Animal Sciences Commons^™

Wild Horse Overpopulation- Consequences And Environmental Effects, Tessa M. Eslick Ms.

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

When considering wild horse overpopulation, there are many different facets of the issue that need to be addressed. Wild horse overpopulation is a significant issue across the American West, particularly on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management( BLM). The largest populations are often found in Nevada, other states include California, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, Washington, and Arizona. Whether there are thousands of horses on many acres of land, or hundreds spread across smaller reservations or public lands, the effects of their overpopulation remain as imminent as ever. Overpopulation is causing ecological damage and strain on resources leading to concerns …

Derivation Of The Maintenance Energy Requirements In Growing Jersey Heifers: Supplementary Table S1, Addison L. Carroll, Michael J. Vandehaar, Paul J. Kononoff

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Supplemental table for Addison L. Carroll, Michael J. VandeHaar, and Paul J. Kononoff. Derivation of the maintenance energy requirements in growing Jersey heifers. Journal of Dairy Science (2025).

Diversification Of Avifauna In The Darién Highland Region: Ecological Niche Modeling, Phylogeography And Morphology To Explore Speciation In The Montane Species Myadestes Coloratus, Chlorospingus Tacarcunae And Margarornis Bellulus., Jorge L. Garzon Vasquez Mrs

Theses and Dissertations

Montane regions in the Neotropics are hotspots of endemism and biodiversity, yet their species are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and geographic isolation. This thesis investigates the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of three bird species endemic to the Darién Highlands of eastern Panama: Myadestes coloratus, Chlorospingus tacarcunae, and Margarornis bellulus. Through an integrative approach combining ecological niche modeling, morphometric analysis, and genomic data from ultraconserved elements (UCEs) and mitochondrial DNA, the study explores the historical biogeography, current distribution patterns, population structure, and phenotypic differentiation of these montane taxa. Ecological niche models revealed that suitable habitat …

Six Genera Of Ariophantidae From Bhutan (Gastropoda, Eupulmonata, Helicarionoidea), Edmund Gittenberger, Sherub, Choki Gyeltshen, Nima Dorji, Kezang Tobgay

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Samples of the ariophantid genera Oxytesta, Bensonies, Himalodiscus, Ariophanta, Khasiella, and Sesara collected in Bhutan are treated. For all species distributional data for the kingdom are summarized on maps. Shells are described and figured on the basis of specimens from Bhutan, with radulae and genital tracts whenever possible. Six Oxytesta species are dealt with, 3 of which new to science, viz. O. delicata E. Gittenberger & Sherub, O. dubitata E. Gittenberger & Kezang Tobgay, and O. lhuentsensis E. Gittenberger & Sherub. Five Bensonies species are recognized, one of which could not be identified and 4 are described as new, viz. …

Comparing Microct Staining And Scanning Methodology For Brain Studies In Various Sizes Of Spiders, Vanessa Penna-Gonçalves, Nikolas J. Willmott, Michael B.J. Kelly, Jay R. Black, Elizabeth C. Lowe, Marie E. Herberstein

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Recent advances in microCT are facilitating the investigation of microstructures in spiders and insects leading to an increased number of studies investigating their neuroanatomy. Although microCT is a powerful tool, its effectiveness depends on appropriate tissue preparation and scan settings, particularly for soft, non-sclerotized tissues, such as muscles, organs, and neural tissues. As the application of microCT in spiders is only in its infancy, published protocols are often difficult to implement due to substantial size variation of the specimens. The present study was initiated to determine how to account for this variation. Our work builds on previous methods using microCT …

Examining The Effects Of Songbird Nest Boxes And Habitat On Avian And Arthropod Communities In A Vineyard Ecosystem, Eleanor Macdonald

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Agricultural expansion threatens biodiversity, but integrating insectivorous birds into vineyard ecosystems may support both conservation and ecosystem services. We tested how nest boxes and habitat composition influence avian and arthropod communities in Napa Valley vineyards using a before-after, control-impact experiment across 20 sites. During the 2023-2024 breeding seasons we conducted avian point counts, sampled key pest and beneficial arthropods, and collected fecal samples from adult and nestling tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and western bluebirds (Sialia mexicana) to detect vineyard pest DNA. Nest boxes significantly increased swallow and bluebird abundance within one year; swallow responses were strongest …

Environmental And Spatial Drivers Of Quillback Rockfish (Sebastes Maliger) Growth In The Northeast Pacific Ocean From California To Alaska, Claire E. Stuart

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Quillback rockfish (Sebastes maliger) are a nearshore fishery species found across the Northeast Pacific Ocean, but recent stock assessments have identified a research gap for biological growth parameters, particularly for the southern end of their range. Age-length data compiled from California to Alaska (n=34,396) was used to generate extended von Bertalanffy models with spatial, biological, and environmental covariates, specifically region, sex, depth, and an upwelling index. The objectives of this study were to explore how 1) spatial and 2) environmental covariates affect model parameters L_∞, k, and t₀. Four total models were developed: …

Jaguar (Panthera Onca) Population Status And Conservation Needs In Panama Revealed Using Spatial Density And Occupancy Models., Rebeca E. Becdach

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Jaguars (Panthera onca) are key predators and the largest felid in the Americas. The species is listed as near threatened globally due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and human persecution. Their population decline can negatively affect the structure and functioning of the ecosystems they inhabit. Conservation efforts for jaguars and their habitat require understanding jaguar populations and how they are impacted by human presence across their range. This information is lacking in Panama, a critical portion of the Jaguar range. Panama forms a narrow land bridge connecting Central and South America, integral to wildlife movement, including jaguars, across both …

Home Range, Habitat Use, And Fall Migration Of Lewis’S Woodpeckers In The Eastern Cascade Range, Oregon, Cameron Piper

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Lewis’s woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis), a burn specialist, is experiencing range-wide population declines despite increasing fire activity in the western U.S. The White River Wildlife Area in Oregon hosts the state's only year-round population, raising questions about their breeding, habitat use, and migration. In summer 2024, we tracked nine woodpeckers using telemetry to estimate home range size and overlap. Full home ranges averaged 428 ha, with 66 ha core areas, and showed evidence of growing after nesting. Home ranges overlapped extensively (Full: 91 ± 13%; Core: 63 ± 29%), though individuals had distinct areas of intense use. Males had …

Patterns Of Kinship And Sociality In North American River Otters, Whitney E. Vickers

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Previous studies of river otters (Lontra canadensis) in coastal Humboldt County, California have documented varying social group compositions over the last four decades. It has been assumed that otters travel between coastal wetland sites, but the extent of movement has been unknown. Socially, river otters have been observed alone, in small family groups that consisted of an otter mom and pup(s), in larger helper groups that consisted of an otter mom, pup(s), and at least one additional adult or juvenile (helpers), and in all-adult social groups. Until now it was unknown whether the composition of social groups was …

Investigating Fish Communities As Part Of The Food Web In Artificial Tidal Wetland Ponds Of Humboldt Bay, Ca, Lily M. Olmo

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In the face of global wetland loss, artificially created wetlands have the potential to restore ecosystem services for humans while also providing habitat for fish and wildlife. This study explored fish communities in three understudied artificial wetland ponds that are connected to Humboldt Bay in northern California and known to be important wildlife foraging areas. The objectives of this research were to 1) Characterize the environmental conditions of each pond, 2) Calculate the relative catch, richness, diversity, and biomass of fish in each pond, 3) Describe the movement of fish into and out of the ponds with the tides, and …

Effects Of Experimental Structural Retention Position And Aggregation On Avian Communities In Managed Forests Of The Pacific Northwest, U.S., Aidan M. Healey

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Managed forest lands in Oregon and Washington produce wood products and host diverse bird communities, though standing dead snags are often limited. State forest practices rules governing forest harvest dictate retention of a minimum number of trees when forests are clearcut harvested. However, little research has explored how the slope position and aggregation of retention, and the supplemental inclusion of mechanically created snags, affects use of these forest units by wildlife, especially highly mobile taxa such as birds. I used an avian point count sampling approach, within a replicate-block experiment dictating unit-level slope position, aggregation, and snag retention treatments, to …

Bat Species Diversity In The Klamath Basin Prior To Dam Removals, Ryan Page Matilton

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

River ecosystems make up a small percentage of the earth’s surface, but they support high levels of biodiversity and attract high levels of human use. Dams, for example, disrupt a river’s natural course and flow, alter water temperatures in the stream, redirect river channels, transform floodplains, and fragment river continuity, which affects ecological balance and food webs. The Klamath River in northern California, which has been dammed for the last century, experienced dramatic disruptions including a large fish die-off in 2002. With the negative impacts of the Klamath dams apparent, multiple entities negotiated to remove the dams and restore the …

Habitat Use And Selection Of Silver Carp In The Lower Wabash River System, Coy B. Blair

Masters Theses

The spatial ecology of non-native species in invaded systems remains relatively poorly understood despite the importance of suitable habitat in the success of invasion. Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix are a highly invasive non-native species with established populations throughout the Midwestern United States. Much research has focused on habitat use of bigheaded carp in large river systems, though invasion risk remains high in smaller systems, such as tributaries of the Great Lakes and the Ohio River. The Wabash River, a unique system in the Midwest, remains largely un-impounded and is comparable to many of the smaller riverine systems at risk of …

Utilization Of Golden Pennycress In Broiler Diets, Marley M. Knowles

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to evaluate performance in broiler chickens fed diets containing golden pennycress meal (GPCM), with and without a flavor additive. Golden pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) is a winter cover crop grown in the Midwest that is rising in popularity as a cash crop used for biofuel production. After oil is pressed out of the seeds, a meal remains that is usually discarded. Incorporation of this meal (23% protein, 15% fat) into feedstuffs for broilers would be an efficient way to make biofuel production more sustainable. In one study, Cornish Cross three-day-old chicks (n=12) were …

Wildlife Distribution Mapping And Analysis In Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique, Using Site And Satellite Imagery Data, Pinho Joaquim Munhequeira Mr

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

One of Mozambique's most important conservation sites, Gorongosa National Park has seen critical ecological changes over the past several decades resulting from climate variability, habitat loss, and political instability. This research integrates Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing to examine the relationship between vegetation dynamics and wildlife population, and distribution. The main goals of this study are to evaluate the spatial distribution of particular wildlife species: buffalo (Syncerus caffer), elephant (Loxodonta africana), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), and zebra (Equus quagga), and determine the impact of vegetation density and land cover on their …

Equine Hair Cortisol Concentration And The Effects Of Season, Storage Method, And Personality Traits, Savannah M. Rivers, Grace A. Robertson, Thomas Powell, Lydia O'Sullivan, Shea Porr

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Stress exists everywhere, for survival, adaptation is necessary. These adaptations directly reflected the stresses the animal experienced and demonstrated the ability to cope. An animal that could not cope could not survive. Stressful experiences resulted in behavior patterns for each animal. Consistent behavior can be defined as personality [1]; therefore, stress could directly influence personality by changing behavior.

Stress research helped analyze and identify animal personality traits, especially horses. Human-horse pairings partially relied on personality traits and, when considered, often led to improvements in welfare [2]. There are various tools to assess personality, one being Equine Personality Assessment [3]. The …

Assessing The Behavioral And Health Effects Of Turtle Racing On Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene Carolina Carolina), Michelle Weaver

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

To make informed management decisions regarding box turtles (Terrapene spp.) and other turtle species, one must understand what influences them at multiple levels of biological organization. Common influences include the pet trade, urbanization, habitat degradation, and disease. One factor that has not been studied but could influence turtles at multiple levels of biological organization is turtle racing. It is common practice to use wild caught turtles at these events because there is a lack of regulation and enforcement. My study focused on evaluating the effects of turtle racing on eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina; hereafter EBTs) …

Comparative Study Of Single Imputation Techniques For The Prediction Of Missing Dairy Data, Ahmed M. Gad Prof, Ahmed Abdelhakim Ahmed Mr, Eman Manaa Prof, Basant Shafik Dr, Sakr Mostafa Prof

Business Administration

Dairy farm records are a crucial component of effective livestock business management. Record analysis allows a farm’s owner to make informed decisions. Incomplete records are less useful for data analysis, so it's important to handle missing values correctly. This study compares different imputation methods for handling missing values in a dataset of dairy records comprising 997 records collected from 234 cows between 2012 and 2022. The dataset was screened against records with missing values and then deleted, resulting in 858 observations from 200 animals. There were missing values in two variables, with a missing percentage of 13.9%: days in milk …

A Multifactorial Approach To Improve Piglet Health And Survival, Aryeri Stephanie Bardales Castellanos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pre-weaning mortality (PWM) remains a significant challenge in modern swine production systems, particularly in the context of hyper prolific sows. Although genetic selection has successfully increased litter sizes, these advancements have also intensified physiological stress on sows and increased the vulnerability of neonatal piglets. The majority of PWM occurs within the first 72 hours postpartum, with crushing by the sow as the leading cause of death. Additionally, iron deficiency anemia remains one of the most widespread nutritional disorders in piglets, further compromising survival, immune function, and growth. This thesis adopts a multifactorial approach to evaluate two management interventions aimed at …