Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons^™

A Compartmental Model For Annual Blue Whale Migration, Leah Glasser, Christopher Hay-Jahans, Elena Wheatley, Rhianna Yates

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

New Butterfly Taxa And Findings From Genomic Analyses, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Nick V. Grishin

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

Continuing our genomics-driven exploration of butterfly taxonomy, we integrate phylogenetic trees from all protein-coding genes with existing taxonomic and phenotypic knowledge and uncover further insights into butterfly systematics. As a result, one subgenus, 44 species, and 11 subspecies are proposed as new (type species in original combinations or type localities are listed in parentheses): Porphaurea Grishin, subgen. n. (Phoenicops porphyropis Meyrick & Lower, 1902) of Chaetocneme C. Felder, 1860 in Hesperiidae Latreille, 1809; Dione (Agraulis) lamasi Grishin, sp. n. (Peru: Cuzco) in Nymphalidae Rafinesque, 1815; Lasaia (Lasaia) chiapis Grishin, sp. n. (Mexico: Chiapas), Lasaia …

Flea News 96 (November 2025), R. L. Bossard

Flea News

Flea News is a twice-yearly newsletter about fleas (Siphonaptera). Before including in publications any of the citations given here, please review for accuracy and correct formatting. Many of our sources are abstracting journals and current literature sources, and editors have not necessarily checked citations.

Announcements

Obituary: Lane Douglas Foil (June 16, 1949 - June 22, 2025)

Siphonaptera Literature (2025): Taxonomy, Conservation, Hosts and Distributions, Physiology and Morphology, Evolution, Ecology, Pathology and Control, Microbial Symbionts

The Micro-Communities Of Trees, Nicholas Davis, Lily Boysworth, Westen Wilburn

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

This study investigated how tree species diversity influences the variety of organisms living on or around trees across different habitat types. Field data were collected through random tree selection, measurement of tree diameter, identification of species, and estimation of surrounding ground cover types such as grass, herbaceous plants, woody plants, and leaf litter. Biodiversity associated with each tree was analyzed using the Shannon Diversity Index across several ecosystems, including grassland, woodland, and pond environments. Results indicated that the pond ecosystem exhibited the highest species diversity, followed by woodlands and then forests. A range of organisms, including lichens, mites, fungi, and …

The Term Consciousness And Impressive Evidence For Cephalopod Awareness, Donald M. Broom

Animal Sentience

Mather presents comprehensive evidence of cephalopod cognitive ability and of a high level of awareness. The importance of taking account of the biological functioning and adaptations to the living environment is emphasised. An argument is presented that it is better to limit the use of the word conscious to ‘not unconscious’ and to use awareness in relation to the various levels of cognitive functioning.

Attributes Of Artificial Wetlands Colonized By Ambystoma Maculatum On A Virginia Surface Mine, Hunter Hill, Garrett Stiltner, Walter H. Smith

Virginia Journal of Science

Landscapes impacted by surface mineral extraction present a range of artificial wetland habitats potentially useable by pool-breeding amphibians, although little information exists in the literature detailing which attributes influence breeding site selection by wetland amphibian specialists in post-mined landscapes. We compared attributes of artificial wetlands consistently used and unused as oviposition sites by Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) over a six-year period on a 120-ha former surface mine in Wise County, Virginia, USA. Salamanders non-randomly selected wetlands as oviposition sites, with one-third of available wetlands within the study area showing evidence of ovipositioning. Wetlands used as breeding sites were …

Antibiotic Resistance Trends In Coliform Bacteria Of Kittitas County Waters, Kaitlyn Holbrook, Bella Blasingim, Cruz Veronica Guillen Mejia, Holly Pinkart

Journal of the Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression

Project Mentor(s): Holly Pinkart, PhD

Since the mid-1900s, antibiotics have been developed to help fight against bacterial pathogens. However, bacteria can evolve rapidly and have evolved resistance to many types of antibiotics. Using coliform bacteria collected from waters around Kittitas County, BIOL 323 students at Central Washington University have identified a variety of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in Kittitas County streams and canals. Antibiotic resistance was measured from 2014-2019 and compared to data collected in 2024. This study focuses on three antibiotics, ampicillin, kanamycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. In the past (2014-2019) we saw no change in the trend of antibiotic resistance in collected …

Effect Of Coniferous Trees And Water Availability On Soil Acidification, Jessica A. Cheever

Journal of the Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression

Project Mentor(s): Mary Poulson, PhD

Water availability and coniferous tree species can cause acidification and a change in soil fertility. Previous research in European forests found that rainfall, soil acidity, and conifer prevalence influenced soil quality and biodiversity. However, not much is known about these effects in the Pacific Northwest’s forests. Three forests were chosen based on a gradient of annual precipitation. The Hoh Rain Forest, the Tiger Mountain State Forest, and the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest were used for wet, mesic, and dry conditions, respectively. Each location had a three-by-six grid spaced 50 meters between each plot. The location was …

A Previously Unrecognized Species Of Celastrina From The Southeastern Coastal Plain Region Of The United States (Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae) Named In Honor Of The Memory Of Iryna Zarutska, Harry Pavulaan

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

New species Celastrina iryna is described from the southeastern coastal plain of the United States. This species is most similar to C. neglecta but differs by possession of the unique dorsal overlay of clear wing scales found in C. ladon males. It is hypothesized that this may be a hybrid species. Some aspects of its life history remain unknown and call for further field research. The species name is a tribute to Iryna Zarutska, of Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Inherent Values Of Observation And Description: A Case Study In The Spiny Solanums Of Australia, Christopher T. Martine

Faculty Journal Articles

The basic exploratory effort of doing descriptive biology is an avenue by which we can deepen our knowledge about taxa and the natural phenomena that drive their diversification. As Conniff (2011) wrote in The species seekers, “we still live in the great age of discovery”, and much like that historically recognized period of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries there remains today a distinct need for the sort of work that might have been attributable to the naturalists of that time. The careful observation of how organisms go about their lives, including how they interact with one another …

Fisheries Occasional Publication No. 149 - Economic Contribution Of Wild-Catch Fishing In Western Australia, 2024: Beyond Gross Value Of Production, Dipesh Maharjan, Vilaphonh Xayavong, Ben Fraser, Rebecca Thomas

Fisheries Occasional Publications

The wild-catch fishing industry plays a significant role in Western Australia’s economy, particularly in regional communities. This report summarises the economic contribution of the commercial wild-catch fishing sector in 2024, based on REMPLAN’s input-output (I-O) modelling methodology and DPIRD data and analysis. This report focuses on key economic indicators including total economic output, gross value added (GVA), and employment (FTEs).

Key findings:

• Total Economic Output of the wild-catch fishing industry is $1.22 billion (total value of goods and services produced, including intermediate inputs)
• Gross Value Added (GVA) of the wild-catch fishing industry is $487 million (value of profit, wages, salaries …

Montserrat Developments Impacting Local Coral Reefs, Emma I. Bartholomew

2025 Symposium

Montserrat is a small island in the Caribbean, and over half of the island is in the exclusion zone because of the active volcano, Soufrière Hills. In that half was the old capital, Plymouth, which has since been abandoned, and its old port. The old port was getting less reliable and accessible, so they decided to build a new port in Little Bay, closer to the seat of government in Brades. This study explored how the addition of the new port impacted the corals in that area. We explored several different bays and recorded the diversity and health of the …

Evaluating The Environmental Determinants Of Tadpole Mouthpart Deformities, Nicholas J. Canfield

Research from the Berry Summer Thesis Institute, 2025

Amphibians are among the most threatened group of animals on the planet, with over 40% of living species facing an extinction risk. These organisms are highly sensitive to environmental change due to their highly permeable skin and complex life cycle that exposes them to stressors in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Amphibian populations that are closely monitored can serve as valuable bioindicators of environmental health because they typically respond rapidly to habitat degradation, decreased water quality, and changes in climate. Tadpoles in particular may act as a “canary in a coal mine” for aquatic ecosystems because they easily develop anatomical …

Investigating Food Web Dynamics Of Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands Using A Novel Stable Isotope Approach, Alyssa M. Smith

Masters Theses

Coastal wetlands of the Great Lakes support abundant populations of fish, invertebrates, and vegetation, though the trophic linkages connecting primary production and lower consumers is not well understood in these systems. We implemented a multiple-tracer approach, pairing traditional food web isotope tracers like carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) with total mercury concentrations (THg). We predicted that filamentous algae would be the dominant energy resource in the diet of lower trophic-level invertebrates in the Grand River Estuary, a network of riverine coastal wetlands adjacent to lake Michigan. In addition, we predicted that adding THg as a tracer would improve the resolution …

First Report Of Fibropapillomatosis And Critical Habitat Use In Green Sea Turtles In Curaçao, M. Tripepi, I. J. R. Van Veghel, A. D. Vreugdenhil, E. Brunelli

College of Life Sciences Faculty Papers

Fibropapillomatosis, a disease affecting green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), has been documented in many regions of the world, including the Caribbean, but has not been scientifically reported in Curaçao until now. The present study utilized VHF telemetry in Caracas Bay, Curaçao, to track green sea turtles, both healthy and affected by fibropapillomatosis, with the objective of ascertaining their foraging locations. VHF telemetry proved to be a pivotal method for assessing habitat use in areas characterized by limited visibility and high boat traffic, conditions that present significant challenges for divers and snorkellers attempting to access the area. The results …

Groundwater-Dependent Ecosystems In Southeastern Utah: An Integrated Analysis Of Hydrology, Ecology, And Landscape Change, Colten Lay

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

In Southeastern Utah, springs play a critical role in sustaining groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) in a semi-arid environment. However, they remain understudied and face growing threats from climate change, land use modifications, and hydrologic alterations. This study addresses knowledge gaps in spring occurrence, hydrologic function, and ecological condition by integrating field surveys, remote sensing, and geospatial analysis across multiple spatial scales. It provides a comprehensive assessment of spring hydrology, water quality, and ecological conditions using field surveys, remote sensing, and GIS analysis to establish a foundational baseline of GDE resources in the region. I applied a multi-scale monitoring approach across the …

Tree Rings And The Broader Ocean-Atmospheric Circulation In The Highland Himalayas, Sanjaya Bhandari

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Climate change has altered tree-growth patterns and resulted in higher sea-surface temperatures across the planet. The Himalayan biome is one of the most vulnerable areas in the world to climate change because it has caused changes in forests’ growth and glaciers’ retreat. Dendrochronology has been used to understand the impact of climate change on tree growth and for climate reconstruction. In this dissertation, I discuss the growth of trees in the highlands of the eastern, central, and western Himalayas for the last 500 years and relate these patterns to the present global warming scenario and broad-scale climate modes. I reconstructed …

Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) Movement And Habitat Selection In The Edisto River, South Carolina, Jacob Hill

All Theses

Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) are a commercially and recreationally important fish native to the Atlantic Coast of the United States. They possess a diversity of life history strategies, with northern populations tending to be anadromous and southern populations being primarily river residents. In general, southern populations are less studied, posing challenges for effective management. Between 2019 and 2024, we tagged 37 Striped Bass with acoustic telemetry transmitters in order to study seasonal migration patterns and summer habitat selection. We estimated migration probability for both the spring and fall Striped Bass migrations using data from an array of passive …

Exploring Fisheries Species Distribution Shifts In Response To Freshwater Inflow Through The Bonnet Carré Spillway Using Species Distribution Models, David T. May

Master's Theses

The Bonnet Carre Spillway (BCS) is a flood control structure on the Mississippi River (MR) ~52 km upstream of New Orleans. The BCS protects downstream communities from MR flooding by diverting floodwaters into Lake Pontchartrain when the MR exceeds 5.18m flood stage. Diverted waters flow east into the Mississippi Sound (MSS), introducing turbid, nutrient rich freshwater to the estuary before draining into the Gulf of Mexico. BCS openings have become much more frequent in the last decade, though little work has been done to explore the impact of the BCS on nektonic fisheries species. Here, a series of seasonal Maximum …

Mixture Effects On Metal Accumulation In The Asian Clam, Corbicula Fluminea, Mark A. Huff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Field collected Corbicula fluminea were exposed to trace level copper, lead, and zinc with the aim of examining the preferential accumulation between the soft tissue and shell. Metal levels were based on those in a permitted industrial effluent. At 1X effluent and 2X effluent exposure levels, copper was found to preferentially accumulate in the clam soft tissue, lead was found to preferentially accumulate in the clam shell, and zinc was found to excrete back into the diluent after preferentially accumulating in the clam soft tissue. When exposed as a mixture at 1X effluent levels, copper and lead were found to …

Distribution, Roles And Environmental Drivers Of Bacterial Communities In The Chesapeake And Delaware Bays, Mir Alvee Ahmed

All Dissertations

In this dissertation, water samples from the Chesapeake and Delaware Bay estuaries were analyzed to see how estuarine environmental gradients drive distributions, functional potential, growth estimates and gene expressions of bacteria. To answer this, the abundant and versatile taxa– Rhodobacterales and Actinobacteriota, along with broader particle-attached (PA) vs. free-living (FL) bacterial assemblages of these Bays were analyzed using a multifaceted ‘omics approach.

The PA fraction, differing from the FL in taxonomy, distribution, functional potential and estimated growth rates across salinities, and bays harbored genes degrading complex aggregates, and surface attachment. The FL counterpart presented genes involved in nutrient uptake …

Exploring Biotic And Abiotic Drivers Of Ecosystem Properties: The Influence Of Waterbirds And Photodegradation On Wetland Ecosystems, Lindsay Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Wetlands provide a wide range of valuable ecosystem services: these are benefits from the environment that support human well-being, such as water filtration, fish and bird habitat, and shoreline protection. Despite their importance, wetlands are among the most threatened ecosystems, facing increasing pressure from natural and human activities. To better predict the future of wetlands and guide effective management and restoration practices, we need to understand the various forces shaping their ecological properties. In this thesis, we examined the influence of two forces: waterbirds and photodegradation (the process by which sunlight breaks down plant material). To explore each of these …

Coal Mining Reclamation: Lessons Learned From Tropical And Subtropical Countries, Priyaji Agung Pambudi, Suyud Warno Utomo, Roni Setyo Handoko

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

This study addresses the persistent environmental challenges associated with coal mining in tropical and subtropical regions, where complex microclimates and ecological variability hinder effective reclamation. Despite the increasing global coal demand, comparative cross-country insights remain limited. This research fills the gap by evaluating the best practices. This study employs a qualitative methodology with a comparative case study design, uses systematic literature review to evaluate ecology based reclamation policies and implementation practices. Data were sourced from peer-reviewed journals from Scopus and the Web of Science database and institutional reports, and analyzed using McHarg’s landscape ecology theory to evaluate reclamation policies, ecological …

Methodology For Environmental Toxicology: Assessing Feeding And Rearing Strategies In Largemouth Bass (Micropterus Nigricans) Larvae, Amber Hitchins, Hannah Mcneese, Deise Cruz, Andrew Todd, Maria Sepúlveda, Tyler Hoskins

Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are an anthropogenic group of chemicals known for their persistence in the environment and their potential to bioaccumulate. PFAS can bioaccumulate in largemouth bass (Micropterus nigricans), yet the effects of exposure on bass larvae are unknown. While largemouth bass are commonly raised for aquaculture, techniques for rearing bass which enable controlled experiments at known densities, a necessity for toxicity studies, are poorly understood. Furthermore, the live prey typically used in existing approaches are not suitable for PFAS studies due to high background concentrations. The objective of this project was to assess different venues …

Assessing The Ecological Drivers And Consequences Of Partial Migration In Hudson River Striped Bass Over Three Decades, Caitlin Egan Zimmer

Biology ETDs

Climate change and shifts in human land use have caused extensive impacts to the connectivity, structure, and resilience of aquatic populations. Partial migration (PM), where only some individuals from a population migrate while the rest remain resident, can mitigate population-level responses to environmental stressors. However, little is known of the underlying mechanisms promoting variation in migration and whether these shift over time. In the Hudson River Estuary, striped bass (Morone saxatilis) are known to exhibit anadromous PM behavior. Here, I measured carbon isotopes (δ¹³C) of essential amino acids in striped bass scales to determine variation in …

The Island Biogeography Of Mangrove-Dwelling Vertebrates: Isolation, Specialisation, And Extinction, Jian Xiong David Tan

Biology ETDs

Mangroves are highly dynamic ecosystems that are widely distributed across the coastlines of the tropics and subtropics. Despite their low plant diversity, mangroves host a disproportionately high number of terrestrial vertebrate taxa. However, mangrove specialists — taxa that only occur in mangrove habitats — exhibit a global distribution that is incongruous with the broader background distribution patterns of mangrove-associated fauna, exhibiting higher diversity in Australia and Southeast Asia. This dissertation therefore aims to assess how the diversity and distribution of mangrove specialist fauna may have been shaped by the historical biogeography of mangroves, and the effects of mangrove specialisation on …

Plant Reproductive Strategies Shift In Response To Restoration Using Beaver Dam Analogs, Laurel F. Martinez

Biology ETDs

As riparian communities become increasingly degraded, restoration treatments are being implemented in streams to recover ecosystem functions. In the Jemez Mountains, beaver dam analogs (BDAs) are used to restore degraded streams by connecting the floodplain and increasing the extent of anoxic soil conditions. These environmental disturbances are expected to alter how riparian plants recruit, particularly their allocation to seed-based and vegetative regeneration strategies. We investigated whether BDAs and associated changes in soil water filled pore space (WFPS) affected riparian plant recruitment. We investigated the number of flowering stems as a proxy for seed-based regeneration and rhizome length and mass as …

Distributional Records Of Blanding’S Turtles (Emydoidea Blandingii) In Nebraska, Sam Thede, Dan Fogell, Keith Geluso

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) is a species of concern in North America as many populations have declined across its distribution. Environmental factors associated with alteration of natural ecosystems have played a role in declines leading to many isolated populations. Most populations exist in the Great Lakes region with a number of outlying populations, such as Nebraska. Understanding the current distribution of the species will facilitate regional management strategies to protect this species into the future. In Nebraska, Blanding’s Turtles were known from 23 counties prior to this study. Herein, we report on eight new county records, five (Blaine, …

Simulated Walleye Responses To Various Harvest Regulations In A Nebraska Reservoir, Mikael Ranta, Melissa Wuellner, Keith D. Koupal

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Recreational fishing provides sociological and economic benefits, and fish populations are managed by state agencies to meet angler expectations. One of the most popular species in Midwest reservoirs are walleye (Sander vitreus), and most of these fisheries have established restrictions on the number and sizes of fish harvested. Regulations are set based on population structure and dynamics and management goals, but often agencies have incomplete information needed to establish regulations. Predictive models can provide insight on population responses and inform managers of the tradeoffs between angler restrictions and population sustainability. Lake McConaughy, Nebraska, supports a popular walleye fishery. …

Post-Wildfire Erosion And Sedimentation: An Escalating Threat For Utah Fisheries, Colton James, Kendall Becker, Scott Hotaling, Aish Chandrasekaran, Alex Fiedler, Timothy E. Walsworth, Patrick Belmont

All Current Publications

Wildfires are a natural part of the western U.S. landscape and provide numerous benefits, including enhanced nutrient cycling and habitat rejuvenation. Utah’s fish populations evolved with wildfire as a common disturbance. However, the increasing size and severity of wildfires, combined with Utah’s heavily engineered and fragmented stream networks, pose a contemporary risk to fish populations. This fact sheet reviews wildfire impacts on erosion and Utah's watersheds and fisheries. It outlines measures we can take to prevent post-wildfire fish die-offs.