Global ETD Search
Search theses and dissertations gathered from participating repositories worldwide. Every result links back to the library that holds it. No account is needed.
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Showing 1 to 20 of 41 for “"Ecosystem engineers"”.
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Invasion of Hurricane-Disturbed Scrub Communities on Barrier Islands in Mississippi: a Battle Between Native and Non-Native Ecosystem Engineers
… resist invasion because they are dominated by ecosystem engineers. If these dominant species are removed by some catastrophic disturbance, they can be replaced by invasive species that will dramatically alter the ecosystem in a way that may prevent its recovery. I tested several hypotheses …
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Development of resource-rich patches by soil-disturbing animals in arid environments
… maintain or create habitat have been termed ecosystem engineers. One group of soil disturbing ecosystem engineers creates fertile patches by modifying soil microtopography through foraging for food and creating habitat. This thesis examines the effects of soil foraging animals on resource …
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Indirect effects between deer, mice, and the gypsy moth in a forest community
White-tailed deer are ecosystem engineers that dramatically alter forest understory vegetation. Consequently, deer can impact many species in a forest through both direct and indirect effects. One species that deer may indirectly affect is the gypsy moth, whose pupae are preyed upon by the …
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Beaver (Castor Canadensis) Impacts on Herbaceous and Woody Vegetation in Southeastern Georgia
North American beavers are considered ecosystem engineers. Their activities can quickly and drastically alter habitat properties and perhaps permit highly aggressive colonizing plants, notably non-native species, to invade and potentially dominate. This study examined if beavers in southeastern …
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The effects of the macroalga Gracilaria gracilis and increasing temperatures on the performance of the endemic Cape eelgrass Zostera capensis
… to warming. Changes in abundance of those two ecosystem engineers highlight the possibility of a phase shift from a seagrass- to macroalgal-dominated state in Langebaan Lagoon.
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Modeling the Biogenic Effects of Freshwater Mollusks on Bedload Transport and Dynamics in a Gravel-Bedded Stream
… modeling in relation to the influence of ecosystem engineers such as the freshwater mussel has been a common source of interest in ecohydrogeomorphic literature, limited by methods and complexity of application. This thesis investigates the influence of biogenic variables on sediment …
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EFFECTS OF TIME, SEED SOURCE, AND PLANT COMPOSITION ON MACROINVERTEBRATES IN RESTORED PRAIRIE
… primary productivity and nutrient cycling in ecosystems. They are also important links between producer and higher trophic levels. Despite their important role in terrestrial ecosystem function, invertebrates are frequently overlooked in ecological restorations. Thus, the objective of this …
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Population trends and ecological community interactions of freshwater mussels
… widespread taxon which have been described as ecosystem engineers due to their capacity to modify freshwater habitats and facilitate other taxa, with effects on wider biodiversity. At the same time, freshwater mussels rank among the most threatened taxa globally. As a result, building a better …
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Caracterización hidrodinámica de praderas naturales de macrófitos bentónicos en fondos someros afectados por mareas
… to understand the role of marine macrophytes as ecosystem engineers from the inner Cadiz bay.
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Sociable weaver nests as a resource to local animal communities
… change resource availability are often termed ecosystem engineers. The challenge here, is not only to document engineers that disproportionately influence ecosystems but also to determine their consequences to communities. I aim to understand the importance of a potential ecological engineer in …
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Wire Netting Reduces African Elephant (<i>LOXODONTA AFRICANA</i>) Impact to Selected Large Trees in South Africa
… elephants (<em>Loxodonta africana</em>) are ecosystem engineers in that they substantially alter the environment through their unique foraging and feeding habits. At high densities, elephants potentially have negative impacts on the environment, specifically to large trees. Because of this, …
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Ecological impacts of invasive mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) colonising the canopy of kelp forests in False Bay, South Africa
… amongst the most productive, diverse and dynamic ecosystems on earth and kelp are ecosystem engineers, which provide a structurally-complex habitat for many marine plants and animals. The Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) is an aggressive invader that has been in South Africa since …
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Characterizing the Microbiome of Scottish Freshwater Pearl Mussels (Margaritifera margaritifera): A Metabarcoding Analysis using Next-Generation Sequencing
… species in freshwater habitats, functioning as ecosystem engineers, biological indicators, and flagship species. Despite their ecological significance, M. margaritifera populations are undergoing rapid declines, resulting in low reproductive success and limited juvenile recruitment. Addressing …
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Ecology and behaviour of burrowing prawns and their burrow symbionts
Ecosystem engineers play important roles as determinants of community dynamics by modulating resource availability for other species. Marine soft-sediment ecosystems are dominated by burrowing engineers which indirectly create biogenic structures that often attract other species, often leading to …
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Aspects of the spatial and behavioural ecology of Hippopotamus amphibious in the Saint Lucia Estuary, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
… and their important ecological role as ecosystem engineers there have been surprisingly few studies concerning factors that influence their current distribution and habitat use. Such research is important for developing effective conservation and management plans to improve the …
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The fungal communities associated with Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and their excavations: descriptive and experimental evidence of symbiosis
Cavity-excavating birds, such as woodpeckers, are ecosystem engineers and are often assumed to rely upon wood decay fungi to assist in softening the wood of potential excavation sites. Endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers (Picoides borealis; RCWs) are the only birds known to solely excavate through …
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Maculinea arion as an indicator of rare niches in semi-natural acid grasslands in South West England and the role of Myrmica species of ant
… the activity of Myrmica species ants acting as ecosystem engineers.
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THE LIFE HISTORY AND ECOLOGY OF RIVERINE SOCKEYE SALMON (ONCORHYNCHUS NERKA) IN A LARGE FLOODPLAIN RIVER
… fill alluviation, woody plant succession, and ecosystem engineers, notably beavers, that create dynamic and biophysically complex off-channel rearing and spawning habitats. Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) display some of the most variable life history traits of all Pacific salmon, using …
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Ecosystem engineering: beaver and the population structure of Columbia spotted frogs in western Montana
… Stephen J. M.S., Autumn 2006 Wildlife Biology ECOSYSTEM ENGINEERING: BEAVER AND THE POPULATION STRUCTURE OF COLUMBIA SPOTTED FROGS IN WESTERN MONTANA Chairperson: Lisa Eby Beavers (Castor canadensis) are considered ecosystem engineers, altering hydrologic regimes, ecosystem processes, and …
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