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Movement ecology of juvenile pond-breeding salamanders: implications for the management and conservation of amphibian populations
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2013)
Human-induced habitat change is widely regarded as a primary factor threatening the persistence of species. One major consequence of habitat alteration is its effect on the movement behavior of individuals. Spotted salamanders ...
The abundance and diversity of stream salamanders on montane golf courses
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2012)
Stream salamanders are often the most abundant vertebrates in headwater streams and they play an integral role as both predators and prey in these ecosystems. Because they often use both terrestrial and aquatic habitat and ...
Factors affecting abundance, physiology, and fine-scale genetic differentiation of the western slimy salamander (Plethodon albagula)
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2013)
Inferring process from pattern can be a challenging undertaking when dealing with ecological complexity. The distribution and abundance of organisms on the landscape is often interpreted through the lens of competition, ...
Complex life-histories and biogeochemical cycles : interactions between amphibian life-history strategies and elemental cycling
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2013)
All life must balance two key currencies: energy and matter. My dissertation focuses on the struggle that animals face in balancing various permutations of the latter currency: elements. The availability of essential ...
Genetic variation and population structure in the endangered Houston toad in contrast to its common sympatric relative, the coastal plain toad
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2010)
I determined the number of populations, the levels of genetic diversity within and among populations, and migration/movement rates at the landscape and fine scales in the endangered Houston toad, Bufo houstonensis (Anura: ...
Individual, population and landscape-scale effects of timber harvest on the red-legged salamander (Plethodon shermani)Individual, population and landscape-scale effects of timber harvest on the red-legged salamander (Plethodon shermani)
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2014)
Habitat loss and alteration are widely recognized as major threats to global biodiversity and the vulnerability of animal species to these disturbance processes can depend on the behavioral responses of individuals to ...
Genetic diversity and distribution of the ringed salamander (ambystoma annulatum) across multiple spatial scales
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2018)
Species distributions are governed by a complex suite of abiotic and biotic interactions that govern movement of individuals and are variable through time and space. These dynamic processes, such as shifts in temperature ...
Predation and competition among larval salamanders : the influence of density dependence, phenology, food web structure and habitat complexity
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2016)
The influence of biotic and abiotic factors on species interactions and overall community structure has long interested ecologists. Despite a legacy of interest, there is still ambiguity into the role of biotic and abiotic ...
Effects of phenotype- and condition-dependent factors on juvenile dispersal of the ringed salamander (Ambystoma annulatum)
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2016)
Dispersal is the movement of individuals from their natal population to a different breeding population. Long distance dispersal movements are rare, with most individuals staying within their natal population (hereafter ...
The ecological roles of amphibians and subsidies in ponds
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2018)
Freshwater ponds are often underappreciated landscape features, despite the fact they comprise a major portion of all freshwater ecosystems. Ponds support diverse food webs and species not found in other habitat types. ...
Effects of spatial subsidies and canopy cover on pond communities and multiple life stages in amphibians
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2012)
Spatial subsidies are resources that move from one ecosystem to another. In aquatic systems, canopy cover determines both light availability and subsidy input in the form of senescing leaves. This phenomenon has been well ...
Initial juvenile movement of pond-breeding amphibians in altered forest habitat
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2012)
The initial juvenile movement phase represents the first stage of the multi-phase process of natal dispersal. My objective was to investigate how alterations in forest habitat quality impact initial juvenile movement success ...
Building better wetlands for amphibians : investigating the roles of engineered wetland features and mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) on amphibian abundance and reproductive success
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2011)
Compensatory wetland mitigation efforts have been broadly criticized for failing to replace lost ecological functions, even with net gains in wetland area. Of particular concern is the suitability of constructed wetlands ...
Effects of prescribed fire and timber harvest on terrestrial salamander abundance, behavior, and microhabitat use
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2014)
The goal of my dissertation was to assess how terrestrial salamanders respond to two common forest management practices -- prescribed fire and timber harvest. Previous studies have reported that timber harvest adversely ...
A multi-scale investigation of ecologically relevant effects of agricultural runoff on amphibians
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008)
Modification of landscapes for agricultural production can introduce agrochemicals into surface waters and degrade aquatic habitats used by many amphibians for breeding and larval development. Although many ecotoxicological ...
Gray treefrog breeding site selection and offspring performance in response to forest management
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2007)
Amphibian diversity and abundance are generally reduced following clearcut logging. These impacts often last for decades, but little is known about why diversity and abundance are depressed. I examined gray treefrog breeding ...
Effects of riparian buffer width on stream salamander populations in the southern Appalachian Mountains
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008)
Salamanders in the Appalachian region have been extensively studied, but the majority of research assessing the impacts of logging has focused on terrestrial species that are not dependent on stream habitats for egg ...
Aquatic and terrestrial exposure of amphibians to estrogenic endocrine disrupting contaminants
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2009)
Hormones play an important role in shaping growth and development. Endocrine disrupting contaminants (EDCs) come from the external environment and can mimic or block internal hormone pathways. Many amphibians begin to ...
The role of terrrestrial habitat in the population dynamics and conservation of pond-breeding amphibians
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2007)
I used both demographic modeling and experimental field research to evaluate the role of terrestrial habitat in the population dynamics and conservation of pond-breeding amphibians. I began by using literature data to ...
Behavioral choice and demographic consequences of wood frog habitat selection in response to land use
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2007)
Land use is a pervasive form of disturbance affecting natural systems on Earth. My dissertation research is set within the context of a large scale project referred to as Land-use Effects on Amphibian Populations (LEAP), ...