Biological Sciences Master's Theses
Theses from 2023
Grassland Nesting Birds and Visual Obstruction Measurements in Western Kansas on Smoky Valley Ranch, Connor J. Champney
Conservation Status of the Chihuahuan Green Toad, Anaxyrus debilis, in western Kansas Range, Mackenzie Reh
Relationship between bats and prairie-dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies in Western Kansas, Mario N. Rodriguez
Bat Activity and Insect Biomass on McConnell Airforce Base Compared to Surrounding Wichita Parks, Michaela Sielaff
Methylation Patterns Across Tissue Type and Time in Peromyscus leucopus: A Targeted Museum Study, Loryn Smith
Theses from 2022
Influences of grazing on habitat characteristics, avian community composition and nesting bird abundance within Cheyenne Bottoms, KS, Kirsten Granstrom-Arndt
Increasing Detection Sensitivity for Rare and Endangered Species in Kansas through Development of an Aquatic Environmental DNA Sampling Protocol, Sarah Hallyburton
Efficacy of Non-Lethal Molecular Methods in Elucidating Distribution of Gray Treefrog Complex (Hyla chrysoscelis/versicolor) in Kansas, Nora K. Lazerus
A 16S & ITS Soil Microbiome Analysis of Native & Old-World Bluestem Invaded Soils of Kansas Grasslands, Zachary Nelson
Effects of Aggressive Reed (Phragmites australis) on Aquatic Communities in a Kansas Reservoir, Allison Pardis
The Impact of Planting Season and Crop Residue on Germination, Reproductive Success, and Mass of Native Forbs, Michaela VonLintel
Theses from 2021
Evaluation of Methods for the Restoration of Native Grasslands on Abandoned Center Pivots in the Sandsage Prairies of Southwestern Kansas, Alonso Barragan-Martinez
An Investigation into Historical and Contemporary Breeding Occurrence of the Ferruginous Hawk in Kansas, Erica Clark
Theses from 2020
The influence of land use on the pollen diet of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies in Ellis County, Kansas, Ryan Engel
Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Assemblages in Native, Invasive, and Encroaching Grassland Habitats, Madison Pittenger
Theses from 2019
Prion Protein Gene Polymorphisms in the Alpha-Helical Region in Feral Pigs From Texas, Maram Alsmady
Size and Age Structure of Introduced Populations of Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) in Two Kansas Reservoirs and Implications for Management, Ernesto Flores
Greening rates and photosynthetic development of leaves in C3 and C4 plants, Tayler J. Kriss
Influence Of Shaded Conditions On Development Of Asteraceae Species Native to Kansas, Aline Rodrigues de Queiroz
Ectoparasite Presence in Select Northcentral Kansas Bat Species, Elizabeth Schumann
Effects of Fragmentation on Species Retention in National Parks, Liz Tanner
Theses from 2018
Relationship Between Food Intake and Expression of O-Linked N-Acetylglucosamine Transferase Messenger RNA in Channel Catfish, Oaklee Abernathy
Distribution Of Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus (PERV) Variants In Domestic And Feral Pigs, Rashmi Acharya
An Evaluation of Trap-Neuter-Release Practices for Free-Roaming Cat Populations, Brian Gaston
Critical Habitat Assessment and Recovery Plan for the Kansas State Threatened Broad-Headed Skink, Allison Hullinger
Spatial Ecology of the Western Massasauga (Sisturus Tergeminus) in a Large Interior Wetland, Joshua Mead
Incorporating Multi-Spectral Imaging Into Long-Term Upland Breeding Bird Monitoring, Kyle William Schumacher
Identification And Characterization Of Tri-Colored Bat Hibernaculum In Russell County, Kansas, Angelica Sprague
Theses from 2017
Surveys For Rare and Endangered Mussel Species In Kansas: Traditional Methods and Environmental DNA Analysis, Kaden R. Buer
Phylogenetic Distribution Of An Endogenous Strain Of Dahlia Mosaic Virus In Members Of Asteraceae, Keri L. Caudle
Using Maximum Entropy Species Distribution Modeling For Long-term Conservation Planning Of Three Federally Listed Bats In North America, Mitchell L. Meyer
Soxhlet Extraction Of Avocado Endocarp and Trituration Of Avocado Mesocarp For Biodiesel Production., Ifeoma Oraemesi
Polymorphism In The PrPC Prion Protein Gene In Pigs, Anuja Paudyal
Survey Of Anuran Chytrid (Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis) In Kansas And The Influence Of Anuran Life History In Occurrence, Ariel Snyder
The Effects Of Environmental Variability And Latitude On Breeding Behaviors and Life History Traits Of Aves In North America, Elizabeth E. Tharman
Diet And Activity Patterns of Five Bat Species in North-Central Kansas, Holly G. Wilson
Theses from 2016
Gender Differences In Space-Use Patterns And Microhabitat Characteristics Of Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys Volans) In Northeastern Iowa, Elizabeth G. Bainbridge
Evaluating The Effect Of Water Supplementation On Ring-Necked Pheasant And Mesocarnivore Occupancy In Western Kansas, Brandon L. Calderon
Organismal Composition and Photosynthetic Traits of Biological Soil Crusts In Prairie Ecosystems of the Great Plains, Brendon C. McCampbell
A Comparison Of Small Mammal Communities Among Three Habitats In Western North Dakota, Samantha R. Pounds
Determination Of Evolutionary History Of Big Bluestem Populations Through Chloroplast DNA Analysis, Tej Man Tamang
Theses from 2015
Effects Of Environmental And Anthropogenic Factors On The Range Contraction Of Bird And Mammal Species, Patrice M. Betz
Occupancy Modeling Of Herpetofauna And Grassland Nesting Birds At Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, Kasandra A. Brown
Population Structure And Habitat Association Of Aquatic Testudines In Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, Jeffrey T. Seim
Theses from 2014
The Human Dimensions of Waterfowl Hunters at Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, Barton County, Kansas, Jason K. Black
Description of an Unusual Cervical Vertebral Column of a Plesiosaur from the Kiowa Shale, Ian N. Cost
Nest Survival of Grassland Breeding Birds in a Southern Mixed-Grass Prairie Wetland, Clinton Helms
Antimicrobial Resistance of Channel Catfish Intestinal Microflora in the Arkansas and Ninnescah Rivers in Kansas, Jordan R. Hofmeier
Effect of Grain, Region, and Human Influence on Higher Taxonomic Surrogacy, Frances Owen
Distance Sampling as a Technique to Monitor Pronghorn in Kansas, Jared H. Oyster
Dispersal of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria near Central Great Plains Feedlots, Jennifer R. Pfannenstiel-Klaus
Inferring Herpetofaunal Distributions and Habitat Preferences for Conservation Planning, Lisa M. Prowant
Bird-Habitat Associations Along A Canopy Cover Gradient Of Eastern Redcedar In Central Kansas, Scott W. Schmidt
Age, Growth, and Simulation Modeling to Characterize Fish Populations at Two Reservoirs in South-Central Kansas, Brian Serpan
Life History of a Dune-Dwelling Rhaphidophorid, Utabaenetes Tanneri Tinkham, in the San Rafael Desert of Utah, Ryan M. Shofner
Comparison of Small Mammal Communities in Ephemeral Wetlands and Wet Meadows during Drought, Brian M. Zinke
Theses from 2013
Stable Isotope Analysis Of Two Mephitidae Species Reflects Population Trends And Landscape Structure, Amanda E. Cheeseman
Antimicrobial Producing Bacteria Isolated From Petroleum-Laced Hypersaline Soil, Joanna L. Fay
Effects Of Long-Term Exposure To Kanamycin and/or Ampicillin On Resistance Genes On An E. Coli Plasmid, Justin W.R. Kerby II
Influence Of Wind Turbines On Mammalian Occupancy Patterns, Brian P. Tanis
Theses from 2012
Influence of Habitat Heterogeneity on Small Mammals in the Central Platte River Valley, Nebraska, Justin D. Anderson
The Face of Extinction: Are Charismatic Species More Vulnerable To Endangerment?, Andrée M. Brisson
The Effect Of Climate Change On The Distributions Of Invasive Plants And Their Associated Biological Control Agents In North America, Caroline A. Curtis
Assessment Of Aging Structures And Recruitment Of Walleye Sander Vitreus In Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Weston L. Fleming
Burrowing Owl (Athene Cunicularia) Nesting Ecology In Western Kansas, Carol D. Grover-Mariner
Gas Exchange And Leaf Anatomy Of Andropogon Gerardii Ecotypes Over A Climatic Gradient Of The Great Plains, Jacob T. Olsen
Distributional Survey And Habitat Associations Of Crayfishes In Three River Basins In Kansas, Ryan Lee Pinkall
Spatial Conservation Prioritization Of Kansas For Terrestrial Vertebrates, Megan R. Rohweder
Sexual Selection Dynamics In A Smoky Hills Population Of Crotaphytus Collaris, Katherine Talbott
Theses from 2011
Effects Of Prescribed Burning On Grassland Nesting Birds On Conservation Reserve Program Areas In Gove County, Kansas, Justin Vern Hamilton
Breeding Habitat Structure And Use By Kansas-Occurring Black Rail, Stephanie A. Kane
Alarm-Calling And Response Behaviors Of The Black-Tailed Prairie Dog In Kansas, Lloyd W. Towers III
Theses from 2010
Nested subsets, scale, and the distribution of abundance: A macroecological approach, Elita Baldridge
Effects of sediment removal techniques on avian communities and vegetational attributes in restored prairie pothole wetlands, Alexander Galt
Herpetofaunal response to prescribed burning on Matagorda Island, Texas: with emphasis on Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum), Ashley Inslee
Genetic Analysis of vancomycin-resistant gram-positive cocci isolated from wild songbirds, Shingo Ishihara
Climate change: implications for montane mammals of the Great Basin, Georgina Yvette Jacquez
Variation in the southern short-tailed shrew, Blarina Carolensis, Jennifer O'Neill
Effects of flooding on photosynthesis and root respiration in Saltcedar (tamarix ramosissima), an invasive riparian shrub, Kristen Polacik
Spatial and temporal patterns of Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) winter habitat use along the Upper Mississippi River corridor, Ryan T. Schmitz
Distribution and genetic structure of pocket gophers (Genus Geomys) in Kansas, Zachary J. Schwenke
Flooding tolerance of native and nonnative grasses: Variation in photosynthesis, transpiration, respiration, and carbon isotope discrimination, Elizabeth Waring
Theses from 2009
Comparative Studies of Two Small Freshwater Wetlands in Ellis County, Kansas, Patrick Allen Casey
Isolation and Characterization of Halophilic Bacteria from Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, Claudia M. Da Silva Carvalho
Snowy Plover Nest Density and Reproductive Success at Great Salt Lake, Utah, Christian N. Edwards
Cefotaxime Resistant Bacteria Isolated from a Wastewater Treatment Plant, Jerad Gorney
Effects of Black-Tailed Prairie Dog on Shortgrass Vegetation of Western Kansas, Dustin Tacha
