Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Biological differences between island and mainland conspecifics have been well studied, but few studies have addressed differences in stress physiology. Stressors, such as predation and competition for resources, cause the release of glucocorticoids (GCs). Characteristics of island wildlife, called "island syndrome", are attributed to low levels of predators and competitors. I… more Full Text: ISLAND SYNDROME AND STRESS PHYSIOLOGY OF MICE IN THE GENUS PEROMYSCUS 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: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Early developmental stages of cold-adapted ectotherms such as brook trout </p><p>(Salvelinus fontinalis) are at risk of mortality with increasing water temperatures because </p><p>of their sensitivity to changes in their environment. I studied the mass and routine </p><p>metabolic rate (RMR) of wild-origin brook trout eggs, alevin and young fry reared… more Full Text: TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON THE ROUTINE METABOLIC RATES OF BROOK TROUT (SALVELINUS FONTINALIS) EGGS, ALEVIN AND FRY: IMPLICATIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the …
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 Full Text: THE EFFECTS OF PARASITISM ON CONSUMER-DRIVEN NUTRIENT RECYCLING A dissertation submitted to the Committee in Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts and Science TRENT …
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 Full Text: Social thermoregulation and potential for heterothermy: seasonal energy conservation strategies in flying squirrels 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>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>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
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 Full Text: USE OF SALIVARY CORTISOL TO EVALUATE THE INFLUENCE OF RIDES ON THE STRESS PHYSIOLOGY OF DROMEDARY CAMELS (CAMELUS DROMEDARIUS): VALIDATION OF METHODS AND ASSESSMENT OF SALIVA STORAGE TECHNIQUES A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in …
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 Full Text: CONSTRAINTS ON PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY IN RESPONSE TO PREDATION RISK: CARRYOVER EFFECTS, MATERNAL INVESTMENT, AND THE STARVATION-PREDATION RISK TRADE-OFF A dissertation submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the …
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 Full Text: ICE AGE FISH IN A WARMING WORLD: THERMAL ACCLIMATION CAPACITY OF LAKE TROUT (SALVELINUS NAMAYCUSH) POPULATIONS 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: 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 Full Text: HOME RANGE USE, HABITAT SELECTION, AND STRESS PHYSIOLOGY OF EASTERN WHIP-‐POOR-‐WILLS (ANTROSTOMUS VOCIFERUS) AT THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THEIR RANGE A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial …
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 Full Text: THE SPATIAL DYNAMICS OF WIND POLLINATION IN BROADLEAF CATTAIL (TYPHA LATIFOLIA): A NEW METHOD TO INFER SPATIAL PATTERNS OF POLLEN DISPERSAL A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree …
