Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons^™

Defining The Physiochemical, Biological And Habitat Requirements For The Upper Extant Of Oncorhynchus Mykiss Distribution, Emily Powers

Journal of Earth and Life Science

The distribution of rainbow trout is strongly influenced by their habitat. As climatic conditions change, the distribution of rainbow trout populations will change along with them. The objective of this study was to identify the particular habitat parameters that rainbow trout select for in this lotic system and to specifically assess how this relates to the upper extant of their distribution. By assessing the distribution of the upper extant specifically, future research may be conducted to better assess climatic changes on a small and/or large scale basis. A 9,000 m section of the Clearwater River was used as the study …

The Effects Of Angling Pressure On Northern Pike Size Structure, Ryan Carrow

Journal of Earth and Life Science

A number of conditions within a lake system can affect northern pike (Esox lucius) size structure. Of these conditions, the amount of angling pressure may have the biggest effect on the size structure of northern pike in Minnesota lake systems. In this study, five private and five public lakes were chosen near Bemidji, Minnesota. Each lake was fished for twenty angling hours using live northern hog suckers (Hypentelium nigricans) or golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas). Total length (mm) and weight (kg) were measured for each northern pike caught. The number of fish houses that were …

Temporal Patterns Of Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Communities And Organic Matter Standing Stock Availability In A Coastal Floodplain (Altamaha River, Georgia), Erica L. Johnson

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

River floodplain habitats of the Southeastern United States are sites of high biological productivity that rely on a predictable flooding event as a keystone process. This study took place in a river-floodplain area of the Altamaha River, an unimpounded large-order river in the Coastal Plains region of the US. This study aims to investigate how aquatic macroinvertebrate communities changed over the course of the annual flood pulse. I predicted that the communities would be different and that the differences would be driven by hydrology at the main stem and organic matter standing stock availability. I took quantitative samples of benthic …

Distribution, Habitat Preference, And Status Of The Ditch Fencing Crayfish, Faxonella Clypeata (Hay) (Decapoda: Cambaridae), In Arkansas, H. W. Robison, C. T. Mcallister

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The ditch fencing crayfish, Faxonella clypeata (Hay), is a common and widespread crayfish that inhabits roadside ditches, intermittent first-order streams, shallow sloughs with heavy vegetation, and edges of swamps in Arkansas. Between 1997-2012, we made 55 collections of F. clypeata in 34 counties throughout eastern Arkansas, including 23 counties where F. clypeata had not been previously documented. At most of these locations within the West Gulf Coastal and Mississippi Alluvial Plain provinces, F. clypeata was found to be a locally abundant crayfish. With regard to conservation status, F. clypeata should be considered as “Currently Stable” due to its widespread distribution …

Urban Stream Syndrome In A Small Town: A Comparative Study Of Sager And Flint Creeks, T. S. Wakefield

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Utilizing rapid bioassessment procedures and aquatic physiochemical techniques, a three-year investigation of Sager and Flint creeks was completed. Bioassessment indices and physiochemical parameters of the 2 streams were compared and the effects of urbanization on both watersheds were assessed. Correlating data concerning land usage in both watersheds and alterations of both streams' geomorphology were also utilized to conclude that Sager Creek shows a higher degree of urban stream syndrome than Flint Creek.

Disturbed Waters – A Montana Chemist Searches For The Source Of A Persistent Poison, Kindra Mcquillan

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In December 2008, when Montana's great Clark Fork River tested its historic banks for the first time in 100 years, a crowd of hundreds gathered to watch the removal of Milltown Dam at the confluence of the river with the Big Blackfoot. After a century of pollution from Butte's copper mines, the river was undergoing the nation's largest­yet restoration project, the Upper Clark Fork River Superfund Complex.

But in a windowless laboratory a mile away, University of Montana chemist Heiko Langner had troubling news. Toxic methylmercury flowed through the river at concentrations of concern, undetected and undermining the project. It …

Do Artificial Riffles Enhance Nutrient Retention In Restored Streams?, Adam Thomas Hughes

Masters Theses

Kickapoo Creek, a tributary of the Embarrass River in Central Illinois, has undergone a stream restoration that included the construction of two artificial riffles. These structures were designed to slow flood waters, increase channel and substrate stability, and increase habitat heterogeneity in a stream impacted by erosion and sediment deposition. They may also provide stable substrates that affect the algal community, leading to shifts in algal community composition, increases in the biomass of primary producers, and subsequent increases in nutrient retention. I explored the effects of the restoration on instream nutrient retention by measuring and comparing phosphate uptake lengths, velocities, …

Habitat Associations Of Larval And Juvenile Fishes In A Large Unimpounded River, Sharon V. Rayford

Masters Theses

Larval and juvenile life stages of fish are numerically the dominant component of fish populations. These early life stages experience high levels of mortality due, in part, to anthropogenic disturbances, but little is known about which habitats they utilize in large-rivers, as they are often difficult to sample and identify. My study examined the larval and juvenile fish assemblages in different habitats within the lower 322 km of the Wabash River. Fish were sampled with a conical-cylindrical ichthyoplankton net (larvae) and a DC-electrified mini-Missouri trawl (juveniles) between May and October 2013. Larval fish were collected every two weeks from mid-May …

Effects Of Dams On Fish And Macroinvertebrate Communities In The Vermilion River, Il, Ryan Patrick Hastings

Masters Theses

Dams are a main source of anthropogenic disturbances on river systems and can affect rivers in a variety of ways. Dams have the ability to change rivers from lotic to lentic habitats, affect sediment transportation, connectivity, water quality, linkages with wetlands and the quality of in-stream and riparian habitats. The Danville Dam was constructed in 1914 on the Vermilion River in Danville, Illinois and is becoming a safety hazard for human recreation on the Vermilion River, resulting in three deaths in the last 10 years. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources in conjunction with the city of Danville has proposed …

Aquatic Priming Effects In The York River Estuary And Implications For Dissolved Organic Carbon Mineralization, Thomas M. Dunlap

Theses and Dissertations

The priming effect (PE), characterized as the enhanced microbial processing of bio-recalcitrant organic matter with the addition of labile substrates, has been hypothesized to moderate carbon (C) cycling in aquatic systems. In this study, aquatic PEs were evaluated through bacterial respiration and dissolved organic C consumption in incubations of water collected from three locations along the York River estuary. Incubations from White’s Landing on the Pamunkey River, a tidal freshwater tributary of the York, and from Croaker Landing in the middle of the estuary, displayed positive PEs when amended with labile C. In contrast, amended incubations from Gloucester Point, near …

The Movement Of Escherichia Coli And Enterococci Among Beach Sand, Lyngbya Wollei, And The Water Column: Implications For Human Health, Krystal Ann Bakkila

Wayne State University Theses

Occurrence of the filamentous cyanobacteria Lyngbya wollei has become an increasing concern in the Great Lakes region. Prior to the early 1900's, L. wollei had been occasionally documented in the Great Lakes region, but in the last decade it has been observed with increasing frequency. In the Great Lakes L. wollei has been proliferating, fragmenting, and accumulating ashore, where it decays forming thick detrital mats harboring potentially harmful bacteria such as Escherichia coli and enterococci. While the filamentous green algae species Cladophora glomerata has been well studied in this region, very little research has been done on the cyanobacteria L. …

Angler Effort And Catch Within A Spatially Complex System Of Small Lakes, Christopher J. Chizinski, Dustin R. Martin, Kevin L. Pope, Tony J. Barada, Jeffrey J. Schuckman

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Spatial layout of waterbodies and waterbody size can affect a creel clerk’s ability to intercept anglers for interviews and to accurately count anglers, which will affect the accuracy and precision of estimates of effort and catch. This study aimed to quantify angling effort and catch across a spatially complex system of19 small (<100 ha) lakes, the Fremont lakes. Total (±SE) angling effort (hours) on individual lakes ranged from 0 (0) to 7,137 (305). Bank anglers utilized 18 of the 19 lakes, and their mean (±SE) trip lengths(hours) ranged from 0.80 (0.31) to 7.75 (6.75), depending on the waterbody. In contrast, boat anglers utilized 14 of the 19 lakes, and their trip lengths ranged from 1.39 (0.24) to 4.25 (0.71), depending on the waterbody. The most sought fishes, as indexed by number of lakes on which effort was exerted, were anything (17 of 19 lakes), largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides (15 of 19 lakes), and channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (13 of 19 lakes). Bluegill Lepomis machrochirus, crappie Pomoxis spp., and largemouth bass were caught most frequently across the lakes, but catch rates varied considerably by lake. Of the1,138 parties interviewed, most parties (93%) visited …

Monitoring Ship Noise To Assess The Impact Of Coastal Developments On Marine Mammals, Nathan D. Merchant, Enrico Pirotta, Tim R. Barton, Paul M. Thompson

Biology - All Scholarship

The potential impacts of underwater noise on marine mammals are widely recognised, but uncertainty over variability in baseline noise levels often constrains efforts to manage these impacts. This paper characterises natural and anthropogenic contributors to underwater noise at two sites in the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation, an important marine mammal habitat that may be exposed to increased shipping activity from proposed offshore energy developments. We aimed to establish a pre-develop- ment baseline, and to develop ship noise monitoring methods using Automatic Identification System (AIS) and time-lapse video to record trends in noise levels and shipping activity. Our results …

Growth And Mortality Of Ozark Bass (Ambloplites Constellatus) In Streams Of The Ozark Highlands, Ashley R. Rodman, Kristofor R. Brye

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The Ozark bass (Ambloplites constellatus) is endemic to the Upper White River Basin, and a limited amount of information exists on the Ozark bass population, including growth and mortality characteristics. The purpose of this study was to determine growth and mortality of Ozark bass in the Upper White River Basin, compare growth of Ozark bass to other Ambloplites species, and compare growth and mortality of Ozark bass between sample sites. Sampling occurred in Crooked Creek and in the Lower Wilderness Area (LWA) of the Buffalo River, with multiple collections from each body of water. Sampling occurred during summer 2013 via …

Stream Restoration Proposal 2014, Plum Run Tributary – West Branch, Jesse Mclaughlin, Greg Smith

Biology Student Work

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Links Between Seasonal Variation And Spider Foraging, Thomas Edward Dantas Whitney

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

According to optimal foraging theory, generalist predators, such as spiders, are thought to feed indiscriminately on prey according to its availability, especially when food is scarce. In contrast, generalists can display selective feeding decisions under regimes of high prey abundance, but few studies have tracked changes in prey choice on a seasonal basis under open field conditions. Additionally, adaptations to surviving winter have been largely ignored in the research of foraging behavior. To elucidate this, I monitored prey availability and collected common forest-dwelling wolf spiders for molecular gut-content analysis, in parallel for 18 months, to assess the temporal changes occurring …

The Movement Ecology Of Seagrasses, Kathryn Mcmahon, Kor-Jent Van Dijk, Leonardo Ruiz-Montoya, Gary A. Kendrick, Siegfried L. Krauss, Michelle Waycott, Jennifer Verduin, Ryan Lowe, John Statton, Eloise Brown, Carlos Duarte

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

A movement ecology framework is applied to enhance our understanding of the causes, mechanisms and consequences of movement in seagrasses: marine, clonal, flowering plants. Four life-history stages of seagrasses can move: pollen, sexual propagules, vegetative fragments and the spread of individuals through clonal growth. Movement occurs on the water surface, in the water column, on or in the sediment, via animal vectors and through spreading clones. A capacity for long-distance dispersal and demographic connectivity over multiple timeframes is the novel feature of the movement ecology of seagrasses with significant evolutionary and ecological consequences. The space–time movement footprint of different life-history …

The Development Of Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry Methods For The Analysis Of Cyanobacterial Toxins In Environmental Freshwaters, Brian Anthony Dineen

Theses

Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are a common component of many freshwater and marine ecosystems and have a potential to produce several different classes of biotoxins. The most common class of cyanobacterial toxins are the microcystins (MCs) and cylindrospermopsins (CYLs). MCs are cyclic heptapeptides that display potent hepatotoxicity and are tumour promoters. CYLs are alkaloids that are cytotoxic and can cause illness and display hepatotoxic effects in animals and humans. Worldwide, these toxins have caused fatal poisonings to animals, birds and fish. Several incidents of human intoxications have been reported and the presence of these toxins in environmental waters …

Ecology Of The Squirrel Treefrog (Hyla Squirella) In Southern Arkansas, M. B. Connior, T. Fulmer, C. T. Mcallister, S. E. Trauth, C. R. Bursey

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We conducted an ecological study of the Squirrel Treefrog, Hyla squirella near El Dorado, Union Co., Arkansas from May-Oct. 2013. We extended the known distribution by ~2 km and documented the first breeding occurring on 28 May and the first transformation of juveniles on 27 Aug. Three endoparasites were documented: Opalina sp., Nyctotherus cordiformis, and Physaloptera sp. larvae. We also provide information on endoparasites of Florida H. squirella as well as a summary of helminths of this frog.

Growth And Reproduction In The Ouachita Madtom (Noturus Lachneri) At The Periphery Of Its Distribution, R. Tumilson, J. O. Hardage

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The Ouachita madtom (Noturus lachneri) occurs primarily in drainages of the upper Saline River and in a few small tributaries to the Ouachita River in Arkansas, USA. We collected specimens by hand and by use of aquarium dipnets on 29 occasions from 20 October 1999 through 25 July 2000 in Cooper Creek, presently a feeder creek into Lake Catherine on the Ouachita River. Total length was measured, reproductive attributes were noted, and individuals were released at the capture site (with exception of 3 gravid females retained to assess fecundity). We recognized 2 age (size) classes during most of the year …

Toad (Anura: Bufonidae) Limb Abnormalities From An Aquatic Site In Scott, Pulaski County, Arkansas, C. S. Thigpen, D. Beard, S. E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We collected and examined 16 Fowler’s toads, Anaxyrus fowleri, and one dwarf American toad, Anaxyrus americanus charlesmithi, in central Arkansas in 2011. Collection was initiated by observation of abnormal toads. Toads were euthanized, measured, photographed, and deposited in the Arkansas State University herpetological collection. Several toads were radiographed. We found various abnormalities in both forelimbs and hindlimbs and on both sides of the body. The causes of the abnormalities remain unknown and will require further studies to determine if the environment is imperiled.

Habitat Quality Influences Migratory Strategy Of Female White-Tailed Deer, Charles R. Henderson Jr.

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Partial migration is a life history strategy that is common for ungulate species living in seasonal environments. One factor that influences the decision to migrate by ungulates is access to high quality habitat. We evaluated the influence of access to winter habitat of high quality on the probability of an individual migrating, the differences in seasonal habitat use between and within migratory and resident classes of deer, and the effects of this decision on the survival of female white-tailed deer. We hypothesized that deer with home ranges of relatively low quality in winter would have a relatively high probability of …

Winter Survival Strategies Of Benthic Invertebrates In Temporary Habitats In A Northern Minnesota Lake, Cal Oldenburg

Journal of Earth and Life Science

During the winter months in the northern hemisphere, above 40 degrees latitude, a freezing event occurs that can last several months. Some lakes may have large portions of the shallow littoral zone frozen completely solid down into the sediments. Invertebrates affected by these events have developed survival strategies to cope with the harsh environment. The two main strategies for invertebrates in these areas are to either migrate to a different area and recolonize the original area when it becomes available again, or to burrow into the sediments and withstand the freezing. A 1- month study took place on Lake Bemidji …

Within-Season Nest Reuse By Mountain Plovers (Charadrius Montanus) In Eastern Colorado, Lani T. Stinson, Victoria J. Dreitz

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

The Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus) is a declining migratory shorebird that nests on shortgrass prairies across the western Great Plains. This ground-nesting species exhibits an uncommon split-clutch mating system, in which each member of a pair simultaneously incubates a nest and uniparental care continues throughout brood-rearing. We report on an observation of within-season nest reuse in this species. To our knowledge, this report includes the first documented occurrence of 2 different Mountain Plovers using the same nest cup in the same breeding season. Nest reuse could represent a time- and energy-saving strategy for renesting individuals.

Some Aspects Of The Biology Of Monogenean (Platyhelminth) Parasites Of Marine And Freshwater Fishes, Graham C. Kearn

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Müller was the first to describe a monogenean, collected from the skin of the halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus). However, he regarded the parasite as a leech and named it Hirudo hippoglossi. It was not until 1858 that its status as a monogenean was established by van Beneden and named Epibdella (now Entobdella) hippoglossi. Van Beneden published a detailed and accurate description of the parasite and one of his excellent illustrations is reproduced here. Entobdella hippoglossi is one of the largest monogeneans, measuring up to 2 cm in length. It has a smaller relative, measuring 5 to …

Successes And Challenges From Formation To Implementation Of Eleven Broad-Extent Conservation Programs, Erik A. Beever, Brady J. Mattsson, Matthew J. Germino, Max Post Van Der Burg, John B. Bradford, Mark W. Brunson

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Integration of conservation partnerships across geographic, biological, and administrative boundaries is increasingly relevant because drivers of change, such as climate shifts, transcend these boundaries. We explored successes and challenges of established conservation programs that span multiple watersheds and consider both social and ecological concerns. We asked representatives from a diverse set of 11 broadextent conservation partnerships in 29 countries 17 questions that pertained to launching and maintaining partnerships for broad-extent conservation, specifying ultimate management objectives, and implementation and learning. Partnerships invested more funds in implementing conservation actions than any other aspect of conservation, and a program’s context (geographic extent, United …

A Gray Wolf (Canis Lupus) Delivers Live Prey To A Pup, L. David Mech

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

A two-year-old sibling Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) carefully captured an Arctic Hare (Lepus arcticus) leveret alive on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada, and delivered it alive to a pup 28–33 days old. This appears to be the first observation of a Gray Wolf delivering live prey to a pup.

Modeling Black Bear Population Dynamics In A Human-Dominated Stochastic Environment, David L. Lewis, Stewart W. Breck, Kenneth R. Wilson, Colleen T. Webb

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Many large carnivore populations exist in human-influenced stochastic environments where availability of natural food sources vary annually and anthropogenic food sources can supplement energetic demands, but at a potential demographic cost due to human–wildlife conflict and subsequent conflict management. Understanding how these competing factors influence a population is complex and difficult to study, but here we demonstrate the utility of using a stochastic projection matrix model and perturbation analysis to gain insight into this problem. We modeled a black bear population subjected to stochastic failures of fruiting and masting species, but with access to garbage in urban environments.We parameratized our …

A Quantitative Analysis Of The Effect Of Cash-4-Grass Programs On Water Consumption, Cynthia Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Water supplies in California are stretched to critical levels as a result of population growth, periodic drought, and climate change. The California legislature recognized that the best way to increase supply is to decrease demand so the Water Use Efficiency Senate Bill 7 (SBx7-7) was signed into law in 2009. The law requires water purveyors to reduce per capita water usage by 20% by the year 2020. To comply, water purveyors are searching for innovative ways to increase water conservation. A review of the literature has shown that many factors influence water consumption. However, the majority of household water consumption …

Water Column Ammonium Concentration And Salinity Influence Nitrogen Uptake And Growth Of Spartina Alterniflora, Rachel Mactavish

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Salt marsh macrophytes, such as Spartina alterniflora, play a critical role in uptake and transformation of inorganic nitrogen before it reaches coastal waters, thereby reducing the potential for eutrophication. Although nitrogen availability typically limits S. alterniflora growth, it may be possible to exceed the nitrogen uptake capacity of S. alterniflora. Increasing either nitrogen concentrations or salinity are key factors regulating S. alterniflora nitrogen uptake. Investigating the effects of nutrients and salinity on S. alterniflora is important given that increases in inorganic nitrogen supply to surface waters from agriculture and urbanization occur simultaneously with freshwater withdrawals that reduce flow and increase …