Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla
Kimmela Center
Reinhardt University
A Review Of Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons From Marine Mammals,
2023
University of Aruba / University of Amsterdam
A Review Of Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons From Marine Mammals, Nadia G. Dresscher-Lambertus
Feminist Pedagogy
No abstract provided.
Silica Concentrations In Dominant Vegetation Species Of Wax Lake Delta, Louisiana,
2023
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Silica Concentrations In Dominant Vegetation Species Of Wax Lake Delta, Louisiana, Danielle M. Soileau
LSU Master's Theses
Coastal deltaic wetlands colonize dynamic environments and experience fluctuations of salinity, river connectivity, sediment dredging or deposition, and periods of inundation resulting in unique vegetation and soils. Louisiana’s coastline is experiencing enhanced loss of coastal deltaic wetlands in coastal basins where the Mississippi River no longer is connected to waterways and channels that would normally provide freshwater and sediments representing the abandonment phase of the delta cycle. There is a coastal basin in the central regions of the state, the Atchafalaya Bay, that is still in the active phase of delta cycle resulting in the growth of the Wax Lake, …
Practical Solutions To The Invasion Of Lionfish In Utila, Honduras: Science, Education, Food, And Jewelry,
2023
University of San Diego
Practical Solutions To The Invasion Of Lionfish In Utila, Honduras: Science, Education, Food, And Jewelry, Carolyn Corley
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Lionfish (Pterois sp.) are invasive species capable of devastating coral reef ecosystems due to their lack of predators, large appetites, generalist diet, high fecundity, and rapid spawning rates. As lionfish have expanded their distribution across the Caribbean, many conservation groups have taken it upon themselves to systematically remove these predators from environments where they are threatening native species. However, few have involved the community the way I observed while interning with the Whale Shark and Oceanic Research Center in Utila, Honduras. Protecting coral reefs is extremely important, especially in small communities like Utila, where the majority of people’s …
Feral Swine As Indirect Indicators Of Environmental Anthrax
Contamination And Potential Mechanical Vectors Of
Infectious Spores,
2023
Colorado State University - Fort Collins
Feral Swine As Indirect Indicators Of Environmental Anthrax Contamination And Potential Mechanical Vectors Of Infectious Spores, Rachel M. Maison, Maggie R. Priore, Vienna R. Brown, Michael Bodenchuk, Bradley R. Borlee, Richard Bowen, Angela M. Bosco-Lauth
USDA Wildlife Services - Staff Publications
U.S. government work
Willow Abundance And Condition Mapping In Rocky Mountain National Park,
2023
Portland State University
Willow Abundance And Condition Mapping In Rocky Mountain National Park, Eric M. Nielsen
Institute for Natural Resources Publications
Riparian and wetland willow species have undergone serious declines in Rocky Mountain National Park as a consequence of a variety of environmental changes and, most recently, damage resulting from moose overpopulation. To address concerns about the long-term status of willows in the park, we developed remote sensing-based raster maps of riparian and wetland willow species presence, canopy cover percentage, canopy height, and leaf area index. All outputs were produced at 3-meter resolution, and represent willows as they existed in 2021. The mapping was performed via random forests classification and regression models trained on several hundred vegetation plots from a variety …
Evaluating Abiotic And Biotic Factors Affecting Plant Succession Processes At Malheur Lake,
2023
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Evaluating Abiotic And Biotic Factors Affecting Plant Succession Processes At Malheur Lake, Beth Boos, Sammy L. King
LSU Master's Theses
Arid wetlands are diverse systems that provide habitat for a variety of flora and fauna, including stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds. In the western United States, these wetlands support a network of stopover sites on the Pacific Flyway, and due primarily to wetland loss and alterations, these areas are becoming more isolated. Malheur Lake is a shallow endorheic lake in eastern Oregon that supported a robust emergent marsh throughout most of the 20th century. However, following large scale flooding in the 1980s, emergent vegetation was extirpated and has only reestablished in small patches. Our objective was to …
Mowing Cattail Cover To Increase Aquatic Vegetation Diversity On The Coeur D’Alene River Floodplain In Cataldo, Idaho,
2023
Eastern Washington University
Mowing Cattail Cover To Increase Aquatic Vegetation Diversity On The Coeur D’Alene River Floodplain In Cataldo, Idaho, Makenna J. Tabino
2023 Symposium
The Schlepp Easement is a 400 acre wetland on the Coeur D’Alene River floodplain, near Cataldo, Idaho. The wetland has been restored to protect it from heavy metal pollution transported downstream from mining sites near Kellogg, Idaho, the location of the Bunker Hill EPA Superfund Site. This wetland was restored to provide safe habitats and feeding grounds for migratory waterfowl and to maintain wetland biodiversity. However, cattail is prone to becoming overdominant and outcompeting other plants, which greatly limits a wetland’s biodiversity. Our objectives were to test whether aquatic boat mowing can reduce cattail cover, improving species diversity and cover …
Determining The Impact Of Post-Harvest Water Management On Chironomid Abundance, Agrochemical Biomass And Potential Trophic Biomagnification,
2023
Mississippi State University
Determining The Impact Of Post-Harvest Water Management On Chironomid Abundance, Agrochemical Biomass And Potential Trophic Biomagnification, Mason Thomas
Theses and Dissertations
Agriculture has diminished shorebirds’ natural habitat in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Remaining natural stopover sites are supplemented with agricultural fields during the fall and winter. This study evaluates the impact of 4 different post-harvest water management strategies on shorebird food abundance and potential agrochemical biomagnification. Chironomid samples estimated abundance, biomass, and chironomid agrochemical concentration in each field. A risk assessment of agrochemical biomagnification to shorebirds was made across all treatments. Of treatments represented on all study sites, winter treatment had greatest chironomid abundance and biomass. Models indicated that days since flood initiation, start date, and temperature are significant predictors of …
An Argument For The Utilization Of Amphibian Stress As An Indicator Of Wetland Condition,
2023
Murray State University
An Argument For The Utilization Of Amphibian Stress As An Indicator Of Wetland Condition, Andrew W. Sisson
Honors College Theses
Traditional forms of rapid wetland condition assessments focus on foliage health, nutrient enrichment, chemical contamination, and surrounding land usage, often overlooking an evaluation of the animals living in the wetland. More intense assessments include the National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) and indices of biotic integrity, which focus on community composition (e.g., diversity and species richness) and abundances. These indices require expertise in species identification and do not provide information about the animal’s fitness. Animal stress physiology, which generally correlates with measures used to quantify animal fitness (e.g., survival, reproduction, and body condition), may provide a complementary rapid assessment method aimed …
Detecting Native Freshwater Mussels In Pennsylvania Waterways: Comparison & Validation Of Environmental Dna Methods,
2023
Duquesne University
Detecting Native Freshwater Mussels In Pennsylvania Waterways: Comparison & Validation Of Environmental Dna Methods, Meredith Bennett
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
North America is home to approximately one third of the world's freshwater mussel species. They are highly imperiled organisms due to habitat destruction and invasive species. Traditional surveys rely on visual identification of mussels, but individuals tend to be rare and difficult to identify. An alternative method is to extract environmental DNA (eDNA) from water samples, which has advantages over traditional sampling, including less sampling effort and fewer hazards to researchers and organisms. We conducted a review of the two main eDNA approaches: single-species detection and metabarcoding. We also developed and validated metabarcoding primers for the detection of native mussels. …
A Small-Scale Wave Tank For Living Shoreline Extension And Outreach,
2023
Mississippi State University
A Small-Scale Wave Tank For Living Shoreline Extension And Outreach, Keith Chenier Jr, Jaden Akers, Skylar Liner, Shelby Harrier, Eric Sparks, Patrick Biber, Laura Blackmon, Jessica Kastler, Patrick Broussard
The Journal of Extension
Hardened structures, such as bulkheads and seawalls, are currently the primary choice of shoreline protection for waterfront property owners. However, hardened shorelines are known to enhance erosion and often promote the loss of intertidal habitat. Living shorelines are a collection of environmentally friendly construction techniques that serve as an alternative to hardened shorelines through the incorporation of natural materials, such as native plants. To enhance extension and outreach efforts related to the promotion of living shorelines, we created a small-scale, hands-on wave tank that demonstrates the benefits of natural and living shorelines relative to hardened structures. This interactive tool allows …
What Are The Impacts Of Deer Browsing And Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium Vinenium) On Native Sapling Growth In A Residential Wetland In Southeastern Georgia?,
2023
Georgia Southern University
What Are The Impacts Of Deer Browsing And Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium Vinenium) On Native Sapling Growth In A Residential Wetland In Southeastern Georgia?, Josie Richards
Honors College Theses
Wetlands promote biodiversity, act as climate stabilizers, and regulate water flow, yet are vulnerable to invaders. An invasive species can affect the biodiversity, abiotic conditions, and increase vulnerability of an ecosystem over time and deer browsing can actively affect new growth by removing the apical buds of young woody vegetation. Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum), a wetland specific invader, has been shown to compete against native species for limited resources and actively crowd them out. Growth of native saplings can be further complicated by the presence of white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), which browse woody vegetation and limit recruitment of trees. …
Immediate Response Of Bats To Prescribed Fire And Impact Of Experiences On Women's Self-Image In Natural Resources Professions,
2023
Clemson University
Immediate Response Of Bats To Prescribed Fire And Impact Of Experiences On Women's Self-Image In Natural Resources Professions, Zebria Hicks
All Theses
To inform use of prescribed fire management practice in the southeastern US, we studied its impact on bats, which are important and at-risk species. We evaluated if prescribed fire had a positive, neutral, or negative effect on bat activity in the two weeks following the burns. We recorded bat activity after prescribed burns in February and March 2022 in northwestern South Carolina in select hardwood and pine stands and control sites ≥ 500 m from burn boundaries. We measured insect abundance, canopy cover, basal area, and understory density at each site. We recorded 687 passes during our 45-day study period. …
Revision, Description, And Diagnosis Of Adult And Larval Pycnopsyche Spp. (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae) Using Morphological And Molecular Methods,
2023
Clemson University
Revision, Description, And Diagnosis Of Adult And Larval Pycnopsyche Spp. (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae) Using Morphological And Molecular Methods, Matthew Green
All Dissertations
The genus Pycnopsyche Banks, 1905 (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae) is the 2nd most species-rich genus of Nearctic Limnephilidae. Larvae and adults are ecologically diverse and widespread throughout eastern North America. Larvae construct cases from mineral or plant material and are frequently used by biomonitoring professionals at the species level to monitor trends in water quality. However, only two species of Pycnopsyche are currently separable as larvae, with diagnosis limited by the number of unknown larvae associated with known adults. Using morphological and molecular data, the phylogenetic relationships among Pycnopsyche species and species groups were inferred with Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood analyses to …
Top Down Effects And Resource Selection By Coyotes In South Carolina,
2023
Clemson University
Top Down Effects And Resource Selection By Coyotes In South Carolina, Alex Jensen
All Dissertations
Top predators play important roles in functioning ecosystems, including regulating the populations of prey species and competing with other predators. However, in the face of global change, many top terrestrial predators have declined in both range and abundance, making room for some smaller predators to expand into new niches. Coyotes (Canis latrans) in North America are a prime example of this – they have rapidly expanded their range in the last 120 years, raising concerns about their impacts on both domestic and wild species. In eastern North America, research has centered around their effects on white-tailed deer ( …
Seasonal Variation In Condition, Body Lipid, Reproductive Investment, And Diet In Brook Stickleback (Culaea Inconstans),
2023
Great Lakes Center at Buffalo State University
Seasonal Variation In Condition, Body Lipid, Reproductive Investment, And Diet In Brook Stickleback (Culaea Inconstans), Matthew P. Basista, Randal Snyder, Christopher Pennuto, Alicia Perez-Fuentetaja
Great Lakes Center Masters Theses
North-temperate fishes are subject to significant changes in abiotic and biotic conditions across seasons, which are likely reflected in temporal differences in energy dynamics, reproductive investment, and diet. This study explores seasonal changes in body lipid content, female reproductive investment (GSI), body condition (Fulton’s K), and diet in brook sticklebacks (Culaea inconstans) in Western New York. I expected body lipid content and body condition would decline during the breeding season reflecting energy expenditure for reproduction, and these parameters would increase in the summer and fall prior to the onset of winter. Based on previous studies, I also expected …
Effects Of Nonnative Plants On Space-Use In Eastern Box Turtles,
2023
Winthrop University
Effects Of Nonnative Plants On Space-Use In Eastern Box Turtles, Emily Ilene Crago
Graduate Theses
Introduction of nonnative plants outside their natural range has caused widespread reduction in the abundance and diversity of native plant species. Nonnative plants typically form dense, often monotypic, thickets that affect the ability of animals to find food, reproduce, avoid predation risk, and thermoregulate. By doing so, nonnative plants have the potential to displace resident animals from areas otherwise suitable as animal habitat. However, limited studies have investigated whether resident animals avoid areas dominated by nonnative plants. This study investigated impacts of nonnative plants on eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina), a species that has been declining throughout their range. …
Hibernating Tricolored Bats At A Southeastern Recreation Site: Microsite Use And Public Perceptions,
2023
Clemson University
Hibernating Tricolored Bats At A Southeastern Recreation Site: Microsite Use And Public Perceptions, Rebecca Brown
All Theses
High bat mortality from white-nose syndrome (WNS) has increased the need to manage hibernation sites. Management decisions should be based on science, and when sites are accessible to the public, also need to consider human dimensions. We used Stumphouse Tunnel, a recreation site and tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) hibernaculum in northwestern South Carolina, as a case study to understand potential conflicts between conservation and recreation. The population declined by 90% after the arrival of white-nose syndrome (WNS), followed by stabilization and slight increases. Because the increase was associated with more bats roosting in the publicly accessible section, a potential …
Fecal Pellet Production By North Atlantic Zooplankton,
2023
William & Mary
Fecal Pellet Production By North Atlantic Zooplankton, Michael Gibson
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Fecal pellet carbon (FPC) production by zooplankton is a significant component of the ocean’s biological carbon pump: the suite of biological processes that mediate export of carbon to the deep ocean, ultimately leading to the sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide in the ocean. In this study, mesozooplankton (zooplankton 0.2 mm to ~2 cm) were collected from the epipelagic zone in the temperate North Atlantic Ocean during day and night in May 2021. Zooplankton were live separated into five size fractions and incubated on board ship in natural surface seawater to measure fecal pellet production rate of the mixed mesozooplankton community. …
The Effect Of Light Availability On Planktonic Communities Under The Ice In Stumpf Lake,
2023
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
The Effect Of Light Availability On Planktonic Communities Under The Ice In Stumpf Lake, Samantha Schug
Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)
Ice cover is a part of the yearly cycle in bodies of water that are exposed to temperatures below the freezing point. Though the body of water is completely covered, many communities under the ice are still present and active during this time. I hypothesized that as the area cleared of snow increased, the increased light availability under the ice will cause a decrease in zooplankton abundance, as they avoid light and increase the chlorophyll concentration. Three different light availabilities were imposed on the ice by clearing three different sized areas of snow on the ice (0m, 1m and 2m). …
