The Role Of Individual Specialization In Migration Phenology And How Restored Habits Are Used By Native And Nonnative Fishes,
2026
Utah State University
The Role Of Individual Specialization In Migration Phenology And How Restored Habits Are Used By Native And Nonnative Fishes, Austin Garner
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present
Native fish species around the world have declined due to habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, and the spread of non-native species. Because these problems often happen at the same time and interact, recovery efforts can stall unless they address all of the factors limiting a species' comeback. The June sucker (Chasmistes liorus), native only to Utah Lake, UT, has declined for many of these reasons, though its recovery effort has made significant progress due in large part to a successful hatchery program. Yet, the recovery efforts have not yet been able to establish a self-sustaining population in Utah Lake, …
From Genes To Streams: Mitochondrial Approaches To Population Monitoring Of The Santa Ana Sucker Catostomus Santaanae,
2026
California State University - San Bernardino
From Genes To Streams: Mitochondrial Approaches To Population Monitoring Of The Santa Ana Sucker Catostomus Santaanae, Mariana Antonio
Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations
This study was developed to use aquatic environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool to detect the presence of the Santa Ana sucker (Catostomus santaanae), a federally threatened fish species, across the Santa Ana River in Southern California. Environmental DNA is any genetic material that an organism sheds into the environment. We can get an idea of what aquatic species are present when sampling water at a given site. We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the Santa Ana sucker and designed custom DNA primers to improve eDNA detection accuracy. These primers were selected based on high genetic …
A Geometric Morphometric Analysis Of Acetabular Shape Variation Across Bat Families,
2026
East Tennessee State University
A Geometric Morphometric Analysis Of Acetabular Shape Variation Across Bat Families, Jordan L. Huff
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Bats are the only mammals capable of powered flight, and research is concentrated on this adaptation. Their non-flight locomotion has received comparatively little attention. Previous studies show that non-flight locomotor behaviors vary across families. Members of Pteropodidae are efficient climbers but cannot effectively walk, whereas Phyllostomidae and Vespertilionidae are better at terrestrial locomotion but show reduced arboreal capabilities. The non-flight locomotion of Hipposideridae and Rhinolophidae is less understood, although rhinolophids exhibit limited terrestrial locomotion. This study examined whether differences in locomotor behavior are associated with variation in acetabular morphology. A geometric morphometric analysis of acetabular shape was conducted across multiple …
Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 42: How Accurate Are The Transcriptions Presented At The Alfred Russel Wallace Page Website?,
2026
Western Kentucky University
Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 42: How Accurate Are The Transcriptions Presented At The Alfred Russel Wallace Page Website?, Charles H. Smith
Faculty/Staff Personal Papers
A look is taken at the level of accuracy displayed by the transcriptions of Wallace writings offered at the Alfred Russel Wallace Page website, as determined by a ChatGPT analysis.
Behavioral And Landscape Factors Affecting The Effectiveness Of Egg-Bait Management For Common Ravens In The Great Basin, Usa,
2026
Utah State University
Behavioral And Landscape Factors Affecting The Effectiveness Of Egg-Bait Management For Common Ravens In The Great Basin, Usa, Sierra L. Pederson
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present
Common Ravens have become increasingly common across the Great Basin of the western USA, largely because human activities, such as roads, agriculture, livestock operations, and human-made structures, provide them with abundant food, water, and nesting sites. As raven numbers have grown, so has their impact on vulnerable species like the greater sage-grouse. Like many other ground-nesting species, greater sage-grouse eggs and chicks are especially susceptible to predation. To help reduce raven numbers in sensitive areas, wildlife managers often place hard-boiled chicken eggs treated with a toxin (DRC-1339) on the landscape, expecting that ravens will die after eating these eggs and …
Spatial And Hydrologic Effects Of Climate Change And Urbanization On Freshwater Fish Communities In North Georgia Watersheds,
2026
Kennesaw State University
Spatial And Hydrologic Effects Of Climate Change And Urbanization On Freshwater Fish Communities In North Georgia Watersheds, Mayuko Mizutani
Master's Theses
Urbanization and climate change are altering streamflow and land cover across the southeastern United States, threatening freshwater biodiversity in rivers already burdened by impoundments and habitat loss. I investigated how changes in streamflow and land cover might affect fish community biodiversity in the Etowah River watershed of North Georgia. By combining a dataset of fish collections from 1999 through 2019 with contemporaneous land use and daily streamflow, I was able to model fish community responses to urbanization and climate-driven hydrologic changes and then forecast fish community structure under multiple CMIP6 global climate models and greenhouse gas emissions scenarios (SSP2-4.5 and …
'Fast' And 'Slow' Water Handling Strategies Explain Pinyon Pine Decline And Juniper Expansion,
2026
Utah State University
'Fast' And 'Slow' Water Handling Strategies Explain Pinyon Pine Decline And Juniper Expansion, M. Faraz Rehman
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present
Across the western United States, pinyon and juniper woodlands are changing with pinyon pine trees dying back while juniper becoming more abundant. Previous studies suggested that pinyon may lose more water during drier periods. But water loss is only part of the story. Water inputs, or how plants absorb water, are also likely to be important, but rarely well understood. To better understand this, we measured how pinyon and juniper absorb water from different soil depths and how actively they lose water through their leaves. Measurements were made over two years at three sites that ranged from more dry to …
Understanding The Impact Of Environmental Change On Shorebird Abundance And Distribution Across The Intermountain West Over The Past 30 Years,
2026
Utah State University
Understanding The Impact Of Environmental Change On Shorebird Abundance And Distribution Across The Intermountain West Over The Past 30 Years, Sharon Montecino
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present
Shorebirds have declined worldwide over the past century, mainly due to wetland loss and degradation. Wetlands are sites that are temporarily or permanently flooded and provide critical habitat for shorebirds, especially in arid and semi-arid regions such as the Intermountain West. However, climate change and human water use threaten these wetlands, and how these threats may affect shorebirds in this region remains poorly understood. In the early 1990s, shorebird counts at over 160 wetlands across the Intermountain West provided a broad assessment of shorebird populations in the region. These counts remained the only large-scale surveys until 2022, when the Intermountain …
Integrating Space Use And Demography To Support Management Of An Endangered Alpine Ungulate,
2026
Utah State University
Integrating Space Use And Demography To Support Management Of An Endangered Alpine Ungulate, Danielle J. Berger
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present
The places animals choose to live affect the food they find, the dangers they face, and the weather conditions they experience. These experiences influence whether individual animals survive and reproduce, which in turn affects the size and health of animal populations. Although scientists have long believed that animal movements play an important role in population trends, there has been limited real-world evidence showing this connection. Advances in GPS tracking technology now allow researchers to follow animals over long periods and better understand how movement influences survival. Using 20 years of GPS tracking data from the endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep …
Carbon Cycling, Salinization, And Long-Term Water Quality Trends In Rocky Mountain Streams,
2026
Utah State University
Carbon Cycling, Salinization, And Long-Term Water Quality Trends In Rocky Mountain Streams, Allyson J. Marrs
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present
Humans have greatly affected streams and rivers worldwide through urbanization, agriculture, and water use. The purpose of my dissertation is to increase our understanding of various human impacts on rivers. In chapter two, I aim to determine whether there are differences in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions between a natural river and manmade canals. I did this by measuring the emissions and dissolved concentrations of three of the most prevalent GHGs, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). I found that most of the sites I studied were emitting CO2 and CH …
The Influence Of Habitat And Individual Specialization On Mountain Lion (Puma Concolor) Hunting Strategy In A Multi-Prey System,
2026
Utah State University
The Influence Of Habitat And Individual Specialization On Mountain Lion (Puma Concolor) Hunting Strategy In A Multi-Prey System, Hannah B. Klugman
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present
There is a growing recognition that animal species considered generalists (having a broad and varied diet), are actually specialists, a collection of individuals with different preferences and strategies known as specializations. The diet of a specialist depends on the variety and quantity of available food options, and their own ability to take what they need. Mountain lions (Puma concolor) are known for their ability and tendency to hunt large prey, such as elk (Cervus canadensis) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), but despite the fact they overlap with other potential large prey, like feral horses …
Re-Examining Endemic Smoky Dace As An Indicator Species In The Upper Little Tennessee River Index Of Biological Integrity,
2026
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Re-Examining Endemic Smoky Dace As An Indicator Species In The Upper Little Tennessee River Index Of Biological Integrity, Tayton C. Alvis, William O. Mclarney, Radmila Petric, Jason P. Love
Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings
Fish communities can be used to evaluate water quality and stream ecosystem health, helping resource managers understand the effects of anthropogenic disturbance. Fish species inform indexes of biological integrity through their ecological traits and tolerance to stressors (e.g. tolerant of disturbance, intolerant of disturbance), but these designations are difficult to determine without localized, species-specific information. The Upper Little Tennessee River watershed is subject to long-term aquatic biomonitoring, applying an index of biological integrity tailored to the region. In this index, the undescribed endemic Smoky Dace (Clinostomus sp.) is classified as intolerant based on a previous designation for the Rosyside Dace …
What Does Sentience Mean At The Neural Level?,
2026
University of Regensburg
What Does Sentience Mean At The Neural Level?, Björn Brembs
Animal Sentience
Jonathan Birch's (2025) LSE criteria for sentience include motivational trade-offs, exemplified by C. elegansweighing hunger against desiccation risk. Yet once the neural circuit is known, this "trade-off" reduces to a single inhibitory synapse—an ‘elemental’ account discrediting the ‘molar’ one. My commentary illustrates the same discrepancy in Drosophila: dopaminergic ramping during courtship as it progressively suppresses threat-detecting neurons; so persistence past danger reflects recalibrated valuation rather than a weighed decision. As neurobiology increasingly discovers such discrepancies, all criteria resting on behavioral classifications risk being defined away without altering the behavior's validity.
Climate Change And Desert Ecosystem Resilience: A Systematic Review Of Impacts, Adaptation Strategies, And Sustainability Pathways,
2026
Al-Azhar University, Egypt
Climate Change And Desert Ecosystem Resilience: A Systematic Review Of Impacts, Adaptation Strategies, And Sustainability Pathways, Ghada Abd Elsattar Mohammed Oraby, Garmat Zahra
Jurnal Pendidikan Geografi: Kajian, Teori, dan Praktek dalam Bidang Pendidikan dan Ilmu Geografi
Desert ecosystems are among the most climate-sensitive environments on Earth, where rising temperatures, altered precipitation regimes, and increasing aridity threaten ecosystem stability, biodiversity, and ecological functioning. Despite covering more than one-third of the global land surface, a comprehensive understanding of how climate change affects desert ecosystem resilience and the effectiveness of adaptation strategies remains limited. This study conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA framework to evaluate the impacts of climate change on desert ecosystem resilience and to identify effective adaptation and restoration pathways. A total of 16 high-quality studies were selected from 403 records retrieved from the Scopus database. …
Bridging The Gap In Science Research: Preparing Students For College- Level Research In The Sciences,
2026
University of Connecticut - Storrs
Bridging The Gap In Science Research: Preparing Students For College- Level Research In The Sciences, Victoria Helwig, Yaoguang Li
UConn Library Presentations
Many first-year students enter college unprepared to fully engage with scientific literature and academic library resources. Drawing on experiences from academic librarians working with STEM students, this session explores common gaps in science research skills, including navigating databases, identifying scholarly sources, and understanding the structure of scientific literature. Participants will be introduced to practical strategies and classroom-ready activities to better prepare students for college-level research. Discussion questions: What science research skills do students struggle with most when entering college? How can high school instruction better support these skills? Where can librarians and educators collaborate to support student success?
Scorpiops Walteri Sp. N. (Scorpiones: Scorpiopidae) From Myanmar,
2026
Marshall University
Scorpiops Walteri Sp. N. (Scorpiones: Scorpiopidae) From Myanmar, František Kovařík
Euscorpius
A new species Scorpiops walteri sp. n. (Scorpiopidae) is described from Myanmar, fully illustrated with color photos showing its morphology and habitus. Scorpiops walteri sp. n. is the only species of the genus with a combination of the following five characters: chelal trichobothrium Eb3 located in middle of manus between trichobothria Dt and Est; patella of pedipalp with 11–12 ventral and 19 external trichobothria; fingers of pedipalps strongly undulate in male; pedipalp movable finger with ca. 47 IAD; and chela length to width ratio 2.8 in male.
Reel Into Fishing!: Providing A Recreational Fishing Education Program For Youth,
2026
Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Reel Into Fishing!: Providing A Recreational Fishing Education Program For Youth, Amelia Valente, Douglas R. Zemeckis, Lisa Morse, Gene Nigro
Journal of Extension
New Jersey is known as the Garden State, but with over 130 miles of Atlantic coastline, it also has very productive marine ecosystems that offer numerous opportunities for recreational marine fishing. The International Game Fish Association, a nonprofit organization committed to the conservation of game fish and the promotion of responsible, ethical angling practices, collaborated with Rutgers Cooperative Extension to host a youth educational program entitled Reel Into Fishing! The objective is to educate participants through hands-on engagement on ethical fishing practices and marine science to help develop the next generation of responsible anglers.
Look Out For Our Kind,
2026
WellBeing International
Look Out For Our Kind, Christof Koch
Animal Sentience
Strongly supportive overall of Birch’s broad tent Sentience Project, I offer an alternative dyadic, single-class, two-stage process based on estimating the probability for sentience, and the associated confidence, for any individual or taxonomic group. I criticize Birch’s narrow computational framework when addressing the question of algorithmic sentience; there are alternative approaches.
Ai Is Not The Kind Of Thing That Can Ever Be Sentient,
2026
New York University
Ai Is Not The Kind Of Thing That Can Ever Be Sentient, Lori Marino
Animal Sentience
Sentience evolved to allow organisms to move through their environment avoiding harms and achieving benefits. Sentience did not evolve from computation. It evolved from valenced feelings. AI (even robots) are not embodied and are not the kind of thing that needs to be sentient. There is no way to get from computations to feelings. They are qualitatively different things. We should avoid being lulled into thinking that an inanimate object designed to engage our propensity for anthropomorphism, like AI, is actually a mind.
Aquaponics: Farming Fish And Growing Greens For Grades 9–12,
2026
Purdue University
Aquaponics: Farming Fish And Growing Greens For Grades 9–12, Amy M. Shambach,, Rebecca M. Ward, J. Stuart Carlton, Kwamena K. Quagrainie, Tomas O. Höök
Purdue University Press Books
Aquaponics: Farming Fish and Growing Greens for Grades 9–12 teaches STEM-related course material through aquaponics, a water-based agricultural system that combines aquaculture (fish production) and hydroponics (soilless vegetable production) systems. This curriculum is aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and designed to be used with an onsite aquaponics system. Topics include an introduction to aquaculture, fundamental parts of an aquaponics system, the nitrogen cycle, water quality, population dynamics, our modern food system, and more. The ten lessons presented build on each other and are intended to be delivered in sequential order. Alternatively, lessons may also be utilized as stand-alone units …
