dc.contributor.author	Kirkley, Joseph Ashley
dc.coverage.spatial	Lowndes County -- Georgia; Echols County -- Georgia;	en_US
dc.coverage.temporal	2008-2009	en_US
dc.date.accessioned	2014-08-13T19:48:33Z
dc.date.available	2014-08-13T19:48:33Z
dc.date.issued	2014-08
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10428/1743
dc.description.abstract	This study examines the biology of the Florida Cottonmouth, Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti, in the Alapahoochee watershed, Lowndes and Echols Counties, Georgia. Included is a biogeographical investigation incorporating population genetics, a diet survey, analysis of length/weight relationships, analysis of sex ratios, and observations on reproductive ecology. Collections occurred over a two year period in 2008 and 2009. Data recorded in the field and laboratory included location, sex, snoutvent length, weight, gut contents and condition of the snake at time of collection. DNA was extracted and analyzed based on published microsatellite primer pairs for Crotalus contortix and cross amplified in Agkistrodon piscivorus that were tested for use in our study. Overall sex ratios did not deviate from those expected in this study but, the ratios were definitely skewed relative to the year collected and location from which they were collected. The majority of guts examined had no contents, and the remainder had small meals suggesting snakes were foraging at the time of capture. Length-weight relationships were comparable for both males and females. Presence of eggs and embryos showed that ovulation occurs in May followed by a 3 to 4 month gestation period with birth occurring by end of August. The genetic analyses in this study involve only three microsatellite loci and limited numbers of individuals per population. One locus, CH4B, was highly divergent between populations indicating that the populations sampled may be exhibiting restricted gene flow.	en_US
dc.description.tableofcontents	Chapter I: INTRODUCTION..1 Taxonomy and Systematics2 Distribution, Behavior and Ecology..2 Site Location and Description...3 Chapter II: MATERIALS AND METHODS..6 Field Protocol..6 Laboratory Protocol8 Polymerase Chain Reaction.10 Gel Electrophoresis..11 Statistical Analyses12 Chapter III: RESULTS..14 Length and Weight14 Sex Ratios.15 Diet..16 Reproduction16 Biogeography16 Genetic Analysis..17 Chapter IV: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS.21 Diet..21 Reproduction22 Biogeography24 iii Population Genetics.25 REFERENCES27 APPENDIX A: Example Gel Image and Detailed Data Images Captured by SagaGT™.32 APPENDIX B: Contingency tables for F-statistics and Genotypic distributions...40 APPENDIX C: Institutional Animal Use Proposal .. 44	en_US
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US
dc.subject	Cottonmouth	en_US
dc.subject	population genetics	en_US
dc.subject	biogeography	en_US
dc.subject	Alapahoochee	en_US
dc.subject	microsatellites	en_US
dc.subject	Agkistrodon piscivorus	en_US
dc.subject	Biology	en_US
dc.title	Biogeography and Population Genetic Structure of the Cottonmouth, Agkistrodon piscivorus, in the Alapahoochee Watershed	en_US
dc.type	Thesis	en_US
dc.contributor.department	Biology	en_US
dc.description.advisor	Bechler, David L
dc.description.committee	Elder, John F.
dc.description.committee	Lockhart, J. Mitchell
dc.description.committee	Lillywhite, Harvey B.
dc.description.degree	M.S.	en_US
dc.description.major	Biology	en_US