Thesis--Wisconsin. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 49-52).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1980. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 189-200).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-128).

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As we have become increasingly aware of the rapidity of climate change in high elevation and high latitude environments, conservation concern has grown for arctic-alpine species. This thesis capitalises on the rare availability of detailed data from intensive site monitoring and Scotland-wide surveys conducted over five decades and supplements this with new data to investigate the potential factors driving declines of Dotterel (Charadrius morinellus), an enigmatic arctic-alpine specialist bird species in decline. In accordance with expectations of predictions of climate warming, Dotterel shifted uphill in their distribution and contracted their breeding range within Scotland to their historic core. Dotterel were less likely to be retained at survey sites at low elevations, with a narrow elevational range, where nitrogen deposition was high, where vegetation was tall and dominated by graminoids, and where Ravens were present. Data also suggested that snow lie patterns affected Dotterel distribution between sites, with abundance being substantially greater at generally snow rich sites when these were relatively snow-free (possibly due to the physical restrictions to breeding that snow lie imposes). Despite an increased presence of Ravens in the alpine zone, dramatic declines in the abundance of Tipula montana (a previously important prey resource) at many lower elevation sites and shifts to breeding earlier, we detected little substantial change in breeding success between 1987 and 2011. Despite identifying numerous mechanisms through which environmental change may have acted on Dotterel we found little quantitative evidence for climatic changes to have driven Dotterel abundance declines, suggesting factors elsewhere in the species distribution are worthy of investigation as driving changes within Scotland. This thesis contributes valuable knowledge that can be used to help increase the resilience of arctic-alpine species to environmental change and highlights the pressing need for an integrated, international approach to monitoring and research to contextualise regional changes in abundance.

The objectives of this study were to determine effects of Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) removal on bluegill feeding habits relative to diet composition, size, and feeding selectivity. Data were collected from 2003 through 2007 in four Minnesota lakes during June and September using boat electrofishing. Two lakes received an herbicide application of Endothall 2, 4-D, whereas remaining lakes were untreated and used as a reference. Bluegill diet composition, diets relative to size, and feeding selectivity were unaffected by vegetation removal, but varied seasonally with macroinvertebrate availability. Therefore, removal of Eurasian watermilfoil had minimal effects on bluegill feeding habits.

Myriophyllum spicatum L. (Haloragaceae), a submerged macrophyte, has been recorded in southern Africa since 1829, but only considered problematic as recently as 2005. In light of this, water resource managers are looking to control M. spicatum in southern African water bodies where it is problematic. Amongst control options available in South Africa, biological control is potentially the most cost effective and sustainable option for M. spicatum. However, there is a debate over the status of this plant in southern Africa with several authors reporting it as a native component of the aquatic ecosystem, while others argue that it has been introduced from Europe or Asia. The aim of this thesis is to use a multifaceted approach to resolve the status of M. spicatum, by studying aspects of its history, distribution, mechanisms of its adaptations, biotic interactions and genetic relationships in southern Africa. By resolving the status of this plant as either native or exotic, appropriate management strategies can be initiated for its control in situations where it is considered a problem.A review of the evidence collected from this thesis does not provide convincing evidence for the anthropogenic introduction of M. spicatum into southern Africa, and it is probably native to the region. The disjunct distribution as well as regular local extinctions of populations is relatively common for species that are at the edge of their range. The populations in southern Africa could thus be relics from a much wider distribution in the past. The development of local adaptations in southern Africa provides evidence for this and suggests that the populations have been isolated for a substantial period of time and have had a long evolutionary history in the region. The lack of specialist herbivores should suggest that M. spicatum has been introduced, but the complete lack of herbivores, including generalists, may weaken that argument. The lack of herbivores could be a result of something inherent in the plant, irrespective of a lack of evolutionary history in the region. The genetic evidence suggests a European origin, but is characteristic of a population (southern Africa as a whole) that has been isolated for a considerable time. Despite the findings of this research, M. spicatum is considered problematic in southern Africa and warrants control in certain systems. Whether or not biological control should be a component of the management strategy is open to further debate. The benefits in a southern African context may outweigh the risks, based on the specificity of the biological control agent proposed. However, the perceived negative impacts of M. spicatum are likely to be a symptom of a more serious underlying cause, such as nutrient loading and changes in land use patterns. Therefore the control of this native species is a water resource management issue and not a biological control issue.

The case of the “Temple of 18 Deities” (十八王公廟) is an example which shows that the process of changes in religious culture can be both gradual and sudden. From the first glance it seems that the boom of “Temple of 18 Deities” cult suddenly appeared from nowhere. But the analysis of the temple origin mythology and it symbols shows that the opportunities for such sudden changes were created gradually during the long period of religious culture development when fazes of change and conservation were taking turns endlessly in Taiwan societies. Those opportunities traces into more remote times of gradual development of numerous religious cultures which were brought in Taiwan by multitude of migration waves. The “Temple of 18 Deities” cult conserved many stable religious elements which were created in the period of Eurasian cultural unity and bring us to the Neolith and even Paleolithic epoch. One of the most stable elements in the “Temple of 18 Deities cult is the symbol of a dog. The geographical area of the former dog’s worshiping cults distribution is spread all over Eurasia with the most western point in the British Isles and the most eastern point in Taiwan. The dog symbol in mythologies of many various peoples all over Eurasia is connected to another stable religious element – an idea of the life after death and underworld. The underworld conception origin also should be dated by Paleolithic epoch, because it stability occurring everywhere spreading. Paleolithic hunting religious ideas should be common all over the world, because all the societies passed this faze of evolution in their history.

The current study has re-visited two distinctive patterns, namely pottery and millet, both of which conflict with conventional narratives concerning trans-Eurasian exchange. The significance of this lies beyond the simple matter of chronology, but rests on the relationship between the movement of agricultural resources and of other items of material culture. This in turn is related to the larger debate over whether the movements are stimulated by farmers without material culture (bottom up) or other populations of more prestigious status (top down). Specifically, in terms of the pottery pattern, my thesis has re-evaluated the pottery similarity between Cucuteni-Tripolye Culture, Anau-Namazga Culture and Yangshao Culture. Previous studies regarding this issue are limited by localised typological analyses and fragmented technological studies. Having had a comprehensive comparative study of all three cultures, my study confirms that there are both typological and technological similarities between Cucuteni-Tripolye pottery, Anau-Namazga pottery and Yangshao pottery, contradicting with previous arguments that the similarity lies in stylistic patterns alone. Also, there are both similarities and differences between the material culture context of the three pottery assemblages as well. As for the millet pattern, I have re-examined pre-2nd millennium BC charred millet grains and millet impressions by conducting two case studies. In particular, my review of pre-2nd millennium BC millet evidence from Europe contributes to a comprehensive record of early millet findings from Europe. Also, my simulation exercise of millet impressions, which has challenged previous identification criteria of millet impressions, provides invaluable reference for future work. My case study of Usatovo millet impressions re-examination confirms that there are indeed millet-dimensioned 'voids' on Usatovo materials (3500-2900 BC) though details are lacking for species identification. I have also put the two patterns of pottery and millet into a vertical (historical) context by deconstructing 'hyper-diffusionism', 'Eurocentrism' and Andersson's hypothesis, adding to the collective work in the field of archaeological history across the past hundred years.