Experimental Sars-Cov-2 Infection Of Elk And Mule Deer,
2024
United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado
Experimental Sars-Cov-2 Infection Of Elk And Mule Deer, Stephanie M. Porter, Airn E. Hartwig, Helle Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Jeffrey M. Marano, J. Jeffrey Root, Angela M. Bosco-Lauth
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
To assess the susceptibility of elk (Cervus canadensis) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) to SARS-CoV-2, we performed experimental infections in both species. Elk did not shed infectious virus but mounted low-level serologic responses. Mule deer shed and transmitted virus and mounted pronounced serologic responses and thus could play a role in SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology.
Animal Conservation In St. Louis,
2024
University of Missouri, St. Louis
Animal Conservation In St. Louis, Kate O'Sullivan
Undergraduate Research Symposium
St. Louis has a multitude of organizations involved in the natural sciences. But how many of them actually contribute towards animal conservation? The St. Louis Zoo is an organization that focuses a lot of its effort on presentation, so how does that impact the funds that go towards actually saving the animals? I plan to dive into the different animal-based organizations in St. Louis and its surrounding areas, as well as discuss the positives and negatives of each organization. Furthermore, I will provide examples from several sources that I have been reviewing all year to support my claims. I plan …
Microhabitat Selection Of Adult Female Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus) In The Carolinas,
2024
Marshall University
Microhabitat Selection Of Adult Female Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus) In The Carolinas, Matthew Gacheny
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Reptiles rely on environmental conditions to regulate body temperature using behavioral strategies to meet basic life history needs. Viviparous squamates use thermoregulatory behaviors to meet energetic requirements for vitellogenesis and gestation, which carry considerable energetic costs and must balance with maintenance and survival. Embryonic development is often optimized in a narrower temperature range than the mother’s preferred temperature, creating an intergenerational conflict that should be addressed with maternal microhabitat selection. Field-based studies are needed to understand the link between the thermal biology of reptiles, their reproduction, and implications for population viability. With a use-availability logistic regression framework, I examined thermal …
Fauna, Flora, And Land Cover Changes Over The Last Two Decades In The Mobile-Tensaw River Delta,
2024
University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL
Fauna, Flora, And Land Cover Changes Over The Last Two Decades In The Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, Gabriel De Oliveria, Steven R. Schultze, Guilherme Mataveli
Technical Reports
A technical report documenting ecosystem changes to the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta region due to urban expansion over approximately two decades (2001-2019).
The Comparison Of Different Wetland Fish Assemblages Over Time,
2024
Marshall University
The Comparison Of Different Wetland Fish Assemblages Over Time, Robert Edward Adelstein
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Wetlands provide essential ecosystem services. Historically, we have drained and filled 73% of wetlands for agricultural use throughout the United States from the 1780s to the 1980s (Dahl, 1990). A nationwide focus on restoring wetlands has since occurred. Literature on restored/mitigated wetlands is rife with examples that do and do not support the same ecosystem services as natural wetlands (Langston, 1997; Meil, 2014). Restoration of wetlands occurred at the Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area (GBWMA) over several decades. Various sections of the wetland were classified by age, water depth, and vegetation. One hypothesis was that differences in fish assemblage would …
Complexities Of Consistent Individual Behavioral Differences In Effective Wildlife Management,
2024
Yale University
Complexities Of Consistent Individual Behavioral Differences In Effective Wildlife Management, Nathalie R. Sommer
Animal Sentience
The study of animal personality, or consistent individual behavioral differences, has faced numerous challenges since its inception, including terminological disputes, labor-intensive methodologies, and notable retractions. This commentary explores the mechanisms behind personality traits, questioning the link between personality and sentience, and highlights the bias towards megafauna in wildlife management. It underscores the ecological and ethical significance of considering arthropod personalities and the complexities of integrating personality into wildlife reintroductions. Caution is advised in generalizing personality effects, and the limitations of current measurement techniques are discussed, suggesting that personality traits should be one of many factors in comprehensive management strategies.
Factors Determining The Success Of Recently Planted Spartina Alterniflora On A Living Shoreline In Jamaica Bay, Ny,
2024
Virginia Commonwealth University
Factors Determining The Success Of Recently Planted Spartina Alterniflora On A Living Shoreline In Jamaica Bay, Ny, Abby K. Bressette, Shakira Thomas, Brett F. Branco
Environmental Studies Publications
Natural and nature-based features have been implemented throughout New York City to provide habitat and reduce flooding, erosion, and pollution. The West Pond Living Shoreline in Jamaica Bay, NY was designed with organic breakwaters and native marsh plants, including S. alterniflora. Post-construction monitoring in 2021 found that percent coverage of S. alterniflora was lower than expected. To inform future management, we studied the effect of elevation, planting method, and shoreline energy exposure on the percent cover, average stem height, and average stem density of S. alterniflora. Elevation and plant growth data were collected within 8 one sq. meter quadrats at …
Ms Environmental Biology Capstone Project,
2024
Regis University
Ms Environmental Biology Capstone Project, Sarah Luper
Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)
Recreational trails and the presence of invasive species such as Bromus inermis can both disturb grassland community composition. Trails can act as dispersal corridors for plant material, but can also be a source of trampling and compaction. Invasive grasses like Bromus inermis can easily establish in grasslands and decrease species richness by increasing competition. Understanding these effects, this study aims to understand how both the presence of recreational trails as well as the presence of Bromus inermis affect species richness and overall community composition at Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge. Belt transect sampling took place in fall 2019 and again …
Environmental Biology Masters Capstone,
2024
Regis University
Environmental Biology Masters Capstone, Antonio Gonzalez-Pita
Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)
Human wildlife interactions (HWI) pose a complex challenge for wildlife managers. Human encroachment into wildlife habitat and the growing number of outdoor recreationists are increasing the frequency of contact and conflict, especially in regions such as the Front Range of Colorado. Geographic information systems (GIS), which use a combination of remote sensing and environmental survey data, allow for predictive spatial analyses of where human wildlife interactions are likely to occur. I used publicly reported observations of moose to create spatial predictive maps in a species distribution model framework. Slope and elevation were shown to be the strongest predictors of HWI, …
The Effects Of Habitat Characteristics And Location On Brook Trout Size Distribution,
2024
Bemidji State University
The Effects Of Habitat Characteristics And Location On Brook Trout Size Distribution, Bryce Groves
Journal of Earth and Life Science
Adfluvial Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis are known to typically grow larger than riverine Brook Trout. The Kabekona River in Hubbard County, Minnesota exhibits suitable habitat for both fluvial and adfluvial Brook Trout populations. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationships between depth, stream width, canopy cover, water temperature, sediment size, and distance from Kabekona Lake on Brook Trout size distribution in the Kabekona River. Brook Trout (n=35) were angled from the Kabekona River from August 24 to September 26, 2023. Each fish was measured and released, with habitat metrics being recorded at time of release. ArcGIS was …
Paralog Switching Facilitates Diadromy: Ontogenetic, Microevolutionary And Macroevolutionary Evidence,
2024
Fitchburg State University
Paralog Switching Facilitates Diadromy: Ontogenetic, Microevolutionary And Macroevolutionary Evidence, Rebecca S. Colby, Stephen D. Mccormick, Jonathan P. Velotta, Elizabeth Jockusch, Eric T. Schultz
EEB Articles
Euryhalinity is present in diverse aquatic taxa and requires flexible osmoregulation to field the challenges posed by differing salinities. Na+, K+-ATPase (NKA) is a ubiquitous ion pump in the gills of fishes and, for some species, paralogs of the catalytic -subunit (NKA 1a and NKA 1b) exhibit reciprocal expression between fresh- and seawater, termed paralog-switching. We investigated the expression and evolution of NKA paralogs in Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), a euryhaline and migratory fish. Comparisons between landlocked and diadromous life history forms and migrant and pre-migrant ontogenetic stages were used to study shifts in NKA paralog expression related to freshwater or …
Impacts Of Anthropogenic Sedimentation On Shell-Bed Habitats In Lake Tanganyika, Africa,
2024
University of Oklahoma
Impacts Of Anthropogenic Sedimentation On Shell-Bed Habitats In Lake Tanganyika, Africa, Michael Soreghan, Andrew Cohen, Michael M. Mcglue, Kevin M. Yeager, Emily Ryan, Alison Johns, Ishmael Kimirei
Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications
Lake Tanganyika, in central Africa, contains a diverse and endemic fauna under threat from global climate change, overfishing, and nearshore sediment pollution. Previous studies of sediment pollution focused justifiably on impacts along rocky shorelines where diversity is high, but Lake Tanganyika also contains widespread shelly accumulations (shell beds) unprecedented in the modern East African lakes, but where impacts are less con- strained. Here we integrate multiple datasets from three sites along the Tanzanian shoreline to explore how variation in sedimentation rates and sediment quality impacts shell-bed substrate and diversity and abundance of ostracodes and sponges across sites that exhibit varying …
Effect Of Walleye Fry Stocking On Future Gillnet Cpue,
2024
Bemidji State University
Effect Of Walleye Fry Stocking On Future Gillnet Cpue, Alexander Barker
Journal of Earth and Life Science
Walleye Sanders vitreus for many states, is a key attractant of anglers from around North America. Due to immense popularity, management efforts have been conducted to maintain Walleye populations, especially in the form of stocking. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of Walleye fry stocking on gillnet catch per unit effort (CPUE). A total of 90 lakes were analyzed for this study within three defined regions of Minnesota, 30 from each region. The regions chosen for this study are the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources northern pike Esox lucius regulation regions which consist of the Southern, …
Estimation Of Probability Of Habitat Use Of Roosevelt Elk On The Olympic Peninsula,
2024
University of Montana, Missoula
Estimation Of Probability Of Habitat Use Of Roosevelt Elk On The Olympic Peninsula, Vincent Michael Gugliotti
Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts
Estimating the probability of habitat use for a particular species is crucial to the direct management and conservation of that species. Without knowledge of habitat preferences, managers cannot effectively focus efforts on vital resources or landscape types. However, modelling probability of habitat use can be done in several ways which leaves room for variation and uncertainty in the estimates produced by each method. This study is an examination of the variation between two estimates of probability of habitat use while focusing on a particular subspecies of elk that inhabits a unique ecosystem relative to other elk subspecies. I modeled elk …
Walleye (Sander Vitreus) Do Not Exhibit An Aggregative Predatory Response To Larval White Sturgeon (Acipenser Transmontanus) In The Upper Columbia River In Lake Roosevelt, Washington,
2024
Eastern Washington University
Walleye (Sander Vitreus) Do Not Exhibit An Aggregative Predatory Response To Larval White Sturgeon (Acipenser Transmontanus) In The Upper Columbia River In Lake Roosevelt, Washington, Seth A. Barr
EWU Masters Thesis Collection
Seasonal prey abundance can drive predatory fishes to aggregate in areas of high prey density. This project aimed to determine whether Walleye (Sander vitreus) exhibit an aggregative predation response to larval White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) drifts in the Lake Roosevelt system which is a reservoir of the Columbia River in Washington State. Populations of sturgeon are threatened worldwide, and are in need of conservation research. Walleye are a popular nonnative piscivorous game fish that were accidentally or illegally introduced to Lake Roosevelt in the 1950’s. Walleye in this study were obtained by gillnetting during White Sturgeon pre-spawn, peak spawn, and …
Fillet Weight Comparison For Bluegill, Black Crappie, And Yellow Perch,
2024
Bemidji State University
Fillet Weight Comparison For Bluegill, Black Crappie, And Yellow Perch, Mikenna A. Pattrin
Journal of Earth and Life Science
Panfish, including bluegill Lepomis macrochirus, black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus, and yellow perch Perca flavescens are three sought-after species. Anglers often perceive a change in regulations as an attempt at limiting the amount of harvest. However, the goal of many regulation proposals is to increase the size structure of panfish, allowing anglers to achieve their ideal harvest with less fish. The primary objective of this study was to assess the relationship between panfish fillet weight and total length to estimate how many fillets would be needed to reach a harvest weight of 0.5 lbs. The secondary objective was to …
Specific Measurements Of A Yellow Perch Head Compared To The Total Length,
2024
Bemidji State University
Specific Measurements Of A Yellow Perch Head Compared To The Total Length, Alex Timm
Journal of Earth and Life Science
Yellow Perch Perca flavescens is a popular fish for harvesting in Minnesota. Because of this the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources survey populations with gill nets, however, some water bodies have Rusty Crayfish Faxonius rusticus that commonly consume most of the body leaving only the head to be accurately measured. The goal of this research was to see if there is a relationship between specific measurements of the head and the total length of the fish. The number of Yellow Perch sampled in this study was 72 and all came from Lake Bemidji in Minnesota during the month of October …
Northern Shrimp In The Gulf Of Maine And The Impacts Of Climate Change,
2024
Colby College
Northern Shrimp In The Gulf Of Maine And The Impacts Of Climate Change, Alicia Hober
Honors Theses
Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) populations within the Gulf of Maine collapsed in 2011 following the first year that sea surface temperature surpassed 10ºC. The population collapse resulting in a moratorium in 2014. The waters of the Gulf of Maine have been rising at a rate of 0.045ºC per year, changing predator distribution, prey distribution, as well as Northern Shrimp biological variables. There has been very little recovery to the Northern Shrimp stock despite the fishing moratorium and the answers behind the collapse and lack of recovery remains enigmatic. Therefore, this two-chapter study includes a literature review and a …
Estimating Daily Growth Of Age-0 Channel Catfish In A Free-Flowing, Commercially Exploited Midwestern River,
2024
Eastern Illinois University
Estimating Daily Growth Of Age-0 Channel Catfish In A Free-Flowing, Commercially Exploited Midwestern River, Kaleb B. Wood
Masters Theses
The larval stage in fishes is an important stage in the life history, as their survival dictates the ability of the population to sustain itself as an adult population. While there is a plethora of information available for juvenile and adult life stages of Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), very little is understood about their larval life stage. This study sought to determine overall density, growth rates, and size structure of cohorts of age-0 Channel Catfish during a study year on the Wabash River. In 2018, I sampled age-0 Channel Catfish using a benthic trawl from May to September. …
Examining Bigheaded Carp Ichthyoplankton Drift In Tributary And Mainstem River Systems Of Two Midwestern Rivers,
2024
Eastern Illinois University
Examining Bigheaded Carp Ichthyoplankton Drift In Tributary And Mainstem River Systems Of Two Midwestern Rivers, Adam Landry
Masters Theses
The bigheaded carp invasion in North America continues to negatively impact ecosystems making it essential to understand their reproductive dynamics at various spatial scales. Previous studies have highlighted the suitability of tributaries of large rivers for bigheaded carp reproduction, and the importance of tributaries for ichthyoplankton drift to mainstem rivers. This study investigated patterns in tributary-mainstem ichthyoplankton drift dynamics in two invaded river systems of the Midwestern United States, with distinct hydrology, the Illinois and Wabash Rivers. From May-September 2021, I sampled ichthyoplankton from three tributaries and three mainstem sites in each river basin. I analyzed bigheaded carp egg and …
