgia Journal of Science

The Alabama Map Turtle, found only in Mobile Bay drainages, is state-listed in Georgia as “rare” and has been petitioned for federal listing as “threatened.” Because this species has been poorly studied in Georgia and in the Coosa River especially, a survey was undertaken to determine its status in the Coosa to help inform the federal listing decision. The 2014-2015 survey involved counting basking turtles from a motorboat with the aid of binoculars. The Alabama Map Turtle was the third most abundantly observed turtle species during the survey, preceded by only the Slider and River Cooter. All size/age classes were …

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Declining Frequency Of Road-Killed Rabbits In Central Georgia, Anna M. Bosch, Katelyn J. Benson, Alfred J. Mead Mar 2016

Declining Frequency Of Road-Killed Rabbits In Central Georgia, Anna M. Bosch, Katelyn J. Benson, Alfred J. Mead

Georgia Journal of Science

Cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus, Sylvilagus aquaticus, Sylvilagus palustris) are a common component of the mammal fauna of the southeastern United States, yet their numbers have been in decline for at least the past 40 years. Urban sprawl, land use changes, forest maturation, and increased predation have contributed to the decline in Georgia. In the current study we explore the proposition that long-term changes in roadkill frequency track changes in wildlife populations as a whole. Using comparisons of historical data collected by Georgia Department of Natural Resources personnel and recent roadkill census data from Baldwin County, it appears that the overall …

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Population Genetic Divergence Of Isle Royale Pearl Dace, Margarita Margariscus (Cyprinidae)., John F. Elder Jr., Jack R. Martin, Isaac J. Schlosser, Larry Kallemeyn Mar 2016

Population Genetic Divergence Of Isle Royale Pearl Dace, Margarita Margariscus (Cyprinidae)., John F. Elder Jr., Jack R. Martin, Isaac J. Schlosser, Larry Kallemeyn

Georgia Journal of Science

In 1949, Hubbs and Lagler described morphological variation among pearl dace (Margariscus margarita) of inland lakes on Isle Royale, Michigan. For Harvey Lake, Hubbs and Lagler, proposed that pearl dace were sufficiently morphologically distinct to warrant subspecific status. They argued that divergence of the Harvey Lake pearl dace was due to allopatric differentiation in isolation from lower elevation lakes. Harvey Lake has been isolated by elevation from lower elevation lakes for approximately 10 to 15 thousand years. No genetic studies have been done on Isle Royale pearl dace to evaluate this hypothesis to date. Here we report the analysis of …

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