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No description available.

After nearly a century of absence, the black bear (Ursus americanus) reappeared in Kentucky during the late 20th century and has since increased in number. Recolonization of bears in the southeastern portion of the state was thought to have been caused by emigration of bears from adjacent states into the Commonwealth, while in the south-central area, bears originated, or natural recolonization may have been supplemented by the translocation of 14 individuals into the Big South Fork National River Recreation Area. To investigate the recolonization patterns of bears in Kentucky, I used 20 microsatellite loci to determine the genetic diversity and subpopulation structure of bears in the state, and quantified the relative influence of source populations of bears from neighboring states. Two genetically distinct populations of black bears were identified; Big South Fork and Cumberland Plateau. These populations were moderately diverged from each other and had levels of heterozygosity similar to other stable bear populations in North America. The Cumberland Plateau bear population originated from a combination of bears from both West Virginia and Virginia. In contrast, the Big South Fork population appeared to be almost entirely comprised of individuals from the translocated founders from Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

Nearly extirpated from the Central Appalachians, USA by the mid-1900s as a result of human persecution, loss of forests, and absence of large mammal carrion, remnant populations of common ravens (Corvus corax) have recolonized portions of their historical range. One such area of recolonization is southeastern Kentucky where the species is listed as state threatened. Southeastern Kentucky appears to have extensive suitable breeding habitat, but raven records remain relatively rare with sightings and a few nests being confirmed during the past three decades. Because little is known about local ecology or population status of this reclusive corvid in Kentucky, I assessed distribution and occupancy of ravens in available cliff habitat to quantify factors that affect detectability of ravens, identify landscape attributes important to raven breeding locations at multiple scales, and develop a protocol for monitoring occupancy of potential raven breeding habitats in Kentucky. Based on surveys of 23 cliff sites during 2009–2010, I found that ravens are highly detectable (p=0.90 (95% CI = 0.81–0.95)) at known occupied cliff sites, suggesting a survey effort consisting of two visits, each lasting one hour, will enable occupancy to be determined with 95% confidence. Using this and the habitat information associated with occupancy (cliff area and horizontal strata orientation), a monitoring protocol was developed and initiated in 2011 that should be useful to wildlife managers and land stewards interested in long-term monitoring, management, and conservation of common ravens in Kentucky’s cliff habitat.

<p>In the spring of 2007 the Kuba Dam in Nätra Stream was removed for restoration purposes, mainly to give free passage to migrating fish. This action gave an opportunity to study the effects of dam removal on organisms both on land and in water, a type of study which is in demand for planning purposes of future dam removals. This study focuses on the effects upon the vegetation along the stream where the former reservoir was situated. Willow cuttings and sunflower seeds were used as phytometers to assess the growth conditions one year after removal at three different elevation levels at four different sites along the Nätra Stream. The reaches studied were the former reservoir of Kuba Dam (Site A), the area just downstream of this former dam (Site B), further upstream in the reservoir of the existing Nyfors Dam (Site C), and even further upstream at Myreforsen, a reference area not affected by dams (Site D). Willow cuttings and sunflower seeds were planted at three different riparian levels at the sites in June and left to grow until August when growth results were collected. Many of the cuttings had died but statistically significant differences between sites could still be detected. They showed that the former reservoir shorelines in Kuba (Site A) had a plant growth significantly higher than the other regulated site. In other words, it was no longer equal to an existing reservoir but not yet similar to a free-flowing reach. The western side of the stream at this site had a higher growth than the eastern side and also higher than all the other sites. As for the three levels, the results showed a higher growth at the lowest elevation level at site A than all at the other levels and sites. This suggests that a combination of good access to sunlight and nutrients and fine-grade moist substrate results in a good growing conditions nearer the water in this former reservoir. The results for the sunflower seeds showed that the reference reach had a higher colonization success than the other sites.</p> / <p>Utrivningen av Kubadammen i Nätraån våren 2007 gav möjlighet att studera och följa upp hur en sådan förändring påverkar organismer på land och i vatten både uppströms och nedströms den tidigare dammen. Denna typ av undersökningar efterfrågas allt mer i och med att fler och fler dammar rivs av olika anledningar. I Kubadammens fall hade dammen förlorat sin ursprungliga roll och de fördelar som magasinet förde med sig för bland annat rekreation vägde inte längre upp dämningens negativa effekter på vattendragets ekosystem, till exempel som vandringshinder för fiskar. I denna studie har fokus lagts på vad som sker med vegetationen på stränderna längs det forna vattenmagasinet efter rivning. Med hjälp av videkvistar och solrosfrön som fytometrar undersöktes tillväxten ett år efter rivning på tre olika strandnivåer på fyra olika lokaler längs Nätraån. Dessa lokaler var Kubadammens gamla magasin (Lokal A), området direkt nedströms den före detta dammen (Lokal B), den nuvarande Nyforsdammens magasin (Lokal C) uppströms den före detta dammen, samt en referenssträcka vid Myreforsen (Lokal D) uppströms alla Nätraåns dammar och därmed ej påverkad av dämningseffekter. Videkvistarna och solrosorna planterades på tre nivåer på de olika lokalerna i juni och tilläts växa till augusti då tillväxtresultaten samlades in. Många kvistar hade dött under tiden men tillräckligt många överlevde för att det skulle gå att läsa ut statistiskt signifikanta skillnader i tillväxt. Resultaten visade att det före detta magasinet vid Kuba (Lokal A) hade en signifikant högre tillväxt än de andra lokalerna, vilket visar på att tillväxtförhållandena för vide varken liknar dem i ett befintligt magasin eller på en orörd sträcka eller nedströmssträckan, utan var betydligt mer gynnsamma. På denna lokal växte fytometrarna dessutom signifikant bättre på den västra sidan än på den östra sidan. När man ser till de tre nivåerna så växte videkvistarna i nivån närmast vattnet i det före detta magasinet vid Kuba bättre än på de övriga nivåerna på samma lokal och på de övriga lokalerna. Troligtvis beror detta på en kombination av öppenhet som ger bra tillgång till solljus, bra näringstillgång, substratets finkornighet och förmåga att hålla kvar fukt närmare vattnet. Resultaten av solrosfrönas etablering visade på att referenssträckan hade en högre etablering än övriga lokaler.</p>

In the spring of 2007 the Kuba Dam in Nätra Stream was removed for restoration purposes, mainly to give free passage to migrating fish. This action gave an opportunity to study the effects of dam removal on organisms both on land and in water, a type of study which is in demand for planning purposes of future dam removals. This study focuses on the effects upon the vegetation along the stream where the former reservoir was situated. Willow cuttings and sunflower seeds were used as phytometers to assess the growth conditions one year after removal at three different elevation levels at four different sites along the Nätra Stream. The reaches studied were the former reservoir of Kuba Dam (Site A), the area just downstream of this former dam (Site B), further upstream in the reservoir of the existing Nyfors Dam (Site C), and even further upstream at Myreforsen, a reference area not affected by dams (Site D). Willow cuttings and sunflower seeds were planted at three different riparian levels at the sites in June and left to grow until August when growth results were collected. Many of the cuttings had died but statistically significant differences between sites could still be detected. They showed that the former reservoir shorelines in Kuba (Site A) had a plant growth significantly higher than the other regulated site. In other words, it was no longer equal to an existing reservoir but not yet similar to a free-flowing reach. The western side of the stream at this site had a higher growth than the eastern side and also higher than all the other sites. As for the three levels, the results showed a higher growth at the lowest elevation level at site A than all at the other levels and sites. This suggests that a combination of good access to sunlight and nutrients and fine-grade moist substrate results in a good growing conditions nearer the water in this former reservoir. The results for the sunflower seeds showed that the reference reach had a higher colonization success than the other sites. / Utrivningen av Kubadammen i Nätraån våren 2007 gav möjlighet att studera och följa upp hur en sådan förändring påverkar organismer på land och i vatten både uppströms och nedströms den tidigare dammen. Denna typ av undersökningar efterfrågas allt mer i och med att fler och fler dammar rivs av olika anledningar. I Kubadammens fall hade dammen förlorat sin ursprungliga roll och de fördelar som magasinet förde med sig för bland annat rekreation vägde inte längre upp dämningens negativa effekter på vattendragets ekosystem, till exempel som vandringshinder för fiskar. I denna studie har fokus lagts på vad som sker med vegetationen på stränderna längs det forna vattenmagasinet efter rivning. Med hjälp av videkvistar och solrosfrön som fytometrar undersöktes tillväxten ett år efter rivning på tre olika strandnivåer på fyra olika lokaler längs Nätraån. Dessa lokaler var Kubadammens gamla magasin (Lokal A), området direkt nedströms den före detta dammen (Lokal B), den nuvarande Nyforsdammens magasin (Lokal C) uppströms den före detta dammen, samt en referenssträcka vid Myreforsen (Lokal D) uppströms alla Nätraåns dammar och därmed ej påverkad av dämningseffekter. Videkvistarna och solrosorna planterades på tre nivåer på de olika lokalerna i juni och tilläts växa till augusti då tillväxtresultaten samlades in. Många kvistar hade dött under tiden men tillräckligt många överlevde för att det skulle gå att läsa ut statistiskt signifikanta skillnader i tillväxt. Resultaten visade att det före detta magasinet vid Kuba (Lokal A) hade en signifikant högre tillväxt än de andra lokalerna, vilket visar på att tillväxtförhållandena för vide varken liknar dem i ett befintligt magasin eller på en orörd sträcka eller nedströmssträckan, utan var betydligt mer gynnsamma. På denna lokal växte fytometrarna dessutom signifikant bättre på den västra sidan än på den östra sidan. När man ser till de tre nivåerna så växte videkvistarna i nivån närmast vattnet i det före detta magasinet vid Kuba bättre än på de övriga nivåerna på samma lokal och på de övriga lokalerna. Troligtvis beror detta på en kombination av öppenhet som ger bra tillgång till solljus, bra näringstillgång, substratets finkornighet och förmåga att hålla kvar fukt närmare vattnet. Resultaten av solrosfrönas etablering visade på att referenssträckan hade en högre etablering än övriga lokaler.

The postglacial recolonization of northern Europe supposedly originated from Western Europe and the Russian Plain, however, recent molecular and macrofossil-based investigations suggest that the history may be more complex than previously thought. This study aims to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of Scots pine from Scandinavia to Russia to re-evaluate its recolonization history, and to examine whether the pattern of spatial genetic diversity has any adaptive significance. Populations ranging from Norway to Russia were sampled and genotyped using genotyping-by-sequencing. The seedlings were freeze tested to provide an average degree of hardiness for every population. Eight hundred and thirty-two seedlings were analyzed, and 6,034 SNPs were recovered in these individuals after stringent filtering. Population structure was investigated using fastStructure and differentiation between populations was estimated with pairwise FST and analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) to assess the genetic variability. Genetic diversity was measured as observed heterozygosity, H0, in populations, clusters and overall. Two genetic clusters were detected in the samples, one in Norway and Sweden and one in Russia. These clusters are weakly differentiated (FST = 0.01202) with only 0.66 % variation between them. Highest variation was found within populations (98.8 %) and the overall genetic diversity for all populations was high (Ho = 0.2573). The weak differentiation and high diversity are indicative of extensive gene flow between populations in this species. The composition of the clusters across the sampled area suggests a westward recolonization from the Russian Plain into Scandinavia, and a possible local origin of another polymorphism in Norway and Sweden. No clear relationship between cold hardiness and genetic variation was detected. The clinal variation in cold hardiness reflects local adaptation, and the difference between genetic and phenotypic variation is likely due to epigenetic regulation or polygenic inheritance. More extensive genome scan is needed to understand the genetic basis of local adaptation.

This thesis explores the ways in which the legacy of colonialism continues to shape the material and non-material conditions of rural indigenous communities in Bangladesh. This research examines the complex confluence of power, politics, economics, and identities in rural Bangladesh; it explores the web of local, national, and global mechanisms that (re)create and maintain oppressive systems and structures. Adopting an anti-colonial discursive framework and a case study approach, this research incorporates data from semi-structured and informal, in-depth individual interviews, focus-group interviews, an observational journal, and a review of relevant literature to study a remote Santal village in the Rajshahi division of Bangladesh. This study focuses on the voices of the local people, their experiences and narratives, and analyzes the data within the wider contexts of history, politics, and culture. The anti-colonial discursive framework that guides this study acknowledges the material and intellectual agency of local people and the value of their knowledge and lived experiences; it contributes to understanding local history and culture and the saliency of local resistance to oppressive practices. The research findings reveal that colonial structures of oppression are perpetuated by the devaluation of indigenous peoples’ mother tongue, education, culture, and religion and by distancing them from the land that has belonged to them for centuries. The findings present a shift from the ritual-based, cultural matrix of the rural indigenous community and its tradition-oriented socio-political and education systems. Exclusionary policies and practices of the nation state and Christian aggression have fragmented the Santal community, devalued their collectivist mode of living, and alienated them from their traditional ways of life. The process of land alienation has perpetuated the colonial legacy of terra nullius and displaced the indigenous Santal community’s sense of belonging and its inherent connection to Mother Earth, the bongas , and the spirits of their ancestors. This dissertation suggests that there is urgent need for activism to resist colonial structures of oppression that continue to this day. This study contributes to literature on anti-colonial struggles across the globe and offers a framework for understanding other colonial and indigenous contexts.

This thesis explores the ways in which the legacy of colonialism continues to shape the material and non-material conditions of rural indigenous communities in Bangladesh. This research examines the complex confluence of power, politics, economics, and identities in rural Bangladesh; it explores the web of local, national, and global mechanisms that (re)create and maintain oppressive systems and structures. Adopting an anti-colonial discursive framework and a case study approach, this research incorporates data from semi-structured and informal, in-depth individual interviews, focus-group interviews, an observational journal, and a review of relevant literature to study a remote Santal village in the Rajshahi division of Bangladesh. This study focuses on the voices of the local people, their experiences and narratives, and analyzes the data within the wider contexts of history, politics, and culture. The anti-colonial discursive framework that guides this study acknowledges the material and intellectual agency of local people and the value of their knowledge and lived experiences; it contributes to understanding local history and culture and the saliency of local resistance to oppressive practices. The research findings reveal that colonial structures of oppression are perpetuated by the devaluation of indigenous peoples’ mother tongue, education, culture, and religion and by distancing them from the land that has belonged to them for centuries. The findings present a shift from the ritual-based, cultural matrix of the rural indigenous community and its tradition-oriented socio-political and education systems. Exclusionary policies and practices of the nation state and Christian aggression have fragmented the Santal community, devalued their collectivist mode of living, and alienated them from their traditional ways of life. The process of land alienation has perpetuated the colonial legacy of terra nullius and displaced the indigenous Santal community’s sense of belonging and its inherent connection to Mother Earth, the bongas , and the spirits of their ancestors. This dissertation suggests that there is urgent need for activism to resist colonial structures of oppression that continue to this day. This study contributes to literature on anti-colonial struggles across the globe and offers a framework for understanding other colonial and indigenous contexts.