Thermal Physiological Ecology Of The Relict Leopard Frog At Hot And Cold Springs,
2026
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Thermal Physiological Ecology Of The Relict Leopard Frog At Hot And Cold Springs, Robert P. Pelletier Iii
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The relict leopard frog (Rana onca) once ranged across drainages in southern Nevada, northwestern Arizona, and southwestern Utah. Following a decline, the species only persisted in a few geothermally influenced hot springs, which led to the perspective that hot springs were high-quality habitat. Rana onca has been under intensive, multiagency management and the species has been translocated to establish additional populations, including at cold-water sites. Three research studies are presented into the thermal physiological ecology of R. onca with the aim of informing conservation strategy. The research was focused at a thermally influenced hot spring and a cold-water spring to …
Recognition Of The Spring Flight Of Celastrina (Tutt) (Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae) In Southern New England As An Introgressed Hybrid Species,
2026
International Lepidoptera Survey
Recognition Of The Spring Flight Of Celastrina (Tutt) (Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae) In Southern New England As An Introgressed Hybrid Species, Harry Pavulaan
The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey
Populations of Celastrina (“Azure”) butterflies in southern New England have historically been referred to as either C. ladon (Cramer) or C. lucia (W. Kirby) by various authors. Following the discovery of elongated dorsal wing scales in males of C. ladon (D. Wright & Pavulaan, 1999; Ômura et al., 2015)—structures that replace the androconia that are typically present in most Celastrina species—it was believed that this trait was restricted to C. ladon, C. nigra (W. Forbes), and, more recently, C. iryna (Pavulaan, 2025). Microscopic examination of male “Spring Azure” specimens from across southern New …
Impact Of Land-Use Disturbances On The Composition Of Wetland Plant Communities Across The Conterminous United States,
2026
University of San Diego
Impact Of Land-Use Disturbances On The Composition Of Wetland Plant Communities Across The Conterminous United States, Maya Merchant
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Due to the threat of invasive species on wetland biodiversity, it is critical to assess factors driving their proliferation in wetlands. To address this growing need, this project analyzes relationships between non-native species and known anthropogenic disturbance types associated with increased biological invasions. Using the U.S. EPA’s 2021 National Wetland Condition Assessment, the relationship between non-native species (diversity, richness, and coverage) and surrounding land-use within 500, 1,000, and 3,000-meter buffers was evaluated. To explore patterns across larger spatial scales, mean non-native species diversity, richness, and coverage was calculated at the watershed level and compared to associated percentages of agricultural land …
Distribution, Habitat, And Fish Assemblages Associated With The Rocky Shriner In Arkansas,
2026
Arkansas Tech University
Distribution, Habitat, And Fish Assemblages Associated With The Rocky Shriner In Arkansas, Savannah L. Wise
ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present
The Rocky Shiner (Notropis suttkusi) is a minnow species endemic to the Red River and its tributaries in southern Arkansas and Oklahoma. This species is petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act and is a species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) in Arkansas. However, there is little information for the species’ distribution, habitat use, and ecological niche, especially within the Arkansas portion of its range. Because of this data gap, my study provides an updated description of its distribution and habitat associations using conditional occupancy modeling and explores patterns of species co-occurrence within the community. I sampled …
A New Subspecies Of Papilio Indra (Papilionidae) From The West Desert Of Utah, Usa,
2026
Utah Valley University
A New Subspecies Of Papilio Indra (Papilionidae) From The West Desert Of Utah, Usa, Wayne H. Whaley, Alexander A. Jason, Todd L. Stout
The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey
Papilio indra bonnevillensis is a new described subspecies partly based on taxonomic rearrangement of its larval host plant reproductive phenology relative to Wasatch Range nominate P. indra. It is geographically isolated in Utah’s West Desert from populations of ssp. nevadensis to the west and ssp. calcicola to the south. In addition to phenological differences compared to these two subspecies, it merits description based on host Lomatium depauperatum which recently speciated from L. grayi, neither of which is used as host by other subspecies of P. indra. The evolution of new host L. depauperatum is …
Bottles, Butterflies, And Biomass: Recycled Glass Sand, Microbial Additions, And Herbivory Effects On Milkweed Growth,
2026
University of South Alabama
Bottles, Butterflies, And Biomass: Recycled Glass Sand, Microbial Additions, And Herbivory Effects On Milkweed Growth, Kealey Skinner
Honors Theses
Plant-soil-microbe interactions are integral components of ecological networks and drive ecosystem function from the bottom-up. Whereas herbivores regulate ecosystem function from the top-down, having opposing and potentially complementary effects on ecosystem function. My thesis sought to understand how below-ground microbial communities contribute to herbivore preference and plant biomass across varied soil substrates. My thesis asked: how do substrate and soil microbial communities influence herbivore preference and plant biomass accumulation on swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)? To address this question, seedlings of A. incarnata were sown in 2.5 cm wide × 10 cm deep pots filled with either natural beach sand or …
Herbivory Of Phragmites Australis Along A Salinity Gradient In Connecticut Wetlands,
2026
University of Connecticut - Storrs
Herbivory Of Phragmites Australis Along A Salinity Gradient In Connecticut Wetlands, Sydney H. Kolz
Honors Scholar Theses
Invasive Phragmites australis (common reed) is widely distributed in New England wetlands, where it often outcompetes native plants and decreases biodiversity throughout the food web. Controlling its invasion is a priority, especially in salt marsh habitat, but current management techniques are inefficient. Leveraging natural processes may improve control strategies, but in order to do so, we must first better understand how abiotic and biotic stressors interact and affect Phragmites. This study focuses on herbivory and salinity, two factors limiting Phragmites’ fitness. I measured soil salinity and quantified the damage of three herbivore guilds (i.e. gall-formers and stem-borers, leaf-chewers, and …
2026 Workshop On Bridging The Gaps: Tackling Microplastics And Nanoplastics Challenges In Coastal Ecosystems,
2026
University of South Alabama
2026 Workshop On Bridging The Gaps: Tackling Microplastics And Nanoplastics Challenges In Coastal Ecosystems, Shenghua Wu, Kaushik Venkiteshwaran, Melike Dizbay-Onat, Alexandra Stenson, Jinhui Wang, Tina Miller-Way, Ebenezer Nyadjro, Bhuvnesh Bharti, John Weinstein, Yi Bao, Shihui Shen, Valerie Longa, Shenghua Zha, John Cleary, Marty Lind
Workshops
This report presents the findings from the 2026 Workshop on Tackling Microplastics and Nanoplastics (MNPs) in Coastal Ecosystems, which took place in Mobile, Alabama. More than 140 experts from universities, government, industry, and community organizations gathered to address the increasing issue of MNPs in coastal regions.
Acute Effects Of The Psychoactive Pollutant Fluoxetine On The Antipredator Behavior Of The Gulf Killifish (Fundulus Grandis),
2026
University of South Alabama
Acute Effects Of The Psychoactive Pollutant Fluoxetine On The Antipredator Behavior Of The Gulf Killifish (Fundulus Grandis), Semyra Reus
Honors Theses
Pharmaceutical contaminants are increasingly prevalent in aquatic environments, yet their sublethal effects on ecologically relevant behaviors remain poorly understood, particularly in estuarine systems. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as fluoxetine, are of particular concern due to the conserved role of serotonin in regulating behavior across vertebrates. Here, we investigated how acute exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of fluoxetine influences anti-predator behavior in Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis), a key estuarine fish commonly found in saltmarsh habitats. Killifish were exposed to control (0 ng/L), low (17.8 ng/L), and high (596 ng/L) fluoxetine concentrations and subsequently tested in the presence …
Bugs, Birds, Blue: Queer Ecologies Of Embodiment, Kinship, And Survival,
2026
CUNY Hunter College
Bugs, Birds, Blue: Queer Ecologies Of Embodiment, Kinship, And Survival, Celeste B. Newcomb
Theses and Dissertations
bugs, birds, blue is a multi-channel audiovisual installation that examines queer ecology as a framework for understanding transgender embodiment, kinship, and survival amid environmental crisis and ongoing political attacks on trans life (Mortimer-Sandilands and Erickson). Through sculpture, projection, sound, reflective surfaces, and biological imagery, the installation places human bodily matter alongside microbial and aquatic life forms to challenge narratives that frame trans existence as unnatural, recent, or isolated. Instead, the work proposes transness as relational, adaptive, and deeply entangled with broader ecological systems. The installation is composed of two interconnected environments. On one side of the space, three aquariums rest …
Population Structure And Connectivity Of Atlantic Nurse Sharks (Ginglymostoma Cirratum) In The Bahamas And Outlying Areas,
2026
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Population Structure And Connectivity Of Atlantic Nurse Sharks (Ginglymostoma Cirratum) In The Bahamas And Outlying Areas, Baylie A. Fadool
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Understanding animal ecosystem dynamics and behavior at the individual and population levels is essential for identifying life-history patterns and important areas for management and conservation. Marine fish species often face minimal geographic barriers to movement, but environmental (temperature, salinity, current) or intrinsic barriers (philopatry, site fidelity) can dictate gene flow. Atlantic nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) are an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed ‘vulnerable’ species and present a unique opportunity to investigate patterns of population structure and connectivity in large-bodied sharks. They are benthic and display reproductive philopatry, with recent work suggesting they have the capacity …
Gaining Mussel: Evaluating Reintroduction Success Of Native Freshwater Mussels In Nebraska And Eastern Wyoming,
2026
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Gaining Mussel: Evaluating Reintroduction Success Of Native Freshwater Mussels In Nebraska And Eastern Wyoming, Travis A. Moore
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Freshwater mussels are one of the most imperiled groups of organisms in North America, with over two-thirds of species considered threatened, endangered, or of special concern. These long-lived bivalves are essential to stream ecosystems, acting as filter feeders that improve water quality and as indicators of aquatic health. In Nebraska and Wyoming, native mussel populations have declined sharply due to habitat modification, pollution, and reduced connectivity. Two species of particular concern are the Plain Pocketbook Lampsilis cardium, listed as Tier I at-risk in Nebraska, and the Fatmucket Lampsilis siliquoidea, a Tier II at-risk species. In response, state agencies …
Forest Overstory Mortality & Recruitment Patterns Eight Years Following Wildfire In The Southern Appalachians,
2026
Clemson University
Forest Overstory Mortality & Recruitment Patterns Eight Years Following Wildfire In The Southern Appalachians, Ruth Cumberland
All Theses
In this study, we investigated patterns of forest overstory mortality and recruitment eight years after wildfire in a large wildfire site the Southern Appalachians, a topic that has not been thoroughly investigated to date. With evidence that pre-fire drought promotes post-fire mortality through impaired physiological function and increased fuel consumption, unknown patterns following wildfire are important to study under shifting climate and land-use conditions. In Chapter 1, three areas of interest were investigated: (a) functional group mortality response to wildfire effects, (b) temporal differences in early (1-3 years) and late (5-8 years) periods of delayed forest overstory mortality patterns following …
Degradation And Metabolic Analysis Of Synthesized Quorum-Sensing Signals By The Model Eukaryote Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii,
2026
Florida Institute of Technology
Degradation And Metabolic Analysis Of Synthesized Quorum-Sensing Signals By The Model Eukaryote Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Adam Josef Bach
Theses and Dissertations
Bacterial organisms can “talk” with one another on a colony-wide scale using a communication system known as quorum-sensing (QS) via chemical signals. These signals are produced at a basal rate throughout the life of the bacteria and are classified as autoinducers, which diffuse across the cell membrane. Once the critical concentration is reached, they begin to diffuse back into the cell and initiate a phenotypic change. As these signals exist outside the membrane of their producer, they are also accessible to other organisms. It has already been noted that some plant species uptake these compounds through their roots and break …
Ecological Responses To Living Shoreline Restoration,
2026
University of South Alabama
Ecological Responses To Living Shoreline Restoration, Aaron S. Bland
Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)
Coastal built communities and natural coastal ecosystems face similar and interrelated hazards: shoreline sediment erosion, shoreline retreat, and worsening storms, each of which is exacerbated by relative sea level rise. Living shorelines are coastal defense projects that incorporate natural habitats to provide more sustainable shoreline defense and improve the coastal ecosystem. Living shorelines have been widely adopted, but their performance has been highly variable, and the mechanisms of project success and failure are unclear. The overarching goal of this dissertation was to better understand the ecosystem responses to coastal restoration, focusing on the primary habitats of coastal salt marsh and …
Feeding Ecology In Coastal Systems,
2026
University of South Alabama
Feeding Ecology In Coastal Systems, Randi L. Cannon
Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)
Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are critical foundation species in estuaries, providing numerous ecological and economic benefits. However, oyster populations have diminished worldwide. Effective oyster restoration and aquaculture require a mechanistic understanding of the physiological and environmental factors that govern oyster feeding, growth, and resilience under changing coastal conditions. We investigated how oyster ploidy and environmental conditions influenced oyster feeding and investigated how changes in abiotic conditions affected behavioral performance of oyster drills (Stramonita spp.), a key oyster predator. To better understand feeding responses and behaviors of both predator and prey we 1) used in-situ filter feeding assays to determine if feeding …
Comparing Awssi And Traditional Winter Metrics For Predicting Overwinter Survival Of Juvenile Walleye (Sander Vitreus),
2026
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Comparing Awssi And Traditional Winter Metrics For Predicting Overwinter Survival Of Juvenile Walleye (Sander Vitreus), Camille N. Shifrin
Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)
Winter conditions are an important driver of recruitment variability in freshwater fishes, yet winter severity is often characterized using single climate metrics. These simplified approaches may not capture the cumulative stress experienced by fishes during winter. The Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index (AWSSI) integrates multiple components of winter climate and may therefore provide a more biologically relevant indicator of overwinter survival. In this study, we compared AWSSI with traditional winter severity metrics to explain interannual variation in overwinter survival of juvenile Walleye (Sander vitreus) in Harlan County Reservoir, Nebraska. Model comparisons using Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) indicated that …
Enhancing Walleye (Ogaa) Recruitment: Evaluating Assisted Reproduction As A Mitigation Strategy,
2026
Bemidji State University
Enhancing Walleye (Ogaa) Recruitment: Evaluating Assisted Reproduction As A Mitigation Strategy, Douglass Keiser
Biology Graduate Theses
Over the past several decades, cold- and cool-water fish populations across the Upper Midwest, including Minnesota and Wisconsin, have shown troubling signs of decline. Among the most affected is the walleye/Ogaa (Sander vitreus), a species deeply embedded in the ecological balance, cultural identity, and economic vitality of the region, and central to the lifeways, treaty-reserved rights, and resource stewardship of Tribal Nations, including Ojibwe communities across the Upper Midwest. Despite ongoing stocking efforts and harvest regulations, many lake systems have experienced persistent declines in natural recruitment, prompting resource agencies to investigate the underlying causes. One such system is …
Aggression And Fish Welfare: Challenges And Opportunities,
2026
University of Oxford
Aggression And Fish Welfare: Challenges And Opportunities, Christine M. Soper, Peter D. Dijkstra
Animal Sentience
Oldfield & Bonano’s (2024) [O&B] target article discusses the wellbeing and sociality of bony fishes. Many fish species, such as cichlids, are not only social but territorial. Aggression is normal, but territorial aggression in a captive environment can have a negative impact on welfare. Aggression-related injuries and deaths are prevalent in pet stores as well as research settings. We discuss the need to develop effective methods to minimize the negative consequences of aggression.
Impact Of Pvc Microplastics On The Growth Of Raphanus Sativus,
2026
Belmont University
Impact Of Pvc Microplastics On The Growth Of Raphanus Sativus, Olivia Fawkes, Alissia D. Fulton, Darlene Panvini
SPARK Symposium Presentations
Microplastics have emerged as a growing concern due to their increasing prevalence in terrestrial ecosystems. Understanding how microplastics affect plant growth is crucial for the agricultural industry, as crop productivity and soil quality have a direct impact on food security and farm sustainability. This study examined the impact of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) microplastics on the germination and growth rate of Raphanus sativus. Seeds were grown for six weeks in a controlled growth chamber in petri plates and soil pots containing varying concentrations of PVC microplastics (0, 25, 50, 75, 100 mg/L), including untreated PVC and PVC artificially weathered through …
