Evaluating Avian Use Of Cover Crops In The Corn Belt,
2022
South Dakota State University
Evaluating Avian Use Of Cover Crops In The Corn Belt, Megan Figura
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The tallgrass prairie of North America has changed drastically since colonial settlement, with up to 99% of this region converted for agriculture and other land-uses. Concurrent with grassland conversion, grassland birds have experienced the most extreme, consistent, and widespread population declines of any avian guild. Agricultural lands in the U.S. Midwest were able to provide adequate habitat for several bird species until the 1950’s; however, altered and intensified management practices have degraded much of remaining suitable habitat and undermined ecosystem functions. Consequently, many grassland birds have been identified as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in many State Wildlife Action …
Effects Of Snake Fungal Disease On The Survival And Growth Of The Queensnake (Regina Septemvittata),
2022
University of Kentucky
Effects Of Snake Fungal Disease On The Survival And Growth Of The Queensnake (Regina Septemvittata), Andrew Jerome Ibach
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
Having only emerged as a threat to snakes in 2006, relatively little is known of snake fungal disease’s (SFD) impacts on demographic processes, particularly survival and growth. I used data from an extensive capture-mark-recapture study to examine survival and growth in central Kentucky Queensnake (Regina septemivittata) populations. I found that diseased snakes and healthy snakes possessed similar monthly survival estimates (SFD positive 0.9687, 95% CI 0.8444 to 0.9944; SFD negative 0.8735, 95% CI 0.7518 to 0.9402) and that disease state transition probability from SFD negative to SFD positive, and SFD positive to SFD negative were also similar (N-P …
Changes In The Zooplankton Community In Barren River Lake (South Central Ky) Between 2008 And 2020,
2022
Western Kentucky University
Changes In The Zooplankton Community In Barren River Lake (South Central Ky) Between 2008 And 2020, Laurel Philpott
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Zooplankton are small aquatic animals that serve an important role in transferring energy from phytoplankton to higher trophic levels. The zooplankton community composition in Barren River Lake from 2008 and 2020 was compared. A field study was conducted to not only describe the seasonal population dynamics of zooplankton in Barren River Lake, but also to determine if an invasive zooplankton, Daphnia lumholtzi, was present. While D. lumholtzi was found throughout Barren River Lake in 2008, it was absent from both resampled sites in 2019 and 2020. This, along with erratic patterns of emergence in several other zooplankton species, indicates …
Demographic Modeling Of Conservation Strategies For The Yosemite Toad (Anaxyrus Canorus),
2022
Cal Poly, Humboldt
Demographic Modeling Of Conservation Strategies For The Yosemite Toad (Anaxyrus Canorus), Corrina Rebecca Kamoroff
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The Yosemite toad (Anaxyrus canorus) is an anuran species endemic to the Sierra Nevada in California that, like many amphibians globally, has suffered population declines. The documented decline in A. canorus populations across their historic range highlights the need for an effective management strategy to protect the species from future extirpation. For this study, I estimated survival rates of A. canorus using a Cormack-Jolly-Seber model populated with data from a demographic study. I then used a female-only post-birth pulse stochastic Lefkovitch matrix model using vital rates I estimated and from the literature to simulate the effect of different …
Characterizing And Predicting Beaver Pond Habitat In Kittitas County, Washington,
2022
Central Washington University
Characterizing And Predicting Beaver Pond Habitat In Kittitas County, Washington, Kylie Vroman
All Master's Theses
North American Beavers (Castor canadensis) are important ecosystem engineers in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), as they provide ecosystem services and create habitats that benefit aquatic species, watersheds, and riparian vegetation. Even though the species has been coined a “nuisance” in some settings, it is common for environmental agencies to capture beavers and relocate them to areas where it is less likely for them to cause damage. This study geospatially modeled the Kittitas County landscape to identify areas of suitable habitat. Nine existing beaver ponds in Kittitas County were investigated; three of which were prior relocation sites that had failed, three …
Sentience In Decapod Crustaceans: A General Framework And Review Of The Evidence,
2022
London School of Economics and Political Science
Sentience In Decapod Crustaceans: A General Framework And Review Of The Evidence, Andrew Crump, Heather Browning, Alex Schnell, Charlotte Burn, Jonathan Birch
Animal Sentience
We outline a framework for evaluating scientific evidence of sentience, focusing on pain experience. It includes eight neural and cognitive-behavioural criteria, with confidence levels for each criterion reflecting the reliability and quality of the evidence. We outline the rationale for each criterion and apply our framework to a controversial sentience candidate: decapod crustaceans. We have either high or very high confidence that true crabs (infraorder Brachyura) satisfy five criteria, amounting to strong evidence of sentience. Moreover, we have high confidence that both anomuran crabs (infraorder Anomura) and astacid lobsters/crayfish (infraorder Astacidea) meet three criteria—substantial evidence of sentience. The case is, …
Zebra Mussel Length-Weight Relationships Across Various Substrate Types In Lake Bemidji,
2022
Bemidji State University
Zebra Mussel Length-Weight Relationships Across Various Substrate Types In Lake Bemidji, Mitch Kehne
Journal of Earth and Life Science
As of November 2021, zebra mussels were confirmed in 270 Minnesotan lakes with another 232 lakes listed as infested due to their connection or proximity to where zebra mussels have been found. With lack of effective treatments to impede their spread, zebra mussels continue to colonize new areas causing ecological as well as economic harm. The goal of this study was to establish a length-weight relationship for the zebra mussel population in Lake Bemidji using shell length (SL) and wet weight (WW), as well as to assess substrate type and log transformed shell length as predictors of log transformed zebra …
Changes In The Minnesota Northern Pike Population Over The Past Thirty Years,
2022
Bemidji State University
Changes In The Minnesota Northern Pike Population Over The Past Thirty Years, Joey Severin
Journal of Earth and Life Science
Northern pike Esox lucius are one of the most popular game fish in Minnesota. Many anglers have noticed that northern pike seemed to decrease in size throughout much of this state. Catch per unit of effort (CPUE) drives average weight for northern pike; within lakes, as CPUE goes up average weight decreases. Decreases in size has led the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) to implement new regulations on northern pike. The MNDNR noticed that not all the state has this same problem with Northern Pike, and has broken down the state into three zones, with different protected slots and …
Experimental Elucidation Of The Life Cycle Of Drepanocephalus Spathans (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) With Notes On The Morphological Plasticity Of D. Spathans In The United States,
2022
Mississippi State University
Experimental Elucidation Of The Life Cycle Of Drepanocephalus Spathans (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) With Notes On The Morphological Plasticity Of D. Spathans In The United States, Neely R. Alberson, Thomas G. Rosser, Tommy King, Ethan T. Woodyard, Lester Khoo, Wes A. Baumgartner, Daviod J. Wise, Linda M. Pote, Fred L. Cunningham, Matt J. Griffin
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
The echinostomatid Drepanocephalus spathans (syn. Drepanocephalus auritus) parasitizes the doublecrested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus. In North America, the marsh rams-horn snail Planorbella trivolvis and ghost rams-horn snail Biomphalaria havanensis serve as snail intermediate hosts, both of which inhabit catfish aquaculture ponds in the southeastern United States. Studies have demonstrated D. spathans exposure can be lethal to juvenile channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. Two studies were undertaken to elucidate the life cycle of D. spathans to establish a developmental time line. In both studies, D. spathans cercariae collected from naturally infected P. trivolvis individuals were used to infect channel catfish …
Scavenging Vs Hunting Affects Behavioral
Traits Of An Opportunistic Carnivore,
2022
Utah State University
Scavenging Vs Hunting Affects Behavioral Traits Of An Opportunistic Carnivore, Mitchell A. Parsons, Andrew Garcia, Julie K. Young
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Background. Human-induced changes to ecosystems transform the availability of resources to predators, including altering prey populations and increasing access to anthropogenic foods. Opportunistic predators are likely to respond to altered food resources by changing the proportion of food they hunt versus scavenge. These shifts in foraging behavior will affect species interactions through multiple pathways, including by changing other aspects of predator behavior such as boldness, innovation, and social structure. Methods. To understand how foraging behavior impacts predator behavior, we conducted a controlled experiment to simulate hunting by introducing a prey model to captive coyotes (Canis latrans) and compared their behavior …
Influence Of Landscape Attributes On Virginia
Opossum Density,
2022
University of Georgia
Influence Of Landscape Attributes On Virginia Opossum Density, David A. Bernasconi, Wesley C. Dixon, Matthew T. Hamilton, James L. Helton, Richard B. Chipman, Amy T. Gilbert, James C. Beasley, Olin E. Rhodes Jr., Guha Dharmarajan
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
TheVirginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), North America's only marsupial, has a range extending from southern Ontario, Canada, to the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, and from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific. Despite the Virginia opossum's taxonomic uniqueness in relation to other mammals in North America and rapidly expanding distribution, its ecology remains relatively understudied. Our poor understanding of the ecology of this important mesopredator is especially pronounced in the rural southeastern United States. Our goal was to estimate effects of habitat on opossum density within an extensive multiyear spatial capture‐recapture study. Additionally, we compared the results of this spatial capture‐recapture …
Multidisciplinary Engagement For Fencing Research Informs Efficacy And Rancher-To-Researcher Knowledge Exchange,
2022
Colorado State University - Fort Collins
Multidisciplinary Engagement For Fencing Research Informs Efficacy And Rancher-To-Researcher Knowledge Exchange, Matthew Hyde, Stewart W. Breck, Alex Few, Jared Beaver, Joshua Schrecengost, Jim Stone, Cameron Krebs, Russell Talmo, Kari Eneas, Rae Nickerson, Kyran E. Kunkel, Julie K. Young
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Across much of the Western United States, recovery of large carnivore populations is creating new challenges for livestock producers. Reducing the risks of sharing the landscape with recovering wildlife populations is critical to private working lands, which play an vital role in securing future energy, water, food, and fiber for an ever-expanding human population. Fencing is an important mitigation practice that many ranchers, land managers, and conservationists implement to reduce carnivore-livestock conflict. While fencing strategies have been reviewed in the literature, research seldom incorporates knowledge from the people who utilize fencing the most (i.e., livestock producers). Incorporating producers and practitioners …
Targeted Browsing With Goats For Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus Virginiana L.) Control,
2022
South Dakota State University
Targeted Browsing With Goats For Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus Virginiana L.) Control, Alanna M. Hartsfield
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
As eastern redcedar (ERC) (Juniperus virginiana L.) grassland encroachment progresses, all potential control methods should be explored in the interest of Great Plains grassland health and longevity. Targeted browsing with goats has been proven as an effective control method on some juniper species; however, little is known about its ability to control ERC. These studies intend to mend knowledge gaps of how targeted browsing with goats control ERC by causing tree death without chemicals or machinery. The first study is two 3x3 Latin squares comparing protein-supplemented diets. The second study is a randomized complete block design of five 0.224 ha …
Legal Recognition Of Animal Sentience: The Case For Cautious Optimism,
2022
Deakin University, Melbourne
Legal Recognition Of Animal Sentience: The Case For Cautious Optimism, Jane Kotzmann
Animal Sentience
Rowan et al.’s target article provides a valuable indication of the work that was required to reach the point where animals are recognised as sentient in various laws. To ensure this work was not in vain, the language of sentience needs to be used as a moral currency to demand further cultural change involving greater human respect for animals.
Efficacy Of Non-Lethal Molecular Methods In Elucidating Distribution Of Gray Treefrog Complex (Hyla Chrysoscelis/Versicolor) In Kansas,
2022
Fort Hays State University
Efficacy Of Non-Lethal Molecular Methods In Elucidating Distribution Of Gray Treefrog Complex (Hyla Chrysoscelis/Versicolor) In Kansas, Nora K. Lazerus
Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice
Globally, amphibians are the most imperiled vertebrate taxa in part because they rely on both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Specifically, their permeable skin makes them uniquely susceptible to habitat degradation and alteration. Cope’s Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) and the Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor) are a diploid-tetraploid, morphologically indistinguishable sister pair of cryptic anurans native to Kansas. Since 1987, the distribution of gray treefrogs in Kanas has extended west but the status of each species in the complex in Kansas is not known beyond its documented combined western expansion. Currently, species identification cannot be determined by nonlethal …
Effects Of Environmental Warming On Clarias Gariepinus Growth And Physiology,
2022
Arcadia University
Effects Of Environmental Warming On Clarias Gariepinus Growth And Physiology, Dean Cahill
Capstone Showcase
Fresh water makes up about 0.8% of the Earth’s surface and is home to six percent of its species. Environmental warming is projected to have a significant effect on freshwater systems as the century progresses. They are susceptible to irreversible damage because fresh water availability and temperature is dependent of climate. The Clarias gariepinus, or the African Catfish, is popular among aquaculture in Africa and Asia because of its rapid growth, quick reproduction, and hardiness. The goal of my thesis was to examine the effect of environmental warming and elevated temperatures on the growth and physiology of Clarias gariepinus populations …
Understanding The Environmental Implications Of The Microbiome Of Canals In Bangkok, Thailand,
2022
Claremont Colleges
Understanding The Environmental Implications Of The Microbiome Of Canals In Bangkok, Thailand, Emma Tao
Scripps Senior Theses
The canals of Bangkok, Thailand hold significant economic and social value, yet the increasing urbanization of the city has resulted in increased water pollution. Agricultural runoff and urban waste contribute to the degradation of the water quality, which has impaired its safe usage by the people of the city. This study focused on analyzing the microbiome of the water in the canals in correlation with the surrounding environment, both in and out of the water. Ten sites along the Bangkok canals were analyzed. DNA was isolated for the sequencing of the 16s rRNA gene to determine the microbial diversity of …
Fertilizer Use In Aquaculture,
2022
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Center
Fertilizer Use In Aquaculture, Bartholomew W. Green
United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications
Aquaculture ponds traditionally are fertilized to stimulate primary productivity, which serves as the base of the pond natural food web and provides ancillary ecosystem services. Fertilizer can be made regularly or based on some water quality variable or measure of algal productivity. Nutrients from chemical fertilizers are available sooner for phytoplankton growth compared to organic fertilizers that first must undergo microbial decomposition before nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations increase. Primary production increases with increased fertilizer application if productivity is limited by primary nutrients rather than by light. In semi-intensive and intensive production systems, natural pond productivity enhanced by targeted fertilization protocols …
Sentience Politics : A Fishy Perspective,
2022
Macquarie University
Sentience Politics : A Fishy Perspective, Culum Brown
Animal Sentience
The plight of fishes has almost certainly got worse since Bentham (1789) coined the phrase “The question is not Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but Can they suffer?” Despite the fact that fishes are increasingly recognised as sentient animals worthy of protection under animal welfare legislation in many countries around the world, fishing practices are almost universally exempt activities. The human population continues to grow, and, surprisingly, per capita intake of fish is still increasing (FAO 2020). The source of this fish is not wild stocks (catches of which have remained more or less stagnant for …
In Memory: James E. “Jim” Miller,
2022
University of Wisconsin - Madison
In Memory: James E. “Jim” Miller, Scott R. Craven
Human–Wildlife Interactions
This "In Memory" article honors the life and contributions of James E. “Jim” Miller.
