Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons^™

Life History, Ecology, And Low Ph Tolerance Of The Freshwater Prawn, Palaemonetes Kadiakensis Rathbun, In A Mitigated Wetland Of The Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area, West Virginia, Jennifer Ann Aderman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

An ecological life history study of the freshwater prawn Palaemonetes kadiakensis was conducted at the mitigated wetland of the Green Bottom Wildlife management Area (GBWMA). Monthly samples were collected from November 1996 through November 1997. In addition, weekly samples were collected from May through November for growth and reproductive analysis. Monthly samples yielded 520 prawns. Palaemonetes kadiakensis had a one-year life cycle, with all adults dying by September. Males averaged 23.82 mm (range = 14.15 to 36.75 mm) and females averaged 26.78mm (range = 15.06 to 38.60 mm) in length. Males averaged 0.087g (range = 0.014to 0.293 g) and females …

An Assessment Of The Prevalence Of The Bass Tapeworm, Proteocephalus Ambloplitis, And Other Parasites In Five Species Of Basses From River And Lake Ecosystems In West Virginia, J. Alyce Bradbury

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Two-hundred and fifteen basses were collected from four river sites (Racine Locks and Dam, Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam; Ashland, KY—Ohio River; London Locks and Dam—Kanawha River) and five reservoir sites (Beech Fork Lake, East Lynn Lake, Summersville Lake, Burnsville Lake, and Stonewall Jackson Lake,). The five species of bass caught were: largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides; smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieui; spotted bass, Micropterus punctulatus; white bass, Morone chrysops; and hybrid bass, Morone chyrsops x Morone saxatilis. Basses were collected by three methods: 1) local anglers (hook and line), 2) gill netting surveys; and 3) …

Improving Recovery Planning For Threatened And Endangered Species, Theodore Foin, Seth Riley, Anitra Pawley, Debra Ayres, Tina Carlsen, Peter Hodum, Paul Switzer

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Amphicyonidae, Robert Hunt

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

The Amphicyonidae occur in North America from late Eocene (~40 Ma) to early late Miocene (~9 Ma), a span of 31 million years. In the North American land mammal biochronology, this diverse family extends from the Duchesnean to the end of the Clarendonian and is especially well represented in the Miocene (~5-24 Ma). In the Old World, amphicyonids survive no longer than in North America: The last European records are Vallesian (Dinotheriensande, Mainz Basin, Germany, Kuss, 1965, Tobien, 1980; Vallés-Penédes Basin, Spain, Crusafont-Pairó and Kurten, 1976), and the last representative may occur at about 9 Ma at Kohfidisch, Austria (latest …

Improving Recovery Planning For Threatened And Endangered Species, Theodore C. Foin, Seth P. Riley, Anitra L. Pawley, Debra R. Ayres, Tina M. Carlsen, Peter J. Hodum, Paul V. Switzer

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Bowen Ratio Estimates Of Evapotranspiration For Stands On The Virgin River In Southern Nevada, Dale A. Devitt, A. Sala, S. D. Smith, J. Cleverly, L. K. Shaulis, R. Hammett

Life Sciences Faculty Research

A Bowen ratio energy balance was conducted over a Tamarix ramosissima (saltcedar) stand growing in a riparian corridor along the Virgin River in southern Nevada. Measurements in two separate years were compared and contrasted on the basis of changes in growing conditions. In 1994, a drought year, record high temperatures, dry winds, and a falling water table caused partial wilt of outer smaller twigs in the canopy of many trees in the stand around the Bowen tower. Subsequently, evapotranspiration (ET) estimates declined dramatically over a 60‐day period (11 mm d−1 tod−1). In 1995, the Virgin River at the Bowen tower …

Management Of Red Squirrel Feeding Damage To Lodgepole Pine By Stand Density Manipulation And Diversionary Food, Thomas P. Sullivan

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

The red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) feeds on the vascular tissues of sapling lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) during spring periods in forests of interior British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. This damage may lead to mortality and reduced growth of crop trees in managed stands. Manipulation of stand density by pre-commercial thinning to densities < 1,000 stems/ha is an effective method to lower squirrel populations and feeding damage. Lowering stand density enhances the growth of crop trees, and understory herbs and shrubs as wildlife habitat, while protecting trees from squirrel feeding. This approach has been successful in several forest ecological zones. An alternative management tool is provision of diversionary food (sunflower seed) for those stands susceptible to feeding damage, and where stand thinning has already been completed. Diversionary food can be applied aerially and is very cost effective for protecting managed stands. These techniques may be used to maintain or even enhance species diversity of small mammal communities in those forest stands requiring protection.

Notes On The Natural History Of Lasiurus Borealis In Arkansas, David A. Saugey, Robin L. Vaughn, Betty G. Crump, Gary A. Heidt

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Since June 1982 we have studied various aspects of red bat ecology in Arkansas with emphasis on field work in the Ouachita Mountains and examination of specimens submitted to the Arkansas Department of Health Rabies Laboratory (ADHRL).This study reports on continued field work in the Ouachita Mountains using radiotelemetry and updates information regarding red bats submitted to the ADHRL through December 1996. In addition, we revisited a cave previously reported to contain a large number of red bat skull and skeletal remains. We also report remains from another cave system in northcentral Arkansas. These investigations have yielded additional information on …

Characterization And Improvement Of Eos Land Products Using Measurements At Ameriflux Grassland And Wheat Sites In The Arm/Cart Region: Research Annual Performance Report For Period March 1, 1998- January 8, 1999, E. A. Walter-Shea, S. B. Verma

School of Natural Resources: Documents and Reviews

No abstract provided.

An Inventory And Condition Survey Of The Sandstone-Yalgoo-Paynes Find Area, Western Australia, A L. Payne, A M E Van Vreeswyk, K A. Leighton, H J. Pringle, P Hennig

Technical Bulletins

The inventory and condition survey of the Sandstone-Yalgoo-Paynes Find area, undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) between 1992 and 1993, describes and maps the natural resources of the region’s pastoral leasehold land. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the area’s natural resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. The area surveyed covers about …

Flea News 55 (January 1998), Robert E. Lewis

Flea News

Miscellanea

Flea species

Material request

Siphonaptera literature

Fall 1998, Nsu Oceanographic Center

Currents

No abstract provided.

Highland Pond Utilization By Bats In The Ozark National Forest, Arkansas, J. D. Wilhide, Michael J. Harvey, V. Rick Mcdaniel, Vernon E. Hoffman

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

During May through August 1996, wildlife ponds (man-made and/or naturally occurring) and road ruts on the Sylamore Ranger District, Ozark National Forest, Arkansas, were mist netted to determine extent of utilization by bats. Thirty-nine ponds and road ruts were netted one or more times during 53 nights. These water sources were originally constructed to support wildlife species such as deer, turkey, etc.. This study demonstrates that taxonomically and numerically diverse bat populations use these water sources. Seven hundred and seventy bats of nine species, including two endangered species, were netted. Bats were identified, and sex, reproductive status, forearm length, and …

Quantifying Community Separation And Increase In Number Of Avian Species With Corresponding Increase In Habitat Complexity, An African Example, Douglas A. James

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The relationship between increase in faunal diversity and corresponding increase in habitat complexity was quantified using shrubland bird communities in western Africa. Vegetational characteristics were measured in circular plots around bird positions. Bird species were then arranged from grassy open habitats to dense shrubland and found to be separated into three distinct communities when subjected to Duncan's multiple range procedure in conjunction with discriminant functions analysis. Random samples classified with respect to bird species showed there were few species in the more abundant open habitats and a disproportionate number of species were packed into the less common but complex shrubby …

The Role Of Bowfin, Amia Calva, In Multiple Species Management Plans, Benjamin Jacob Hausmann

Masters Theses

The major challenge to fisheries managers of the 21st century will be to maintain the diversity, not only of fishing opportunity, but also of traditionally non-game and economically unimportant species. With the relatively recent understanding of the importance of ecosystem level management, attention is being focused on native species that were often ignored or eradicated under past management practices. One such fish that has been largely ignored is the bowfin, Amia calva. Ecological data pertaining to bowfin natural history are limited and to date no attempt has been made to integrate bowfin into fisheries management decisions within the species native …

Declines In Benthic Macroinvertebrate Populations In Southern Lake Michigan, 1980–1993, Thomas F. Nalepa, David J. Hartson, David L. Fanslow, Gregory A. Lang, Stephen J. Lozano

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

Densities of the major benthic macroinvertebrate groups declined dramatically at sites shallower than 50 m in southern Lake Michigan between 1980 and 1993. Declines in Diporeia, Oligochaeta, and Sphaeriidae ranged from 40 to 75% at these depths. Total densities declined from 16 800·m^–2 in 1980–1981 to 4,800·m^–2 in 1992–1993 at sites in the 16–30 m depth interval and from 21,300 to 11,300·m^–2 at sites in the 31–50 m depth interval. Changes at sites deeper than 50 m were minimal; only sphaeriids declined to any extent. Declines in oligochaetes and sphaeriids occurred uniformly throughout the nearshore region …

Environmental Stress Effects On Vigor, Mortality, And Growth In Northern Hardwood Forests Along A Pollution-Climate Gradient, Neil W. Macdonald, John A. Witter, David R. Reed, Andrew J. Burton, Kurt S. Pregitzer, Hal O. Liechty

Peer Reviewed Publications

Concern exists over the effects of interacting environmental stresses on the ecological integrity of temperate forests. Coincidence of sensitivity to drought, increasing occurrence of defoliation, and elevated pollutant deposition has produced speculation that northern hardwood forests may be susceptible to the increased climatic stresses projected for the Great Lakes region. The objective of our study was to examine relationships among environmental stress factors, vigor, mortality, and growth in northern hardwood forests located along a pollution-climate gradient in the Great Lakes region. Between 1987 and 1993, we quantified climatic variables, pollutant deposition, insect defoliation, and tree vigor and growth at five …

Wood Frog (Rana Sylvatica) Use Of Wildlife Ponds In Northcentral Arkansas, Michael E. Cartwright, Stanley E. Trauth, J. D. Wilhide

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Forty-one wildlife ponds were monitored between 1988 and 1992 for breeding use by wood frogs (Rana sylvatica). Data were collected on egg deposition and pond characteristics. Breeding activity and characteristics were similar to that reported in other portions of the range of the wood frog. We also monitored 15 newly-constructed ponds to determine chronological breeding patterns. Data collected for each site indicated a significant increase (P< 0.05) in the number of egg masses deposited in ponds as they age from 1-3 years during our study period. Increased chronological use of newly-constructed ponds may be due to localized population increase resulting from greater availability of breeding habitat

In-Stream Monitoring Of Sediments And Water In The Lower Ouachita River For Site Impact To Aquatic Biota, Jerry L. Farris, J. T. Knight, C. D. Milam, F. Buzen, J. F. Nix

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Reported reduced sportfish densities in the main channel of the Ouachita River prompted an investigation, beginning in 1990, into potential causes of ongoing impairment to aquatic biota. In-stream monitoring that incorporated toxicity testing of sediments and water was conducted to discern potential sources of contaminants that might be related to the suboptimal fishery populations. Organisms selected to evaluate chronic impairment included larval fish, clams, midges and water fleas. The fathead minnow {Pimephales promelas) and cladoceran (Ceriodaphnia dubid) were used to estimate patterns of toxicity associated with water from seven designated reaches and selected tributaries of the Ouachita River. Larval survival …

Telemetric Observations Of Foraging Ozark Big-Eared Bats In Arkansas, J. D. Wilhide, V. Rick Mcdaniel, Michael J. Harvey, Daniel R. White

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Ozark big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii ingens) foraging activities were studied during 1995 in Marion County, Arkansas. Adult bats were equipped with radiotransmitters and tracked during June and July. Foraging activities were generally within 1 kilometer (km) of the roost cave. Male bats ranged farther than females with the exception of one female that flew 2.5 km into a different watershed. Male big-eared bats and northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis) were also found within the maternity colony.

Caudal Courtship Glands In The Cave Salamander, Eurycea Lucifuga (Caudata: Plethodontidae), Butch E. Hamlett, Andy G. Strecker, Stanley E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Arkansas Range Extension Of The Seminole Bat (Lasiurus Seminolus), J. D. Wilhide, Brady Baker, David A. Saugey

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Nutritional Condition And Reproduction Of Deer At Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, Thomas A. Nelson, Donald A. Phillips

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Fall 1998, Nsu Oceanographic Center

Currents

No abstract provided.

Chondrocranial Anatomy And Skeletogenesis In Dendrobates Auratus, Rafael O. De Sá, Shannon Hill

Biology Faculty Publications

The larval chondrocranium and visceral skeleton of Dendrobates auratus ls described and compared with those of other dendrobatids. Four characters, i.e. lack of fusion between orbital cartilages and otic capsules, wide processus muscularis palatoquadrati, lack of processus pseudopterygoideus, and lack of processus anterolateralis hyalis, represent derived conditions for Dendrobates within Dendrobatidae. Cranial and postcranial ossification sequences are reported for D. auratus and Epipedobates tricolor. Skeletogenesis is earlier in E. tricolor, but the overall pattern of ossification is similar in the two species.

Survey Of Mollusks Of The Niobrara River: Final Report, Patricia W. Freeman, Keith Perkins

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

We surveyed the mollusks of the Niobrara River in Nebraska from 1992–1996. We found two species of unionid clams and ten species of snails that either must live in water or near water. Both clams and snails are poorly sampled in the state, however we attribute the low number of species of unionid clams in the Niobrara to its cold, fast flow and rocky bottom. In contrast, the Platte River is slower moving with a muddy bottom and has at least 11 species of unionid clams. Each species has been mapped with latitude/longitude coordinates. Specimens have been curated and are …

The Annual Reproductive Cycle Of Oryzomys Palustris In A Virginia Tidal Marsh, Erin A. Dreelin

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The objectives of my study were to determine when the marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris) begins and ends reproduction during the year, if there are seasonal changes in litter size, and the weight at which sexual maturity is reached. Monthly samples of rice rats were trapped from May 1995 to May 1996 in Northampton County, Virginia. Rice rats were trapped with Fitch live traps, euthanized in the field, and brought to the lab for necropsy. Data from two other studies of rice rats in Northampton County were also examined. Potential breeders did not reproduce with equal intensity throughout the …

Stomach Content Analysis Of Stranded Bottlenose Dolphins, Tursiops Truncatus, In Virginia, 1987-1996, John Mcgurk

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

I examined the stomach contents from 94 bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, that were stranded along the Virginia coastline from 1987 through 1996. Samples from 1987 through 1991 were obtained from the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) and samples from 1992 through 1996 were collected by the Virginia Marine Science Museum (VMSM) Stranding Team. Prey species were identified using fish otoliths and cephalopod beaks.

The dolphins examined fed on 23 species of fish and one genus of cephalopods. The primary prey species was Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus); secondary species were weakfish (Cynoscion regalia), spot (Leiostomus xanthurus), silver perch (Bairdiella chrysoura), …

Ecological Relationships Between The Marsh Rice Rat (Oryzomys Palustris) And The Meadow Vole (Microtus Pennsylvanicus) In Two Virginia Tidal Marshes, Christopher P. Bloch

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Small mammals were trapped for 23 months on two live trap grids in tidal marshes in Northampton County, on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, to examine ecological relationships between the marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris) and the meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus). Population density, survival rates, capture probability, recruitment, residence time, and home range size were calculated for each species. Patterns of reproductive activity and fluctuations in mean weight were also observed.

There were considerable differences in population dynamics between the two sites. At Grid 2, where vegetative cover was more abundant, population densities of rice rats and meadow voles …

Human Trampling In The Upper Rocky Intertidal: Trampling And Recovery In Barnacle Mediated Succession, Timothy Lawrence Grubba

Dissertations and Theses

Marine intertidal ecosystems are vulnerable to human interference, because trampling can be a significant problem. I studied the impacts of trampling on community patterns and succession in a rocky intertidal habitats. This study was divided into two phases: (1) a trampling phase and (2) a recovery phase. Both phases are focused on two barnacles, Balanus glandula and Chthamalus dalli, and on fucoid and red algae. The trampling phase tested the effects of trampling on these organisms. The effects of herbivores, primarily limpets (Collisella digitalis) were also tested to determine whether anthropogenic (trampling) and natural (herbivory and limpet …