Habitat loss is one of the leading causes of species decline across all taxa and conservation practices require information on population trends. The Mescalero Sands ecosystem, New Mexico, USA, is experiencing landscape changes associated with oil and gas development. The dune-dwelling lizard community contains a habitat specialist, Sceloporus arenicolus, that is of particular interest because it has a very limited geographic distribution that is entirely subject to oil and gas development. Distance sampling is widely used to estimate population densities of many vertebrate taxa however assumptions can be difficult to satisfy with certain species or in certain habitats. Researchers must investigate the likelihood that assumptions can be satisfied before implementing any population sampling method. I had two objectives. First to investigate the precision of population densities of dune-dwelling lizards estimated via distance sampling that was coupled with double-observer surveys. Second to compare abundances of dune-dwelling lizards among sites that varied in oil and gas development. I conducted distance line transects and compared those density estimates to densities obtained from total removal plots. I quantified the amount of oil and gas development, habitat quantity and quality and correlated those to lizard abundances to investigate the effects of oil and gas development on lizard populations. I found large differences in density estimates from distance sampling and total removal plots that resulted from violation of distance sampling assumptions. Although distance sampling is a low cost method, it does not produce reliable density estimates for dune-dwelling lizards and is not an appropriate sampling method in this system. I did not find oil and gas development effects on the habitat quantity, quality or on the abundances of lizards. Lizard abundances were most strongly correlated to habitat quantity. Lizard abundances may be influenced by complex interactions between oil and gas development and habitat quantity and quality but controlling for those interactions was beyond the scope of my study. Before and after experiments and long-term studies at multiple sites would be required to more fully address the effects of oil and gas development on lizard populations in the Mescalero Sands.

Habitat loss is one of the leading causes of species decline across all taxa and conservation practices require information on population trends. The Mescalero Sands ecosystem, New Mexico, USA, is experiencing landscape changes associated with oil and gas development. The dune-dwelling lizard community contains a habitat specialist, Sceloporus arenicolus, that is of particular interest because it has a very limited geographic distribution that is entirely subject to oil and gas development. Distance sampling is widely used to estimate population densities of many vertebrate taxa however assumptions can be difficult to satisfy with certain species or in certain habitats. Researchers must investigate the likelihood that assumptions can be satisfied before implementing any population sampling method. I had two objectives. First to investigate the precision of population densities of dune-dwelling lizards estimated via distance sampling that was coupled with double-observer surveys. Second to compare abundances of dune-dwelling lizards among sites that varied in oil and gas development. I conducted distance line transects and compared those density estimates to densities obtained from total removal plots. I quantified the amount of oil and gas development, habitat quantity and quality and correlated those to lizard abundances to investigate the effects of oil and gas development on lizard populations. I found large differences in density estimates from distance sampling and total removal plots that resulted from violation of distance sampling assumptions. Although distance sampling is a low cost method, it does not produce reliable density estimates for dune-dwelling lizards and is not an appropriate sampling method in this system. I did not find oil and gas development effects on the habitat quantity, quality or on the abundances of lizards. Lizard abundances were most strongly correlated to habitat quantity. Lizard abundances may be influenced by complex interactions between oil and gas development and habitat quantity and quality but controlling for those interactions was beyond the scope of my study. Before and after experiments and long-term studies at multiple sites would be required to more fully address the effects of oil and gas development on lizard populations in the Mescalero Sands.

Half of Earth's land surface has been altered by human activities, creating various consequences on the climate and weather systems at local to global scales, which in turn affect a myriad of land surface processes and the adaptation behaviors. This study reviews the status and major knowledge gaps in the interactions of land and atmospheric changes and present 11 grand challenge areas for the scientific research and adaptation community in the coming decade. These land-cover and land-use change (LCLUC)-related areas include 1) impacts on weather and climate, 2) carbon and other biogeochemical cycles, 3) biospheric emissions, 4) the water cycle, 5) agriculture, 6) urbanization, 7) acclimation of biogeochemical processes to climate change, 8) plant migration, 9) land-use projections, 10) model and data uncertainties, and, finally, 11) adaptation strategies. Numerous studies have demonstrated the effects of LCLUC on local to global climate and weather systems, but these putative effects vary greatly in magnitude and even sign across space, time, and scale and thus remain highly uncertain. At the same time, many challenges exist toward improved understanding of the consequences of atmospheric and climate change on land process dynamics and services. Future effort must improve the understanding of the scale-dependent, multifaceted perturbations and feedbacks between land and climate changes in both reality and models. To this end, one critical cross-disciplinary need is to systematically quantify and better understand measurement and model uncertainties. Finally, LCLUC mitigation and adaptation assessments must be strengthened to identify implementation barriers, evaluate and prioritize opportunities, and examine how decisionmaking processes work in specific contexts.

Anthropogenic contaminants in the marine environment often biodegrade slowly, bioaccumulate in organisms, and can cause reproductive, immune, and developmental effects on wildlife; however, their effects on cetacean health and behavior have not been extensively studied. This study aims to expand knowledge concerning concentrations and biological effects of endocrine disrupting contaminants and essential and non-essential inorganic elements in stranded cetaceans. We evaluated tissue samples and pathology data from 66 odontocetes that stranded in the southeastern United States during 2012– 2017. Using mass spectrometry blubber samples were analyzed for five endocrine disrupting contaminants (atrazine, bisphenol-A, diethyl phthalate, nonylphenol ethoxylate, triclosan), and liver samples were analyzed for 12 inorganic elements (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mg, Mn, Fe, Pb, Hg, Se, Tl, Zn). Results from this study demonstrate that exposure to certain contaminants may be associated with subtle or sublethal cellular changes in free-ranging marine mammals that could contribute to health declines or stranding. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Non-Anglophone voices in literature can lead to a better understanding of the intricate relationships shown by Ashley Dawson tying capitalism, slow violence, and uneven development to climate change. There is skepticism that science fiction (sf) in particular can properly present climate issues in the anthropocentric era that we live in today, but scholars such as Shelley Streeby argue against such perceptions. Science fiction writers that use magical realism, such as Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Nalo Hopkinson, as ecological sf have already accomplished the task of creating speculative works that fit in perfectly under the umbrella of “serious fictions.” These writers work from a non-Anglophone perspective or from a minority group within a Western society, allowing for different modes of thinking to play a part in these bigger discourses. Writers, educators, and other scholars need to reestablish humanity’s kinship with nature. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / Florida Atlantic University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) FL, USA, is an Estuary of National Significance due to its economic and high biodiversity. Microbial populations are understudied in the IRL despite their numerous ecological services. A two-year, nineteen-site Lagoon-Wide Survey (LWS) was conducted to provide the first 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data on the microbiome of the sediment in the IRL and determine how the microbiome changed in response to environmental and anthropogenic factors. The most influential variables that explained the variability between microbiomes were porewater salinity, total organic matter (TOM), and copper (Cu). These results correlated with some of the anthropogenic pressures the IRL faces such as freshwater discharges from St. Lucie Estuary (SLE), trace metal contamination, and the accumulation of fine-grained, highly organic sediment known as “IRL muck” (muck). Research then focused on determining the microbial differences between three sets of sample types: sediment from the IRL versus the SLE; sediment that had three muck characteristics versus those with zero; and high TOM sediment that had high Cu versus high TOM sediment that had low Cu. Differentially abundant prokaryotes between sample types were determined with novel indicator analysis techniques. One technique tested the effectiveness of an indicator list to separate samples based upon the product of the sensitivity and specificity of partitioning around medoids clustering in comparison to metadata classifications. The other technique allowed for the tracking of changes in the entire indicator microbiome. These new indicator analysis techniques were created using the original LWS data and tested to determine how sediment microbiomes responded during two opportunistic surveys: dredging of muck from an IRL tributary (Eau Gallie River) and Hurricane Irma. These studies have filled the knowledge gap regarding the unknown microbiome of the IRL and how sediment microbiomes respond to extreme events such as dredging and a hurricane. They also led to the development of new indicator analysis techniques that can be used by to track changes in the entire indicator microbiome. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-10T10:44:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Nilton Carlos do Valle.pdf: 1373244 bytes, checksum: 8b3e72127e72340dbc4c68c71ec2f580 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-10-27 / This study aims the characterization of the bird community structure of savanna areas from the middle-inferior section of the Ribeirão João Leite basin, Goiás. The avifauna data was collected every two month between August/2004 and June/2005 in 22 sampling points, which are located in the conservation unit Parque Ecológico Altamiro de Moura Pacheco and in pasture areas. The methodology used was sampling points with minimum distance of 200m between points, where the birds observed during 20 minutes were identified and counted. 5,834 specimens, distributed in 21 orders, 54 families and 184 species were catalogued. 114 represent species with forest and rural habits, 31 are strictly rural, 20 are forest and 19 of aquatic environments. The Cluster Analysis indicated the presence of two distinct groups (A and B) (p=0.008) and five subgroups (I, II, III, IV and V) (p=0.04). The group "A" and sub-group I and II corresponds to the points located in forest areas and riparian vegetation, where 174 insectivorous species (3,887 specimens) were catalogued and of which 27 are constant such as Momotus momota, Basileuterus flaveolus and Monasa nigrifons. The group "B" and sub-group III, IV and V is formed by points located in anthropic areas, where avifauna presents minor richness (111 species) and abundance (1,947 specimens) with predominance of granivorous species such as Columbina talpacoti, Patagioenas picazuro and Jacarina volatinia. These results indicate the influence of preserved areas of savanna on the avifauna structure. / O presente estudo objetiva a caracterização da estrutura das comunidades de aves em áreas de Cerrado, antropizadas ou não, localizadas na região médio-inferior da sub-bacia do Ribeirão João Leite, Goiás. Os dados da avifauna foram coletados bimestralmente entre agosto de 2004 e junho de 2005 em 22 pontos amostrais, os quais estão localizados em áreas conservadas do Parque Ecológico de Moura Pacheco e em áreas antropizadas (pastagens). A metodologia utilizada foi a de amostragem por pontos com distância mínima de 200m entre um ponto amostral e outro, onde foram qualiquantificadas as aves observadas num período de 20 minutos. Foram catalogados 5.834 espécimes, distribuídos em 21 ordens, 54 famílias e 184 espécies. Destas últimas, 114 representam espécies com hábitos florestais e campestres, 31 estritamente campestres, 20 estritamente florestais e 19 de ambientes aquáticos. A Análise de Agrupamento indicou a presença de dois grupos distintos (A e B) (p=0,008) e cinco subgrupos (I,II,III,IV e V) (p= 0,04). O grupo A e subgrupo I e II correspondem a pontos localizados em áreas florestais e de mata de galeria, onde 174 espécies insetívoras (3.887 espécimes) foram catalogadas e das quais 27 são constantes como é o caso de Hudu (Momotus momota), Mariquita (Basileuterus flaveolus), e Bico-debrasa (Monasa nigrifons). O grupo B e subgrupo III, IV e V é formado por pontos localizados em regiões antropizadas, onde a avifauna apresenta menor riqueza (111 espécies) e abundância (1.947 espécimes) sendo esta predominantemente granívora como Sangue-de-boi (Columbina talpacoti), Pomba-asa-branca (Patagioenas picazuro) e Tiziu (Volatinia jacarina). Estes resultados indicam a influência de áreas conservadas sobre a estrutura da avifauna.

Survival is a prerequisite for successful reproduction, and is thus intertwined with fitness. Some physiological systems can improve survival, like the immune system, but compete with other processes for resources. Because animals evolved with resource limitation, it is important to understand how these resource-allocation decisions are made. To meet this end, I performed four investigations addressing how life-history characteristics shift in side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana) using laboratory studies and multi-year field sampling. First, I measured metabolic rates in response to different immune challenges and different energy states in male lizards. I found that, surprisingly, cutaneous biopsies were associated with a downregulation of metabolic rate, lipopolysaccharide injection did not affect metabolic rate, and the fastest-healing individuals had the largest decrease in metabolic rate, regardless of feeding treatment. In my second experiment, female lizards were challenged with a cutaneous biopsy and follicle-stimulating hormone to force a trade-off between the reproductive and immune systems. I learned that follicle-stimulating hormone increased metabolic rates and cutaneous biopsies decreased them, and that a combination of both treatments reduced metabolic rate the most. In my third experiment, I sampled wild lizards from northern populations in eastern Oregon and southern populations in southern Utah. In the first year, longer-lived northern lizards had higher circulating corticosterone concentration, decreased reproductive investment, and increased microbiocidal ability, but the subsequent year did not hold to these trends. A subsequent common-garden experiment revealed that southern lizards were faster at healing cutaneous wounds, but lost much more body mass than the northern individuals, which healed more slowly but maintained body mass. Finally, I have conducted a 5-year field investigation addressing the life-history trade-offs associated with urbanization, which reveals interesting effects of precipitation on survival and reproductive effort at urban and rural sites.

Global biodiversity losses are being driven by human actions, and coral reef communities are not immune. Local anthropogenic stress and global climate change are rapidly changing coral reefs, through coral bleaching and mortality. How these stressors impact the biodiversity and community structure of corals on tropical reefs will not only affect the communities of fish and invertebrates that rely on coral reefs, but they could have lasting impacts on ecosystem functioning. The record-breaking marine heatwave caused by the 2015/2016 El Niño was superimposed on a strong local human disturbance gradient on Kiritimati, Kiribati, allowing for the investigation of how these combined disturbances affect coral communities. In Chapter 2, I investigated how soft coral cover varies with these disturbances and natural environmental factors, using benthic photoquadrats collected on Kiritimati’s forereefs from 2007 to 2019. Additionally, I conducted a literature review to establish what is already known about soft coral and disturbances, to compare Kiritimati data to that found in the literature. I show that soft corals are grossly understudied, with only a fifth (19/94) of coral studies presenting any results of heat stress effects on soft corals, and even fewer (5%) presenting taxonomic-specific results. On Kiritimati, prior to the 2015/2016 El Niño, soft corals were more common at sheltered sites with lower net primary productivity, but no effect of local disturbance was found. Soft corals were, however, highly vulnerable to heat stress, with a documented complete loss after the heatwave. I also show that soft coral skeletons persisted for years after the heatwave and provided substrate for hard coral recruitment. In Chapter 3, I examined how local and global stressors affected coral diversity, using community composition photoquadrat data collected from 2013 to 2017, and developed a conceptual framework for understanding effects of multiple stressors, when there are both discrete and continuous stressors. Coral alpha diversity (assessed as Hill diversity) exhibited a non-linear relationship with local anthropogenic stress, peaking at intermediate levels, and was negatively impacted by the marine heatwave, such that sites tended to decrease in both coral richness and evenness. Coral beta diversity (assessed as community composition turnover) was significantly impacted by both stressors, but sites exposed to higher levels of anthropogenic stress tended to experience less turnover during the heatwave. Explicitly considering the relationships between the two stressors, I found that it varied depending on the intensity of anthropogenic stress and the diversity metric (i.e., richness vs. composition) examined. For Hill-Richness, I found a tipping point at moderate levels of local anthropogenic stress, below which there was an additive response and above which the response tended towards synergy. In contrast, for Hill-Shannon and Hill-Simpson the responses were additive and there was an antagonistic effect between stressors for community composition. By using the frameworks outlined in this thesis for reporting changes to soft coral due to disturbances, and examining relationships between discrete and continuous stressors, we may better predict how reefs will look in the future and what actions will conserve and assist in the recovery of coral reef ecosystems. / Graduate / 2022-08-10

Considerable interest lies in understanding the hydrologic response to climate change in the upper Deschutes Basin, particularly as it relates to groundwater fed streams. Much of the precipitation occurring in the recharge zone falls as snow. Consequently, the timing of runoff and recharge depend on accumulation and melting of the snowpack. Numerical modeling can provide insights into evolving hydrologic system response for resource management consideration. A daily mass and energy balance model known as the Deep Percolation Model (DPM) was developed for the basin in the 1990s. This model uses spatially distributed data and is driven with daily climate data to calculate both daily and monthly mass and energy balance for the major components of the hydrologic budget across the basin. Previously historical daily climate data from weather stations in the basin was used to drive the model. Now we use the University of Washington Climate Impact Group's 1/16th degree daily downscaled climate data to drive the DPM for forecasting until the end of the 21st century. The downscaled climate data is comprised from the mean of eight GCM simulations well suited to the Pacific Northwest. Furthermore, there are low emission and high emission scenarios associated with each ensemble member leading to two distinct means. For the entire basin progressing into the 21st century, output from the DPM using both emission scenarios as a forcing show changes in the timing of runoff and recharge as well as significant reductions in snowpack. Although the DPM calculated amounts of recharge and runoff varies between the emission scenario of the ensemble under consideration, all model output shows loss of the spring snowmelt runoff / recharge peak as time progresses. The response of the groundwater system to changing in the time and amount of recharge varies spatially. Short flow paths in the upper part of the basin are potentially more sensitive to the change in seasonality. However, geologic controls on the system cause this signal to attenuate as it propagates into the lower portions of the basin. This scale-dependent variation to the response of the groundwater system to changes in seasonality and magnitude of recharge is explored by applying DPM calculated recharge to an existing regional groundwater flow model.