Characterizing Habitat Suitability For Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser Oxyrinchus Desotoi) In Southern Louisiana,
2022
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
Characterizing Habitat Suitability For Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser Oxyrinchus Desotoi) In Southern Louisiana, Jenna N. Brogdon
LSU Master's Theses
A generalized additive modeling (GAM) framework was used to characterize fish-habitat relationships and develop habitat suitability maps to predict spatiotemporal and ontogenetic shifts in Gulf sturgeon distribution within an impacted estuary in the northern Gulf of Mexico, Lake Pontchartrain. Gulf sturgeon (n = 103) were fitted with acoustic transmitters in the Pearl River during the early summer and fall from 2013 to 2018, and an array of acoustic receivers (n = 81) was used to monitor Gulf sturgeon habitat use and movement in the estuary from 2016 to 2019. Daily presence data from the telemetry array were paired with environmental …
Long-Term Effect Of A Gnrh-Based
Immunocontraceptive On Feral Cattle In
Hong Kong,
2022
National Wildlife Management Centre
Long-Term Effect Of A Gnrh-Based Immunocontraceptive On Feral Cattle In Hong Kong, Rebecca Pinkham, Ka-Kei Koon, Jason To, Jason Chan, Flavie Vial, Matt Gomm, Douglas C. Eckery, Giovanna Massei
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Increasing human-wildlife conflicts worldwide are driving the need for multiple solutions to reducing “problem” wildlife and their impacts. Fertility control is advocated as a non-lethal tool to manage free-living wildlife and in particular to control iconic species. Injectable immunocontraceptives, such as GonaCon, stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which in turn affects the release of reproductive hormones in mammals. Feral cattle (Bos indicus or Bos taurus) in Hong Kong are an iconic species whose numbers and impacts on human activities have increased over the last decade. Previous studies have proven that a …
Long-Term Effect Of A Gnrh-Based
Immunocontraceptive On Feral Cattle In
Hong Kong,
2022
Animal and Plant Health Agency
Long-Term Effect Of A Gnrh-Based Immunocontraceptive On Feral Cattle In Hong Kong, Rebecca Pinkham, Ka-Kei Koon, Jason To, Jason Chan, Flavie Vial, Matt Gomm, Douglas C. Eckery, Giovanna Massei
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Increasing human-wildlife conflicts worldwide are driving the need for multiple solutions to reducing “problem” wildlife and their impacts. Fertility control is advocated as a non-lethal tool to manage free-living wildlife and in particular to control iconic species. Injectable immunocontraceptives, such as GonaCon, stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which in turn affects the release of reproductive hormones in mammals. Feral cattle (Bos indicus or Bos taurus) in Hong Kong are an iconic species whose numbers and impacts on human activities have increased over the last decade. Previous studies have proven that a …
Sustainable Avitourism On Curieuse Island In The Seychelles,
2022
SIT Graduate Institute/SIT Study Abroad
Sustainable Avitourism On Curieuse Island In The Seychelles, Chesley Davis
Capstone Collection
In Seychelles, tourism is a vital part of the country’s overall economy. Increasingly, sustainable tourism is essential to conserve environments and wildlife, meet the needs of local communities and the state, and ensure the longevity of high-quality experiences for international visitors to the country. This project assesses sustainability of avitourism on Curieuse Island. The Seychelles has many endemic and pelagic birds that draw tourists from around the world, including the Seychelles Black Parrot, Seychelles Magpie Robin, and Seychelles Flycatcher. This is a mixed methods research project that entails bird biodiversity surveys, examination of birding databases, and personal observations. This study …
Taxonomic Resolution Assessment And Biodiversity Evaluations For Deep-Sea Fish Assemblages In A Pelagic Ecosystem Of The Northern Gulf Of Mexico,
2022
Nova Southeastern University
Taxonomic Resolution Assessment And Biodiversity Evaluations For Deep-Sea Fish Assemblages In A Pelagic Ecosystem Of The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Krista N. Scheuerman
All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations
Knowledge of community assemblages and biodiversity is important for monitoring health and resilience in an ecosystem. Taxonomic and functional biodiversity of mesopelagic (200- 1000 m) fishes is extremely rich in the Gulf of Mexico. The aim of this study was to compare calculations of biodiversity and community structures at varying taxonomic resolutions for deep pelagic fishes to inform future decisions about deep-sea ecosystem monitoring. This study analyzed biodiversity and assemblage structure patterns from a biological inventory of deep-sea fishes collected with a large mesh, commercial-sized, high-speed rope trawl in the Gulf of Mexico between June 21st and July 14 …
Foraging Habitat Selection Of Shrubland Bird Community In Tropical Dry Forest,
2022
Bradley University
Foraging Habitat Selection Of Shrubland Bird Community In Tropical Dry Forest, Anant Deshwal, Steven L. Stephenson, Pooja Panwar, Brett A. Degregorio, Ragupathy Kannan, John D. Willson
Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations
Habitat loss due to increasing anthropogenic disturbance is the major driver for bird population declines across the globe. Within the Eastern Ghats of India, shrubland bird communities are threatened by shrinking of suitable habitats due to increased anthropogenic disturbance and climate change. The development of an effective habitat management strategy is hampered by the absence of data for this bird community. To address this knowledge gap, we examined foraging sites for 14 shrubland bird species, including three declining species, in three study areas representing the shrubland type of forest community in the Eastern Ghats. We recorded microhabitat features within an …
Relationships Between Mercury And Trophic Level In Nine Coastal Pelagic Fishes Off Southeastern Florida,
2022
Nova Southeastern University
Relationships Between Mercury And Trophic Level In Nine Coastal Pelagic Fishes Off Southeastern Florida, Emily Akins
All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations
State and federal agencies have issued consumption advisories for various fish species for many years, including in Florida. Upper-level predatory fish, such as tunas and mackerels, are especially popular with anglers but are susceptible to high levels of mercury through bioaccumulation and biomagnification. This study used two data sets over two time periods, 2010-2012 and 2020-2021, to compare mercury and trophic level relationships in nine coastal pelagic fishes is Southeastern Florida. As these species are popular in recreational fisheries, charter and tournament catches formed the base of the samples that were analyzed for total mercury along with carbon and nitrogen …
Evaluating Non-Invasive Environmental Methods For Detecting Tropical African Pangolin Species To Inform Conservation Actions,
2022
Mississippi State University
Evaluating Non-Invasive Environmental Methods For Detecting Tropical African Pangolin Species To Inform Conservation Actions, Ichu Godwill Ichu
Theses and Dissertations
Tropical African pangolin species are threatened throughout their range due to habitat loss and illegal take. Limited knowledge on distribution has rendered conservation efforts challenging. Methods commonly used for other wildlife species need to be tested for each pangolin species as each has variable ecologies requiring specific detection and monitoring techniques. This thesis evaluates the efficacy of two non-invasive environmental methods for detecting tropical African pangolin species, and consists of two complementary studies; a proof of concept study using soil sourced eDNA from a white-bellied pangolin enclosure in the Columbus Zoo, Ohio, to detect the species, and a field study …
Valuing Angling On Reservoirs Using Benefit Transfer,
2022
University of North Dakota
Valuing Angling On Reservoirs Using Benefit Transfer, Richard T. Melstrom, Mark A. Kaemingk, Nicholas W. Cole, John C. Whitehead, Christopher J. Chizinski, Kevin L. Pope
Biology Faculty Publications
Economic assessments are rarely applied to inland recreational fisheries for management purposes, especially when compared to fish, habitat, and creel assessments, yet economic assessments can provide critical information for management decisions. We provide a brief overview of economic value, key terminology, and existing economic techniques to address these issues. Benefit transfer, a technique used to measure economic value when an original analysis is not practicable, is conducted by drawing on existing estimates of economic value in similar contexts. We describe an application of benefit transfer to measure the economic value of several recreational fisheries in Nebraska, USA. We examine two …
Investigation Of Dead Ocean Quahogs (Arctica Islandica) Shells On The Mid-Atlantic Bight Continental Shelf,
2022
The University of Southern Mississippi
Investigation Of Dead Ocean Quahogs (Arctica Islandica) Shells On The Mid-Atlantic Bight Continental Shelf, Alyssa Leclaire
Master's Theses
Ocean quahogs, Arctica islandica, are a long-lived, widely dispersed, biomass dominate in the Mid-Atlantic; therefore, quahog shells are valuable resources for studying climate change over time. Recently, dead ocean quahog shells were discovered south and inshore of the present biogeographic range of this animal. The presence of ocean quahog shells outside the current range is presumably a consequence of past regressions and transgressions of the Cold Pool, the bottom-trapped, cool body of water that allows boreal animals to live at lower latitudes. Dead ocean quahog shells were collected offshore of the DelMarVa Peninsula then radiocarbon-dated, evaluated for taphonomic condition, …
Regional-Scale Climate-Induced Variation In Ant Physiology And Morphology,
2022
State University of New York College at Buffalo
Regional-Scale Climate-Induced Variation In Ant Physiology And Morphology, Daniel E. Murphy
Biology Theses
The biology of ectotherms such as insects is influenced by ambient thermal conditions. Ants are a ubiquitous and ecologically important group of insects and are well-established as bioindicators of thermal conditions. Ants are sensitive to the thermal extremes that vary with latitude, elevation, and land use, and these thermal gradients influence their spatial and temporal distributions. As a result, ants have evolved physiological and morphological thermal adaptations in response to the thermal environment of their habitats. These adaptations include increased physiological and morphological tolerance for temperature extremes. In Western New York (WNY), temperatures are temporally and spatially heterogeneous, changing with …
Combining Historic Records And Multi-Criteria Habitat Suitability Analysis For The Potential Reintroduction Of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser Fulvescens Rafinesque) Into Tributaries Of Lake Erie,
2022
State University of New York at Buffalo
Combining Historic Records And Multi-Criteria Habitat Suitability Analysis For The Potential Reintroduction Of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser Fulvescens Rafinesque) Into Tributaries Of Lake Erie, Kylie P. Wirebach, Christopher Pennuto, Dimitry Gorsky
Biology Theses
Predicting the location and quality of habitat for imperiled species is an increasingly important application of modeling technology. The Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) is a widely-extirpated fish of the Laurentian Great Lakes whose recovery is dependent on the availability and connectivity of suitable stream habitat today. This is especially true in Lake Erie, where the largest Lake Sturgeon fishery was once found. I predicted that modern habitat suitability would be dependent on land use legacies from the past 200 years, with western Lake Erie tributaries having less suitable habitat compared to the eastern Lake Erie tributaries. I developed a multi-criteria …
Riverscape Community Genomics Of Ozark Fishes: A Comparative Framework To Infer Ecological And Evolutionary Determinants Of Genetic Diversity,
2022
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Riverscape Community Genomics Of Ozark Fishes: A Comparative Framework To Infer Ecological And Evolutionary Determinants Of Genetic Diversity, Zachery D. Zbinden
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Genetic variation is a crucial component of biodiversity and represents the variability and spatial structure of alleles within and among organisms. Evolution modulates this variability over time through mutation, selection, gene flow, and genetic drift. However, our capacity to test foundational theories of population genetics has always been at the mercy of molecular approaches available to quantify patterns of genetic diversity. Initially, techniques for empirical DNA studies were in their infancy and limited by technologies and the price per unit of genetic information. Because of these constraints, our pursuits have generally been limited to investigations of one or a few …
Community Structure Analysis Of Turtles With Application To The Early Pliocene Gray Fossil Site,
2022
East Tennessee State University
Community Structure Analysis Of Turtles With Application To The Early Pliocene Gray Fossil Site, Julian Conley
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Turtles are important components of ecosystems around the world, with diverse ecological niches and adaptations. However, there are few detailed studies of how turtle community structure reflects local environments. This project applied techniques of community structure analysis to sites across the United States to infer past ecosystem and environmental conditions of the early Pliocene Gray Fossil Site (GFS) in northeastern Tennessee based on the ancient turtle community. Results indicate extant turtle community structure closely reflects environmental conditions, and that ancient turtle communities can be used to infer climate and habitat conditions of past ecosystems. Application to the GFS turtle community …
In Vivo Efficacy Of Pyrantel Pamoate As A Post-Exposure Prophylactic For Rat Lungworm (Angiostrongylus Cantonensis),
2022
University of Hawaii at Hilo
In Vivo Efficacy Of Pyrantel Pamoate As A Post-Exposure Prophylactic For Rat Lungworm (Angiostrongylus Cantonensis), John Jacob, Argon Steel, Lisa Kaluna, Steven Hess, Israel Leinbach, Carmen Antaky, Robert Sugihara, Lindsey Hamilton, Peter Follett, Kathleen Howe, Steven Jacquier, Supakit Wongwiwatthananukit, Susan Jarvi
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) is a neurotropic nematode, and the leading cause of eosinophilic meningitis worldwide. The parasite is usually contracted through ingestion of infected gastropods, often hidden in raw or partially cooked produce. Pharmaceutical grade pyrantel pamoate was evaluated as a post-exposure prophylactic against A. cantonensis. Pyrantel pamoate is readily available over-the-counter in most pharmacies in the USA and possesses anthelmintic activity exclusive to the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Administering pyrantel pamoate immediately after exposure should theoretically paralyze the larvae in the GIT, causing the larvae to be expelled via peristalsis without entering the systemic circulation. In this study, pyrantel …
Current Ecotoxicity Testing Needs Among Selected U.S. Federal Agencies,
2022
Integrated Laboratory Systems
Current Ecotoxicity Testing Needs Among Selected U.S. Federal Agencies, Patricia Ceger, Natalia Garcia-Reyero Vinas, David Allen, Elyssa Arnold, Raanan Bloom, Jennifer C. Brennan, Carol Clarke, Karen Eisenreich, Kellie Fay, Jonathan Hamm, Paula F.P. Henry, Katherine E. Horak, Wesley Hunter, Donna Judkins, Patrice Klein, Nicole Kleinstreuer, Kara Koehrn, Carlie A. Lalone, James P. Laurenson, Jessica K. Leet, Anna Lowit, Scott G. Lynn, Teresa Norberg-King, Edward J. Perkins, Elijah J. Petersen, Barnett A. Rattner, Catherine S. Sprankle, Thomas Steeger, Jim E. Warren, Sarah Winfield, Edward Odenkirchen
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
U.S. regulatory and research agencies use ecotoxicity test data to assess the hazards associated with substances that may be released into the environment, including but not limited to industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, food additives, and color additives. These data are used to conduct hazard assessments and evaluate potential risks to aquatic life (e.g., invertebrates, fish), birds, wildlife species, or the environment. To identify opportunities for regulatory uses of non-animal replacements for ecotoxicity tests, the needs and uses for data from tests utilizing animals must first be clarified. Accordingly, the objective of this review was to identify the ecotoxicity test data …
Defining An Epidemiological Landscape That Connects Movement Ecology To Pathogen Transmission And Pace-Of-Life,
2022
Utah State University
Defining An Epidemiological Landscape That Connects Movement Ecology To Pathogen Transmission And Pace-Of-Life, Kezia Manlove, Mark Wilber, Lauren White, Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau, Anni Yang, Marie L.J. Gilbertson, Meggan E. Craft, Paul C. Cross, George Wittemyer, Kim M. Pepin
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Pathogen transmission depends on host density, mobility and contact. These components emerge from host and pathogen movements that themselves arise through interactions with the surrounding environment. The environment, the emergent host and pathogen movements, and the subsequent patterns of density, mobility and contact form an ‘epidemiological landscape’ connecting the environment to specific locations where transmissions occur. Conventionally, the epidemiological landscape has been described in terms of the geographical coordinates where hosts or pathogens are located. We advocate for an alternative approach that relates those locations to attributes of the local environment. Environmental descriptions can strengthen epidemiological forecasts by allowing for …
Conservation Of Open-Canopy-Associated Wildlife: Multi-Scale Management Impacts On Imperiled Herpetofauna,
2022
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Conservation Of Open-Canopy-Associated Wildlife: Multi-Scale Management Impacts On Imperiled Herpetofauna, Ethan Joseph Royal
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The loss of open-canopy ecosystems throughout North America has precipitated declines in reptile and amphibian species associated with these habitat types. Current efforts to restore open-canopy ecosystems are underway in many areas, but the local distributions of, habitat characteristics required by and the effects of management actions on many herpetofauna species are poorly understood or entirely unknown. Research examining relationships among herpetofauna and their environments is often complicated by the extremely low detectability seen in many studies. We used landscape-scale, assemblage-level surveys to investigate the occupancy patterns and habitat associations of open-canopy-associated herpetofauna in two regions, as well as gain …
Competing Behaviors Of Thermoregulation And Ambush Foraging In The Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus Horridus Horridus): A Mechanistic Assessment Of Thermal Conduction,
2022
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Competing Behaviors Of Thermoregulation And Ambush Foraging In The Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus Horridus Horridus): A Mechanistic Assessment Of Thermal Conduction, Larry K. Kamees
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The interaction between the biophysical environment and ectotherm morphology elicits behaviors designed to maintain internal body temperature (Tb) within a range that promotes physiological functions. The short-term requirements of mass (energy requirements) and heat balance are subject to tradeoffs imposed by the organisms current physiological (heat and mass budgets) and environmental (biophysical, demographic, social, and predation) constraints and available resources. In temperate forests, extreme temperatures are common in summer even with intermittent sun exposure due to dense canopy cover. In Spring and Fall, temperatures can range from below freezing to 35 ℃ in 24 hrs. An ambush predator like the …
Allelopathic Effect Of Cereal Straw Extracts On Growth Of Raphidocelis Subcapitata And Microcystis Aeruginosa,
2022
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Allelopathic Effect Of Cereal Straw Extracts On Growth Of Raphidocelis Subcapitata And Microcystis Aeruginosa, Holly Wren
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Harmful algal blooms are increasing in size, duration, and intensity around the globe. For several decades, cereal straws have been recognized as a viable algal control method, though the mechanisms by which cereal straws inhibit algae remain a topic of research. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of decomposing cereal straw extract, particularly rice (Oryza sativa) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) straw extract, to inhibit the green alga Raphidocelis subcapitata or cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa in bioassays and to determine if the effectiveness of decomposing rice straw extract is altered by the presence of natural organic matter or …
