Amphibian And Plant Communities Of Natural And Constructed Upland-Embedded Wetlands In The Daniel Boone National Forest,
2018
Eastern Kentucky University
Amphibian And Plant Communities Of Natural And Constructed Upland-Embedded Wetlands In The Daniel Boone National Forest, Rachel Fedders
Online Theses and Dissertations
Wetlands fulfill many vital ecological functions, including providing habitat for amphibians and plants. Some wetlands, known as upland-embedded wetlands (UEWs), are depressional wetlands surrounded completely by upland habitat. This wetland type has been constructed in many areas for conservation and mitigation purposes, but constructed UEWs often do not function equivalently to natural wetlands, and often have different physical and chemical characteristics. In the Daniel Boone National Forest (DBNF), numerous UEWs have been constructed on ridge-tops to benefit game and bat species. Previous studies have shown that many of these constructed wetlands have permanent hydroperiods and different amphibian communities than co-occurring …
The Vascular Flora Of The Red River Gorge In Powell, Menifee, And Wolfe Counties Kentucky,
2018
Eastern Kentucky University
The Vascular Flora Of The Red River Gorge In Powell, Menifee, And Wolfe Counties Kentucky, Thomas Steele Mcfadden
Online Theses and Dissertations
The Red River Gorge (RRG) is a 26,283 ha natural area within Menifee, Powell, and Wolfe counties of Kentucky. This area is in the Cumberland Plateau Physiographic Section which is a southern subsection of the Appalachian Plateau Physiographic Province. It is a mecca of outdoor recreation, hosting thousands of visitors each year, while also being home to a unique flora worthy of continued protection. A vascular flora was conducted between the fall of 2016 and the summer of 2018. Additional vouchers donated by Dr. Ross C. Clark and the Stanton Ranger District office, as well as vouchers deposited at regional …
Age-0 Walleye Growth Rates Following Spiny Water Flea Bythotrephes Longimanus Invasion,
2018
Bemidji State University
Age-0 Walleye Growth Rates Following Spiny Water Flea Bythotrephes Longimanus Invasion, Joseph Amundson
Journal of Earth and Life Science
Within Voyageurs National Park, spiny water flea Bythotrephes longimanus has reduced Lake Kabetogama and Rainy Lake native zooplankton biomass during summer peak by 40-60%. Subsequently, planktivorous age-0 Yellow Perch Perca flavescens growth has decreased. A possible trophic cascade may influence predatory fish growth rates like that of age-0 Walleye Sander vitreus. Using seine net and electrofishing data, age-0 Walleye growth rates were modeled as a linear function of growing degree days (GDD) and the slope was compared between pre- and post-spiny water flea establishment. Nearby Lake Vermilion, assumed to have been unaffected by spiny water flea until 2015 and …
Burbot Activity In Relation To Light Penetration On Lake Bemidji, Mn,
2018
Bemidji State University
Burbot Activity In Relation To Light Penetration On Lake Bemidji, Mn, Hunter Weidenborner, Josh Janecek
Journal of Earth and Life Science
Burbot Lota lota is the only freshwater member of the family Gadidae and has a circumpolar distribution in cold-water regions. Information related to Burbot biology is limited in comparison to most fishes. Snow pack depth and ice conditions influence light penetration and therefore primary production levels. Primary production can have cascading effects on higher trophic levels. Therefore, the objective of this study was to observe if light levels penetrating through cleared and covered ice has an effect on Burbot activity in Lake Bemidji, MN. Angling for Burbot occurred for a minimum of 30 four hour sample periods at both cleared …
Primeness In Early Season Arkansas Raccoon Pelts,
2018
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Primeness In Early Season Arkansas Raccoon Pelts, D. Blake Sasse
Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science
Trapping seasons in the United States are generally set around the time of the year when pelts are in “prime” condition and are in their most valuable state. In order to assess whether the start of the Arkansas trapping season is at an appropriate date 122 raccoons were captured during the month of November in 2014 and 2015. Based on the evaluation of experienced fur dealers, the percentage of pelts in prime condition was then assessed on weekly and half-monthly basis. This study indicates that starting the trapping season in the last half of the month may maximize the percentage …
Comparison Of Three Benthic Macroinvertebrate Passive Sampling Devices For Non-Wadeable Streams,
2018
Georgia Southern University
Comparison Of Three Benthic Macroinvertebrate Passive Sampling Devices For Non-Wadeable Streams, Kelsey A. Laymon
College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations
Rivers and streams provide essential ecosystem services to the degree that the monitoring and maintenance of these systems becomes imperative. Biomonitoring provides managers and policymakers with the tools to make informed decisions, and macroinvertebrates are often the object of biomonitoring because they are ubiquitous in most systems and are known to be good indicators of water quality. However, methods for sampling macroinvertebrates in non-wadeable streams (i.e., large rivers) have not been standardized across states and regions and an established method for macroinvertebrate biomonitoring in large rivers of Georgia is not currently available. My study compared macroinvertebrates collected with three types …
Omnivore Density Affects Community Structure Through Multiple Trophic Cascades,
2018
Murray State University
Omnivore Density Affects Community Structure Through Multiple Trophic Cascades, Donald J. Benkendorf
Murray State Theses and Dissertations
Omnivores can dampen trophic cascades by feeding at multiple trophic levels, yet few studies have evaluated how intraspecific variation influences the effect of omnivores on community structure. The Speckled Dace (Rhinichthys osculus) is an omnivorous cyprinid that consumes algae and invertebrates and is abundant throughout the western United States. I sought to identify the effects of size and size structure on top-down control by dace and learn how these effects scaled with density. Dace were manipulated in a mesocosm experiment and resulting changes in invertebrate and algal communities and measures of ecosystem function were monitored. Omnivores affected experimental …
Evaluating Bighorn Sheep Herd Response After Selective Removal Of Mycoplasma Ovipneumoniae Chronic Shedders,
2018
South Dakota State University
Evaluating Bighorn Sheep Herd Response After Selective Removal Of Mycoplasma Ovipneumoniae Chronic Shedders, Tyler J. Garwood
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Infected individuals vary in their contribution to disease persistence, and chronically infected individuals may sustain disease in a population. One disease that might persist in a population through chronically infected individuals is pneumonia in wild sheep. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Mo), a pathogen of Caprinae commonly present in domestic sheep and goats, strongly correlates with pneumonia epizootics when it infects wild sheep populations. These epizootics can cause 40-100% herd mortality in an initial all-age dieoff, precipitate annual lamb mortality as high as 100% in following years, and sustain adult mortality long after initial all-age dieoffs. We conducted an experiment in the Black …
Aquatic Invertebrate Community Structure, Biological Condition, Habitat, And Water Quality At Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri, 2005-2014,
2018
National Park Service
Aquatic Invertebrate Community Structure, Biological Condition, Habitat, And Water Quality At Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri, 2005-2014, David E. Bowles, L. W. Morrison, J. T. Cribbs
Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science
Ozark National Scenic Riverways (OZAR) was established to protect the corridor of the Current River and its major tributary, the Jacks Fork. The Current River is one of the few remaining free-flowing rivers in the U.S., with much of its base flow coming from several large springs. To assess the biological condition of these rivers, aquatic invertebrate community structure was monitored from 2005 to 2014. Benthic invertebrate samples and associated habitat and water quality data were collected from each of nine sampling sites using a Slack-Surber sampler. The Stream Condition Index (SCI), a multimetric index that incorporates taxa richness, EPT …
Hunting Habitat Use And Selection Patterns Of Barn Owl (Tyto Alba) In The Urban-Agricultural Setting Of A Prominent Wine Grape Growing Region Of California,
2018
Cal Poly Humboldt
Hunting Habitat Use And Selection Patterns Of Barn Owl (Tyto Alba) In The Urban-Agricultural Setting Of A Prominent Wine Grape Growing Region Of California, Xeronimo A. Castaneda
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Large scale conversion of uncultivated land to agriculture threatens wildlife and can diminish ecosystem services provided by nature. Understanding how wildlife provision ecosystem services may incentivize wildlife conservation in agricultural landscapes. Attracting barn owls (Tyto alba) to nest on farms for pest management has been documented worldwide, but has not been thoroughly evaluated in vineyard agroecosystems. Napa Valley, California is a renowned winegrape growing region, and viticulturists encourage barn owl occupancy to help minimize plant damage from pocket gophers (Thomomys bottae) and voles (Microtus spp.). This study aimed to establish a basis for revealing the …
A Comparison Of Community Structure In Regulated And Unregulated Reaches In The Upper Eel River, California,
2018
Cal Poly Humboldt
A Comparison Of Community Structure In Regulated And Unregulated Reaches In The Upper Eel River, California, Lara Stephanie Jansen
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Flow regulation of rivers by impoundments and diversions can reduce hydrological variability. As a result, densities of algae and benthic macroinvertebrates often increase, but many sensitive taxa are lost, causing shifts across the food web. In Northern California, dams that reduce winter peak floods can result in the primary consumer community becoming dominated by grazers that are relatively invulnerable to predation, which can reduce the amount of energy transferred up the trophic levels. The steeper slope of the spring hydrograph recession limb downstream of a dam can also greatly impact instream diversity of periphyton, invertebrates and fish. The dam and …
Effects Of Manual And Mechanical Ammophila Arenaria Removal Techniques On Coastal Dune Plant Communities And Dune Morphology,
2018
Cal Poly Humboldt
Effects Of Manual And Mechanical Ammophila Arenaria Removal Techniques On Coastal Dune Plant Communities And Dune Morphology, Monique R. Silva Crossman
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The removal of invasive species as part of the restoration process can allow natives organisms to rebound. An ecosystem that incurs damages from invasive species is coastal sand dunes, which are dynamic systems. Some coastal sand dunes on the west coast of the United States have been invaded by Ammophila arenaria. The invasive grass, A. arenaria, is thought to alter and stabilize foredune morphology and reduce populations of native species. The objectives of my research are to examine the effects that manual and mechanical A. arenaria removal techniques have on coastal sand dune morphology and vegetative cover over time. …
Export Of Invertebrate Drift From Fishless Headwater Streams,
2018
Humboldt State University
Export Of Invertebrate Drift From Fishless Headwater Streams, Jonathan M. Hollis
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
An understanding of ecological linkages between headwater systems and downstream habitats is needed to enhance management practices for aquatic conservation. I quantified and described the export of invertebrate drift from fishless headwater streams to assess its potential importance to downstream populations of coastal cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki clarki) in the lower Klamath River in northern California. From June 2015 through April 2016, I sampled invertebrate drift in six fishless headwaters in the sub-basins of Tectah, Ah Pah, and Tarup creeks. Concurrently, I collected invertebrate drift and trout diet samples from adjoining fish-bearing streams. Drift export rates were lowest …
Forest Structural Complexity And Net Primary Production Resilience Across A Gradient Of Disturbance In A Great Lakes Ecosystem,
2018
Virginia Commonwealth University
Forest Structural Complexity And Net Primary Production Resilience Across A Gradient Of Disturbance In A Great Lakes Ecosystem, Lisa T. Haber
Theses and Dissertations
Forests are an important component of the global carbon (C) cycle and contribute to climate change mitigation through atmospheric C uptake and storage in biomass and soils. However, the forest C sink is susceptible to disturbance, which modifies physical and biological structure and limits spatial extent of forests. Unlike severe, stand-replacing disturbances that reset forest successional trajectories and may simplify ecosystem structure, moderate severity disturbances may instead introduce complexity in ways that sustain net primary production (NPP), leading to the phenomenon of “NPP resilience.” In this study, we examined the linkage between disturbance severity and ecosystem biological and physical structural …
Trophic Interactions And Niche Partitioning Within A Post-White-Nose Syndrome Temperate Bat Community,
2018
Murray State University
Trophic Interactions And Niche Partitioning Within A Post-White-Nose Syndrome Temperate Bat Community, Macy Kailing
Murray State Theses and Dissertations
The decline of cave-dwelling bats since the introduction of white-nose syndrome (WNS) to North America changed the way communities interact. Disease-mediated competition at the community level can influence the ability of imperiled species to recover because of competitive exclusion. In western Kentucky, tri-colored bats, Perimyotis subflavus, which are susceptible to WNS severely declined following WNS occurrence. During that same period, evening bats, Nycticeius humeralis, which are not susceptible to WNS increased markedly. To investigate the influence of WNS on community structure, the diets of sympatric tri-colored and evening bats were assessed. Guano was collected from evening (n=37) and …
Predator Presence And Size Variation Alters Community Structure Through Multiple Trophic Cascades,
2018
Murray State University
Predator Presence And Size Variation Alters Community Structure Through Multiple Trophic Cascades, Robin Baker, Howard Whiteman Ph.D.
Murray State Theses and Dissertations
Predation plays a crucial role in shaping community structure and can initiate trophic cascades that can alter abundances across adjacent trophic levels. Recent research has suggested that variation among individual predators may have stronger effects on ecological dynamics than previously appreciated. Intraspecific variation within predators could lead to differential levels of top-down control with implications for trophic cascade strength. In this experiment, we manipulated the body size variation of predatory mole salamanders (Ambystoma talpoideum) within experimental mesocosms and monitored a suite of abiotic and biotic response variables. We predicted that predator populations with increased body size variation would …
Camera Traps In Wildlife Research: Through My Lens,
2018
University of Montana
Camera Traps In Wildlife Research: Through My Lens, Bryson P. Allen
Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts
Wildlife species can be difficult to study because they can have very large ranges and can be wary of observers. Researchers have been using camera traps in recent decades as a way to study wildlife behavior and population metrics. Here I explore the history of these tools in wildlife biology, their possible applications, and limitations.
Gateways-Nd: Advancing Learner-Focused Instruction To Catalyze Stem Student Success,
2018
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Gateways-Nd: Advancing Learner-Focused Instruction To Catalyze Stem Student Success, J.M.D. Motschenbacher, R. Reichenbach, M. Hanson, E. A. Berg, J. Ladbury, P. Kelter, L. Montplaisir, J. Nachwaya
School of Natural Resources: Documents and Reviews
No abstract provided.
Endoparasitism Of Rehabilitating Grey Crowned Cranes In Rwanda,
2018
International Crane Foundation
Endoparasitism Of Rehabilitating Grey Crowned Cranes In Rwanda, Barry K. Hartup, Deo Ruhgazi, Haynes Werner, Oliver Nsengimana
Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop
Diseases such as parasitism can limit the effectiveness of conservation translocations depending on host-parasite dynamics at the site of release. The Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association and the Rwandan government are rehabilitating and repatriating grey crowned cranes (Balearica regulorum) from illegal captivity to the wild at Akagera National Park in large numbers. Monitoring of cranes at the fenced soft-release site during 4 time points in 2017 showed 50-67% of fecal samples tested were positive for 1 or more parasites, most commonly nematodes (roundworms) of the Order Ascaridida. The prevalences and species diversity observed in the fecal samples were not …
Habitat Selection And Con- And Heterospecific Associations Of Wintering Whooping Cranes At Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama,
2018
Alabama AandM University
Habitat Selection And Con- And Heterospecific Associations Of Wintering Whooping Cranes At Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama, Andrew W. Cantrell, Yong Wang
Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop
Winter ecology of the Eastern Migratory Population of whooping cranes (Grus americana) has received less detailed study than that of other life stages or the Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population. Increased winter use of novel sites by these cranes makes understanding the mechanisms contributing to habitat selection and use important for efficient conservation. As a subset of a larger and ongoing project, this study examined the individual and temporal variations of occupancy times, habitat types used, and co-occurrence with con- and heterospecifics during winters 2014-15 and 2015-16 at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama, while considering the effect of individual life …
