Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

A Tale Of Two Asters: Resolving The Plant And Microbial Community Structure Of An Invasive And Native Forb, William Cartelli

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Old fields dominated by flowering forbs are frequent targets for ecological restoration, particularly because they are often inhabited by invasive species whose ecological effects remain context dependent and widely debated. While native plants are typically favored in restoration efforts, and invasive species viewed as threats to biodiversity, such classifications may oversimplify ecological function. This study investigates two dominant genera of the Asteraceae family —Centaurea stoebe (L) (non-native) and Solidago spp. (S. rugosa and S. canadensis, both native)—to examine whether biogeographic origin or ecological strategy more strongly influences their impact on above and below ground community structure. Despite their contrasting origins, …

Agrichemical Surfactant And Pathogen Impacts On The Blue Orchard Bee (Osmia Lignaria Say, Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Mary-Kate F. Williams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Pathogens that infect commercially reared bee species, such as honey bees and bumble bees, have been extensively studied within the last several years, and studies that explore pathogen impacts on solitary bee health are significantly fewer. Consistent pesticide exposure methods are limited to honey bees and do not outline exposure routes to solitary bees, including how to test chemical impacts on immature stages. My research investigated blue orchard bee survival, development, and immune response following pathogen exposure while simultaneously studying organosilicone surfactant (OSS) exposure and possible synergisms between these two stressors. In my first research chapter (Chapter 2), I define …

Chromosome Evolution Model Reveals Hidden Variation In Karyotype-Driven Speciation In Ferns, Thomas Buchloh

All Theses

Because karyotype change commonly generates reproductive isolation between diverging species, rapid karyotype evolution, like that seen in plants, may increase the total rate of diversification. However, few studies have investigated this predicted relationship. Tests of this prediction have identified a positive correlation between the rate of karyotype change (specifically whole genome duplications) and diversification, but tests have been restricted to relatively small and young clades. Fortunately, novel macroevolutionary models have recently become available to investigate patterns of karyotype evolution in large phylogenies, providing new opportunity to investigate variation in karyotype driven diversification. Ferns are one of the most karyotype rich …

Spatiotemporal Changes In The Imperiled And Diverse Mussel Assemblage Of The Spring River In Kansas In Response To Known And Emerging Pollutants, Joshua Holloway

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Kansas was historically home to 50 species of freshwater mussels, of which 42 remain extant. The Spring River of southeastern Kansas is home to 34 of the remaining 42 mussels, many of which are imperiled. Elevated metal concentrations that resulted from past lead and zinc mining in the Tri-State Mining District historically imperiled Spring River mussels, but this threat has abated over the last 20 years. Ammonia pollution may have replaced the threat of metals, however, with potentially severe consequences for Spring River mussels. Our objectives were to evaluate contemporary mussel assemblage structure, in addition to spatiotemporal trends in the …

Determining The Influence Of A Low-Head Dam On Macroinvertebrate Communities In The Bouie River, Natalie Santiago

Honors Theses

The Bouie River is a tributary of the Leaf River and belongs to the Pascagoula River watershed, the latter of which has no flow impediments in the form of sills or dams. The Bouie River has been heavily altered in the lower 10 river kilometers (rkm) from aggregate mining (creating a series of deep gravel pits) and the presence of an earthen and concrete low-head dam (sill) located 6 rkm from the mouth of the river. However, despite these alterations, the immediate stretch of river below the low-head dam is a known spawning habitat for diadromous fish species, including the …

A Bishnoi Woman’S Odhani: Gendered Labor, Environmental Ethics, And Textile Traditions In Rajasthan, Nidhi Patel

Department of Anthropology

This report examines an embroidered odhani (woman’s shawl) attributed to a Bishnoi artisan from Rajasthan, India. The odhani is housed in the May Weber Ethnographic Study Collection at Loyola University Chicago. Close analysis of technique and contextual evidence is used to reattribute the textile, which was originally mislabeled and situates it within the contexts of gendered labor and environmental ethics within the Bishnoi community. Utilizing the frameworks of materialist and eco-spiritual feminism, the report argues that the odhani functions as a site of ecological resistance, cultural transmission, and women’s embodied knowledge, as well as a garment.

Movement Ecology Of Sandhills Chub, A Carolina Endemic, Zachary Adam Ramsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fish movement studies have traditionally focused on species that support commercial and recreational fisheries, but recently more focus has been given to non-game, stream fishes because of their recognized importance in maintaining biodiversity within these ecosystems. Stream fish movement is described as being “restricted” and following a leptokurtic distribution via diffusive spread related to environmental and biological factors. Many studies of stream fish movement ecology in North America have occurred in high-gradient streams with coarse substrate in mountains or in streams of the interior plains. Sandhills streams of the southeastern USA are characterized as warm-water, low gradient, and dominated by …

Modifying The Comb, Rethinking The Install: Integrated Approaches To Honey Bee Colony Establishment And Winter Survival, Shelby A. Kittle

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The European, or Western honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) plays a vital role in global ecosystems and agriculture, providing essential pollination services and producing valuable hive products. However, honey bee colony losses have escalated worldwide, but particularly across the United States due to various stressors, including biotic and abiotic factors, mismanagement, and environmental challenges. This thesis investigates key challenges in honey bee management and explores solutions aimed at improving colony health and productivity.

Chapter 1 provides an overview of the beekeeping industry, detailing its economic importance, services, and products, as well as the many challenges faced by beekeepers. It …

Epidemiological Inferences Of The Impacts Of Winter Ticks On Moose Health, Krishna S. Woerheide

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The North American Moose (mooz in Anishinaabemowin, Ojibwe language, Alces alces), a culturally significant subsistence species for the Anishinaabe people, faces population decline due to calf predation, pathogen transmission, and parasitism by the winter tick (Dermacentor albipictus), all exacerbated by climate change. This study explores the impact of winter tick infestations on moose health, with a focus on natural mineral seeps as potential transmission hotspots in moose habitats within the Grand Portage Indian Reservation (Gichi Onigaming), on Isle Royale National Park (Minong), and within the 1854 Ceded Territory (greater northeastern Minnesota) - ancestral and present homelands of …

Ediacaran Paleocommunity Structure, Body Size Evolution, And The Rise Of Complex Animals, Matthew Philip Craffey

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The Ediacaran period (635-538ma) is a key interval in the evolution of life as it records the first macroscopic animal communities. Major extinction pulses appear to have altered the composition of the global marine biosphere between each sub-interval of the Ediacaran Period: the Avalon, White Sea, and Nama assemblage Zones. While considerable attention has been paid to the causes of these extinction pulses, less has been afforded to the consequences of Ediacaran biotic turnover for community organization and function. Moreover, it is unclear how body size - the defining trait of macrofauna - affected the transition between animal groups across …

Influence Of Biotic And Abiotic Factors On Decomposition And The Determination Of Time Since Death: Applications Of Forensic Entomology And Taphonomy, John Oladapo Obafunwa

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The determination of the postmortem interval (PMI) is essential for the investigation and successful prosecution of suspected cases of homicide. While the forensic pathologist might be able to draw fairly accurate conclusions during the initial 24–36 hours, beyond this period, the assistance of other experts like forensic entomologists and taphonomists would be required. The present study was designed to observe the postmortem changes in Sus scrofa placed in a cage in Nebraska, located in the American Central Great Plains. The setting is in an open grassland in late spring to early summer. The observed variables with respect to biotic and …

Spatial Ecology And Predator–Prey Interactions Of Mountain Lions In California's San Francisco North Bay, Jacob A. Harvey

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Understanding spatial ecology and predator-prey interactions are central to wildlife ecology and conservation. We tracked mountain lions with GPS telemetry to evaluate space use, predator-prey interactions, and resource selection in California’s San Francisco North Bay, USA. In Chapter 1, we evaluated the influence of human disturbance on home range size, prey composition, and kill rates on black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) across an urban-rural gradient. Both males and females increased home range size with increasing development at low to moderate levels of development, but female home range size stabilized across greater proportions of development while male home range …

Maggot Mass Effect On The Development And Survival Of Forensic Blow Flies, Akomavo Fabrice Gbenonsi

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Forensic entomology scientists use blow flies' developing patterns to estimate the postmortem interval (PMI). However, larval aggregations produce metabolic heat, resulting in complex microclimates that may change growth timetables. This study investigates how larval density and associated temperature changes affect the development and survival of two forensically essential blow fly species, Lucilia sericata and Calliphora vicina.

This study examined how larval density and associated thermal profiles affect the development of both blow fly species. Using a split-plot design, we tested four larval densities at 25°C and 30°C, with temperature gradients measured via thermocouple at four mass positions three times …

Assessing Phenotypic Variation Across Generations Of Iberodes Littoralis Under Climate Change, Mariangel M. Fernandez Silva

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The consequences of climate change and anthropogenic activity have decreased wildlife biodiversity. Plants are particularly vulnerable to climate change due to their large biomass on the planet and sessile nature. A particularly useful method for plants to cope with environmental changes is phenotypic plasticity. Adjusting morphological traits through plasticity can help plants cope with environmental changes. Furthermore, plastic responses can be passed down through methods such as changes in DNA sequence or epigenetic modifications.

Our research project focuses on an herb, Iberodes littoralis, a species of concern native to the Siberian Peninsula with approximately thirteen extant populations. The data that …

Morphology Of Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus Dolomieu) In Arkansas, Robert Laroche

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Smallmouth Bass, Micropterus dolomieu, is one of the most important game fishes in Arkansas. Three distinct lineages are recognized from different river basins: the Northern, Neosho, and Ouachita Smallmouth Bass. Understanding the biodiversity within this species complex inhabiting different water bodies in Arkansas is important for effective management of the fisheries resource and to guide conservation efforts. But current data on distribution of distinct forms are insufficient to guide management. The primary goals of the study presented here was to quantify morphological characteristics to identify distinct lineages of Smallmouth Bass, and to determine their specific locations within Arkansas streams …

Comparing Non-Invasive Survey Techniques For Southern Flying Squirrels (Glaucomys Volans) In Nebraska, Jay Winfield

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) is a threatened species in Nebraska that occurs along the Missouri River in the southeastern corner of the state, but recently, a population was discovered in the city of Lincoln. The method in which G. volans established a population in Lincoln is unknown. A survey of the current distribution in Nebraska is long overdue, thus the most effective survey methods need to be determined. This study investigated and compared two noninvasive survey techniques, ultrasonic detectors and trail cameras, that have recently been used successfully to survey for a similar species, the northern flying squirrel, …

Population Estimates, Demography, And Habitat Assessment Of The Pearl River Map Turtle (Graptemys Pearlensis) In The Pearl River Drainage Of Mississippi, Noah Devros

Master's Theses

The Pearl River map turtle (Graptemys pearlensis) is a highly riverine Emydid endemic to the Pearl River drainage of central and southern Mississippi and southern Louisiana. First described in 2010, G. pearlensis was listed as federally Threatened in 2024. . Due to its relative novelty as a species, no rigorous site-specific population estimates of G. pearlensis in Mississippi have been conducted. The primary goal of this study was to implement a replicable method of assessing the population of G. pearlensis throughout the Pearl River drainage system of Mississippi. A secondary goal was to describe habitat associated with G. …

Walleye And Sauger Movement And Entrainment In Lewis And Clark Lake, William Joseph Radigan

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Walleye Sander vitreus and Sauger Sander canadensis are both socioeconomically important sportfish species in Lewis and Clark Lake, an interjurisdictionally managed mainstem Missouri River reservoir fishery. Since 2011, adult catch per unit effort (CPUE) of both Walleye and Sauger has remained at approximately 50% of pre-2011 levels. A presumed reason for the suppressed CPUE of adult Walleye and Sauger is substantial entrainment of larval and adult fish resulting from the reservoir’s high turnover rate (7.2 d). Acoustic telemetry was used to quantify adult movement and entrainment and ichthyoplankton trawls were used to assess larval entrainment. Relative importance of factors driving …

Landscape Effects On The Beneficial Arthropod Community In Agriculturally Dominated Environments, Hannah E. Stowe

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Ecosystem services in agriculturally dominated regions rely, at least in part, on arthropods. Environment and biodiversity influence beneficial arthropods in population size, community structure, diversity, and ecosystem service provisioning. Predation is among the most important services provided by arthropods in agroecosystems. Understanding what alters predation and predator activity can support the successful application of biological control and, more broadly, integrated pest management. Land use and edge adjacency, field characteristics, landscape, seasonality, and diel period all alter predatory behavior. Crop fields dominate Nebraska agroecosystems, although interspersed perennial grasslands persist through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Such grasslands supply crucial resources and …

Characterizing Successional Dynamics And Host Impacts On The Big Sagebrush Leaf Microbiome, Jacob A. Heil

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The leaf microbiome contributes to the functioning of Earth’s ecosystems through interactions with host plants, modifying their health, for better or for worse. The leaf microbiome contains bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that interact with each other and are subject to the processes governing community assembly. Microbial community assembly on the leaf is influenced by host plant characteristics, interactions between the different community members, the selective and dispersal-mediated effects of the weather, and time. To study the effects of a leaf microbiome on its host plant it is first important to characterize it; observing the species present and how they …