Climate Science Special Report: Fourth National Climate Assessment (Nca4), Volume I

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: Technical Reports and Related Materials

This report is an authoritative assessment of the science of climate change, with a focus on the United States. It represents the first of two volumes of the Fourth National Climate Assessment, mandated by the Global Change Research Act of 1990.

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Coordinating Lead Authors

• Donald J. Wuebbles National Science Foundation and U.S. Global Change Research Program – University of Illinois
• David W. Fahey NOAA Earth System Research Lab
• Kathy A. Hibbard NASA Headquarters

Lead Authors …

A Serosurvey Of Diseases Of Free-Ranging Gray Wolves (Canis Lupus) In Minnesota, Usa, Michelle Carstensen, John H. Giudice, Erik C. Hildebrand, J. P. Dubey, John Erb, Dan Stark, John Hart, Shannon M. Barber-Meyer, L. David Mech, Steve K. Windels, Andrew J. Edwards

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

We tested serum samples from 387 free-ranging wolves (Canis lupus) from 2007 to 2013 for exposure to eight canid pathogens to establish baseline data on disease prevalence and spatial distribution in Minnesota’s wolf population. We found high exposure to canine adenoviruses 1 and 2 (88% adults, 45% pups), canine parvovirus (82% adults, 24% pups), and Lyme disease (76% adults, 39% pups). Sixty-six percent of adults and 36% of pups exhibited exposure to the protozoan parasite Neospora caninum. Exposure to arboviruses was confirmed, including West Nile virus (37% adults, 18% pups) and eastern equine encephalitis (3% adults). Exposure rates …

Survey Results: Complexities And Overlaps In Existing Citizen Science Mosquito Projects, Yujia He, Elizabeth Tyson

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Faculty Publications

Currently, multiple projects worldwide engage the public in the scientific process of learning about mosquito biodiversity or monitoring mosquitoes that carry diseases like Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika and Malaria. These projects are executed at different invasion-stages and different scenarios of epidemiological risk based on their country of origin. Through surveying 12 international research teams, this brief report illuminates the differences and the overlaps in the protocols and tools used by existing citizen science mosquito monitoring projects. The analysis covers project goals, requirements and support for participants, policy impact, digital tools and data privacy.

An Analysis Of White-Tailed Deer, Odocoileus Virginianus, Killed In Deer Vehicle Accidents On Bulloch County, Ga Roadways, Mackenzie P. Payne 4003933

Honors College Theses

White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, are native to Georgia. With over 1.2 million individuals in the state, White-tailed deer have been implicated in a large number of motor vehicle collisions (ca. 1 million) each year. It is unknown, however, if deer are more likely to be killed: 1) if they are of particular ages (or classes), and 2) in areas with specific road characteristics. We addressed these two questions by collecting the remains of 20 White-tailed deer killed in deer vehicle collisions (“deer vehicle accidents” - DVAs) in Bulloch County, GA. When a deer was located, the road characteristics were …

Determining The Reproductive Patterns Of The Titan Acorn Barnacle (Megabalanus Coccopoma) In Its Introduced Range, Isabel L. Moran Ms.

Honors College Theses

Invasive species are a significant conservation concern given their contribution to native species decline. The barnacle, Megabalanus coccopoma, is a common invasive species in tropical and subtropical regions of both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Little is known about the life history and ecology of M. coccopoma, and data on reproductive biology could provide valuable insight into its propensity to establish introduced populations. Most species of barnacle (including M. coccopoma) are hermaphroditic, but self-fertilization is rare in species studied to date. A recent genetic study of introduced M. coccopoma populations in the southeastern US showed high levels of …

Luminescent Syllid (Odontosyllis Sp.) Courtship Display Densities Vary Across Marine Habitats Around South Water Caye, Belize, Mitchel Mccloskey, Joshua Scheil, Gregory J. Sandland, Gretchen A. Gerrish

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Bright—green luminescent clouds frequently occur at the surface of shallow waters of the Caribbean Sea. These clouds are produced by syllid polychaetes during courtship. Although temporal variation in the occurrence of these courtship displays has been documented throughout the diurnal and lunar cycle, other factors such as habitat type have not been well studied. In this study, we investigated how syllid courtship—display densities varied across 3 substrate types (grassbed, rubble and coral) over a 3 day period. In line with previous studies, we found that syllid courtship displays occurred over seagrass and rubble substrates; however, we also found that display …

Neutral And Adaptive Genetic Variation In North American Hardwood Tree Species, Sudhir Khodwekar

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

'Northern Hardwoods,’ are a characteristic composition of multiple tree species and a part of the rich and diverse northeastern forests. Hardwoods e.g. oaks (Quercus: Fagaceae and Sugar maple), serve as foundation species and offer ecological and economical gains to wildlife and humans. Most of the forest trees go through many biotic and abiotic stresses, for example climate change in their long life span. To overcome these threats and to adapt to changing conditions, tree species need to maintain variation especially in adaptive genes. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze genetic diversity within forest tree populations and take appropriate …

Fish Spawning Aggregations: Where Well-Placed Management Actions Can Yield Big Benefits For Fisheries And Conservation, Brad Erisman, William Heyman, Shinichi Kobara, Tal Ezer, Simon Pittman, Octavio Aburto-Oropeza, Richard S. Nemeth

CCPO Publications

Marine ecosystem management has traditionally been divided between fisheries management and biodiversity conservation approaches, and the merging of these disparate agendas has proven difficult. Here, we offer a pathway that can unite fishers, scientists, resource managers and conservationists towards a single vision for some areas of the ocean where small investments in management can offer disproportionately large benefits to fisheries and biodiversity conservation. Specifically, we provide a series of evidenced-based arguments that support an urgent need to recognize fish spawning aggregations (FSAs) as a focal point for fisheries management and conservation on a global scale, with a particular emphasis placed …

Sandhill And Whooping Cranes, Jeb Barzen, Ken Ballinger

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

As sandhill crane populations continue to grow in the United States, so too does crop damage, property damage to homeowners, and the risk of crane collisions with aircraft. Whooping crane populations also continue to grow, but with a global population of about 500 individuals (as of 2017), damage is rare and problems often require different solutions due to the species’ endangered status. The behavioral characteristics and habitat needs of sandhill and whooping cranes set the stage for conflict between these birds and people. Recognizing behavioral differences between territorial and non-territorial cranes greatly improves the effectiveness of any management effort.

Human-Wildlife …

Wildlife At Airports, Travis L. Devault, Bradley F. Blackwell, Jerrold L. Belant, Michael J. Begier

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

Collisions between aircraft and wildlife (wildlife strikes) are common occurrences across the developed world. Wildlife strikes are not only numerous, but also costly. Estimates suggest that wildlife strikes cost the civil aviation industry in the U.S. up to $625 million annually, and nearly 500 people have been killed in wildlife strikes worldwide. Most wildlife strikes occur in the airport environment: 72 percent of all strikes occur when the aircraft is ≤500 ft (152 m) above ground level, and 41 percent of strikes occur when the aircraft is on the ground during landing or takeoff. Thus, management efforts to reduce wildlife …

Sex-Ratio Of Miridae (Hemiptera) Taken Via Uv Light-Traps In Arkansas, Usa., Stephen W. Chordas Iii, Renn Tumlison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We determined the sex-ratio of 1,095 plant bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae) taken from 60 individual UV light-trap samples in Clark County, Arkansas over a two year period. We found that of the 21 taxa in which a sex-ratio determination could be made, 61.9% of them (13 of 21) contained a majority (over 50%) of males. Three taxa were exclusively represented by males, while two taxa were exclusively represented by females. Although taxa dependent, our data indicate that male mirids are, in general, more frequently encountered in UV light-traps. However, contrary to the notion that sparked this study (see herein) light-trap content …

Literature Record Checklist Of True Bugs (Hemiptera) For Arkansas, U.S.A., As Of 2018., Stephen W. Chordas Iii

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Using Remote Site Incubators For Re-Introduction Of Arctic Graylng (Thymallus Arcticus) To The Big Manistee Watershed, Sunflower Wilson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Remote Site Incubators (RSIs) were developed for the incubation of salmonid eggs directly at a field site to enhance success and imprinting of young. These have been employed in the re-establishment of Arctic Grayling in Montana and are being laboratory tested for possible reintroduction of this species in the Big Manistee River, MI. Arctic Grayling, Rainbow and Brook Trout eggs, obtained from state hatcheries, were reared in a laboratory using flow through lake water to assess egg and fry survival using RSIs. Dead eggs and fry were removed daily and observations of developmental stages recorded. Rainbow Trout eggs were evaluated …

Analysis Of Microbial Diversity In Disturbed Soil, Tyler G. Sanda

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper uses the composition and abundance of microbial species to analyze soil recovery in disturbed land. Surface mining disturbs ecological communities throughout the world. As organizations seek to reclaim these disturbed lands, a proper analysis of recovery is needed. In previous studies, recovery of disturbed land was limited to surface examinations, which do not characterize the possible unseen devastating effects of the subsoil. Soil microorganisms are extremely sensitive to environmental changes such as strip mining. It is proposed that these microorganisms may serve as better indicators of recovery post disturbance. Our analysis indicates microbial recovery, however it may not …

Wetland Connectivity And Macroinvertebrate Diversity, Samantha M. Hodgson, Jacob Pollock, Dr. Anne E. Wiley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Wetlands are important in filtering pollutants from aquatic ecosystems and also serve as habitats for a diverse array of organisms. However, wetland-river networks are often subject to human disturbances such as dyke construction. These decreases in connectivity have the potential to impede movement of organisms and nutrients between habitats.

This study examined how the food web structure and diversity of macroinvertebrate communities differ between wetland sites connected and disconnected to nearby rivers. According to macroinvertebrate surveys in wetlands connected to nearby rivers and dyked wetlands (not connected to nearby rivers), there is an increase in average species richness and diversity …

Genomic Perspectives On Amphibian Evolution Across Multiple Phylogenetic Scales, Paul Michael Hime

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Genomes provide windows into the evolutionary histories of species. The recent accessibility of genome-scale data in non-model organisms and the proliferation of powerful statistical models are now providing unprecedented opportunities to uncover evolutionary relationships and to test hypotheses about the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity. This dissertation work reveals shallow-scale species boundaries and population genetic structure in two imperiled groups of salamanders and demonstrates that the number and information content of genomic regions used in species delimitation exert strong effects on the resulting inferences. Genome scans are employed to test hypotheses about the mechanisms of genetic sex determination in …

Pseudopecoelus Mccauleyi N. Sp. And Podocotyle Sp. (Digenea: Opecoelidae) From The Deep Waters Off Oregon And British Columbia With An Updated Key To The Species Of Pseudopecoelus Von Wicklen, 1946 And Checklist Of Parasites From Lycodes Cortezianus (Perciformes: Zoarcidae), Charles K. Blend, Norman O. Dronen, Gábor R. Rácz, Scott Lyell Gardner

Scott L. Gardner Publications

Pseudopecoelus mccauleyi n. sp. (Opecoelidae: Opecoelinae) is described from the intestine of the bigfin eelpout, Lycodes cortezianus (Gilbert, 1890) (Perciformes: Zoarcidae), collected at 200–800 m depths in the northeastern Pacific Ocean off Oregon and Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The new species is distinguished by possessing a unique combination of the following diagnostic characters: vitelline fields that extend to the posterior margin of the ventral sucker; a slender, tubular and sinuous seminal vesicle that extends some distance into the hindbody; an unspecialized, protuberant ventral sucker; a genital pore at pharynx level; lobed to deeply multilobed testes; a lobed ovary; and an …

A New Species Of Catenotaenia (Cestoda: Catenotaeniidae) From Pygeretmus Pumilio Kerr, 1792 From The Gobi Of Mongolia, Altangerel Tsogtsaikhan Dursahinhan, Batsaikhan Nyamsuren, Danielle Marie Tufts, Scott Lyell Gardner

Scott L. Gardner Publications

From 1999 through 2012, a total of 541 individual rodents (jerboas of the family Dipodidae) were collected from several habitat types, primarily from the Gobi region of Mongolia, and were examined for helminth and protistan parasites. Of those rodents, 25 were identified as Pygeretmus pumilio Kerr, 1792 (Rodentia: Dipodidae), whereas 516 were other species of jerboa from the provinces of Dornogobi, Dundgobi, Omnogobi, Ovorhangai, Bayanhongor, Gobi Altai, and Hovd. During our field work, we collected several cestodes; some of which represented undescribed species, and these new species occurred in 40% of P. pumilio from four separate collecting localities. We designate …

Nematodes Associated With Mammals In The Great American Biotic Interchange (Gabi), F. Agustin Jimenez, Juliana Notarnicola, Scott Lyell Gardner

Scott L. Gardner Publications

The Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI) is a large-scale zoogeographic event that illustrates the exchange and diversification of mammals between North and South America. This phenomenon was accelerated by the connection of both landmasses during the Pliocene. Support for this phenomenon includes the extant distribution of xenarthrans, didelphiomorph marsupials, hystricognath and cricetine rodents, sciurids and carnivores, as well as the distribution of fossils in the stratigraphic record and the coalescence of genotypes. Contrasting with the relatively well-documented role and history of mammals in GABI, the role of their parasites has been largely neglected. As a consequence, the reconstructions of the …

Rewiring Metabolism Under Oxygen Deprivation: Naked Mole-Rats Evolved A Means To Cope With Anoxia, Jay F. Storz, Grant B. Mcclelland

Jay F. Storz Publications

When faced with a reduced availability of oxygen in the environment (hypoxia), vertebrates can make a variety of respiratory, cardiovascular, and hematological adjustments to ensure an uninterrupted supply of oxygen to the cells of metabolizing tissues (1, 2). These are adaptive solutions for “aerobic organisms in an aerobic world” (3). Coping with the complete absence of oxygen (anoxia) requires more fundamental alterations of cellular metabolism that are typically nothing more than emergency stopgap measures to buy time until the oxygen supply is (hopefully) reestablished (4). On page 307 of this issue [Science 356 (6335)], Park et al. (5) identify a …