Browsing by Subject "distribution"
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Item Abundance and distribution trends of the West Indian manatee in the coastal zone of Belize: implications for conservation.(Texas A&M University, 2004-09-30) Auil, Nicole EricaThe coastal zone of Belize is home to the largest recorded number of the threatened Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) within the species' Caribbean range. The objectives of my study were: (1) to determine long-term trends in aerial survey counts and indices of the manatee population in the coastal zone of Belize; and (2) to examine the seasonal change in manatee distribution among habitats in the coastal zone. Standardized extended-area aerial surveys were conducted along the entire coastline of Belize in the dry and wet seasons of 1997, and 1999 - 2002. Manatees were counted in five habitat categories: cay, coast, estuary, lagoon, and river. Total sightings per survey ranged from 90 to 338; the greatest number was counted in the 2002 wet season. Calf percentage ranged from 5 to 13. A slight negative trend in total counts was significant for dry-season, not wet-season surveys, indicating an interactive effect of season and year. Based on analysis of variance, the Abundance Index (transformed manatee sightings per hour) did not differ significantly among years, although it varied significantly within year by season and habitat by season. In applying a spatial approach, the general survey route was buffered 1 km on both sides, and 1 km grids were overlaid and classified by habitat type. The presence or absence of each cell for each survey was used in likelihood ratio tests of the single and interactive effect of season and habitat. The Index for river habitat was higher in the dry season, while cay habitat was higher in the wet season. Overall, near-shore habitat (estuary, lagoon, and river) showed a higher Index than did the offshore habitat (cay and coast) although the total number of sightings was higher offshore. Considering the interactive effect of year, season, and habitat, long-term studies are needed, in both seasons, and among all habitats to account for variation. Continued broad-scale surveys, along with metapopulation analysis would fine-tune the understanding of specific sites, enhancing integrated coastal zone management for protected species and their habitat systems.Item Altitudinal Effects on The Behavior and Morphology of Pygmy Tarsiers (Tarsius pumilus) in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia(2013-08-06) Grow, Nanda BessPygmy tarsiers (Tarsius pumilus) of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia are the only species of tarsier known to live exclusively at high altitudes. This study was the first to locate and observe multiple groups of this elusive primate. This research tested the hypothesis that variation in pygmy tarsier behavior and morphology correlates with measurable ecological differences that occur along an altitudinal gradient. As a response to decreased resources at higher altitudes and the associated effects on foraging competition and energy intake, pygmy tarsiers were predicted to exhibit lower population density, smaller group sizes, larger home ranges, and reduced sexually selected traits compared to lowland tarsiers. Six groups containing a total of 22 individuals were observed. Pygmy tarsiers were only found between 2000 and 2300 m, indicating allopatric separation from lowland tarsiers. As expected, the observed pygmy tarsiers lived at a lower density than lowland tarsier species, in association with decreased resources at higher altitudes. The estimated population density of pygmy tarsiers was 92 individuals per 100 ha, with 25 groups per 100 ha. However, contrary to expectation, home range sizes were not significantly larger than lowland tarsier home ranges, and average NPL was smaller than those of lowland tarsiers. The average home range size for the observed pygmy tarsiers was 2.0 ha, and the average nightly path length (NPL) was 365.36 m. Pygmy tarsiers exhibited a nonrandom, clumped distribution near forest edges. While insect abundance and biomass were found to decrease as altitude increased, insect abundance and biomass was higher along anthropogenic edges. Thus, tarsiers within the study area may mitigate the decreased availability of insects at high altitudes by remaining close to forest edges, which in turn may be related to smaller than expected home range sizes. Further, estimates of pygmy tarsier abundance may be inflated because of increased insect abundance along anthropogenic edges. Contrary to the prediction for smaller group sizes as a response to feeding competition, the observed pygmy tarsiers lived in relatively large groups with multiple adult males. However, in support of the prediction for energetic constraints on body proportions, the observed pygmy tarsiers did not exhibit sexually selected traits. The pygmy tarsiers exhibited low sexual dimorphism and small relative testes mass, a trend opposite from lowland tarsier species, which may indicate a constraint on the development of those traits. Considered together, these results suggest that the observed pygmy tarsiers have adapted to life in an environment with limited resources. Future studies should explore the possible contributing effects of seasonality and topography.Item Analytics-Based Customer Value Proposition Development in B2B Supply Chain(2014-11-04) Gunasekaran, SenthilmuThe customer value proposition is the heart of an organization. The internship provided an opportunity to examine this critical process at a wholesaler-distributor firm, in business-to-business supply chain. Distributors cannot expect a premium return on their value proposition of superior service if they cannot persuasively demonstrate it to the customer?s own satisfaction. To address the same, the process is analyzed by focusing on three aspects of value proposition ? value proposition development, demonstration and customization. The study formulated analytics to assess these aspects of value proposition process. Based on extensive survey data and in-depth interviews, the study identified four key elements of value proposition and six aspects of customer value. The value proposition framework is developed by mapping distributor?s capabilities to financial drivers of customer?s business. The framework is applied to subject firm in order to develop value proposition map. Using the value proposition map as blueprint, customer profitability analyzer is developed as a value proposition demonstration tool. Applying value proposition map and leveraging existing customer classification, the guidelines for customizing value proposition to individual customers is developed. Finally, a business case is established by linking recommendations and tools to return on investment and risk assessment. The value proposition map and associated sales enablement tools act as a catalyst to solving industry-wide challenge of transforming salesforce to value advisor state as part of counter-commoditization strategy.Item Distribution and targeting of CLC-3(2006-11-06) Zhifang Zhao; Steven A. Weinman; Roger G. O'Neil; Lisa A. Elferink; Cornelis Elferink; AltenbergClC-3 is a ubiquitously expressed chloride channel that is present in synaptic vesicles and endosome/lysosome compartments. The channel is largely intracellular, but has been observed at the plasma membrane as well. The aim of this study was to identify the trafficking pathway for delivery of ClC-3 to intracellular sites. When transiently transfected into COS-7 cells, approximately 6% of ClC-3 localized to the plasma membrane as assessed by surface biotinylation. Plasma membrane ClC-3 was rapidly endocytosed with t1/2 of approximately 9min. Biotinylation experiment detected a portion of ClC-3 recycled back to the cell surface. Antibody binding to an external HA epitope demonstrated that the plasma membrane is an intermediate trafficking site for ClC-3 destined for intracellular compartments. ClC-3 was associated with clathrin at the plasma membrane and in early endocytic vesicles. It also colocalized with transferrin-labelled endosomes. It dissociated from clathrin at later times to localize in large vesicles. GST pull-down assays demonstrated that the N-terminal of ClC-3 binds to both clathrin and AP-2. Deletion of dileucine cluster within the cytosolic N terminal (amino acids 13-19) resulted in a molecule that had decreased endocytosis and increased surface expression. This deletion also abolished interaction with clathrin in GST pull down experiments. We conclude that ClC-3 is primarily an intracellular channel but it is transiently inserted into the plasma membrane from where it is rapidly endocytosed. Internalization of ClC-3 depends on the interaction between an N-terminal dileucine cluster and clathrin.Item Distribution, condition, and growth of newly settled southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) in the Galveston Bay Estuary, TX(Texas A&M University, 2006-08-16) Glass, Lindsay AnnSeveral flatfish species including southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma) recruit to estuaries during early life. Therefore, the evaluation of estuarine sites and habitats that serve as nurseries is critical to conservation and management efforts. I used biochemical condition and growth measurements in conjunction with catch-density data to evaluate settlement sites used by southern flounder in the Galveston Bay Estuary (GBE). In 2005, beam-trawl collections were made in three major sections of the GBE (East Bay, West Bay, Galveston Bay), and three sites were sampled in each bay. Within each sampling site, replicate collections were taken from 1) the marsh edge, 2) an intermediate zone, and 3) the open bay. The average size of southern flounder collected was between 12 and 19 mm standard length, and peak densities occurred in January and February. Catch data indicated that numeric densities of southern flounder were significantly greater in East Bay (2.75 per 100 m2) than in West Bay (0.45 per 100 m2) or in Galveston Bay (0.91 per 100 m2). Habitat-specific variation in density was not found. Otolith-based estimates of age indicated that the majority of southern flounder collected were 35-45 days old and derived from early December to early January hatch-dates. Growth rate differences were negligible across bays and habitats, with the average growth rate being 0.40 mm/day (range 0.21-0.76 mm/day). RNA:DNA ratios indicated that newly settled southern flounder in the GBE were in relatively high condition. Habitat-specific differences in RNA:DNA ratios were not observed; however, ratios were significantly lower in West Bay (average 8.0) than in East Bay (average 9.5) or in Galveston Bay (average 9.8), suggesting the condition of new recruits may vary across the GBE. Findings from this study indicate that southern flounder use a variety of habitats within the GBE during early life, and survival and recruitment success appear favorable regardless of settlement site. As a result, recruitment success of southern flounder may be less a function of the quality of nursery sites/habitats within the GBE than of other factors (e.g., larval supply to the estuary).Item Early life ecology of sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus, in the northern Gulf of Mexico(2010-07-14) Simms, Jeffrey R.Sailfish, Istiophorus platypterus, are commonly taken by the recreational and commercial fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and larvae are frequently reported in the region, indicating the Gulf's potential role as spawning and/or nursery ground of sailfish. Five ichthyoplankton surveys were conducted in shelf and slope waters of the northern Gulf during the summers of 2005 (May, July, September) and 2006 (June, August). Surveys were conducted off the Texas and Louisiana coasts from 27 - 28N and 88 - 94W. During the two year study, 2,426 sailfish larvae were collected, ranging in size from 2.0 - 24.3 mm standard length (SL). Sailfish larvae were collected in 45.0% of collections with a peak density ranging of 51.5 larvae per 1000 m-2 of water sampled, and the highest larval abundances were observed within frontal features of the Loop Current. Sagittal otoliths were extracted from 1,236 larvae, and otolith microstructure analysis indicated sailfish ranged in age from 5 - 25 days post-hatch. Hatch-date distributions indicated fish were from early May to mid September spawning and/or hatching events. Instantaneous growth coefficients (g) ranged from 0.113 to 0.127 with intra- and inter-annual variations in growth observed. Growth coefficients correspond to a 10.7 - 11.9% increase in length per day. Instantaneous daily mortality rates (Z) were estimated from regressions of the decline in loge-transformed abundance on age and ranged from 20.4% to 29.2% per day suggesting large losses during the early life interval. Instantaneous weight-specific growth coefficients (G) ranged from 41.5% to 45.9% per day and were indexed to daily mortality to assess intra- and inter-annual variation in recruitment potential. Recruitment indices > 1.0 were observed during all surveys, suggesting cohort biomass was increasing and that conditions were favorable for growth, survival and recruitment. The results of this study indicate that the northern Gulf represents viable spawning and nursery habitat of sailfish and the sustainability of Atlantic sailfish populations may be linked to spawning in the Gulf.Item Estimating Distribution and Abundance of Rio Grande Wild Turkeys in South Texas(2010-10-12) Caveny, Robert J.Sustainable management of wildlife populations relies on accurate estimates of population size as harvest recommendations are dependent on estimates of sustainable surplus. Techniques for surveying wild turkey populations in Texas are constrained by land access issues, requiring that new methods be developed for population monitoring. I evaluated a combined approach using patch-occupancy modeling at broad spatial scales and intensive double observer roost surveys at local scales to estimate Rio Grande wild turkey (Meleagris gallapavo intermedia) distribution and abundance. I flew replicated aerial surveys during 2007 and 2008 to evaluate distribution of Rio Grande wild turkeys in the south Texas Coastal Sand Plains. I used a double observer approach to estimate local scale abundance. I used a single observer approach to estimate temporal variation in roost use. Detection probabilities from aerial surveys ranged between 0.24 (SE = 0.031) and 0.30 (SE = 0.083). Spatial parameters that influenced distribution of wild turkeys included size of suitable roosting habitat patches and distance to the nearest suitable roosting habitat. I conducted 100 inter-patch double observer roost counts, with counts ranging between 0 to 183 individuals. Average detection probabilities for observers were ~0.90. Roost level occupancy was ~0.84 with detection probabilities between 0.69 (SE = 0.107) and 0.79 (SE = 0.091). Based on my results, aerial surveys combined with local abundance estimation may be one viable alternative to monitor turkey populations over large spatial scales, by reducing overall survey effort without loss of estimated precision.Item Patterns of fish and macro-invertebrate distribution in the upper Laguna Madre: bag seines 1985-2004(2009-05-15) Larimer, Amy BethThe Laguna Madre is a hypersaline lagoon. Despite harsh conditions, the upper Laguna Madre (ULM) is a highly productive ecosystem and a popular sportfishing area, especially for spotted seatrout and red drum. It is also the most important Texas bay for commercial fishing of black drum. TPWD?s Coastal Fisheries division began conducting routine monitoring of coastal fishery resources in 1977 to guide management. The goal of the present study was to improve understanding of spatiotemporal trends in relative abundance of selected fish and macro-invertebrate species in the upper Laguna Madre. I used TPWD?s bag-seine and water-quality data from the years 1985-2004 to examine variation in species? relative abundances and relationships to several environmental factors. I hypothesized that one or more of these variables, alone or in combination, were related to spatial and temporal trends in community composition. I used detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) to measure species turnover (beta diversity) and to determine which model (linear or unimodal) of species response along a gradient to apply. I used canonical correspondence analysis to relate species abundances directly to explanatory variables. The explanatory variables were tested for significance and the variance partitioned among three groupings: temporal, spatial and environmental. DCA indicated complete species turnover along two dimensions: seasonal and spatial. It also indicated that a unimodal method such as CCA was appropriate for further analysis. The CCA model included 39 variables. The included variables explained 14% of the variation in species abundance in the data set. Since the first four axes explained 67% of the variation contained in the first two DCA axes, the chosen explanatory variables were sufficient to explain the majority of the tractable variation in species abundance. The variance partitioning procedure indicated that temporal effects were the most important in explaining species variation in the Upper Laguna, followed by the spatial component. The pure environmental component explained the least amount of variation. In this study, much of the variability in species abundance was due to the spawning patterns of estuary-dependent species, most of which spawn in the spring and summer months, leading to higher abundances from spring through fall.Item Robust Framework for System Architecture and Hand-offs in Wireless and Cellular Communication Systems(2010-01-14) Varma, Vishal V.Robustness of a system has been defined in various ways and a lot of work has been done to model the robustness of a system, but quantifying or measuring robustness has always been very difficult. In this research, we develop a framework for robust system architecture. We consider a system of a linear estimator (multiple tap filter) and then attempt to model the system performance and robustness in a graphical manner, which admits an analysis using the differential geometric concepts. We compare two different perturbation models, namely the gradient with biased perturbations (sub-optimal model) of a surface and the gradient with unbiased perturbations (optimal model), and observe the values to see which of them can alternately be used in the process of understanding or measuring robustness. In this process we have worked on different examples and conducted many simulations to find if there is any consistency in the two models. We propose the study of robustness measures for estimation/prediction in stationary and non-stationary environment using differential geometric tools in conjunction with probability density analysis. Our approach shows that the gradient can be viewed as a random variable and therefore used to generate probability densities, allowing one to draw conclusions regarding the robust- ness. As an example, one can apply the geometric methodology to the prediction of time varying deterministic data in imperfectly known non-stationary distribution. We also compare stationary to non-stationary distribution and prove that robustness is reduced by admitting residual non-stationarity. We then research and develop a robust iterative handoff algorithm, relating generally to methods, devices and systems for reselecting and then handing over a mobile communications device from a first cell to a second cell in a cellular wireless communications system (GPRS, W-CDMA or OFDMA). This algorithm results in significant decrease in amount of power and/or result is a decrease of break in communications during an established voice call or other connection, in the field, thereby outperforming prior art.Item The dna ?saw puzzle??ructure model: the case studies of the rice and yeast genomes(2009-05-15) Liu, Yun-HuaHow does DNA make the abundant and diverged life world? To address this question, a DNA ?Jigsaw Puzzle? structure model was proposed and first tested by comprehensively analyzing the genome of the model dicot plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. However, it is unknown whether this model is held in other species. Here we report the studies of the DNA structure model using the monocot plant model species, rice (Oryza sativa), and the single-celled model species, yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Analyses of the genomes sequenced so far revealed that the genome of an organism consists of a limited number of sequence-specialized, so-called fundamental function elements. For a higher organism, these elements often include genes (GEN), retro-transposable elements (RTE), DNA transposable elements (DTE), simple sequence repeats (SSR) and low complex repeats (LCR). Datasets were developed for RTE, DTE, SSR, LCR and GEN as well as genes categorized into different function categories from the sequences of the rice and yeast genomes using appropriate window sizes. The datasets were subjected to statistical analyses to test the DNA ?Jigsaw Puzzle? structure model in terms of the unambiguousness, correlation, uniqueness and selection of their genome-constituting element arrays. The analyses were conducted with a series of window sizes of the sequences at both the whole genome and individual chromosome levels, both including and excluding the centromeric regions. The results showed that all fundamental function elements of the genomes as well as the genes categorized into different function categories were arrayed in the genomes in an unambiguous manner resembling linear ?Jigsaw Puzzles? at the whole genome and/or individual chromosome levels, no matter whether the centromeric regions were included or excluded. The analyses revealed that arraying of the genomic elements was correlated significantly and uniquely for each chromosome and each species. This further confirmed the non-random arraying characteristic of the genomic elements for the DNA ?Jigsaw Puzzle? structure model and suggested that the DNA ?Jigsaw Puzzle? structure is unique for an organism, which has probably resulted from natural selection. These results unambiguously support the hypothesis of the DNA ?Jigsaw Puzzle? structure model. Since the content, arraying and interaction pattern of the fundamental function elements were shown to be unique for each organism, variations of an organism in its DNA ?Jigsaw Puzzle? array would lead to phenotypic variations, thus resulting in different organisms. Moreover, the fundamental function elements constituting a genome, as the four nucleotides (A, T, G and C) of DNA, could be arrayed into an infinite number of DNA molecules, thus giving different forms of organisms. Therefore, the DNA ?Jigsaw Puzzle? structure model would provide a novel, but convincing explanation for the abundance, diversity and complexity of living organisms in the world.Item Updated distribution and reintroduction of the Lower Keys marsh rabbit(Texas A&M University, 2005-02-17) Faulhaber, Craig AlanListed as federally-endangered in 1990, the Lower Keys marsh rabbit (LKMR, Sylvilagus palustris hefneri) exists as a metapopulation in patches of wetland habitat in Florida?s Lower Keys. This study sought to address 2 priority actions identified by the LKMR Recovery Team: (1) monitoring of populations and (2) reintroduction. Monitoring the distribution and status of LKMR populations is critical for targeting future management actions. Informal transects for rabbit fecal pellets were used to survey habitat patches documented in1988?1995 surveys and to identify additional patches of occupied and potential habitat. Next, a buffer was created around patches to help managers account for uncertainty in rabbit movements and to identify groups of patches that might function as local populations. Surveys included 228 patches of occupied and potential habitat, 102 of which were occupied by rabbits. Patches were arranged in 56 occupied and 88 potential populations. Surveys revealed new patches of both occupied and potential habitat. Considering only areas included in 1988?1995 surveys, however, revealed a net decrease in the number of occupied patches. Many of the recently extirpated populations, which tended to occupy the periphery of larger islands or small neighboring islands, were unlikely to be recolonized without human intervention. Reintroduction provides a means of artificially recolonizing potential habitat. Two pilot reintroductions were conducted to evaluate this conservation strategy for the species. The second reintroduction was postponed, but the first effort met all criteria for short-term success, including survival comparable to a control group, fidelity to release sites, and evidence of reproduction. There are a limited number of potential source populations for translocations. Future efforts should consider using in-situ captive breeding to prevent potential long-term impacts to these populations. Few potential release sites exhibited suitable habitat quality and landscape context. Thus, for reintroduction to be more widely-applied for this species, it must be part of a comprehensive management plan involving land acquisition, control of secondary impacts from development, and habitat restoration and enhancement.