Ecological Gradients in Diversity and Abundance: A Search for Patterns and Processes in Small Mammal Communities

The University of Kansas has long historical connections with Central America and the many Central Americans who have earned graduate degrees at KU. This work is part of the Central American Theses and Dissertations collection in KU ScholarWorks and is being made freely available with permission of the author through the efforts of Professor Emeritus Charles Stansifer of the History department and the staff of the Scholarly Communications program at the University of Kansas Libraries’ Center for Digital Scholarship.One of the most fundamental questions in ecology is: what are the patterns of diversity and the mechanisms that produce them? Many biological theories have been proposed to explain latitudinal and elevational diversity gradients, but no accepted, general explanation for the distribution of biodiversity has surfaced. Two necessities for establishing a general diversity theory are utilizing more rigorous statistical methods to test hypotheses, and including more comparative analyses. With these aims in mind, I examine the predictability of null models and biological diversity hypotheses for latitudinal and elevational gradients in diversity and abundance of small mammals. The unimodal distribution of diversity in North American desert rodents was highly consistent with the mid-domain effect—a spatial constraint null model incorporating the overlap of variably sized ranges within a bounded region. Deviations from the null model demonstrated a localized pulse in richness caused by a local hard boundary, the Baja peninsula. The small mammal diversity along an elevational transect in Costa Rica was unimodal with species richness highest between 1000-1300 m. The spatial constraints of montane topography appear to influence the diversity pattern, although climatic conditions including an intermediate rainfall and temperature regime, and distance from the persistent cloud cap also are correlated with the pattern. The global analysis of elevational diversity trends for non-volant small mammals revealed a ubiquitous pattern of mid-elevational peaks in species richness. The mid-domain null model was not generally predictive across all datasets. Diversity peaks occurred at higher elevations on taller mountains (Massenerhebung effect), which is consistent with climatic factors working in concert to produce elevationally correlated habitat bands. Gamma diversity patterns demonstrated higher altitudinal peaks in species diversity as latitude increased. An examination of replicates in alpha diversity studies along elevational transects found high variability both temporally and spatially, emphasizing the necessity of replication in well-designed studies of diversity gradients. In an examination of range size-abundance trends no strong relationship was found between abundance or body size with elevational range size. Local and regional abundances across elevational ranges generally revealed a trend toward higher abundances at mid-range, although usually not centered at the range midpoint

Benefits of Inclusion: Supports and Strategies for Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Special Education has evolved over the years. One shift has been the placement of students with special needs, specifically those with Intellectual Disabilities (ID). These students are getting out of their special education classrooms and are being mainstreamed in the general education setting with their same aged peers. Studies have revealed there are positive social and academic benefits to inclusion, including increases in peer-to-peer interactions, shared learning opportunities, and access to general education curriculums. Unfortunately, students do not always acquire these benefits because people working with students with ID: students, teachers, and paraprofessionals, are unaware of what inclusion is and what the best practices are for implementing it. This project examines research-based supports and strategies for inclusion implementation, so that students with ID can acquire the academic and social benefits of inclusion

A Systematic Review of Global Drivers of Ant Elevational Diversity

Ant diversity shows a variety of patterns across elevational gradients, though the patterns and drivers have not been evaluated comprehensively. In this systematic review and reanalysis, we use published data on ant elevational diversity to detail the observed patterns and to test the predictions and interactions of four major diversity hypotheses: thermal energy, the mid-domain effect, area, and the elevational climate model. Of sixty-seven published datasets from the literature, only those with standardized, comprehensive sampling were used. Datasets included both local and regional ant diversity and spanned 80° in latitude across six biogeographical provinces. We used a combination of simulations, linear regressions, and non-parametric statistics to test multiple quantitative predictions of each hypothesis. We used an environmentally and geometrically constrained model as well as multiple regression to test their interactions. Ant diversity showed three distinct patterns across elevations: most common were hump-shaped mid-elevation peaks in diversity, followed by low-elevation plateaus and monotonic decreases in the number of ant species. The elevational climate model, which proposes that temperature and precipitation jointly drive diversity, and area were partially supported as independent drivers. Thermal energy and the mid-domain effect were not supported as primary drivers of ant diversity globally. The interaction models supported the influence of multiple drivers, though not a consistent set. In contrast to many vertebrate taxa, global ant elevational diversity patterns appear more complex, with the best environmental model contingent on precipitation levels. Differences in ecology and natural history among taxa may be crucial to the processes influencing broad-scale diversity patterns

Guiding Tourists to Their Ancestral Homes

Purpose: This paper introduces measures of the motivation of tourists who travel to their ancestral homes. A set of learning exercises is presented for students and managers to apply understanding of these motives to tourism strategies. Design/Methodology/Approach: This paper provides a brief review of the literature of heritage tourism and the special segment that travel with genealogical objectives. Survey data on motives to seek out ancestors is provided with learning exercises to link motives to tourism planning. Findings: Data on the importance of multiple motives is presented with analytical measures of their overall importance levels and of differences between U.S. and U.K. samples. Research Limitations/Implications: The motivational variables and data collection are primarily exploratory, focusing on samples that are interested in genealogy and heritage tourism. Further research could certainly be expanded to cover broader populations of tourists and genealogists. Practical Implications: By combining primary research with trade association research included in this paper students and tourism managers have the opportunity to apply research findings to tourism and hospitality decision-making to attract and satisfy tourists who have genealogical goals in their travel agendas. Originality/Value: Data based on the important and growing domain of motivational research in ancestral/genealogical related tourism has not been presented for analysis and application until now. Strength of motives and differences between nationalities of tourists presents a unique analytical opportunity in learning exercises

Just bird food? – On the value of invertebrate macroecology

Recent reviews have highlighted the dominance of vertebrates and plants in macroecological and biogeographical publications while invertebrates are underrepresented despite their global ecological relevance and vast diversity. We argue that although the study of invertebrate biogeography and macroecology has data limitations and thus lags behind in global research coverage, it has left a strong mark on the development of the discipline and has continuing potential to significantly shape its future. First, we detail how historical collecting and identification impediments caused decelerated progress at the macro-scale. Second, we show the quantitative impact of early invertebrate studies in contrast to lowered current representation. Third, we discuss ways in which authors, editors, and reviewers may foster invertebrate studies in macroecology. These include an honest appreciation of the value of study replication, of understudied but diverse taxa, and of the ecological traits that make invertebrates unique in comparison to vertebrates (e.g., wider array of life cycles, symbioses, and ecological niches), as well as the expanded potential for experimentation and manipulation

Personal Identity And Nostalgia For The Distant Land Of Past: Legacy Tourism

“The past is certainly a distant land and getting there is a difficult and imperfect undertaking” (Brown, Hirschman & Maclaran (2006). This paper explores motivations behind how consumers reach that “distant land.” Over 1,000 respondents of a variety of ethnic groups show very different stories and diaspora timelines, but personal identity and connection with place are always top ranked motivations for interest in ancestors. How might groups, who may suffer from a lack of identity, fit into these findings when ‘personal identity’ is the number one reason why consumers engage in genealogy and legacy tourism? Whether a group is well defined (e.g., descended from Norwegian ancestors) or not well defined, results are remarkably similar

Redescription of the enigmatic long-tailed rat Sigmodontomys aphrastus (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae) with comments on taxonomy and natural history

Sigmodontomys aphrastus, the long-tailed rat, is an exceedingly rare rodent species from montane regions of Central and South America of which very little is known ecologically or systematically. It has been variously placed in the genera Oryzomys, Nectomys, and Sigmodontomys based on the five previously known specimens. Recent phylogenetic analyses (Weksler 2006) have shown that S. aphrastus occurs in a monophyletic clade composed of S. alfari and Melanomys caliginosus with M. caliginosus as the proposed sister taxon. Two new individuals were collected in northwestern Costa Rica’s Cordillera de Tilarán. These new specimens and the other five known specimens are used to redescribe the species, detail measurements of external and cranial morphology, and compare S. aphrastus to similar appearing, sympatric species (Nephelomys albigularis and N. devius) and proposed closely related species (Sigmodontomys alfari, Mindomys hammondi, and Melanomys caliginosus). New ecological data is presented and the general knowledge of its natural history is summarized. The phylogenetic relatedness of S. aphrastus with purported sister taxa remains unresolved until combined molecular and morphological analyses are conducted.Resumen—Sigmodontomys aphrastus, la rata de cola larga, es una especie rara de rodedor de las montañas de America Central y Sur de la cual se conoce muy poco acerca de su ecología y sistemática. Esta especie ha sido clasificada en el género Oryzomys, Nectomys, y Sigmodontomys basado en solo cinco especímenes. Análisis filogenéticos recientes (Weksler 2006) han demonstrado que S. aphrastus se encuentra en un clado monofilético compuesto de S. alfari y Melanomys caliginosus con M. caliginosus propuesto como la especie hermana. Dos nuevos individuos fueron recolectados en el noreste de Costa Rica en la Cordillera de Tilarán. Estos dos nuevos especímenes y junto con los cinco anteriores son usados a describir nuevamente la especie, detallar sus medidas morfométricas externas y craneales, y comparar S. aphrastus con especies simpátricas similares (Nephelomys albigularis and N. devius) y especies que han sido propuestas como dentro del mismo clado (Sigmodontomys alfari, Mindomys hammondi, y Melanomys caliginosus). Presentamos nuevos datos ecológicos y resumimos el conocimiento de su historia natural. La relación filogenética de S. aphrastus con las especies propuestas como del mismo clado no sera resuelto hasta que analisis moleculares y morfologicos sean llevados a cabo

Effects of chloride on paramagnetic coupling of manganese in calcium chloride-washed photosystem II preparations

The effect of chloride on paramagnetic coupling of manganese in the oxygen-evolving complex of CaCl2--washed PS II preparations was examined using Q-band ESR. When these PS II preparations were depleted of chloride, a strong 6-line ESR signal characteristic of protein-bound, uncoupled manganese was observed. Incubation at high chloride concentrations caused the disappearance of this signal. By repeated removal and addition of chloride, the signal could be cycled on and off without loss of bound manganese. When in a chloride-depleted state, the ESR-detectable protein-bound manganese could be removed by treatment with EDTA. Subsequent heating of EDTA-treated preparations revealed a second pool of protein-bound manganese associated with PS II. One of these pools requires a high concentration of chloride to maintain paramagnetic coupling while the second pool (within the limits of our observations) does not appear to require chloride for the maintenance of the paramagnetically coupled state. © 1986

The Challenge Of Creating And Maintaining Respected Country-Of-Origin Assets: The Irish Linen Story

The idea that country images and brand images can be strongly linked is well accepted in international marketing (Paswan et al, 2003; Al-Sulaiti and Baker, 1998; Li and Murray, 2000; Zhang, 1997). A country image projected to the rest of the world is very complex (O’Shaughnessy and O’Shaughnessy, 2000; Insch and McBride, 2002) and multidimensional (Papadopoulos and Heslop, 2002). Some products and their countries are linked so strongly that the brand images include their country of origin (COO).  Certain Irish products have such a linkage.  A Chicago Tribune article observes that when tourists go to Ireland they often are unable to resist buying fine handmade products that are known worldwide for their quality, such as Aran sweaters, Irish linen and lace, tweeds, Waterford crystal, Belleek china, and Celtic motif jewelry and pewter (Merin, 1991).  Of those fine products, linen is inseparably linked with the nation as Irish linen.  Irish linen is now a brand name that yields the benefits and problems inherent with brand status and subject to the influences of country of image effects