Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Genomics-Based Taxonomic Rearrangement Of Achlyodini And Carcharodini (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Pyrginae), Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Nick V. Grishin

Insecta Mundi

Genomic analysis of Pyrginae Burmeister, 1878 (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae Latreille, 1809) with an emphasis on the tribes Achlyodini Burmeister, 1878 and Carcharodini Verity, 1940 reveals many incon­sistencies between the resulting phylogeny and the current classification. These problems are corrected by proposing new taxa, changing the ranks of others, or synonymizing them, and transferring species between genera. As a result, five subtribes, one genus, 20 subgenera, and one species are proposed as new: Cyclo­semiina Grishin, new subtribe (type genus Cyclosemia Mabille, 1878), Ilianina Grishin, new subtribe (type genus Iliana E. Bell, 1937), Nisoniadina Grishin, new subtribe (type genus Nisoniades Hübner, [1819]), …

Can The Vegetation Structure And Composition In Urban Green Spaces Determine Diversity Of Green Lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)?, Jose I. Martinez, Raiza J. Castillo, Adrián Ardila-Camacho, Charles V. Covell, José Isabel López-Arroyo, Francisco Javier Nava-Guízar

Insecta Mundi

Green spaces represent the only natural areas in several cities around the world, providing good shelters for the local fauna. Based on this premise, many ecological studies have been conducted focused on these areas. Most of these works are about insects, particularly butterflies and beetles. Our study is centered on a different group: green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). These insects exhibit a similar feeding behavior to some other groups, such as beetles. We estimated diversity, richness, distribution, abundance and similarity employing two methods: sweep netting and suction trapping. Also, oviposition hosts were identified in 20 different green spaces. Approximately 740 specimens …

An Illustrated Type Catalog Of Trichodesma Leconte, 1861 (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) From Mexico, With Description Of A New Species, Kyle E. Schnepp

Insecta Mundi

Trichodesma nancyae, new species (Coleoptera: Ptinidae), is described from Mexico. The species is illustrated and diagnosed, bringing the total number of extant species in the genus to 73. Lectotypes for Trichodesma beyeri Fall, Trichodesma scripta Champion, and Trichodesma texana Schaeffer are here designated. Habitus and label photographs are provided for types of 12 of the 13 species occurring in Mexico.

New Plagiosarus Bates, 1880 (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Acanthoderini) From Costa Rica And Notes On P. Melampus Congestus Bates, Josef Vlasak, Antonio Santos-Silva

Insecta Mundi

Plagiosarus transversus Vlasak and Santos-Silva, new species (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Acanthoderini), is described from Costa Rica. The rank of Plagiosarus melampus congestus Bates, 1885 is discussed.

Descriptions Of One Hundred New Species Of Hesperiidae, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Nick V. Grishin

Insecta Mundi

A century and a half since the time of Hewitson, we are experiencing a renaissance in species discovery fueled by whole genome sequencing. A large-scale genomic analysis of Hesperiidae Latreille, 1809 (Lepidoptera), including primary type specimens, reveals a deluge of species new to science. One hundred of them (one in a new genus) are described here from the New World (type localities are given in parenthesis): Drephalys (Drephalys) diovalis Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Napo), Euriphellus panador Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Esmeraldas), Euriphellus panamicus Grishin, new species (Panama: Panama), Cecropterus (Thorybes) viridissimus Grishin, new species (Ecuador: Zamora-Chinchipe), …

Interactions Between Sediment Mechanical Structure And Infaunal Community Structure Following Physical Disturbance, William Cyrus Roger Clemo

<strong> Theses and Dissertations </strong>

Shallow, river-influenced coastal sediments are important for global carbon storage and nutrient cycling and provide a habitat for diverse communities of invertebrates (infauna). Elevated bed shear stress from extreme storms can resuspend, transport, and deposit sediments, disrupting the cohesive structure of muds, and sorting and depositing sand eroded from beaches. These physical disruptions can also resuspend or smother infauna, decreasing abundances and changing community structure. Infaunal activities such as burrowing, tube construction, and feeding can impact sediment structure and stability. However, little is known about how physical disturbance impacts short and long-term sediment habitat suitability and whether disturbance-tolerant infauna influence …

Effect Of Plant Genotype On Plant-Microbe Interactions And Multi-Generation Ecosystem Selection Of Microbial Communities Associated With Plant Biomass In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Nachiket Shankar

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

The microbiome's role in shaping host phenotypes is a critical area of investigation, with implications for ecology, evolution, and host health. Dynamic plant-microbe interactions are influenced by factors like soil type, environment, and genotype. Understanding their impact on microbial communities is key for tailored plant benefits. An artificial ecosystem selection experiment was done for eight generations with Arabidopsis thaliana Ler and Cvi. This revealed distinct microbial communities shaped by genotypes and biomass treatments. Initially, environment dominated, but over time, genotype and biomass gained influence, explaining ~40% of the variation. Moreover, genotype-specific rhizobacterial associations were observed, enhancing understanding of community dynamics …

Effects Of A Protection Zone In A Reaction-Diffusion Model With Strong Allee Effect., Isaac Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A protection zone model represents a patchy environment with positive growth over the protection zone and strong Allee effect growth outside the protection zone. Generally, these models are considered through the corresponding eigenvalue problem, but that has certain limitations. In this thesis, a general protection zone model is considered. This model makes no assumption on the direction of the traveling wave solution over the Strong Allee effect patch. We use phase portrait analysis of this protection zone model to draw conclusions about the existence of equilibrium solutions. We establish the existence of three types of equilibrium solutions and the necessary …

Breaking Virulent: The Coincidental Evolution Of Virulence Factors In Bacteria., Rhiannon Emmanuelle Cecil

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how innocuous organisms can evolve to be pathogenic to humans is of increasing global concern. Further, understanding how existing pathogens may evolved to be more virulent is also vital to our ability to provide healthcare to people afflicted with diseases that promote chronic bacterial infections, such as cystic fibrosis. With the rise of antibiotic resistance in both bacteria and fungi it is paramount that new therapeutics are identified. Understanding what mutations occur that result in increased virulence in microbes can potentially provide new targets for antimicrobial drugs to combat antibiotic resistance. The Coincidental Evolution Hypothesis is a fundamental hypothesis …

Germination Trends Of American Chaffseed, Schwalbea Americana L., And Factors Affecting First-Year Seedling Development, Trenton Miller

All Theses

Following centuries of exploitation and fire suppression, longleaf pine systems are now the focus of many conservation efforts. Efforts to restore populations of Schwalbea americana L. in longleaf pine savannas have been met with frustratingly low recruitment. While past studies have briefly quantified germination rates for Schwalbea, there have not been any studies yet that truly investigate this plant’s germination requirements. Additionally, there has been little research into characterizing the parasitic relationship between Schwalbea and its various host species. We conducted a germination study in a growth chamber that investigated Schwalbea’s germination rate and time to germinates as …

Balsam Woolly Adelgid And Host Forest Characteristics: Impacts And Interactions In Recently Invaded Areas Of Northern Utah And Southeastern Idaho, Grayson B. Jordan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The balsam woolly adelgid (BWA), is an invasive forest insect native to central and southern Europe. In 2017, it was detected in Utah for the first time. While BWA had limited impact as a pest in its native European range, it has caused considerable damage to true fir populations in North America. In the Intermountain region, subalpine fir has been identified as the tree species most at risk of BWA infestation. Subalpine fir provides a variety of ecosystem services and is a critical component of the spruce-fir alpine forests of the area. With an expected increase in the severity and …

Edaphic And Climatic Regulation Of Microbial Carbon-Use Efficiency In Managed Semi-Arid Systems, Kirsten R. Butcher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

In agricultural systems, an increasingly prevalent goal is to promote carbon sequestration into stable, mineral-associated soil organic matter, as increases in soil organic matter have been linked to increases in soil water-holding capacity and increases in nutrient availability. Because microbially-produced compounds are the foundation of soil organic matter, understanding interactions between management strategies and abiotic controls on microbial activity can prove invaluable for producers and ranchers interested in building soil organic matter and safeguarding production systems under a changing climate. The ability of microorganisms to contribute to growing soil organic matter stocks is dictated by their carbon-use efficiency, which is …

Specialized Recreation, Spatial Behavior, And Ecological Implications In The Nature Reserve Of Orange County, Ca, Jake Van Deursen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

A widespread surge in park and protected area (PPA) visitation strikes managers with the imminent challenge of preserving ecological conditions and maintaining accessibility in the open spaces that are a fundamental component to the health and wellness needs of society. In the field of recreation resource management, recreation specialization, the selective channeling of interests and abilities into a specific recreational activity, has contributed to comprehensive understandings of recreation behavior, site preference, management perceptions and conservation support. Contributing to historical understandings of specialization can inform recreation planning on the diversity of uses occurring in urban-proximate PPAs. Survey data providing information on …

What Gives Me Hope, Heather M. Leslie

Maine Policy Review

The commentary focuses on the author's experiences over the last several years in Maine where she has conducted research, mentored students, and collaboratde with diverse community partners on a number of projects focused on shellfish fisheries co-management and other community-led resilience projects in coastal Maine.

Restoration Strategies For Wetlands In The Arid West: Seeding And Planting Approaches For Lakeshore Ecosystems, Jes Braun

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Wetlands are widely recognized for their valuable benefits such as providing habitat, improving water quality, and reducing the impacts of flooding. However, wetlands face threats from development, drought, and invasive species. This is particularly apparent in the arid west, where upstream water use and drought make water scarcer and contribute to dramatically changing water levels. Here, I investigated revegetation techniques for lakeshore wetlands, using Utah Lake as a case study. Although recent management efforts have minimized invasive Phragmites cover, the desired plant communities are not returning as quickly as needed, highlighting the need to research restoration techniques. Through my research, …

Metapopulation Genomics Of American Goshawks In The Intermountain West, Megan M. Sidran

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Understanding a species dispersal ecology and population dynamics is essential to effectively manage and conserve a species. As advancing technology improves our knowledge of species movements, it is becoming clear that many species form metapopulations to some extent. A metapopulation is a network of interconnected subpopulations that exchange reproductive individuals with subpopulations occupying nearby patches. Metapopulations have been observed in a variety of species, ranging from plants to vertebrates, and can vary greatly in their dynamics (level of connectivity and gene flow) based on the species behavior and life history strategy.

Forming a metapopulation can add much resilience to the …

Reducing Inputs And Adding Value To Turfgrass Systems Through Clover Inclusion And Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Applications, Paige E. Boyle

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Recently, the US has seen an expansion in the amount of turfgrass land cover (lawns, parks, roadsides, sports fields, and golf courses), as well as an interest in reducing fertilizer, water, and pesticide use in these grass systems. To help maintain quality and function while reducing resource inputs, two promising approaches have emerged: planting clover into lawns and applying plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria.

White clover and grass mixtures have been studied for their ability to cut down on fertilizer usage and provide a uniform, dark green lawn, but other clover types have not been as widely studied and may provide similar …

Developing Empirical Predictive Models To Support Conservation Planning For Threatened Frogs, Toads, And Turtles In South-Coastal California, Umarfarooq Adavudi Abdulwahab

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Amphibians and reptiles (i.e., herptiles) are among the most threatened groups of species on Earth. The major threats to these species include the direct, indirect, and synergistic effects of habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, disease, overexploitation, and pollution. To protect and restore species, natural resource managers need effective, data-driven conservation plans that are grounded in sound knowledge of species distributions and habitat requirements. Species distribution models (SDMs) are popular tools used to assess species-habitat relationships. However, SDMs are sensitive to the choice and quality of input data, both of which can affect model accuracy and precision and lead to …

Ecology And Management Of Dyer's Woad (Isatis Tinctoria) In Northern Utah, Erin Marie Hettinger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Dyer’s woad (Isatis tinctoria L.) is a non-native forb that continues to threaten natural areas throughout Northern Utah and much of the Intermountain West. Once introduced, dyer’s woad can become extremely invasive, decreasing forage quality, and displacing native species. While dyer’s woad is found throughout much of Northern Utah, its range in other states remains limited. If promptly managed, control success in these areas will be much higher and populations may be kept at bay before ecological damage becomes severe.

This project tested the ability of dyer’s woad seedlings to compete with common rangeland grasslands at varied densities as …

How Beavers (Castor Canadensis) Affect Habitat Availability For Two Native Oregon Turtles: Actinemys Marmorata And Chrysemys Picta Bellii, Rodé Krige

University Honors Theses

Oregon is home to two native freshwater turtle species: the northwestern pond turtle and the western painted turtle. Both turtles are Oregon conservation strategy species with a status rating of sensitive, indicating declining populations. Oregon’s decline in these turtle’s populations is thought to be predominantly due to loss and degradation of habitat that results from development and urbanization. Beavers’ ability to dam streams and create ponds may be creating habitat usable by turtles, but the relationship is under-studied. This study assessed water temperature, basking habitat, and overall turtle habitat suitability at beaver-dammed and control ponds in Portland, Oregon. Average basking …