Allometry And Growth, 2011 Kenyon College
Economic Contribution Of The Agricultural Sector To The Arkansas Economy In 2009, 2011 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Economic Contribution Of The Agricultural Sector To The Arkansas Economy In 2009, Katherine Mcgraw, Jennie Popp, Wayne Miller
Research Reports and Research Bulletins
This report is the sixth in a series of reports examining agriculture’s economic contribution on the Arkansas economy. Utilizing data from the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), USDA Economic Research Service (ERS), USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), and Minnesota IMPLAN Group, Inc. (MIG), the economic contribution of agriculture on the Arkansas economy was estimated for the most recent year available, 2009. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by State information for Arkansas in 2009 was compared with those of other states in the southeast U.S. to give a measure of the relative importance of agriculture in Arkansas.2 The total …
Animal Pain: What It Is And Why It Matters, 2011 Colorado State University
Animal Pain: What It Is And Why It Matters, Bernard E. Rollin
Animal Welfare Collection
The basis of having a direct moral obligation to an entity is that what we do to that entity matters to it. The ability to experience pain is a sufficient condition for a being to be morally considerable. But the ability to feel pain is not a necessary condition for moral considerability. Organisms could have possibly evolved so as to be motivated to flee danger or injury or to eat or drink not by pain, but by ‘‘pangs of pleasure’’ that increase as one fills the relevant need or escapes the harm. In such a world, ‘‘mattering’’ would be positive, …
A Non-Invasive Assay For Monitoring Stress Responses: A Comparison Between Wild And Captive-Reared Rainbowfish (Melanoteania Duboulayi), 2011 Macquarie University
A Non-Invasive Assay For Monitoring Stress Responses: A Comparison Between Wild And Captive-Reared Rainbowfish (Melanoteania Duboulayi), Amina Zuberi, Sinan Ali, Culum Brown
Aquaculture Collection
The stress response of wild and captive reared rainbowfish (Melanoteania duboulayi) following chasing by a simulated predator was examined. Cortisol release rate was monitored using a flow through system by measuring water borne hormone levels. Tests using known cortisol concentrations revealed that the technique yielded 95% of the cortisol present in the water. Cortisol release rates increased several fold in both populations after being chased but peaked at different time periods. Wild fish showed a typical stress response with release rate rising to (2.29±0.22 ng g−1 h−1) 2 h after exposure followed by rapid recovery. The captive-reared …
Effect Of Supplemental Trace Mineral Source (Organic Versus Inorganic) On Bull Semen Quality, 2011 University of Arkansas
Effect Of Supplemental Trace Mineral Source (Organic Versus Inorganic) On Bull Semen Quality, Matt Rowe
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Studies indicate that organic forms of trace minerals can improve cow reproductive performance, particularly during periods of stress. However, limited information is available on the effects of organic trace mineral supplementation on bull fertility. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of organic versus inorganic trace mineral supplementation on bull semen quality before and after freezing, as measured by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). Angus and Balancer bulls were assigned to inorganic (n = 9) and organic (n = 10) trace mineral treatments, based on initial semen quality, breed, body weight, and age. The bulls were maintained in …
Factors Influencing Travel Order As Proxy For Leadership And Trade-Offs In Activity Budgets In Lactating And Nonlactating African Savanna Elephants, 2011 Western Kentucky University
Factors Influencing Travel Order As Proxy For Leadership And Trade-Offs In Activity Budgets In Lactating And Nonlactating African Savanna Elephants, Malgorzata Wisniewska
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Nutritional and energetic needs of female mammals depend upon size or reproductive investment and shape individual activity budgets and behavioral patterns. To maximize nutritional and energetic intake females may increase time allocated to foraging or access resources through risk-prone behaviors, represented as aggression or leadership. Conversely, to minimize nutritional and energetic spending females may engage in risk-averse activities such as resting or nonaggressive social interactions. Females with the highest needs should exhibit activities and behaviors that facilitate the greatest nutritional and energetic returns or highest metabolic savings. The propensity for risk-prone behaviors may be greater among older as well as …
Capture-Recapture Of White-Tailed Deer Using Dna Sampling From Fecal Pellet-Groups, 2011 University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Capture-Recapture Of White-Tailed Deer Using Dna Sampling From Fecal Pellet-Groups, Matthew James Goode
Masters Theses
Reliable density estimates of game and keystone species such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are desirable to set proper management strategies and for evaluating those strategies over time. However, traditional methods for estimating white-tailed deer density have been inhibited by behavior, densely forested areas that can hamper observation (detection), and invalid techniques of estimating effective trapping area. We wanted to evaluate a noninvasive method of mark-recapture estimation using DNA extracted from fecal pellets as the individual marker and for gender determination, coupled with a spatial detection function to estimate density (Spatially Explicit Capture-Recapture, SECR). We collected pellet groups …
A Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Scent Lures On Attracting Mesopredators, 2011 University of Nebraska-Lincoln
A Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Scent Lures On Attracting Mesopredators, Tom Batter
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
A mesopredator is a medium-sized middle trophic level predator such as a raccoon (Procyon lotor), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), or coyote (Canis latrans; Crooks and Soule 1999). Mesopredators have long been trapped for recreational, economic, or academic reasons. Throughout human history trapping has been used to capture animals for food and skins, as well as to prevent personal harm and property damage from predators. In order to increase the probability of success, scent lures are often used as an attractant (Geary 1984, Mills et al. 2010, Schlexer 2008).
Prey Selection By The Northern Watersnake, Nerodia Sipedon, 2011 University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Prey Selection By The Northern Watersnake, Nerodia Sipedon, Kyle O' Connell
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
Prey selection and composition of the northern waternake, Nerodia sipedon was investigated between 8/2010 and 3/2011 by palpation of stomach contents in the field and conducting laboratory trials. 41 snakes were captured, five yielded prey contents. Fish parts, freshwater mussels, and an insect exoskeleton were found. No amphibians were found despite availability at study sites. Snakes in the laboratory underwent 22 trials, feeding on 11 occasions. Snakes fed on an equal number of both fish species, revealing no selection. Further research is needed to determine the rate of digestion of N. sipedon.
Herpetofaunal Diversity At Yankee Hill State Lake And Wildlife Management Area, Lancaster County, Nebraska, 2011 University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Herpetofaunal Diversity At Yankee Hill State Lake And Wildlife Management Area, Lancaster County, Nebraska, Shelby Klima
Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses
A survey for amphibians and reptiles was conducted in March through October 2011 at Yankee Hill Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster County, Nebraska. The survey was conducted using several different techniques including: visual and auditory encounters, artificial and natural cover objects, aquatic trappings and road surveys. A total of 145 individuals representing 12 species were identified including seven reptiles and five amphibians. A total of 48% of the species that may potentially occur on the site were encountered, all of which are common, widely distributed generalist species. Neither Graham’s Crayfish Snake nor the Massasauga, both target species for this survey, …
Four Types Of Activities That Affect Animals: Implications For Animal Welfare Science And Animal Ethics Philosophy, 2011 University of British Columbia
Four Types Of Activities That Affect Animals: Implications For Animal Welfare Science And Animal Ethics Philosophy, D. Fraser, A. M. Macrae
Ethnozoology and Animal Welfare Collection
People affect animals through four broad types of activity: (1) people keep companion, farm, laboratory and captive wild animals, often while using them for some purpose; (2) people cause deliberate harm to animals through activities such as slaughter, pest control, hunting, and toxicology testing; (3) people cause direct but unintended harm to animals through crop production, transportation, night-time lighting, and many other human activities; and (4) people harm animals indirectly by disturbing ecological systems and the processes of nature, for example by destroying habitat, introducing foreign species, and causing pollution and climate change. Each type of activity affects vast numbers …
The Evolution Of Lateralized Foot Use In Parrots: A Phylogenetic Approach, 2011 Macquarie University
The Evolution Of Lateralized Foot Use In Parrots: A Phylogenetic Approach, Culum Brown, Maria Magat
Sentience Collection
Cerebral lateralization refers to the division of cognitive function in either brain hemisphere and may be overtly expressed as behavioral asymmetries, such as handedness. The evolutionary history of laterality is of considerable interest due to its close link with the development of human language. Although considerable research effort has aimed at the proximate explanations of cerebral lateralization, considerably less attention has been paid to ultimate explanations. The extent to which laterality is constrained by phylogeny or shaped by ecological forces through natural selection has received little attention. Here, the foot preference of 23 species of Australian parrots was examined to …
Historical Biogeography Of Nebraska Pronghorns (Antilocapra Americana), 2011 McNeese State University
Historical Biogeography Of Nebraska Pronghorns (Antilocapra Americana), Justin D. Hoffman, Hugh H. Genoways, Rachel R. Jones
Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences
Archeological and paleontological records indicate that the pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) have a history of at least 20,000 years of occurrence within the current boundaries of Nebraska. Pronghorns occurred throughout the state for much of its history. With the evidence at hand we concluded that the eastern boundary of the geographic distribution of the pronghorn south of the Niobrara River in Nebraska at the beginning of the 19th century was along the western perimeter of the eastern deciduous forest and tallgrass prairie. This excluded most of the easternmost tier of counties in the state. This geographic arrangement persisted throughout …
Review Of Rare: Portraits Of America's Endangered Species. By Joel Sartore., 2011 Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita, Kansas
Review Of Rare: Portraits Of America's Endangered Species. By Joel Sartore., Jim Mason
Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences
Short of being in the presence of a creature, a really good photograph of one can also make a lasting impression. That is something RARE does compellingly, with exquisite portrait photos of 68 North American species that are dwindling dangerously in numbers or have recently recovered from the brink of extinction. Included are such Great Plains natives as the lesser prairie chicken, the interior least tern, and the black-footed ferret. All creatures were photographed with either a pure white or black background, but unconventional poses surprise the reader with each turn of the page, while creative framing and layout engage …
The Efficacy Of Three Types Of Analgesic Drugs In Reducing Pain In The Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus Mykiss, 2011 University of Liverpool
The Efficacy Of Three Types Of Analgesic Drugs In Reducing Pain In The Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus Mykiss, Jessica J. Mettam, Lois J. Oulton, Catherine R. Mccrohan, Lynne U. Sneddon
Veterinary Science and Medicine Collection
Recent research has shown the possibility of pain perception in fish; therefore, the use of analgesia or “painkillers” should be considered for invasive procedures. However, there is relatively little information on the effectiveness of analgesic drugs nor on the appropriate dose for fish. This study assessed the efficacy of three types of drug: an opioid, buprenorphine, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), carprofen and a local anaesthetic, lidocaine. Each drug was tested at three doses on rainbow trout that were noxiously stimulated and the most effective dose was also given to fish experiencing no pain to investigate side-effects. Ventilation rate and …
Indicators Of Age, Body Size And Sex In Goat Kid Calls Revealed Using The Source–Filter Theory, 2011 Queen Mary University of London
Indicators Of Age, Body Size And Sex In Goat Kid Calls Revealed Using The Source–Filter Theory, Elodie F. Briefer, Alan G. Mcelligott
Sentience Collection
The source–filter theory is an important framework recently applied to the study of animal vocalisations, which links the mode of vocal production to call parameters. Vocalisations can be good indicators of a sender’s characteristics, such as identity, body size, age, and even hormonal status and affective states. For these reasons, applied vocal communication research would greatly benefit from adopting the source–filter theory approach to identify key call parameters linked to physical and physiological characteristics of domestic animals. Here, we introduce the source–filter theory through a detailed analysis and interpretation of goat contact calls during development. In mammals, vocal development is …
The Effects Of Acute And Chronic Hypoxia On Cortisol, Glucose And Lactate Concentrations In Different Populations Of Three-Spined Stickleback, 2011 University of Liverpool
The Effects Of Acute And Chronic Hypoxia On Cortisol, Glucose And Lactate Concentrations In Different Populations Of Three-Spined Stickleback, E. A. O'Connor, T. G. Pottinger, L. U. Sneddon
Aquaculture Collection
The response of individuals from three different populations of three-spined sticklebacks to acute and chronic periods of hypoxia (4.4 kPa DO, 2.2 mg l-1) were tested using measures of whole-body (WB) cortisol, glucose and lactate. Although there was no evidence of a neuroendocrine stress response to acute hypoxia, fish from the population least likely to experience hypoxia in their native habitat had the largest response to low oxygen, with significant evidence of anaerobic glycolysis after two hours of hypoxia. However, there was no measurable effect of a more prolonged period (seven days) of hypoxia on any of the fish in …
Spiking Patterns And Their Functional Implications In The Antennal Lobe Of The Tobacco Hornworm Manduca Sexta, 2011 University of Arizona
Spiking Patterns And Their Functional Implications In The Antennal Lobe Of The Tobacco Hornworm Manduca Sexta, Hong Lei, Carolina E. Reisenman, Caroline H. Wilson, Prasad Gabbur, John G. Hildebrand
Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles
Bursting as well as tonic firing patterns have been described in various sensory systems. In the olfactory system, spontaneous bursts have been observed in neurons distributed across several synaptic levels, from the periphery, to the olfactory bulb (OB) and to the olfactory cortex. Several in vitro studies indicate that spontaneous firing patterns may be viewed as “fingerprints” of different types of neurons that exhibit distinct functions in the OB. It is still not known, however, if and how neuronal burstiness is correlated with the coding of natural olfactory stimuli. We thus conducted an in vivo study to probe this question …
Cerebral Lateralization Determines Hand Preferences In Australian Parrots, 2011 Macquarie University
Cerebral Lateralization Determines Hand Preferences In Australian Parrots, Culum Brown, Maria Magat
Sentience Collection
Individual preference for the use of one limb over the other to explore the environment or manipulate objects is common trait among vertebrates. Here, we explore the hypothesis that limb preference is determined by the engagement of a particular cerebral hemisphere to analyse certain stimuli. We recorded the eye and foot preferences of 322 individuals from 16 species of Australian parrots while investigating potential food items. Across all species, eye preferences explained 99 per cent of the variation in foot use in Australian parrots. The vast majority of species showed significant relationships between eye and foot preferences at the population …
Comprehension Of Functional Support By Enculturated Chimpanzees Pan Troglodytes, 2011 The Ohio State University
Comprehension Of Functional Support By Enculturated Chimpanzees Pan Troglodytes, Anna M. Yocom, Sarah T. Boysen
Sentience Collection
Studies of causal understanding of tool relationships in captive chimpanzees have yielded disparate findings, particularly those reported by Povinelli & colleagues (2000) for tool tasks by laboratory chimpanzees. The present set of experiments tested nine enculturated chimpanzees on three versions of a support task, as described by Povinelli (2000), during which food rewards were presented in different experimental configurations. In Experiment 1, stimulus pairs included a choice between a cloth with a reward on the upper right corner or with a second reward off the cloth, adjacent to a corner, with the second pair comprised of a cloth with food …