Is Mitigation Translocation An Effective Method For Reducing Laysan Albatross–Military Aircraft Collisions?,
2024
USDA Wildlife Services NWRC
Is Mitigation Translocation An Effective Method For Reducing Laysan Albatross–Military Aircraft Collisions?, Brian E. Washburn, Katherine D. Rubiano, William P. Bukoski
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Wildlife–aircraft collisions (wildlife strikes) pose a serious risk to civil and military aircraft. Each year, Laysan albatrosses (Phoebastria immutabilis) attempt to establish a breeding colony on the airfield at the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) located on the island of Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i, USA, resulting in a hazard to safe military aircraft operations at this facility. A long-term management program, with an emphasis on mitigation translocation (e.g., live-capture and translocation away from the area) of problematic individuals, has been conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services. However, the efficacy of mitigation translocation as a nonlethal …
Genetic Tracking Of A Rabid Coyote (Canis Latrans) Detected Beyond A Rabies Enzootic Area In West Virginia, Usa,
2024
United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Pplant Health Inspection Service, Wildliefe Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado
Genetic Tracking Of A Rabid Coyote (Canis Latrans) Detected Beyond A Rabies Enzootic Area In West Virginia, Usa, Matthew W. Hopken, Crystal Gigante, Amy T. Gilbert, Richard B. Chipman, Jordana D. Kirby, Rene Edgar Condori, Samuel Mills, Chelsea Hartley, John Forbes, Lisa Dettinger, Dongxiang Xia, Yu Li, Bridgett Vonholdt
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Wildlife translocation and cross-species transmission can impede control and elimination of emerging zoonotic diseases. Tracking the geographic origin of both host and virus (i.e., translocation versus local infection) may help determine the most effective response when high-risk cases of emerging pathogens are identified in wildlife. In May 2022, a coyote (Canis latrans) infected with the raccoon (Procyon lotor) rabies virus variant (RRV) was collected in Lewis County, West Virginia, USA, an area free from RRV. We applied host population genomics and RRV phylogenetic analyses to determine the most likely geographic origin of the rabid coyote. Coyote …
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 …
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 …
Microbes: Key Constituent Of Predator Risk Cues?,
2024
Cal Poly Humboldt
Microbes: Key Constituent Of Predator Risk Cues?, Jake R. Vargas
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Chemical cues emanating from predators can play a key role in aquatic predator-prey interactions and food webs. Understanding how prey respond to these risk cues is therefore critical for understanding the direct effects of predators on prey populations and their indirect effects on communities. To respond adaptively, prey must accurately assess the risk of predation associated with perceived chemical cues, an oft-documented phenomenon. However, little is known about how cues disperse, persist, and degrade, all of which could limit the adaptive responses of prey. Using laboratory-based observations of a well-studied predator cue-induced antipredator behavior by the marine gastropod Tegula funebralis …
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 …
Can Edna Be Used To Locate Shawnee Hills Cavefish Forbesichthys Papilliferus?,
2024
Murray State University
Can Edna Be Used To Locate Shawnee Hills Cavefish Forbesichthys Papilliferus?, Megan Brandt, Timothy Spier Phd, Gary Zeruth Phd
Murray State Theses and Dissertations
Traditional stream fish sampling methods, such as seining and electrofishing, are time consuming, expensive, and limited to short stretches of stream. However, the analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA) from water samples promises to be a quick, inexpensive method for detecting fish. The streams of the Land Between the Lakes Recreational Area (LBL) are unique, undisturbed streams which contain many interesting fish species for which little information exists. One such rare species is the Shawnee Hills Cavefish Forbesichthys papilliferus, which is known to exist in a few LBL streams. However, the complete distribution of the Shawnee Hills Cavefish in LBL …
Movement Ecology Of Paddlefish And Walleye Reveal The Importance Of Continued Interjurisdictional Management In Riverine And Lacustrine Systems,
2024
South Dakota State University
Movement Ecology Of Paddlefish And Walleye Reveal The Importance Of Continued Interjurisdictional Management In Riverine And Lacustrine Systems, Kaitlyn Bearden
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Fisheries systems function at broad spatial and temporal scales. Fishes within these systems are often highly mobile and move to locate adequate habitat, to feed and reproduce. As individuals navigate their environment, they potentially cross regulatory boundaries (state or federal) and or encounter physical barriers such as dams. Regulatory boundaries may not physically impede fish movement, but they are visible to fisheries managers thus the fishes within them may be vulnerable to varying management and harvest regulations. Physical boundaries (e.g., dams) are also particularly problematic for highly mobile species in large river systems. In chapter two, I documented that apparent …
Effects Of Low-Cost, Low-Tech Tools For Riparian Restoration On Prairie Streams In Western South Dakota,
2024
South Dakota State University
Effects Of Low-Cost, Low-Tech Tools For Riparian Restoration On Prairie Streams In Western South Dakota, James Andrew Joseph Bolyard
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Despite making up less than two percent of the overall landscape in the arid and semi-arid western US, riparian areas are a crucial resource for agriculture, livestock, and wildlife. However, many have impaired function and reduced riparian cover. Low-Cost, Low-Tech Tools (LCLTT) are a subset of Process-Based Restoration (PBR) used for riparian restoration that were chosen for their cost-effectiveness and minimal technical requirements. LCLTT has been tested in mountainous areas of the western US but only recently implemented in the Northern Great Plains (NGP). Given their novelty as an approach toward restoration for the region, professional restoration and landowner communities …
Plant Available Water Drives Semi-Arid Forage Quality And Quantity In A Common Garden Greenhouse Experiment,
2024
South Dakota State University
Plant Available Water Drives Semi-Arid Forage Quality And Quantity In A Common Garden Greenhouse Experiment, Parker J. Witt
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Rangeland forage nutrition and biomass production are integral components of sustainable livestock grazing systems and are controlled by soil quality and precipitation. I examined the effects of precipitation on growth and nutrition of three forage species in four different soils that span the longitudinal moisture gradient in South Dakota. I grew little bluestem (Schizachyrum scoparium), western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), and smooth brome (Bromus inermis) in soils representing the eastern tallgrass/mid-grass prairie (Brookings, 700 mm avg. precipitation.), an eastern mid-grass prairie (Highmore, 550 mm avg. precipitation.), a western mid-grass prairie (Cottonwood, 450 mm avg. precipitation.), and a western mid-grass/short-grass prairie (Sturgis, …
Soil Responses To Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus Virginiana L.) Afforestation And Prescribed Fire In South-Central South Dakota,
2024
South Dakota State University
Soil Responses To Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus Virginiana L.) Afforestation And Prescribed Fire In South-Central South Dakota, Robert Schaefer
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Research was conducted in 2019 and 2020 on rangelands located in south-central South Dakota assessing a number of physical, chemical, and biological properties of mineral ustepts and ustents soils associated with eastern redcedar (ERC) (Juniperus virginiana) afforestation and prescribed fire. ERC afforestation appeared to be associated with significantly higher field-condition soil aggregate stability, cation exchange capacity (CEC), soil pH, and fungi:bacteria (F:B) as well as significantly lower soil moisture, nitrate-N, phosphorus, bacteria biomass, and Gram-positive:Gram-negative (GP:GN) bacteria compared to native grassland conditions, while other mineral soil properties appeared relatively unaffected. Compared to soil conditions under dense, living ERC canopies, prescribed …
Considerations And Applications Of Environmental Dna In Biodiversity Studies,
2024
University of Kentucky
Considerations And Applications Of Environmental Dna In Biodiversity Studies, Sarah Tomke
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling—the detection of species through genetic material shed into the environment—has become an efficient and reliable method for biodiversity assessments. The method has grown in popularity due to its non-invasive and non-destructive nature, and has revolutionized monitoring efforts for rare, elusive, and cryptic species for which traditional sampling approaches are often costly and ineffective. Hundreds of studies have utilized this technique to study species occupancy, delineate distributions, and assess relative community composition. Although eDNA sampling is an effective strategy for many conservation and ecological studies, recently, light has been shed on some of its potential drawbacks and …
Arctic Report Card 2024,
2024
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Arctic Report Card 2024, United States National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: Technical Reports and Related Materials
The Arctic Report Card from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for 2024.
A “War” Over Lobster And Whales: The Issue-Attention Cycle, Media Discourse, And Political Ecology Of Right Whale Science And Conservation In Six Us Newspapers,
2024
University of Miami
A “War” Over Lobster And Whales: The Issue-Attention Cycle, Media Discourse, And Political Ecology Of Right Whale Science And Conservation In Six Us Newspapers, Marcus Reamer, Catherine Macdonald, Julia Wester, Russell Fielding, Meryl Shriver-Rice
Honors College Faculty Publications
News organizations and journalists are important and influential actors in environmental politics. Their reporting on social and environmental issues often follows issue-attention cycles (IACs) that emphasize drama and problematization to maintain public interest. This study examined nearly 13 years of news coverage to understand the media discourse about the Critically Endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW) and its conservation. Content analysis and critical discourse analysis were used to analyze 356 texts published in six large US newspapers between January 1, 2010 and March 15, 2023. NARW conservation and management received increased public attention and an IAC began in 2017 after …
The Sources And Fates Of Nutrients In The Deep Lake Watershed,
2024
Eastern Washington University
The Sources And Fates Of Nutrients In The Deep Lake Watershed, Kiler Austin Kenison
EWU Masters Thesis Collection
This water quality survey determined the sources and fates of nutrients within the Deep Lake watershed located in Stevens County, WA. Deep Lake is a 191-acre exorheic lake found just below the Canadian border in northeast Washington state. It is situated at the bottom of a narrow valley with steep walls and is fed throughout the year by snowmelt from tributaries descending the mountains surrounding it. Above and to the north of the lake, the tributaries are utilized by cattle ranchers as a water source for livestock while a small community of homes surrounds the lake. Water samples, discharge, and …
Stable Isotope Analysis Of Manatee Vibrissae To Investigate Individual Patterns Of Resource Use In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico,
2024
University of South Alabama
Stable Isotope Analysis Of Manatee Vibrissae To Investigate Individual Patterns Of Resource Use In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Levette Tucker, Mackenzie L. Russell, Elizabeth E. Hieb, Ruth H. Carmichael, Carl S. Cloyed
Gulf and Caribbean Research
No abstract provided.
Evaluation Of The Impact Of Urban Stream Syndrome On Macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Diversity And Organic Matter Processing In Streams,
2024
Longwood University
Evaluation Of The Impact Of Urban Stream Syndrome On Macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Diversity And Organic Matter Processing In Streams, Helena Loucas
Longwood Senior Thesis Proposal
The relationship between macroinvertebrate functional diversity and environmental processes is connected in streams. Aquatic macroinvertebrates are specialized feeders, falling into five functional feeding groups which affect processes such as the decomposition of organic matter. Urbanization causes the degradation of streams in a process is known as the Urban Stream Syndrome, and can result in increased concentrations of contaminants, altered stream morphology, and reduced taxonomic richness. The reduction of taxonomic richness increases the abundance of tolerant species, altering functional feeding groups, which will affect ecosystem processes within the stream. My proposed study seeks to determine the effects of urbanization on ecosystem …
Lycosidae Abundance And Diversity Across Lawn And Leaf Litter Substrate,
2024
Virginia Commonwealth University
Lycosidae Abundance And Diversity Across Lawn And Leaf Litter Substrate, Sage O. Lockett, Dan Albrecht-Mallinger
Undergraduate Research Posters
Significant knowledge gaps exist in how land-cover impacts ground-hunting spider populations. To fill these gaps, this study investigates a common family of ground-hunting spiders, Lycosidae, to determine differences in their abundance and diversity in deciduous leaf litter and managed turfgrass (lawn). The study was conducted within a forested ecosystem at Virginia Commonwealth University's Rice Rivers Center in Charles City County, Virginia. I placed 10 belt transects (1m x 20m) on lawn substrate and 10 identical transects in deciduous forest leaf litter substrate. I performed repeated visual census via eyeshine and manual capture of up to three individuals per transect …
