Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

A Test Of The Area Of Refuge Hypothesis In Indo-Pacific Marine Biogeography, Jonnell C. Sanciangco

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain the marine biogeographic patterns of species richness of the Indo-Pacific. One of these hypotheses suggests that available habitat area is the main predictor of species richness. This is the basis for the area of refuge hypothesis that attempts to explain the global maxima of species richness found in the Coral Triangle, the area encompassing mostly the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia. This species-area effect also has habitat heterogeneity as a potential component. The purpose of this study is to test the effects of habitat availability predictors, such as shallow water area and coastline length …

Complex Interactions Between Regional Dispersal Of Native Taxa And An Invasive Species, Angela L. Strecker, Shelley E. Arnott

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the event of an environmental disturbance, dispersal of native taxa may provide species and genetic diversity to ecosystems, increasing the likelihood that there will be species and genotypes present that are less vulnerable to the disturbance. This may allow communities to maintain functioning during a disturbance and may be particularly important when the perturbation is novel to the system, such as the establishment of an invasive species. We examined how dispersal of native species may influence crustacean zooplankton communities in freshwater lakes invaded by the invertebrate predator, Bythotrephes longimanus. Using large enclosures, we experimentally tested the effect of …

Inter-Island Variability In Above And Belowground Plant Biomass In Interior Marshes On The Virginia Barrier Islands, Staci B. Blecha

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The Virginia Coast Reserve's Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site is of great interest because the barrier islands have been migrating, rapidly at times, and are exceptionally dynamic. The barrier islands have tidal saltwater marshes on the lagoon side and freshwater marshes on the island interiors. In these interior marshes on North Hog Island, South Smith Island, and North Parramore Island, salinity and depth to water table were measured to determine if these factors were influencing biomass and biomass allocation patterns in the marsh. Hog Island had the freshest interior marshes (0 and 0.7 ppm), and the most diverse (H'=0.84 …

Female Mate Choice Based Upon Male Motor Performance, John Byers, Eileen Hebets, Jeffrey Podos

Eileen Hebets Publications

Our goal in this essay is to review the hypothesis that females choose mates by the evaluation of male motor performance. We define motor performance as vigor, the ability to perform energetically expensive acts repeatedly, or as skill, the ability to perform difficult motor tasks well. Motor performance reflects most aspects of whole-organism performance that relate to survival, and thus should indicate, more reliably than ornaments do, individual male genetic quality and/or developmental history. Male sexual displays in many animal taxa contain elements of vigor and/or skill, and accumulating evidence suggests that females choose mates in nature based upon their …

Differential Damages Sustained From Hurricane Ike On Varying Growth Forms Of Coral At Distinct Locations Off The Coast Of South Caicos, Turks And Caicos Islands, Caitlyn A. Kenny

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

In September 2008, Hurricane Ike hit South Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands as a Category 4 hurricane. This study examines the differential damages caused to varying common growth forms, size, locations, and depths of coral by Hurricane Ike on South Caicos reefs. Belt transect techniques as well as line intercept techniques were conducted at nine sites, looking at 14 common species of coral, representing four different growth forms. A total of 9,011 coral colonies were surveyed. 2,832 colonies (31.4%) were found to have at least one type of damage. It was expected that branching and digitate growth forms as well …

Advancing Synthetic Ecology: Database System To Facilitate Complex Ecological Meta-Analyses, V. Bala Chaudhary

School of Environmental Sustainability: Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Phylogeography And Landscape Genetics Of The Flammulated Owl: Evolutionary History Reconstruction And Metapopulation Dynamics, Markus Mika

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Taxa occur across ever changing landscapes on different spatial and temporal scales. Choosing the appropriate scale for collecting data and drawing inferences is critical for understanding the history of a species and its populations. Here, I describe research in which I investigated phylogenetic patterns and population genetics for Flammulated Owls (Otus flammeolus) representing 14 localities from throughout the species' distribution, and compared regional landscape features with the distribution of genetic diversity. This small, insectivorous owl migratory (Family Strigidae) breeds in western conifer and deciduous dry forests of the mountains from southern Mexico to British Columbia. Sedentary populations are found in …

Body Size And Growth Patterns Of Microtus Pennsylvanicus (Ord.) In Chesapeake, Virginia, Sara E. Bell

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

From Dec 2002-Feb 2008, a capture-mark-release study was conducted on 2 Chesapeake, Virginia populations of meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus). The study sites were effectively 1 ha grids in old fields. Two modified live Fitch-type traps were placed at 12.5 m intervals on grids that were trapped for 3 days each month. In northern North America, voles have distinct breeding cohorts (spring and autumn), experience autumn and winter weight loss, demonstrate both delayed growth and sexual maturation in autumn-born young, have lifespans less than 15 weeks, and average about 35-50 g as adults. Chesapeake voles bred year-round, experienced no …

Interisland Variability Of Dune Plant Community Structure On Virginia's Barrier Islands, Justin K. Shafer

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The barrier islands of the Virginia Coast Reserve LTER site provide an opportunity to study interisland variability of dune plant communities. My research focused on the variation in biomass and diversity of communities among islands and dune positions. Grassy dunes of young, intermediate and old age were sampled on Smith, Hog, and Parramore Islands. Aboveground biomass was obtained from harvest plots, and roots were extracted from cores. Data were collected on depth to groundwater and total soil nitrogen. Variation in mean aboveground biomass was evident among the islands with the highest values on Hog Island, followed by Smith, then Parramore …

Relatin Dissolved Oxygen Concentration To Fish Distribution In Jarecki Lake, Adam Sutton

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Water temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) profiles were measured once every month from mid July to mid February in a relatively deep sand-pit lake in southeast Nebraska. These profiles showed depleted DO concentrations below the thermocline during summer stratification indicating areas fish will likely avoid in summer months. Colder temperatures in fall caused complete mixing of the water column allowing fish to inhabit all depths of the lake. An inverse temperature stratification occurred directly below the ice during winter months as ice cover cooled the surface water to below 4 degrees Celsius. Ice cover also blocked air – water …

Herbicides And Amphibian Populations, Zach Shirk

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Amphibians are a unique class of species that are found worldwide except Antarctica and Greenland. They range in size from a few millimeters to over six feet long. Amphibian’s habitats are as various as their size, but one thing in common is that amphibians require an aquatic location to breed. Amphibians live in deserts, mountain prairies, rain forest, wetlands, and almost everywhere in between. Amphibians are an integrated part of most natural ecosystems across the world. Amphibians are a critical part of many food chains; they provide the important link between secondary and tertiary consumers. Amphibians are indicator species in …

Space Use And Mating Activities In The Speckled Rattlesnake, Xavier Glaudas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Our understanding of space use variation in response to the temporally varying importance of specific resources is poorly understood in reptiles, because spatial studies are rarely placed into an explicit ecological and behavioral context. I examined how space use differed between the mating and post-mating seasons, and how this variation related to three important resources, mating partners, food, and refuge, in an adult population of the speckled rattlesnake Crotalus mitchellii in the Mojave Desert of southwestern North America. During the mating season (late April to early June), Crotalus mitchellii increased distance traveled per unit time, because wide-ranging behavior likely enhances …

Ecological Interactions Between Spiders And The Purple Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia Purpurea, Marc Aaron Milne

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Spiders and harvestmen are commonly captured by or reside upon the carnivorous purple pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea. Although spiders and harvestmen are often known to be prey of S. purpurea, other ecological interactions between these arthropods and the plant are poorly understood. Studies were undertaken at three pitcher plant populations, two in Virginia and one in North Carolina, to assess the ecological relationships between spiders and harvestmen and S. purpurea. Multiple plots containing pitcher plants (treatment) and plots lacking pitcher plants (control) were created at these locations. Spiders and harvestmen were collected through five different techniques. Spatial, …

Birth Statistics For African (Loxodonta Africana) And Asian (Elephas Maximus) Elephants In Human Care: History And Implications For Elephant Welfare, Robert H.I. Dale

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

African (Loxodonta africana) and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) have lived in the care of humans for many years, yet there is no consensus concerning some basic parameters describing their newborn calves. This study provides a broad empirical basis for generalizations about the birth heights, birth weights, birth times and gestation periods of elephant calves born in captivity. I obtained data concerning at least one of these four characteristics for 218 newborn calves from 74 institutions. Over the past 30 years, newborn Asian elephants have been taller and heavier than newborn African elephants. Neonatal African elephants exhibited …

Observations On Anthocharis Julia Browningi And Anthocharis Thoosa Thoosa Including Tension Zones Near Nephi, Juab County, Utah, Todd Stout

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

Two visibly distinct taxa of the sara orangetip fly sympatrically and synchronically in a zone northeast of Nephi, Juab County, Utah. This paper discusses how these two taxa interact based upon six character sets—adult phenotype, adult male behavior, distribution, habitat, larval coloration, and pupal shape.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Monitoring And Evaluation Of Sensitive Wildlife: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending March 31, 2010, Margaret N. Rees

Wildlife Monitoring

Project 1. Relict Leopard Frog Monitoring, Management, and Research

• All milestones and deliverables are on schedule
• Translocation program initiated for this year with egg mass collections in early spring
• Tadpole rearing underway, first releases schedule for the end of March 2010
• Diurnal egg mass surveys were completed at all sites
• Nocturnal surveys initiated and in progress
• Continuing mark-recapture efforts at Blue Point Spring initiated for spring season
• Data transferred to County completed

Project 2. Bald Eagle Winter Monitoring and Evaluation

• Project has essentially been completed
• All final report deliverables were completed
• Although not specified in the scope of work for …

Limnological Assistance For Lake Mead National Recreation Area: Quarterly Report, Period Ending March 30, 2010, Margaret N. Rees

Limnological Studies

Project 1

• Technical assistance with the implementation of the Interagency Monitoring Action Plan (I-MAP) for Quagga Mussels is ongoing. Three sampling events took place this quarter and analysis of all samples (fall 2009 – spring 2010) is underway.

• Two graduate students are undergoing necessary training for the two small-scale research projects funded by this task agreement. Sampling is anticipated to begin in June 2010.

• The quarterly Interagency Quagga Mussel Meeting was held in March 2010.

Project 2

• Protocols relevant to the Long-term Limnological Aquatic Resource Monitoring and Research Plan (Plan) for Lakes Mead and Mohave have …

New Mexico Environmental Flows Workshop Report And Synthesis, From The Environmental Flows Workshop At The University Of New Mexico School Of Law March 15, 2010, Utton Transboundary Resources Center, Unm, Adrian Oglesby

Publications

This report is a synthesis of the presentations and discussions featured at the Utton Transboundary Re-sources Center’s March 15, 2010 Environmental Flows Workshop at the University of New Mexico School of Law. Over 100 stakeholders, lawyers, scientists, and decision-makers gathered to develop a better understanding of how environmental flows are successfully implemented across the West and in New Mexico. They also began the process of evaluating the condition of New Mexico’s rivers and identifying opportunities to conserve and enhance their natural functions.

The goal of the Workshop was to inform a wide range of policy-makers, agency managers and stakeholders of …

Terrestrial Ecological Systems And Natural Communities Of Nebraska - Version Iv, Steven B. Rolfsmeier, Gerry Steinauer

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

Over two decades ago, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and state natural heritage programs developed the “coarse filter/fine filter” approach to preserving biological diversity (Grossman et al. 1994). This approach involves identification and protection of natural communities (coarse filter) as well as rare species (fine filter). Identifying and protecting representative examples of natural communities ensures conservation of most species, biotic interactions and ecological processes. Those species that “fall through” the community filters are generally the rare species. Identification and protection of viable occurrences of rare species serves as the fine filter for preserving biological diversity. Using communities as a coarse filter …

Limnological Assistance For The Lake Mead National Recreation Area In Meeting The Challenge Of The Water 2025 Initiative: Executive Summary And Concise Statement Of Accomplishments, Limnological Assistance For Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Limnological Studies

Limnological Assistance for the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Meeting the Challenge of the Water 2025 Initiative was a Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA)-funded project. It was implemented by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Public Lands Institute (PLI) cooperatively with the UNLV Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and the UNLV Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies on behalf of and in cooperation with the National Park Service, Lake Mead National Recreation Area (Lake Mead NRA).