Zoology Commons^™

On The Ground And From Above: A Multi-Factor Analysis Of The Direct And Indirect Drivers Of Tallgrass Prairie Small Mammal Communities, Erin Rowland-Schaefer

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Tallgrass prairies are among the most globally threatened ecosystems, with only one percent of the historical extent remaining in Illinois. Prairie restoration is an essential strategy to preserve biodiversity and reestablish threatened species. Practitioners use management tools to shift the landscape context of prairie restoration sites, such as prescribed fire and land cover change. Managers can also impact the landscape connectivity and edge proximity of certain areas through the use of mowed driving lanes. The effects of these factors on small mammals, which are central in tallgrass prairie food webs and relevant to human health and restoration success, are not …

Translocations Of North American Bison Across Large Climatic Gradients: Impacts On Thermoregulation, Body Size, And Helmintic Infection, Hayden Wolfe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every year, one-eighth of all North American bison (Bison bison) are translocated, often across large climatic gradients. Over the last 16 years bison have been translocated from Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota to establish six herds across the United States central grasslands in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Kansas. Influence of climatic gradients on herd-level thermoregulation, body size, and helmintic infection were evaluated. Overall, 1174 thermal images and 1050 fecal samples were collected between 2021 and 2023. Physiological heat flux was used to measure thermoregulation, asymptotic body mass (ABM) was used for body size, and helminth genera abundance …

Comparative Morphology And Ultrastructure Of Olfactory Epithelia In Plethodontid Salamanders: Effect Of Life History Variation, Emily Gremling

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Many amphibian species rely on olfaction for locating prey and for social interactions during different life stages. Despite the importance of the olfactory system, research on its structure has been taxonomically limited. The most diverse family of salamanders, the Plethodontidae, has been largely excluded from research efforts to describe olfactory morphology. Although several histological studies have been conducted, no studies have yet looked at morphology at the level of ultrastructure using electron microscopy. The primary goal of my research was to examine olfactory morphology and ultrastructure in plethodontid species with a range of life history strategies, to better understand the …

Comparative Study On Reproductive Behavior Of Three Thai Indigenous Apple Snails Pila Celebensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1834), P. Pesmei (Morlet, 1889) และ P. Virescens (Deshayes, 1824), Supunya Annate

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Species of the Thai indigenous apple snail genus Pila Röding, 1798 are undergoing population decline. Accordingly, their conservation is needed, but the lack of knowledge of their reproductive biology is a significant obstacle to implementing conservation measures. Therefore, this study analyzed the mating and egg-laying behavior of three of the five Thai indigenous apple snails: P. celebensis, P. pesmei, and P. virescens using continuous video recording under laboratory conditions. In addition, the egg-laying behavior of P. virescens in a seminatural habitat was observed in the rainy season of 2023. Moreover, their egg, egg mass, incubation time, and hatchling characteristics were …

Waterbird-Perceived Damage, Control Measures, And Economic Implications For Rice Production In The Brazilian Cerrado, Demetrio Luis Guadagnin, Alexandre Afonso Meyer, João Augusto Rossi Borges, Fernanda Maia Justo

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Waterbirds have the potential to inflict economic damage to crops. However, is rice (Oryza sativa) production in the Brazilian Cerrado significantly affected by waterbirds? This study aimed to assess the extent of waterbird damage on irrigated rice production in Central Brazil. We conducted surveys of waterbird populations in rice agroecosystem habitats throughout the cultivation cycle and analyzed the expenses associated with waterbird-induced yield losses and the control measures employed by farmers. The 2 most prevalent waterbird species observed were Dendrocygna viduatta and D. autumnalis, comprising 68.6% of all recorded waterbirds. These species were more frequently encountered and …

Comparing Ionoregulation And Modes Of Nitrogen Excretion Across The Life Cycle Of Parasitic And Non-Parasitic Lamprey Species, Shannon Davidson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Abstract

Ionoregulation and nitrogenous waste (N-waste) metabolism in fishes has been extensively documented in teleosts and elasmobranchs, but less so in lampreys (Petromizontiformes). All lamprey species undergo metamorphosis which drastically changes their physiology and modes of feeding. However, differences in ionoregulatory mechanisms due to anadromous versus non anadromous life history strategies emerge following metamorphosis in different lamprey species. Furthermore, some species, such as anadromous juvenile sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), are parasitic and migrate to seawater (SW) to ingest blood protein from host fishes, while juveniles of freshwater (FW), non-parasitic species, such as the American brook lamprey …

Investigating Birds As Dispersal Vectors Of Litylenchus Crenatae Subsp. Mccannii (Anguinidae), The Nematode Associated With Beech Leaf Disease, Spencer Rock Parkinson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Beech leaf disease (BLD) is an emerging forest pathogen primarily affecting American beech (Fagus grandifolia, Ehrh.) in North America and has been attributed to tree mortality of sapling sized trees within five to seven years of infection. Symptoms typically occur in regenerating American beech thickets sprouting from roots of trees killed by beech bark disease. Scientists first observed BLD in Ohio in 2012 and currently has spread to 15 states in the USA and one Canadian province. The nematode Litylenchus crenatae subsp. mccannii (Lcm) is highly associated with BLD symptoms, interveinal chlorosis and defoliation of leaves, and is currently …

Divergent Response To Anthropogenic Change Within The Songbird Taxon: Insights From The Range Expansion Of The Northern Cardinal And Mitigation Mechanisms For Migratory Bird-Building Collisions, Jenna Brewer

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Anthropogenic activities have impacted ecosystems across the globe. However, wildlife species have exhibited heterogenous responses to these novel changes, with some species experiencing population growth, and others succumbing to population decline. I studied examples of both within the songbird taxon, focusing on drivers of range expansion in the Northern Cardinal and acoustic mitigation mechanisms for migratory bird-building collisions, a source of decline for many songbird species. I found that the Northern Cardinal’s range was primarily a function of climatic stress, which was supported by the modulation of the molt process across latitudes. Specifically, Northern Cardinals exhibited faster feather growth rates …

Trends In Monitoring Of Australia’S Threatened Birds (1990–2020): Much Improved But Still Inadequate, Simon J. Verdon, Robert A. Davis, Ayesha Tulloch, Sarah M. Legge, David M. Watson, John C. Z. Woinarski, G. Barry Baker, Joris Driessen, Hayley M. Geyle, Hugh Possingham, Stephen T. Garnett

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Monitoring is vital to conservation, enabling conservation scientists to detect population declines, identify threats and measure the effectiveness of interventions. However, not all threatened taxa are monitored, monitoring quality is variable, and the various components of monitoring are likely to differ in their rates of improvement over time. We assessed the presence of monitoring and monitoring quality, using a range of metrics, for all Australia’s threatened bird taxa from 1990 to 2020 (four assessments spanning 30 years). We used our assessments to understand decadal trends in the number of taxa monitored; monitoring quality; and the groups that conduct monitoring. The …

How Does A Global Climate Cycle Affect The Reproductive Output Of A Neotropical Migratory Bird?, Abby K. Bressette, Emma Cummings, Daniel Albrecht-Mallinger, Lesley Bulluck

Undergraduate Research Posters

El-Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) causes regional changes in climate and has been found to have varying effects on the survival, fecundity, and recruitment of migratory songbirds. This study seeks to better understand the effect of ENSO on the fecundity of Virginia-breeding Prothonotary warbler (Protonotaria citrea; PROW), a neotropical migratory songbird. PROW breed in the Eastern United States and spend the non-breeding season primarily in Panama and Colombia. Ongoing research in Virginia has found a positive relationship between spring precipitation and predicted number of PROW fledgelings during La Niña, but the opposite during El Niño. To better understand this relationship, we …

Density And Abundance Estimation Of West Indian Manatee, Trichechus Manatus, Between The States Of Ceará And Piauí, Northeast Brazil, Using Active Acoustics, Katherine Fiedler Choi Lima, Denis Moledo De Sousa Abessa, Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske, Renata Sousa-Lima, Ana Carolina Oliveira De Meirelles, Cristine Pereira Negrão Silva

Faculty Publications

The West Indian manatee is one of the most threatened species in Brazil. The species has currently a patchy distribution from the state of Alagoas to the state of Amapá. The difficulty of observing manatees, especially in estuarine waters, is a challenge for conservation. Therefore, it is necessary to use new methodologies and technologies to solve manatee detection problems in their natural habitats. The goal of this study was to use an active acoustic method of detection to estimate manatee density and abundance in the estuarine complex of the Timonha and Ubatuba rivers, between the states of Ceará and Piauí, …

What's In A Name? Standardization Of Vernacular Names For Trichechus Manatus, A. A. Mignucci-Giannoni, Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske, Anmari Alvarez-Alemán, Jamie Aquino, D. Caicedo-Herrera, Delma Nataly Castelblanco-Martínez, Diane Claridge, M. Fabiola Corona-Figueroa, Adolphe O. Debrot, Benoit De Thoisy, Carlos Espinoza-Marin, J. Galves, Eddy Garcia-Alfonso, Hector M. Guzman, Jalaludin Ahmad Khan, Jeremy J. Kiszka, Fabia De Oliveira Luna, Miriam Marmontel, Leon David Olivera-Gomez, Christine O'Sullivan, James A. Powell, Enrique Pugibet-Bobea, Indranee Roopsind, Carlos J. Silva

Faculty Publications

Trichechus manatus is one of 3 recognized extant species of manatees of the mammalian Order Sirenia. Currently, it is known by various vernacular names, none of which are descriptive of its biology and known distribution. This lack of standardization has led to confusion and miscommunication, hindering conservation efforts for this species. We propose standardizing the vernacular names used to refer to the species and its 2 subspecies based on appropriate geographical characterization in English, Spanish, French, Dutch, and Portuguese, respectively: “American Manatee”, “Manatí de las Américas”, “Lamantin d’Amérique”, “Amerikaanse Lamantijn”, and “Peixe-boi das Américas” for T. manatus; “Florida Manatee”, “Manatí …

Review On Locusta Migratoria Cinerascens (Fabricius, 1781)., Laib Djamel Eddine, Benzehra Abdelmadjid, Laib Imen, Aouzal Badis, Salah Akkal

Journal of Bioresource Management

The migratory locust, scientifically known as Locusta migratoria (Linnaeus, 1758), is a captivating insect species that has drawn the interest of scientists, farmers, and the general public. Recognized for its notorious swarming behavior, this insect has the potential to cause extensive damage to crops, leading to agricultural plagues and food shortages. However, beyond its reputation as a pest, the migratory locust is a subject of scientific fascination due to its intricate life cycle, remarkable ability to undergo rapid and dramatic transformations, and its crucial role within the ecosystems it inhabits. This review delves into various facets of L. migratoria, including …

Establishment Of Hand Rearing Protocols With Respect To Feeding, Physiological And Behavioral Aspects In Abandoned Lion Cubs At Safari Zoo Lahore, Muhammad Azhar, Bushra Nisar Khan, Fahd Haseeb, Muhammad Hassan Saleem, Abdul Rehman, Zahid Iqbal Khan, Muhammad Rizwan Khan

Journal of Bioresource Management

African lion (Panthera leo) being most attractive but vulnerable exhibit of zoos and safaris; need particular attention to breeding plans. At captive sites, lioness neglects newborns commonly; at that stage, hand rearing is preferred. This study will highlight the best practices for hand-rearing lion cubs, including knowledge of early medical issues along with their treatment during the first 4 months of growth. 34 lions (08Male: 17Females: 9Cubs) were housed on 15 acres during 2019-21 at Safari Zoo Lahore. A total of 04 lionesses were found entirely abandoned to 05 newborns (03 males & 02 females). The hand-rearing period …

The Role Of Cooperatives And Farmer-Industry Linkages In The Evolution Of Tanga’S Dairy Innovation System, Hezron Makundi, Heric Thomas

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

This study investigated the development of Tanga’s dairy innovation system and its role in promoting and maintaining relationships between farmers, the industry, and cooperative unions; employing a case study approach. The main objective was to assess the role of cooperatives in forging farmer-industry linkages and in improving dairy industry innovations. 100 dairy producers in Tanga participated in the survey that led to the paper. A questionnaire was used to collect data from randomly selected farmers. Furthermore, 20 key informant interviews were conducted with various participants, including the Tanga Dairy Cooperative Union livestock extension service providers. Also, one Focus Group Discussion …

Utilizing An Extract From Endophytic Fungus, Alternaria Alternata, Isolated From Ricinus Communis L. Leaves As A Biological Agent For Controlling The Migratory Locust In Algeria, Laib Djamel Eddine, Benzehra Abdelmadjid, Laib Imen, Aouzal Badis, Akkal Salah

Journal of Bioresource Management

In this research, we aimed to explore the insecticidal potential of Alternaria alternata, an endophytic fungus derived from the leaves of castor oil plant. To test its insecticidal efficacy, various doses of A. alternata mycoextract were administered to Locusta migratoria L. through both topical and oral pathways. The findings revealed that the insects displayed the highest susceptibility to a concentration of 2 g/L, leading to an impressive mortality rate of 87.5 % and 93.75 % for topical and oral administrations, in the same order. The extract displayed remarkable insecticidal properties, demonstrating LC50 values of 1.09 g/L for the topical …

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Pit Roach (Hesperoleucus Mitrulus), Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for pit roach (Hesperoleucus mitrulus) using NatureServe methodology, 2023.

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Margined Sculpin (Cottus Marginatus), Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for margined sculpin (Cottus marginatus) using NatureServe methodology, 2023.

Tropicalization Fact Sheet, Linda Walters, Carla Perscky

CEELAB Outreach Materials

The goal of this 2-sided fact sheet is to introduce the topic of tropicalization along our coastlines to young audiences and their families. Tropicalization is defined as, "the transformation of ecosystems by tropical organisms that migrate towards the poles in response to warming minimum winter temperatures."

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Oregon Lakes Tui Chub (Siphateles Bicolor Oregonensis), Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Oregon Lakes tui chub (Siphateles bicolor oregonensis) using NatureServe methodology, 2023.