Biodiversity Commons^™

Florida Sandhill Crane Relocates Egg During Incubation, Timothy A. Dellinger, Miranda L. Watford, Ronald R. Bielefeld

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Anecdotal accounts of birds moving their eggs to a new location have been reported in shorebirds, waterfowl, and woodpeckers. We report relocation of an egg, 2 days prior to hatching, by an adult Florida sandhill crane (Grus canadensis pratensis). We do not know why the egg was moved, but egg movement among other species appears to be associated with nest disturbance by humans, animals, or environmental conditions.

Initial Evaluation Of Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate Enzyme Immunoassay For Use With Crane Semen Samples, Megan E. Brown, Kim Boardman, Katie L. Edwards

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The management of ex situ and in situ populations of many wildlife species requires detailed knowledge of a species’ reproductive biology. For species such as cranes, where artificial insemination is a critical component of ex situ management strategies, understanding normal sperm function is especially important. Previous research has shown that captive cranes exhibit highly variable production and quality of semen samples produced by individual males and high levels of variation of cell concentration and motility across different species. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP) has been implicated in regulating sperm function, such as cell motility, and may affect an individual’s ability …

How Stressful Is It To Move? Whooping Crane Glucocorticoid Response During Facility Transfer, Megan E. Brown, Christopher Martin, Christopher Crowe, Sprina Lui, Nucharin Songsasen

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The ability to transfer animals between different facilities for genetic management is a critical component to the success of any cooperatively managed captive animal population despite the high cost and the need for a high level of coordination in logistical planning. Two issues of concern are the magnitude of potential stress responses incurred during shipment of adult cranes to a new facility and the duration of elevated glucocorticoid production during the acclimation periods. The objectives of this project were to assess adrenal responses of whooping cranes (Grus americana) during transfer from the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC) to …

Wetlandology: A Kid's Book About Wetlands, Grace Gaard, Ted Lagrange

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

What is a Wetland? You might think that any land that is wet would be a wetland, right? But if the occurrence of water was the only thing that made a wetland a wetland, then deeper parts of oceans and rivers would be considered wetlands. And we know that is not true! So, what actually makes a wetland a wetland? Wetlands are defined by three things:

1. Soil

2. Plants

3. Hydrology

Wetlands are spread throughout Nebraska, but it is useful to identify some of the larger wetland complexes in the state. Wetlands can be found everywhere! All rivers and …

Guide To Nebraska's Wetlands And Their Conservation Needs, Third Edition, 2022, Ted Lagrange

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

Wetlands: a source of great interest, and at times conflict. Wetlands represent different things to different people. To some people they may be considered shallow, muddy nuisances whereas to others they are considered to be wonderful, varied, and productive assets. This is because wetlands take on many roles as part of an elaborate and dynamic system. Understanding wetlands requires understanding the complex and varying roles they can play. To aid in this understanding, this guide defines wetlands, discusses their importance and dynamics, identifies threats and losses, describes conservation programs, and takes an in-depth look at Nebraska’s regional wetland complexes.

Nebraska’s …

Increasing Detection Sensitivity For Rare And Endangered Species In Kansas Through Development Of An Aquatic Environmental Dna Sampling Protocol, Sarah Hallyburton

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Anthropogenic global climate change is forcing the mass extinction of wildlife across the globe. Humans depend on freshwater ecosystems for many aspects of life including agricultural production, sanitation, and recreation. Healthy levels of biodiversity in freshwater environments ensure economically beneficial ecosystem services are maintained. Freshwater ecosystems are hotspots for biodiversity and have higher levels of imperiled organisms compared to terrestrial and marine systems. Within freshwater systems, freshwater mussels (Family: Unionidae) are the most imperiled with over 70% of North American species assigned to a conservation class as judged by state or federal management agencies. The objective of this study was …

Unified Methods In Collecting, Preserving, And Archiving Coral Bleaching And Restoration Specimens To Increase Sample Utility And Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Rebecca Vega Thurber, Emily R. Schmeltzer, Andréa G. Grottoli, Robert Van Woesik, Robert J. Toonen, Mark Warner, Kerri L. Dobson, Rowan H. Mclachlan, Katie Barott, Daniel J. Barshis, Justin Baumann, Leila Chapron, David J. Combosch, Adrienne M.S. Correa, Thomas M. Decarlo, Mary Hagedorn, Laetitia Hédouin, Kenneth Hoadley, Thomas Felis, Christine Ferrier-Pagès, Carly Kenkel, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Jennifer Matthews, Mónica Medina, Christopher Meyer, Corinna Oster, James Price, Hollie M. Putnam, Yvonne Sawall

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Coral reefs are declining worldwide primarily because of bleaching and subsequent mortality resulting from thermal stress. Currently, extensive efforts to engage in more holistic research and restoration endeavors have considerably expanded the techniques applied to examine coral samples. Despite such advances, coral bleaching and restoration studies are often conducted within a specific disciplinary focus, where specimens are collected, preserved, and archived in ways that are not always conducive to further downstream analyses by specialists in other disciplines. This approach may prevent the full utilization of unexpended specimens, leading to siloed research, duplicative efforts, unnecessary loss of additional corals to research …

Looking To The Future Of Wildlife Conservation: Durable Wildlife Policy For The 21st Century, Charlie R. Booher

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Wildlife conservation in the United States was built by the dollars of consumptive users. Monies from the sale of hunting licenses, as well as excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, and archery tackle through the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (PR), currently fuel a complex system of wildlife conservation via multiple levels of government. However, the number of hunters in this country is rapidly declining, the sale of firearms and ammunition is increasingly unrelated to hunting, and contemporary consumers tend to express different values than traditional hunters. These changes pose significant challenges of relevancy and funding to state and …

Net Effects Of Wild And Managed Birds In Agroecosystems, Karina Garcia

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Agricultural intensification and expansion have reduced biodiversity in agroecosystems, jeopardizing the ecosystem services that nature provides to humans in these landscapes including wildlife-mediated pest control. Among these purveyors of ecosystem services are birds, who can provide services to agroecosystems by consuming arthropod pests. Yet some bird species also act as pests by consuming crops. Herein, I use molecular diet analysis through high-throughput sequencing on DNA extracted from bird fecal samples to examine birds’ diet and classify bird species as consumers of major strawberry pests (Lygus spp.). Additionally, I use targeted PCR approaches to determine which bird species consumed strawberries. …

Callery Pear Removal Experiment: Trees-Intact (Medlar Conservation Area), Margaret E. Maloney, Eric B. Borth, Grace Dietsch, Mary C. Lloyd, Ryan W. Mcewan

Five Rivers MetroParks Collaboration Data Archive

The invasive tree Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) is problematic in open habitats in the American Midwest. We investigated the efficacy of various control techniques on P. calleryana invasion in grasslands. Treatments were applied to P. calleryana stems that were single-stemmed trees (around 7 years; n = 40 stems), and response of those stems was measured.

Callery Pear Removal Experiment: Trees-Sprouting (Stillwater Conservation Area), Margaret E. Maloney, Eric B. Borth, Grace Dietsch, Mary C. Lloyd, Ryan W. Mcewan

Five Rivers MetroParks Collaboration Data Archive

The invasive tree Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) is problematic in open habitats in the American Midwest. We investigated the efficacy of various control techniques on P. calleryana invasion in grasslands. Treatments were applied to P. calleryana stems that had experienced mowing annually for several years and were sprouting (n = 100 stems) and response of those stems was measured.

Geospatial Data Permanent Plot, Grace K. Attea, Ryan W. Mcewan, John L. Vankat

Data Files for Old-Growth Deciduous Forest Dynamics Archive: Hueston Woods

Permanent plot GIS shapefile that measures 100m x 105m and consists of 420 contiguous 5m x 5m subplots. There are 21 transects that run from south to north and 20 subplots per transect that run east to west. This downloadable data is a zipped file containing 8 shapefile building blocks. Geographic Coordinate System: GCS_North_American_1983. Projected Coordinate System: NAD_1983_StatePlane_Ohio_South_FIPS_3402 (meters).

Field Maps 2022, Grace K. Attea, Ryan W. Mcewan, John L. Vankat

Data Files for Old-Growth Deciduous Forest Dynamics Archive: Hueston Woods

Historical field map scans (2022) for the permanent 100m x 105m research plot in Hueston Woods State Nature Preserve.

Geospatial Data Trees 1994, Grace K. Attea, Ryan W. Mcewan, John L. Vankat

Data Files for Old-Growth Deciduous Forest Dynamics Archive: Hueston Woods

Location and demographic data collected for each individual tree in 1994 in Hueston Woods State Nature Preserve. These maps were digitized from the historical field maps to a GIS shapefile for each sampling year. Geographic Coordinate System: GCS_North_American_1983. Projected Coordinate System: NAD_1983_StatePlane_Ohio_South_FIPS_3402 (meters).

Geospatial Data Trees 2000, Grace K. Attea, Ryan W. Mcewan, John L. Vankat

Data Files for Old-Growth Deciduous Forest Dynamics Archive: Hueston Woods

Location and demographic data collected for each individual tree in 2000 in Hueston Woods State Nature Preserve. These maps were digitized from the historical field maps to a GIS shapefile for each sampling year. Geographic Coordinate System: GCS_North_American_1983. Projected Coordinate System: NAD_1983_StatePlane_Ohio_South_FIPS_3402 (meters).

Geospatial Data Trees 2022, Grace K. Attea, Ryan W. Mcewan, John L. Vankat

Data Files for Old-Growth Deciduous Forest Dynamics Archive: Hueston Woods

Location and demographic data collected for each individual tree in 2022 in Hueston Woods State Nature Preserve. These maps were digitized to a GIS shapefile for each sampling year. Geographic Coordinate System: GCS_North_American_1983. Projected Coordinate System: NAD_1983_StatePlane_Ohio_South_FIPS_3402 (meters).

Geospatial Data Trees 1988, Grace K. Attea, Ryan W. Mcewan, John L. Vankat

Data Files for Old-Growth Deciduous Forest Dynamics Archive: Hueston Woods

Location and demographic data collected for each individual tree in 1988 in Hueston Woods State Nature Preserve. These maps were digitized from the historical field maps to a GIS shapefile for each sampling year. Geographic Coordinate System: GCS_North_American_1983. Projected Coordinate System: NAD_1983_StatePlane_Ohio_South_FIPS_3402 (meters).

The Impact Of Planting Season And Crop Residue On Germination, Reproductive Success, And Mass Of Native Forbs, Michaela Vonlintel

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The lack of biodiversity in prairie restorations compared to native prairies is alarming, and restoring this diversity has been a key focus of research and restoration projects for years. This study aims to assess two variables: planting season and plant residue, for achieving success in forb establishment. This research was conducted in a greenhouse using mesocosms that were seeded in spring, summer, and fall with nine forb species. Half of each seasonal treatment received ground cover, while the other half did not. Two hypotheses were formed. The first was that the fall planting will be the most successful seasonal treatment …

Evaluating Avian Use Of Cover Crops In The Corn Belt, Megan Figura

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The tallgrass prairie of North America has changed drastically since colonial settlement, with up to 99% of this region converted for agriculture and other land-uses. Concurrent with grassland conversion, grassland birds have experienced the most extreme, consistent, and widespread population declines of any avian guild. Agricultural lands in the U.S. Midwest were able to provide adequate habitat for several bird species until the 1950’s; however, altered and intensified management practices have degraded much of remaining suitable habitat and undermined ecosystem functions. Consequently, many grassland birds have been identified as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in many State Wildlife Action …

Multi-Scale Threat Assessment Of Riverine Ecosystems In The Colorado River Basin, Lise Comte, Julian D. Olden, Stacy Lischka, Brett G. Dickson

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Freshwater ecosystems are facing a deepening biodiversity crisis. Developing robust indicators to assess ecological integrity across large spatial scales and identifying the specific threats and pathways of impairment are thus critically needed if we are to inform freshwater conservation strategies. Here we present the first comprehensive threat assessment across the Colorado River Basin – one of the largest and most endangered river basins in North America – using a spatial framework accounting for the wide range of human activities (land uses, transportation infrastructure, exploitative activities, water withdrawals), pathways (local footprint, overland runoff, upstream cumulative effects), and spatial extent of influence …