no abstract provided by author / Master of Science

Using metacommunity theory, I investigated the mechanisms of meta-assemblage structure and assembly among medium- to large-bodied mammals in North Texas. Mammals were surveyed with camera-traps in thirty property units of the LBJ National Grasslands (LBJNG). In Chapter II the dispersal and environmental-control based processes in community assembly were quantified within a metacommunity context and the best-fit metacommunity structure identified. A hypothesis-driven modelling approach was used in Chapter III to determine if the patterns of species composition and site use could be explained by island biogeography theory (IBT) or the habitat amount hypothesis (HAH). Islands were defined as the LBJNG property unit or the forest patch bounded by the property unit. Forest cover was selected as the focal habitat for the HAH. Seasonal dynamics were explored in both chapters. Metacommunity structure changed with each season, resulting in quasi-nested and both quasi and idealized Gleasonian and Clementsian structures. Results indicated that the anthropogenic development is, overall, not disadvantageous for this assemblage, that community assembly receives equal contributions from spatial and environmental factors, and that the metacommunity appears to operate under the mass effects paradigm. The patterns of species composition and site use were not explained by either IBT or HAH. Likely because this assemblage of generalist, dispersal-capable mammals are utilizing multiple habitat types both in the protected land and in the private land. This research highlights the versatility of these species and the potential value of rural countryside landscapes for wildlife conservation.

The Astwerk like late gothic natural decor in Bohemian lands with international kontext Abstract The diploma thesis presents introduction to problems of naturalistic dekor and use of the motif cut branches / astwerk in Bohemian lands. The focus will be primarily using in the field of sculpture of stone. There will be explained starting area use of astwerk decor, way to the Bohemian lands and Moravia, followed by the development of a retreat in the context of the Renaissance. After a critical review of the literature the work will indicate a chapter on cultural-historical context. The situation in the Bohemian lands after the Hussite wars will be introduced, when in insecure religious circumstances was chosen King Vladislav Jagiello in Kutna Hora, and so begins a new period of prosperity of the country again. Mentioned also will be his representative program in response to Charles IV. Soon Vladislav Jagiello also became King of Hungary and change the new seat to Buda. The influence of the character of the change should be noted. Above it is meant unbroken artistic production and later inspiration the early Renaissance form. The subchapter is a courtly art especially during the reign of Vladislav Jagiello. In this part there are presented foremost works and their authors also including B. Ried. In this...

The ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) is one of the most important upland game species over much of the nation. It is also one of the most difficult to effectively manage for the increasing hunter population. The high value of agricultural lands renders habitat improvement programs by state agencies a financial impossibility except on an extremely localized basis. Therefore, the primary pheasant management tool largely remains hunting season manipulation. The federal government through various agricultural programs may have an influence upon pheasant habitat. Public Law 540 entitled "Agricultural Act of 1956," more commonly referred to as the "Soil Bank Act" (Congress, 84th, 2d Session 1956, 1957), seemed quite promising in this respect. This act provided for two programs, the Acreage Reserve and the Conservation Reserve. The first was a short term program and of negligible value for pheasants. The second was of longer duration and is the one under which remaining Soil Bank lands are included. Under the Conservation Reserve, cropland was taken out of production and a sound conservation practice established in an attempt to balance the total production and demand of surplus crops. Farmers signed contracts for periods of three to ten years. The federal government then shared the cost of establishing conservation practices and made annual payments for maintaining them during the contract periods. The Conservation Reserve program has not been extended since 1960. Consequently, all remaining contracts will have expired by the end of 1971. Relatively little Conservation Reserve land has been put into "G" practices specifically designed for wildlife. These include such things as wildlife food and cover plantings, development or restoration of shallow water areas, and construction of ponds and wildlife watering facilities. Instead, the bulk of wildlife benefits will have to be derived from the "A-2" practice, the establishment of permanent vegetative cover, since this is the one most widely employed. Any appraisal of the Conservation Reserve then is, in actuality, an evaluation of habitat provided by the "A-2" practice.

The battle over federal Wilderness designation of Bureau of Land Management lands in southern Utah has entered its third decade. Throughout this lengthy debate numerous stakeholders have maintained involvement, including members of Utah's conservation community. Two of the most prominent wilderness advocacy groups in Utah are notable not only for their sustained involvement with the issue, but also for their divergent positions on how to resolve this public land dispute. This research examines those two organizations, the Utah Wilderness Association and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, through an analysis of their respective structural, organizational, philosophical, and tactical perspectives. Ultimately, the background of each organization's leadership, their organizational structures, their ability to mobilize resources, and their distinctive wilderness philosophies offer an understanding of how each organization perceived its mission and its ability to provide a construct for resolution of the Utah Wilderness debate.

The increasing demand for reclamation of periodically waterlogged nearly level agricultural lands in humid tropical areas and the hazard of soil deterioration and soil moisture balance disturbances by current land forming methods suggests the need for investigations of new surface drainage design procedures. This report presents a rainfall-runoff model for simulating hydrographs from ungaged agricultural plots. The model is based on routing procedures and utilizes common soil and hydrologic data. Tests made with several small agricultural water-sheds indicate that the model could be a useful tool in simulating surface drainage design. Input data for the model consists of (a) rainfall data, (b) infiltration, (c) watershed characteristics, and (d) soil parameters. The model could be used with any computer or desk calculator. Since the model was developed for surface drainage purposes, its use is limited to wet conditions in homogeneous and rectangular plots.

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This project evaluated the influence of habitat parameters and distance from low-order streams on herpetofauna communities, in addition to evaluating the efficacy of 2 sampling methods. Amphibians were associated with mature hardwood forests with high density of large, highly decayed woody debris. Reptiles were associated with mixed pine-hardwood forests, woody debris, and vertical canopy structure. Overall, woody debris was an important habitat feature for amphibians and reptiles. Amphibians were detected in greater abundance and species richness near the stream. Reptiles were similar in abundance and species richness as distance increased from low-order streams. I recommend a SMZ width ¡Ý50 m on each side of the low-order streams in east-central Mississippi. Area-constrained and funnel-pitfall traps each detected species that the other method was unable to sample due to inherent biases. I recommend the use of both survey methods when investigating the entire terrestrial herpetofauna community in mature, riparian and upland forests.