BEAUMAN, R.L.*; MENDON�A, M.T.; Auburn University; Auburn University: Factors Affecting Degree of Burrow Collapse and Resulting Tortoise Self Excavation and Behavior The gopher tortoise is a federally listed species in the western portion of its range, and a species of concern elsewhere. Their burrows are often collapsed during human activity associated with logging activity and […]

INMAN, Richard D.*; NUSSEAR, Kenneth E.; TRACY, C. Richard; Univ, Reno; USGS; Univ, Reno: Elusive species: a novel approach to measuring activity and sampling availability Many species present difficulties for studying behavior and/or abundance due to their elusiveness. Desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) are elusive because they remain underground in burrows for approximately 90% of the […]

MARTIN, KL*; JOHNSON, PB; MORAVEK, C; ASHLEY, R; MATSUMOTO, J; Pepperdine Univ.; Pepperdine Univ.; Pepperdine Univ.; Pepperdine Univ.; Pepperdine Univ.: Citizen scientists assess populations of an elusive, charismatic fish For the past four years, California citizens have volunteered to monitor the spawning runs of the grunion in an effort to understand more about the species […]

HRISTOV, N.I.*; BETKE, M.; KUNZ, T.H.; Boston University; Boston University; Boston University: Assessment of Brazilian Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) Populations Using Advanced Infrared Thermal Imaging The Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) is widespread in the southwestern United Stated between March and October, where it typically roosts in caves, buildings and bridges, forming some of the […]

NUSSEAR, K. E.*; INMAN, R. D.; TRACY, C. R.; USGS Western Ecological Research Center; University of Nevada Reno; University of Nevada Reno: Application of modeling activity and sampling availability toward improving monitoring of an elusive species The USFWS is currently assessing the densities of desert tortoise using data from transects and Distance Sampling to calculate […]

STAYTON, C. TRISTAN; Bucknell University: Is convergence surprising? A simulation study using a Brownian motion model of evolution among quantitative characters Convergence, the independent evolution of similar phenotypes among distantly related species, is often taken as evidence of adaptation in response to similar selective pressures. However, some degree of convergence is expected given a large […]

AMUNDSON, R.; Univ of Hawaii at Hilo: Evo-devo�s Hard Problem: Natural Selection Three broad problems faced evo-devo during the 20th century, and two have been solved. The problems were 1) To find a level of description of evolutionary processes that also expressed ontogeny. Heterochrony and allometry were unsuccessful candidates. 2) The dominance of transmission genetics, […]

ARENDT, Jeff; Univ. of California, Riverside: Cell size vs. cell number. Does it matter? Many environmental factors influence realized body size and, all else being equal, organismal size is determined by a combination of cell size and cell number. In some species, temperature is thought to affect body size primarily through cell size while food […]

BABBITT, G.A.*; KILTIE, R.; BOLKER, B.; Univ. of Florida; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; Univ. of Florida: Are fluctuating asymmetry studies adequately sampled? Implications of a new model for size distribution Previous work on fluctuating asymmetry (FA), a measure of developmental instability, has highlighted its controversial relationship with environmental stress and genetic architecture. While […]

BOYER, S. L.*; GIRIBET, G.; Harvard University; Harvard University: Vicariance in the harvestman family Pettalidae (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi) during the breakup of Gondwana The theory of plate tectonics has generated many hypotheses concerning the historical causes of global distributions of organisms. The former supercontinent Gondwana has become the textbook system for historical biogeography, and the […]