Patterns Of Taxonomic, Functional, And Phylogenetic Diversity, And Ecological Drivers Of Stream Fish Assemblages In East Texas,
2025
Stephen F Austin State University
Patterns Of Taxonomic, Functional, And Phylogenetic Diversity, And Ecological Drivers Of Stream Fish Assemblages In East Texas, Anastasia M. Umstott
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Freshwater ecosystems in East Texas contain a rich freshwater biodiversity, with the Neches and Sabine River basins supporting some of the greatest freshwater fish diversity in the state. Given the heterogeneity of habitats and species diversity, these rivers serve as excellent natural systems for examining the ecological processes shaping biodiversity patterns and species distributions. In 2023-2024, 60 streams in the Neches and Sabine River basins were surveyed across three seasons to investigate the patterns and ecological drivers of taxonomic (TDβ), functional (FDβ), and phylogenetic β-diversity (PDβ) facets of freshwater fish assemblages. Additionally, I created two ecological niche models for a …
Monitoring Mangrove Dynamics And Evaluating Future Afforestation Potential In The Egyptian Red Sea,
2025
Damietta University
Monitoring Mangrove Dynamics And Evaluating Future Afforestation Potential In The Egyptian Red Sea, Rasha M. Abou Samra, Mansour Almazroui, Wenzhao Li, Hesham El-Askary
Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research
Mangrove forests are vital for ecosystem services and coastal management but face stressors from anthropogenic activities and climate change. This study estimates the extent and afforestation potential of mangroves along the Egyptian Red Sea coast from 1984 to 2022 using NDVI derived from Landsat-5 and Sentinel-2 data in Google Earth Engine. Aboveground biomass (AGB), belowground biomass (BGB), carbon (C) stock, and CO2 sequestration potential were evaluated using Sentinel-2 and elevation data. Future afforestation suitability (2020–2050) under SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios was assessed with the MaxEnt model. Mangrove area increased from 0.95 km2 in 1984 to 1.46 km2 …
Genomic Structure Among Populations Of A Regionally Rare Perennial Plant Indicates The Need For Reevaluation Of Management Units,
2025
Bucknell University
Genomic Structure Among Populations Of A Regionally Rare Perennial Plant Indicates The Need For Reevaluation Of Management Units, Cheyenne Moore, Angela J. Mcdonnell, Scott Schuette, Christopher T. Martine
Faculty Journal Articles
Conservation of rare species often relies on the delineation of management units and genomic tools can now be applied for this purpose. However, this is not as common on a local scale, where populations are often small and fragmented, despite the utility of informing conservation and management practice at the regional level. We use a genotyping by sequencing (GBS) approach to assess the perennial riparian plant species Baptisia australis (Fabaceae) in Pennsylvania, where the taxon is at the edge of its natural distribution and considered threatened. In this system, we investigate whether sampled subpopulations exhibit genetic structure. We find that …
Functional Morphology Of The Primate Knee And Its Implications For Hominin Bipedal Mechanics,
2025
Dartmouth College
Functional Morphology Of The Primate Knee And Its Implications For Hominin Bipedal Mechanics, Catherine K. Miller
Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations
Bipedal locomotion is central to the human condition, having shaped our evolutionary trajectory since its early emergence in the hominin lineage. Despite its importance, key questions remain about its origins and evolutionary trajectory. While many studies have focused on locomotor-related anatomies, comparatively less attention has been paid to the knee joint – a structure critical to the primate locomotor repertoire. This dissertation aims to clarify the form-function relationship of the knee in extant primates to better infer the locomotor behaviors of Miocene hominoids and Plio-Pleistocene hominins. To address these questions, this research employs a multifaceted analytical approach, integrating linear measurements, …
New Mexico Cooper's Hawk Demographic Study: 2024 Annual Report,
2025
New Mexico State University
New Mexico Cooper's Hawk Demographic Study: 2024 Annual Report, Brian A. Millsap Dr., Jay Gedir, Chris Vennum, Fitsum Abadi, Kristin Madden, Kirsten Mcdonnell, Emily Bjerre, Hillary White, Ted Swem, Michael Stewart
New Mexico Cooper’s Hawk: Publications
The 2024 Annual Report for a long-term (2011 - present) demographic study of Cooper's hawks (Astur cooperii) in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Impacts Of German Yellowjacket (Vespula Germanica) Removal On Pollinator Communities In Western New York,
2025
State University of New York College at Buffalo - Buffalo State College
Impacts Of German Yellowjacket (Vespula Germanica) Removal On Pollinator Communities In Western New York, Jonathan M. Promowicz
Biology Theses
Invasive social insects can restructure native arthropod communities through predation and competition. Vespula germanica (German yellowjacket) is a globally invasive wasp species that dominates vespid assemblages across urban and suburban landscapes. This study tested the hypothesis that reducing V. germanica using protein-based fipronil baits would increase native pollinator abundance, species richness and native vespid abundance. Vespula germanica was experimentally suppressed at suburban and urban sites. Pollinator abundance and richness increased with V. germanica baiting. Native vespids had mixed results from baiting with suburban sites increasing in overall abundance and urban sites decreasing. These results indicate that suppressing dominant invasive wasps …
Large Mammal Herbivores As Gardeners Of Tropical Forest Ecosystems,
2025
Wofford College
Large Mammal Herbivores As Gardeners Of Tropical Forest Ecosystems, Kathryn Garner
Student Scholarship
Ecosystems worldwide are experiencing changes in structure and function as populations of fauna decline and experience local extinctions (Torres-Romero et al. 2020). Due primarily to their body size, large mammal herbivores (LMHs) are disproportionately prone to extinction from human activities such as agricultural expansion, deforestation, and anthropogenic climate change (Pringle et al. 2023). Additionally, as the number of domesticated LMHs (i.e. cattle, pigs, etc.) continue to increase in both density and distribution, their wild counterparts are continually displaced, resulting in increased competition for resources and an increased risk of disease transmission between domestic to wild species (Pringle et al. 2023; …
Ghosts In Glass: Ghost Crabs (Ocypode Quadrata) As Judges Of Glass Sand For Coastal Restoration,
2025
University of South Alabama
Ghosts In Glass: Ghost Crabs (Ocypode Quadrata) As Judges Of Glass Sand For Coastal Restoration, Emily Parrish
Poster Presentations
Coastal erosion is heavily impacting coastal ecosystems across the Gulf. For instance, the state of Louisiana loses a football field worth of land every 100 minutes (Couvillion, 2017). The drastic loss of coastline highlights the dire need for restoration in the Northern Gulf Coast. An unexpected solution to this sediment loss may solve two major environmental issues at once by diverting millions of tons of glass waste from entering America’s landfills each year. By crushing glass to create sand and gravel for coastal restoration, we may generate a consistent and sustainable source of substrate. Our goal is to determine the …
The Impact Of Maternal Age On The Expression Of Transgenerational Plasticity In Daphnia Pulicaria,
2025
University of Texas at Arlington
The Impact Of Maternal Age On The Expression Of Transgenerational Plasticity In Daphnia Pulicaria, Calvin Nguyen
2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive
Transgenerational plasticity refers to heritable, non-genetic changes in phenotype that persist across multiple generations and can enhance offspring survivability in variable environments. In Daphnia, increasing maternal age has been associated with maladaptive plasticity. To investigate this relationship, six clones were collected from two Wisconsin lakes and acclimated to laboratory conditions through a common garden rearing process. For each clone, ten replicates were generated and evenly divided between young (clutches 2–4) and old (clutches 5–8) maternal age groups. Offspring were exposed to three dietary treatments for three experimental generations: one fed only green algae, one fed only cyanobacteria (a nutritionally …
Elucidating The Role Of Transposable Element Derived Gene, Dplg3, In Drosophila Melanogaster,
2025
The University of Texas at Arlington
Elucidating The Role Of Transposable Element Derived Gene, Dplg3, In Drosophila Melanogaster, Kaisy A. Martinez
2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive
A big fraction of most eukaryotic genomes is comprised of transposable elements (TEs). TEs are mobile genetic sequences often causing deleterious effects as they increase in copy number. On rare occasions, TEs can undergo molecular domestication, where the TE proteins are co-opted by the host to serve cellular functions. In Drosophila melanogaster, domestication from PIF/Harbinger TEs has resulted in five Drosophila PIF-Like Genes (DPLG1-4 and 8). This study focuses on investigating the function of DPLG3. In DPLG3 knock out lines, DPLG3-KO, a fraction of the progeny shows an abnormal gonad phenotype. We sought to confirm …
Uncovering The Evolutionary Origins Of Neo-Sex Chromosomes In The Insect Family Membracidae,
2025
University of Texas at Arlington
Uncovering The Evolutionary Origins Of Neo-Sex Chromosomes In The Insect Family Membracidae, Mary Kumah
2025 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive
This research explores the evolution of the neo-XX/XY sex chromosome system of Amblyophallus exaltatus, a treehopper insect in the family Membracidae. Neo-XX/XY sex chromosome systems can evolve from an XX/X0 sex chromosome system via fusion events between the X chromosome and an autosome. Although cytological work has indicated the presence of a neo-XX/XY system within A.exaltatus, the chromosomal identity of the fused autosome and the molecular drivers behind this chromosomal fusion remain poorly understood. By performing a coverage analysis with whole genome sequence data, the parts of the A.exaltatus genome that fused with the X chromosome will be better …
Gone With The Flow: Flow Reduction Coincides With Reduced Metabolism And Standing Stock Of Benthic Algae And Macroinvertebrates In Desert Rivers,
2025
Utah State University
Gone With The Flow: Flow Reduction Coincides With Reduced Metabolism And Standing Stock Of Benthic Algae And Macroinvertebrates In Desert Rivers, Chloe E. Lyles
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present
River metabolism, the measure of energy flow in a river, is driven by hydrological and physicochemical regimes (e.g., temperature, turbidity, and nutrients). However, these regimes are increasingly altered by human water demand and climate change-driven drought. These stressors alter the magnitude, timing, and duration of critical spring-snowmelt floods with poorly understood consequences on ecosystem function, particularly in desert rivers. To investigate the linkages between flow reduction, river metabolism, and basal food resource productivity (i.e., algae and aquatic invertebrates), we measured metabolism and basal resource availability in seven desert tributaries with varying degrees of flow reduction during low-flow conditions in 2023 …
Maximizing Dryland Seed-Based Restoration Success Via Retrospective Analyses Of Species-Use Patterns And Field Testing Of Seed Mix Composition,
2025
Utah State University
Maximizing Dryland Seed-Based Restoration Success Via Retrospective Analyses Of Species-Use Patterns And Field Testing Of Seed Mix Composition, Spencer J. Good
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present
Due to harsh and variable environmental conditions, successful plant establishment in "dryland" ecosystems – areas with scarce precipitation – is a major challenge for restoration. One of the most important decisions influencing restoration outcomes is choosing which species to plant (i.e., species selection). Here I explored two opportunities to improve restoration success related to species selection. First, I examined recent restoration projects across Utah, USA to understand species selection patterns by site conditions (e.g., precipitation, elevation) and seed costs, and to identify tools for matching species to sites. Second, I tested how commonly used non-native species – those not originally …
Quantifying Freshwater Salinization Impacts On Nitrate Removal Via Denitrification In Urban Streams,
2025
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Quantifying Freshwater Salinization Impacts On Nitrate Removal Via Denitrification In Urban Streams, Brynnen Beck
Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses
As the urban world expands, the construction of impervious surfaces increases erosion and runoff into nearby streams. Urbanization also adds waste from human activity into the environment. One of these wastes is runoff from road salt application in winter months, which can increase stream salinization and interfere with other important ecological processes, such as denitrification. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare nitrate removal via denitrification between two urban streams to understand the role of road salts in freshwater salinization. We compared conductivity measurements between the streams to see how background conductivity (a proxy for salinity) influences resilience …
The Movement Ecology, Ranging Patterns, And Territoriality Of Azara’S Owl Monkeys (Aotus Azarae) In The Argentinean Chaco Forest,
2025
Yale University
The Movement Ecology, Ranging Patterns, And Territoriality Of Azara’S Owl Monkeys (Aotus Azarae) In The Argentinean Chaco Forest, Jeremy D. Pustilnik
Master of Environmental Science Theses
Azara’s owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) are small, pair-living, socially monogamous primates that inhabit the Chaco Forest of South America. Their activity and life history patterns have been particularly well studied, however, their movement ecology and ranging patterns within their home ranges remains largely unknown. Herein I descriptively analyze these patterns with respect to time, space, ambient environment, and physical environment using spatial information on five owl monkey groups that were followed over the course of a year between 1998 and 1999 at a multi-decade-operating field site near Formosa, Argentina. Analysis of distance and speed moved during different diel …
Pathways Of Nitrogen Loss After Fertilization In Dryland Ecosystems,
2025
University of Texas at El Paso
Pathways Of Nitrogen Loss After Fertilization In Dryland Ecosystems, Fidel Manuel Renteria
Open Access Theses & Dissertations
Dryland ecosystems cover approximately 41% of the Earth’s terrestrial surface, and are characterized by limited moisture, nutrient-poor soils, and pulsed precipitation regimes that collectively constrain nutrient cycling. Although nitrogen (N) is often assumed to be a primary limiting nutrient in these environments, fertilization studies frequently reveal minimal biotic response to added N—a pattern known as the "dryland nitrogen paradox." This paradox has been attributed to rapid nitrogen loss via gaseous emissions and leaching, exacerbated by interactions with water and phosphorus (P) availability. To investigate these loss pathways, we conducted a field experiment at the Jornada Experimental Range in the northern …
Understanding Factors That Drive Wildlife Mortality During Prescribed Fire Management Of Prairie Restorations,
2025
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Understanding Factors That Drive Wildlife Mortality During Prescribed Fire Management Of Prairie Restorations, Hunter M. Griffey
Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses
Fire is a key ecological disturbance, which plays a vital role in maintaining biodiversity and early successional species. For today’s land managers, prescribed fire is key in the restoration and maintenance of prairie ecosystems, halting woody encroachment and creating habitat desperately needed by many species. However, fire may have unintended effects on wildlife populations through direct mortality. Among taxa living in fire-dependent ecosystems, reptiles are predisposed to direct mortality, and several studies have recorded significant mortality during prescribed burns. However, the few studies investigating reptile mortality in prescribed fire are limited by small sample sizes and generally have limited analysis …
Life History Inhibits Deleterious Effects Of Dams On Genetic Health And Structure Of A Headwater Stream Fish,
2025
Coastal Carolina University
Life History Inhibits Deleterious Effects Of Dams On Genetic Health And Structure Of A Headwater Stream Fish, Riley Phelps
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Habitat loss, fragmentation, and land use changes in river networks are common globally. The resulting fragmentation of landscapes and riverscapes threatens biodiversity and can affect dispersal and subsequently, gene flow and genetic health of species. Headwater streams are an integral part of river networks and contribute to biodiversity by providing habitat for temporary and permanent residents, yet they are easily altered and fragmented. The sandhills chub (Semotilus lumbee) is an endemic headwater leuciscid that lives in highly fragmented streams of the sandhills ecoregion in North and South Carolina, USA. New knowledge on the population genetics of the sandhills chub is …
Assessment Of Lake Salvador Shoreline Dynamics To Support Restoration Of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation In Jean Lafitte National Historical Park And Preserve, Louisiana,
2025
University of New Orleans
Assessment Of Lake Salvador Shoreline Dynamics To Support Restoration Of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation In Jean Lafitte National Historical Park And Preserve, Louisiana, Lydia V. Dipaola
LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations
High wave energy degrades shoreline habitat between Lake Salvador and Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (JELA), Louisiana. JELA constructed a northern breakwater in 2004, and a southern breakwater in 2024 to protect the shoreline and promote restoration of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). This study analyzes Sentinel-2 imagery to quantify coastal loss along the JELA-Lake Salvador using the Change Polygon Approach, assessing annual, cumulative and major storm event-associated shoreline changes for January 2017-2025. SAV cover, nekton diversity, wave energy, and turbidity were measured before-and-after southern breakwater construction to monitor ecological and environmental outcomes. The JELA-Lake Salvador shoreline has lost …
A Genetic And Spatial Analysis Of The Last Megafaunal Species (Tapirus Terrestris) In The Paraguayan Dry Chaco Forest,
2025
University of New Orleans, New Orleans
A Genetic And Spatial Analysis Of The Last Megafaunal Species (Tapirus Terrestris) In The Paraguayan Dry Chaco Forest, Emily Bowers
LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations
No abstract provided.
