What Happens To Soil And Native Plant Life After Removal Of Lonicera Maackii In An Urban Temperate Forest?,
2025
University of Louisville
What Happens To Soil And Native Plant Life After Removal Of Lonicera Maackii In An Urban Temperate Forest?, Sheryl A. Gipson Hammond
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In evaluating the potential effects of nitrogen cycles and pH on plant diversity and richness after the removal of Lonicera maackii in a temperate urban forest in Louisville, Kentucky, data was collected including nitrogen, pH, canopy, stem count, and plant surveys. The cutting and treatment with chemicals to remove L. maackii were successful one year after the treatments, but legacy effects ensued about five years thereafter. Native diversity waned as monoculture proliferated in some areas, including second invasions of the invasive. It was expected that nitrogen and pH would explain the success (or lack thereof) of native plant response as …
Assessing Spatial And Temporal Variation In Photoprotective Responses Of Deciduous And Evergreen Tree Canopies With Leaf Spectroscopy,
2025
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Assessing Spatial And Temporal Variation In Photoprotective Responses Of Deciduous And Evergreen Tree Canopies With Leaf Spectroscopy, Alexander Piper
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Environmental conditions frequently prevent carbon fixation by plants, leading to the absorption of excess light that can damage photosynthetic machinery if not dissipated. To do so, plants utilize several photoprotective mechanisms, some detectable remotely using Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI). Two components of PRI correspond to the facultative engagement of the xanthophyll cycle (ΔPRI) and constitutive changes in xanthophyll pigment pool sizes (PRI0), representing distinct mechanisms regulating shorter and longer-term photoprotection, respectively. Our understanding of interspecific and intraspecific variation in these mechanisms is limited, primarily because PRI components are often not clearly distinguished. This study aimed to assess the variation in …
Morphology Of Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu) In Arkansas,
2025
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Morphology Of Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu) In Arkansas, Robert Laroche
Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses
The Smallmouth Bass, Micropterus dolomieu, is one of the most important game fishes in Arkansas. Three distinct lineages are recognized from different river basins: the Northern, Neosho, and Ouachita Smallmouth Bass. Understanding the biodiversity within this species complex inhabiting different water bodies in Arkansas is important for effective management of the fisheries resource and to guide conservation efforts. But current data on distribution of distinct forms are insufficient to guide management. The primary goals of the study presented here was to quantify morphological characteristics to identify distinct lineages of Smallmouth Bass, and to determine their specific locations within Arkansas streams …
Advancing Marine Animal Movement Studies Using An Open Innovation Framework,
2025
University of Massachusetts Boston
Advancing Marine Animal Movement Studies Using An Open Innovation Framework, Jacob Levenson
Graduate Doctoral Dissertations
This dissertation investigates the application of open innovation to migratory marine animal movement studies, addressing critical challenges in understanding, managing and ultimately conserving highly mobile and migratory species (HMMS). The species examined herein, including manta rays, sea turtles, and marine mammals, face threats including habitat disruption and behavioral changes to adapt to anthropogenic stressors. Traditional monitoring techniques, while valuable, are often costly, limited in scale, and protected by proprietary intellectual property, all of which decrease accessibility. Ambitious conservation goals, such as protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030, require more data that are indubitably sharable and thus will need to …
Determining The Influence Of A Low-Head Dam On Macroinvertebrate Communities In The Bouie River,
2025
The University of Southern Mississippi
Determining The Influence Of A Low-Head Dam On Macroinvertebrate Communities In The Bouie River, Natalie Santiago
Honors Theses
The Bouie River is a tributary of the Leaf River and belongs to the Pascagoula River watershed, the latter of which has no flow impediments in the form of sills or dams. The Bouie River has been heavily altered in the lower 10 river kilometers (rkm) from aggregate mining (creating a series of deep gravel pits) and the presence of an earthen and concrete low-head dam (sill) located 6 rkm from the mouth of the river. However, despite these alterations, the immediate stretch of river below the low-head dam is a known spawning habitat for diadromous fish species, including the …
Sibship Analysis Of Fall And Spring Spawn Gulf Sturgeon Eggs In The Choctawhatchee River, Florida,
2025
The University of Southern Mississippi
Sibship Analysis Of Fall And Spring Spawn Gulf Sturgeon Eggs In The Choctawhatchee River, Florida, Lyric Mccullouch
Honors Theses
The Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) is an anadromous species that inhabits rivers along the northern Gulf of Mexico. Facing challenges from overfishing and habitat alteration, the Gulf sturgeon is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. This study investigated the genetic distinctiveness of fall and spring spawning groups of Gulf sturgeon in the Choctawhatchee River, a critical habitat for the species. In this study, I used microsatellite loci to analyze Gulf sturgeon eggs previously collected in the fall and spring of 2019 and 2020. The goals of this study were to verify the genetic identity of …
Landscape Effects On The Beneficial Arthropod Community In Agriculturally Dominated Environments,
2025
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Landscape Effects On The Beneficial Arthropod Community In Agriculturally Dominated Environments, Hannah E. Stowe
Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–
Ecosystem services in agriculturally dominated regions rely, at least in part, on arthropods. Environment and biodiversity influence beneficial arthropods in population size, community structure, diversity, and ecosystem service provisioning. Predation is among the most important services provided by arthropods in agroecosystems. Understanding what alters predation and predator activity can support the successful application of biological control and, more broadly, integrated pest management. Land use and edge adjacency, field characteristics, landscape, seasonality, and diel period all alter predatory behavior. Crop fields dominate Nebraska agroecosystems, although interspersed perennial grasslands persist through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Such grasslands supply crucial resources and …
Chromosome Evolution Model Reveals Hidden Variation In Karyotype-Driven Speciation In Ferns,
2025
Clemson University
Chromosome Evolution Model Reveals Hidden Variation In Karyotype-Driven Speciation In Ferns, Thomas Buchloh
All Theses
Because karyotype change commonly generates reproductive isolation between diverging species, rapid karyotype evolution, like that seen in plants, may increase the total rate of diversification. However, few studies have investigated this predicted relationship. Tests of this prediction have identified a positive correlation between the rate of karyotype change (specifically whole genome duplications) and diversification, but tests have been restricted to relatively small and young clades. Fortunately, novel macroevolutionary models have recently become available to investigate patterns of karyotype evolution in large phylogenies, providing new opportunity to investigate variation in karyotype driven diversification. Ferns are one of the most karyotype rich …
Intraspecific Genetic Variation In Green Salamanders (Aneides Aeneus) At Bays Mountain Park,
2025
East Tennessee State University
Intraspecific Genetic Variation In Green Salamanders (Aneides Aeneus) At Bays Mountain Park, Brianna Drake
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Accurate taxonomy is crucial for conserving vulnerable cryptic species like the green salamander (Aneides aeneus) in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Prior studies identified three distinct lineages within the A. aeneus complex: Northern Appalachians, Southern Appalachians, and Blue-Ridge Escarpment. One previously collected sample indicated green salamanders in northeast Tennessee fit within the Northern lineage. The present study uses molecular data of A. aeneus at Bays Mountain Park (BMP) in Kingsport, Tennessee, to determine where the BMP population fits within these lineages. It was hypothesized that individuals from BMP belong in the northern lineage. Tail tips were collected from thirty-four …
Exploring Community Change Of North American Stream Fish Communities Due To Species Introductions,
2025
Clemson University
Exploring Community Change Of North American Stream Fish Communities Due To Species Introductions, William K. Annis Jr
All Dissertations
The introduction of nonnative species has facilitated global changes in beta diversity, and these changes have been coined biotic homogenization (loss in beta diversity) and differentiation (gain in beta diversity). Homogenization represents a key conservation threat. Therefore it is imperative to understand the processes that allow nonnative species to establish and how these species contribute to beta diversity change. In this dissertation, I assess three key challenges exist in our ability to address these goals. One challenge is that we have inconsistent support among hypotheses of invasion drivers due to context dependency. Context dependency can arise due to differences in …
Movement Ecology And Trophic Dynamics In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico: Implications For Fisheries Management,
2025
The University of Southern Mississippi
Movement Ecology And Trophic Dynamics In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico: Implications For Fisheries Management, Calvin Chee
Master's Theses
The northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) is a diverse and productive region for living marine resources. The region supports lucrative commercial and recreational fisheries ranging from low-trophic-level species, such as penaeid shrimps and forage fishes, to high-trophic-level predators (e.g. Yellowfin Tuna). This thesis contributes to the region’s ecological knowledge, with the primary aim of enhancing management efforts and providing direct management advice to two important fisheries. In Chapter 1, we develop a traditional per-recruit model for Southern Flounder, as well as a spatiotemporally integrated per-recruit model that incorporates the spatial distribution of fishing effort and the stock’s movement ecology. Fish …
Seasonal Detection Of Coliphages In Freshwater Bodies At Coastal Carolina University,
2025
Coastal Carolina University
Seasonal Detection Of Coliphages In Freshwater Bodies At Coastal Carolina University, Ella Caldwell
Honors Theses
Bacteriophages, commonly referred to as phages, are non-living viruses that only infect bacteria. As the most abundant biological entities on Earth, understanding their role in regulating microbial populations is essential. This ongoing research aims to identify naturally occurring bacteriophages that could effectively control bacteria blooms. The primary objective of this study is to detect coliphages on Coastal Carolina University's campus and determine their viral families. Coliphages are a subgroup of bacteriophages that specifically infect coliform bacteria. Water samples were collected across multiple sites on campus, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to amplify the viral DNA from the potential …
Distribution Of Mussels In Two Intermittent Upland Streams Of The Arkansas Valley Ecoregion,
2025
Arkansas Tech University
Distribution Of Mussels In Two Intermittent Upland Streams Of The Arkansas Valley Ecoregion, Aaron A. Brady, Seth Drake, Zach Crain, Kendall Moles
ATU Scholars Symposium
Freshwater mussels are facing an increasing need for conservation due to their declining populations. More data is needed on mussel distributions, especially in tributaries of large rivers to properly conserve and restore populations. Big Shoal Creek and Little Shoal Creek are two upland-tributaries of the Arkansas River (Lake Dardanelle) in which no records exist for freshwater mussel populations. We addressed this knowledge gap by sampling a total of 9 sites in Little Shoal Creek and 18 sites in Big Shoal Creek to determine the abundance and distribution of mussels in these streams. Mussels were sampled using a timed search approach. …
Floral Cues And Foraging Preferences In Various Species Of Wild Bumblebees,
2025
Cal Poly Humboldt
Floral Cues And Foraging Preferences In Various Species Of Wild Bumblebees, Olivia A. Dahl
The International Journal of Ecopsychology (IJE)
There are costs and benefits for plants and their pollinators. Bumblebees play a crucial role in the dynamic plant-pollinator system. Flowers co-evolved with insects, birds, and mammals toward mechanisms that benefited, described from a human perspective, both host and forager. Characteristics such color, olfactory cues, and temperature attract pollinators, with bumblebees showing preferences for blue and yellow flowers, as well as flowers that are warmer. This study aims to answer three questions: 1) How does floral temperature at different times of day predict visit length in bumblebees? 2) Does bumblebee size affect visit length? 3) Is there an interaction between …
A Redescription Of Leiurus Libycus (Birula, 1908), Stat. N. (Scorpiones: Buthidae),
2025
Marshall University
A Redescription Of Leiurus Libycus (Birula, 1908), Stat. N. (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Ersen A. Yağmur, František Kovařík, Victor Fet
Euscorpius
Buthus quinquestriatus libycus was described by Birula (1908) from the Libyan Desert, based on a subadult male specimen. This taxon was later synonymized with Leiurus quinquestriatus (Ehrenberg, 1828) by Vachon (1949). In this study, we re-evaluate this taxon and recognize it as Leiurus libycus (Birula, 1908), stat. n., providing a redescription based on the holotype. The type locality of this species is clarified as western Egypt (between Alexandria and Fayum). We synonymize Leiurus aegyptiacus Lourenço & El-Hennawy, 2021 with L. libycus, stat. n., syn. n.
Diversity And Habitat Use Of Bats In Modified Suburban Landscapes,
2025
Ursinus College
Diversity And Habitat Use Of Bats In Modified Suburban Landscapes, Brittany Morgera
Biology Presentations
Bats occupy critical ecological niches and perform important ecosystem services like controlling insect populations. However, humans have altered bat habitat substantially, resulting in the reduction of bat populations. The goals of this research are to assess bat diversity and habitat use across different levels of suburban habitat modification. To accomplish this, we deployed passive acoustic recorders at twelve locations with varying human impact in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. In accordance with The North American Bat Monitoring Program’s standards, acoustic analysis software was used to identify bat species. Manual identification methods from The Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative were used to verify these …
A New Centruroides Species And First Record Of C. Tapachulaensis Hoffmann, 1932 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Honduras,
2025
Marshall University
A New Centruroides Species And First Record Of C. Tapachulaensis Hoffmann, 1932 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Honduras, Luis F. De Armas, Alex M. Cubas-Rodríguez
Euscorpius
A new species of striped bark scorpions, Centruroides lenca sp. n. is described, based on both sexes, from the Pacayita Volcano Biological Reserve (2,385 m a. s. l.), Ocotepeque Department, in the southwestern Honduras. By its general pattern, the new species resembles C. thorellii (Kraepelin, 1891), from which it clearly differs by having stronger and very darker pedipalp chelae, minute subaculear tubercle and basal pectinal plate with a large central pit in the female, among other diagnostic characters. Also, Centruroides tapachulaensis Hoffmann, 1932 is recorded for the first time from Honduras, on the basis of two observed or collected specimens …
Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part Xxxvii. The Genus Hemiscorpius (Hemiscorpiidae),
2025
Marshall University
Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part Xxxvii. The Genus Hemiscorpius (Hemiscorpiidae), František Kovařík, Hassan Sh A. Elmi, František Šťáhlavský
Euscorpius
Occurrence of the rare in the Horn of Africa genus Hemiscorpius Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Hemiscorpiidae) is summarized, including a distribution map. A male of Hemiscorpius lipsae Kovařík & Lowe, 2022 from Djibouti is described for the first time. A new species Hemiscorpius huluul sp. n. from Somaliland is described, fully complemented with color photographs.
An Injury Healing On The Carapace Of Hottentotta Saulcyi (Simon, 1880) (Scorpiones: Buthidae),
2025
Marshall University
An Injury Healing On The Carapace Of Hottentotta Saulcyi (Simon, 1880) (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Fatih Yeşilyurt, Ersen A. Yağmur
Euscorpius
A new case of injury healing on the carapace is reported in a female Hottentotta saulcyi (Simon, 1880). An asymmetrical indentation was observed on the anterior part of the carapace, resulting from the healing of an old injury. The indentation is relatively deep, with muscle tissue visible inside it. Scar tissue is present at the end of indentation and healing tissue is present along its margins.
The Importance Of Wild Birds,
2025
WellBeing International
The Importance Of Wild Birds, Janice H. Cox
Nexus – UNEP – Animal Welfare, Environment, Sustainable Development
Wild birds are important in their own right, for their contribution to human wellbeing, and for their ecological value, as part of the “web of life”. Birds are sentient beings with complex thinking and social behaviors, and the ability to experience positive and negative feelings, including suffering. The ways in which birds contribute to the functioning of the world's ecosystems include: pest control, pollination, cleaning up nature, spreading seeds, keeping coral reefs alive and transforming landscapes. Yet wild bird populations are declining dramatically – with one in eight bird species threatened with extinction. Birds are one of the most important …
