Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons^™

Animal Husbandry In The 21st Century: Application Of Ecological Theory And Precision Technology To Inform Understanding Of Modern Grazing Systems, Ira Lloyd Parsons

Theses and Dissertations

Ruminant animals comprise the greatest proportion of herbivores around the world, provide essential ecosystem services and human consumable protein by consuming grass and human inedible dietary fiber. Herbivory pressure alters plant communities and species diversity, effectively making grazing animals ecosystem engineers in dynamic ecosystems. Development of advanced computer processing power coupled with biometric and ecosystem sensors may be employed in the internet of things framework to create an integrated information system designed to inform understanding of grazing system function and animal energy balance. Towards this end, I utilized Bos indicus / Bos taurus crossbred steers (n = 20) across two …

Towards Structured Planning And Learning At The State Fisheries Agency Scale, Caleb A. Aldridge

Theses and Dissertations

Inland recreational fisheries has grown philosophically and scientifically to consider economic and sociopolitical aspects (non-biological) in addition to the biological. However, integrating biological and non-biological aspects of inland fisheries has been challenging. Thus, an opportunity exists to develop approaches and tools which operationalize planning and decision-making processes which include biological and non-biological aspects of a fishery. This dissertation expands the idea that a core set of goals and objectives is shared among and within inland fisheries agencies; that many routine operations of inland fisheries managers can be regimented or standardized; and the novel concept that current information and operations can …

Worldwide Distribution Of Cave-Dwelling Chelodesmidae (Diplopoda, Polydesmida), Rodrigo Salvador Bouzan, Jackson C. Means, Kaloyan Ivanov, Rodrigo L. Ferreira, Antonio Domingos Brescovit, Luiz Felipe Moretti Iniesta

International Journal of Speleology

Chelodesmidae is one of the most species rich families within the Myriapoda. However, little is known regarding their association with caves. We provide a list of all Chelodesmidae taxa reported from caves, map their worldwide distribution, and discuss the troglomorphic features of the group. A total of 25 species and subspecies from 20 genera and 2 subfamilies have been recorded from 59 caves and cave systems in 11 countries. These numbers represent a surprisingly modest proportion (~3%) of the approximately 800 described species in the family. Records of cave-dwelling chelodesmids appear to be geographically biased with most taxa reported from …

Exposure Of Egyptian Rousette Bats (Rousettus Aegyptiacus) And A Little Free-Tailed Bat (Chaerephon Pumilus) To Alphaviruses In Uganda, Rebekah C. Kading, Erin M. Borland, Eric C. Mossel, Teddy Nakayiki, Betty Nalikka, Jeremy P. Ledermann, Mary B. Crabtree, Nicholas A. Panella, Luke Nyakarahuka, Amy T. Gilbert, Julian C. Kerbis-Peterhans, Jonathan S. Towner, Brian R. Amman, Tara K. Sealy, Barry R. Miller, Julius J. Lutwama, Robert M. Kityo, Ann M. Powers

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The reservoir for zoonotic o’nyong-nyong virus (ONNV) has remained unknown since this virus was first recognized in Uganda in 1959. Building on existing evidence for mosquito bloodfeeding on various frugivorous bat species in Uganda, and seroprevalence for arboviruses among bats in Uganda, we sought to assess if serum samples collected from bats in Uganda demonstrated evidence of exposure to ONNV or the closely related zoonotic chikungunya virus (CHIKV). In total, 652 serum samples collected from six bat species were tested by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) for neutralizing antibodies against ONNV and CHIKV. Forty out of 303 (13.2%) Egyptian rousettes …

Crustacean Assemblage Structure Over The Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone Of The Mid-Atlantic Ridge Collected During The 2009 Henry B. Bigelow Expedition, Kathryn Medina

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone (CGFZ) consists of two nearly parallel fracture transform faults that intersect the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) axis. This area has high primary productivity and biomass levels due to the topography and water. A predominant hydrographic feature of the MAR is the Sub-Polar Front (SPF) which runs along the southern edge of the CGFZ and is known as a biogeographical boundary for multiple species. As part of The Census of Marine Life project Patterns and Processes of the Ecosystem of the northern Mid-Atlantic (MAR-ECO), this study analyzed the abundance and distribution patterns of the CGFZ crustacean community …

Aquaculture In Africa: Aquatic Animal Welfare, Impact On The Environment And The Sustainability Of The Sector, Mwenda M. Mbaka, Janice H. Cox, Stephen Ronan

Aquaculture

The African aquaculture sector recorded the fastest growth in the world between 2006-2018, averaging 10% or more, and is expected to partially fill the growing fish supply-demand gap up to 2063. In 2018, there were about 1.2 million aquafarmers across the continent, an increase from 920 thousand in 2014. According to the African Development Bank, expansion of aquaculture in Africa is hampered by "the overwhelming predominance of tilapia farming, which relies heavily on the production of fingerlings from a limited number of genetically improved strains that are resistant to the many diseases affecting this species, and on the production of …

Environmental Influences On The Growth Of Inland Cisco Populations In Three Minnesota Sentinel Lakes, Edward Carlson

Biology Graduate Theses

Cisco Coregonus artedi are a pelagic cold-water fish that are widely distributed throughout many inland lakes across the northern Midwest and play an important role as forage for large piscivores. Inland Cisco populations have been observed to vary in their overall size and recruitment potential based on the system in which they are found. Cisco are sensitive to oxythermal stress and with climate change, land use, and invasive species effects becoming more prevalent in Minnesota, aspects of lake ecosystems are changing, ultimately making Cisco more susceptible to these stressors. To investigate how different factors were affecting the population dynamics of …

Seasonal Patterns In Activity And Occupancy Dynamics Of The Imperiled Spotted Turtle (Clemmys Guttata), Ellery Vaughn Lassiter

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Wetland ecosystems are often spatially patchy across a landscape and exhibit seasonal patterns in water levels, resulting in the need for aquatic wildlife to use several different wetland patches across a season. The ecology of semi-aquatic freshwater turtles is especially complex because individuals often move among a variety of habitats to meet life history needs and these habitat requirements often differ across a season. Understanding the temporal and spatial scale in which turtles move and distribute across the landscape is vital for effective management, especially in the face of continued habitat fragmentation and climate change. Thus, we sought to understand …

Round Goby (Neogobius Melanostomus) Seasonal Diet, Drift Impacts, And Influence On Stream Connectivity In Great Lakes Tributary Streams, Kyle R. Glenn Mr

Biology Theses

Seasonality, energy recruitment, and food web position dictate the degree of impact fish impose on their surrounding environment. In the Great Lakes, the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is known to out-migrate from nearshore habitat to offshore depths in the winter months. However, in Great Lake tributaries, round goby populations were found up to 25 km upstream during winter months, and distance upstream was a predictor of out-migration propensity; populations farthest upstream did not out-migrate. Seasonal resources shaped the diet and condition of these fish thus creating inland populations with different average lengths, diets, and body condition compared to …

The Impacts Of A Quagga And Zebra Mussel Infestation, Casey Silva

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Invasive species issues have been on the rise in the United States for decades. These organisms can disrupt the natural flow of an ecosystem and overtake native species, altering an environment as a whole. The introduction of the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) in 1988, followed by the quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis) in 1989 is arguably the most prolific aquatic infestation the nation is currently up against (Hoddle, 2022). Beginning in the Great Lakes, both quagga and zebra mussels quickly spread their infestations through the Midwest and the East coast. The potential invasion of these species across …

Patterns Of Occurrence Of The Black Basses In The Upper Savannah River Tributaries Of Georgia And South Carolina With Emphasis On Bartram’S Bass Micropterus Sp. Cf. Coosae, Caroline Cox

All Theses

Aquatic ecosystems are among the most threatened in the world due to anthropogenic alterations to the natural landscape and native biotas. Identifying the local and landscape-level environmental factors that influence the occurrence of endemic species can help protect aquatic ecosystems by facilitating predictions of where hybridization or replacement with generalist species may occur across the landscape. The need for such predictions is pronounced for black bass species in the southeastern United States. Bartram’s Bass (Micropterus sp. cf. coosae) is a provisional species of conservation concern. Allelic frequencies of Bartram’s Bass in Savannah River reservoirs and tributaries have been …

Divergent Serpentoviruses In Free-Ranging Invasive Pythons And Native Colubrids In Southern Florida, United States, Steven B. Tillis, Jillian M. Josimovich, Melissa A. Miller, Laura L. Hoon-Hanks, Arik M. Hartmann, Natalie M. Claunch, Marley E. Iredale, Tracey D. Logan, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Ian A. Bartoszek, John S. Humphrey, Bryan M. Kluever, Mark D. Stenglein, Robert N. Reed, Christina M. Romagosa, James F.X. Wellehan, Robert J. Ossiboff

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Burmese python (Python bivittatus) is an invasive snake that has significantly affected ecosystems in southern Florida, United States. Aside from direct predation and competition, invasive species can also introduce nonnative pathogens that can adversely affect native species. The subfamily Serpentovirinae (order Nidovirales) is composed of positive-sense RNA viruses primarily found in reptiles. Some serpentoviruses, such as shingleback nidovirus, are associated with mortalities in wild populations, while others, including ball python nidovirus and green tree python nidovirus can be a major cause of disease and mortality in captive animals. To determine if serpentoviruses were present in invasive Burmese …

Quantifying The Effect Of Disturbance On Native Mojave Desert Shrubs, Tamara J. Wynne

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Disturbance can come in many different forms. In our studies, we looked at the impact of a solar photovoltaic facility on native plants growing inside and outside of the facility, alteration in precipitation (simulated) on four native shrubs and the impact of applying supplemental water as a function of volume and frequency to establish native shrubs such as might occur at restoration sites. Disturbance is becoming a more common phenomenon in many ecosystems throughout the world, increasing the need for studies that quantify the impact at the plant and ecosystem level. Each research project revealed different plant responses, such as …

Wood Turtle (Glyptemys Insculpta) Spatial Ecology, Habitat Selection, And Use Of Restored Oak-Pine Barrens In Northwestern Michigan, Diana Paige Methner

Masters Theses

Habitat fragmentation and loss, predation, and illegal collection are among the many threats plaguing turtle species worldwide which have caused substantial population declines. In the United States and Canada, approximately 38% of turtle and tortoise species are under significant threat. The wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) a freshwater turtle species experiencing declines and in 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will determine if this species should be listed under the Endangered Species Act. We studied the spatial ecology of wood turtles in northwestern Michigan, USA to fill knowledge gaps that exist throughout their geographic range. Between May 2021 …

Dust Deposition Changes Production, Chlorophyll-A And Community Composition In Mountain Lakes, Jiahao Wen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Increasing quantities of dust emitted from semi-arid soils, agricultural soils, and urban regions are blown to remote mountain lakes in the American West. Remote mountain lakes lacking local nutrient inputs and presenting simple food webs that are easily affected by climate changes. Dust can carry nutrients (e.g., nitrogen and phosphorus) to mountain lakes and potentially enhance algae growth and change algal communities. However, experimental tests of this hypothesis are lacking. Using in situ experiments, we investigated the effects of dust enrichment on the production, biomass, and primary algal species in three mountain lakes in the American West. We found that …

Distribution And Export Of Particulate Organic Carbon In East Antarctic Coastal Polynyas, Lavenia Ratnarajah, Viena Puigcorbé, Sébastien Moreau, Montserrat Roca-Martí, Julie Janssens, Matthew Corkill, Luis Duprat, Cristina Genovese, Jan Lieser, Pere Masqué, Delphine Lannuzel

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Polynyas represent regions of enhanced primary production because of the low, or absent, sea-ice cover coupled with the proximity of nutrient sources. However, studies throughout the Southern Ocean suggest elevated primary production does not necessarily result in increased carbon export. Three coastal polynyas in East Antarctica and an off-shelf region were visited during the austral summer from December 2016 to January 2017 to examine the vertical distribution and concentration of particulate organic carbon (POC). Carbon export was also examined using thorium-234 (²³⁴Th) as a proxy at two of the polynyas. Our results show that concentrations and integrated POC …

Evaluation Of Differences In Testosterone Concentration Among Species, Sexes, And Reproductive Tactics In Two-Lined Salamanders, Zaynab Massenburg

Symposium of Student Scholars

Fall 2022 symposium abstract:

Evaluation of differences in testosterone concentration among species, sexes, and reproductive tactics in two-lined salamanders

Zaynab Massenburg(1), Michelle Ross(1)

[[email protected], [email protected]]

(1) Kennesaw State University

Inhabiting streams in the Appalachian Mountains in northern Georgia are two sympatric and closely related species of plethodontid salamanders—Brown-backed Salamanders (Eurycea aquatica) and Blue Ridge Two-lined Salamanders (Eurycea cf. wilderae). Male Eurycea cf. wilderae exhibit a morphological polymorphism corresponding to alternative reproductive tactics. “Searching” males display brighter coloration, the presence of cirri and a mental glad, and mate-searching behavior, while “guarding” males display hypertrophied jaw musculature, lack cirri and a mental …

Non-Charismatic Waterbodies And Ecosystem Disservices: Mine Pit Lakes Are Underrepresented In The Literature, Rachele Bernasconi, Mark A. Lund, Melanie L. Blanchette

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Pit lakes are one of the greatest legacies of open-cut mining. Despite the potential hazards of these lakes, they represent newly formed ecosystems with great scientific and ecological potential. Although thousands of pit lakes occur on every inhabited continent, with more being created, the microbial ecology of pit lakes is relatively under-researched. We evaluated the current state of microbial research in pit lakes by performing a Web of Science search and creating a literature database. Study lakes were categorized according to location and water quality (pH and conductivity) which is a key community and environmental concern. Research technology employed in …

Internal Vertebral Morphology Of Bony Fishes Matches The Mechanical Demands Of Different Environments, Dana Baxter, Karly E. Cohen, Cassandra M. Donatelli, Eric D. Tytell

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Fishes have repeatedly evolved characteristic body shapes depending on how close they live to the substrate. Pelagic fishes live in open water and typically have narrow, streamlined body shapes; benthic and demersal fishes live close to the substrate; and demersal fishes often have deeper bodies. These shape differences are often associated with behavioral differences: pelagic fishes swim nearly constantly, demersal fishes tend to maneuver near the substrate, and benthic fishes often lie in wait on the substrate. We hypothesized that these morphological and behavioral differences would be reflected in the mechanical properties of the body, and specifically in vertebral column …

Life History And Ecology Of The San Emigdio Blue Butterfly (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), Gregory R. Ballmer

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

The San Emigdio blue butterfly, Plebulina emigdionis (Grinnell, 1905), occurs in small, scattered colonies in and near the southwestern Mojave Desert of California. Colonies depend on a symbiotic relationship with the ant Formica francoueri (Bolton), and occur only where the ant’s range (primarily in more mesic cis-montane habitats) narrowly overlaps that of the butterfly’s more widely distributed Atriplex larval hosts in more xeric habitats. Colonies of P. emigdionis are often localized around a few host plants and, therefore, sensitive to habitat changes due to anthropocentric causes and environmental stochasticity. The biology, ecology, and status of known colonies of P emigdionis …

Combining Isotopic And Genetic Analyses To Quantify Microbial Facilitation Of Recalcitrant Resource Use By Terrestrial And Aquatic Consumers, Alexi Christina Besser

Biology ETDs

Quantifying the flow of energy and nutrients through food webs is foundational to understanding the structure and function of ecosystems. Here, I utilize the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of individual amino acids to trace the movement of essential amino acids through terrestrial and freshwater food webs in New Mexico, USA. I first explore isotopic patterns among co-occurring terrestrial plants and aquatic algae. I then combine this molecular isotopic approach with 16S and 18S rRNA sequencing to demonstrate the importance of gut microbiota as sources of essential amino acids to wild mammalian hosts. Next, I explore the roles of …

The Nitrogen Dynamics Of Deer Cave, Sarawak, And The Role Of Bat Caves As Biogeochemical Sinks In Tropical Moist Forests., Joyce Lundberg, Donald A. Mcfarlane, Guy Van Rentergem

International Journal of Speleology

A better understanding of the role of bat caves as nitrogen sinks in tropical moist forest ecosystems can be expected to shed light on regional and spatial variability in nutrient recycling studies. We measured the nitrogen flux (in air and water) associated with a very large Chaerephon plicata bat colony in Deer Cave, Borneo, in the process generating a new, quantitative, estimate of the total bat population (774,828 ±48,320), and the first detailed modelling of an ammonia plume in a cave. Long-term storage of N does not occur in this wet cave. Our final budget numbers indicate that, of the …

Algae And Cyanobacteria In The Aphotic Habitats Of Veternica Cave (Medvednica Mt., Croatia) And Selected Caves Of The Dinaric Karst (South-Eastern Europe), Najla Baković, Tanja Pipan, Robert Baković, Roman Ozimec, Josip Rubinić, Renata Matoničkin Kepčija

International Journal of Speleology

Microphototrophs (algae and cyanobacteria) in karst environments have been intensively studied in aquatic epigean habitats. In recent decades knowledge about the communities inhabiting cave entrances and lampenflora has grown substantially, but the data about the communities in aphotic cave zone are scarce. This study aimed to investigate spatio-temporal presence of microphototrophs in the aphotic zone of Veternica Cave (Mt. Medvednica karst) and to present additional preliminary data from 22 caves of the Dinaric karst. The data were collected over ten years, in parallel with research on cave phagotrophic protists. In addition to the remains of microphototrophs, living algae and cyanobacteria …

A Novel Vaccine Candidate Against Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (Rhdv2) Confers Protection In Domestic Rabbits, Angela M. Bosco-Lauth, Bethany Cominsky, Stephanie Porter, J. Jeffrey Root, Amber Schueler, Gary Anderson, Sara Vanderwal, Andy Benson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

OBJECTIVE To evaluate efficacy of a novel vaccine against rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2) in domestic rabbits.

ANIMALS 40 New Zealand White rabbits obtained from a commercial breeder.

PROCEDURES Rabbits were vaccinated and held at the production facility for the duration of the vaccination phase and transferred to Colorado State University for challenge with RHDV2. Rabbits were challenged with oral suspensions containing infectious virus and monitored for clinical disease for up to 10 days. Rabbits that died or were euthanized following infection were necropsied, and livers were evaluated for viral RNA via RT-PCR.

RESULTS None of the vaccinated animals …

Ecology And Evolution Of Social Information Use, Clare T. M. Doherty

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Sociality is a strategy many animals employ to cope with their environments, enabling them to survive and reproduce more successfully than would otherwise be possible. When navigating their environments and making decisions, social individuals often use information provided by conspecifics (in the form of social cues and signals), thereby increasing the scope and reliability of the information they can gather. However, social information use may be influenced by many factors, including key differences in context across the physical and social environment. My thesis asks and answers a series of questions regarding the trade-offs in social information use across different contexts, …

Impacts Of Algal Morphology And Water Flow On Macroalgal Microplastic Capture, Cheyenne M. Adams

Honors College Theses

Microplastic pollution is a major area of concern in marine environments, especially as microplastics enter the food web. This study used pipe cleaners and two lichen species as algal mimics, and Chaetomorpha sp. and Chondrus crispus as model algal species to test the effects of morphology and biomass on microbead and foam capture. This study also utilized two different water flow methods: vortices and waves. Results suggest that water flow, as well as biomass and morphology, play a role in microplastic capture in macroalgae. For all mimics and algal species, except Cladonia lichens, turfs with increased biomass and length showed …

Influence Of Plant Density On Rainfall Interception By Spartina Alterniflora, Hannah K. Longaberger

Honors College Theses

Abstract

Spartina alterniflora is an abundant plant in eastern US and Gulf coast salt marshes; it is important in maintaining a diverse ecosystem. Salt marshes are impacted by rainstorms, which may affect erosion events. This project examined the partitioning of rainfall on single plants of various sizes and on central plants within different canopy densities of S. alterniflora. By calculating the rain stemflow (SF), throughfall (TF), and water adhered to the stem in S. alterniflora, we gained insight to rainfall partitioning with different plant features. My research found no statistically significant relationship between different plant features and SF, TF, …

Text Mining Policy Documents To Support Transboundary Integrated Ecosystem Assessment : The Case Of The South Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Debora Cristina Ferrari Ramalho

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Maritime Stakeholder Perceptions On Challenges And Opportunities To Ratify The Ballast Water Management Convention In Ecuador : Perspectives From Maritime Decision-Makers And Port State Control Officers, José Alejandro Pazmiño Yépez

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Variation In Coastal Macroinvertebrate Species Diversity On Intertidal Boulders In Trinidad, California., Louis Antonelli, Alexandra Winkler, Theron Taylor, Natalie Greenleaf

IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt

Coastal environments of Humboldt County provide an optimal habitat for a diversity of macroinvertebrates. This study’s focus is to determine the differences in diversity of coastal macroinvertebrate (CM) species on intertidal boulders. Eleven CM species were visually counted within a one-square-meter quadrat along two height strata of five intertidal boulders. Based upon the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, diversity was measured between the CM species in the lower region (0-1 meter from base of boulder) and the upper region (1-2 meters from base of boulder). The resulting data showed the lower regions of the boulders had a higher average diversity rating, as …