Impacts Of Anthropogenic Sedimentation On Shell-Bed Habitats In Lake Tanganyika, Africa,
2024
University of Oklahoma
Impacts Of Anthropogenic Sedimentation On Shell-Bed Habitats In Lake Tanganyika, Africa, Michael Soreghan, Andrew Cohen, Michael M. Mcglue, Kevin M. Yeager, Emily Ryan, Alison Johns, Ishmael Kimirei
Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications
Lake Tanganyika, in central Africa, contains a diverse and endemic fauna under threat from global climate change, overfishing, and nearshore sediment pollution. Previous studies of sediment pollution focused justifiably on impacts along rocky shorelines where diversity is high, but Lake Tanganyika also contains widespread shelly accumulations (shell beds) unprecedented in the modern East African lakes, but where impacts are less con- strained. Here we integrate multiple datasets from three sites along the Tanzanian shoreline to explore how variation in sedimentation rates and sediment quality impacts shell-bed substrate and diversity and abundance of ostracodes and sponges across sites that exhibit varying …
Nekton Community Responses To Living Shoreline Restorations In Alabama,
2024
Samford University
Nekton Community Responses To Living Shoreline Restorations In Alabama, Shelby Kuck, Christopher Grant, Matheus De Barros, Alexandra Rodriguez, Ronald Baker
Gulf and Caribbean Research
No abstract provided.
Estimation Of Probability Of Habitat Use Of Roosevelt Elk On The Olympic Peninsula,
2024
University of Montana, Missoula
Estimation Of Probability Of Habitat Use Of Roosevelt Elk On The Olympic Peninsula, Vincent Michael Gugliotti
Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts
Estimating the probability of habitat use for a particular species is crucial to the direct management and conservation of that species. Without knowledge of habitat preferences, managers cannot effectively focus efforts on vital resources or landscape types. However, modelling probability of habitat use can be done in several ways which leaves room for variation and uncertainty in the estimates produced by each method. This study is an examination of the variation between two estimates of probability of habitat use while focusing on a particular subspecies of elk that inhabits a unique ecosystem relative to other elk subspecies. I modeled elk …
Measuring Nature’S Contributions To People Provided By Species In The Gulf Of Maine Rocky Intertidal Ecosystem,
2024
Colby College
Measuring Nature’S Contributions To People Provided By Species In The Gulf Of Maine Rocky Intertidal Ecosystem, Madelyn L. Eippert
Honors Theses
Ecosystem services aim to quantify the value of nature provided to humans. However, Ecosystem services are typically measured at the level of the ecosystem as a whole and do not consider interactions between species in an ecosystem. Ultimately, the species in an ecosystem determine the services that are provided. Measuring ecosystem services at the landscape level misses the complex interactions and changing biodiversity of ecosystems. Currently, there is no accepted framework to link ecosystem services to species. In this thesis, I developed a framework to link Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP) to species. NCP includes 18 specific contributions (i.e. 18 …
The Genetic Diversity Of An Endangered Buttercup, Ranunculus Triternatus,
2024
Central Washington University
The Genetic Diversity Of An Endangered Buttercup, Ranunculus Triternatus, Ryan Garcia
All Graduate Projects
Ranunculus triternatus, a rare endemic species of the Columbia River Gorge, faces conservation challenges due to its limited range and fragmented populations. This study assesses the genetic diversity of R. triternatus and compares it with its widespread congener, Ranunculus glaberrimus, using inter-primer binding site (iPBS) markers. Genetic data from 80 individuals across eight populations were analyzed using Nei’s genetic diversity, Shannon’s diversity index, and AMOVA. Results showed R. triternatus had higher genetic diversity than western populations of R. glaberrimus, with eastern populations of R. glaberrimus displaying greater diversity than western ones. PCA, UPGMA, and STRUCTURE analysis revealed …
Occupancy Of The Little Grass Frog (Pseudacris Ocularis), An Overlooked Longleaf Endemic, In A Managed Landscape,
2024
Marshall University
Occupancy Of The Little Grass Frog (Pseudacris Ocularis), An Overlooked Longleaf Endemic, In A Managed Landscape, Anna M. Humphrey
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Amphibians are declining globally, with many declines associated with habitat loss. The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem historically covered most of the southeastern United States and supports a host of endemic amphibians. This ecosystem has declined by over 97% in the last two hundred years and many associated species have declined with it. The Little Grass Frog (Pseudacris ocularis) is a longleaf pine endemic anuran that has been understudied and under-surveyed; almost no information is known on the ecology of this species and no population studies have been conducted. My goals were to create an acoustic …
Endophytic Fungi Associated With Galls And Host Plants Of Asphondylia Borrichiae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae),
2024
University of North Florida
Endophytic Fungi Associated With Galls And Host Plants Of Asphondylia Borrichiae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), Shannon Lynn Sharpe
UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Asphondylia borrichiae, like other gall-forming gnats, are obligate symbionts to the endophytic fungi (EF) they deposit when laying eggs. Asphondylia spp. and EF are important biocontrol agents, yet details surrounding their diversity, life cycles, and host interactions remain poorly understood. Galls and leaf-stem tissues from two host plants were surveyed to identify and compare EF diversity between the host tissues and species of A. borrichiae. Identification of 114 isolates was carried out by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS 1/4 primers). Pairwise alignments in multiple genetic databases were bolstered by phylogenetic analyses using maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood …
Evaluating The Use Of Baited Remote Underwater Video (Bruv) In Assessing Shark And Fish Populations In A Low Visibility Estuarine System, The Tolomato River, Fl, Usa,
2024
University of North Florida
Evaluating The Use Of Baited Remote Underwater Video (Bruv) In Assessing Shark And Fish Populations In A Low Visibility Estuarine System, The Tolomato River, Fl, Usa, Sarah Worthington
UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Recently, there has been increasing use of baited remote underwater video (BRUV) surveys for assessing shark and fish populations in marine ecosystems. This approach can be useful because it may provide a non-destructive, non-extractive, and cost-effective alternative to traditional fishing-based methods. However, to date, most studies using BRUVs have focused on their use in high-visibility ecosystems, such as tropical reefs. Furthermore, few studies have compared results from BRUV surveys with those obtained using traditional methods to evaluate the efficacy of this approach. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using BRUV surveys to assess shark …
The Smell Of Fear: Responses Of Native And Invasive Geckos To Predator Scent Cues On Moorea, French Polynesia,
2024
The University of Akron
The Smell Of Fear: Responses Of Native And Invasive Geckos To Predator Scent Cues On Moorea, French Polynesia, Haley Dreisbach, Tessa Bodo
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Hemidactylus frenatus, a globally invasive species, is syntopic with the native gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris on the island of Moorea, French Polynesia. The success of an invasive species, H. frenatus can be attributed to many factors and is the subject of much study. Some research suggests that invasive and native geckos may differ in their response to chemosensory cues from predators. We compared the responses of H. frenatus and L. lugubris to the scents of both a native local predator; centipede, and a common predator of geckos that is not present on Moorea; snake. While neither gecko species showed any …
Habitat Selection And Connectivity Of Mountain Lions (Puma Concolor) Across Anthropogenic Barriers On The Olympic Peninsula: A Multi-Method Comparison,
2024
University of Montana, Missoula
Habitat Selection And Connectivity Of Mountain Lions (Puma Concolor) Across Anthropogenic Barriers On The Olympic Peninsula: A Multi-Method Comparison, Thomas R. Barbee
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Designing and maintaining effective wildlife corridors is an increasingly important conservation challenge in today’s fragmenting landscapes. GPS-based resource selection functions and camera-based occupancy models are both well-established staples of wildlife connectivity analyses and corridor planning, but each have notable trade-offs in cost and data resolution. Wildlife organizations worldwide rely heavily on camera-based occupancy modelling to plan wildlife corridors, especially where resource limitations or ethical concerns prohibit the use of GPS tags. If spatial connectivity maps from occupancy models could be shown to capture the essential elements of animal movement well enough to identify functionally equivalent corridors to those identified in …
Stable Isotope Analysis Of Antipatharian Diets From The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico,
2024
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Stable Isotope Analysis Of Antipatharian Diets From The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico, Keir J. Macartney, Victoria Salinas, Zachary Rivera, David Hicks
Gulf and Caribbean Research
Antipatharians, or black corals, form a key component of the benthic fauna found throughout the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). In the northwestern GOM, they are a common member of the communities found on the natural relic coral—algal banks known as the South Texas Banks as well as on artificial reefs. They are known to provide important habitat for many ecologically and economically important species in the area but are relatively understudied. Here we present a study on their trophic ecology using stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen from 2 species, Antipathes atlantica and Stichopathes luetkeni from a mesophotic artificial …
The Genetic Diversity Of An Endangered Buttercup, Ranunculus Triternatus,
2024
Central Washington University
The Genetic Diversity Of An Endangered Buttercup, Ranunculus Triternatus, Ryan Garcia
All Master's Theses
Ranunculus triternatus, a rare endemic species of the Columbia River Gorge, faces conservation challenges due to its limited range and fragmented populations. This study assesses the genetic diversity of R. triternatus and compares it with its widespread congener, Ranunculus glaberrimus, using inter-primer binding site (iPBS) markers. Genetic data from 80 individuals across eight populations were analyzed using Nei’s genetic diversity, Shannon’s diversity index, and AMOVA. Results showed R. triternatus had higher genetic diversity than western populations of R. glaberrimus, with eastern populations of R. glaberrimus displaying greater diversity than western ones. PCA, UPGMA, and STRUCTURE analysis revealed …
Scale And Habitat Effects On Measurement Of Streptomyces Biogeography And Biodiversity,
2024
Humboldt State University
Scale And Habitat Effects On Measurement Of Streptomyces Biogeography And Biodiversity, Terilyn A. Stoflet
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Bacteria in the genus Streptomyces are detected in most soils around the world, as well as on and in seeds, plants, animals, insects and the wind. Currently, more than 700 valid species of Streptomyces have been identified worldwide. Streptomyces produce the majority of antibiotics, antivirals and antifungals, as well as important agricultural bioactive molecules due to their unique genetic capabilities. Their distinct genetic abilities allow them to produce an unlimited amount of biosynthetic gene clusters, or BGC’s. Although many compounds come from Streptomyces, scientists have not discovered the biogeographic patterns of this genus. The biogeography of Streptomyces is a …
Bird Predation On Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch) In Humboldt Bay,
2024
Humboldt State University
Bird Predation On Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch) In Humboldt Bay, Colton J. Dixon
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) populations along the west coast of the United States are declining. In Humboldt County, located in northwestern California, Coho Salmon have been in decline since their federal listing as threatened in 1997, primarily due to habitat loss from logging, agriculture, and urban development. Although these anthropogenic factors caused salmon populations to decline, bird predation may also be hindering population recovery, as evidenced by the recovery of Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags, originally implanted in Coho Salmon, from bird colonies in Humboldt Bay. This study examines predation by Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), Caspian …
Fire Severity Mediates Marten And Fisher Occurrence: Impacts Of The Dixie Fire On A Carnivore Community,
2024
Cal Poly Humboldt
Fire Severity Mediates Marten And Fisher Occurrence: Impacts Of The Dixie Fire On A Carnivore Community, Christopher James Collier
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The consumption of an astounding one million acres resulted from California’s largest single fire to date, the 2021 Dixie Fire. The social and economic losses associated with the fire were immediately apparent, but the effects on wildlife remained unknown. While previous research has suggested mixed or low severity fire may be beneficial to certain wildlife species, the responses to megafires are poorly understood for many carnivores. To better understand these responses to severe fire, I used a random sampling design stratified by burn severity to survey in and around the Dixie Fire footprint using baited camera stations. This allowed me …
Maximum Entropy Species Distribution Modeling For The Spring Ephemeral Herb Bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis) In Eastern North America,
2024
The University of Akron
Maximum Entropy Species Distribution Modeling For The Spring Ephemeral Herb Bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis) In Eastern North America, Velan Manivannan
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
The spring ephemeral plant Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) has a widespread native range in North America, spanning much of the eastern United States and Canada. While its current NatureServe conservation status is designated as ‘secure’ (NatureServe, 2023), its status as a spring ephemeral places it at a heightened risk for climate change-induced phenological mismatch with advancing forest canopy closure. Additionally, under continued anthropogenic climate change, Bloodroot may also experience range shifts or contractions as the edges of its present range warm past physiological thresholds. To determine the potential for range shifts and contractions under future warming, I generated a …
Interdisciplinary Learning: How Different Ways Of Thinking Can Fuel Passion And Expand Understanding.,
2024
The University Of Montana
Interdisciplinary Learning: How Different Ways Of Thinking Can Fuel Passion And Expand Understanding., Allison Amy Peschek
Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts
This Capstone project was created to show the profound experience resulting from an extended range of interdisciplinary learning, and how different methods, when paired together, can enhance a learning experience. This was a personal project of exploration into those different angles, and primarily focused on avenues of logical and creating learning, respectively. These methods have been implemented by this author often in the past, but this capstone will explore this concept further, as there is a lot of potential in combining these different methods and biases in learning, to both further passion and understanding as a learner, but to also …
Sweetening The Deal: Enhancing Flower Production And Quality For Native Pollinators In Urban Landscapes,
2024
University of Central Florida
Sweetening The Deal: Enhancing Flower Production And Quality For Native Pollinators In Urban Landscapes, Yaelle Esther Reeve
Honors Undergraduate Theses
Urban landscapes can support pollinator conservation, but traditional landscape designs lack the diverse mixtures of native plants needed to support native pollinators. Although native plants support pollinators and can survive with less water and fertilizer than non-native landscape plants, they do not always grow well under modified urban soil conditions and irrigation regimes. A better understanding of the factors influencing flower production and the quality of native plants is needed if we are to design landscapes that support pollinator conservation. This study focused on how flower production and quality in different native plants responded to compost and irrigation treatments. The …
An Effective Method For Long-Term Control Of American Bullfrogs Syntopic With Special-Status Native Amphibians In California, Usa,
2024
The Wildlife Project, Sacramento, CA
An Effective Method For Long-Term Control Of American Bullfrogs Syntopic With Special-Status Native Amphibians In California, Usa, Jeff A. Alvarez, Jeffery T. Wilcox
Human–Wildlife Interactions
American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) are invasive in western North America and are well established in California, USA, where they are widespread. This invasive species has been implicated in the decrease of native amphibian populations and is believed to have contributed to the decline of threatened and endangered amphibians regionally. We utilized air rifles, tin alloy pellets, and 2 shooters to systematically control L. catesbeianus in both lentic and lotic habitat types within 2 counties in California. We visited sites monthly (April through November) for approximately 8 and 14 years to lethally target and remove L. catesbeianus …
The Effects Of Human-Driven Land Use Change On American Alligator (Alligator Mississippiensis) Nesting Patterns,
2024
University of North Florida
The Effects Of Human-Driven Land Use Change On American Alligator (Alligator Mississippiensis) Nesting Patterns, Madison Wallwork
UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations
American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) have received little scientific attention in the context of human-driven land use change. The goal of my study is to investigate how land use change may be affecting the spatial ecology of alligator nesting in Florida. Areas directly impacted by humans are growing rapidly in Florida, yet the impacts of this land use change on alligator populations and reproduction are largely unknown. Alligators are ecosystem engineers and apex predators, and their nests often double as nests for other reptilian species. Therefore, it is imperative that we understand how human-driven land use change may be impacting …
