No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Washington State University, December 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--East Tennessee State University, 2003. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 109-116). Also available full text as a .pdf file via the Internet. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader software.

Thesis (M.S. in environmental science)--Washington State University, May 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 30-33).

No description available.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Universidad de La Laguna, 1996. / Premio de Investigación "6 de septiembre", ex aequo, 1996 del Instituto de Estudios Hispánicos del Puerto de la Cruz.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Universidad de La Laguna, 1996. / Premio de Investigación "6 de septiembre", ex aequo, 1996 del Instituto de Estudios Hispánicos del Puerto de la Cruz.

The Canary Archipelago is considered one of the planet's biodiversity hotspots and the short-finned pilot whale is a key species in need of conservation measures. To address a lack of knowledge, almost 2,000 day-surveys were conducted (1999-2012) resulting in 1,094 short-finned pilot whale sightings. The species was recorded year-round and distributed non-uniformly around the archipelago, with greater densities concentrated in patchy areas mainly on the leeward side of the main islands. A total of 1,320 well-marked individuals were identified, which exhibited a large degree of variability in site fidelity (from core residents to transients). Evidence of an island-associated sub-population and a transient one was found. Longitudinal data were used to infer population structure and estimate abundance, while a spatial modelling approach was used to study spatio-temporal patterns in habitat use, distribution and abundance. Spatial modelling revealed habitat preferences in areas between depths of 1000m and 1500m, and higher densities in the south-west of Tenerife and La Gomera (117 short-finned pilot whales recaptured within the two islands). Abundance of 1,980 individuals (CV = 0.33, 95% CI=1,442 – 2,324) was estimated for the entire archipelago, with higher density predicted during the summer months. Mark-recapture analysis estimated 636 resident individuals (CV = 0.028, 95% CI=602 - 671) in the southwest waters of Tenerife between 2007 and 2009. The social and temporal analyses of the behavioural relationships between pairs of individuals revealed a well-differentiated society with long-lasting and non-random social structure built of constant companions. A hierarchical social system is proposed composed of a population encompassing several clans of pilot whales, each one containing several pods. Nine long-term units were identified with a high degree of association (0.62 - 0.83). This study, the first to provide combined results on distribution, habitat use, and social structure of the species, provides essential information towards the development of recommendations for much needed conservation measures.

As doenças virais são de extrema importância para a saúde das aves. Os vírus podem se espalhar através de fezes, secreções respiratórias ou exfoliação epitelial de penas e pele, dificultando ainda mais esse controle. A utilização do PCR permite detecção de pequenas concentrações do vírus além da possibilidade de diagnosticar a patologia antes de iniciar alterações histológicas. O bornavírus aviário é responsável pela doença da dilatação pró-ventricular (PDD) em psitacídeos e outras aves, uma doença neurológica letal, que foi descoberta no início da década de oitenta na Europa e América do Norte. A detecção do vírus em passeriformes e outras famílias já ocorreu em alguns países. A ocorrência de poliomavírus em outras espécies diferentes dos psitaciformes não é estudada no Brasil, logo não se sabe se há ocorrência da doença nem em aves de cativeiro como em aves de vida livre. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo a padronização das técnicas de PCR e RT-PCR e o estudo epidemiológico dos três tipos virais descritos acima em aves de cativeiro no Brasil. Foram coletadas amostras de passeriformes de vida livre e passeriformes de cativeiro (n=327), galiformes de criação extensiva e comercial (n=90). Nenhuma amostra foi positiva para circovírus e nenhuma amostras de galiformes foi positiva para os vírus testados. A caracterização das amostras biológicas obtidas de psitacídeos resultou na descoberta de um novo genótipo, denominado PaBv-8, atualmente descrito apenas no Brasil. Das amostras de passeriformes testadas, foram encontradas 3 amostras positivas para bornavírus de canário (CnBv-1) e uma para poliomavírus. Esta é a primeira descrição de bornavírus em canário no Brasil. Duas das três amostras positivas para CnBv-1 pertenciam a canários de cativeiro que apresentavam sinais clínicos compatíveis com a doença, enquanto a terceira amostra pertencia a um pula-pula de vida livre, aparentemente assintomático. A ave positiva para poliomavírus apresentou crescimento excessivo do bico, sinal clínico compatível com lesão hepática, que pode ser causada pela infecção viral. A descrição de um novo genótipo assim como a identificação do vírus e da doença em passeriformes indica uma necessidade de reforçar os estudos sobre o assunto no país, assim como rever a legislação a fim de prevenir a disseminação de patógenos. / Viral diseases are of extreme importance for the health of birds. Viruses can spread through feces, respiratory secretions or epithelial exfoliation of feathers and skin, making it even more difficult to control. The use of PCR allows the detection of small concentrations of the vírus, giving the possibility of diagnosing the pathology before initiating histological alterations. The avian bornavirus is responsible for pro-ventricular dilation (PDD) disease in psittacines and other birds, a lethal neurological disease that was discovered in the early 1980s in Europe and North America. Virus detection in passerines and other families has already occurred in some countries. The occurrence of polyomaviruses in species other than psitaciformes was never studied in Brazil. Ut is not known whether the disease occurs in poultry or in free-living birds as well. The present study aimed to standardize the PCR and RT-PCR techniques and the epidemiological study of the three viral types described above in captive birds in Brazil. We collected samples from wild-caught and captive passeriformes (n = 327), galiformes from breeding facilities (n = 90) and captive psitacines (n=10). No samples were positive for circovírus. None of the galiformes samples were positive for any of the virus tested. The characterization of the biological samples obtained from psittacines resulted in the discovery of a new genotype, called PaBv-8, currently described only in Brazil. Passeriformes samples resulted in 3 positive samples for bornavírus, that were further analyzed as canarian bornaviruses 1 (CnBv-1) and one bird was positive for poliomavirus. This is the first description of bornavirus in canary in Brazil. Two out of the three CnBv-1-positive samples belonged to captive canaries showing clinical signs compatible with the disease, whereas the third sample belonged to an apparently asymptomatic free-living pula. The positive bird for polyomavirus presented excessive growth of the beak, clinical sign compatible with hepatic damage, that can be caused by the viral infection. The description of a new genotype as well as the identification of the virus and the disease in passeriformes indicates a need to reinforce the studies on the subject in the country, as well as to review the legislation to prevent the spread of pathogens.