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- Title
- Young children's artifact conceptualization: a child centered approach.
- Creator
- Schultz, Patricia P., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
-
One of the most fundamental functions of human cognition is to parse an otherwise chaotic world into different kinds of things. The ability to learn what objects are and how to respond to them appropriately is essential for daily living. The literature has presented contrasting evidence about the role of perpetual features such as artifact appearance versus causal or inductive reasoning in chldren's category distinctions (e.g., function). The present project used a child-initiated inquiry...
Show moreOne of the most fundamental functions of human cognition is to parse an otherwise chaotic world into different kinds of things. The ability to learn what objects are and how to respond to them appropriately is essential for daily living. The literature has presented contrasting evidence about the role of perpetual features such as artifact appearance versus causal or inductive reasoning in chldren's category distinctions (e.g., function). The present project used a child-initiated inquiry paradigm to investigate how children conceptualize artifacts, specifically how they prioritize different types of information that typify not only novel but also familiar objects. Results underscore a hybrid model in which perceptual features and deeper properties act synergistically to inform children's artifact conceptualization. Function, however, appears to be the driving force of this relationship.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3320103
- Subject Headings
- Cognition in children, Child development, Reasoning in children, Reasoning (Psychology)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- WORLD HERITAGE SITES: EXPLORING VULNERABILITY VIA ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS AND POLICY INITIATIVES.
- Creator
- Feliciano, Patricia Eileen, Mitsova, Diana, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
This research examines historic preservation, sustainability, and environmental hazards in the face of climate change in reference to World Heritage Sites; particularly focusing on the question: Can UNESCO World Heritage Sites be conserved and protected in the face of climate change and environmental hazards? There are 1,121 World Heritage Sites listed by UNESCO and are categorized as cultural, natural, or a mix of both. The majority of these sites are at risk from different environmental...
Show moreThis research examines historic preservation, sustainability, and environmental hazards in the face of climate change in reference to World Heritage Sites; particularly focusing on the question: Can UNESCO World Heritage Sites be conserved and protected in the face of climate change and environmental hazards? There are 1,121 World Heritage Sites listed by UNESCO and are categorized as cultural, natural, or a mix of both. The majority of these sites are at risk from different environmental hazards that could threaten their existence or long-term survival; however, policy initiatives can mitigate some of these impacts. It was discovered that every continental region, with the exception of Oceania, had a site considered to be the most vulnerable. There were 27 sites deemed most vulnerable, only 2.4% of the World Heritage Sites. Most of these sites were located along the Pacific Coasts of Asia, and both North and South America.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013605
- Subject Headings
- World Heritage sites, Environmental hazards, Historic preservation, Cultural resources management
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Women's rape avoidance: an evolutionary psychological perspective.
- Creator
- McKibbin, William F., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
-
Women have recurrently faced the adaptive problem of rape over evolutionary history. Little research has investigated the potential evolved psychological mechanisms for rape avoidance that women may possess. Here I review evolutionary perspectives on rape avoidance. I follow this review with the results of two studies conducted to design a measure of women's rape avoidance, known as the Rape Avoidance Inventory (RAI). Study 1A included 99 women who self-reported acts they do or might do...
Show moreWomen have recurrently faced the adaptive problem of rape over evolutionary history. Little research has investigated the potential evolved psychological mechanisms for rape avoidance that women may possess. Here I review evolutionary perspectives on rape avoidance. I follow this review with the results of two studies conducted to design a measure of women's rape avoidance, known as the Rape Avoidance Inventory (RAI). Study 1A included 99 women who self-reported acts they do or might do specifically to avoid being raped. Study 1B included 144 women who filled out a preliminary inventory of rape avoidance behaviors. I used their responses to construct the RAI. In Study 3, I develop and test a number of hypotheses derived from evolutionary psychological theory, using data derived from the sample of women in Study 1B. I conclude by discussing limitations and possible future directions for rape avoidance research.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/1927315
- Subject Headings
- Rape, Psychological aspects, Sex differences (Psychology), Women, Violence against, Rape victims, Public opinion, Man-woman relationships, Evolutionary psychology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Women’s Plasticity During Childhood and their Influence on Rape-Avoidance Behaviors.
- Creator
- Penaloza, Sammy, Bjorklund, David F., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
-
Evolutionary theory predicts that sexual coercion and rape are likely to occur in any species in which males are more aggressive, more eager to mate, more sexually assertive, and less discriminating in choosing a mate (Thornhill & Palmer, 2000). McKibbin and Shackelford (2011) state that males of many species have evolved strategies to sexually coerce and rape females. It is for this reason that researchers have speculated that several female traits or behaviors evolved to reduce the risks of...
Show moreEvolutionary theory predicts that sexual coercion and rape are likely to occur in any species in which males are more aggressive, more eager to mate, more sexually assertive, and less discriminating in choosing a mate (Thornhill & Palmer, 2000). McKibbin and Shackelford (2011) state that males of many species have evolved strategies to sexually coerce and rape females. It is for this reason that researchers have speculated that several female traits or behaviors evolved to reduce the risks of being raped (McKibbin & Shackelford, 2011). The rationale behind the proposed experiment examined whether parents’ childrearing practices and women’s plasticity during childhood may have influenced the development of psychological mechanisms in response to the recurrent adaptive problem of rape. Analyses showed that maternal support during childhood predicted how frequently rape-avoidance behaviors were exhibited by women as adults. Analyses also showed that father absence was related to earlier sexual activity but age of menarche did not predict and was not associated with any rape-avoidance behaviors.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004784
- Subject Headings
- Rape--Psychological aspects., Rape victims--Public opinion., Women--Violence against., Men--Sexual behavior., Men--Attitudes., Human behavior., Sex differences (Psychology), Evolutionary psychology.
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- WOMEN UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS WHO BREAK THROUGH THE GLASS CEILING: AT WHAT PRICE?.
- Creator
- Volnick, Stacy Ann, Floyd, Deborah, Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
On average, the American university president is a white man in his early 60s. Progress has been slow for women in this role. This study examined the university presidency with a focus on the woman president experience. The hypothesis was that based on factors such as the glass ceiling and glass cliff, gender affects the experiences of women university presidents. The purpose of this study was to understand the personal and professional meaning-making of breaking through the glass ceiling for...
Show moreOn average, the American university president is a white man in his early 60s. Progress has been slow for women in this role. This study examined the university presidency with a focus on the woman president experience. The hypothesis was that based on factors such as the glass ceiling and glass cliff, gender affects the experiences of women university presidents. The purpose of this study was to understand the personal and professional meaning-making of breaking through the glass ceiling for women who have held or currently hold the position of president in higher education. The research methodology selected for this study was qualitative with a phenomenological design. There were two guiding research questions, which serve to understand the essence of the experiences of women who serve or have served in the role of president in higher education. The research questions are (a) how do women perceive the impact of the glass ceiling and/or the glass cliff on negotiating the role of university president from ascension to attainment? and (b) how do women university presidents perceive the price they have paid, personally and professionally, for breaking through the glass ceiling? The study sample size consisted of seven current or former women university presidents. The data collection method was semi-structured interviews. This study served to provide insight that may help identify support systems for women in the workplace, changes in perceptions of women in leadership, and how gender roles unfold in both the personal and professional lives of women university presidents
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014085
- Subject Headings
- University presidents, Women college presidents, Glass ceiling (Employment discrimination), Glass cliff (Employment discrimination), Women, Educational leadership
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- WITHIN- AND ACROSS-LANGUAGE EFFECTS OF ORAL LANGUAGE SKILL AT SCHOOL ENTRY ON LATER ENGLISH AND SPANISH READING COMPREHENSION GROWTH AMONG EARLY BILINGUALS.
- Creator
- Giguere, David, Hoff, Erika, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
-
Extensive evidence indicates that oral language skills at school entry predict later reading development among monolingual children. It is not clear if the effect is the same for bilingually developing children and whether their oral skills in one language can transfer to reading comprehension in the other. The current longitudinal study followed 72 Spanish-English bilingual children (42 girls, 30 boys) and examined the extent to which early oral language proficiency in English and in Spanish...
Show moreExtensive evidence indicates that oral language skills at school entry predict later reading development among monolingual children. It is not clear if the effect is the same for bilingually developing children and whether their oral skills in one language can transfer to reading comprehension in the other. The current longitudinal study followed 72 Spanish-English bilingual children (42 girls, 30 boys) and examined the extent to which early oral language proficiency in English and in Spanish were related to later reading comprehension development within- and across-languages. Multilevel models revealed significant within-language relations between oral language skills at 5 years and reading comprehension growth from 6 to 8 years in both English and Spanish. Additionally, English oral skill predicted Spanish reading comprehension, whereas Spanish oral skill was unrelated to English reading comprehension. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013311
- Subject Headings
- Bilingualism--Research, Reading comprehension, Bilingualism in children
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- WINTER FRESH VEGETABLE FARMING IN FLORIDA: ITS ACREAGE PATTERNS AND MARKETING FLOWS.
- Creator
- MCJUNKIN, JOYCE P., Florida Atlantic University, Schultz, Ronald R., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Florida is the major supplier of winter vegetables in the United States. This dominance is examined historically and geographically during the time span 1937-1974 to determine the reasons, causes, and extent of this dominance. The gravity model is used to analyze the significance of the major markets to the Florida supply and the significance of the Florida supply to the markets. Distance and size of the market were found to be strongly related to flows from Florida. The greater stability of...
Show moreFlorida is the major supplier of winter vegetables in the United States. This dominance is examined historically and geographically during the time span 1937-1974 to determine the reasons, causes, and extent of this dominance. The gravity model is used to analyze the significance of the major markets to the Florida supply and the significance of the Florida supply to the markets. Distance and size of the market were found to be strongly related to flows from Florida. The greater stability of the larger northeastern markets was considered in relation to several socioeconomic characteristics. Intra-state measures of market and physical losses, production totals, county acreages, and regional shifts of crop emphasis are examined geographically. It was found that Florida acreage totals increased over time as did relative production and that there was a southern production shift. Beans showed the greatest county stability and cucumbers the least.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1978
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13955
- Subject Headings
- Vegetables--Florida--Marketing
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Wind speed analysis for Lake Okeechobee.
- Creator
- Hu, Mingyan, Florida Atlantic University, Qian, Lianfen, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Mathematical Sciences
- Abstract/Description
-
In this thesis, we analyze wind speeds collected by South Florida Water Management District at stations L001, L005, L006 and LZ40 in Lake Okeechobee from January 1995 to December 2000. There are many missing values and out-liers in this data. To impute the missing values, three different methods are used: Nearby window average imputation, Jones imputation using Kalman filter, and EM algorithm imputation. To detect outliers and remove impacts, we use ARIMA models of time series. Innovational...
Show moreIn this thesis, we analyze wind speeds collected by South Florida Water Management District at stations L001, L005, L006 and LZ40 in Lake Okeechobee from January 1995 to December 2000. There are many missing values and out-liers in this data. To impute the missing values, three different methods are used: Nearby window average imputation, Jones imputation using Kalman filter, and EM algorithm imputation. To detect outliers and remove impacts, we use ARIMA models of time series. Innovational and additive outliers are considered. It turns out that EM algorithm imputation is the best method for our wind speed data set. After imputing missing values, detecting outliers and removing the impacts, we obtain the best models for all four stations. They are all in the form of seasonal ARIMA(2, 0, 0) x (1, 0, 0)24 for the hourly wind speed data.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2002
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12883
- Subject Headings
- Winds--Speed--Florida--Okeechobee, Lake, Okeechobee, Lake (Fla )--Environmental conditions
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Who dislikes whom: the characteristics of antipathy in adolescence.
- Creator
- Hafen, Christopher A., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
-
The current study examined the process by which adolescents choose who to dislike in a sample of Finnish 10th graders. Information was available for the adolescents on their victimization, bullying behavior, problem behavior, school burnout, school grades, and their depressive symptoms. The initial analysis consisted of assessing which characteristics made individuals more likely to dislike someone, after taking into account the characteristics of the individual being nominated. This analysis...
Show moreThe current study examined the process by which adolescents choose who to dislike in a sample of Finnish 10th graders. Information was available for the adolescents on their victimization, bullying behavior, problem behavior, school burnout, school grades, and their depressive symptoms. The initial analysis consisted of assessing which characteristics made individuals more likely to dislike someone, after taking into account the characteristics of the individual being nominated. This analysis found that individuals form antipathy for dissimilar others. This process is hypothesized to be a result of mechanisms of threat. The secondary analysis compared the characteristics of unilateral and mutual antipathies. This analysis found that mutual antipathies are characterized by elevated differences between individuals on victimization. These results identify and describe important aspects of the adolescent peer environment.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2684308
- Subject Headings
- Attribution (Psychology), Adjustment (Psychology) in adolescence, Social interaction in adolescence, Interpersonal relationships in adolescence, Peer pressure in adolescence, Social conflict, Psychological aspects
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Which Way is It? Spatial Navigation and the Genetics of Head Direction Cells.
- Creator
- Lora, Joan C., Stackman, Robert W., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
-
From locating a secure home, foraging for food, running away from predators, spatial navigation is an integral part of everyday life. Multiple brain regions work together to form a three-dimensional representation of our environment; specifically, place cells, grid cells, border cells & head direction cells are thought to interact and influence one another to form this cognitive map. Head direction (HD) cells fire as the animal moves through space, according to directional orientation of the...
Show moreFrom locating a secure home, foraging for food, running away from predators, spatial navigation is an integral part of everyday life. Multiple brain regions work together to form a three-dimensional representation of our environment; specifically, place cells, grid cells, border cells & head direction cells are thought to interact and influence one another to form this cognitive map. Head direction (HD) cells fire as the animal moves through space, according to directional orientation of the animal’s head with respect to the laboratory reference frame, and are therefore considered to represent the directional sense. Interestingly, inactivation of head direction cell-containing brain regions has mixed consequences on spatial behavior. Current methods of identifying HD cells are limited to in vivo electrophysiological recordings in a dry-land environment. We first developed a dry-land version of the MWM in order to carry out behavioral-recording paired studies. Additionally, to learn about HD cells function we quantified expression of neuronal activation marker (c-Fos), and L-amino acid transporter 4 (Lat4) in neurons found within the HD cell dense anterodorsal thalamic nucleus (ADN) in mice after exploratory behavior in an open field, or forward unidirectional movement on a treadmill. We hypothesize that the degree to which ADN neurons are activated during exploratory behavior is influenced by the range of heading directions sampled. Additionally, we hypothesize that c-Fos and Lat4 are colocalized within ADN neurons following varying amounts of head direction exposure. Results indicate that following free locomotion of mice in an open field arena, which permitted access to 360° of heading, a greater number of ADN neurons express c-Fos protein compared to those exposed to a limited range of head directions during locomotion in a treadmill. These findings suggest that the degree of ADN neuronal activation was dependent upon the range of head directions sampled. We observed a high degree of colocalization of c-Fos and Lat4 within ADN suggesting that Lat4 may be a useful tool to manipulate neuronal activity of HD cells. Identifying genetic markers specific to ADN helps provide an essential understanding of the spatial navigation system, and supports development of therapies for cognitive disorders affecting navigation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004931, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004931
- Subject Headings
- Psychobiology., Spatial behavior in animals., Mice as laboratory animals., Navigation--Psychological aspects., Computational intelligence.
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- What's so fair about the status quo?: examining fairness criteria as moderators of system justification.
- Creator
- Martens, Nicholas J., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
- Abstract/Description
-
System justification theorists have proposed that people are motivated to view their political, economic, and social circumstances as desirable, necessary, and fair (e.g., Jost, Nosek & Banaji, 2004). Despite more than 15 years of system justification research, the meaning of fairness within this context has not been investigated directly. Over the past several decades three major criteria have been identified as contributing to people's perceptions of fairness: distributive justice,...
Show moreSystem justification theorists have proposed that people are motivated to view their political, economic, and social circumstances as desirable, necessary, and fair (e.g., Jost, Nosek & Banaji, 2004). Despite more than 15 years of system justification research, the meaning of fairness within this context has not been investigated directly. Over the past several decades three major criteria have been identified as contributing to people's perceptions of fairness: distributive justice, procedural justice, and one's own idiosyncratic set of personal values. Focusing on the last two, we reasoned that values are represented more abstractly than is information about procedural fairness, and that the relative weight of values versus procedures should increase at higher levels of mental construal. Whereas information about procedures is often seen as providing a basis for the acceptance of undesirable outcomes, judgments based on personal conceptions of right and wrong are considered to be independent from "establishment, convention, rules, or authority" (Skitka & Mullen, 2008, p. 531), and are therefore unlikely to be used in a motivated defense of the status quo. We therefore hypothesized that system justification would be most likely to occur in conditions where procedures are most salient (i.e., at low levels of construal). However, despite using manipulations of the system justification motive that have previously been successful, and working with issues similar to those used in previous work, we were unable to produce the typical system justification pattern of results. Possible reasons for this are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3171722
- Subject Headings
- Social psychology, Social interaction, Justice (Philosophy), Social justice, Control (Psychology), Affect (Psychology)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- WHAT MECHANISMS UNDERLIE SYNCHRONOUS HATCHING IN LOGGERHEAD TURTLE NESTS?.
- Creator
- Field, Angela, Salmon, Michael, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
The goal of this study was to determine if hatching synchrony occurs in loggerhead sea turtle nests and if it does, what mechanism(s) promote that synchrony. Synchrony may occur because oviposition takes place during a single evening, and because incubation temperatures within the nest show relatively little variation; thus, rates of embryonic development among the eggs are similar ("temporal synchrony hypothesis"). Alternatively, synchrony might be enhanced through embryo-to-embryo...
Show moreThe goal of this study was to determine if hatching synchrony occurs in loggerhead sea turtle nests and if it does, what mechanism(s) promote that synchrony. Synchrony may occur because oviposition takes place during a single evening, and because incubation temperatures within the nest show relatively little variation; thus, rates of embryonic development among the eggs are similar ("temporal synchrony hypothesis"). Alternatively, synchrony might be enhanced through embryo-to-embryo communication that stimulates and synchronizes development ("coordinated hatching hypothesis"). Experiments were designed to distinguish between these two hypotheses. I found that if only a few embryos survive, temporal synchrony occurs. However, if many embryos survive, the duration of incubation and hatching shortens, presumably because embryonic movements inside soft-shelled eggs are detected by and transmitted between eggs and stimulate development, expediting hatching synchrony.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013505
- Subject Headings
- Loggerhead turtle, Nests, Eggs—Incubation, Synchrony
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- What Do Road Impact Fees Have to Do With It? Resolving Transportation Problems in Palm Beach County, Florida.
- Creator
- Harari, Laurie Leora, Merlin, Louis A., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
This thesis examined the road impact fee realities of 11 of Palm Beach County’s public and private sector land development stakeholders. To learn more about how the county’s road impact fee ordinance works in practice, in 2021, 11 stakeholders were interviewed about their experiences with the county’s road impact fee program. Transportation impact fee programs may help relieve development-driven traffic externalities and cost burdens, so long as suitable methodologies are applied (Burge &...
Show moreThis thesis examined the road impact fee realities of 11 of Palm Beach County’s public and private sector land development stakeholders. To learn more about how the county’s road impact fee ordinance works in practice, in 2021, 11 stakeholders were interviewed about their experiences with the county’s road impact fee program. Transportation impact fee programs may help relieve development-driven traffic externalities and cost burdens, so long as suitable methodologies are applied (Burge & Ihlanfeldt, 2013; Stahl, 2021). In 2021, Palm Beach County’s road impact fee ordinance required all county development applicants to pay a specified road impact fee dollar amount, regardless of the proposed project’s location and traffic impact, with exceptions (Moore, 2021b; Salour, 2021). Key arguments for and against the county’s road impact fees touch on differences between travel needs, land use patterns, and transit potential in the county’s urban and rural/suburban communities (Clemente, 2021; Hernandez, 2021; Salour, 2021).
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013943
- Subject Headings
- Transportation, Palm Beach County (Fla.), Impact fees
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Weakly integrally closed domains and forbidden patterns.
- Creator
- Hopkins, Mary E., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Mathematical Sciences
- Abstract/Description
-
An integral domain D is weakly integrally closed if whenever there is an element x in the quotient field of D and a nonzero finitely generated ideal J of D such that xJ J2, then x is in D. We define weakly integrally closed numerical monoids similarly. If a monoid algebra is weakly integrally closed, then so is the monoid. A pattern F of finitely many 0's and 1's is forbidden if whenever the characteristic binary string of a numerical monoid M contains F, then M is not weakly integrally...
Show moreAn integral domain D is weakly integrally closed if whenever there is an element x in the quotient field of D and a nonzero finitely generated ideal J of D such that xJ J2, then x is in D. We define weakly integrally closed numerical monoids similarly. If a monoid algebra is weakly integrally closed, then so is the monoid. A pattern F of finitely many 0's and 1's is forbidden if whenever the characteristic binary string of a numerical monoid M contains F, then M is not weakly integrally closed. Any stretch of the pattern 11011 is forbidden. A numerical monoid M is weakly integrally closed if and only if it has a forbidden pattern. For every finite set S of forbidden patterns, there exists a monoid that is not weakly integrally closed and that contains no stretch of a pattern in S. It is shown that particular monoid algebras are weakly integrally closed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/199327
- Subject Headings
- Mathematical analysis, Algebra, Homological, Monoids, Categories (Mathematics), Semigroup algebras
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Wading bird use of geographically isolated wetlands in the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain.
- Creator
- Herteux, Camille E., Gawlik, Dale E., Smith, Lora L., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Geographically isolated wetlands (GIWs) within the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain have been increasingly recognized for their importance in providing ecosystem services. These wetlands serve as valuable foraging and breeding habitat for wetland-dependent species, including wading birds. I quantified wading bird presence in GIWs in southwestern Georgia and determined the relative importance of factors influencing their use of these wetlands. I also examined the diet of a nesting colony of...
Show moreGeographically isolated wetlands (GIWs) within the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain have been increasingly recognized for their importance in providing ecosystem services. These wetlands serve as valuable foraging and breeding habitat for wetland-dependent species, including wading birds. I quantified wading bird presence in GIWs in southwestern Georgia and determined the relative importance of factors influencing their use of these wetlands. I also examined the diet of a nesting colony of Little Blue Herons; a species experiencing population declines throughout most of the Southeast. I found that wetland-specific parameters were important factors in predicting wading bird use of GIWs, and wading birds utilized agricultural and natural wetlands differently depending on hydrological seasonality. Little Blue Herons were primarily consuming large anurans and anuran larvae, which are characteristic of agriculturally modified wetlands. The seasonal process of receding water levels in GIWs and subsequent concentration of
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013012
- Subject Headings
- Wetlands--Georgia, Wading birds, Herons--Ecology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Wading Bird Reproductive and Physiological Responses to Environmental Disturbance in a Managed Lake Ecosystem.
- Creator
- Chastant, Jennifer E., Gawlik, Dale E., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Wetlands are some of the most diverse and productive ecosystems on earth. Water-level fluctuations determine the ecological function of shallow lakes and wetlands. Currently, anthropogenic modification to water-level fluctuations is the leading source of ecological degradation in lake and wetland ecosystems worldwide. I used wading birds nesting in Lake Okeechobee, as a model system to address the challenges of environmental restoration within an ecosystem greatly impacted by anthropogenic...
Show moreWetlands are some of the most diverse and productive ecosystems on earth. Water-level fluctuations determine the ecological function of shallow lakes and wetlands. Currently, anthropogenic modification to water-level fluctuations is the leading source of ecological degradation in lake and wetland ecosystems worldwide. I used wading birds nesting in Lake Okeechobee, as a model system to address the challenges of environmental restoration within an ecosystem greatly impacted by anthropogenic activities. Specifically, I 1) identified environmental factors most important for predicting the number of wading bird nests, 2) tested the assumptions of both the match-mismatch and the threshold hypothesis by modeling the relationship between nesting success and prey density with foraging habitat availability, and 3) measured the stress response of Great (Ardea alba) and Snowy Egrets (Egretta thula) to hydrologically-mediated changes in food availability. Collectively, the results suggest that the number of nests was greatest when area of nesting substrate was high and water-levels were moderate (3.9 - 4.4 m). Nest numbers dropped when either nesting substrate or foraging habitat was limited. My investigation into the predictions of the match-mismatch and threshold hypotheses found that indeed, prey density can reduce or intensify the effects of a mismatch event. The interaction of prey density and foraging habitat availability was significant and positive in both models. Saturation thresholds existed for both fledging success (147 prey (m^2)^-1) and total productivity (189 prey (m^2)^-1), above which high concentrations of prey could sustain nesting when foraging habitat availability was low. Finally, my studies of the stress response support the hypothesis that hydrologic factors associated with prey availability play an important role in regulating nesting patterns, although the level of food limitation the birds experience at the lake was not as severe as expected. Model selection identified foraging habitat availability as most influential to the nestling Great Egret stress response, whereas foraging habitat availability and prey density both influenced nestling Snowy Egret stress response. Moreover, the Snowy Egret stress response was more sensitive to changes in prey availability than was the Great Egret stress response. Temperature and foraging conditions influenced yolk corticosterone concentrations for both egret species.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004779
- Subject Headings
- Wetland ecology., Estuarine ecology., Water birds--Habitat., Predation (Biology)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Wading bird prey production and prey selection in a dynamic wetland.
- Creator
- Klassen, Jessica A., Gawlik, Dale E., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
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Anthropogenic impacts, such as habitat destruction and spread of exotic species, are contributing to the sixth major extinction event in Earth’s history. To develop effective management and conservation plans, it is important to understand the ecological drivers of at-risk populations, assess the ability of a population to adapt to environmental change, and develop research methods for long-term ecosystem monitoring. I used wading birds nesting in the Florida Everglades, USA as a model system...
Show moreAnthropogenic impacts, such as habitat destruction and spread of exotic species, are contributing to the sixth major extinction event in Earth’s history. To develop effective management and conservation plans, it is important to understand the ecological drivers of at-risk populations, assess the ability of a population to adapt to environmental change, and develop research methods for long-term ecosystem monitoring. I used wading birds nesting in the Florida Everglades, USA as a model system to address the challenges of managing and monitoring populations within an ecosystem greatly impacted by anthropogenic activities. Specifically, my project investigated 1) the prey selection of wading bird species, and the role of prey and foraging habitat availability on annual nesting numbers, 2) the ability of using diet change to predict species adaptability to a rapidly changing environment, and 3) the use of sensory data to provide low-cost, long-term monitoring of dynamic wetlands. I found that tricolored herons, snowy egrets, and little blue herons consumed marsh fish larger than those generally available across the landscape. Additionally, number of nests initiated by tricolored herons, snowy egrets, and little blue herons was strongly correlated with the annual densities of large fish available within the Everglades landscape. Conversely, number of nests initiated by wood storks, great egrets, and white ibises was more correlated with the amount of foraging habitat availability across the nesting season. Wood stork diets changed considerably since the 1960’s, consisting of mainly sunfish and exotic fish as opposed to marsh fishes dominant in historical diet studies. Storks also consumed more exotic fish species than they did historically. This diet plasticity and the species’ ability to exploit anthropogenic habitats may be conducive to maintaining population viability as storks experience widespread human-induced changes to their habitat. Sensory-only data models generated complementary results to models that used site-specific field data. Additionally, sensory-only models were able to detect different responses between size classes of fish to the processes that increase their concentrations in drying pools. However, the degree to which sensory variables were able to fit species data was dependent upon the ability of sensors to measure species-specific population drivers and the scale at which sensors can measure environmental change.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004716
- Subject Headings
- Charadriiformes -- Habitat -- Florida -- Everglades, Ciconiiformes -- Habitat -- Florida -- Everglades, Everglades National Park (Fla.) -- Environmental conditions, Predation (Biology), Wetland ecology, Wildlife conservation
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Wading Bird Foraging and Prey Concentration in the Ridge and Slough Landscape of the Everglades.
- Creator
- Binkley, Erin, Dorn, Nathan, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Center for Environmental Studies
- Abstract/Description
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The hydrological and topographical variation of wetlands can affect the behavior, population growth, and local densities of aquatic species, which in turn can drive the behavior and density dynamics of gleaning predators. Prey availability, primarily determined by prey density and water depth in wetlands, is an important limiting factor for nesting wading bird populations, top predators in the south Florida Everglades. The Everglades is able to support large colonies of nesting wading birds...
Show moreThe hydrological and topographical variation of wetlands can affect the behavior, population growth, and local densities of aquatic species, which in turn can drive the behavior and density dynamics of gleaning predators. Prey availability, primarily determined by prey density and water depth in wetlands, is an important limiting factor for nesting wading bird populations, top predators in the south Florida Everglades. The Everglades is able to support large colonies of nesting wading birds because of the microtopographic variation in the landscape. Some types of prey concentrate in flat, shallow sloughs or become trapped in isolated pools as they move down from higher elevation ridges with receding water levels. Manipulations to the hydrology and landscape of the Everglades has negatively impacted nesting wading bird populations in the past, and may continue to be detrimental by allowing flat, shallow sloughs to be intersected by deep canals, a potential refuge for wading bird prey. In addition, the subtle elevation differences between the ridge and slough landscape may be an important mechanism for increasing slough crayfish (Procambarus fallax) prey availability for the most abundant and seemingly depth-sensitive Everglades wading bird, the White Ibis (Eudocimus albus). I implemented a 2-year experimental study in four replicated manmade wetlands with controlled water recession rates in order to determine the effects of proximate deep water (akin to canals) on fish prey concentrations in the sloughs, as water levels receded similarly to a natural Everglades dry season. I also calculated average daily wading bird densities with game cameras (Reconyx PC800 Hyperfire) using timelapse imagery over 60 days to determine when and where wading birds responded to changing prey concentrations. I completed an additional observational study on White Ibis and slough crayfish prey from the first year of data (2017). Crayfish make up the majority of the diet for nesting White Ibis, and literature has suggested crayfish are most abundant at slough depths much deeper than previously proposed foraging depth limitations for White Ibis. This study specifically compared recent determinations about crayfish movement dynamics in the ridge and slough system with White Ibis foraging behavior and depth limits. Results from the first experimental study suggest that canals might be an attractive refuge for relatively large prey fishes (> 3 cm SL) in sloughs, but it is uncertain if the fencing blocked all prey fish movement. The second observational study determined White Ibis foraging activity was primarily driven by a down-gradient crayfish flux from ridge to slough, with the majority of foraging activity occurring at much deeper slough depths than previously suggested water depth limitations for White Ibis. Results from both of these studies support the importance of preserving the ridgeslough landscape of the Everglades to sustain high prey availability for wading birds.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013124
- Subject Headings
- Wading birds, White ibis, Everglades (Fla)--Environmental conditions, Foraging behavior in animals, Predator & prey
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- VISUALIZING NANO-SCALE SYNAPTIC CHANGES DURING SINGLE DENDRITIC SPINE LONG-TERM POTENTIATION BY CORRELATIVE LIGHT AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPY.
- Creator
- Sun, Ye, Yasuda, Ryohei, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
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Dendritic spines are the major sites for receiving excitatory synaptic inputs and play important roles in neuronal signal transduction, memory storage and neuronal circuit organization. Structural plasticity of dendritic spines is correlated with functional plasticity, and is critical for learning and memory. Visualization of the changes of dendritic spines at the ultrastructural level that specifically correlated with their function changes in high throughput would shed light on detailed...
Show moreDendritic spines are the major sites for receiving excitatory synaptic inputs and play important roles in neuronal signal transduction, memory storage and neuronal circuit organization. Structural plasticity of dendritic spines is correlated with functional plasticity, and is critical for learning and memory. Visualization of the changes of dendritic spines at the ultrastructural level that specifically correlated with their function changes in high throughput would shed light on detailed mechanisms of synaptic plasticity. Here we developed a correlative light and electron microscopy workflow which combines two-photon MNI-glutamate uncaging, pre-embedding immunolabeling, Automatic Tape-collecting Ultramicrotome sectioning and scanning electron microscopy imaging. This method bridges two different visualization platforms, directly linking ultrastructure and function at the level of individual synapses. With this method, we successfully relocated single dendritic spines that underwent long-term potentiation (LTP) induced by two-photon MNI-glutamate uncaging, and visualized their ultrastructures and AMPA receptors distribution at different phases of LTP in high throughput.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013433
- Subject Headings
- Dendritic Spines, Neuroplasticity, Visualization, Microscopy, Long-Term Potentiation--physiology, Neurons--ultrastructure
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Visual wavelength discrimination by the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta.
- Creator
- Young, Morgan, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
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Little is known about the visual capabilities of marine turtles. The ability to discriminate between colors has not been adequately demonstrated on the basis of behavioral criteria. I used a three-part methodology to determine if color discrimination occurred. FIrst, I exposed naèive, light-adapted hatchlings to either a blue, green or yellow light. I manipulated light intensity to obtain a behavioral phototaxis threshold to each color, which provided a range of intensities we knew turtles...
Show moreLittle is known about the visual capabilities of marine turtles. The ability to discriminate between colors has not been adequately demonstrated on the basis of behavioral criteria. I used a three-part methodology to determine if color discrimination occurred. FIrst, I exposed naèive, light-adapted hatchlings to either a blue, green or yellow light. I manipulated light intensity to obtain a behavioral phototaxis threshold to each color, which provided a range of intensities we knew turtles could detect. Second, I used food to train older turtles to swim toward one light color, and then to discriminate between the rewarded light and another light color ; lights were presented at intensities equally above the phototaxis threshold. Lastly, I varied light intensity so that brightness could not be used as a discrimination cue. Six turtles completed this task and showed a clear ability to select a rewarded over a non-rewarded color, regardless of stimulus intensity. Turtles most rapidly learned to associate shorter wavelengths (blue) with food. My results clearly show loggerheads have color vision. Further investigation is required to determine how marine turtles exploit this capability.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3352879
- Subject Headings
- Color vision, Visual discrimination, VIsual perception, Selectivity (Psychology), Photoreceptors, Loggerhead turtle, Orientation, Sea turtles, Orientation, Animal navigation
- Format
- Document (PDF)