Publications
Explore WARC's science publications.
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Molecular systematics of Serrasalmidae: Deciphering the identities of piranha species and unraveling their evolutionary histories
Piranhas and their relatives have proven to be a challenging group from a systematic perspective, with difficulties in identification of species, linking of juveniles to adults, diagnosis of genera, and recognition of higher-level clades. In this study we add new molecular data consisting of three mitochondrial regions for museum vouchered and photo-documented representatives of the Serrasalmidae.
Authors
B. Freeman, L.G. Nico, M. Osentoski, H.L. Jelks, T.M. Collins
Large-scale causes of variation in the serpentine vegetation of California
Serpentine vegetation in California ranges from forest to shrubland and grassland, harbors many rare and endemic species, and is only moderately altered by invasive exotic species at the present time. To better understand the factors regulating the distribution of common/representative species, endemic/rare species, and the threat of exotics in this important flora, we analyzed broad-scale communi
Authors
J.B. Grace, H.D. Safford, S. Harrison
Competition between hardwood hammocks and mangroves
The boundaries between mangroves and freshwater hammocks in coastal ecotones of South Florida are sharp. Further, previous studies indicate that there is a discontinuity in plant predawn water potentials, with woody plants either showing predawn water potentials reflecting exposure to saline water or exposure to freshwater. This abrupt concurrent change in community type and plant water status sug
Authors
L.D.S.L. Sternberg, S.Y. Teh, S.M.L. Ewe, F. Miralles-Wilhelm, D.L. DeAngelis
Species richness and soil properties in Pinus ponderosa forests: A structural equation modeling analysis
Question: How are the effects of mineral soil properties on understory plant species richness propagated through a network of processes involving the forest overstory, soil organic matter, soil nitrogen, and understory plant abundance? Location: North-central Arizona, USA. Methods: We sampled 75 0.05-ha plots across a broad soil gradient in a Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine) forest ecosystem. We e
Authors
D.C. Laughlin, S.R. Abella, W.W. Covington, J.B. Grace
Changes in a northwestern Florida gulf coast herpetofaunal community over a 28-y period
Population declines of amphibians and reptiles throughout the world have led to the initiation of projects to monitor their status and trends. Historical collections give an indication of which species occurred in an area at one time, although the ambiguity surrounding locations and environmental conditions associated with collection decreases the value of this information source. Resampling using
Authors
C. K. Dodd, W.J. Barichivich, S. A. Johnson, J.S. Staiger
Nutrient addition differentially affects ecological processes of Avicennia germinans in nitrogen versus phosphorus limited mangrove ecosystems
Nutrient over-enrichment is a major threat to marine environments, but system-specific attributes of coastal ecosystems may result in differences in their sensitivity and susceptibility to eutrophication. We used fertilization experiments in nitrogen (N)- and phosphorus (P)-limited mangrove forests to test the hypothesis that alleviating different kinds of nutrient limitation may have different ef
Authors
Ilka C. Feller, C. E. Lovelock, K.L. McKee
Forensically important calliphoridae (diptera) associated with pig carrion in rural north-central Florida
A study to determine the relative abundance and seasonality of forensically important blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in rural north-central Florida was conducted using pig carcasses (Sus scrofa L.) as models for human bodies. Seven species of Calliphoridae were collected: Lucilia coeruleiviridis (=Phoenicia) (Macquart), Cochliomyia macellaria (F.), Chrysomya rufifaces (Macquart), Phormia regi
Authors
Susan V. Gruner, D. H. Slone, J.L. Capinera
Occurrence of oral deformities in larval anurans
We quantified deformities in the marginal papillae, tooth rows, and jaw sheaths of tadpoles from 13 population samples representing three families and 11 sites in the southeastern United States. Oral deformities were observed in all samples and in 13.5-98% of the specimens per sample. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (chytrid) infections were detected in three samples. There was high variability amo
Authors
D.L. Drake, R. Altig, J.B. Grace, S.C. Walls
Sap flow characteristics of neotropical mangroves in flooded and drained soils
Effects of flooding on water transport in mangroves have previously been investigated in a few studies, most of which were conducted on seedlings in controlled settings. In this study, we used heat-dissipation sap probes to determine if sap flow (Js) attenuates with radial depth into the xylem of mature trees of three south Florida mangrove species growing in Rookery Bay. This was accomplished by
Authors
Ken W. Krauss, P. Joy Young, Jim L. Chambers, Thomas W. Doyle, Robert R. Twilley
Seagrass status and trends in the northern Gulf of Mexico: 1940-2002
Over the past century, seagrass habitats from the bays of Texas to the gulf shores of Florida have decreased. Seagrass beds, which are highly dependent on water quality and clarity for survival, are home to a multitude of aquatic plants and animals and a source of economic activity through commercial and recreational fishing and ecotourism. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Gulf of Mexico
Authors
D. Altsman, R. DeMay
Vulnerability of National Park Service beaches to inundation during a direct hurricane landfall: Cumberland Island National Seashore
Cumberland Island National Seashore, a barrier-island coastal park in Georgia, is vulnerable to the powerful, sand-moving forces of hurricanes. Waves and storm surge associated with these strong tropical storms are part of the natural process of barrier-island evolution and can cause extensive morphologic changes in coastal parks, leading to reduced visitor accessibility and enjoyment. The vulnera
Authors
Hilary F. Stockdon, David M. Thompson, Laura A. Fauver
Vulnerability of National Park Service beaches to inundation during a direct hurricane landfall: Cape Lookout National Seashore
Cape Lookout National Seashore, a barrier-island coastal park in North Carolina, is vulnerable to the powerful, sand-moving forces of hurricanes. Waves and storm surge associated with these strong tropical storms are part of a natural process in barrier-island evolution and can cause extensive morphologic changes in coastal parks, leading to road closures and reduced visitor accessibility. The vul
Authors
Hilary F. Stockdon, David M. Thompson