In The Clear: Timber Harvest Informs Elk Summer Nutrition And Resource Selection In A Densely Forested Landscape,
2025
University of Montana, Missoula
In The Clear: Timber Harvest Informs Elk Summer Nutrition And Resource Selection In A Densely Forested Landscape, Trevor C. Weeks
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
As wildlife and habitats face unprecedented challenges in the form of landscape conversion, shifting disturbance regimes, and climate change, it becomes increasingly important for land and wildlife managers to find avenues for collaboration as they seek to maintain habitat to support robust wildlife populations. Timber harvest may provide one such avenue for collaboration. It has been shown to increase the quality and quantity of ungulate nutritional resources by reverting stands to early successional stages. Additionally, timber harvest may allow for a more precise application of such effects, as managers choose where and how to harvest timber. However, the exact effects …
Evaluating Dietary Consequences On Body Mass And Thermal Heat Flux Of North American Bison (Bison Bison) Yearling Heifers,
2025
South Dakota State University
Evaluating Dietary Consequences On Body Mass And Thermal Heat Flux Of North American Bison (Bison Bison) Yearling Heifers, Kendall Marie Wald
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
No abstract provided.
Characterizing Nursery Habitat For Juvenile Invasive Carp (Hypophthalmichthys Spp.) On The Ohio River,
2025
West Virginia University
Characterizing Nursery Habitat For Juvenile Invasive Carp (Hypophthalmichthys Spp.) On The Ohio River, Rebecca Hiller
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
Since their introduction to US waters, Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and Bighead Carp (H. nobilis) have rapidly spread throughout the Mississippi River basin and its major tributaries, but their invasion has stalled within the Ohio River. Recent research has suggested this slowed spread could be due to a lack of suitable nursery habitat in the Ohio River, affecting recruitment of invasive carp. This study aims to characterize the habitats juvenile carp are utilizing by investigating three main lines of inquiry: that juvenile carp habitat use is limited by (1) the flow regime of the Ohio River …
Presence Of Potential Nursery Habitat For The Lemon Shark In Mississippi Coastal Waters,
2025
University of Southern Mississippi
Presence Of Potential Nursery Habitat For The Lemon Shark In Mississippi Coastal Waters, Lindsay K. Bomgardner, P. O. Grammer, Angie Hoover, Anna Millender, Jeremy Higgs, Jill M. Hendon, Michael J. Andres
Gulf and Caribbean Research
No abstract provided.
Oyster Horizons: Spatial Prioritization For Oyster Restoration At Alabama Living Shorelines,
2025
California State University, Sacramento
Oyster Horizons: Spatial Prioritization For Oyster Restoration At Alabama Living Shorelines, Trinity Henry-Jack, Aaron Bland, Christa Russell, Ronald Baker
Gulf and Caribbean Research
No abstract provided.
Selective Nutrient Incorporation May Underestimate Heterotrophy Of A Mixotrophic Reef-Building Coral,
2025
University of Rhode Island
Selective Nutrient Incorporation May Underestimate Heterotrophy Of A Mixotrophic Reef-Building Coral, Connor R. Love, Marleen Stuhr, Michael D. Fox, Veronica Z. Radice, Maoz Fine, Kelton W. Mcmahon, David L. Valentine
Biological Sciences Faculty Publications
Mixotrophic reef-building corals acquire nutrition via photosynthate translocation from endosymbiotic microalgae and by heterotrophic prey/particle capture. Heterotrophy promotes resistance to, and recovery from, environmental stress, but quantifying coral heterotrophy remains difficult due to complex resource exchanges within the coral holobiont. We interrogated the response of multiple biomarkers to coral heterotrophy using fatty acid profiling and stable isotope analysis of Stylophora pistillata grown along a controlled feeding gradient from pure autotrophy to pure heterotrophy. We found that fatty acids and nitrogen were effectively incorporated into both coral host and symbiont tissues, while carbon, which is the primary target for conventional heterotrophy …
“Nice To See You”: Addressing Plant Awareness Disparity With Locally Specific Ecological And Cultural Plant Education,
2025
Pomona College
“Nice To See You”: Addressing Plant Awareness Disparity With Locally Specific Ecological And Cultural Plant Education, Cecilia Muecke
Pomona Senior Theses
Plants form the basis of life on Earth. However, due to the phenomenon of plant awareness disparity, a self-perpetuating cycle whereby plants are overlooked on an individual and global level ensues. Lack of plant awareness leads to a lessened emphasis on plants in sustainability and conservation as well as biology education, resulting in negative impacts on biodiversity and food security. The severity of plant awareness disparity is dependent on cultural context, and Indigenous and/or traditional societies are less likely to experience plant awareness disparity because of they are typically more connected to plants for their everyday needs. Native plants are …
Précis Of The Edge Of Sentience: Risk And Precaution In Humans, Other Animals, And Ai,
2025
London School of Economics and Political Science
Précis Of The Edge Of Sentience: Risk And Precaution In Humans, Other Animals, And Ai, Jonathan Birch
Animal Sentience
We often face grave practical decisions that seem to hinge on whether a system is sentient. This family of cases includes invertebrate animals, people who are unresponsive after brain injury, fetuses, neural organoids, and now AI technologies. We must decide what to do despite ongoing disagreement about the nature of sentience. In our state of uncertainty, we should pragmatically transform the question from “Is it sentient?” to “Is it a sentience candidate, an investigation priority, or neither?”. When a system is a sentience candidate, it is negligent to fail to consider precautions. We should instead evaluate precautions for their proportionality …
Assemblage Structure Of Large Carnivorous Coral Reef Fishes At Shallow And Mesophotic Depths In Two Of The Largest And Most Isolated Marine Protected Areas In The Philippines,
2025
Stanford University
Assemblage Structure Of Large Carnivorous Coral Reef Fishes At Shallow And Mesophotic Depths In Two Of The Largest And Most Isolated Marine Protected Areas In The Philippines, Rene A. Abesamis, Mikaela L. Salvador, Ryan Murray, Kymry Delijero, Segundo F. Conales, Jean T. Utzurrum, Christopher E. Bird, David T. Gauthier
Biological Sciences Faculty Publications
Overfishing remains a threat to coral reef fishes globally, with large carnivores often the most vulnerable. Marine protected areas (MPAs) can restore fish populations and biodiversity, but their impact has been understudied in mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs – extensions of shallow reefs from 30 to 150 m). We analyzed baited remote underwater videos recorded in 2016 to investigate the assemblage structure of large carnivorous fishes at shallow (4–12 m) and mesophotic (45–96 m) depths in two of the largest and most isolated MPAs in the Philippines: Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP), a fully no-take MPA enacted in 1988; and Cagayancillo, …
Aspen Stands Enrich Bird Communities Following A Wildfire In A Montane, Mixed Conifer Forest,
2025
University of Montana
Aspen Stands Enrich Bird Communities Following A Wildfire In A Montane, Mixed Conifer Forest, Cody Q. Lane
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Fire is a major ecological force in most terrestrial systems, but the responses of animal communities to fire vary markedly across ecosystems due to variability in fire regimes and vegetation communities. Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is unique within coniferous forests of western North America for its ability to regenerate following wildfire via vegetative resprouting. As managers employ techniques to restore fire regimes and conserve declining aspen forests, it becomes important to understand how aspen alters postfire communities. Our objectives were to (1) assess how aspen interacted with fire severity and years since fire to influence avian species and …
Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Nutrient Limitation In A Western Montana River,
2025
University of Montana
Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Nutrient Limitation In A Western Montana River, Matthew T. Nichols
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Enhanced loading of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) is pervasive in rivers around the world. As a consequence of nutrient-rich conditions, many well-lit rivers experience severe algal blooms, which threaten water quality and aquatic habitats. Nutrient enrichment in the upper Clark Fork River, located in western Montana, has increased the productivity of benthic algae, Cladophora glomerata, which routinely forms extensive blooms during summer growing seasons (July – September). Addressing eutrophication in rivers begins with identifying the nutrients that contribute toward algal productivity. I deployed nutrient diffusing substrates (NDS), collected bi-weekly surface water samples, and conducted algal surveys at four …
Assessing Genetic Diversity And Population Structure In The Imperiled Aconitum Reclinatum (White Monkshood), An Endemic Wildflower Of Central Appalachia,
2025
Bucknell University
Assessing Genetic Diversity And Population Structure In The Imperiled Aconitum Reclinatum (White Monkshood), An Endemic Wildflower Of Central Appalachia, Diamanda A. Zizis
Master’s Theses
Aconitum reclinatum, white monkshood (Ranunculaceae), is a Pennsylvania critically imperiled plant species found in five states of the Appalachian region of the United States: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. This plant is adapted to cool, moist environments but faces threats from increasing habitat loss, deer browse, logging, and changes in rainfall and temperature associated with climate change. Comprehensive knowledge of A. reclinatum genetic population structure remains limited. To address this, we collaborated with Natural Heritage programs within the range of A. reclinatum to sample populations across the species distribution and generate a genotyping-by-sequencing data set of …
Balancing Timber Harvest And Biodiversity: Impacts Of Selective Logging On Wildlife In The Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Belize,
2025
University of Montana
Balancing Timber Harvest And Biodiversity: Impacts Of Selective Logging On Wildlife In The Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Belize, Kilynn Groen
Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts
Selective logging is often promoted as a sustainable forestry practice that maintains biodiversity and ecosystem function, yet its ecological consequences remain under examined, particularly in tropical forests. This study investigates how selective logging affects wildlife communities in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Belize. Using remote camera trap data from 22 sites (9 unlogged forest sites and 13 logged (stump) sites), we assessed species richness, trophic structure, and environmental predictors of wildlife abundance. While overall wildlife captures and species richness did not differ significantly between forest and stump habitats, principal component analysis revealed strong community-level separation, with stump habitats supporting distinct species …
Assessing Intra-Seasonal Changes In Summer Elk Diet Composition,
2025
University of Montana, Missoula
Assessing Intra-Seasonal Changes In Summer Elk Diet Composition, Ava E. Window
Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts
Elk (Cervus canadensis) require adequate forage to fulfill their seasonal nutritional requirements. Elk undergo their highest nutritional demands during summer to support critical life functions such as late gestation, lactation, and juvenile growth. However, variations in plant phenology significantly influence the quality and quantity of forage available to elk during the summer season. As summer advances and plant communities mature, forage quality often declines, leading to a landscape that imposes greater nutritional constraints on elk. As a result, prior research on elk foraging habits has primarily focused on late summer. This has led to limited knowledge surrounding the …
Assessing Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Community Composition And Diversity Across A Land-Use Gradient In Eastern Washington Prairies,
2025
Eastern Washington University
Assessing Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Community Composition And Diversity Across A Land-Use Gradient In Eastern Washington Prairies, Katherine I. Cole
EWU Masters Thesis Collection
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are key to healthy, functioning terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. Associating with over 80% of all extant land plants, they play a pivotal role in nutrient cycling, and contribute to overall plant health. Given their significance to terrestrial ecosystems, AMF have a crucial role to play in the successful restoration of Eastern Washington’s native prairies. However, AMF community composition is significantly altered by the commercial agricultural practices used extensively in this region for over 100 years. The Eastern Washington University (EWU) Prairie Restoration Project aims to restore ~120 acres of farmland to native prairie. This research provides insight …
Distribution And Ecology Of The Cedar Keys Mole Skink (Plestiodon Egregius Insularis),
2025
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Distribution And Ecology Of The Cedar Keys Mole Skink (Plestiodon Egregius Insularis), Kevin M. Enge, Louis A. Somma, Paul E. Moler, Travis M. Thomas, Matthew T. Fedler, John M. Matter, Dennis C. Haney
Papers in Herpetology
We conducted surveys for the Cedar Keys Mole Skink, Plestiodon egregius insularis (Mount), during 1989– 1999 and 2015–2024, examined museum vouchers, and compiled personal observations from others to determine the status and distribution of this subspecies, which has the smallest geographic distribution of the five subspecies and is being considered for federal listing. We observed Cedar Keys Mole Skinks on Airstrip Island, Atsena Otie, Cedar Point, Deer Island, North Key, Scale Key, Seahorse Key, Snake Key, and possibly Dog Island. We have anecdotal reports of Mole Skinks on Way Key, which contains the most potential habitat and is the main …
Helminth Parasites Of Galápagos Mammals: A New Cestode Of The Genus Raillietina From The Endemic Rice Rat Nesoryzomys Swarthi And A Summary Of Parasites From Both Endemic And Invasive Rodents,
2025
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Helminth Parasites Of Galápagos Mammals: A New Cestode Of The Genus Raillietina From The Endemic Rice Rat Nesoryzomys Swarthi And A Summary Of Parasites From Both Endemic And Invasive Rodents, Scott Lyell Gardner, Emma K. Chesley, Michael C. Friedle, Altangerel Tsogtsaikhan Dursahinhan
Scott L. Gardner Publications
In this first report of endoparasites from endemic land-mammals of the Galápagos Islands, we describe a new species of cestode of the genus Raillietina (Cyclophyllidea: Davaineidae) from a species of Nesoryzomys and summarize the extent of helminth parasitism in both oryzomyine endemics and introduced species of Rattus. Up to the current time, no helminth parasites have been reported from rodents of the Galápagos, and little work has yet been done describing and synthesizing Galápagos parasite diversity. In historical times, several species of autochthonous rodents have occupied the islands including: Nesoryzomys narboroughi Heller 1904, N. fernandinae Hutterer and Hirsch …
The Δ¹³C Signature Of Dissolved Organic And Inorganic Carbon Reveals Complex Carbon Transformations Within A Salt Marsh,
2025
Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
The Δ¹³C Signature Of Dissolved Organic And Inorganic Carbon Reveals Complex Carbon Transformations Within A Salt Marsh, Meagan J. Eagle, Kevin D. Kroeger, John W. Pohlman, Joseph J. Tamborski, Zhaohui Aleck Wang, T. W. Brooks, Jennifer O. Keefe Suttles, Adrian Mann
OES Faculty Publications
Coastal wetlands have high rates of atmospheric CO₂ uptake, which is subsequently respired back to the atmosphere, stored as organic matter within flooded, anoxic soils, or exported to the coastal ocean. Transformation of fixed carbon occurs through a variety of subsurface aerobic and anaerobic microbial processes, and results in a large inventory of dissolved carbon. Carbon source and the roles of aerobic respiration, sulfate reduction, and methane cycling were evaluated within salt marsh peat and the underlying sandy subterranean estuary. There is a large increase in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC, 7,350 ± 3,900 μmol L-¹), dissolved organic carbon …
Tailwater Trout Population Dynamics,
2025
Missouri State University
Tailwater Trout Population Dynamics, Connor Dylan Cunningham
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Dams have been constructed throughout the world and provide several resources for humans (e.g., flood control, hydropower). These structures heavily alter the upstream and downstream environment. One consequence of these alterations is the creation of “tailwaters”, which can create cold-water habitat via hypolimnetic releases. In the southeast United States these tailwater environments are often managed for the recreational use of nonnative salmonids. The unnatural flow regimes of tailwaters affect the biotic and abiotic conditions and ultimately the dynamic rate functions (i.e., recruitment, growth, mortality) of the fish inhabiting them. As such, the goal of this research is to provide fisheries …
Activity, Movement, And Reproductive Patterns Of The Northern Giant Musk Turtle (Staurotypus Triporcatus) In Belize,
2025
Missouri State University
Activity, Movement, And Reproductive Patterns Of The Northern Giant Musk Turtle (Staurotypus Triporcatus) In Belize, Larissa Sage Saarel
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
The Northern Giant Musk Turtle (Staurotypus triporcatus), a near-threatened species native to southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and western Honduras, faces multiple environmental challenges, yet its activity patterns, movement patterns, and reproductive biology remain poorly understood. This thesis investigates both seasonal activity and reproductive cycles of female S. triporcatus in Belize. To assess diel and seasonal activity, I tracked 12 female turtles and collected data using activity loggers. I also collected movement data through radio-telemetry and acoustic tracking methods. Results indicated that the species is primarily nocturnal, with increased activity during the wet season, particularly during flooding events. Turtles …
