Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Phylogeographic histories of taxa around the Great Lakes region in North America are relevant to a range of ongoing issues including conservation management and biological invasions. In this thesis I investigated the comparative phylogeographic histories of plant species with disjunct distributions and plant species with continuous distributions around the Great Lakes region; this is a… more Full Text: COMPARATIVE PHYLOGEOGRAPHY IN CONSERVATION BIOLOGY: UNRAVELLING THE EVOLUTIONARY HISTORIES OF DISJUNCT AND INVASIVE SPECIES AROUND THE LAURENTIAN GREAT LAKES A dissertation submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The increasing production and use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) raise concerns on environmental exposure and impact. A large scale in situ enclosure study was conducted at the Experimental Lakes Area to determine the effect of AgNPs on natural phytoplankton and zooplankton communities. This study investigated AgNPs of varying concentrations (4, 16 and 64 μg/L), dosing regimens… more Full Text: Responses of Primary Producers and Grazers to Silver Nanoparticle Exposure A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Masters of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences TRENT …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The breeding phenology of American Woodcocks (Scolopax minor) was evaluated in Ontario, Canada to determine if changes in dates of courtship activity have introduced negative bias into the American Woodcock Singing-ground Survey (SGS). Long-term woodcock phenology and climate data for Ontario were analysed using linear regression to determine if woodcock breeding phenology has changed… more Full Text: EVALUATING THE AMERICAN WOODCOCK SINGING-GROUND SURVEY PROTOCOL IN ONTARIO USING ACOUSTIC MONITORING DEVICES 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
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 Full Text: Comparing Biological Responses to Contaminants in Darters (Etheostoma spp.) Collected from Rural and Urban Regions of the Grand River Watershed, Ontario A thesis submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for …
Year: 2015, 2015
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>As part of a mandate to control the spread of Stratiotes aloides (WS; water soldier) in the Trent Severn Waterway, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) created a management plan to eradicate WS. However, one of the biggest challenges in eradicating WS or any invasive aquatic plant is the ability to estimate the extent of its spread and detect new populations. While current detection… more Full Text: A Comparison of the Optical Properties of Stratiotes aloides and the Local Plant Community A Thesis Submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science TRENT …
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 …
