DOCSLIB.ORG

Panda: Impacts and Outcomes of Using Infra-Red Trail Cameras on Captive Red Panda (Ailurus Fulgens) Behaviour

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Panda: Impacts and Outcomes of Using Infra-Red Trail Cameras on Captive Red Panda (Ailurus Fulgens) Behaviour Lincoln University Digital Thesis Copyright Statement The digital copy of this thesis is protected by the Copyright Act 1994 (New Zealand). This thesis may be consulted by you, provided you comply with the provisions of the Act and the following conditions of use: you will use the copy only for the purposes of research or private study you will recognise the author's right to be identified as the author of the thesis and due acknowledgement will be made to the author where appropriate you will obtain the author's permission before publishing any material from the thesis. Monitoring the ‘original’ panda: Impacts and outcomes of using infra-red trail cameras on captive red panda (Ailurus fulgens) behaviour A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science at Lincoln University by Kathryn Bugler Lincoln University 2020 Abstract of a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science. Abstract Impacts and outcomes of using infra-red trail cameras on captive red panda (Ailurus fulgens) behaviour by Kathryn Bugler Introduction: Cryptic species are often studied using trail cameras in the wild. However, their use may cause some animals to be attracted or repelled by them, skewing presence/absence studies, abundance/population estimates and general behaviour patterns. Red panda are an elusive and rare species, found in only the Himalayan mountain range. A recent study observed red panda examining trail cameras on their trails in the wild. Understanding how they respond to trail cameras may influence how cameras are used to monitor them in the future. Aims: I assessed whether trail cameras affected captive red panda behaviour. I also determined time budgets and how they may differ with different observational methods. Methods: I used three zoo study sites, Auckland Zoo, Hamilton Zoo and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Auckland Zoo had a male and female pair with their three-month-old male offspring. Hamilton Zoo had an older male, female pair with their four-year-old female offspring. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary housed a single older male. A Kinopta Blackeye camera was set up on enclosure fencing to record continuously for the full study period. Study periods were split into three sections, with the first being labelled as before trail cameras, this just had the Blackeye camera. The middle third had trail cameras set up inside the enclosure and was called the during period. The last third of the trial (after trail cameras removed) had only the Blackeye setup, with trail cameras removed. During the entire study period, direct personal observations were also taken, noting typical significant factors, such as weather and temperature. Statistical analysis was carried out using R studio, with a mixture of chi-square, negative binomial GLMs, emmeans, pairwise comparisons and AIC tests. Graphs were created with Excel and R studio. Results: Sleeping was the most common behaviour, followed by locomotion, resting, eating and grooming. All other behaviours were less than 1% of all behaviours. The most active periods occurred ii in a crepuscular pattern, as with wild panda and in some cases, followed keeper timings. This led to the significant difference between zoo activity budgets. There was a significant difference in types of behaviours recorded with the two observational methods, showing that method does affect the type of data collected. Trail cameras affected behaviour at all zoos by changing the way red panda spent their time. Captive red panda were slightly more active with trail camera presence. Temperature also had a significant impact on length of behaviours. Red panda spent more time sleeping and resting at higher temperatures. Conclusions: As trail cameras changed the way red panda spent their time (in a captive setting), care should be taken for using trail cameras in the wild. While stress responses and obvious signs of avoiding areas with trail cameras did not occur, if behaviour is being monitored, then it is likely to be skewed by trail camera presence. Red panda were more active during trail camera presence, which might suggest an inflated abundance estimate if using trail cameras in the wild. Keywords: Trail camera, red panda, Ailurus fulgens, behaviour, wildlife management, captivity, activity budgets, observation methods iii Dedication For my parents, thank you for your constant love and support. Acknowledgements I want to start by thanking my dog, Niya. For being my constant companion while reading, writing and analysing behaviour videos. Thank you for reminding me to take a break, enjoy the great outdoors and that midday naps and midnight snacks aren’t the end of the world. The biggest of thank yous to my supervisors, Adrian Paterson and James Ross. Thank you for dealing with my umming and arring over what to study, at the beginning, and allowing me to study my favourite animal. Thank you for being patient when it took me so long to process all the footage I gathered and for the help analysing it all. I hope we get to work together in the future. To Fiona Bellinger, Arneka de Vries and the rest of the admin team in the ecology department at Lincoln University. Thank you for helping me book accommodation, flights and everything else necessary for me to carry out my studies. Thank you to Lauren Booth and the carnivore team at Auckland Zoo, who were so accommodating and welcoming, while I studied your red panda. Thank you for having lunch with me every day and allowing me to meet Khela, Ramesh and baby Tashi. A true honour. To Jesse Golden, Cheridan Mathers and the keepers at Hamilton Zoo, thank you for having me and answering all of my constant questions about Taylor, Chito and Jamuna. It was a privilege to see and interact with Taylor and Chito, years after meeting them the first time (RIP). Jamuna and her floppy ear never failed to put a smile on my face, even when I sat watching them in stormy weather. Many thanks to Anthony Molyneux and the “Lost Valley” keepers at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. You were life savers after my initial third zoo didn’t respond. Your insights and stories about your red panda were invaluable. I hope Pasang hasn’t eaten any more water dragons in my absence! In general, a major thank you to Auckland Zoo, Hamilton Zoo and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary for having me, and allowing me to film your red pandas. Thank you to my flat-mate and best friend, Caitlin. Bouncing ideas off each other has been a constant source of inspiration, even if I don’t understand what it is that you do. And lastly, thank you to my rowing squad for always providing the perfect outlet and for not asking, too often, how my thesis was going. iv Table of Contents Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... ii Dedication ................................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................... v List of Tables .............................................................................................................................. vii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................ viii Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Thesis structure .........................................................................................................................5 Chapter 2 Literature review ..................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Literature review .......................................................................................................................6 2.1.1 History .......................................................................................................................... 6 2.1.2 Taxonomy ..................................................................................................................... 6 2.1.3 Anatomy ....................................................................................................................... 9 2.1.4 Reproduction................................................................................................................ 9 2.1.5 Diet .............................................................................................................................12 2.1.6 Population and distribution .......................................................................................12 2.1.7 Habitat ........................................................................................................................13 2.1.8 Home range size .........................................................................................................14 2.1.9 Threats – dog attacks and diseases ............................................................................14 2.1.10 Threats- livestock .......................................................................................................15 2.1.11 Threats – anthropogenic effects ................................................................................15
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Chapter 1 - Introduction
    EURASIAN MIDDLE AND LATE MIOCENE HOMINOID PALEOBIOGEOGRAPHY AND THE GEOGRAPHIC ORIGINS OF THE HOMININAE by Mariam C. Nargolwalla A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Department of Anthropology University of Toronto © Copyright by M. Nargolwalla (2009) Eurasian Middle and Late Miocene Hominoid Paleobiogeography and the Geographic Origins of the Homininae Mariam C. Nargolwalla Doctor of Philosophy Department of Anthropology University of Toronto 2009 Abstract The origin and diversification of great apes and humans is among the most researched and debated series of events in the evolutionary history of the Primates. A fundamental part of understanding these events involves reconstructing paleoenvironmental and paleogeographic patterns in the Eurasian Miocene; a time period and geographic expanse rich in evidence of lineage origins and dispersals of numerous mammalian lineages, including apes. Traditionally, the geographic origin of the African ape and human lineage is considered to have occurred in Africa, however, an alternative hypothesis favouring a Eurasian origin has been proposed. This hypothesis suggests that that after an initial dispersal from Africa to Eurasia at ~17Ma and subsequent radiation from Spain to China, fossil apes disperse back to Africa at least once and found the African ape and human lineage in the late Miocene. The purpose of this study is to test the Eurasian origin hypothesis through the analysis of spatial and temporal patterns of distribution, in situ evolution, interprovincial and intercontinental dispersals of Eurasian terrestrial mammals in response to environmental factors. Using the NOW and Paleobiology databases, together with data collected through survey and excavation of middle and late Miocene vertebrate localities in Hungary and Romania, taphonomic bias and sampling completeness of Eurasian faunas are assessed.
    [Show full text]
  • University of Florida Thesis Or Dissertation Formatting
    UNDERSTANDING CARNIVORAN ECOMORPHOLOGY THROUGH DEEP TIME, WITH A CASE STUDY DURING THE CAT-GAP OF FLORIDA By SHARON ELIZABETH HOLTE A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2018 © 2018 Sharon Elizabeth Holte To Dr. Larry, thank you ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my family for encouraging me to pursue my interests. They have always believed in me and never doubted that I would reach my goals. I am eternally grateful to my mentors, Dr. Jim Mead and the late Dr. Larry Agenbroad, who have shaped me as a paleontologist and have provided me to the strength and knowledge to continue to grow as a scientist. I would like to thank my colleagues from the Florida Museum of Natural History who provided insight and open discussion on my research. In particular, I would like to thank Dr. Aldo Rincon for his help in researching procyonids. I am so grateful to Dr. Anne-Claire Fabre; without her understanding of R and knowledge of 3D morphometrics this project would have been an immense struggle. I would also to thank Rachel Short for the late-night work sessions and discussions. I am extremely grateful to my advisor Dr. David Steadman for his comments, feedback, and guidance through my time here at the University of Florida. I also thank my committee, Dr. Bruce MacFadden, Dr. Jon Bloch, Dr. Elizabeth Screaton, for their feedback and encouragement. I am grateful to the geosciences department at East Tennessee State University, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard for the loans of specimens.
    [Show full text]
  • On the Socio-Sexual Behaviour of the Extinct Ursid Indarctos Arctoides: an Approach Based on Its Baculum Size and Morphology
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Digital.CSIC On the Socio-Sexual Behaviour of the Extinct Ursid Indarctos arctoides: An Approach Based on Its Baculum Size and Morphology Juan Abella1,2*, Alberto Valenciano3,4, Alejandro Pe´rez-Ramos5, Plinio Montoya6, Jorge Morales2 1 Institut Catala` de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Auto`noma de Barcelona. Edifici ICP, Campus de la UAB s/n, Barcelona, Spain, 2 Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, Madrid, Spain, 3 Departamento de Geologı´a Sedimentaria y Cambio Medioambiental. Instituto de Geociencias (CSIC, UCM), Madrid, Spain, 4 Departamento de Paleontologı´a, Facultad de Ciencias Geolo´gicas UCM, Madrid, Spain, 5 Institut Cavanilles de Biodiversitat i Biologia Evolutiva, Universitat de Vale`ncia, Paterna, Spain, 6 Departament de Geologia, A` rea de Paleontologia, Universitat de Vale`ncia, Burjassot, Spain Abstract The fossil bacula, or os penis, constitutes a rare subject of study due to its scarcity in the fossil record. In the present paper we describe five bacula attributed to the bear Indarctos arctoides Depe´ret, 1895 from the Batallones-3 site (Madrid Basin, Spain). Both the length and morphology of this fossil bacula enabled us to make interpretative approaches to a series of ecological and ethological characters of this bear. Thus, we suggest that I. arctoides could have had prolonged periods of intromission and/or maintenance of intromission during the post-ejaculatory intervals, a multi-male mating system and large home range sizes and/or lower population density. Its size might also have helped females to choose from among the available males.
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogeny of the Procyonidae (Mammalia: Carnivora): Molecules, Morphology and the Great American Interchange
    Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 43 (2007) 1076–1095 www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev Phylogeny of the Procyonidae (Mammalia: Carnivora): Molecules, morphology and the Great American Interchange a, b c a Klaus-Peter KoepXi ¤, Matthew E. Gompper , Eduardo Eizirik , Cheuk-Chung Ho , Leif Linden a, Jesus E. Maldonado d, Robert K. Wayne a a Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA b Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, University of Missouri, Colombia, MO 65211, USA c Faculdade de Biociencias, PUCRS, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Predio 12, Porto Alegre, RS 90619-900, Brazil d Smithsonian Institution, NMNH/NZP—Genetic Program, 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA Received 10 June 2006; revised 22 September 2006; accepted 2 October 2006 Available online 11 October 2006 Abstract The Procyonidae (Mammalia: Carnivora) have played a central role in resolving the controversial systematics of the giant and red pandas, but phylogenetic relationships of species within the family itself have received much less attention. Cladistic analyses of morpho- logical characters conducted during the last two decades have resulted in topologies that group ecologically and morphologically similar taxa together. SpeciWcally, the highly arboreal and frugivorous kinkajou (Potos Xavus) and olingos (Bassaricyon) deWne one clade, whereas the more terrestrial and omnivorous coatis (Nasua), raccoons (Procyon), and ringtails (Bassariscus) deWne another clade, with the similar-sized Nasua and Procyon joined as sister taxa in this latter group. These relationships, however, have not been tested with molecu- lar sequence data. We examined procyonid phylogenetics based on combined data from nine nuclear and two mitochondrial gene seg- ments totaling 6534 bp.
    [Show full text]
  • (CARNIVORA: AMPHICYONIDAE) from the UPPER MIOCENE of BATALLONES-1, MADRID, SPAIN by STE´ PHANE PEIGNE´ *, MANUEL J
    [Palaeontology, Vol. 51, Part 4, 2008, pp. 943–965] A NEW AMPHICYONINE (CARNIVORA: AMPHICYONIDAE) FROM THE UPPER MIOCENE OF BATALLONES-1, MADRID, SPAIN by STE´ PHANE PEIGNE´ *, MANUEL J. SALESA , MAURICIO ANTO´ N and JORGE MORALES *Muse´um national d’Histoire naturelle, De´partement Histoire de la Terre, USM 0203 ⁄ UMR 5143 Pale´obiodiversite´ et Pale´oenvironnement, CP 38, 8, rue Buffon, 75231 Paris cedex 05, France; e-mail: [email protected] Departamento de Paleobiologı´a, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC, c ⁄ Jose´ Gutie´rrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain; e-mails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Typescript received 4 July 2007; accepted in revised form 17 September 2007 Abstract: The vertebrate community of the late Miocene anceps gen. et sp. nov., is markedly distinct from all other locality of Batallones-1, Madrid Province, Spain, is mainly known Amphicyoninae, specifically in its hypercarnivorous composed of mammals of the order Carnivora, which rep- features (strongly compressed upper canines, absence of resents 98 per cent of the total number of macro-mammal dP1 ⁄ dp1 and P2 ⁄ p2, single-rooted p3, absence of a meta- fossils. Here, we describe craniodental remains of approxi- conid on the lower molars, and reduction of M2 relative mately 12 individuals of a new, highly specialized member to M1). of the Amphicyonidae, previously assigned to Amphicyon sp. cf. A. castellanus. A phylogenetic analysis of Amphicy- Key words: Carnivora, Amphicyonidae, Spain, Miocene, oninae shows that this new form, named Magericyon Vallesian, carnivore trap, Batallones. Since 1991, the localities of Cerro de los Batallones in This study describes the remains of another well-known Madrid Province, Spain (Text-fig.
    [Show full text]
  • Adaptive Zones and the Pinniped Ankle: a 3D Quantitative Analysis of Carnivoran Tarsal Evolution
    Polly, P. D. 2008. Adaptive Zones and the Pinniped Ankle: A 3D Quantitative Analysis of Carnivoran Tarsal Evolution. Pp.167-196 in (E. Sargis and M. Dagosto, Eds.) Mammalian Evolutionary Morphology: A Tribute to Frederick S. Szalay. Springer: Dordrecht, The Netherlands. ADAPTIVE ZONES AND THE PINNIPED ANKLE A three-dimensional Quantitative Analysis of Carnivoran Tarsal Evolution P. DAVID POLLY Department of Geological Sciences Indiana University 1001 East 10th Street Bloomington, Indiana USA [email protected] Abstract The form-function complex comprised of calcaneum and astragalus was studied in twelve extant carnivorans using a new morphometric technique for analysis of three-dimensional surfaces. The study sample included eleven fissipeds representing the phylogenetic and functional diversity of terrestrial Carnivora plus one pinniped, Phoca. A redefined adaptive zone concept was used to explain the relative effects of ecological adaptation and common ancestry in phylogeny reconstruction from quantitative morphological data. As used here, an adaptive zone is a bounded range of phenotypes linked to specific functional roles, a definition that emphasizes morphology rather than environment or fitness. The following criteria were proposed for testing for the existence of an adaptive zone: (1) the zone must be occupied by real taxa; (2) their phenotypes must lie within a limited morphospace whose major axes are associated with functional factors; (3) the zone’s occupants must have diversified throughout the zone without crossing its boundaries except through a major change in lifestyle, and (4) phenotypes that lie outside the zone must be functionally incompatible with the functions associated with the zone axes. Criterion 3 requires that the phylogeny of the group be independently known, at least in part.
    [Show full text]
  • RED PANDA (Ailurus Fulgens) CARE MANUAL
    RED PANDA (Ailurus fulgens) CARE MANUAL CREATED BY THE AZA Red Panda Species Survival Plan® IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE AZA Small Carnivore Taxon Advisory Group Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens) Care Manual Published by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in association with the AZA Animal Welfare Committee Formal Citation: AZA Small Carnivore TAG (2012). Red panda Care Manual. Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Silver Spring, MD. pp. 90. Authors and Significant contributors: Sarah Glass, Knoxville Zoo, North American AZA Red Panda SSP Coordinator Barbara Henry, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Mary Noell, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, AZA North American Red Panda Studbook Keeper Jan Reed-Smith, M.A., Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Celeste (Dusty) Lombardi, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, AZA Small Carnivore TAG (SCTAG) Chair Miles Roberts, Smithsonian’s National Zoo John Dinon, Humane Society Reviewers: Mark Edwards, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Sandy Helliker, Edmonton Valley Zoo Chris Hibbard, Zoo and Aquarium Association, Australasia Red Panda Coordinator Cindy Krieder, Erie Zoo Sue Lindsay, Mesker Park Zoo Mike Maslanka, Smithsonian’s National Zoo AZA Staff Editors: Maya Seaman, AZA ACM Intern Candice Dorsey, Ph.D., Director, Animal Conservation Cover Photo Credits: Lissa Browning Disclaimer: This manual presents a compilation of knowledge provided by recognized animal experts based on the current science, practice, and technology of animal management. The manual assembles basic requirements, best practices, and animal care recommendations to maximize capacity for excellence in animal care and welfare. The manual should be considered a work in progress, since practices continue to evolve through advances in scientific knowledge. The use of information within this manual should be in accordance with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations concerning the care of animals.
    [Show full text]
  • Eastern Georgia and Western Azerbaijan, South Caucasus)
    Synopsis of the terrestrial vertebrate faunas from the Middle Kura Basin (Eastern Georgia and Western Azerbaijan, South Caucasus) MAIA BUKHSIANIDZE and KAKHABER KOIAVA Bukhsianidze, M. and Koiava, K. 2018. Synopsis of the terrestrial vertebrate faunas from the Middle Kura Basin (Eastern Georgia and Western Azerbaijan, South Caucasus). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 63 (3): 441–461. This paper summarizes knowledge on the Neogene–Quaternary terrestrial fossil record from the Middle Kura Basin accumulated over a century and aims to its integration into the current research. This fossil evidence is essential in understanding the evolution of the Eurasian biome, since this territory is located at the border of Eastern Mediterranean and Central Asian regions. The general biostratigraphic framework suggests existence of two major intervals of the terrestrial fossil record in the area, spanning ca. 10–7 Ma and ca. 3–1 Ma, and points to an important hiatus between the late Miocene and late Pliocene. General aspects of the paleogeographic history and fossil record suggest that the biogeographic role of the Middle Kura Basin has been changing over geological time from a refugium (Khersonian) to a full-fledged part of the Greco-Iranian province (Meotian–Pontian). The dynamic environmental changes during the Quaternary do not depict this territory as a refugium in its general sense. The greatest value of this fossil record is the potential to understand a detailed history of terrestrial life during demise of late Miocene Hominoidea in Eurasia and early Homo dispersal out of Africa. Late Miocene record of the Middle Kura Basin captures the latest stage of the Eastern Paratethys regression, and among other fossils counts the latest and the easternmost occurence of dryopithecine, Udabnopithecus garedziensis, while the almost uninterrupted fossil record of the late Pliocene–Early Pleistocene covers the time interval of the early human occupation of Caucasus and Eurasia.
    [Show full text]
  • Genus/Species Skull Ht Lt Wt Stage Range Abacinonyx See Acinonyx Abathomodon See Speothos A
    Genus/Species Skull Ht Lt Wt Stage Range Abacinonyx see Acinonyx Abathomodon see Speothos A. fossilis see Icticyon pacivorus? Pleistocene Brazil Abelia U.Miocene Europe Absonodaphoenus see Pseudarctos L.Miocene USA A. bathygenus see Cynelos caroniavorus Acarictis L.Eocene W USA cf. A. ryani Wasatchian Colorado(US) A. ryani Wasatchian Wyoming, Colorado(US) Acinomyx see Acinonyx Acinonyx M.Pliocene-Recent Europe,Asia,Africa,N America A. aicha 2.3 m U.Pliocene Morocco A. brachygnathus Pliocene India A. expectata see Miracinonyx expectatus? Or Felis expectata? A. intermedius M.Pleistocene A. jubatus living Cheetah M.Pliocene-Recent Algeria,Europe,India,China A. pardinensis 91 cm 3 m 60 kg Astian-Biharian Italy,India,China,Germany,France A. sp. L.Pleistocene Tanzania,Ethiopia A. sp. Cf. Inexpectatus Blancan-Irvingtonian California(US) A. studeri see Miracinonyx studeri Blancan Texas(US) A. trumani see Miracinonyx trumani Rancholabrean Wyoming,Nevada(US) Acionyx possibly Acinonyx? A. cf. Crassidens Hadar(Ethiopia) Acrophoca 1.5 m U.Miocene-L.Pliocene Peru,Chile A. longirostris U.Miocene-L.Pliocene Peru A. sp. U.Miocene-L.Pliocene Chile Actiocyon M-U.Miocene W USA A. leardi Clarendonian California(US) A. sp. M.Miocene Oregon(US) Adcrocuta 82 cm 1.5 m U.Miocene Europe,Asia A. advena A. eximia 80 cm 1.5 m Vallesian-Turolian Europe(widespread),Asia(widespread) Adelphailurus U.Miocene-L.Pliocene W USA, Mexico,Europe A. kansensis Hemphillian Arizona,Kansas(US),Chihuahua(Mexico) Adelpharctos M.Oligocene Europe Adilophontes L.Miocene W USA A. brachykolos Arikareean Wyoming(US) Adracodon probably Adracon Eocene France A. quercyi probably Adracon quercyi Eocene France Adracon U.Eocene-L.Oligocene France A.
    [Show full text]
  • Leeds Thesis Template
    Middle to Late Miocene terrestrial biota and climate by Matthew James Pound M.Sci., Geology (University of Bristol) Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Leeds School of Earth and Environment September 2012 - 2 - Declaration of Authorship The candidate confirms that the work submitted is his/her own, except where work which has formed part of jointly-authored publications has been included. The contribution of the candidate and the other authors to this work has been explicitly indicated below. The candidate confirms that appropriate credit has been given within the thesis where reference has been made to the work of others. Chapter 2 has been published as: Pound, M.J., Riding, J.B., Donders, T.H., Daskova, J. 2012 The palynostratigraphy of the Brassington Formation (Upper Miocene) of the southern Pennines, central England. Palynology 36, 26-37. Chapter 3 has been published as: Pound, M.J., Haywood, A.M., Salzmann, U., Riding, J.B. 2012. Global vegetation dynamics and latitudinal temperature gradients during the mid to Late Miocene (15.97 - 5.33 Ma). Earth Science Reviews 112, 1-22. Chapter 4 has been published as: Pound, M.J., Haywood, A.M., Salzmann, U., Riding, J.B., Lunt, D.J. and Hunter, S.J. 2011. A Tortonian (Late Miocene 11.61-7.25Ma) global vegetation reconstruction. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 300, 29-45. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. © 2012, The University of Leeds, British Geological Survey and Matthew J.
    [Show full text]
  • Supporting Information
    Supporting Information Finarelli and Flynn 10.1073/pnas.0901780106 SI Text comparisons to extant taxa appreciably lower the power of Phylogeny of the Carnivora. Valid statistical analysis of compara- statistical analyses. tive data in biological systems always requires information on the The still imprecise understanding of the evolutionary rela- phylogenetic relationships of the organisms being analyzed to tionships among fossil and extant musteloid taxa (7–11) presents account for the statistical nonindependence of observed char- further challenges in reconstructing character transformations acter values for closely related taxa (1, 2). We constructed a across this clade. We partitioned both nonfelid feliforms and composite cladogram of the Carnivora based on frameworks musteloids into ‘‘archaic’’ and ‘‘modern’’ groups based on first provided by several recent molecular phylogenies of the Car- appearances of taxa in the fossil record. It should be noted that nivora and further augmented by clade-specific phylogenies both of these cutoffs are necessarily arbitrary, and the groupings derived from DNA and morphological data. Recent phyloge- they produce are both highly paraphyletic. Therefore, in contrast netic analyses of the Carnivora using DNA sequence data have to the preceding use of paraphyletic groups, for which observed greatly improved our understanding of the interrelationships change in the allometries can be mapped to a single branch of the among the traditional family-level clades within this clade. In phylogeny, changes between archaic and modern feliforms or addition, morphological and ‘‘total evidence’’ phylogenies, in- musteloids only represent differences between early and late cluding fossil taxa, provide the means to incorporate extinct appearing members of each group.
    [Show full text]
  • Red Panda Conservation Action Plan for Nepal 2019-2023
    RED PANDA CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN FOR NEPAL 2019-2023 Government of Nepal Ministry of Forests and Environment Department of Forests and Soil Department of National Parks and Conservation Wildlife Conservation Kathmandu, Nepal 2018 RED PANDA CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN FOR NEPAL 2019-2023 Government of Nepal Ministry of Forests and Environment Department of Forests and Soil Department of National Parks and Conservation Wildlife Conservation Kathmandu, Nepal 2018 Technical Team Mr. Gopal Prakash Bhattarai, Deputy Director General, DNPWC Mr. Laxman Prasad Poudyal, Ecologist, DNPWC Mrs. Madhuri Karki (Thapa), Planning Offi cer, DFSC Mr. Damber Bista, Conservation Manager, RPN Dr. Naresh Subedi, Manager (Conservation Program), NTNC Dr. Kanchan Thapa, Technical Advisor, Hariyo Ban Programme-II, WWF Nepal Dr. Bhagawan Raj Dahal, Transboundary Tiger Manager, ZSL Nepal Mr. Rishi Ranabhat, Assistant Ecologist, DNPWC Mr. Bhupendra Prasad Yadav, Assistant Ecologist, DNPWC Dr. Arjun Thapa, Species Expert, SMCRF Review Team Mr. Man Bahadur Khadka, Director General, DNPWC Mr. Krishna Prasad Acharya, Joint Secretary (Technical), MFSC Dr. Sindhu Prasad Dhungana, Joint Secretary (Technical), MFSC Dr. Maheshwar Dhakal, Joint Secretary (Technical), MFSC Dr. Rajendra K.C., Deputy Director General, DFSC Mr. Yajna Nath Dahal, Joint Secretary (Technical), MFSC Mr. Ram Chandra Kandel, Deputy Director General, DNPWC Dr. Hem Sagar Baral, Country Representative, ZSL Nepal Dr. Shant Raj Jnawali, Chief of Party, Hariyo Ban Programme-II, WWF Nepal Prof. Karan Bahadur Shah, Wildlife Expert, Nepal Mr. Ang Phuri Sherpa, Country Director, RPN Dr Angela Glatston, Species Expert, RPN Published by Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and Department of Forests and Soil Conservation, Kathmandu, Nepal Copyright Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and Department of Forests and Soil Conservation, Kathmandu, Nepal 2018.
    [Show full text]