Behavior and Ethology Commons^™

Investigating The Role Of An Understudied North Atlantic Right Whale Habitat: Right Whale Movement, Ecology, And Distribution In Jeffreys Ledge, Kathryn Longley

Graduate Masters Theses

The critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) consistently visits five major habitats throughout the year; however, they are known to visit additional habitats. This project examines the role of Jeffreys Ledge as an additional habitat of importance for this species by investigating three aspects of its distribution and ecology. I first addressed the relationship of Jeffreys Ledge to a known significant right whale feeding ground, Cape Cod Bay, by quantifying the movement of right whales between the two habitats and comparing demographic characteristics of right whales seen in these habitats. Secondly, I measured the quality of the zooplankton …

Wild Justice Redux: What We Know About Social Justice In Animals And Why It Matters, Jessica Pierce, Marc Bekoff

Ethology Collection

Social justice in animals is beginning to attract interest in a broad range of academic disciplines. Justice is an important area of study because it may help explain social dynamics among individuals living in tightly- knit groups, as well as social interactions among individuals who only occasionally meet. In this paper, we provide an overview of what is currently known about social justice in animals and offer an agenda for further research. We provide working definitions of key terms, outline some central research questions, and explore some of the challenges of studying social justice in animals, as well as the …

The Dynamics Of Location: Influence Of Predation By Chaoborus Larvae On Rotifer Diel Vertical Migration Patterns, Kristina P. Riemer

Lawrence University Honors Projects

The locations of freshwater organisms in lakes are determined by the convergence of many competing factors. While predation pressure is one of these, also important are areas of food concentration and the physical and chemical constraints of a system. Diel vertical migration is a behavior exhibited by freshwater organisms in many taxa that is the result of balancing these factors. Diel vertical migration consists of movement by these organisms throughout the water column in accordance with a 24 hour cycle. This oscillation is generally driven by the competing factors of predation pressure and food acquisition, and is modified by physical …

Fish Assemblage Dynamics And Red Drum Habitat Selection In Bayou St. John And Associated Urban Waterways Located Within The City Of New Orleans, Louisiana, Patrick W. Smith Mr.

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Bayou St. John (BSJ) and City Park Lakes and Lagoons (CPLL) are urban waterways in New Orleans, Louisiana. I studied habitat selection of red drum in BSJ, and fish assemblage change in BSJ and CPLL over 40 years. Temperature was found to be the best predictor of red drum habitat selection in Bayou St. John, while salinity and change in depth also were found to be good predictors for certain sites. Potential prey item abundance did not appear to influence habitat selection. Using data from 1971 – 2010, nearshore habitats in CPLL were affected by Hurricane Katrina, but have sense …

Phylogenetic Relationships And Character Evolution Of The Neotropical Butterfly Genus Hamadryas (Nymphalidae: Biblidinae), Ivonne J. Garzon

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The butterflies in the genus Hamadryas are popular and noticeable representatives of the Neotropical Lepidoptera fauna. After a thorough taxonomic revision, 20 species were acknowledged within the genus, however no hypothesis of their phylogenetic relationship was proposed. The present dissertation provides a step further into the understanding of this fascinating group of butterflies not only by proposing the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus based on morphological and molecular data, but also by exploring for the first time in a group of butterflies the potential effect of venation associated with an specific behaviour on wing shape. Furthermore, this dissertation provides …

An Approach For Use Of Dual Frequency Identification Sonar (Didson) To Quantify Behavioral Aspects Of Piscivory At Ecologically Relevant Time And Space Scales, Victoria E. Price

Master's Theses

Predator-prey interactions of large vagile fishes are difficult to study in the ocean due to limitations in the space and time requirements for observations. Small-scale direct underwater observations by divers (<10m >radius) and large-scale hydroacoustic surveys (10s - 100s km2) are traditional approaches. However, large piscivorous predators identify and attack prey at the scale of meters to tens of meters. Dual- Frequency Identification Sonar, or DIDSON, is a high-resolution acoustic camera operating in the MHz range that provides detailed continuous video-like imaging of objects out to 30 m range. This technology can be used to observe predator-prey interactions at ecologically …

Comparative Analysis Of Courtship In Agelenopsis Funnel-Web Spiders (Araneae, Agelenidae) With An Emphasis On Potential Isolating Mechanisms, Audra Blair Galasso

Doctoral Dissertations

The genus Agelenopsis (Araneae, Agelenidae) is a group of morphologically similar funnel-web spiders with overlapping habitat requirements and geographic ranges. Yet, molecular evidence suggests this group has undergone recent speciation with no evidence of hybridization. In this dissertation, I explored courtship divergence as a possible explanation for the formation and coexistence of these species. Courtship behavior patterns, sequences, and vibratory signals were compared across 12 Agelenopsis species and three related outgroup species. Courtship in Agelenopsis was found to be comparatively long but not completely species-specific. To investigate mechanisms of reproductive isolation within the genus, interspecific crosses were staged in the …

Litter, Color Variation, And Sex Effects On Feeding And Anti-Predator Behavior In Individual Thamnophis Sirtalis, Jennifer F. Porter, Gordon M. Burghardt

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

There are stark coloration differences within single populations of Thamnophis sirtalis such as the Isle Royale population. While these red color patterns cause the snakes to stand out, it is unsure if it is for some defensive purpose such as aposematic coloring. To see if this or other genetic factors, sex, and relatedness with litters, could influence behavior anti-predator and feeding tests were performed on 38 captive-born neonate T. sirtalis. The feeding experiment recorded the latency of feeding from placement of the piece of night crawler to food capture. The anti-predator experiment recorded reactions to a probe touching each snake …

Territories,Territoriality, And Conservation Of The Louisiana Waterthrush And Its Habitat, The Watershed Of The Upper Buffalo National River, Leesia Cheryl Marshall

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Louisiana Waterthrush, Parkesia motacilla, is a migratory wood-warbler and breeding season resident of the eastern United States. Males defend breeding territories that extend linearly along clear, fast-flowing, gravel-bottomed, forest streams. Defense includes two song types, primary and extended song. As riverine specialists, birds rely upon aquatic invertebrates as prey and riparian habitat features for nesting. They use a unique foraging maneuver, leaf-pulling, that involves picking up or pulling a leaf from water, and turning it over to search for prey. Their relationship with riparian habitat introduces potential for Louisiana Waterthrushes to serve as indicators of stream health. The …

Spatio-Temporal Differentiation And Sociality In Spiders, Jessica Purcell, João Vasconcellos-Neto, Jeffrey Alan Fletcher, Marcelo O. Gonzaga, Leticia Avilés

Systems Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Species that differ in their social system, and thus in traits such as group size and dispersal timing, may differ in their use of resources along spatial, temporal, or dietary dimensions. The role of sociality in creating differences in habitat use is best explored by studying closely related species or socially polymorphic species that differ in their social system, but share a common environment. Here we investigate whether five sympatric Anelosimus spider species that range from nearly solitary to highly social differ in their use of space and in their phenology as a function of their social system. By studying …

Effects Of Exogenous Androgens On Parental Care Behaviour In Male Bluegill Sunfish (Lepomis Macrochirus), Chandra M.C. Rodgers

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Research suggests an androgen mediated trade-off between nurturing and defensive behaviour during parental care. This research, however, comes from species with biparental care, where changes in behaviour of one parent can be compensated for by the other parent. I tested the validity of this trade-off by manipulating androgen levels in bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus), a species where males provide sole parental care. I implanted males with testosterone, 11-ketotestosterone or flutamide, an androgen receptor blocker, and tested their nurturing behaviour and aggressiveness towards a brood predator. Males implanted with 11-ketotestosterone were 64% more aggressive and 71% less nurturing than …

Scavenger Interactions In A Human-Influenced Environment: The Foraging Behavior Of The Red-Shouldered Hawk (Buteo Lineatus) At Residential Compost Piles, Eleanor Lucadamo

Senior Theses and Projects

Residential composting has increased in popularity in recent years, along with the untested claim that the addition of animal-based kitchen scraps will increase the number of scavenging wildlife visitors. This study represents the first experimental test of that claim. Using three compost piles consisting respectively of no kitchen scraps (CON), a mix of animal and vegetable scraps (MIX), or only vegetable scraps (VEG) that were monitored with heat-in-motion sensitive cameras, we studied the visitation pattern of attracted wildlife. Of the 29 species identified thus far at the compost piles, I chose to focus on the red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus …

Effect Of Light Level On Feeding Behavior In A Lemur Species (Eulemur Rubriventer) With A Color Vision Polymorphism., Ainsley Lockhart

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Understanding the visual capabilities and correlated behavior of prosimians provides vital information regarding the evolution of color vision. Feeding behavior in particular is often modified based on color vision status in various primate taxa. The present study examined feeding behavior under various light conditions in Eulemur rubriventer, a lemur species with a color vision polymorphism in which only females can have trichromatic vision. Behavioral observations were conducted for a single E. rubrventer group over a 13 day study period in April 2012. Results found no significant difference in rates of frugivory or exploitation of green vs. non-green food between male …

Effects Of A Cymothoid Ectoparasite On The Turning Behavior (Lateralization) Of The Bridled Monocle Bream Scolopsis Bilineata, Laura Strong

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Lateralization, or behavioral asymmetry, is the tendency to favor one side of the body over the other, and exists in humans and animals including in mammals, birds, and fishes. It has been found to increase performance in certain behaviors such as escape from predators by lowering reation time. Lateralization has predominantly genetic bases, but can also be influenced by environmental factors. For example, lateralization has been observed to increase in populations of fish subject to high predation pressure as it decreases their response time to predatory attacks. Parasitism may also have important effects on lateralization. In particular, increased drag from …

Effects Of The Parasitic Dinoflagellate Hematodinium Sp. On Blue Crab (Callinectes Sapidus) Activity Predation And Habitat Selection, John M. Tiggelaar Ii

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The blue crab Callinectes sapidus occurs along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, and in high salinity regions, they are subject to lethal infection by the parasitic dinoflagellate Hematodinium. In Virginia's seaside estuaries, the prevalence of Hematodinium infection of C. sapidus can sometimes exceed 50%, threatening the commercial fishery for this species. Indeed, other commercially important crustacean fisheries have approached collapse due to Hematodinium infections. Most studies of this host-parasite interaction have focused on epidemiology, host-pathogen dynamics, and pathogen transmission, and little is known about the impact of the parasite on host behavior and population dynamics. …

Ecology Of Tenodera Sinensis And Tenodera Angustipennis (Mantodea: Mantidae) In Eastern Virginia, Cory A. Gall

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

My study, conducted on the Wildlife Refuge located on Virginia's Eastern Shore, focused on the life history, ecology, and intra- and interspecies interaction of Tenodera sinensis and T. angustipennis. Field methods included capture-mark-recapture, species, sex, and developmental life stage identification, and recorded key developmental milestones. Also, to analyze food-limiting growth, a laboratory cohort was fed ad lib, with lab and field cohorts measured bi-weekly and their mean weekly growth was compared.

When compared to a lab cohort, Tsinensis field mantises were shown not to be growth limited by the abundance of prey. In 2011, the dates of several developmental stages …

Complex Patterns Of Male Alliance Formation In A Dolphin Social Network, Joanna Wiszniewski, Culum Brown, Luciana M. Möller

Sentience Collection

The formation and maintenance of alliances is regarded as one of the most socially complex male mating strategies in mammals. The prevalence and complexity of these cooperative relationships, however, varies considerably among species as well as within and between populations living in different ecological and social environments. We assessed patterns of alliance formation for Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops aduncus, in Port Stephens, New South Wales, Australia, to investigate the stability of these alliances, the structure of associations, as well as variation in schooling patterns among males. Our results showed that association patterns among males within this population showed considerable variability. …

Population Dynamics, Chick Diet, And Foraging Behavior Of The Razorbill (Alca Torda) At Matinicus Rock, Maine, Katherine E. Kauffman

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

During the summers of 2007-2009, I studied the population growth and reproductive and foraging ecology of the Razorbill (Alca torda) at Matinicus Rock (MR), Maine. This medium-sized marine bird in the family Alcidae (auks) was extirpated from the Gulf of Maine in the late 19^th century by hunting, collecting, and colony disturbance. Following legislation protecting seabirds and their nesting habitats, the Razorbill has recolonized probable former nesting habitat in the Gulf of Maine during the past several decades. Six small colonies comprise the Maine population, which is listed as threatened and forms the southern extension of the …

Foraging And Roosting Behaviors Of Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus Rafinesquii) At The Northern Edge Of The Species Range, Joseph S. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Bat populations in the eastern United States are currently declining at unprecedented rates as a result of habitat loss, commercial wind energy development, and white-nose syndrome. Effective conservation of these declining populations requires knowledge of several aspects of summer and winter ecology, including daytime habitat use (day-roost selection and social behaviors), nocturnal habitat use (foraging habitat selection, prey selection, and prey abundance), and winter hibernation (torpor) patterns. This dissertation addresses these questions for Rafinesque’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii), a species of conservation concern in the southeastern United States. Kentucky represents the northern edge of the range of Rafinesque’s …

Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Cormorant?, Richard Jay King

Wrack Lines

How much do you really know about the cormorant? It's an amazing coastal bird, though not a very pretty one. Lately it has a bad rap as a destroyer of island ecosystems. This article talks about these avian creatures and their habits.