The Karkloof blue butt erfly, Orachrysops ariadne (Butler), is endemic to the Mistbelt grassland of KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa, and is currently Red-listed as 'Vulnerable' . O. ariadne is univoltine and on the wing in March and April, when it utilizes eight species of nectar plants. This study confirmed that the larval hostplant is Indigofera woodii H. Bol. var. laxa H. Bol., an erect variety. It was also confirmed that this butterfly is ant-dependent, with the young larva being taken into the nest of Camponotus natalensis (F. Smith) where development continues, including pupation. This study compares the ecological conditions at the four known locations so as to make informed decision s regarding its conservation. A large proportion of the grassland in KwaZulu-Natal has been aforested and cultivated, and at least 92% of the Mistbelt has been transformed, with only about 1% in good condition remaining. Predictions on the habitat and habit at requirements of this species are necessary for developing a conservation strategy and action plan. Here , we propose O. ariadne as an indicator species for Mistbelt grass land. Saving enough of the remaining Mistbelt grassland is crucial, not just for the survival of the Karkloof blue, O. ariadne, but also for the Mistbelt grassland community as a whole. The population structure and movement of Orachrysops ariadne and O. subravus were studied by mark-release-recapture methods in 1999. There were 290 O. ariadne marked over 48 days between March and April, 124 (42 .8%) were recaptured at least once. Of 631 O. subravus marked over two months between September and November, 311 (49 .3%) were recaptured at least once. Both species exhibited protandry, male appearance about one to two weeks earlier. The sex ratio of O. ariadne is heavily male biased 5.6 :1 (246 males and 44 females), and the sex ratio of O. subravus is 1.6:1 (387 males and 244 females). The Jolly-Seber model was used to estimate daily population numbers (N ᵢ), survival rates (Ø ᵢ), recruitment rates (B ᵢ), proportion of marked animals in the total population (α ᵢ ), and the number of marked animals at risk (M ᵢ) . Average residence times of male adults were generally similar in both species in the range of 5.36-5.44 days, and were slightly longer for male than for female O. subravus (by 4.09 days). 0. ariadne is a strong and rapid back and forth flier, covering mean recapture distances of 157 m, almost twice that of 0. subravus, principally in search of scarce nectar sources. The extreme rarity of 0. ariadne is not so much to do with behaviour, survivorship or longevity, but rather the butterfly is limited in distribution by suitable habitat for both larva and adult. The aim of management is to optimize the habitat so that it best meets the present and future needs of the butterfly. The effects of the current fire regime on the butterfly, host plant and ant host were evaluated here. It is recommended that burning only take place after the larvae have hatch ed and gone underground with the ant host. Using GPS and GIS, core, quality habitat characteristics were defined. In cooperation with the landowner at one site, alien invasive plants are being removed to increase the area of quality habitat. Availability of host plants is limiting for success of the butterfly in the field. Guidelines are provided for propagation and introduction of the host plant, so as to provide the butterfly with more oviposition sites. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 82-90).

Thesis (M.S.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of Biological Studies, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

abstract: The Committee on Rare and Endangered Wildlife Species (CREWS) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) made important and lasting contributions to one of the most significant pieces of environmental legislation in U.S. history: the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). CREWS was a prominent science-advisory body within the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) in the 1960s and 1970s, responsible for advising on the development of federal endangered-wildlife policy. The Committee took full advantage of its scientific and political authority by identifying a particular object of conservation--used in the development of the first U.S. list of endangered species--and establishing captive breeding as a primary conservation practice, both of which were written into the ESA and are employed in endangered-species listing and recovery to this day. Despite these important contributions to federal endangered-species practice and policy, CREWS has received little attention from historians of science or policy scholars. This dissertation is an empirical history of CREWS that draws on primary sources from the Smithsonian Institution (SI) Archives and a detailed analysis of the U.S. congressional record. The SI sources (including the records of the Bird and Mammal Laboratory, an FWS staffed research group stationed at the Smithsonian Institution) reveal the technical and political details of CREWS's advisory work. The congressional record provides evidence showing significant contributions of CREWS and its advisors and supervisors to the legislative process that resulted in the inclusion of key CREWS-inspired concepts and practices in the ESA. The foundational concepts and practices of the CREWS's research program drew from a number of areas currently of interest to several sub-disciplines that investigate the complex relationship between science and society. Among them are migratory bird conservation, systematics inspired by the Evolutionary Synthesis, species-focused ecology, captive breeding, reintroduction, and species transplantation. The following pages describe the role played by CREWS in drawing these various threads together and codifying them as endangered-species policy in the ESA. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Biology 2011

abstract: Amsonia kearneyana is an endangered herbaceous plant endemic to a small area of the Baboquivari Mountains in southern Arizona. It exists in two distinct habitat types: 1) along the banks of a lower elevation ephemeral stream in a xeroriparian community, and 2) a higher elevation Madrean oak woodland on steep mountain slopes. Half of the largest known montane population (Upper Brown Canyon) was burned in a large fire in 2009 raising questions of the species capacity to recover after fire. This research sought to understand how the effects of fire will impact A. kearneyana's ability to recruit and survive in the burned versus unburned areas and in the montane versus xeroriparian habitat. I compared population size, abiotic habitat characteristics, leaf traits, plant size, and reproductive output for plants in each habitat area for three years. Plants in the more shaded unburned montane area, the most populated population, presented with the most clonal establishment but produced the least amount of seeds per plant. The unshaded burned area produced more seeds per plant than in the unburned area. Lower Brown Canyon, the xeroriparian area, had the fewest plants, but produced the most seeds per plant while experiencing higher soil temperature, soil moisture, photosynthetically active radiation, and canopy cover than the montane plants. This could indicate conditions in Lower Brown Canyon are more favorable for seed production. Despite ample seed production, recruitment is rare in wild plants. This study establishes germination requirements testing soil type, seed burial depth, temperature regimes, and shade treatments. Trials indicate that A. kearneyana can germinate and grow in varied light levels, and that soil type and seed burial depth are better predictors of growth than the degree of shade. Finally, this study examined the law, regulation, policy, and physiological risks and benefits of a new management strategy and suggests that "conservation by dissemination" is appropriate for A. kearneyana. Conservation by dissemination is the idea that a protected plant species can be conserved by allowing and promoting the propagation and sale of plants in the commercial market with contingent collection of data on the fate of the sold individuals. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Plant Biology 2015

Thematic Paper (M.Sc. (Environmental Management))--Mahidol University, 2005.

Thesis (M.S.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of Biological Sciences, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

The Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is the smallest and the most threatened european vulture species. Recently, wild populations have been declining dramatically and monitoring is too difficult especially because part of the european population migrates. That is the reason why this species was declared endangered in the IUCN Red list of threatened species (IUCN, 2014). Prague zoo has great results in breeding of these birds of prey. In season of 2013, two juveniles were bred (1 male, 1 female) from 7 of all the Europe. Another juvenile was bred in Zlín-Lešná zoo. In the year 2013, Czech republic therefore bred almost a half of these vultures in european breedings (EAZA). In 2014 the results of breedings are also succesfull, more then half (13 juveniles in total, 3 from Prague, 4 from Zlín-Lešná) was risen in these breedings. Prague zoo has been keeping the egyptian vulture studbook for more than 10 years and is also in charge of the European endangered species programme for this vulture. For coordination improvement and to increase the succes of european breeding it is important to summarize the data and use them to provide better breeding conditions in other zoos. One of the program objectives is also the reintroduction of the animals back to its natural environment. This master´s degree provides summarization of etology research from seasons 2013 and 2014, short research of etology in Zlín-Lešná zoo, summarization of another european breedings and also assesment of all the breedings factors including those preceeding the nesting like incubation of the eggs, and birds hatching.

No description available.

Master of Science / Department of Biology / Keith B. Gido / Recognizing habitat needs of fishes across space and time is increasingly important for managing altered stream networks, such as in the Colorado River basin. Recent work on warm-water fishes suggest they might benefit from access to tributaries and their confluences. Fish movements or distributions within tributaries relative to distance from mainstem confluences in two streams with different network types (linear versus dendritic) were investigated in the San Juan River basin, USA. Upstream distance from the San Juan River resulted in species declines (Chaco Wash, linear network) or turnover (McElmo Creek, dendritic network). McElmo Creek movement patterns were likely attributed to spring spawning migrations of flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis), spawning aggregations of razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), foraging or refuge seeking by Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), and monsoon-related movements for channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and razorback sucker. Razorback sucker and Colorado pikeminnow dominated movements at Chaco Wash, suggesting this backwater-like tributary supplied thermal or current refuge, foraging habitat, or both. Within McElmo Creek, a second study explored the importance of confluences by characterizing habitat use and movements of fishes at the junction of McElmo and Yellow Jacket creeks. Native fish dominated the confluence community composition. The reach downstream of the confluence had consistently higher abundances, species richness, and more frequent detections of tagged fishes relative to upstream reaches. Movement behaviors inferred by detection frequency of tagged fish among reaches surrounding the confluence differed among species. Small flannelmouth sucker (< 300 mm) and roundtail chub (Gila robusta) were commonly detected in Yellow Jacket Creek whereas large flannelmouth sucker (> 300 mm), bluehead sucker (C. discobolus), and channel catfish used McElmo Creek reaches. Monsoons increased McElmo Creek discharge which triggered upstream movements of channel catfish and displaced large flannelmouth sucker and bluehead sucker. Monsoons increased movements between McElmo and Yellow Jacket creeks by roundtail chub, small flannelmouth sucker, and black bullhead (Ameiurus melas). Combined, these two field studies emphasized using links between patterns and processes of tributary fish communities. Conservation, rehabilitation, and maintenance of connectivity and habitat heterogeneity at confluence zones likely can be a localized management strategy with expansive ecosystem effects.