Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons^™

Assessing The Effects Of Habitat And Manatee Exclusion Devices On Red Drum (Sciaenops Ocellatus) Movement Patterns In Estuarine Impoundments, Steven Baker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Integrate-Transfer-Launch (ITL) complex impoundments located within the Kennedy Space Center security zone are known spawning sites for red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus). However, recent construction of manatee exclusion bollards around culverts leading into these impoundments may impede movement to and from this critical habitat. The goals of this study were to: 1) utilize passive acoustic telemetry to document patterns of red drum movement and habitat use within and around the ITL impoundments to assess how manatee exclusion bollards and environmental conditions may impact movement of red drum; and 2) explore red drum movement in response to environmental disturbance, specifically a …

Impacts Of Ammonia And Temperature On Freshwater Snail Behavior And Physiology., Megan Christine Dewhatley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gastropods are one of the most imperiled groups of animals in North America, yet there are major gaps in the literature pertaining to pollutants and climate change, and especially sublethal impacts. This dissertation assesses the effects of climate warming and unionized ammonia (NH₃), one of the most abundant water pollutants, on the behavior and physiology of two caenogastropod snails: fine-ridged elimia (Elimia semicarinata) and Shawnee rocksnails (Lithasia obovata) (Gastropoda: Neotaenioglossa: Pleuroceridae). Righting behavior, or the movement used by snails to turn themselves right-side-up, was used as the main endpoint; delays in this behavior compromise …

Temperature And Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid’S Effect On Daphnia Magna Reproduction, Mark Albright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Organisms adapt to their environments by adjusting their biochemistry and physiology; such adaptation is limited by resource availability and physiological constraints. The freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna inhabits a wide range of environments and must survive and reproduce within a range of temperatures. One limit to low-temperature adaptation is thought to be the availability of unsaturated fatty acids necessary to maintain proper fluidity of cellular membranes. D. magna maintained at 10 ºC on a diet poor in unsaturated fatty acids have been observed to produce clutches that fail to develop. However, this has not been observed on a diet rich in …

Soil Ecology Of The Exotic Dune Grass Leymus Arenarius., Matthew L. Reid

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Exotic plants can alter the structure and function of native communities both above- and belowground, which is particularly important in primary successional sand dune ecosystems where plant-soil interactions are critical drivers of successional dynamics. In Great Lakes sand dunes, the native foundation grass Ammophila breviligulata dominates early in succession until an accumulation of detrimental soil organisms causes its die-back of the grasses. Die-back of this native foundation species can be slowed by mutualistic interactions between plants and mycorrhizal fungi. Changes to the plant community resulting from invasion, and subsequent effects on the soil community have the potential to disrupt the …

Social Conflict On The Seas: Links Between Overfishing-Induced Marine Fish Stock Declines And Forced Labor Slavery, Jessica L. Sparks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite media attention detailing labor abuses in fisheries, social-ecological systems research has largely failed to consider whether fish stock declines could be contributing to increases in forced labor slavery. Empirical fisheries data suggests, though not a ubiquitous response to declining stocks, many vessels will fish longer, farther from shore, and deeper in waters to maintain yields. This effort intensification increases production costs, and Brashares et al. (2014), consistent with slavery theory, posited cheap and/or unpaid labor as an approach to offset increasing costs and continue harvesting fish species at a rate otherwise cost-prohibitive.

Using fuzzy cognitive mapping - a participatory, …

Evaluating Bighorn Sheep Herd Response After Selective Removal Of Mycoplasma Ovipneumoniae Chronic Shedders, Tyler J. Garwood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Infected individuals vary in their contribution to disease persistence, and chronically infected individuals may sustain disease in a population. One disease that might persist in a population through chronically infected individuals is pneumonia in wild sheep. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Mo), a pathogen of Caprinae commonly present in domestic sheep and goats, strongly correlates with pneumonia epizootics when it infects wild sheep populations. These epizootics can cause 40-100% herd mortality in an initial all-age dieoff, precipitate annual lamb mortality as high as 100% in following years, and sustain adult mortality long after initial all-age dieoffs. We conducted an experiment in the Black …

Vulnerability Of Protected Areas To Human Encroachment, Climate Change And Fire In The Fragmented Tropical Forests Of West Africa, Francis Kwabena Dwomoh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Upper Guinean region of West Africa is home to some of the most globally significant tropical biodiversity hotspots, providing ecosystem services that are crucial for the region’s socio-economic and environmental wellbeing. Nonetheless, following decades of human-caused destruction of natural habitats, protected areas currently remain the only significant refugia of original vegetation relics in landscapes that are highly fragmented. Aside from having strong geographic variation in land use, climate, vegetation, and human population, the region has also experienced remarkable biophysical and socio-economic changes in recent decades. All these factors influence the fire regime and the vulnerability of forests within protected …

Spatially Explicit Model Of Areas Between Suitable Black Bear Habitat In East Texas And Black Bear Populations In Louisiana, Arkansas, And Oklahoma, Caitlin M. Glymph, Christopher Comer, Daniel Scognamillo, Daniel Unger, Yanli Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although black bears (Ursus americanus, Ursus americanus luteolus) were once found throughout the south-central United States, unregulated harvest and habitat loss resulted in severe range retractions and by the beginning of the twentieth century populations in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas were nearing extirpation. In response to these losses, translocation programs were initiated in Arkansas (1958-1968 & 2000-2006) and Louisiana (1964-1967 & 2001-2009). These programs successfully restored bears to portions of Louisiana and Arkansas, and, as populations in Arkansas began dispersing, to Oklahoma. In contrast, east Texas remains unoccupied despite the existence of suitable habitat in the region.

To facilitate …

Human Dimensions Of Habitat Loss In The Plains And Prairie Potholes Ecoregion, Lily A. Sweikert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Plains and Prairie Potholes Ecoregion (PPPE), is located in the north-central contiguous United States and is one of the most imperiled grassland regions in the world. Most of the region is privately owned and used for the production of agricultural commodities. In addition to its direct benefits to humanity, the PPPE provides multiple ecosystem services including, soil and water quality improvements, carbon sequestration, weather amelioration, and wildlife habitat. Recent increases in expansion of row crop agriculture concerns conservation practitioners about the long-term integrity of the PPPE. Conservation practitioners are looking to improve their private landowner conservation initiatives in the …

An Evaluation Of Nitrogen Supplementation And Processed Soy Fractions On The Performance Of Cultured Fishes, Brandon M. White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

World population growth has resulted in an increased demand for a sustainable food supply. This rapid growth coupled with an increased per capita consumption of seafood, has resulted in many of the world’s marine fisheries being over-exploited in an effort to meet the global demand for seafood. Aquaculture has attempted to fill the supply and demand gap created by the dwindling supply of fish in the world’s oceans. Fishmeal (FM) has traditionally been the primary protein ingredient in aquafeeds fed to farm-raised fish, however its unstable supply and increasing price have driven researchers to identify alternative protein sources. Soybean meal …

Evaluation Of Gamebird Use And Thermal Characteristics Of Alfalfa And Perennial Grasses In Eastern South Dakota, Neal P. Martorelli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The northern Great Plains provide critical breeding habitat for waterfowl and gamebirds in the United States. Peak commodity prices in the late 2000s resulted in increased agricultural production and large-scale conversions of grassland habitat to monoculture row crops. However, recent declines in commodity prices have created a renewed interest for private landowners to diversify crops and enroll in government subsidized conservation programs that convert idle grassland and unproductive cropland to wildlife friendly perennial grassland plantings. Exploring alternative grassland restoration techniques can improve the efficiency of management practices to benefit future wildlife habitat and productivity on both public and private lands. …

Effects Of A Large-Scale Habitat Enhancement Project On Largemouth Bass Behavior, Feeding, And Growth In Grand Lake, Texas, Chance Kirkeeng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The quality of habitat, or the environment suitable for an organism to survive and reproduce, is often described by the type of features present and the quantity and condition of such features. Habitats in many ecosystems are declining and the loss of important habitats likely affects the success of organisms reliant upon those features. Habitats in reservoir ecosystems are especially at risk because of aging processes that are degrading reservoir habitats at faster rates than habitats in other ecosystems. Habitat enhancement projects are one tool used to combat the effects of aging reservoirs but the benefits of these management actions …

Invertebrate Prey Selectivity Of Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus) In Western South Dakota Prairie Streams, Erin D. Peterson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Benthic invertebrates are an important resource for aquatic consumers and should be considered in management of sportfish populations as a factor influencing fishery health. Our study seeks to draw a relationship between invertebrate prey availability and the Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus fishery of western South Dakota through diet analysis, but invertebrate surveys in the area have not focused on invertebrates as a prey source. Our objectives were to characterize patterns in availability of the invertebrate prey base in five major river basins, and to evaluate the effects of availability on Channel Catfish prey selectivity and condition. Invertebrates were collected at …

A Statewide Assessment Of Drivers Influencing Biotic Integrity In Perennial, Wadeable Prairie Streams Of South Dakota, Lyntausha Kuehl

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biological assessments are used to evaluate the biotic integrity of a system. Great Plains prairie streams are harsh environments due to variable climate, topography, vegetation, and human development. This presents a challenge to water resource managers who must detect impairment and determine causation. The objectives of this study were: 1) to develop a macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) for the Northwestern Great Plains (NWGP) and compare it to an existing Northern Glaciated Plains (NGP) IBI, and 2) to identify and evaluate statewide abiotic drivers of biotic integrity. The IBIs were hypothesized to differ regionally, as were abiotic drivers explaining …

Biotic Integrity In The Northwestern Great Plains And Mechanisms Regulating Stream Condition In South Dakota, Chad Kaiser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic disturbance of streams can alter biotic integrity in various ways. Some degradation is easy to classify and monitor, others such as habitat impairment may be less easy to quantify. The Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is a unique method of assessing the aquatic health of an ecosystem. Beginning in 2010 the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (SD DENR) began implementing biological monitoring on wadeable streams by developing an IBI for the Northern Glaciated Plains ecoregion in eastern SD (Krause et al. 2013). Prior to this survey the condition of the majority of SD’s streams was unknown. …

Development And Application Of A Fish-Based Index Of Biotic Integrity For Lakes In Eastern South Dakota, Daniel T. Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) was developed to summarize the impact of watershed and water quality degradation to biotic communities and help to provide a more complete picture of water quality changes that are not captured in traditional physical and chemical measurements. In 2014, nearly 15% of South Dakota lakes did not meet their designated beneficial uses based on water quality measures but the impacts to the fish communities are unknown. The goal of this study was to develop a fish-based IBI for eastern South Dakota lakes by addressing three specific objectives:
1) Determine whether an IBI could be …

Dna Metabarcoding Reveals Provisioning Of Pollution-Sensitive Aquatic Insects, Resource Partitioning, And Dietary Shifts Among Breeding Neotropical Migratory Songbirds In A Riparian Habitat, Brian K. Trevelline

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Elucidating the diet of Neotropical migratory birds is essential to our understanding of their ecology and to their long-term conservation. Beyond broad taxonomic or morphological categories, however, the diet of Neotropical migrants is poorly documented. Using the molecular techniques of DNA barcoding and next-generation sequencing, we elucidated the diet of Neotropical migratory songbirds breeding in the riparian zones of headwater Appalachian streams. This approach resulted in a genus- or species-level description of diets that improved the current understanding of how songbirds utilize aquatic prey resources in riparian habitats. Furthermore, our approach revealed that breeding songbirds partition prey resources within a …

Distribution Changes, Genetic Population Structure, And A Novel Environmental Dna (Edna) Detection Method For Darters (Subgenus Nothonotus) In The Upper Ohio River Watershed, Anthony S. Honick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the upper Ohio River watershed three species of small-bodied benthic fish the Bluebreast Darter, Etheostoma (Nothonotus) camurum (Cope), the Tippecanoe Darter, Etheostoma (Nothonotus) tippecanoe Jordan and Evermann, and the Spotted Darter, Etheostoma (Nothonotus) maculatum Kirtland previously existed in disjunct distributions due to poor water quality and habitat degradation. Signs of recovery indicated that these species were moving from areas of refugia into the deeper mainstem waters of the Allegheny and Ohio rivers and expanding their distributions. To provide information for the proper conservation management of these species this dissertation was divided into three stages: 1) distribution records were updated …

The Influence Of The Invasive Chinese Tallow (Triadica Sebifera) Leaf Litter On Aquatic Chemistry And Microbial Community Composition, Raymond D. Montez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Global climate change and anthropogenic activity have facilitated the movement and invasive potential of nonnative plants in native environments. These invasions can have negative effects on ecosystem diversity and function. The nonnative and invasive plant, Chinese Tallow (Triadica sebifera), has already invaded much of the south eastern US where it is outcompeting native tree species and changing ecosystem diversity in a variety of habitats. Leaf litter from the Chinese tallow has been shown cause changes in dissolved oxygen and pH in the aquatic environment. Turbidity is also affected when Chinese tallow litter is present in water. A series of …

Woody Plant Communities Of Three Urban Wetlands And The Success Of An Invasive Shrub (Lonicera Maackii) Over Natural And Experimental Flooding Gradients., Meghan Rhea Langley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Globally, wetlands are known for providing important ecosystem services that enhance the quality of human life and regulating global biogeochemical cycles. Despite the wide recognition of their value, temperate forested wetlands are the least protected type of ecosystem world-wide, and are threatened by human activities such as logging and development. The ecology of forested wetlands remaining in urbanized areas is impacted by a multitude of anthropogenic threats, including fragmentation (which decreases the amount of interior habitat and increases edge habitat), hydrologic modification (ditching and draining of wetlands) and the incursion of invasive species (which are frequently introduced by human activities). …

Impacts Of Wetland Characteristics On Duck Use In The Prairie Pothole Region (Ppr) 1987-2013, Fred Thomas Oslund

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since 1987 the Waterfowl Breeding Populations and Production Estimates, also called the Four Square Mile Survey, has been conducted annually in the U.S. Prairie Pothole Region. The survey was designed to assess the influence of the Small Wetlands Acquisition Program on contributions to continental waterfowl populations (Cowardin et al. 1995). Each year cooperators visit sample wetlands during two survey periods, collecting data on observed waterfowl and pond conditions. Along with ground counts, aerial photography of sample areas is collected annually, capturing habitat conditions. My objective was to assess the influence of local and landscape factors on duck pair densities. Local …

An Economic Analysis Of High-Intensity, Short-Duration Grazing Systems In South Dakota And Nebraska, Bronc Mcmurtry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Four different grazing systems: two rotational, a continuous, and a high-intensity, short-duration (mob) system, replicated twice, were evaluated from an economic perspective. Mob grazing is defined as a system having very high stocking rates for a small amount of time. Livestock are forced to eat or trample the vegetation. Stocking rates and average daily gains (ADG) were collected from the UNL Barta Brothers ranch near Rose, Nebraska. The study started in 2011 and lasted until 2014. Using the performance data and other cost data relevant to South Dakota and Nebraska, budgets were set up for each system and extrapolated to …

Diel Patterns Of Foraging Aggression And Antipredator Behavior In The Trashline Orb-Weaving Spider, Cyclosa Turbinata, James C. Watts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Few studies have rigorously assessed the adaptive value of diel rhythms in animals. We laid the groundwork for assessing the adaptive rhythm hypothesis by assaying diel rhythms of foraging and antipredator behavior in the orb-weaving spider Cyclosa turbinata. When confronted with a predator stimulus in experimental arenas, C. turbinata exhibited thanatosis behavior more frequently and for longer durations during the day. However, assays of antipredator response within webs revealed more complex diel patterns of avoidance behaviors and no pattern of avoidance behavior duration. Assays of prey capture behavior found that the likelihood of exhibiting prey capture behavior varied significantly …

A Study Of Habitat Selection And Fluctuating Asymmetry Of Amybstoma Tigrinum At Henderson Island Wildlife Management Area In Jefferson County Tn., Christopher Scott Ogle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies were conducted on a population of tiger salamanders, Ambystoma tigrinum, at Henderson Island Wildlife Management Area in Jefferson County, TN. Tests were conducted to locate the nonbreeding habitat of the salamanders and to detect any difference in fluctuating asymmetry (FA) between larval populations in a large, permanent pond and an ephemeral wetland. Drift fences were installed with pitfall traps at selected locations around each pond to determine nonbreeding habitat use by adults. Most adult salamanders were found using a blackberry (Rubus sp.) dominated old-field, a grassy field, and a shrub-grass mix field, which were all adjacent …

Spatial Ecology Of The Spotted Salamander Ambystoma Maculatum During The Nonbreeding Season., Dale Patrick Ledford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Spotted Salamanders, Ambystoma maculatum, are a widely distributed pond-breeding amphibian that spends an estimated 95% of its life in woodlands surrounding breeding ponds. Their terrestrial ecology remains poorly understood. Few studies have tracked the movement patterns of Spotted Salamanders, and they have given limited information on fine scale patterns. Studies of distribution around vernal pool environments have brought increased attention to their terrestrial ecology. To this end I tracked a sample of Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tagged animals with a Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID). Quadrat-variance methods and a Poisson distribution were used to analyze spatial distribution patterns over …

Hermit Thrush (Catharus Guttatus) And Veery (C. Fuscescens) Breeding Habitat Associations In Southern Appalachian High-Elevation Forests., Andrew J. Laughlin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Hermit Thrush is a new breeding bird in the Southern Appalachian high-elevation mountains, having expanded its range southward over the last few decades. Here it is sympatric with the Veery, a congeneric breeding resident. In order to more fully understand why the range expansion took place and to understand more about the local ecology of the newly arrived bird, I measured several habitat variables in 30 Hermit Thrush and 24 Veery territories. Principal Components Analysis and Cluster Analysis brought to light several patterns of habitat preferences for these 2 species. Hermit Thrushes prefer territories with more leaf litter on …

Amphibian Habitat Usage Of Two Restored Bogs In Shady Valley, Johnson County, Tennessee., Amy P. Lucas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adjacent terrestrial habitat surrounding wetlands are critical for the survival and success of many species that use them. The primary purpose of this study was to determine amphibian movement from adjacent habitats into Orchard Bog, a restored bog located in Shady Valley, Johnson County, Tennessee. In addition, a secondary bog, Quarry Bog, was also studied determining baseline presence/absence data

A total of 16 species from six families were observed throughout the study sites. Seven species of anurans, Bufonidae, Hylidae, and Ranidae and nine species of caudates in the families Plethodontidae, Ambystomatidae and Salamandridae were identified. Fourteen of the 16 species …

Quantifying Soil And Groundwater Chemistry In Areas Invaded By Tamarix Spp. Along The Middle Rio Grande, New Mexico, Michelle Kelly Ohrtman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tamarix spp. (a.k.a. saltcedar, tamarisk) invasion is considered a major ecological threat at both national and global levels, with supposed impacts on soil and water chemistry. One of the most often cited mechanisms of ecosystem change by Tamarix is through its ability to deposit salty exudates and salt-rich leaf litter. The degree to which Tamarix relates to elevated soil and groundwater salinity, however, has not been adequately quantified, especially in the context of environmental factors that may also influence salinity. If Tamarix does elevate localized salinity by means of uptake, concentration and exudation by plant tissues, then we might expect …

Life History And Production Of Three Species Of Isopods In Beargrass Creek Louisville, Ky, James A. Eckstein

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The life history and annual production of the aquatic isopods L. fontinalis, C. intermedia and C. brevicaudus in a spring stream, Beargrass Creek, Louisville, Kentucky was studied. Reproductive activity was observed with the greatest intensity in the spring months from March to May. Smaller secondary peaks for recruitment of young were seen in the fall months for L. fontinalis and C. intermedia. Brood size for the three isopods was compared by linear regression. The mean annual biomass for the three isopods ranged from 0.67 g/m2 for C. intermedia, 0.83 g/m2 for C. brevicaudus to 2.1 g/m2 for L. fontinalis. Annual …