Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Klein, Michelle Nicole, Thesis advisor (ths): White, Brad N., Thesis advisor (ths): Wang, John Y., Degree committee member (dgc): Nocera, Joseph J., Degree committee member (dgc): Kerr, Leslie R., Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Marine mammals with near-shore distributions are susceptible to human-related recreational and commercial disturbances, particularly near densely populated and industrialized coastal areas. A population of over 2,500 Chinese humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis chinensis) occupies the Pearl River Estuary in southern China. A part of this population uses Hong Kong's waters off of… more Full Text: ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACTS OF NOISE AND VESSEL TRAFFIC ON THE DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE AND DENSITY OF CHINESE HUMPBACK DOLPHINS (SOUSA CHINENSIS CHINENSIS) IN THE WATERS OF HONG KONG A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Sex-specific genetic structure is a commonly observed pattern among vertebrate species. Facing differential selective pressures, individuals may adopt sex-specific life historical traits that ultimately shape genetic variation among populations. Although differential dispersal dynamics are commonly detected in the literature, few studies have investigated the potential effect of sex-… more Full Text: SEX-SPECIFIC GRAPHS : IMPLICATION OF PARTITIONING POPULATION-BASED LANDSCAPE GENETIC ANALYSIS INTO SEX COMPONENTS A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Sherritt, Ayden Frazer, Thesis advisor (ths): Schaefer, James A, Thesis advisor (ths): Pond, Bruce A, Degree committee member (dgc): Brown, Glen S, Degree committee member (dgc): Brannen, Dennis, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Site fidelity is the behaviour of individuals to return to the same location; for female woodland caribou it may reflect reproductive success and depend on habitat quality. I investigated the influence of landscape and disturbance conditions on fidelity among three populations in Manitoba and Ontario, Canada. Habitat classifications were based on Forest Resource Inventory (FRI) and… more Full Text: The Influence of Habitat on Woodland Caribou Site Fidelity A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies In Partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science In the Faculty of Arts and Science TRENT UNIVERSITY …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Browning, Mark Henry, Thesis advisor (ths): Davies, Chris, Thesis advisor (ths): Buttle, Jim, Degree committee member (dgc): Lafleur, Peter, Degree committee member (dgc): Whillans, Tom, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Theoretical work on community recovery, development, stability, and resistance to species invasions has outpaced experimental field research. There is also a need for better integration between ecological theory and the practice of ecological restoration. This thesis investigates the dynamics of community assembly following peat mining and subsequent restoration efforts at Canada's… more Full Text: The Dynamics and Mechanisms of Community Assembly in a Mined Carolinian Peatland A dissertation submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts and …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Baya, Pascale Anabelle, Thesis advisor (ths): Hintelmann, Holger, Degree committee member (dgc): Lamborg, Carl, Degree committee member (dgc): Hickie, Brendan, Degree committee member (dgc): Georg, Bastian, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Monomethylmercury (MMHg), the most bioavailable form of mercury (Hg) and a potent neurotoxin, is present at elevated concentrations in Arctic marine mammals posing serious health threats to the local populations relying on marine food for their subsistence living. The sources of MMHg in the Arctic Ocean surface water and the role of dimethylmercury (DMHg) as a source of MMHg remain… more Full Text: INVESTIGATING THE SOURCES AND FATE OF MONOMETHYLMERCURY AND DIMETHYLMERCURY IN THE ARCTIC MARINE BOUNDARY LAYER AND WATERS A Dissertation Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Extensive research has gone into measuring changes to the carbon storage capacity of Arctic terrestrial environments as well as large water bodies in order to determine a carbon budget for many regions across the Arctic. Inland Arctic waters such as small lakes and ponds are often excluded from these carbon budgets, however a handful of studies have demonstrated that they can often be… more Full Text: CO2 dynamics of tundra ponds in the lowArctic, Northwest Territories, Canada A Thesis submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science TRENT …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Population density regulation is a fundamental principle in ecology, however there remain several unknowns regarding the functional expression of density dependence. One prominent view is that the patterns by which density dependence is expressed are largely fixed across a species, irrespective of environmental conditions. Our study investigated the expression of density dependence in… more Full Text: A MECHANISTIC ANALYSIS OF DENSITY DEPENDENCE IN ALGAL POPULATION DYNAMICS A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science TRENT …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The objective of this thesis is to better understand the demography and habitat selection of Newfoundland caribou. Chapter 1 provides a general introduction of elements of population ecology and behavioural ecology discussed in the thesis. In Chapter 2, I examine the causes of long-term fluctuations among caribou herds. My findings indicate that winter severity and density-dependent… more Full Text: DEMOGRAPHY AND HABITAT SELECTION OF NEWFOUNDLAND CARIBOU A dissertation submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts and Science TRENT UNIVERSITY …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This study investigated the role of the JNK signaling pathway in cadmium-treated mouse embryo forelimb bud cells in vitro. Primary cultures of forelimb bud cells harvested at day 11 of gestation were pre-treated with JNK inhibitor SP600125, and incubated with or without CdCl2 for 15, 30, 60, 120 minutes and 24, 48 hours or 5 days. Endpoints of toxicity were measured through cell… more Full Text: The Effect of SP600125 JNK Inhibitor on Cadmium-Treated Mouse Embryo Forelimb Bud Cells In Vitro A thesis submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The purpose of this study was to quantify the variation of baseline carbon and nitrogen stable isotope signatures in the Lake Simcoe watershed and relate that variation to various physicochemical parameters. Particulate organic matter samples from 2009 and 2011 were used as representatives of baseline isotopic values. Temporal data from two offshore lake stations revealed that δ… more Full Text: ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! VARIATION!IN!THE!δ15N!AND!δ13C!COMPOSITION!OF!POM!IN!THE!LAKE! SIMCOE!WATERSHED! ! ! ! ! ! A!Thesis!Submitted!to!the!Committee!on!Graduate!Studies!! in!Partial!Fulfillment!of!the!Requirements!for!the!Degree!of!Master!of!Science!! …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Celsie, Alena Kathryn Davidson, Thesis advisor (ths): Mackay, Donald, Thesis advisor (ths): Parnis, Mark, Degree committee member (dgc): Hickie, Brendan, Degree committee member (dgc): Mackay, Donald, Degree committee member (dgc): Parnis, Mark, Degree committee member (dgc): Aherne, Julian, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Models of partitioning, uptake, and toxicity of neutral organic chemicals in fish</p><p>Alena Kathryn Davidson Celsie</p><p>A novel dynamic fugacity model is developed that simulates the uptake of chemicals in fish by respiration as applies in aquatic toxicity tests. A physiologically based toxicokinetic model was developed which calculates the time-course of… more Full Text: Models of partitioning, uptake, and toxicity of neutral organic chemicals in fish A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>In this study, the influence of N deposition on the vegetation community of semi-natural oak woodlands in Ireland was assessed through national and regional scale analysis of forest plot data. At both scales, Canonical Correspondence Analysis suggested that N deposition was a predictor of community composition, although site-specific soil characteristics were the strongest predictors of… more Full Text: Influence of nitrogen deposition on the vegetation community of Irish oak woodlands A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Climate change has had numerous impacts on species' distributions by shifting suitable habitat to higher latitudes and elevations. These shifts pose new challenges to biodiversity management, in particular translocations, where suitable habitat is considered crucial for the reintroduced population. De-extinction is a new conservation tool, similar to reintroduction, except that the… more Full Text: REINTRODUCING SPECIES IN THE 21ST CENTURY: INCORPERATING CLIMATE CHANGE INTO TRANSLOCATION AND DE-EXTINCTION PROGRAMS A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in …
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 Full Text: HUMAN ACTIVITY AND HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS INFLUENCE SHOREBIRD HABITAT USE AND BEHAVIOUR AT A VANCOUVER ISLAND MIGRATORY STOPOVER SITE A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of …
Year: 2014, 2014
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) is a sunfish that is endemic to eastern portions of Canada and the United States. During the late 19th century, the species was introduced into Europe, and it is now present in over 28 countries. Previous attempts to determine the characteristics that can predict the spread of non-indigenous species have been largely unsuccessful, but new evidence… more Full Text: ! Ecological and morphological traits that affect the fitness and dispersal potential of Iberian pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) A Dissertation Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of …
Year: 2014, 2014
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Changes to the Arctic and sub-Arctic climate are becoming increasingly evident as it warms faster than other areas of the globe, supporting evidence that predictions of future warming will be amplified due to positive feedback mechanisms. The Southern Hudson Bay polar bear (<italic>Ursus maritimus</italic>) subpopulation is one of the most southerly subpopulations in the… more Full Text: MOVEMENT PARAMETERS AND SPACE USE FOR THE SOUTHERN HUDSON BAY POLAR BEAR SUBPOPULATION IN THE FACE OF A CHANGING CLIMATE A Thesis Submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science …
Year: 2014, 2014
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Most grassland bird populations are in decline, so it is becoming increasingly important to understand how they use agricultural field types and form their communities. I performed point counts in cultural meadow, intensive agriculture, and non-intensive agriculture areas in 2011 and 2012. Generalized linear models were used to determine the habitat relationships of six focal species. I… more Full Text: HABITAT USE AND COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF GRASSLAND BIRDS IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO AGRO-ECOSYSTEMS A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and …
Year: 2014, 2014
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Lalor, Jillian L., Thesis advisor (ths): Bowman, Jeff, Thesis advisor (ths): Wilson, Paul J, Degree committee member (dgc): Schulte-Hostedde, Albrecht, Degree committee member (dgc): Murray, Dennis, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>While hybridization between distinct taxa can have undesirable implications, it can also result in increased genetic variability and potentially, the exchange of adaptive genes or traits. Adaptive variation acquired through introgressive hybridization may be particularly advantageous for species facing rapid environmental change. I investigated a novel, climate change-induced hybrid zone… more Full Text: Selection on functional genes across a flying squirrel (genus Glaucomys) hybrid zone A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science …
Year: 2014, 2014
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p><italic>Magnolia acuminata</italic> (Cucumber tree) is the only native Magnolia in Canada, where it is both federally and provincially listed as endangered.<italic>Magnolia acuminata</italic> in Canada can be found inhabiting pockets of Carolinian forest within Norfolk and Niagara regions of southwestern Ontario. Using a combination of nuclear and chloroplast… more Full Text: ASSESSING THE POPULATION GENETIC STRUCTURE OF THE ENDANGERED CUCUMBER TREE (MAGNOLIA ACUMINATA) IN SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO USING NUCLEAR AND CHLOROPLAST GENETIC MARKERS. A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment to the …
Year: 2014, 2014
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Johnson, James Anthony, Thesis advisor (ths): Aherne, Julian, Degree committee member (dgc): Watmough, Shaun A, Degree committee member (dgc): Huber, Christian, Degree committee member (dgc): Cummins, Thomas, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>The objective of this thesis was to assess the influence of anthropogenic sulphur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition, and harvesting on soil acidity and calcium (Ca<super>2+</super>), magnesium (Mg<super>2+</super>), potassium (K<super>+</super>) and N soil pools in plantation forest soils in Ireland. The response to reductions in anthropogenic S… more Full Text: ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION AND HARVEST INTENSITY ON SOIL ACIDITY AND NUTRIENT POOLS IN PLANTATION FORESTS A dissertation submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor …
