Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-11, Section: B, page: 6534. Adviser: Wesley M. Jarrell. Includes supplementary digital materials. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 134-152) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Columbia University, 2007. / (UMI)AAI3285083. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-09, Section: B, page: 5692. Adviser: Don J. Melnick.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2009. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-06, Section: B, page: 3281. Adviser: Lawrence M. Hanks. Includes bibliographical references. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin, 1965. / Abstracted in Dissertation abstracts, v. 27 (1966) no. 6, p. 2193-B. Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Syracuse University, 2005. / "Publication number AAT 3176987."

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-11, Section: B, page: 6270. Adviser: Feng Sheng Hu. Includes bibliographical references. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: B, page: 3553. Adviser: Martin C. Wikelski. Includes bibliographical references. Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

<p> Coral reef ecosystems worldwide are facing increasing degradation due to disease, anthropogenic damage, and climate change, particularly in the Tropical Western Atlantic. Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) have been recently gaining attention through increased characterization as continuations of shallow reefs below traditional SCUBA depths (>30 m). As MCEs appear to be sheltered from many stressors affecting shallow reefs, MCEs may act as a coral refuge and provide larvae to nearby shallow reefs. The Deep Reef Refugia Hypothesis (DRRH) posits that shallow and mesophotic reefs may be genetically connected and that some coral species are equally compatible in both habitats. The research presented here addresses key questions that underlie this theory and advances our knowledge of coral connectivity and MCE ecology using the depth-generalist coral <i>Montastraea cavernosa</i>. Chapter 1 presents an overview of the DRRH, a description of MCEs in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), and the framework of research questions within existing reef management infrastructure in the GOM. Through microsatellite genotyping, Chapter 2 identifies high connectivity among shallow and mesophotic reefs in the northwest GOM and evidence for relative isolation between depth zones in Belize and the southeast GOM. Historical migration and vertical connectivity models estimate Gulf-wide population panmixia. Chapter 3 focuses on population structure within the northwest GOM, identifying a lack of significant population structure. Dominant migration patterns estimate population panmixia, suggesting mesophotic populations currently considered for National Marine Sanctuary protection benefit the Flower Garden Banks. Chapter 4 quantifies the level of morphological variation between shallow and mesophotic <i>M. cavernosa</i>, revealing two distinct morphotypes possibly representing adaptive tradeoffs. Chapter 5 examines the transcriptomic mechanisms behind coral plasticity between depth zones, discovering a consistent response to mesophotic conditions across regions. Additionally, variable plasticity of mesophotic corals resulting from transplantation to shallow depths and potential differences in bleaching resilience between shallow and mesophotic corals are identified. The dissertation concludes with a synthesis of the results as they pertain to connectivity of shallow and mesophotic corals in the Gulf of Mexico and suggests future research that will aid in further understanding of MCE ecology and connectivity.</p><p>

<p> Floodplain forests along the Upper Mississippi River are known to provide valuable habitat for many species of migrating songbirds, including the Cerulean Warbler (<i>Setophaga cerulea</i>) and other species of concern. The forested islands of the confluence region where the Illinois and Missouri Rivers join the Mississippi vary greatly in their structure and composition, providing a variety of habitats for migrating bird species. While past studies have looked at the richness and diversity of bird species across gradients of forest structure, very few have determined which species are characteristic of certain forest types. Effective management and conservation of these lands by state and federal agencies requires that managers understand patterns of species use in these different forest communities. The objectives of this study were (1) to discover how bird community composition varies throughout the floodplain, (2) to determine which vegetation factors, structural or floristic, influence the composition of bird communities, and (3) to identify any species indicative of certain habitat types. Using a protocol developed through a partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers&mdash;St. Louis District, the Audubon Center at Riverlands, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 10 minute avian point count surveys were conducted from May 15 &ndash; June 30 at 95 survey points located throughout the forested areas of the Upper Mississippi River floodplain. Data collected during the 2017 surveys were added to point count data from the 2015 and 2016 survey seasons. An invaluable tool developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers&rsquo; forestry division, the Forest Management Geodatabase (FMG) was used to analyze structural complexity and vegetation characteristics at each avian point count site, including canopy height, basal area, tree species richness, and understory height. Differences in bird species richness across values of canopy height, basal area, understory height, and tree species richness were explored and tested using single-factor ANOVA. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) was used to summarize the pattern of avian community composition among sites and analysis of similarities (ANOSIM) tested for differences in avian communities among forest types. Bird species richness did not differ significantly across values of any of the four forest variables tested. NMDS and ANOSIM found that both canopy height and basal area significantly affected bird community composition while tree species richness and understory height had no effect. Indicator species analysis was then used to identify those species that characterized certain categories of canopy height and basal area. Indicator species analysis found 21 species to be indicators across four discreet categories of canopy height and 23 species to be indicators across 4 categories of basal area. Indicator species of note included five focal species: Indigo Bunting, Prothonotary Warbler, American Redstart, Warbling Vireo, and Red-shouldered Hawk. Warbling Vireos were indicators for sites with canopy heights less than 9 meters, while Prothonotary Warblers were characteristic of sites with the largest values of basal area (> 75 m²/ha). These focal species are chosen by the Audubon Center at Riverlands and are deemed important to the region or species of concern, making them targets of conservation. The knowledge of bird species-habitat relationships gained from this study is critical for the successful management of floodplain forest in order to benefit Neotropical migratory bird species on the Upper Mississippi River System.</p><p>

<p> Gamefish populations in North America are experiencing increasingly elevated recreational fishing pressures; however, the impacts of current fishing regulations have not been evaluated for most marine species. Mandatory catch and release often results from size and bag limits with the assumption of fish survival and recovery with minimal sublethal effects. Depending on the intensity and duration of the stressor, acute stress from angling and handling can have deleterious physiological and behavioral impacts with consequences for fish health and fitness. We evaluated the short-term sublethal effects of angling-related stressors on kelp bass, <i>Paralabrax clathratus</i>, one of the most popular gamefish in southern California. Collaborating with recreational anglers to capture fish using standard hook and line practices, we evaluated biochemical responses and recovery by collecting blood samples at different time points after capture (10-120 min), after fish were released and some were recaptured (3h to 186 d). Blood cortisol, glucose, and lactate were significantly elevated and steadily increased in the hour following capture and holding (p &lt; 0.001). Fish caught, released, and recaptured after varying time at liberty were found to have returned to basal levels in &lt; 24 h (p > 0.05). Physiological stress responses were positively correlated with angling and handling duration, but negatively correlated with increasing fish size (p &lt; 0.05), suggesting that larger individuals may be more resilient to capture stress. Likewise, kelp bass exhibited no signs of cumulative or chronic stress from repetitive angling/recapture events and recovered to basal levels in &lt;24 h (p > 0.05). Kelp bass were also tagged with acoustic accelerometer transmitters and tracked to evaluate fine-scale behavioral effects of angling stress on their normal diel movement and activity. Reduced frequency of high acceleration movements (i.e. rapid feeding strikes) was observed for 33 h post-release, followed by recovery and evidence of elevated feeding behavioral activity. Rate of movement and area use size showed high individual and temporal variation; however, reduced movement immediately after release steady increased to normal levels over the first 10 h post-release. There was no discernable effect of angling on area use size, but areas of high relief substratum may be important refuge habitat for angled kelp bass during recovery. By integrating physiological and behavioral endpoints for kelp bass to standard angling induced stress we conclude that this species is able to recover in &lt;24 h; however, smaller individuals may be more susceptible to predation during this recovery period. Based on these findings, it is likely that kelp bass may still fair well under current size and bag limits.</p><p>