Chemoreception is one of the dominant sensory modalities for many species of salamanders (reviewed in Chapter 2). At least seven of the ten currently recognized salamander families are known to respond to some sort of chemical cue. These responses are as varied as delaying hatching, seeking refuge, or initiating aggressive...
Understanding the dynamics of open marine populations is difficult. Ecological processes may vary with the spatial structure of the habitat, and this variation may subsequently affect demographic rates. In a series of observational and experimental studies in the Bahamas, I examined the roles of emigration, mortality, and predation in the...
Oxygen binding behavior and subunit association-dissociation of
the hemocyanin from Callianassa are sensitive to several environmental
variables. Callianassa californiensis is a burrowing estuarine which
must survive changes in salinity, temperature and oxygen availability.
Previous work on the structure and function of the hemocyanin was
done under conditions which did not...
Inferences regarding the biology of extinct taxa are often founded primarily
on cladistically-based phylogenetic hypotheses. However, these inferences are
frequently inconsistent with the morphology and physiology of modern animals. I
suggest that reference to the biology of modern animals might be a more
appropriate tool to aid in the reconstruction...
The earth is undergoing a “biodiversity crisis” characterized by loss of populations, species, genetic diversity, and ecosystem services. Part of this crisis consists of population declines, extinctions, and increased incidence of deformities in amphibians. It is unknown whether deformities contribute to these declines. Many cases of population declines in amphibians...
Vertebrates communicate with one another and coordinate intraspecific reproduction by using a variety of sexually dimorphic signals, such as plumage, ornaments, sounds, and/or scents. These sexual dimorphisms are maintained by physiological factors, typically sex-specific hormones (though see Chapter 3 for an exception). The purpose of the research in this dissertation...
This dissertation focuses on science relevant to the design and implementation of marine reserves. The chapters explore a range of topics related to among-site variation in population, community, and ecosystem dynamics. My results demonstrate the value and feasibility of integrating this knowledge into more comprehensive conservation and management approaches. While...
Environmental stress can negatively affect the ability of organisms to reproduce. Energetic trade-offs exist in all organisms, and under stress, energy may be allocated away from reproduction and towards physiological defense and repair mechanisms. The rocky intertidal environment is ideal for investigating the influence of environmental stress, as organisms are...
Sexual selection can influence the mating system of an organism through multiple mechanisms. These mechanisms result in variation in reproductive success among individuals, and include scramble competition, endurance rivalries, contests, mate choice and cryptic choice, and sperm competition. Understanding the mating system of a species requires the identification of which...