Current Search: conservation biology (x)
View All Items
- Title
- The behavior of humans and wildlife with respect to roads: insights for mitigation and management.
- Creator
-
Grace, Molly, Noss, Reed, Weishampel, John, Hoffman, Eric, Johnson, Steve, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Road ecology is the study of how roads and wildlife interact. Traditionally, road ecologists have primarily focused on one effect of roads: roadkill. Though roadkill can have devastating effects on wildlife populations, roads have sub-lethal impacts that are gaining more and more attention from the scientific community. These sub-lethal impacts include noise, light, and chemical pollution as well as altered habitat structure, which can all influence animal behavior. In this dissertation, I...
Show moreRoad ecology is the study of how roads and wildlife interact. Traditionally, road ecologists have primarily focused on one effect of roads: roadkill. Though roadkill can have devastating effects on wildlife populations, roads have sub-lethal impacts that are gaining more and more attention from the scientific community. These sub-lethal impacts include noise, light, and chemical pollution as well as altered habitat structure, which can all influence animal behavior. In this dissertation, I applied a behavioral ecology framework to study specific lethal and sub-lethal road effects with the goal of improving mitigation efforts. In Chapters 1 and 2, I evaluated how human behavior may be modified to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions; traditionally efforts have been made to modify wildlife road crossing behavior. I found that Roadside Animal Detection Systems, which warn drivers when animals are near the road, are successful in reducing crash risk; however, care must be taken to ensure that drivers do not become acclimated to the warning system. In Chapters 3 and 4, I evaluated how traffic noise affects subadult growth and adult abundance and communication of anuran amphibians (frogs and toads), a taxon widely recognized as one of the most negatively impacted by roads. I found that through traffic noise alters tadpole behavior, it does not appear to have a negative effect on their growth. Traffic noise does, however, negatively affect adult anuran abundance. My results indicate that this reduction in abundance is caused by the interference of traffic noise with anuran communication.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006595, ucf:51275
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006595
- Title
- CLONALITY AND GENETIC DIVERSITY IN POLYGONELLA MYRIOPHYLLA, A LAKE WALES RIDGE ENDEMIC PLANT.
- Creator
-
Metzger, Genevieve, Parkinson, Christopher, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Although capable of sexual reproduction, many plants also rely heavily on clonal reproduction. The formation of multiple, physiologically-independent units with the same genotype has important implications for spatial genetic structure and genetic diversity in these plants. The endangered scrub-dwelling perennial, Polygonella myriophylla is known to reproduce both sexually and clonally but no study to date has been able to investigate the spatial genetic patterns that occur in this species. I...
Show moreAlthough capable of sexual reproduction, many plants also rely heavily on clonal reproduction. The formation of multiple, physiologically-independent units with the same genotype has important implications for spatial genetic structure and genetic diversity in these plants. The endangered scrub-dwelling perennial, Polygonella myriophylla is known to reproduce both sexually and clonally but no study to date has been able to investigate the spatial genetic patterns that occur in this species. I use microsatellite markers to investigate questions about clonal structure and genetic diversity in five populations of P. myriophylla and address some of the implications of my findings for conservation of this species: Overall, I find that 57% of sampled clusters of P. myriophylla are composed of a single genet (genetic individual) with multiple physiological units (ramets) while the remainder are made up of two or more genets. I found differences in both clonal reproduction and genetic diversity among populations. I also found evidence of limited gene flow even over small spatial scales (less than 10 km) and for at least 4 genetic clusters occurring within the species range. Despite high levels of genetic diversity overall, there is evidence of reduced genetic diversity in two populations My results suggest that high levels of clonality may be important in maintaining genetic diversity in P. myriophylla. I also provide evidence that dirt roadsides may not represent a refuge for this species.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- Identifier
- CFE0003264, ucf:48516
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003264
- Title
- Variation in Prospecting Behavior and Drivers of Post-Fire Habitat Preference Among Juvenile Florida Scrub-Jays.
- Creator
-
Sherer, David, Bohlen, Patrick, Bowman, Reed, Jenkins, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Florida Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens, FLSJ; federally Threatened) are cooperatively breeding birds endemic to Florida and dependent on fire-maintained xeric oak scrub. FLSJs are year-round residents, highly territorial, and rarely disperse far from their natal territory. Lifetime reproductive success is highest among individuals breeding in early-successional habitat, usually less than 9 to 10 years post-fire. However, because scrub burns infrequently such early-successional, high...
Show moreFlorida Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens, FLSJ; federally Threatened) are cooperatively breeding birds endemic to Florida and dependent on fire-maintained xeric oak scrub. FLSJs are year-round residents, highly territorial, and rarely disperse far from their natal territory. Lifetime reproductive success is highest among individuals breeding in early-successional habitat, usually less than 9 to 10 years post-fire. However, because scrub burns infrequently such early-successional, high-quality habitat is extremely limited and competition for it as breeding space is likely intense. Because some birds live long enough to experience habitat succession, FLSJs also occupy later-successional overgrown scrub, even though both survival and fecundity decline. Although immigration rates into later-successional habitat decline, some birds settle there, perhaps to avoid competition. Prior to dispersal into new breeding territories, most non-breeders engage in pre-dispersal forays, which occur before and immediately after the breeding season. Because FLSJ territories occur across a gradient of post-fire succession, and young birds make frequent forays beyond their natal territories, and are highly visible while doing so, they are ideal models to test how individual and environmental factors drive habitat preference when exploring a post-fire mosaic. I investigated how individual behavioral phenotype, natal territory condition, and body condition relative to conspecifics influence extra-territorial foray behavior across a habitat mosaic that includes various time-since-fire (TSF) intervals. My study system was a population of individually marked FLSJs on 1,214-ha of managed scrub at Archbold Biological Station (Highlands County, Florida). I measured off-territory movements of 114 yearling birds in three annual cohorts and quantified habitat preference using fine-scale fire history records. These data, paired with behavioral assays and morphometric records for each individual FLSJ, allowed me to create and compare models of exploratory behavior underlying searching patterns during pre-breeding forays. My results indicate significant variation in habitat preference by individual FLSJs during forays, driven by an individual's behavioral phenotype and the TSF of its natal territory.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007864, ucf:52790
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007864