Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>I examined Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) colony persistence and occupancy, in lakeshore, river and man-made aggregate pit habitat. Habitat persistence was highest on the lakeshore and lowest in aggregate pits, likely due to annual removal and relocation of aggregate resources. Bank Swallow colonies in aggregate pit sites were more likely to persist if a colony was larger or if burrows… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Stressors are often an inescapable part of an organism's life. While the effects of many stressors have been well studied individually, potential interactions between stressors exist that may result in greater than additive negative effects. Stressors may be linked by conflicting demands on energy budgets, interfering with important physiological pathways, or necessitating… more Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Daphnia are keystone consumers in many pelagic ecosystems because of their central role in nutrient cycling. Daphnia are also frequently infected, and the parasites causing these infections may rival their hosts in their ability to regulate ecosystem processes. Therefore, parasitic exploitation of Daphnia may alter nutrient cycling in pelagic systems. This thesis integrates existing… more Year: 2016, 2016
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Northern and southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus and G. volans, respectively) are experiencing a climate change induced increase in range overlap, resulting in recent hybridization. We investigated the occurrence of heterospecific communal nesting, a potential facilitator of hybridization, and aimed to confirm the presence of torpor, a potential barrier to hybridization, in… more Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Urban and agricultural activities may introduce chemical stressors, including contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and current use pesticides (CUPs) into riverine systems. The objective of this study was to determine if fish collected from sites in a river show biomarkers of exposure to these classes of contaminants, and if the biomarker patterns vary in fish collected from urbanized… more Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Pacific Rim National Park Reserve's 16 km of coastal beaches attract many thousands of people and shorebirds every year. To identify locations where shorebirds concentrate and determine the impact of human activity and habitat characteristics on shorebirds, I conducted shorebird and visitor surveys at 20 beach sectors during fall migration in 2011 to 2013 and spring migration in… more Year: 2014, 2014
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Bennett, Amanda Maria, Thesis advisor (ths): Murray, Dennis L, Degree committee member (dgc): Burness, Gary, Degree committee member (dgc): Kerr, Leslie, Degree committee member (dgc): Ridgway, Mark, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Inducible defenses are plastic responses by an organism to the perception of predation risk. This dissertation focuses on three experiments designed to test the hypothesis that plastic ability is limited by energetic constraints. Chapter 1 provides a general introduction to phenotypic plasticity research and the theoretical costs and limitations affecting the expression of plastic traits… more Year: 2014, 2014
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The distribution of animals is rarely random and is affected by various environmental factors. We examined space-use patterns, habitat selection and stress responses of whip-poor-wills to mining exploration activity.To the best of my knowledge, fine scale patterns such as the habitat composition within known home ranges or territories of eastern whip-poor-wills have not been investigated… more Year: 2014, 2014
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Majchrzak, Yasmine Nicole, Thesis advisor (ths): Burness, Gary, Degree committee member (dgc): Mastromonaco, Gabriela, Degree committee member (dgc): Murray, Dennis, Degree committee member (dgc): Bowman, Jeff, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Many facilities attempt to alleviate the risk of chronic stress in captivity by providing environmental enrichment shown to minimize behavioural disorders and stress in several species. One potential form of enrichment used in zoos is training animals to perform rides for guests, however, the effect of this activity on the welfare of individual animals has never been examined. I… more Year: 2014, 2014
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Kelly, Nick, Thesis advisor (ths): Burness, Gary, Thesis advisor (ths): Wilson, Chris C, Degree committee member (dgc): Ridgway, Mark S., Degree committee member (dgc): McDermid, Jenni L., Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>In the face of climate change, the persistence of cold-adapted species and populations will depend on their capacity for evolutionary adaptation of physiological traits. As a cold-adapted Ice Age relict species, lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) are ideal for studying potential effects of climate change on coldwater fishes. I studied the thermal acclimation capacity and aerobic… more Year: 2014, 2014
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Ahee, Jordan, Thesis advisor (ths): Dorken, Marcel E, Degree committee member (dgc): Freeland, Joanna R, Degree committee member (dgc): Burness, Gary, Degree committee member (dgc): Pond, Bruce, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Natural populations of flowering plants rarely have perfectly uniform distributions, so trends in pollen dispersal should affect the size of the pollination neighbourhood and influence mating opportunities. Here I used spatial analysis to determine the size of the pollination neighbourhood in a stand of the herbaceous, wind-pollinated plant (<italic>Typha latifolia</italic>;… more
