As urbanization increases globally, habitat loss is increasing at an unprecedented rate, eroding the suitability of many landscapes for most forms of wildlife, including bees. At least some of this habitat loss is through the ongoing expansion of urban areas, a process termed ‘urbanization’. Studies of the effects of urbanization and urban land use on bees have reported a mixture of results, including some instances where at least some species appear to do better in urban areas than they do in lands surrounding urban areas. While the impacts of urbanization on bee communities has been investigated, tree canopy cover has been largely overlooked as a contributor to urban bee distributions, despite their potential importance as a predictor of bee activity. I investigated the impacts of urban land use and tree canopy cover on bee communities across a variety of neighbourhoods in a medium-sized Canadian city (Ottawa, Ontario). In total, I surveyed bee communities in 27 residential yards that varied in terms of the degree of urban land use (measured as percent impervious surface area) and tree canopy cover (percent deciduous canopy cover) across a range of spatial scales. Using linear regression and model selection, I determined that bee abundance was negatively correlated with the degree of urban land use surrounding a yard, and positively correlated with the richness of the local (i.e., yard) flowering plant community. Yard floral richness, but not urban land use or tree cover, was also a predictor of the diversity of the bee community visiting the yard. In fact, tree canopy cover did not factor in any of the top models predicting either bee abundance, richness, or diversity. My results support the idea that urban land use could negatively impact bee communities, but also suggest that landscaping and urban planning decisions that maximize local floral richness could counteract some of the negative impacts of urbanization on bee populations.

Wild hogs (sus scrofa) have caused major damage to agricultural crops in the US due to their lack of natural predators and fast reproduction rates. Wild hogs change their behavior to evade capture. Thus, control methods are thwarted and may not result in sufficient mortality to keep pace with the reproduction of wild hogs. This study extends previous invasive species literature to include increasing costs due to adaptability in two settings: the presence of hogs is deterministic or stochastic. The analysis is limited to one farmer's objective function with varying degrees of adaptability for "smartness". The findings concluded the population and harvest of wild hogs does change when there is a higher level of adaptability to control methods or, "smartness". The net benefit of the farmer decreases as adaptability and the probability of hogs' present increase for deterministic and stochastic case, respectively.

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), prior to this study, knew little about stakeholder desires for wild turkeys, and had no modern means to assess turkey habitat. My objectives were to (1) identify stakeholders in management of wild turkeys in Virginia, assess their attitudes and opinions regarding turkey management, and incorporate that knowledge in developing a management plan for wild turkeys in Virginia; during this process, assess how involvement in a management planning process affects stakeholders and agency personnel, and (2) develop a preliminary habitat assessment for wild turkeys in Virginia. I employed collaborative planning techniques to develop the management plan. I utilized surveys to assess changes in knowledge, attitudes, and opinions by the Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) and VDGIF staff. I performed a review of wild turkey habitat requirements and habitat assessments, and utilized surveys and the Delphi method to select variables and suitability values for the habitat assessment. The SAC improved their knowledge of wild turkeys, and the SAC and Wild Turkey Technical Committee, and became more accepting of public involvement in decision-making. Wildlife Bureau staff placed more importance on minority stakeholders' values, had more positive views of the agency and wild turkey management, and desired professional opinion in decision-making. I developed a 2-step comprehensive habitat assessment for wild turkeys. The first step examines habitat at the landscape-level (5,167 acres); the second step applies a rapid habitat appraisal tool that uses aerial imagery and data collected from on-site inspection to assess habitats of <1,000 acres. / Master of Science

Risk management has been used regularly in the mining industry over the last few decades. The majority of those instances have focused on health and safety issues. Health and safety has improved in the United States, Australia, and other major mining districts because of the successful use of risk management and mitigation practices. Risk management has been used to a lesser extent to reduce or avoid environmental issues as well. There are a number of factors that make utilization of risk management analysis more applicable to health and safety than to environmental issues. This thesis explores the use of risk management in the context of environmental issues associated with mining. Specifically, two case studies are developed in two self-contained manuscripts: the first focuses on sequestering CO2 while the second focuses on wild rice in Minnesota with regards to the sulfate standard. Through the lens of risk management, an attempt is made to align project goals and efforts with mitigation potential to reduce the likelihood or result of particular risks. The end result is a reduction in risks due to mitigation. The first manuscript shows how risks disappear over time because they have been categorized and addressed. The project goals are keep on track by eliminating or reducing these risks. The second manuscript can be used by stakeholders to review their potential risks and mitigate those risks if possible/necessary. In contrast to the first manuscript that contains risks that are known and measurable, the second manuscript examines different risks based on four potential outcomes. / Master of Science

Wild pigs are known to be an agricultural pest, but few studies have been done to quantify wild pig damage to corn and the landscape characteristics that are conducive to this damage. In the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, only 15 of the 125 sampled corn fields were damaged (12%). Using yield estimates, input costs and hectares of crop lost, this study concluded that wild pigs cause US$1,753 of damage per hectare. The proportion of corn that was planted within selected buffer scales consistently had a negative effect on whether a field would be damaged. The proportion of soybean planted within the buffer, and the proportion of disturbance had negative impacts on whether a field would be damaged. At multiple buffer scales, the proportion of shrub/scrub, adjacent crops and forest had negative effects on the amount of damage seen in a damaged field.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L) is an outcrossing, highly heterozygous cultivated in which the elucidation of the genetic basis of quantitative traits, is more complex than in self-pollinated crops. Both a candidate gene approach and a whole genome SNP genotyping analysis were used to assess allelic variation and to identify loci associated with biosynthesis and accumulation of steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs). SGAs are secondary metabolites produced in Solanum species as defense against insects and pathogens. Fragments of genomic DNA coding for regions of five SGA biosynthetic candidate genes were amplified, cloned and sequenced [3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase 1 and 2 (HMG1, HMG2); 2,3-squalene epoxidase (SQE); solanidine galactosyltransferase (SGT1); and solanidine glucosyltransferase (SGT2)]. A germplasm panel of six wild potato species [Solanum chacoense (chc 80-1), S. commersonii subsp. commersonii, S. demissum, S. sparsipilum, S. spegazzinii, and S. stoloniferum] and a cultivated clone S. tuberosum Group Phureja (phu DH) was used in an allelic variation analysis. A segregating interspecific F2 population phu DH �" chc 80-1 was screened to assess association with SGAs. Sequence diversity analysis showed a tendency of purifying selection and increased frequency of rare alleles in most of the candidate genes. Genes of primary metabolism (HMG1, HMG2 and SQE) had stronger selection constraints than those in secondary metabolism (SGT1 and SGT2). Sequence polymorphism in HMG2, SQE, SGT1 and SGT2 separated either the phu DH clone which produced no SGAs, or chc 80-1, the greatest SGA accumulator, from other accessions in the panel. Segregation analysis of the F2 population revealed that allelic sequences of HMG2 and SGT2 derived from chc 80-1 were significantly associated with the greatest SGA accumulation. In the whole genome analysis, SNP genotyping and cluster analysis based on putative association with SGA accumulation in the germplasm panel, allowed identification of eight informative SNPs that can be used in future studies. In the segregating F2 population, loci located on five pseudochromosomes were associated with SGA synthesis. Loci on pseudochromosomes 1 and 6 explained segregation ratios of synthesis for α-solanine and α-chaconine, the most common SGAs in most potato species. In addition, loci on seven pseudochromosomes were associated with accumulation. New candidate genes, putatively affecting synthesis and accumulation of SGAs, were identified in adjacent genomic regions of significant SNPs. This research demonstrates how the newly available genome sequence of potato and associated biotechnological tools accelerates the identification of genetic factors underling complex traits in a species with a difficult breeding structure. / Ph. D.

Overwinter survival of wild turkeys on industrial forests managed for short-rotation pines (treatment) and typical Piedmont forests and farmland (control), was investigated in Virginia's central Piedmont during 1986-1988. Ninety-six percent of the turkeys (N =106) were captured in early fall with alpha-chloralose laced bait. Sixty-three percent of the captured turkeys recovered and were released with transmitters; 15% were released without transmitters; and 21% died from capture related causes. Overwinter survival for all turkeys was <2% regardless of area or year. Daily survival was lower on the control areas (P < 0.01), however, due to the small (13) and scattered sample of turkeys captured over the 3 years on control areas, these data were omitted from further analyses. Daily survival on treatment areas over the 3 years was 97.6%. Thirty-seven percent of radio-equipped turkeys on treatment areas died within 2 weeks of release suggesting that factors related to the trapping process influenced survival. Possibilities considered were residual effects from alpha-chloralose, capture myopathy, and/or a negative effect from the transmitter and/or harness. Four weeks after release daily survival rates improved significantly (P < 0.01) indicating the influence from trapping had subsided. While hardwoods composed 38% of the primary treatment area, 65% of turkeys died in hardwood stands; predation accounted for 81% of the turkey mortality (N =42). Field evidence and necropsy results plus scent station data indicated that gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) were the main turkey predators. Fox scats contained no detectable turkey remains but indicated that eastern cottontails (Silvilagus floridanus) were a primary prey species. / Master of Science

No description available.

The effects of planting date were evaluated on field establishment and flowering of ten southwestern wildflower species combined in a mix. Species tested include Baileya multiradiata, Castilleja lanata, Eschscholtzia californica, Eschscholtzia mexicana, Gaillardia pulchellum, Lesquerella gordonii, Lupinus sparsiflorus, Orthocarpus purpurascens, Penstemon eatonii, and Phacelia campanularia. Seeds of all species were combined in a mix and directly seeded into field plots. All species are native to the southwestern deserts of the United States. Treatments consisted of five planting dates, starting September 30, 1987 and continuing through November 30, 1987, with treatments planted at two week intervals during the ten week period. There were significant differences in both plant stand and flowering between planting dates. The October 15 planting had the optimum plant stand with regard to the largest spectrum of species represented by desirable numbers. Flowering was most pronounced in the September 30 and October 15 plantings.

Este estudo teve como objetivo pesquisar a presença de Rickettsia sp. e Ehrlichia sp. em canídeos e felídeos selvagens de vida livre e cães domésticos da região do Parque Nacional das Emas (PNE), Goiás. Os anticorpos detectados através da Reação de Imunofluorescência Indireta utilizando 6 espécies de riquétsias. Amostras de soros de canídeos (140) e felídeos (38) selvagens de vida livre, incluindo lobos-guarás (76), cachorros-do-mato (57), gatos-palheiros (19), jaguatiricas (10), raposinhas-do-campo (7), onças-pintadas (4), onças-pardas (4), gato-mourisco (1), e cães domésticos (134) das propriedades rurais do entorno do PNE. Para a detecção de Ehrlichia sp. foi realizada a técnica de PCR, utilizando amostras de sangues totais de canídeos selvagens (44), sendo cachorros-do-mato (26), lobos-guarás (16) e raposinhas-o-campo (2) e cães domésticos (17). Amostras de lobos-guarás (29), cachorros-do-mato (12), onças-pardas (2), gatos-palheiros (2), raposinha-do-campo (1) e cachorro doméstico (1) apresentaram títulos para uma ou mais riquétsias testadas. Para Ehrlichia sp., 6 cães domésticos apresentaram resultados positivos, com Ehrlichia canis com semelhança de 100% com a cepa Uberlândia, pelo sequenciamento do gene dsb. Este é o primeiro relato de detecção de anticorpos, sugerindo provável exposição a R. amblyommii, R. rickettsii e R. parkeri em lobos-guarás, cachorros-do-mato e onças-pardas; R. parkeri em raposinhas-do-campo; R. amblyommii e R. parkeri em gatos-palheiros; R. amblyommii, R. rickettsii e R. rhipicephali em jaguatiricas. Não houve evidências que comprovassem ou mesmo sugerissem a transmissão desses patógenos entre animais silvestres e domésticos. / This study aimed to investigate the presence of Rickettsia sp. and Ehrlichia sp. in free-ranging wild canids and felids, and domestic dogs in the region of Emas National Park (ENP), Goiás. The antibodies were detected through Immunofluorescence Assay using 6 rickettsiae species. Serum samples of free-ranging wild canids (140) and felids (38), including maned wolves (76), crab-eating foxes (57), pampas cats (19), ocelots (10), hoary foxes (7), jaguars (4), pumas (4) and jaguarondi (1), and domestic dogs (134) from surrounding farms were tested. For detection of Ehrlichia sp., PCR was performed on whole blood samples of canids (44), among crab-eating foxes (26), maned wolves (16) and hoary foxes (2), and domestic dogs (17). Samples of maned wolves (29), crab-eating foxes (12), pumas (2), pampas cats (2), hoary fox (1) and domestic dog (1) presented one or more antibody titers for rickettsiae testing. For Ehrlichia spp. detection, 6 domestic dogs showed positive results for Ehrlichia canis with 100% similarity to the Uberlândia strain, by sequencing of dsb gene. This is the first report of antibodies detection, suggesting probable exposure to R. amblyommii, R. rickettsii, R. parkeri in maned wolves, crab-eating foxes and pumas; R. parkeri in hoary foxes; R. amblyommii and R. parkeri pampas cats; R. amblyommii, R. rickettsii, R. rhipicephali in ocelots. There was no evidence to conclusively prove or even suggest the transmission of pathogens between wild and domestic animals.