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- Title
- Call Categorization and Vocal Behavior of the Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris).
- Creator
- Brady, Beth A., Moore, Jon, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Florida manatees are semisocial marine mammals that vocalize when interacting with conspecifics and to maintain contact with offspring. While many aspects of their biology have been studied, there is a dearth of information on the diversity and complexity of vocal behavior during social, nonsocial, and stressful situations. Investigations of vocal communication repertoires which define, categorize, and correlate varied call types with behavior are needed in order to understand the behavioral...
Show moreFlorida manatees are semisocial marine mammals that vocalize when interacting with conspecifics and to maintain contact with offspring. While many aspects of their biology have been studied, there is a dearth of information on the diversity and complexity of vocal behavior during social, nonsocial, and stressful situations. Investigations of vocal communication repertoires which define, categorize, and correlate varied call types with behavior are needed in order to understand the behavioral and social function of associated calls. Arguably the most important social bond in manatees is the period of cow/calf dependency and empirical evidence indicates cows recognize the vocalizations of offspring. Exploration of individually distinctive vocal features can provide insight on which parameters might be salient to facilitate recognition between cows/calves. This study is focused on vocal communication in Florida manatees, how calls are structured, utilized and function while animals are distressed and during social interactions in their shallow water habitats. Hydrophones recorded vocalizations from individual calves and manatees in different behavioral contexts and varying size aggregations. Analysis of the vocal repertoire indicated manatee vocalizations can be parsed into five broadly defined call types which include the hill-shaped high squeak, tonal squeak, noisy squeal, two toned chirp, and the combinatorial squeak-squeal. Furthermore, the high squeak is likely a discrete call whereas the others are graded and do not have strict boundaries between call types (Chapter 2). Broadly defined call types were used to explore call usage with variations in behavior, group size, and group composition (Chapter 3). Manatees vocalized using few call types and altered structural parameters depending on behavioral state. Calls were longer and more frequency modulated when stressed. Vocalizations produced while cavorting were higher in entropy and more frequency modulated than when manatees were resting or feeding. Vocalizations obtained from individual calves suggest that the high squeak is a stereotypical call that is produced by smaller calves. All calves had individually distinctive acoustic features that could potentially be used in recognition (Chapter 4). Lower fundamental frequencies and higher emphasized frequencies from smaller calves suggest that the fundamental frequency may not be a reliable indicator of body size in calves. This research increases our knowledge of the vocal behavior and call characteristics of the Florida manatee.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013519
- Subject Headings
- Manatees, West Indian manatee--Florida, Trichechus manatus latirostris, Vocalization, Animal, Florida manatee
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Effects of Cuban Treefrog (Osteopilus Septentrionalis) removal on native Florida hyla populations.
- Creator
- Cunningham, Miranda, Moore, Jon, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
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Invasive species are one of the major threats to biodiversity and understanding the effects any one invasive species has on members of its new ecosystem can help land managers decide how to best use their limited resources. This study attempted to show the effect Cuban Treefrogs (Osteopilus Septentrionalis) were having on native Florida hylids. For a year, Cuban Treefrogs were removed from three cypress domes and monitored in three other cypress domes, a change in the native population in the...
Show moreInvasive species are one of the major threats to biodiversity and understanding the effects any one invasive species has on members of its new ecosystem can help land managers decide how to best use their limited resources. This study attempted to show the effect Cuban Treefrogs (Osteopilus Septentrionalis) were having on native Florida hylids. For a year, Cuban Treefrogs were removed from three cypress domes and monitored in three other cypress domes, a change in the native population in the experimental domes was the eventual desired effect. Due to weather issues and low native hylid numbers no effect was shown, however due to environmental constraints an effect could not be ruled out either.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004359, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004359
- Subject Headings
- Conservation biology, Cuban Treefrog -- Florida, Hylidae, Predation (Biology), Wildlife management
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Analysis of morphology, growth rate, and fragmentation of the endangered lichen species Cladonia Perforata.
- Creator
- Witmer, David Warren, Moore, Jon, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
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Cladonia perforata is an endangered lichen endemic to the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, Lake Wales Ridge, Southwest Florida, and the North Gulf Coast of Florida. In all but a single locality, C. perforata relies entirely on asexual reproduction through fragmentation for reproduction, dispersal, and recruitment. This study suggests a positive correlation between fragment size and survivability of fragments after one year. The average thallus grew at a rate of 10.42% per year and younger branches of...
Show moreCladonia perforata is an endangered lichen endemic to the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, Lake Wales Ridge, Southwest Florida, and the North Gulf Coast of Florida. In all but a single locality, C. perforata relies entirely on asexual reproduction through fragmentation for reproduction, dispersal, and recruitment. This study suggests a positive correlation between fragment size and survivability of fragments after one year. The average thallus grew at a rate of 10.42% per year and younger branches of a thallus grew at a quicker rate than older branches. Additionally, a review of thalli morphology suggests C. perforata has a diverse form, and becomes more bifurcated as it increases in size.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004172, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004172
- Subject Headings
- Cladonia, Fragmented landscapes, Lichens -- North America, Symbiosis
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Effects of upper respiratory tract disease on the demographics of a gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) population in south Florida.
- Creator
- Karlin, Melissa Lynn, Florida Atlantic University, Moore, Jon, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Upper Respiratory Tract Disease is a highly contagious bacteria observed in gopher tortoise populations in Florida as early as 1989. In this study, 40 plasma samples were collected from a population to determine the effects on different age classes and genders. Results suggest adults are more susceptible to the disease and there is not a significant difference in the number of infected males and females. All subadults tested in this population were free of the disease. The effect on growth...
Show moreUpper Respiratory Tract Disease is a highly contagious bacteria observed in gopher tortoise populations in Florida as early as 1989. In this study, 40 plasma samples were collected from a population to determine the effects on different age classes and genders. Results suggest adults are more susceptible to the disease and there is not a significant difference in the number of infected males and females. All subadults tested in this population were free of the disease. The effect on growth rate was negligible; seropositive and seronegative individuals did not exhibit statistically significant differences in growth rates. In addition, an analysis of home range size reveals that adult males have the greatest home range size, which may provide a route for disease transmission to other adults. The long-term effects of URTD are still unknown; however, this data suggests a zero known mortality rate due to URTD over a four-year period.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13258
- Subject Headings
- Gopher tortoise--Diseases, Mycoplasma diseases in animals--Florida
- Format
- Document (PDF)