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For the endangered green turtle, Chelonia mydas, a fundamental component of recovery and conservation is an understanding of its foraging ecology. Foraging optimality models suggest animals will select resources of high quality over those of low quality. For green turtles, this behavior is important, as sufficient quantities of nutritionally adequate forage items are necessary for growth and reproduction. One intrinsic element in the understanding of green turtle foraging ecology is to identify and document the availability and quality of forage resources preferred by green turtles. The objectives of this study were: 1) determine whether juvenile green turtles showed a feeding preference by comparing prey items in the diet to the availability of those items in the habitat, 2) identify species for which there was selection or avoidance, 3) identify nutritional factors determining selection or avoidance of prey items, and 4) evaluate the nutritional content of the diet. This research was conducted by comparing lavage samples from juvenile green turtles to samples from benthic surveys within the habitat. To determine feeding preference, Ivlev's Electivity Index was used to compare ingested species of algae with those available in the habitat. Nutritional analysis of forage was conducted to identify possible nutrients relating to feeding preference. Juvenile green turtles selectively foraged on Chlorophyta and Rhodophyta. Results indicate that diet selection was based on nutritional content. Both the composite diet and the main diet item, Hypnea spp, had a higher gross energy value, were higher in protein, and lower in fiber than prey items that were avoided. Conservation of green turtles requires effective habitat management, which must be informed by an understanding and evaluation of the habitat. For juvenile green turtles, this study indicates that habitats dominated by Chlorophyta and Rhodophyta may be more important for the health of green turtle populations than habitats dominated by Phaeophyta.

No description available.

Mutualism is an understudied phenomenon across taxa, but is important to the persistence and structure of communities. The role of positive interactions in supporting threatened species is critically important given that freshwater fish are extremely vulnerable due to the combined effects of climate change and habitat degradation. To disentangle complex positive multi-species interactions, I applied both Eltonian and Hutchinsonian niche approaches to the reproductive mutualism of leuciscids known as nest association, a form of alloparental care characterized by an adult of one species guarding the offspring of another. I conducted this study with the leuciscid community of Toms Creek in which Bluehead Chub Nocomis leptocephalus is the primary nest builder and nest associate species include Rosyside Dace Clinostomus funduloides, Rosefin Shiner Lythrurus ardens, Mountain Redbelly Dace Chrosomus oreas, Crescent Shiner Luxilus cerasinus, White Shiner Luxilus albeolus, Central Stoneroller Campostoma anomalum, Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus, and Blacknose Dace Rhinycthys atratulus. I applied Hutchinsonian niche theory with respect to hydrology and water temperature to define the reproductive phenology of each species involved in the reproductive mutualism, then used Eltonian niche theory to define the role of each species in parental and alloparental care. My dual niche theory approach elucidates the reproductive requirements of each species and quantifies the contribution of nest associates to alloparental care, which historically have not been included in definitions of nest association. My results show that Blacknose Dace Rhinichthys atratulus and Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus are not true nest associates of Bluehead Chub Nocomis leptocephalus based on their reproductive phenology and observed nesting behaviors. In contrast to previous work on nest association, most associate species did contribute to parental care through nest defense and vigilance behaviors, and their specific behaviors were influenced by morphology. By clearly defining the reproductive niches of these species, this study lays the groundwork for future investigation of how various climate scenarios may impact multi-species reproductive mutualisms. / Master of Science / Positive interactions are understudied throughout ecology, but are important to the persistence and structure of communities. The role of positive interactions in supporting threatened species is critically important given that freshwater fish are at high risk of extinction due to the combined effects of climate change and habitat degradation. To understand the complex positive interactions in freshwater fish, I applied both niche theory approaches to a mutualistic reproductive interaction known as nest association, where an adult of one species builds a nest on which it guards the offspring of other species (formally: a type of alloparental care). I conducted this study with the leuciscid (commonly known as minnow) community of Toms Creek in which Bluehead Chub Nocomis leptocephalus is the primary nest builder and nest associate species include Rosyside Dace Clinostomus funduloides, Rosefin Shiner Lythrurus ardens, Mountain Redbelly Dace Chrosomus oreas, Crescent Shiner Luxilus cerasinus, White Shiner Luxilus albeolus, Central Stoneroller Campostoma anomalum, Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus, and Blacknose Dace Rhinycthys atratulus. For each species involved in the reproductive mutualism, I defined the seasonal timing of reproduction with respect to hydrology and water temperature, then defined their role in parental and alloparental care. My approach clarifies the reproductive requirements of each species and establishes the contributions of associate species to alloparental care, which historically have not been included in definitions of nest association. My results show that Blacknose Dace Rhinichthys atratulus and Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus are not true nest associates of Bluehead Chub Nocomis leptocephalus based on their reproductive requirements and observed nesting behaviors. In contrast to historic descriptions of nest association, most associate species did contribute to parental care through nest defense and vigilance behaviors, and their specific behaviors were influenced by their size and physical adaptations. By clearly defining the reproductive needs and roles of these species, this study lays the groundwork for future investigation of how various climate scenarios may impact positive relationships among species.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This dissertation presents information on (1) the advertisement and aggressive calls of Crossodactylus schmidti and on (2) the species diet and its relationship with prey availability. The study was conducted with populations from the Parque Estadual do Turvo, located in the northwestern region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The park has an area of 17,491.4 ha and constitutes the largest preserved remnant of Mesophytic Semideciduous Forest in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The advertisement and aggressive calls of C. schmidti were described based on vocalizations of seven individuals recorded between October 2009 and February 2010. Compared to the advertisement calls described for other species of the genus, the advertisement call of C. schmidti differs in the temporal structure by having fewer notes per call and longer intervals between notes, and in the spectral structure by having lower values of dominant frequency. The aggressive call of C. schmidti is a variation of the advertisement call, which is similar to this in the note duration and dominant frequency values, but is a longer call, having fewer notes with longer intervals between them. The advertisement and aggressive calls of C. schmidti may be emitted separately, or the aggressive call may be followed by the advertisement call. The diet of C. schmidti was evaluated from September 2009 to March 2010, based on 93 stomach contents obtained by the technique of regurgitation (n= 80) and analysis of stomach contents of collected specimens (n= 13). In this study we determined the diet niche breadth, evaluated the relationship of diet composition with prey availability in the environment, and we also looked for ontogenetic and sexual changes and composition differences in the diet. Nineteen categories of prey were consumed, and ants, beetles and flies presented the highest importance values. Despite the varied diet, the diet niche breadth was low, with few prey categories predominantly consumed. Ants, flies and spiders were consumed in similar proportion to that estimated in the environment. There was no relationship between mouth width and length and/or volume of prey consumed, but the differences in diet composition between males and females, and between adults and juveniles, were significant. Considering the varied diet, the relationship between the most important items of diet with their availability in the environment, and the narrow niche breadth found, C. schmidti seems to be an opportunistic forager with feeding habits similar to other species of the genus. The similarities in the importance of items such as ants, beetles, flies and insect larvae in diet of C. schmidti and other species of the genus suggest a strong phylogenetic influence. / A presente dissertação apresenta informações sobre (1) o canto de anúncio e o canto agressivo de Crossodactylus schmidti, e sobre (2) a dieta da espécie e sua relação com a disponibilidade de presas. O estudo foi conduzido com populações do Parque Estadual do Turvo, localizado na região noroeste do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. O parque possui uma área de 17.491,4 ha e constitui o maior remanescente preservado de Floresta Estacional Semidecídua do estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Os cantos de anúncio e agressivo de C. schmidti foram descritos a partir de vocalizações de sete indivíduos gravadas entre outubro de 2009 e fevereiro de 2010. Comparado aos cantos de anúncio descritos para outras espécies do gênero, o de C. schmidti difere na estrutura temporal por apresentar menor número de notas por canto e maior intervalo entre as notas, e, na estrutura espectral, difere por apresentar menores valores de frequência dominante. O canto agressivo de C. schmidti é uma variação do canto de anúncio, sendo semelhante a este na duração das notas e nos valores de freqüência dominante, mas é um canto mais longo, possuindo menor número de notas e maior intervalo entre elas. O canto de anúncio e o canto agressivo de C. schmidti podem ser emitidos isoladamente ou pode ser emitido o canto agressivo seguido do canto de anúncio. A dieta de C. schmidti foi avaliada de setembro de 2009 a março de 2010, a partir de 93 conteúdos estomacais obtidos através da técnica de regurgitação (n= 80) e da análise dos conteúdos estomacais de espécimes coletados (n= 13). Nesse trabalho, determinamos a amplitude do nicho alimentar da espécie, avaliamos a relação da dieta com a disponibilidade de presas no ambiente e testamos as diferenças ontogenéticas e sexuais na composição da dieta. Dezenove categorias de presas foram consumidas, sendo formigas, besouros e dípteros as que apresentaram os maiores valores de importância. Apesar da dieta variada, a amplitude alimentar foi baixa, com poucas categorias de presas consumidas predominantemente. Formigas, dípteros e aranhas foram consumidas em proporção semelhante à estimada no ambiente. Não houve relação entre a largura da boca e o comprimento médio e/ou volume das presas consumidas, mas as diferenças na composição da dieta entre machos e fêmeas e entre adultos e juvenis foram significativas. Considerando a dieta variada, a relação entre os itens mais importantes da dieta com sua disponibilidade e a estreita amplitude do nicho alimentar, C. schmidti parece ser um forrageador oportunista de hábito alimentar similar aos de outras espécies do gênero. As semelhanças na importância de itens como formigas, besouros, dípteros e larvas de insetos na dieta C. schmidti e na de outras espécies do gênero sugere uma forte influência filogenética.