Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons^™

In The Clear: Timber Harvest Informs Elk Summer Nutrition And Resource Selection In A Densely Forested Landscape, Trevor C. Weeks

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

As wildlife and habitats face unprecedented challenges in the form of landscape conversion, shifting disturbance regimes, and climate change, it becomes increasingly important for land and wildlife managers to find avenues for collaboration as they seek to maintain habitat to support robust wildlife populations. Timber harvest may provide one such avenue for collaboration. It has been shown to increase the quality and quantity of ungulate nutritional resources by reverting stands to early successional stages. Additionally, timber harvest may allow for a more precise application of such effects, as managers choose where and how to harvest timber. However, the exact effects …

Balancing Timber Harvest And Biodiversity: Impacts Of Selective Logging On Wildlife In The Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Belize, Kilynn Groen

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Selective logging is often promoted as a sustainable forestry practice that maintains biodiversity and ecosystem function, yet its ecological consequences remain under examined, particularly in tropical forests. This study investigates how selective logging affects wildlife communities in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Belize. Using remote camera trap data from 22 sites (9 unlogged forest sites and 13 logged (stump) sites), we assessed species richness, trophic structure, and environmental predictors of wildlife abundance. While overall wildlife captures and species richness did not differ significantly between forest and stump habitats, principal component analysis revealed strong community-level separation, with stump habitats supporting distinct species …

Assessing Intra-Seasonal Changes In Summer Elk Diet Composition, Ava E. Window

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Elk (Cervus canadensis) require adequate forage to fulfill their seasonal nutritional requirements. Elk undergo their highest nutritional demands during summer to support critical life functions such as late gestation, lactation, and juvenile growth. However, variations in plant phenology significantly influence the quality and quantity of forage available to elk during the summer season. As summer advances and plant communities mature, forage quality often declines, leading to a landscape that imposes greater nutritional constraints on elk. As a result, prior research on elk foraging habits has primarily focused on late summer. This has led to limited knowledge surrounding the …

Tree Crown Economics Of Broadleaf Deciduous Forests, Yiting Fan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Tree crown architecture, a critical determinant of forest ecosystem processes such as photosynthesis, evapotranspiration, and spectral reflectance, is shaped by adaptive trade-offs in resource use and environmental responses. However, significant gaps remain in our understanding of how these traits vary across species, environmental gradients, and temporal scales. This dissertation addresses these gaps by employing remote sensing data across three interconnected studies. Together, these studies advance tree crown economic theory, highlighting how crown traits mediate trade-offs between light capture and water-use efficiency and how these traits influence forest responses to global change. Collectively, this dissertation offer insights for improving models that …

Characterizing Nursery Habitat For Juvenile Invasive Carp (Hypophthalmichthys Spp.) On The Ohio River, Rebecca Hiller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Since their introduction to US waters, Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and Bighead Carp (H. nobilis) have rapidly spread throughout the Mississippi River basin and its major tributaries, but their invasion has stalled within the Ohio River. Recent research has suggested this slowed spread could be due to a lack of suitable nursery habitat in the Ohio River, affecting recruitment of invasive carp. This study aims to characterize the habitats juvenile carp are utilizing by investigating three main lines of inquiry: that juvenile carp habitat use is limited by (1) the flow regime of the Ohio River …

High Temporal Resolution Gene Expression Analysis Of Acute Heat Stress Response In Acropora Cervicornis And Porites Astreoides, Katherine Parker, Nicolas Evensen, Iliana Baums, Daniel Barshis

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Widespread coral bleaching and mortality events are becoming increasingly frequent due to rising ocean temperatures, though certain coral species and populations have displayed higher tolerance to elevated emperatures than others. As such, it is of high research priority to identify thermally tolerant coral populations for research and conservation and assess the biological mechanisms allowing these populations to survive exposure to higher temperatures. This research utilized the Coral Bleaching Automated Stress System (CBASS), a portable experimental aquaria system with precise temperature manipulation, to assess the thermal thresholds and heat stress response of two coral species from Summerland Key, FL, USA. Seven …

Bugs In The Flux: Links Between Arthropod Diversity And Spatial Variation Of Soil Respiration In A Temperate Forest, Erin-Darby H. Mcclain

Theses and Dissertations

Soil respiration (Rs) is the largest terrestrial flux of carbon (C) to the atmosphere, with heterotrophic contributions to Rs varying spatially and temporally. While microbes are the primary and most thoroughly studied source of soil heterotrophic respiration (Rh), contributions from higher trophic organisms, including arthropods, are rarely quantified and poorly understood. Arthropod abundance and diversity correspond with variation in soil microclimate, which is influenced by site factors including canopy structure, site productivity, and disturbance. However, the extent to which these site factors influence arthropod abundance and diversity, and consequently, spatial variation in Rs is not known. The objective of our …

Using Advanced Machine Learning To Evaluate The Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Human–Bear Interactions In Maryland, Usa, Katherine A. Kurth, Jonathan K. Trudeau

Human–Wildlife Interactions

American black bears (Ursus americanus) are highly adaptable to human-dominated areas, which can lead to interactions with humans. Managing these interactions is a priority for many wildlife agencies in North America. Climate-induced shortages in natural food can exacerbate human–bear interactions, as bears are driven to seek alternative food sources in human-dominated areas. However, few studies have investigated the impact of climate or weather on the frequency and severity of human–bear interactions. In Maryland, USA, no research has examined the anthropogenic or environmental factors contributing to human–bear interactions, even though reported interactions have consistently increased since the 1990s. Our …

Helminth Parasites Of Galápagos Mammals: A New Cestode Of The Genus Raillietina From The Endemic Rice Rat Nesoryzomys Swarthi And A Summary Of Parasites From Both Endemic And Invasive Rodents, Scott Lyell Gardner, Emma K. Chesley, Michael C. Friedle, Altangerel Tsogtsaikhan Dursahinhan

Scott L. Gardner Publications

In this first report of endoparasites from endemic land-mammals of the Galápagos Islands, we describe a new species of cestode of the genus Raillietina (Cyclophyllidea: Davaineidae) from a species of Nesoryzomys and summarize the extent of helminth parasitism in both oryzomyine endemics and introduced species of Rattus. Up to the current time, no helminth parasites have been reported from rodents of the Galápagos, and little work has yet been done describing and synthesizing Galápagos parasite diversity. In historical times, several species of autochthonous rodents have occupied the islands including: Nesoryzomys narboroughi Heller 1904, N. fernandinae Hutterer and Hirsch …

Assessing Ecological And Food Web Responses To Small-Scale Stream Restorations In Urban And Agricultural Streams, Sydney Mcandrews

Masters Theses

Urban and agricultural streams across the Midwestern United States are vulnerable to elevated pollution, eutrophication, habitat simplification, and losses of sensitive species. Instream habitat restoration is increasingly used to mitigate the impacts of rapid land-use change. This study synthesizes habitat and biological responses from a 2020 urban stream restoration in the Saline Branch (Urbana, Illinois) and evaluates food web responses from both the Saline Branch and a 2010 restoration in Kickapoo Creek (Charleston, Illinois), an agricultural stream. In the Saline Branch, four years of fish and three years of habitat and macroinvertebrate pre-restoration surveys were compared to three years of …

Temporal And Spatial Changes In Phytoplankton Communities In A Shallow Coastal Estuary, Justin Osborne, Jeneil Patel, Jennifer L. Debose

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

One Rung At A Time: Climbing The Ladder Toward Aquatic Connectivity In Eastern South Dakota, Evan Spencer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Roads and streams are synonymous with their connection to movement, the acquisition of resources, and as pathways to new opportunities. However, the factors that define good roads and ecologically connected streams are rarely without conflict. Road infrastructure at stream-road crossings has the potential to fragment stream networks. Tube culverts, where streams pass under the road through metal pipes, are particularly concerning for stream connectivity. Undersized, aging, or inappropriately installed culverts can develop vertical drops at the outflow due to high velocities and stream bed scouring. The outlet drop can function as a barrier, preventing the upstream movement of fish. Due …

Ocean Acidification Mitigation: Potential Expansion Of Sav Restoration Strategy In The Chesapeake Bay, Cree N. Taylor

UROP Posters

Zostera marina is a species of marine macrophyte that has been largely prioritized in past submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) restoration initiatives within the Chesapeake Bay because of its 1) previous abundance, 2) demonstrated carbon burial abilities, and 3) observed ability for meadows of Z. marina to ameliorate low pH conditions. Due to the temperature variability and poor water quality associated with anthropogenic disturbances in the Chesapeake Bay, Z. Marina beds have experienced several die-off events with limited capacity for regrowth. This systematic review explored the possible benefits of focusing future SAV recovery initiatives on ensuring a diverse variety of SAV …

Restored Wetlands Show Rapid Vegetation Recovery And Substantial Surface-Water Expansion, Thilina D. Surasinghe, Yin-Hsuen Chen, Kunwar K. Singh

Center for Geospatial Science, Education & Analytics Faculty Publications

Ecological restoration is essential for improving the ecological integrity of degraded ecosystems to enhance ecosystem services and biodiversity. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of wetland restoration on retired cranberry farms by analyzing vegetation recovery and surface-water dynamics using the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and normalized difference water index (NDWI) derived from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery. To quantify temporal dynamics of both vegetation recovery and surface-water cover, we identified the spectral distinctions among restored wetland plant communities. Our results indicated the emergence of distinct plant communities upon restoration. Restored wetlands in general showed significant and progressive vegetation recovery and expanding …

Community Assembly Across Environmental Gradients: Contrasting Patterns Of Funtional Convergence And Divergence In California Coastal Grasslands, Ernesto Chavez- Velasco

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Elucidating how plant community assembly processes interact across spatial scales to shape ecosystem function remains a central challenge in ecology. These processes are often hierarchical, with broad scale environmental filters constraining the composition of local communities. I investigated these hierarchical processes across three California coastal grassland sites spanning a ~1000 km gradient. At these sites, I measured community composition, standing biomass, four functional traits (plant height, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, and leaf lobedness), and estimated species’ environmental niches. To identify assembly mechanisms, I used null models to assess functional convergence or divergence and scaled these patterns with …

The Role Of Floodplain Complexity In Wood Turtle Habitat Use, Laura S. Deming

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Wood turtles occupy cold, low-gradient riverine habitat throughout the northeastern United State and southeastern Canada. Stream alterations, such as dams, channel straightening, and floodplain development have diminished the natural hydrologic and sedimentation regimes that result in complex channel and floodplain geomorphology. Studies throughout the species’ range have quantified many aspects of their habitat, but none have quantified components of geomorphology of wood turtle sites. The goal of this study was to explore the role of stream channel and floodplain geomorphology in wood turtle habitat use, with specific objectives to (1) quantify components of stream channel and floodplain geomorphic complexity, (2) …

Distribution And Ecology Of The Cedar Keys Mole Skink (Plestiodon Egregius Insularis), Kevin M. Enge, Louis A. Somma, Paul E. Moler, Travis M. Thomas, Matthew T. Fedler, John M. Matter, Dennis C. Haney

Papers in Herpetology

We conducted surveys for the Cedar Keys Mole Skink, Plestiodon egregius insularis (Mount), during 1989– 1999 and 2015–2024, examined museum vouchers, and compiled personal observations from others to determine the status and distribution of this subspecies, which has the smallest geographic distribution of the five subspecies and is being considered for federal listing. We observed Cedar Keys Mole Skinks on Airstrip Island, Atsena Otie, Cedar Point, Deer Island, North Key, Scale Key, Seahorse Key, Snake Key, and possibly Dog Island. We have anecdotal reports of Mole Skinks on Way Key, which contains the most potential habitat and is the main …

A Century Of Sediment Metal Contamination Of Mar Menor, Europe's Largest Saltwater Lagoon, Irene Alorda-Montiel, Valentí Rodellas, Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Albert Palanques, Andrea G. Bravo, Júlia Rodriguez-Puig, Aaron Alorda-Kleinglass, Carlos Green-Ruiz, Marc Diego-Feliu, Pere Masqué, Javier Gilabert, Jordi Garcia-Orellana

OES Faculty Publications

Coastal enclosed ecosystems, such as lagoons, are vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts because they favor the accumulation of contaminants from the surrounding watersheds, particularly in their sediments. Europe's largest saltwater lagoon, the Mar Menor (SE, Iberian Peninsula), is a highly impacted ecosystem and the first in the continent to be granted personhood rights. Based on a high-resolution spatial and temporal dataset, we present the historical reconstruction of metal contamination in this ecosystem during the last century. Our results highlight that sediment metal contamination has been mainly driven by the development of the mining industry in the nearby Sierra Minera de Cartagena-La …

Just Keep Swimming: Outmigration Survival Of Upper Klamath Basin Juvenile Chinook Salmon, James M. Whelan

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The removal of four impassable hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River provides salmonids with the opportunity to recolonize their historic range in the upper Klamath River watershed. However, successful reestablishment of salmon populations requires juvenile salmon born in Oregon's upper tributaries to safely migrate downstream through the river's upper reaches. This stretch of the Klamath River, immediately downstream of Upper Klamath Lake, presents multiple migration challenges, including two flow-control dams not scheduled for removal (Link River Dam and Keno Dam), significant water diversions, and water quality issues. To evaluate these challenges, I conducted experimental releases of radio-tagged juvenile Chinook salmon …

Variation In The Timing And Duration Of Rough-Skinned Newt (Taricha Granulosa) Larval Period In The Center Of Their Geographic Range (Humboldt County, California), Emmery R. Parker

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Rough-skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) occur along the Pacific coast of the U.S. from central California to southwestern Alaska at elevations from zero to 2,800 m. Across that range, the timing and duration of various life history events (i.e., hatching, metamorphosis, breeding, and oviposition) are largely unknown, although general trends have been observed in a few locales. Larval life stages are particularly important for determining amphibian population persistence, but there have been no formal studies describing the larval period of rough-skinned newts. Using minnow-trap and dip net surveys at nine lentic sites in northern Humboldt County, California (elevations 400 …

Unraveling Reproductive Complexity: Integrative Assessment Of White Crappie Pomoxis Annularis Spawning Dynamics In Kentucky Lake, Emily A. Freeman

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

In large reservoirs such as Kentucky Lake, White Crappie Pomoxis annularis exhibit complex reproductive dynamics, including variable annual recruitment and frequent skipped or partial spawning events. This study investigates the energetic and environmental factors influencing spawning success in Jonathan Creek, a northern embayment of Kentucky Lake. Using a dual sampling approach, I combined citizen science angler-caught fish during the pre-spawn with trap netting in shallow spawning areas to capture crappie during the full reproductive cycle. Physiological, biometric, and egg analyses revealed that spawning success was driven more by pre-spawn energetic conditions than by the conditions during the spawn. Elevated water …

Assemblage Structure Of Large Carnivorous Coral Reef Fishes At Shallow And Mesophotic Depths In Two Of The Largest And Most Isolated Marine Protected Areas In The Philippines, Rene A. Abesamis, Mikaela L. Salvador, Ryan Murray, Kymry Delijero, Segundo F. Conales, Jean T. Utzurrum, Christopher E. Bird, David T. Gauthier

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Overfishing remains a threat to coral reef fishes globally, with large carnivores often the most vulnerable. Marine protected areas (MPAs) can restore fish populations and biodiversity, but their impact has been understudied in mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs – extensions of shallow reefs from 30 to 150 m). We analyzed baited remote underwater videos recorded in 2016 to investigate the assemblage structure of large carnivorous fishes at shallow (4–12 m) and mesophotic (45–96 m) depths in two of the largest and most isolated MPAs in the Philippines: Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP), a fully no-take MPA enacted in 1988; and Cagayancillo, …

Carbon Dynamics Across The Mangrove-Tidal Flat Ecotone In A Tropical Seascape, E. S. Yando, I. J.B. Alemu, L. Kiah Eng, T. M. Sloey, M. Van Breugel, Bhatia N. Friess

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mangroves and other blue carbon ecosystems are important for climate through the storage and sequestration of carbon. Most research estimates carbon dynamics by subsampling central portions of the ecosystem and are then upscales using habitat maps to patch, landscape, or regional levels. However, heterogeneity is rarely accounted for - particularly at edges. Further, adjacent tidal flat ecosystems have only recently been considered for carbon storage, but may be undervalued if areas where they transition with vegetated systems are not accounted for. To address the lack of information at coastal ecotones, we examined both soil carbon storage and carbon dioxide flux …

Quantifying Avian And Vegetation Communities On Agricultural Conservation Easement Wetlands In Eastern South Dakota, Katherine Millman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Prairie Pothole Region of eastern South Dakota contains numerous small depressional wetlands, colloquially known as potholes, that provide important ecosystem services, including water storage, water quality improvement, and wildlife habitat. The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) was established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to protect and restore wetlands and grasslands on private land through easements such as Wetland Reserve Easements. Although ACEP requires management practices intended to maintain or improve habitat quality, few studies have evaluated their effectiveness at supporting wildlife communities and vegetation integrity. To address this gap, we evaluated wetlands at 30 ACEP sites and 20 …

In The Footsteps Of Moose: Using Non-Invasive Techniques To Identify Cause-Specific Calf Mortalities And Evaluate Moose (Alces Alces) Movements Pertaining To Mineral Lick Locations On Ancestral Lands Of The Grand Portage Ojibwe, Anna B. Weesies

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Following a sharp moose (Alces alces; mooz, Anishinaabemowin, Ojibwe language) population decline in northeastern Minnesota during the early 2000s, the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa initiated a long-term moose collaring effort to assess survival and mortality causes. Moose are a culturally important species to the Band, with annual subsistence hunts held on the Reservation and adjacent 1854 Ceded Territory. Continued research guides culturally appropriate management decisions aimed at bolstering calf and adult survival, helping to preserve this moose in Minnesota today and for subsequent generations. Chapter 1 identifies cause-specific calf mortality rates in this multi-predator system using minimally …

Characterizing A Free-Roaming Cat Population To Predict Predation Of Threatened Species In An Island Ecosystem, Sarah Gheida

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Integrated Wetland Condition Index And Environmental Metric Framework For The Prairie Pothole Region, Mercedes L. Batalla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The USDA-NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) assists landowners with protecting, restoring, and enhancing wetlands. Evaluating wetland conservation efforts is crucial for informing future management decisions. However, assessment frameworks vary across regions and among stakeholders. The Prairie Pothole Region is an ecologically unique landscape characterized by its abundance of wetlands that provide important ecosystem services. To evaluate wetlands enrolled in ACEP, I sampled forty-five semi-permanent wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region from July – August 2023 and 2024. I selected and sampled twenty-six wetlands enrolled in ACEP. Nineteen additional wetlands not enrolled in ACEP were also sampled; these included nine …

Précis Of The Edge Of Sentience: Risk And Precaution In Humans, Other Animals, And Ai, Jonathan Birch

Animal Sentience

We often face grave practical decisions that seem to hinge on whether a system is sentient. This family of cases includes invertebrate animals, people who are unresponsive after brain injury, fetuses, neural organoids, and now AI technologies. We must decide what to do despite ongoing disagreement about the nature of sentience. In our state of uncertainty, we should pragmatically transform the question from “Is it sentient?” to “Is it a sentience candidate, an investigation priority, or neither?”. When a system is a sentience candidate, it is negligent to fail to consider precautions. We should instead evaluate precautions for their proportionality …

Dam It All: A Multi-Scalar Investigation Into The Ecological Role And Function Of Beaver Dams, Kenneth Larsen

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The central theme of this dissertation is ecological scaling, which examines how small, localized features, such as beaver ponds, contribute to large-scale watershed processes and how different modeling approaches at various scales reveal distinct insights. Through a combination of probabilistic modeling and high-resolution empirical research, this work demonstrates that small ponded systems, particularly those created by beavers (Castor canadensis), serve as critical biogeochemical control points, whose contributions to sediment and nutrient dynamics have been historically underestimated.

In Chapter 1, I contextualize this research within the broader fields of freshwater ecology, watershed modeling, and ecological restoration. I introduce the …

Sugar Maple (Acer Saccharum Marsh.) Tree-Ring Growth And Carbon Stable Isotope Responses To Nitrogen And Climate, Libbie Ring

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This dendrochronological and stable carbon isotope study used tree rings from sugar maple (Acer Saccharum Marsh.) collected at long-term nitrogen (N) amended sites throughout Michigan to understand N amendment and deposition, climate, and growth relationships. Climate responses varied by site, however, we found importance in grouping sites by “productivity” which is related to inherent N and soil nutrients. Our results did not detect an overall effect of N amendments on growth during the treatment period. However, data shows N amendments benefiting larger diameter trees, while smaller diameter trees responded more positively without amendments, especially on more productive sites. Results …