Search Results

Seeing in depth in different species

Ian P. Howard and Brian J. Rogers

in Seeing in Depth: Volume 1: Basic Mechanics/ Volume 2: Depth Perception 2-Volume Set

This chapter discusses depth vision in animals other than cats and primates. These include invertebrates, fish, amphibian, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Life History Variation and Phenology

Eric Post

in Ecology of Climate Change: The Importance of Biotic Interactions

This chapter looks at examples illustrating patterns in phenological responses to observed and experimental climate change. The most commonly observed phenological response to recent climate change ... More

This chapter looks at examples illustrating patterns in phenological responses to observed and experimental climate change. The most commonly observed phenological response to recent climate change is an advance in the timing of early life history events such as migration, plant emergence or flowering, amphibian breeding, or egg-laying dates in birds. Patterns in satellite-derived images of primary productivity suggest a lengthening of the plant-growing season in recent decades, whereas data on plant phenological dynamics from studies conducted at plot and sublandscape scales indicate shortened phenophases, or phenological events, in response to warming. This contrast may be resolved by recognizing the difference between phenology in the context of individual life history strategies of disparate species and landscape-scale patterns of phenology, and by recognizing the difference between local, species-specific phenological dynamics and those occurring at the landscape scale.Less

Pollination by Nonflying Vertebrates and Other Oddities

Pat Willmer

in Pollination and Floral Ecology

This chapter considers pollination by nonflying vertebrates and other oddities. It begins with a discussion of ectotherm vertebrates visiting flowers; these include fish, amphibians, and reptiles. ... More

This chapter considers pollination by nonflying vertebrates and other oddities. It begins with a discussion of ectotherm vertebrates visiting flowers; these include fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Fish are not recorded as flower visitors, but they are at least occasionally facilitators of the pollination process for shoreline pond plants, where they prey on animals that compete with or reduce pollinator populations. The chapter proceeds with an analysis of pollination by nonflying mammals such as marsupials, rodents, monkeys, and lemurs as well as flowers that they regularly visit, including ground-level (geoflorous) flowers and arboreal flowers. Finally, it examines pollination by unusual invertebrates ranging from snails and woodlice to land crabs and millipedes.Less

The Impacts of ENSO on Terrestrial Ecosystems: A Comparison With NAO

Mauricio Lima and Fabian M. Jaksic

in Marine Ecosystems and Climate Variation: The North Atlantic: A Comparative Perspective

This chapter aims to cast new light upon the preceding chapters, drawing upon the authors' experience along the western fringe of South America, especially on data gained from Chilean ecosystems. The ... More

This chapter aims to cast new light upon the preceding chapters, drawing upon the authors' experience along the western fringe of South America, especially on data gained from Chilean ecosystems. The eastern side of the tropical Pacific — where El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) plays a highly significant role — is linked closely to the NAO impacts in the North Atlantic sector. Specifically, the impacts on plants, invertebrates, amphibians, birds, and mammals are considered.Less

The biota

D. Dudley Williams

in The Biology of Temporary Waters

This chapter presents summaries of each taxonomic group inhabiting temporary waters, providing examples of habitat-specific requirements and adaptations throughout. Insects and crustaceans are the ... More

This chapter presents summaries of each taxonomic group inhabiting temporary waters, providing examples of habitat-specific requirements and adaptations throughout. Insects and crustaceans are the dominant community members and, consequently, the best studied groups. However, information is also provided on lesser known groups, such as the prokaryotes, fungi, nematodes, tardigrades, and rotifers. Higher plants, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are discussed. Detailed case histories are given of the biotas from common habitat types. Global and regional comparisons of temporary water communities are made and commonality is demonstrated.Less

Photoperiodism in Amphibians and Reptiles

Zachary M. Weil and David Crews

in Photoperiodism: The Biological Calendar

This chapter provides a broad overview of photoperiodic regulation of reproductive and nonreproductive responses in amphibians and reptiles. It focuses mostly on laboratory investigations of ... More

This chapter provides a broad overview of photoperiodic regulation of reproductive and nonreproductive responses in amphibians and reptiles. It focuses mostly on laboratory investigations of photoperiodic and seasonal phenomena where environmental factors can be precisely controlled, and the respective contributions of day length and environmental temperature elucidated.Less

The National Amphibian Conservation Center

Andrew T. Snider and Elizabeth Arbaugh

in Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species

The history of amphibians at the Detroit Zoo dates back to 1960, when The Holden Museum of Living Reptiles opened to the public. Amphibian breeding efforts first occurred in 1970, when production and ... More

The history of amphibians at the Detroit Zoo dates back to 1960, when The Holden Museum of Living Reptiles opened to the public. Amphibian breeding efforts first occurred in 1970, when production and rearing of clutches of axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) commenced. In 1990, to acknowledge that amphibians were also included in the building, the facility's name was officially changed to The Holden Museum of Living Reptiles and Amphibians. Since 1994, the Detroit Zoological Institute has intensified its commitment to amphibian husbandry and conservation. In light of the global decline in amphibian populations, the need for a national conservation center for amphibians became more urgent and an idea was born: The National Amphibian Conservation Center (NACC). The NACC is the first major conservation facility dedicated entirely to conserving and exhibiting amphibians. It holds exhibits that define and describe amphibians, metamorphosis, amphibian evolution and diversity, aspects of amphibian ecology, and conservation biology. The Orientation Theater, a circular room with multimedia capabilities, is open to the public, school groups, and other organizations.Less

Ultraviolet Radiation

Andrew R. Blaustein and Lisa K. Belden

in Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species

Global climate changes, including changes in atmospheric conditions, may be contributing to amphibian population declines. Studies of amphibians and ultraviolet radiation have concentrated on ... More

Global climate changes, including changes in atmospheric conditions, may be contributing to amphibian population declines. Studies of amphibians and ultraviolet radiation have concentrated on ultraviolet B (UV-B), the portion of the spectrum of most biological concern at the earth's surface. Higher wavelengths are less efficiently absorbed by critical biomolecules; lower wavelengths are absorbed by stratospheric ozone. UV-B radiation is known to induce the formation of photoproducts that can cause cell death or genetic mutations. Seasonal increases in UV-B irradiance linked to stratospheric ozone depletion are well documented at the poles, and there is evidence that UV-B radiation has increased in temperate latitudes. Laboratory studies show detrimental effects of UV-B radiation on amphibian growth, development, and behavior. Field studies demonstrate that ambient UV-B radiation adversely affects the developing embryos of some, but not all, species. Moreover, some recent studies have shown that ambient UV-B radiation may cause malformities. This chapter summarizes the methods, evidence, and implications of the effects of UV-B radiation on amphibians based on the results of field experiments.Less

Protecting Amphibians While Restoring Fish Populations

Debra Patla

in Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species

Park and wildlife managers are facing an ironic dilemma as they work to restore and protect aquatic ecosystems — must amphibians be sacrificed if native fish are to return? Over the past century ... More

Park and wildlife managers are facing an ironic dilemma as they work to restore and protect aquatic ecosystems — must amphibians be sacrificed if native fish are to return? Over the past century throughout the United States, resource managers sought to enhance the recreational value of lakes and streams by stocking non-native (exotic) game fish. The “success” of this effort is now recognized as a serious impediment to conserving natural aquatic biodiversity. Introduced fish endanger and replace native fish species through predation, competition, hybridization, and disease transmission. In many cases, bringing back the natives is doomed unless the introduced fish are eradicated. In Yellowstone National Park, four species of non-native trout were introduced, have become established, and threaten the survival of indigenous fish. A program to remove non-native trout has begun, but techniques used to remove these fish also threaten amphibians. Recommendations are made to eliminate or reduce the threat to amphibians, including making managers aware of the presence of amphibians, and offering strategies for reducing amphibian vulnerability to fish removal techniques.Less

Impacts of Forest Management on Amphibians

Rochelle B. Renken

in Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species

Researchers with the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Forest Service, and cooperating universities (University of Missouri-Columbia, ... More

Researchers with the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Forest Service, and cooperating universities (University of Missouri-Columbia, University of Missouri-St. Louis, Michigan Technological University, and University of Tennessee-Chattanooga) are conducting a bold experiment to examine the long-term, large-scale impacts of forest management practices on the biotic and abiotic components of the oak-hickory forests of southern Missouri. The Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) aims to conduct a controlled experiment to document the effects of typical forest management practices on the numbers and types of forest plants and animals, including amphibians. Drift fence arrays are chosen as the MOFEP technique for trapping amphibians. In this experiment, the impact of the forest management practices of clearcutting (technically called even-aged management) and select tree cutting (called uneven-aged management) is examined. MOFEP is unique both in its duration and its scale — data will be collected for the next 100+ years and on the landscape scale of 1,000-acre forests.Less

A Thousand Friends of Frogs: Its Origins

Tony P. Murphy

in Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species

In 1995, large numbers of malformed frogs were discovered in Minnesota. Images of frogs with gross abnormalities were broadcast on national news programs and printed in newspapers across the country. ... More

In 1995, large numbers of malformed frogs were discovered in Minnesota. Images of frogs with gross abnormalities were broadcast on national news programs and printed in newspapers across the country. In the wake of this discovery, A Thousand Friends of Frogs was born. In 1995, the Minnesota State Legislature provided funding to begin the initiative. A monitoring program known as Minnesota Frog Watch was established to coordinate with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). The staff has trained more than 100 volunteers for a statewide anuran call survey that will eventually become a part of the wildlife monitoring programs administered by the MDNR. The mission of A Thousand Friends of Frogs is twofold: to educate citizens about the environment through the issues facing amphibians, and in particular frogs; and to involve the public in local environment issues, including ones that affect amphibians. It seeks to create, disseminate, and then encourage teachers to use an education program that is based on amphibian conservation but also teaches about broader environmental issues.Less

Conclusion

Michael Lannoo, Alisa L. Gallant, Priya Nanjappa, Laura Blackburn, and Russell Hendricks

in Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species

This book has presented what is known about the extent and causes of amphibian population declines in the United States and what can be done about them. It has also examined life history and natural ... More

This book has presented what is known about the extent and causes of amphibian population declines in the United States and what can be done about them. It has also examined life history and natural history features needed to manage for amphibians, with a current assessment of their distribution. In assembling the literature for this project, and with a quick look at the species accounts, what is immediately noticeable is that a few species are well known and have a large literature, some species are better known and have a modest literature, and many species are almost unknown. An existing scientific literature creates a future scientific literature and results in a species bias. Workers are strongly encouraged to explore species that are not well known and to seek questions from field observations. Scientists must also explore creative new techniques for observing and monitoring inconvenient animals.Less

Embracing Human Diversity in Conservation

Whit Gibbons

in Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species

Disease, pollution, invasive species, overcollecting, global changes, and other causes have been documented or proposed to be responsible for particular or widespread amphibian population declines. ... More

Disease, pollution, invasive species, overcollecting, global changes, and other causes have been documented or proposed to be responsible for particular or widespread amphibian population declines. Yet, finding solutions for any of these causes will not matter for most species in the long term if the basic components of their natural habitats are degraded or eliminated by human use of natural resources. Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) is an initiative designed to find solutions to the loss of habitat and other problems faced by herpetofauna. Groups or individuals with an agenda involving beleaguered amphibians (frogs, salamanders, and caecilians) are encouraged to become involved with PARC. PARC differs from many other conservation groups. PARC recognizes that reptiles are more globally threatened than are amphibians, and, hence, these two major classes of vertebrates are coupled in conservation efforts. PARC has been organized to involve not only the person or group with a concern for amphibians and their habitats, but also any person or group whose actions and attitudes are perceived by some as detrimental to the well-being of amphibians.Less

Conclusion: Hegel as a Post-Hegelian

Terry Pinkard

in Hegel's Naturalism: Mind, Nature, and the Final Ends of Life

Philosophy shows both how we are committed to certain things, such as modern rights and morality, and how these bring certain tensions with them. The only reconciliation philosophy offers is a ... More

Philosophy shows both how we are committed to certain things, such as modern rights and morality, and how these bring certain tensions with them. The only reconciliation philosophy offers is a reconciliation to the necessity of these commitments and their tensions, not a reconciliation of the tensions themselves. It is also hopeless to think that any state can overcome any of these tensions. The modern agent must therefore become an “amphibian” who lives within all those tensions. To be a successful amphibian also means to exercise something like Aristotle's conceptions of the virtues. Wholeness can be partially achieved in art and religion, and philosophy can achieve a theoretical but not practical wholeness. Hegel is thus not a philosopher of totality, and his dialectical approach is, in an important sense, open‐ended.Less

Geographical Information Systems and Survey Designs

Charles R. Peterson, Stephen R. Burton, and Debra A. Patla

in Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species

This chapter describes how to use a Geographical Information System (GIS) for designing amphibian surveys. It indicates what is possible, how to get started, some limitations, and where to go for ... More

This chapter describes how to use a Geographical Information System (GIS) for designing amphibian surveys. It indicates what is possible, how to get started, some limitations, and where to go for further information. Examples are taken primarily from the authors' experiences using GIS to design amphibian surveys in the Northern Intermountain West for a variety of state and federal agencies, private corporations, and conservation organizations. Spatial relationships, such as the isolation of wetlands from other wetland habitat or the distance of sites to roads, can be determined through the use of GIS. Perhaps most importantly, a GIS can help identify areas of suitable amphibian habitat for sampling. This chapter shows how GIS was used to describe the status and trends of amphibians in Yellowstone National Park by selecting sampling areas based on randomized techniques, and to select watersheds within these areas. Within these watersheds, GIS was employed to visualize potential amphibian pond breeding habitats for field sampling. Results from this sampling effort were then organized as a GIS layer depicting the distribution and abundance of amphibian breeding populations.Less

The Amphibian Foothold

Frank H. T. Rhodes

in Origins: The Search for Our Prehistoric Past

This chapter takes a look at the early amphibians. Living amphibians are typically small animals, tending to be soft-bodied and relatively inconspicuous in appearance. In contrast, a great variety of ... More

This chapter takes a look at the early amphibians. Living amphibians are typically small animals, tending to be soft-bodied and relatively inconspicuous in appearance. In contrast, a great variety of tetrapods appeared in Early Carboniferous times (about 359–201 million years ago) and survived into Triassic times that were anything but small and inconspicuous. It was from such distant forms that living amphibians—salamanders, newts, frogs, toads, and caecelians—originated about 200–150 million years ago. They tend to live in damp temperate or tropical areas, their active lives (reproduction, growth, and feeding) being confined to the warmer season, with some hibernating in the cooler areas.Less