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The Effects of Invasive Cogongrass (<em>Imperata cylindrica</em>) on the Threatened Gopher Tortoise (<em>Gopherus polyphemus</em>)Basiotis, Katherine A 06 April 2007 (has links)
The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is critical to upland communities and considered a keystone species. A recent threat to gopher tortoise habitat is the invasive cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica), which spreads rapidly, eliminating native vegetation. This study consisted of three experiments to investigate the effects of the cogongrass on a population of gopher tortoises. A feeding experiment revealed that individuals readily ate native vegetation, but would not eat cogongrass. A tracking experiment showed that there was a significantly different mean angle of movement between individuals whose home ranges were outside cogongrass compared to those that overlapped cogongrass, indicating that the presence of cogongrass disrupts normal movement patterns. An orientation experiment showed that individuals outside cogongrass oriented in a direction that would take them to their home burrow, while individuals inside cogongrass showed no preferred directional orientation. Cogongrass effectively eliminates the gopher tortoises' food source and habitat, and disrupts orientation. The experiments indicate that a cogongrass infestation has the capacity to eliminate populations of gopher tortoises if its spread is not checked.
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An Investigation Of The Early Life-History Of Brown Trout (Salmo Trutta) And Potential Influnces on Invasion Success in the Logan River, UtahWood, Jeremiah 01 May 2008 (has links)
Due to the significant threats posed by nonnative fish species worldwide, it is important to understand how life-history strategies of individual species interact with environmental conditions to explain the success or failure of nonnative fish invasions. Brown trout are prolific invaders, but often exhibit upstream distributional limits in Intermountain West streams, potentially due to a maladaptive reproductive life-history strategy influenced by hydrologic conditions in high-elevation areas. We used redd counts, egg survival experiments, and temperature modeling to investigate the reproductive life-history strategy of brown trout and its potential for success along an elevational stream gradient. We documented brown trout spawning in stream reaches at elevations higher than where we typically encounter brown trout during summer electrofishing surveys, indicating the potential for upstream invasion. We observed a decline in egg survival at higher elevation, cooler water sites, but did not document complete recruitment failure at these sites, again indicating the potential for successful invasion at this life-stage. Temperature data indicate that during most years, incubating brown trout eggs would likely fail to emerge from the gravel prior to peak spring flows in these high-elevation stream reaches, suggesting that damaging spring floods may cause significant egg and sac-fry mortality at high elevations, and may determine invasion success in these areas. Our results highlight the importance of identifying specific mechanisms of recruitment failure in order to better predict nonnative fish invasions in the future.
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Amphibian and Reptile Trade in Texas: Current Status and TrendsPrestridge, Heather L. 2009 August 1900 (has links)
The non-game wildlife trade poses a risk to our natural landscape, natural
heritage, economy, and security. Specifically, the trade in non-game reptiles and
amphibians exploits native populations, and is likely not sustainable for many species.
Exotic amphibian and reptile species pose risk of invasion and directly or indirectly alter
the native landscape. The extent of non-game amphibian and reptile trade is not fully
understood and is poorly documented. To quantitatively describe the trade in Texas, I
solicited data from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) Law
Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS) and Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department's (TPWD) non-game dealer permits. I surveyed amphibian and reptile pet
owners, breeders, Internet sites, pet shops, and meat and seafood establishments by
visits, electronic surveys, and observations.
The trade in exotic species of amphibians and reptiles in the state of Texas was
found to be popular in two ways; the importation of wildlife products and sale of live
specimens for pets. Persisting in the pet trade were species known to be exotic, a
problem made worse by lack of regulations governing the import, export, and keeping of exotic species. Trade in wild collected native species was primarily for export to foreign
countries. Collection of turtles from the wild in Texas was heavy until 2008, when
TPWD restricted collection to private waters. Collection of other species from the wild
was minimal, with the exception of the Western Diamond-backed Rattlsnake (Crotalus
atrox) for rattlesnake roundups. Native species were found to exist in the pet trade, but
primarily as genetic color variants that do not occur in the wild, an indication that
captive breeding may be relieving pressures on wild caught specimens.
Minor changes in reporting requirements and permitting systems at the state and
federal level would improve the management of exotic and native amphibians and
reptiles that persist in the trade. Changes that include standardized taxonomic reporting
requirements at state and federal level, streamlined permitting system for individuals
wishing to collect from the wild in Texas, bag limits and seasons for wild collection,
increased reporting requirements for owners of exotics, and enforcement of reporting
errors would aid in management of exotic and native amphibians and reptiles in the
trade.
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Barrier Effects Of Roads And Traffic On Animal Occurrence, Space Use, And MovementsChen, Hsiang Ling January 2015 (has links)
Habitat fragmentation and destruction caused by linear infrastructure, including roads, railways, and power line corridors, are recognized as major threats to biodiversity around the world. Roads can act as barriers by impeding animal movement and restricting animal space use. An understanding of factors that influence barrier effects is important to discern the impacts of habitat fragmentation and to develop appropriate mitigation. The barrier effects of roads are driven by several distinct but not mutually exclusive mechanisms that include traffic, edge, and gap avoidance. We used an endangered forest obligate, the Mount Graham red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis), as our study organism to assess effects of traffic noise on animal occurrence and demonstrated that traffic noise had spatially extensive and negative effects on site occupancy after accounting for effects of distance from roads and the environment. We investigated barrier effects of forest roads and assessed effects of traffic, road edges, and canopy gaps on space use of Mt. Graham red squirrels and compared to the response of introduced, edge-tolerant Abert's squirrels (Sciurus aberti). Forest roads acted as partial barriers for red squirrels regardless of traffic volume likely due to avoidance of canopy gap created by roads, whereas Abert's squirrels showed no avoidance of roads. Therefore, roads restricted movement and space use of a native forest-dependent species while creating habitat preferred by an introduced, edge-tolerated species. Through a meta-analysis of studies that quantified road crossing behavior by mammals, we found that all types of roads, from major highways to narrow forest roads, can impede movement for certain species of mammals. Magnitude of barrier effects of roads decreased as species body mass increased, and was affected positively by increasing road width. We suggest that the species-specific magnitude of barrier effects of roads may be anticipated with basic information from life history traits and road characteristics that are readily accessed through open resources or easily measured.
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INITIAL RESPONSE OF INVASIVE EXOTIC PLANT SPECIES TO TIMBER HARVESTING IN SOUTHEASTERN KENTUCKY FORESTSDevine, Kevin Patrick 01 January 2011 (has links)
The responses of invasive exotic plant species (IES) to silvicultural treatments one growing season after timber harvesting were examined in the Cumberland Plateau region of Southeastern Kentucky. Treatments included a commercial deferment harvest and unharvested control applied to five watersheds within University of Kentucky’s Robinson Forest. The effects of harvesting were compared between treatments and between preharvest and postharvest samplings. The spatial distribution and abundance of targeted IES throughout forest sites and trail systems were calculated from several sampling schemes. Additional analyses were performed to quantify forest disturbances derived from harvest activities to determine the relationships between soil, light levels, and other environmental characteristics and IES cover. Logistic and multivariate analysis techniques were used to analyze differences in IES distribution between pre-harvest and post-harvest units to relate post-harvest IES to microsite conditions. Microsite conditions within the forest and along the trail system proved important for explaining the presence and distribution of IES. Timber harvesting caused a significant increase in both Ailanthus altissima and Microstegium vimineum within harvested areas. However, many other identified IES did not initially respond to disturbances. Throughout the treatment units, species were influenced by disturbance type and intensity, as well as proximity to reclaimed surface mined land.
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Ecotoxicology of Lyngbya Majuscula and five herbivores in Moreton BayCapper, A. Unknown Date (has links)
No description available.
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The successful life cycle of the pasture weed giant rats tail grassBray, S. G. Unknown Date (has links)
No description available.
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The successful life cycle of the pasture weed giant rats tail grassBray, S. G. Unknown Date (has links)
No description available.
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The successful life cycle of the pasture weed giant rats tail grassBray, S. G. Unknown Date (has links)
No description available.
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Produção e decomposição de folhedo em vegetação secundária com a influência do eucalipto na zona ripária / Production and decomposition of foliate in secondary vegetation with the influence of eucalyptus in the riparian areaSantos, Glaucia Regina [UNESP] 03 November 2016 (has links)
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Previous issue date: 2016-11-03 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A presença de espécies exóticas em ambientes ripários pode influenciar na quantidade e qualidade de folhas que são realocadas no sistema ecológico. Desse modo, o objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a influência do Eucalyptus saligna Sm. na dinâmica de produção e decomposição de folhas em três zonas ripárias, cujas hipóteses visam verificar se o estresse hídrico, a densidade e área basal do eucalipto afetam a produção de folhedo, e também constatar se a decomposição de folhas senescentes de eucalipto, em meio aquático e terrestre, ocorre mais lentamente do que das folhas nativas. A pesquisa foi realizada em três microbacias denominadas Forquilha, Monjolinho e Tinga, situadas na Estação Experimental de Itatinga, SP. Apresentam respectivamente 0,4%, 1,2% e 11,9% do total de indivíduos de eucalipto. A avaliação transcorreu durante um ano, e as folhas coletadas foram triadas em eucaliptos e nativas. Avaliou-se a entrada de folhedo por meio de coletores terrestres e verticais, distribuídos sistematicamente por ambas as margens dos rios e também sobre o curso d’água. Para maior caracterização do local, o levantamento dos parâmetros da vegetação foi realizado por meio de parcelas 5x10m e mensuradas as espécies com altura > 1,30 m e DAP ≥ 3,5 cm. Para o estudo de decomposição aquática e terrestre, avaliaram-se um mix de folhas de eucalipto, nativas e eucalipto/nativas (1:1) introduzidas em litter bags. A decomposição em meio aquático foi avaliada ao longo de 112 dias, enquanto que a terrestre passou por um processo de avaliação aos 3, 6, 9 e 12 meses. O remanescente vegetal da microbacia Tinga mostrou maior densidade (n° indivíduos/ha) e área basal (m2/ha) de eucalipto. A vegetação da Forquilha exibiu os maiores valores H (Shannon) e J (Pielou) dentre as áreas estudadas, e menor coleta das folhas de eucalipto. No geral, ocorreu maior deposição de folhedo no final do período que antecede as chuvas. Com exceção da microbacia Monjolinho em ambiente aquático, no geral as folhas de eucalipto apresentaram menor taxa de decomposição. Na microbacia Tinga e Forquilha, as folhas de eucalipto demonstraram quantidades superiores de lignina, celulose, alta relação C/N, baixa concentração de N e Ca. Na microbacia Tinga, verificou-se uma maior deposição das folhas de eucalipto. Em função de uma maior produção das folhas de eucalipto nessa área e por revelarem uma menor taxa de decomposição, sugere-se que neste local ocorre maior acúmulo de folhedo sobre o solo. Portanto o nível de conservação de uma zona ripária pode influenciar nas taxas de decomposição, na manutenção das comunidades decompositoras e nos processos ecológicos, tendo em vista que o desequilíbrio entre maior entrada de folhedo e menor decomposição altera o equilíbrio natural do ambiente. / The presence of exotic species in riparian environments can influence in the quantity and quality of leaves that are relocated in the ecological system. Thus, the aim of this work was to determine the influence of the eucalyptus in the dynamics of production and decomposition of leaves in three riparian zones. The research was done in three micro watersheds named Forquilha, Monjolinho and Tinga located in Estação Experimental de Itatinga in São Paulo. They present respectively 0.4%, 1.2% and 11.9% of the total of eucalyptus individuals. The data collection occurred in a year, and the collected leaves were sorted in eucalyptus and native. The leaf-litter were collected through terrestrial and vertical collectors, systematically distributed on both banks and on the watercourse. For greater characterization of the site, the vegetation parameters were surveyed through 5x10m parcels. For decomposition study, it was evaluated the decomposition of eucalyptus, native and eucalyptus/native (1:1) introduced in litter bags. The decomposition in aquatic environment was evaluated for 112 days, and terrestrial decomposition in 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. The vegetal reminiscent of Tinga watershed showed a higher density (individuals number/ha) and basal area (m²/ha) of eucalyptus. The Forquilha vegetation showed the highest H (Shannon) and J (Pielou) values. In general, leaf-litter decomposition was higher in the end of the dry period. Except for the Monjolinho watershed in the aquatic environment, the eucalyptus leaves had a lower decomposition rate. The eucalyptus leaves, mainly in Tinga and Forquilha watersheds, showed higher quantities of lignin, cellulose, high ratio C/N, low concentration of N and Ca. The forestry fragment of the three watersheds showed significant differences in eucalyptus and native leaves production, where Tinga micro watershed outstanded with the higher eucalyptus deposition. It can be suggested that in this micro watershed, there is a higher leaf-litter amount over the soil. Therefore, the level of conservation of a riparian zone can influence the rates of decomposition, the maintenance of decomposing communities and ecological processes, since the imbalance between greater leaflitter input and less decomposition alter the natural balance of the environment.
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