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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Alternative Foraging Strategies Among Brown Bears (Ursus Arctos) Fishing For Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus Keta) At Mcneil River, Alaska, Ian D. (Ian David) Gill
Alternative Foraging Strategies Among Brown Bears (Ursus Arctos) Fishing For Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus Keta) At Mcneil River, Alaska, Ian D. (Ian David) Gill
WWU Graduate School Collection
Previous research on the fishing behavior of bears (Ursus spp.) along salmon streams suggests that dominant individuals forage more efficiently than their competitors; specifically, large adult males are the most efficient foragers at a given stream due to their ability to dominate the most productive locations. I tested this hypothesis by observing 26 individual brown bears (U. arctos) fishing for chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) at McNeil River, Alaska, over 33 days during the summer of 2010. In contrast with previous findings I did not observe strong relationships between the foraging efficiency of individual bears and the frequency with which they …
The First Pre- And Post-Wildfire Charcoal Quantification Using Peroxide-Acid Digestion, Melissa R.A. Pingree
The First Pre- And Post-Wildfire Charcoal Quantification Using Peroxide-Acid Digestion, Melissa R.A. Pingree
WWU Graduate School Collection
In the summer of 2002, the 200,000-ha Biscuit Wildfire consumed a portion of the 150-ha Long-Term Ecosystem Productivity (LTEP) experiment in the Siskiyou National Forest, Oregon. The wildfire burned previously established 100-year-old conifer control and thinned experimental units, which allows comparison with prescribed burn and unburned units. This research evaluates the O horizon and mineral soil charcoal, a key fire-related soil component that affects physical and chemical properties. Charcoal C was quantified by a peroxide-acid digestion method developed for forest soils. Charcoal C was 17% of the organic C for a reference Australian Vertisol soil and 9% for a German …
Soils As A Source Of Bioavailable Phosphorus In The Lake Whatcom Watershed, Scott Groce
Soils As A Source Of Bioavailable Phosphorus In The Lake Whatcom Watershed, Scott Groce
WWU Graduate School Collection
Lake Whatcom is a warm monomictic lake located east of the City of Bellingham, WA, U.S.A. and serves as the primary drinking water source for approximately 100,000 Whatcom County and City of Bellingham residents. Matthews et al. (2004) noted indicators of increasing algal productivity in the lake. My study quantified the amount of soluble, bioavailable, and total phosphorus in the Lake Whatcom watershed soils to help quantify the major sources of phosphorus entering the lake. In addition, I assessed the influence of soil factors (soil series, size fraction, aspect, elevation, pH, slope, percent organic matter, median particle size, and percent …
The Effects Of Symbiotic State On Heterotrophic Feeding In The Temperate Anemone Anthopleura Elegantissima, Terra C. (Terra Celeste) Hiebert
The Effects Of Symbiotic State On Heterotrophic Feeding In The Temperate Anemone Anthopleura Elegantissima, Terra C. (Terra Celeste) Hiebert
WWU Graduate School Collection
The temperate sea anemone, Anthopleura elegantissima is facultatively symbiotic with at least two distinct algae: zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium muscatinei) and zoochlorellae (Elliptochloris marina). Symbiotic A. elegantissima potentially receive excess photosynthate from their algal partners, which supplements heterotrophic feeding. But asymbiotic individuals must rely solely on heterotrophic food sources. We predicted that asymbiotic A. elegantissima, due to their lack of algal symbionts, would have a more effective heterotrophic feeding strategy. Symbiotic and asymbiotic A. elegantissima were collected from the field and heterotrophic feeding features were measured (i.e., anemone morphology, tentacle adhesive force, nematocyte sensitivity, cnida size, cnida density, ingestion time, digestion time …
Sea Level Rise And Sediment Elevation Dynamics In A Hydrologically Altered Puget Sound Estuary, Kara D. Kuhlman
Sea Level Rise And Sediment Elevation Dynamics In A Hydrologically Altered Puget Sound Estuary, Kara D. Kuhlman
WWU Graduate School Collection
As sea level rise (SLR) accelerates in response to climate change, coastal wetlands must accrete vertically to prevent submergence and habitat loss. Padilla Bay, an estuary in the Puget Sound containing an expansive eelgrass meadow, has been hydrologically altered such that insufficient sedimentation may now prevent vertical accretion, potentially affecting the long-term survival of the eelgrass meadow. The objective of this study was to quantify trends in surface elevation change throughout Padilla Bay. To this end, our research group monitored surface elevation change at 19 sites from 2002-2010 using sediment elevation tables (SET's). Additionally, I explored potential ecogeomorphic relationships between …
The Influence Of Humic Acid And Water Hardness On The Partitioning Of Silver Ions And Nanoparticles Between Fresh Water And Freshwater Algae, Matthew D. Ferguson
The Influence Of Humic Acid And Water Hardness On The Partitioning Of Silver Ions And Nanoparticles Between Fresh Water And Freshwater Algae, Matthew D. Ferguson
WWU Graduate School Collection
Silver nanoparticle (AgNP) containing products are abundant in consumer goods. If trends continue, AgNP levels will continue to rise as innovative applications continue to be realized. These nanoparticles (NPs) can enter the environment as their uses can transport them to natural waters (e.g., washing socks containing AgNPs). Research on the behavior of AgNPs and Ag+ in artificial fresh water is presented in this thesis. Specifically, their sorptive properties between fresh water and freshwater algae, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (Korshikov) Hindák, as a function of hardness, humic acid (HA) content, and silver type were investigated. The experimental design was modeled after a 23 …
Evaluating The Contribution To Toxicity Of Weak Black Liquor In Pulp Mill Effluents, Renee L. Ragsdale
Evaluating The Contribution To Toxicity Of Weak Black Liquor In Pulp Mill Effluents, Renee L. Ragsdale
WWU Graduate School Collection
Weak black liquor (WBL) losses in pulp mills may affect effluent treatment efficiencies and may be linked to aquatic toxicity observed in final mill effluents. Best management practices (BMP) for controlling losses of WBL have been effective at reducing WBL from entering the mill effluent treatment system, but it is unclear at what level WBL may contribute to increased toxicity, or whether specific chemical compounds found in WBL may be consistently responsible. The objective of this study was to evaluate the contribution of WBL in biologically-treated bleached kraft pulp mill effluents to toxicity, and to assess effluent chemical parameters that …