Galaxy Zoo: Observing secular evolution through bars

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheung, Edmond; Faber, S. M.; Koo, David C.

In this paper, we use the Galaxy Zoo 2 data set to study the behavior of bars in disk galaxies as a function of specific star formation rate (SSFR) and bulge prominence. Our sample consists of 13,295 disk galaxies, with an overall (strong) bar fraction of 23.6% ± 0.4%, of which 1154 barred galaxies also have bar length (BL) measurements. These samples are the largest ever used to study the role of bars in galaxy evolution. We find that the likelihood of a galaxy hosting a bar is anticorrelated with SSFR, regardless of stellar mass or bulge prominence. We findmore » that the trends of bar likelihood and BL with bulge prominence are bimodal with SSFR. We interpret these observations using state-of-the-art simulations of bar evolution that include live halos and the effects of gas and star formation. We suggest our observed trends of bar likelihood with SSFR are driven by the gas fraction of the disks, a factor demonstrated to significantly retard both bar formation and evolution in models. We interpret the bimodal relationship between bulge prominence and bar properties as being due to the complicated effects of classical bulges and central mass concentrations on bar evolution and also to the growth of disky pseudobulges by bar evolution. These results represent empirical evidence for secular evolution driven by bars in disk galaxies. This work suggests that bars are not stagnant structures within disk galaxies but are a critical evolutionary driver of their host galaxies in the local universe (z < 1).« less

Galaxy Zoo: star formation versus spiral arm number

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hart, Ross E.; Bamford, Steven P.; Casteels, Kevin R. V.; Kruk, Sandor J.; Lintott, Chris J.; Masters, Karen L.

2017-06-01

Spiral arms are common features in low-redshift disc galaxies, and are prominent sites of star formation and dust obscuration. However, spiral structure can take many forms: from galaxies displaying two strong 'grand design' arms to those with many 'flocculent' arms. We investigate how these different arm types are related to a galaxy's star formation and gas properties by making use of visual spiral arm number measurements from Galaxy Zoo 2. We combine ultraviolet and mid-infrared (MIR) photometry from GALEX and WISE to measure the rates and relative fractions of obscured and unobscured star formation in a sample of low-redshift SDSS spirals. Total star formation rate has little dependence on spiral arm multiplicity, but two-armed spirals convert their gas to stars more efficiently. We find significant differences in the fraction of obscured star formation: an additional ˜10 per cent of star formation in two-armed galaxies is identified via MIR dust emission, compared to that in many-armed galaxies. The latter are also significantly offset below the IRX-β relation for low-redshift star-forming galaxies. We present several explanations for these differences versus arm number: variations in the spatial distribution, sizes or clearing time-scales of star-forming regions (I.e. molecular clouds), or contrasting recent star formation histories.

Galaxy Zoo: morphological classifications for 120 000 galaxies in HST legacy imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willett, Kyle W.; Galloway, Melanie A.; Bamford, Steven P.; Lintott, Chris J.; Masters, Karen L.; Scarlata, Claudia; Simmons, B. D.; Beck, Melanie; Cardamone, Carolin N.; Cheung, Edmond; Edmondson, Edward M.; Fortson, Lucy F.; Griffith, Roger L.; Häußler, Boris; Han, Anna; Hart, Ross; Melvin, Thomas; Parrish, Michael; Schawinski, Kevin; Smethurst, R. J.; Smith, Arfon M.

2017-02-01

We present the data release paper for the Galaxy Zoo: Hubble (GZH) project. This is the third phase in a large effort to measure reliable, detailed morphologies of galaxies by using crowdsourced visual classifications of colour-composite images. Images in GZH were selected from various publicly released Hubble Space Telescope legacy programmes conducted with the Advanced Camera for Surveys, with filters that probe the rest-frame optical emission from galaxies out to z ˜ 1. The bulk of the sample is selected to have mI814W < 23.5, but goes as faint as mI814W < 26.8 for deep images combined over five epochs. The median redshift of the combined samples is = 0.9 ± 0.6, with a tail extending out to z ≃ 4. The GZH morphological data include measurements of both bulge- and disc-dominated galaxies, details on spiral disc structure that relate to the Hubble type, bar identification, and numerous measurements of clump identification and geometry. This paper also describes a new method for calibrating morphologies for galaxies of different luminosities and at different redshifts by using artificially redshifted galaxy images as a baseline. The GZH catalogue contains both raw and calibrated morphological vote fractions for 119 849 galaxies, providing the largest data set to date suitable for large-scale studies of galaxy evolution out to z ˜ 1.

The Galazy Zoo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schawinski, Kevin

2016-06-01

When the Galaxy Zoo website calling for citizen scientists around the world to help classify galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey was launched, it brought down the servers hosting the images. The Galaxy Zoo tapped into the incredible desire of the public to get involved in and contribute to scientific research. With the he help of over a quarter million citizen scientists, we were able to map out the evolution of galaxy populations from star formation to quiescence and how this "quenching" is related to changes in morphology. Citizen scientists also discovered unusual objects in public data, such as "Hanny's Voorwerp", a quasar light echo which can constrain black hole accretion on timescales of 10-100 kyr. Finally, the work of citizen scientists taking part in Galaxy Zoo points to a future where machine learning and humans both contribute to systems capable of analyzing extremely large data sets.

Galaxy Zoo: constraining the origin of spiral arms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hart, Ross E.; Bamford, Steven P.; Keel, William C.; Kruk, Sandor J.; Masters, Karen L.; Simmons, Brooke D.; Smethurst, Rebecca J.

2018-07-01

Since the discovery that the majority of low-redshift galaxies exhibit some level of spiral structure, a number of theories have been proposed as to why these patterns exist. A popular explanation is a process known as swing amplification, yet there is no observational evidence to prove that such a mechanism is at play. By using a number of measured properties of galaxies, and scaling relations where there are no direct measurements, we model samples of SDSS and S4G spiral galaxies in terms of their relative halo, bulge, and disc mass and size. Using these models, we test predictions of swing amplification theory with respect to directly measured spiral arm numbers from Galaxy Zoo 2. We find that neither a universal cored nor cuspy inner dark matter profile can correctly predict observed numbers of arms in galaxies. However, by invoking a halo contraction/expansion model, a clear bimodality in the spiral galaxy population emerges. Approximately 40 per cent of unbarred spiral galaxies at z ≲ 0.1 and M* ≳ 1010 M⊙ have spiral arms that can be modelled by swing amplification. This population display a significant correlation between predicted and observed spiral arm numbers, evidence that they are swing amplified modes. The remainder are dominated by two-arm systems for which the model predicts significantly higher arm numbers. These are likely driven by tidal interactions or other mechanisms.

Galaxy Zoo: constraining the origin of spiral arms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hart, Ross E.; Bamford, Steven P.; Keel, William C.; Kruk, Sandor J.; Masters, Karen L.; Simmons, Brooke D.; Smethurst, Rebecca J.

2018-05-01

Since the discovery that the majority of low-redshift galaxies exhibit some level of spiral structure, a number of theories have been proposed as to why these patterns exist. A popular explanation is a process known as swing amplification, yet there is no observational evidence to prove that such a mechanism is at play. By using a number of measured properties of galaxies, and scaling relations where there are no direct measurements, we model samples of SDSS and S4G spiral galaxies in terms of their relative halo, bulge and disc mass and size. Using these models, we test predictions of swing amplification theory with respect to directly measured spiral arm numbers from Galaxy Zoo 2. We find that neither a universal cored or cuspy inner dark matter profile can correctly predict observed numbers of arms in galaxies. However, by invoking a halo contraction/expansion model, a clear bimodality in the spiral galaxy population emerges. Approximately 40 per cent of unbarred spiral galaxies at z ≲ 0.1 and M* ≳ 1010M⊙ have spiral arms that can be modelled by swing amplification. This population display a significant correlation between predicted and observed spiral arm numbers, evidence that they are swing amplified modes. The remainder are dominated by two-arm systems for which the model predicts significantly higher arm numbers. These are likely driven by tidal interactions or other mechanisms.

Galaxy Zoo: An Experiment in Public Science Participation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raddick, Jordan; Lintott, C. J.; Schawinski, K.; Thomas, D.; Nichol, R. C.; Andreescu, D.; Bamford, S.; Land, K. R.; Murray, P.; Slosar, A.; Szalay, A. S.; Vandenberg, J.; Galaxy Zoo Team

2007-12-01

An interesting question in modern astrophysics research is the relationship between a galaxy's morphology (appearance) and its formation and evolutionary history. Research into this question is complicated by the fact that to get a study sample, researchers must first assign a shape to a large number of galaxies. Classifying a galaxy by shape is nearly impossible for a computer, but easy for a human - however, looking at one million galaxies, one at a time, would take an enormous amount of time. To create such a research sample, we turned to citizen science. We created a web site called Galaxy Zoo (www.galaxyzoo.org) that invites the public to classify the galaxies. New members see a short tutorial and take a short skill test where they classify galaxies of known types. Once they pass the test, they begin to work with the entire sample. The site's interface shows the user an image of a single galaxy from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The user clicks a button to classify it. Each classification is stored in a database, associated with the galaxy that it describes. The site has become enormously popular with amateur astronomers, teachers, and others interested in astronomy. So far, more than 110,000 users have joined. We have started a forum where users share images of their favorite galaxies, ask science questions of each other and the "zookeepers," and share classification advice. In a separate poster, we will share science results from the site's first six months of operation. In this poster, we will describe the site as an experiment in public science outreach. We will share user feedback, discuss our plans to study the user community more systematically, and share advice on how to work with citizen science projects to the mutual benefit of both professional and citizen scientists.

Galaxy Zoo: Morphological Classification of Galaxy Images from the Illustris  Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickinson, Hugh; Fortson, Lucy; Lintott, Chris; Scarlata, Claudia; Willett, Kyle; Bamford, Steven; Beck, Melanie; Cardamone, Carolin; Galloway, Melanie; Simmons, Brooke; Keel, William; Kruk, Sandor; Masters, Karen; Vogelsberger, Mark; Torrey, Paul; Snyder, Gregory F.

2018-02-01

Modern large-scale cosmological simulations model the universe with increasing sophistication and at higher spatial and temporal resolutions. These ongoing enhancements permit increasingly detailed comparisons between the simulation outputs and real observational data. Recent projects such as Illustris are capable of producing simulated images that are designed to be comparable to those obtained from local surveys. This paper tests the degree to which Illustris achieves this goal across a diverse population of galaxies using visual morphologies derived from Galaxy Zoo citizen scientists. Morphological classifications provided by these volunteers for simulated galaxies are compared with similar data for a compatible sample of images drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Legacy Survey. This paper investigates how simple morphological characterization by human volunteers asked to distinguish smooth from featured systems differs between simulated and real galaxy images. Significant differences are identified, which are most likely due to the limited resolution of the simulation, but which could be revealing real differences in the dynamical evolution of populations of galaxies in the real and model universes. Specifically, for stellar masses {M}\\star ≲ {10}11 {M}ȯ , a substantially larger proportion of Illustris galaxies that exhibit disk-like morphology or visible substructure, relative to their SDSS counterparts. Toward higher masses, the visual morphologies for simulated and observed galaxies converge and exhibit similar distributions. The stellar mass threshold indicated by this divergent behavior confirms recent works using parametric measures of morphology from Illustris simulated images. When {M}\\star ≳ {10}11 {M}ȯ , the Illustris data set contains substantially fewer galaxies that classifiers regard as unambiguously featured. In combination, these results suggest that comparison between the detailed properties of observed and simulated galaxies

Galaxy Zoo: secular evolution of barred galaxies from structural decomposition of multiband images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruk, Sandor J.; Lintott, Chris J.; Bamford, Steven P.; Masters, Karen L.; Simmons, Brooke D.; Häußler, Boris; Cardamone, Carolin N.; Hart, Ross E.; Kelvin, Lee; Schawinski, Kevin; Smethurst, Rebecca J.; Vika, Marina

2018-02-01

We present the results of two-component (disc+bar) and three-component (disc+bar+bulge) multiwavelength 2D photometric decompositions of barred galaxies in five Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) bands (ugriz). This sample of ∼3500 nearby (z < 0.06) galaxies with strong bars selected from the Galaxy Zoo citizen science project is the largest sample of barred galaxies to be studied using photometric decompositions that include a bar component. With detailed structural analysis, we obtain physical quantities such as the bar- and bulge-to-total luminosity ratios, effective radii, Sérsic indices and colours of the individual components. We observe a clear difference in the colours of the components, the discs being bluer than the bars and bulges. An overwhelming fraction of bulge components have Sérsic indices consistent with being pseudo-bulges. By comparing the barred galaxies with a mass-matched and volume-limited sample of unbarred galaxies, we examine the connection between the presence of a large-scale galactic bar and the properties of discs and bulges. We find that the discs of unbarred galaxies are significantly bluer compared to the discs of barred galaxies, while there is no significant difference in the colours of the bulges. We find possible evidence of secular evolution via bars that leads to the build-up of pseudo-bulges and to the quenching of star formation in the discs. We identify a subsample of unbarred galaxies with an inner lens/oval and find that their properties are similar to barred galaxies, consistent with an evolutionary scenario in which bars dissolve into lenses. This scenario deserves further investigation through both theoretical and observational work.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Galaxy Zoo 2: new classification (Hart+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hart, R. E.; Bamford, S. P.; Willett, K. W.; Masters, K. L.; Cardamone, C.; Lintott, C. J.; Mackay, R. J.; Nichol, R. C.; Rosslowe, C. K.; Simmons, B. D.; Smethurst, R. J.

2017-11-01

We make use of morphological information from the public data release of Galaxy Zoo 2. The galaxies classified by GZ2 were taken from the SDSS Data Release 7 (DR7; Abazajian et al. 2009ApJS..182..543A). The SDSS main galaxy sample is an r-band selected sample of galaxies in the legacy imaging area targeted for spectroscopic follow-up (Strauss et al., 2002AJ....124.1810S) The GZ2 sample contains essentially all well-resolved galaxies in DR7 down to a limiting absolute magnitude of mr<=17, supplemented by additional sets of galaxies in Stripe 82 for which deeper, co-added imaging exists (see W13 (Willett et al., 2013MNRAS.435.2835W, Cat. J/MNRAS/435/2835) for details). In this paper, we only consider galaxies with mr<=17 that were classified in normal-depth SDSS imaging and which have DR7 spectroscopic redshifts. We refer to this as our full sample, containing 228201 galaxies, to which the debiasing procedure described in Section 3.3 is applied. (1 data file).

Galaxy Zoo: finding offset discs and bars in SDSS galaxies★

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruk, Sandor J.; Lintott, Chris J.; Simmons, Brooke D.; Bamford, Steven P.; Cardamone, Carolin N.; Fortson, Lucy; Hart, Ross E.; Häußler, Boris; Masters, Karen L.; Nichol, Robert C.; Schawinski, Kevin; Smethurst, Rebecca J.

2017-08-01

We use multiwavelength Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) images and Galaxy Zoo morphologies to identify a sample of ˜270 late-type galaxies with an off-centre bar. We measure offsets in the range 0.2-2.5 kpc between the photometric centres of the stellar disc and stellar bar. The measured offsets correlate with global asymmetries of the galaxies, with those with largest offsets showing higher lopsidedness. These findings are in good agreement with predictions from simulations of dwarf-dwarf tidal interactions producing off-centre bars. We find that the majority of galaxies with off-centre bars are of Magellanic type, with a median mass of 109.6 M⊙, and 91 per cent of them having M⋆ < 3 × 1010 M⊙, the characteristic mass at which galaxies start having higher central concentrations attributed to the presence of bulges. We conduct a search for companions to test the hypothesis of tidal interactions, but find that a similar fraction of galaxies with offset bars have companions within 100 kpc as galaxies with centred bars. Although this may be due to the incompleteness of the SDSS spectroscopic survey at the faint end, alternative scenarios that give rise to offset bars such as interactions with dark companions or the effect of lopsided halo potentials should be considered. Future observations are needed to confirm possible low-mass companion candidates and to determine the shape of the dark matter halo, in order to find the explanation for the off-centre bars in these galaxies.

Galaxy Zoo: the interplay of quenching mechanisms in the group environment★

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smethurst, R. J.; Lintott, C. J.; Bamford, S. P.; Hart, R. E.; Kruk, S. J.; Masters, K. L.; Nichol, R. C.; Simmons, B. D.

2017-08-01

Does the environment of a galaxy directly influence the quenching history of a galaxy? Here, we investigate the detailed morphological structures and star formation histories of a sample of SDSS group galaxies with both classifications from Galaxy Zoo 2 and near ultra-violet (NUV) detections in GALEX. We use the optical and NUV colours to infer the quenching time and rate describing a simple exponentially declining star formation history for each galaxy, along with a control sample of field galaxies. We find that the time since quenching and the rate of quenching do not correlate with the relative velocity of a satellite but are correlated with the group potential. This quenching occurs within an average quenching time-scale of ˜ 2.5 Gyr from star forming to complete quiescence, during an average infall time (from ˜10R200 to 0.01R200) of ˜ 2.6 Gyr. Our results suggest that the environment does play a direct role in galaxy quenching through quenching mechanisms that are correlated with the group potential, such as harassment, interactions or starvation. Environmental quenching mechanisms that are correlated with satellite velocity, such as ram-pressure stripping, are not the main cause of quenching in the group environment. We find that no single mechanism dominates over another, except in the most extreme environments or masses. Instead, an interplay of mergers, mass and morphological quenching and environment-driven quenching mechanisms dependent on the group potential drive galaxy evolution in groups.

Galaxy Zoo: evidence for diverse star formation histories through the green valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smethurst, R. J.; Lintott, C. J.; Simmons, B. D.; Schawinski, K.; Marshall, P. J.; Bamford, S.; Fortson, L.; Kaviraj, S.; Masters, K. L.; Melvin, T.; Nichol, R. C.; Skibba, R. A.; Willett, K. W.

2015-06-01

Does galaxy evolution proceed through the green valley via multiple pathways or as a single population? Motivated by recent results highlighting radically different evolutionary pathways between early- and late-type galaxies, we present results from a simple Bayesian approach to this problem wherein we model the star formation history (SFH) of a galaxy with two parameters, [t, τ] and compare the predicted and observed optical and near-ultraviolet colours. We use a novel method to investigate the morphological differences between the most probable SFHs for both disc-like and smooth-like populations of galaxies, by using a sample of 126 316 galaxies (0.01 < z < 0.25) with probabilistic estimates of morphology from Galaxy Zoo. We find a clear difference between the quenching time-scales preferred by smooth- and disc-like galaxies, with three possible routes through the green valley dominated by smooth- (rapid time-scales, attributed to major mergers), intermediate- (intermediate time-scales, attributed to minor mergers and galaxy interactions) and disc-like (slow time-scales, attributed to secular evolution) galaxies. We hypothesize that morphological changes occur in systems which have undergone quenching with an exponential time-scale τ < 1.5 Gyr, in order for the evolution of galaxies in the green valley to match the ratio of smooth to disc galaxies observed in the red sequence. These rapid time-scales are instrumental in the formation of the red sequence at earlier times; however, we find that galaxies currently passing through the green valley typically do so at intermediate time-scales.†

Managing the Big Data Avalanche in Astronomy - Data Mining the Galaxy Zoo Classification Database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borne, Kirk D.

2014-01-01

We will summarize a variety of data mining experiments that have been applied to the Galaxy Zoo database of galaxy classifications, which were provided by the volunteer citizen scientists. The goal of these exercises is to learn new and improved classification rules for diverse populations of galaxies, which can then be applied to much larger sky surveys of the future, such as the LSST (Large Synoptic Sky Survey), which is proposed to obtain detailed photometric data for approximately 20 billion galaxies. The massive Big Data that astronomy projects will generate in the future demand greater application of data mining and data science algorithms, as well as greater training of astronomy students in the skills of data mining and data science. The project described here has involved several graduate and undergraduate research assistants at George Mason University.

Properties of galaxies reproduced by a hydrodynamic simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogelsberger, M.; Genel, S.; Springel, V.; Torrey, P.; Sijacki, D.; Xu, D.; Snyder, G.; Bird, S.; Nelson, D.; Hernquist, L.

2014-05-01

Previous simulations of the growth of cosmic structures have broadly reproduced the `cosmic web' of galaxies that we see in the Universe, but failed to create a mixed population of elliptical and spiral galaxies, because of numerical inaccuracies and incomplete physical models. Moreover, they were unable to track the small-scale evolution of gas and stars to the present epoch within a representative portion of the Universe. Here we report a simulation that starts 12 million years after the Big Bang, and traces 13 billion years of cosmic evolution with 12 billion resolution elements in a cube of 106.5 megaparsecs a side. It yields a reasonable population of ellipticals and spirals, reproduces the observed distribution of galaxies in clusters and characteristics of hydrogen on large scales, and at the same time matches the `metal' and hydrogen content of galaxies on small scales.

Properties of galaxies reproduced by a hydrodynamic simulation.

PubMed

Vogelsberger, M; Genel, S; Springel, V; Torrey, P; Sijacki, D; Xu, D; Snyder, G; Bird, S; Nelson, D; Hernquist, L

2014-05-08

Previous simulations of the growth of cosmic structures have broadly reproduced the 'cosmic web' of galaxies that we see in the Universe, but failed to create a mixed population of elliptical and spiral galaxies, because of numerical inaccuracies and incomplete physical models. Moreover, they were unable to track the small-scale evolution of gas and stars to the present epoch within a representative portion of the Universe. Here we report a simulation that starts 12 million years after the Big Bang, and traces 13 billion years of cosmic evolution with 12 billion resolution elements in a cube of 106.5 megaparsecs a side. It yields a reasonable population of ellipticals and spirals, reproduces the observed distribution of galaxies in clusters and characteristics of hydrogen on large scales, and at the same time matches the 'metal' and hydrogen content of galaxies on small scales.

On the nature and correction of the spurious S-wise spiral galaxy winding bias in Galaxy Zoo 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayes, Wayne B.; Davis, Darren; Silva, Pedro

2017-04-01

The Galaxy Zoo 1 catalogue displays a bias towards the S-wise winding direction in spiral galaxies, which has yet to be explained. The lack of an explanation confounds our attempts to verify the Cosmological Principle, and has spurred some debate as to whether a bias exists in the real Universe. The bias manifests not only in the obvious case of trying to decide if the universe as a whole has a winding bias, but also in the more insidious case of selecting which Galaxies to include in a winding direction survey. While the former bias has been accounted for in a previous image-mirroring study, the latter has not. Furthermore, the bias has never been corrected in the GZ1 catalogue, as only a small sample of the GZ1 catalogue was reexamined during the mirror study. We show that the existing bias is a human selection effect rather than a human chirality bias. In effect, the excess S-wise votes are spuriously 'stolen' from the elliptical and edge-on-disc categories, not the Z-wise category. Thus, when selecting a set of spiral galaxies by imposing a threshold T so that max (PS, PZ) > T or PS + PZ > T, we spuriously select more S-wise than Z-wise galaxies. We show that when a provably unbiased machine selects which galaxies are spirals independent of their chirality, the S-wise surplus vanishes, even if humans still determine the chirality. Thus, when viewed across the entire GZ1 sample (and by implication, the Sloan catalogue), the winding direction of arms in spiral galaxies as viewed from Earth is consistent with the flip of a fair coin.

Rotation-invariant convolutional neural networks for galaxy morphology prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dieleman, Sander; Willett, Kyle W.; Dambre, Joni

2015-06-01

Measuring the morphological parameters of galaxies is a key requirement for studying their formation and evolution. Surveys such as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey have resulted in the availability of very large collections of images, which have permitted population-wide analyses of galaxy morphology. Morphological analysis has traditionally been carried out mostly via visual inspection by trained experts, which is time consuming and does not scale to large (≳104) numbers of images. Although attempts have been made to build automated classification systems, these have not been able to achieve the desired level of accuracy. The Galaxy Zoo project successfully applied a crowdsourcing strategy, inviting online users to classify images by answering a series of questions. Unfortunately, even this approach does not scale well enough to keep up with the increasing availability of galaxy images. We present a deep neural network model for galaxy morphology classification which exploits translational and rotational symmetry. It was developed in the context of the Galaxy Challenge, an international competition to build the best model for morphology classification based on annotated images from the Galaxy Zoo project. For images with high agreement among the Galaxy Zoo participants, our model is able to reproduce their consensus with near-perfect accuracy (>99 per cent) for most questions. Confident model predictions are highly accurate, which makes the model suitable for filtering large collections of images and forwarding challenging images to experts for manual annotation. This approach greatly reduces the experts' workload without affecting accuracy. The application of these algorithms to larger sets of training data will be critical for analysing results from future surveys such as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.

GALAXY ZOO: THE FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT CO-EVOLUTION OF SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES AND THEIR EARLY- AND LATE-TYPE HOST GALAXIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schawinski, Kevin; Urry, C. Megan; Virani, Shanil

We use data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and visual classifications of morphology from the Galaxy Zoo project to study black hole growth in the nearby universe (z < 0.05) and to break down the active galactic nucleus (AGN) host galaxy population by color, stellar mass, and morphology. We find that the black hole growth at luminosities L[O{sub III}]>10{sup 40} erg s{sup -1} in early- and late-type galaxies is fundamentally different. AGN host galaxies as a population have a broad range of stellar masses (10{sup 10}-10{sup 11} M{sub sun}), reside in the green valley of the color-mass diagram andmore » their central black holes have median masses around 10{sup 6.5} M{sub sun}. However, by comparing early- and late-type AGN host galaxies to their non-active counterparts, we find several key differences: in early-type galaxies, it is preferentially the galaxies with the least massive black holes that are growing, while in late-type galaxies, it is preferentially the most massive black holes that are growing. The duty cycle of AGNs in early-type galaxies is strongly peaked in the green valley below the low-mass end (10{sup 10} M{sub sun}) of the red sequence at stellar masses where there is a steady supply of blue cloud progenitors. The duty cycle of AGNs in late-type galaxies on the other hand peaks in massive (10{sup 11} M{sub sun}) green and red late-types which generally do not have a corresponding blue cloud population of similar mass. At high-Eddington ratios (L/L{sub Edd}>0.1), the only population with a substantial fraction of AGNs are the low-mass green valley early-type galaxies. Finally, the Milky Way likely resides in the 'sweet spot' on the color-mass diagram where the AGN duty cycle of late-type galaxies is highest. We discuss the implications of these results for our understanding of the role of AGNs in the evolution of galaxies.« less

Chandra Observations of Galaxy Zoo Mergers: Frequency of Binary Active Nuclei in Massive Mergers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teng, Stacy H.; Schawinski, Kevin; Urry, C. Megan; Darg, Dan W.; Kaviraj, Sugata; Oh, Kyuseok; Bonning, Erin W.; Cardamone, Carolin N.; Keel, William C.; Lintott, Chris J.;

Galaxy Zoo and SPARCFIRE: constraints on spiral arm formation mechanisms from spiral arm number and pitch angles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hart, Ross E.; Bamford, Steven P.; Hayes, Wayne B.; Cardamone, Carolin N.; Keel, William C.; Kruk, Sandor J.; Lintott, Chris J.; Masters, Karen L.; Simmons, Brooke D.; Smethurst, Rebecca J.

2017-12-01

In this paper, we study the morphological properties of spiral galaxies, including measurements of spiral arm number and pitch angle. Using Galaxy Zoo 2, a stellar mass-complete sample of 6222 SDSS spiral galaxies is selected. We use the machine vision algorithm SPARCFIRE to identify spiral arm features and measure their associated geometries. A support vector machine classifier is employed to identify reliable spiral features, with which we are able to estimate pitch angles for half of our sample. We use these machine measurements to calibrate visual estimates of arm tightness, and hence estimate pitch angles for our entire sample. The properties of spiral arms are compared with respect to various galaxy properties. The star formation properties of galaxies vary significantly with arm number, but not pitch angle. We find that galaxies hosting strong bars have spiral arms substantially (4°-6°) looser than unbarred galaxies. Accounting for this, spiral arms associated with many-armed structures are looser (by 2°) than those in two-armed galaxies. In contrast to this average trend, galaxies with greater bulge-to-total stellar mass ratios display both fewer and looser spiral arms. This effect is primarily driven by the galaxy disc, such that galaxies with more massive discs contain more spiral arms with tighter pitch angles. This implies that galaxy central mass concentration is not the dominant cause of pitch angle and arm number variations between galaxies, which in turn suggests that not all spiral arms are governed by classical density waves or modal theories.

CHANDRA OBSERVATIONS OF GALAXY ZOO MERGERS: FREQUENCY OF BINARY ACTIVE NUCLEI IN MASSIVE MERGERS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Teng, Stacy H.; Schawinski, Kevin; Urry, C. Megan

We present the results from a Chandra pilot study of 12 massive galaxy mergers selected from Galaxy Zoo. The sample includes major mergers down to a host galaxy mass of 10{sup 11} M{sub Sun} that already have optical active galactic nucleus (AGN) signatures in at least one of the progenitors. We find that the coincidences of optically selected active nuclei with mildly obscured (N{sub H} {approx}< 1.1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 22} cm{sup -2}) X-ray nuclei are relatively common (8/12), but the detections are too faint (<40 counts per nucleus; f{sub 2-10keV} {approx}< 1.2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -13} erg s{sup -1} cm{sup -2})more » to reliably separate starburst and nuclear activity as the origin of the X-ray emission. Only one merger is found to have confirmed binary X-ray nuclei, though the X-ray emission from its southern nucleus could be due solely to star formation. Thus, the occurrences of binary AGNs in these mergers are rare (0%-8%), unless most merger-induced active nuclei are very heavily obscured or Compton thick.« less

Galaxy Zoo: the dependence of the star formation-stellar mass relation on spiral disc morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willett, Kyle W.; Schawinski, Kevin; Simmons, Brooke D.; Masters, Karen L.; Skibba, Ramin A.; Kaviraj, Sugata; Melvin, Thomas; Wong, O. Ivy; Nichol, Robert C.; Cheung, Edmond; Lintott, Chris J.; Fortson, Lucy

2015-05-01

We measure the stellar mass-star formation rate (SFR) relation in star-forming disc galaxies at z ≤ 0.085, using Galaxy Zoo morphologies to examine different populations of spirals as classified by their kiloparsec-scale structure. We examine the number of spiral arms, their relative pitch angle, and the presence of a galactic bar in the disc, and show that both the slope and dispersion of the M⋆-SFR relation is constant when varying all the above parameters. We also show that mergers (both major and minor), which represent the strongest conditions for increases in star formation at a constant mass, only boost the SFR above the main relation by ˜0.3 dex; this is significantly smaller than the increase seen in merging systems at z > 1. Of the galaxies lying significantly above the M⋆-SFR relation in the local Universe, more than 50 per cent are mergers. We interpret this as evidence that the spiral arms, which are imperfect reflections of the galaxy's current gravitational potential, are either fully independent of the various quenching mechanisms or are completely overwhelmed by the combination of outflows and feedback. The arrangement of the star formation can be changed, but the system as a whole regulates itself even in the presence of strong dynamical forcing.

Bivariate mass-size relation as a function of morphology as determined by Galaxy Zoo 2 crowdsourced visual classifications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, Melanie; Scarlata, Claudia; Fortson, Lucy; Willett, Kyle; Galloway, Melanie

2016-01-01

It is well known that the mass-size distribution evolves as a function of cosmic time and that this evolution is different between passive and star-forming galaxy populations. However, the devil is in the details and the precise evolution is still a matter of debate since this requires careful comparison between similar galaxy populations over cosmic time while simultaneously taking into account changes in image resolution, rest-frame wavelength, and surface brightness dimming in addition to properly selecting representative morphological samples.Here we present the first step in an ambitious undertaking to calculate the bivariate mass-size distribution as a function of time and morphology. We begin with a large sample (~3 x 105) of SDSS galaxies at z ~ 0.1. Morphologies for this sample have been determined by Galaxy Zoo crowdsourced visual classifications and we split the sample not only by disk- and bulge-dominated galaxies but also in finer morphology bins such as bulge strength. Bivariate distribution functions are the only way to properly account for biases and selection effects. In particular, we quantify the mass-size distribution with a version of the parametric Maximum Likelihood estimator which has been modified to account for measurement errors as well as upper limits on galaxy sizes.

Chandra Observations of Galaxy Zoo Mergers: Frequency of Binary Active Nuclei in Massive Mergers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teng, Stacy H.; Schwainski, Kevin; Urry, C. Megan; Darg, Dan W.; Kaviraj, Sugata; Oh, Kyuseok; Bonning, Erin W.; Cardamone, Carolin N.; Keel, William C.; Lintott, Chris J.;

Interstellar colonization and the zoo hypothesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, E.M.

Michael Hart and others have pointed out that current estimates of the number of technological civilizations arisen in the Galaxy since its formation is in fundamental conflict with the expectation that such a civilization could colonize and utilize the entire Galaxy in 10 to 20 million years. This dilemma can be called Hart's paradox. Resolution of the paradox requires that one or more of the following are true: we are the Galaxy's first technical civilization; interstellar travel is immensely impractical or simply impossible; technological civilizations are very short-lived; or we inhabit a wildnerness preserve. The latter is the zoo hypothesis.more » (GHT)« less

The Galaxy platform for accessible, reproducible and collaborative biomedical analyses: 2018 update.

PubMed

Afgan, Enis; Baker, Dannon; Batut, Bérénice; van den Beek, Marius; Bouvier, Dave; Cech, Martin; Chilton, John; Clements, Dave; Coraor, Nate; Grüning, Björn A; Guerler, Aysam; Hillman-Jackson, Jennifer; Hiltemann, Saskia; Jalili, Vahid; Rasche, Helena; Soranzo, Nicola; Goecks, Jeremy; Taylor, James; Nekrutenko, Anton; Blankenberg, Daniel

2018-05-22

Galaxy (homepage: https://galaxyproject.org, main public server: https://usegalaxy.org) is a web-based scientific analysis platform used by tens of thousands of scientists across the world to analyze large biomedical datasets such as those found in genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and imaging. Started in 2005, Galaxy continues to focus on three key challenges of data-driven biomedical science: making analyses accessible to all researchers, ensuring analyses are completely reproducible, and making it simple to communicate analyses so that they can be reused and extended. During the last two years, the Galaxy team and the open-source community around Galaxy have made substantial improvements to Galaxy's core framework, user interface, tools, and training materials. Framework and user interface improvements now enable Galaxy to be used for analyzing tens of thousands of datasets, and >5500 tools are now available from the Galaxy ToolShed. The Galaxy community has led an effort to create numerous high-quality tutorials focused on common types of genomic analyses. The Galaxy developer and user communities continue to grow and be integral to Galaxy's development. The number of Galaxy public servers, developers contributing to the Galaxy framework and its tools, and users of the main Galaxy server have all increased substantially.

Radio Galaxy Zoo: cosmological alignment of radio sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Contigiani, O.; de Gasperin, F.; Miley, G. K.; Rudnick, L.; Andernach, H.; Banfield, J. K.; Kapińska, A. D.; Shabala, S. S.; Wong, O. I.

2017-11-01

We study the mutual alignment of radio sources within two surveys, Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-centimetres (FIRST) and TIFR GMRT Sky Survey (TGSS). This is done by producing two position angle catalogues containing the preferential directions of respectively 30 059 and 11 674 extended sources distributed over more than 7000 and 17 000 deg2. The identification of the sources in the FIRST sample was performed in advance by volunteers of the Radio Galaxy Zoo (RGZ) project, while for the TGSS sample it is the result of an automated process presented here. After taking into account systematic effects, marginal evidence of a local alignment on scales smaller than 2.5 deg is found in the FIRST sample. The probability of this happening by chance is found to be less than 2 per cent. Further study suggests that on scales up to 1.5 deg the alignment is maximal. For one third of the sources, the RGZ volunteers identified an optical counterpart. Assuming a flat Λ cold dark matter cosmology with Ω _m = 0.31, Ω _Λ = 0.69, we convert the maximum angular scale on which alignment is seen into a physical scale in the range [19, 38] Mpc h_{70}^{-1}. This result supports recent evidence reported by Taylor and Jagannathan of radio jet alignment in the 1.4 deg2 ELAIS N1 field observed with the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope. The TGSS sample is found to be too sparsely populated to manifest a similar signal.

Enhanced reproducibility of SADI web service workflows with Galaxy and Docker.

PubMed

Aranguren, Mikel Egaña; Wilkinson, Mark D

2015-01-01

Semantic Web technologies have been widely applied in the life sciences, for example by data providers such as OpenLifeData and through web services frameworks such as SADI. The recently reported OpenLifeData2SADI project offers access to the vast OpenLifeData data store through SADI services. This article describes how to merge data retrieved from OpenLifeData2SADI with other SADI services using the Galaxy bioinformatics analysis platform, thus making this semantic data more amenable to complex analyses. This is demonstrated using a working example, which is made distributable and reproducible through a Docker image that includes SADI tools, along with the data and workflows that constitute the demonstration. The combination of Galaxy and Docker offers a solution for faithfully reproducing and sharing complex data retrieval and analysis workflows based on the SADI Semantic web service design patterns.

Radio Galaxy Zoo: compact and extended radio source classification with deep learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukic, V.; Brüggen, M.; Banfield, J. K.; Wong, O. I.; Rudnick, L.; Norris, R. P.; Simmons, B.

2018-05-01

Machine learning techniques have been increasingly useful in astronomical applications over the last few years, for example in the morphological classification of galaxies. Convolutional neural networks have proven to be highly effective in classifying objects in image data. In the context of radio-interferometric imaging in astronomy, we looked for ways to identify multiple components of individual sources. To this effect, we design a convolutional neural network to differentiate between different morphology classes using sources from the Radio Galaxy Zoo (RGZ) citizen science project. In this first step, we focus on exploring the factors that affect the performance of such neural networks, such as the amount of training data, number and nature of layers, and the hyperparameters. We begin with a simple experiment in which we only differentiate between two extreme morphologies, using compact and multiple-component extended sources. We found that a three-convolutional layer architecture yielded very good results, achieving a classification accuracy of 97.4 per cent on a test data set. The same architecture was then tested on a four-class problem where we let the network classify sources into compact and three classes of extended sources, achieving a test accuracy of 93.5 per cent. The best-performing convolutional neural network set-up has been verified against RGZ Data Release 1 where a final test accuracy of 94.8 per cent was obtained, using both original and augmented images. The use of sigma clipping does not offer a significant benefit overall, except in cases with a small number of training images.

Galaxy Zoo: evidence for rapid, recent quenching within a population of AGN host galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smethurst, R. J.; Lintott, C. J.; Simmons, B. D.; Schawinski, K.; Bamford, S. P.; Cardamone, C. N.; Kruk, S. J.; Masters, K. L.; Urry, C. M.; Willett, K. W.; Wong, O. I.

2016-12-01

We present a population study of the star formation history of 1244 Type 2 active galactic nuclei (AGN) host galaxies, compared to 6107 inactive galaxies. A Bayesian method is used to determine individual galaxy star formation histories, which are then collated to visualize the distribution for quenching and quenched galaxies within each population. We find evidence for some of the Type 2 AGN host galaxies having undergone a rapid drop in their star formation rate within the last 2 Gyr. AGN feedback is therefore important at least for this population of galaxies. This result is not seen for the quenching and quenched inactive galaxies whose star formation histories are dominated by the effects of downsizing at earlier epochs, a secondary effect for the AGN host galaxies. We show that histories of rapid quenching cannot account fully for the quenching of all the star formation in a galaxy's lifetime across the population of quenched AGN host galaxies, and that histories of slower quenching, attributed to secular (non-violent) evolution, are also key in their evolution. This is in agreement with recent results showing that both merger-driven and non-merger processes are contributing to the co-evolution of galaxies and supermassive black holes. The availability of gas in the reservoirs of a galaxy, and its ability to be replenished, appear to be the key drivers behind this co-evolution.

THE NUMBER OF TIDAL DWARF SATELLITE GALAXIES IN DEPENDENCE OF BULGE INDEX

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

López-Corredoira, Martín; Kroupa, Pavel, E-mail: martinlc@iac.es, E-mail: pavel@astro.uni-bonn.de

We show that a significant correlation (up to 5σ) emerges between the bulge index, defined to be larger for a larger bulge/disk ratio, in spiral galaxies with similar luminosities in the Galaxy Zoo 2 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the number of tidal-dwarf galaxies in the catalog by Kaviraj et al. In the standard cold or warm dark matter cosmological models, the number of satellite galaxies correlates with the circular velocity of the dark matter host halo. In generalized gravity models without cold or warm dark matter, such a correlation does not exist, because host galaxies cannot capture infalling dwarfmore » galaxies due to the absence of dark-matter-induced dynamical friction. However, in such models, a correlation is expected to exist between the bulge mass and the number of satellite galaxies because bulges and tidal-dwarf satellite galaxies form in encounters between host galaxies. This is not predicted by dark matter models in which bulge mass and the number of satellites are a priori uncorrelated because higher bulge/disk ratios do not imply higher dark/luminous ratios. Hence, our correlation reproduces the prediction of scenarios without dark matter, whereas an explanation is not found readily from the a priori predictions of the standard scenario with dark matter. Further research is needed to explore whether some application of the standard theory may explain this correlation.« less

An automatic taxonomy of galaxy morphology using unsupervised machine learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hocking, Alex; Geach, James E.; Sun, Yi; Davey, Neil

2018-01-01

We present an unsupervised machine learning technique that automatically segments and labels galaxies in astronomical imaging surveys using only pixel data. Distinct from previous unsupervised machine learning approaches used in astronomy we use no pre-selection or pre-filtering of target galaxy type to identify galaxies that are similar. We demonstrate the technique on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Frontier Fields. By training the algorithm using galaxies from one field (Abell 2744) and applying the result to another (MACS 0416.1-2403), we show how the algorithm can cleanly separate early and late type galaxies without any form of pre-directed training for what an 'early' or 'late' type galaxy is. We then apply the technique to the HST Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) fields, creating a catalogue of approximately 60 000 classifications. We show how the automatic classification groups galaxies of similar morphological (and photometric) type and make the classifications public via a catalogue, a visual catalogue and galaxy similarity search. We compare the CANDELS machine-based classifications to human-classifications from the Galaxy Zoo: CANDELS project. Although there is not a direct mapping between Galaxy Zoo and our hierarchical labelling, we demonstrate a good level of concordance between human and machine classifications. Finally, we show how the technique can be used to identify rarer objects and present lensed galaxy candidates from the CANDELS imaging.

Our Zoo to You

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wickless, Mimi; Brooks, David W.; Abuloum, Amjad; Mancuso, Brian; Heng-Moss, Tiffany M.; Mayo, Lois

2003-01-01

An innovative zoo outreach program, Our Zoo to You, places zoo animals in local classrooms for extended observation periods. With guidance and support from zoo staff, students are able to safely experience a variety of animals, including geckos, snakes, legless lizards, horned toads, ringneck doves, ferrets, hedgehogs, African brown millipedes,…

The Galaxy platform for accessible, reproducible and collaborative biomedical analyses: 2016 update

PubMed Central

Afgan, Enis; Baker, Dannon; van den Beek, Marius; Blankenberg, Daniel; Bouvier, Dave; Čech, Martin; Chilton, John; Clements, Dave; Coraor, Nate; Eberhard, Carl; Grüning, Björn; Guerler, Aysam; Hillman-Jackson, Jennifer; Von Kuster, Greg; Rasche, Eric; Soranzo, Nicola; Turaga, Nitesh; Taylor, James; Nekrutenko, Anton; Goecks, Jeremy

2016-01-01

High-throughput data production technologies, particularly ‘next-generation’ DNA sequencing, have ushered in widespread and disruptive changes to biomedical research. Making sense of the large datasets produced by these technologies requires sophisticated statistical and computational methods, as well as substantial computational power. This has led to an acute crisis in life sciences, as researchers without informatics training attempt to perform computation-dependent analyses. Since 2005, the Galaxy project has worked to address this problem by providing a framework that makes advanced computational tools usable by non experts. Galaxy seeks to make data-intensive research more accessible, transparent and reproducible by providing a Web-based environment in which users can perform computational analyses and have all of the details automatically tracked for later inspection, publication, or reuse. In this report we highlight recently added features enabling biomedical analyses on a large scale. PMID:27137889

Automatic Galaxy Classification via Machine Learning Techniques: Parallelized Rotation/Flipping INvariant Kohonen Maps (PINK)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polsterer, K. L.; Gieseke, F.; Igel, C.

2015-09-01

In the last decades more and more all-sky surveys created an enormous amount of data which is publicly available on the Internet. Crowd-sourcing projects such as Galaxy-Zoo and Radio-Galaxy-Zoo used encouraged users from all over the world to manually conduct various classification tasks. The combination of the pattern-recognition capabilities of thousands of volunteers enabled scientists to finish the data analysis within acceptable time. For up-coming surveys with billions of sources, however, this approach is not feasible anymore. In this work, we present an unsupervised method that can automatically process large amounts of galaxy data and which generates a set of prototypes. This resulting model can be used to both visualize the given galaxy data as well as to classify so far unseen images.

NIHAO - XIV. Reproducing the observed diversity of dwarf galaxy rotation curve shapes in ΛCDM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos-Santos, Isabel M.; Di Cintio, Arianna; Brook, Chris B.; Macciò, Andrea; Dutton, Aaron; Domínguez-Tenreiro, Rosa

2018-02-01

The significant diversity of rotation curve (RC) shapes in dwarf galaxies has recently emerged as a challenge to Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM): in dark matter (DM) only simulations, DM haloes have a universal cuspy density profile that results in self-similar RC shapes. We compare RC shapes of simulated galaxies from the NIHAO (Numerical Investigation of a Hundred Astrophysical Objects) project with observed galaxies from the homogeneous SPARC data set. The DM haloes of the NIHAO galaxies can expand to form cores, with the degree of expansion depending on their stellar-to-halo mass ratio. By means of the V2kpc-VRlast relation (where VRlast is the outermost measured rotation velocity), we show that both the average trend and the scatter in RC shapes of NIHAO galaxies are in reasonable agreement with SPARC: this represents a significant improvement compared to simulations that do not result in DM core formation, suggesting that halo expansion is a key process in matching the diversity of dwarf galaxy RCs. Note that NIHAO galaxies can reproduce even the extremely slowly rising RCs of IC 2574 and UGC 5750. Revealingly, the range where observed galaxies show the highest diversity corresponds to the range where core formation is most efficient in NIHAO simulations, 50 < VRlast/km s-1 < 100. A few observed galaxies in this range cannot be matched by any NIHAO RC nor by simulations that predict a universal halo profile. Interestingly, the majority of these are starbursts or emission-line galaxies, with steep RCs and small effective radii. Such galaxies represent an interesting observational target providing new clues to the process/viability of cusp-core transformation, the relationship between starburst and inner potential well, and the nature of DM.

Integrating Human and Machine Intelligence in Galaxy Morphology Classification Tasks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, Melanie Renee

thus solved both the visual classification problem of time efficiency and improved accuracy by producing a distribution of independent classifications for each galaxy. While crowd-sourced galaxy classifications have proven their worth, challenges remain before establishing this method as a critical and standard component of the data processing pipelines for the next generation of surveys. In particular, though innovative, crowd-sourcing techniques do not have the capacity to handle the data volume and rates expected in the next generation of surveys. These algorithms will be delegated to handle the majority of the classification tasks, freeing citizen scientists to contribute their efforts on subtler and more complex assignments. This thesis presents a solution through an integration of visual and automated classifications, preserving the best features of both human and machine. We demonstrate the effectiveness of such a system through a re-analysis of visual galaxy morphology classifications collected during the Galaxy Zoo 2 (GZ2) project. We reprocess the top-level question of the GZ2 decision tree with a Bayesian classification aggregation algorithm dubbed SWAP, originally developed for the Space Warps gravitational lens project. Through a simple binary classification scheme we increase the classification rate nearly 5-fold classifying 226,124 galaxies in 92 days of GZ2 project time while reproducing labels derived from GZ2 classification data with 95.7% accuracy. We next combine this with a Random Forest machine learning algorithm that learns on a suite of non-parametric morphology indicators widely used for automated morphologies. We develop a decision engine that delegates tasks between human and machine and demonstrate that the combined system provides a factor of 11.4 increase in the classification rate, classifying 210,803 galaxies in just 32 days of GZ2 project time with 93.1% accuracy. As the Random Forest algorithm requires a minimal amount of computational

Cosmic Collisions: Galaxy Mergers and Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trouille, Laura; Willett, Kyle; Masters, Karen; Lintott, Christopher; Whyte, Laura; Lynn, Stuart; Tremonti, Christina A.

2014-08-01

Over the years evidence has mounted for a significant mode of galaxy evolution via mergers. This process links gas-rich, spiral galaxies; starbursting galaxies; active galactic nuclei (AGN); post-starburst galaxies; and gas-poor, elliptical galaxies, as objects representing different phases of major galaxy mergers. The post-starburst phase is particularly interesting because nearly every galaxy that evolves from star-forming to quiescent must pass through it. In essence, this phase is a sort of galaxy evolution “bottleneck” that indicates that a galaxy is actively evolving through important physical transitions. In this talk I will present the results from the ‘Galaxy Zoo Quench’ project - using post-starburst galaxies to place observational constraints on the role of mergers and AGN activity in quenching star formation. `Quench’ is the first fully collaborative research project with Zooniverse citizen scientists online; engaging the public in all phases of research, from classification to data analysis and discussion to writing the article and submission to a refereed journal.

Integrating human and machine intelligence in galaxy morphology classification tasks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, Melanie R.; Scarlata, Claudia; Fortson, Lucy F.; Lintott, Chris J.; Simmons, B. D.; Galloway, Melanie A.; Willett, Kyle W.; Dickinson, Hugh; Masters, Karen L.; Marshall, Philip J.; Wright, Darryl

2018-06-01

Quantifying galaxy morphology is a challenging yet scientifically rewarding task. As the scale of data continues to increase with upcoming surveys, traditional classification methods will struggle to handle the load. We present a solution through an integration of visual and automated classifications, preserving the best features of both human and machine. We demonstrate the effectiveness of such a system through a re-analysis of visual galaxy morphology classifications collected during the Galaxy Zoo 2 (GZ2) project. We reprocess the top-level question of the GZ2 decision tree with a Bayesian classification aggregation algorithm dubbed SWAP, originally developed for the Space Warps gravitational lens project. Through a simple binary classification scheme, we increase the classification rate nearly 5-fold classifying 226 124 galaxies in 92 d of GZ2 project time while reproducing labels derived from GZ2 classification data with 95.7 per cent accuracy. We next combine this with a Random Forest machine learning algorithm that learns on a suite of non-parametric morphology indicators widely used for automated morphologies. We develop a decision engine that delegates tasks between human and machine and demonstrate that the combined system provides at least a factor of 8 increase in the classification rate, classifying 210 803 galaxies in just 32 d of GZ2 project time with 93.1 per cent accuracy. As the Random Forest algorithm requires a minimal amount of computational cost, this result has important implications for galaxy morphology identification tasks in the era of Euclid and other large-scale surveys.

SpArcFiRe: morphological selection effects due to reduced visibility of tightly winding arms in distant spiral galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Tianrui Rae; Edward English, John; Silva, Pedro; Davis, Darren R.; Hayes, Wayne B.

2018-03-01

The Galaxy Zoo project has provided a plethora of valuable morphological data on a large number of galaxies from various surveys, and their team have identified and/or corrected for many biases. Here we study a new bias related to spiral arm pitch angles, which first requires selecting a sample of spiral galaxies that show observable structure. One obvious way is to select galaxies using a threshold in spirality, which we define as the fraction of Galaxy Zoo humans who have reported seeing spiral structure. Using such a threshold, we use the automated tool SpArcFiRe (SPiral ARC FInder and REporter) to measure spiral arm pitch angles. We observe that the mean pitch angle of spiral arms increases linearly with redshift for 0.05 < z < 0.085. We hypothesize that this is a selection effect due to tightly-wound arms becoming less visible as image quality degrades, leading to fewer such galaxies being above the spirality threshold as redshift increases. We corroborate this hypothesis by first artificially degrading images of nearby galaxies, and then using a machine learning algorithm trained on Galaxy Zoo data to provide a spirality for each artificially degraded image. We find that SpARcFiRe's ability to accurately measure pitch angles decreases as the image degrades, but that spirality decreases more quickly in galaxies with tightly wound arms, leading to the selection effect. This new bias means one must be careful in selecting a sample on which to measure spiral structure. Finally, we also include a sensitivity analysis of SpArcFiRe's internal parameters.

Seasonal mortality in zoo ruminants.

PubMed

Carisch, Lea; Müller, Dennis W H; Hatt, Jean-Michel; Bingaman Lackey, Laurie; Rensch, E Eberhard; Clauss, Marcus; Zerbe, Philipp

2017-01-01

While seasonality has often been investigated with respect to reproduction, seasonality of mortality has received less attention. We investigated whether a seasonal signal of mortality exists in wild ruminants kept in zoos, using data from 60,591 individuals of 88 species. We quantified the mortality in the 3 consecutive months with the highest above-baseline mortality (3 MM). 3 MM was not related to relative life expectancy of species, indicating that seasonal mortality does not necessarily impact husbandry success. Although 3 MM was mainly observed in autumn/winter months, there was no evidence for an expected negative relationship with the latitude of the species' natural habitat and no positive relationship between 3 MM and the mean temperature in that habitat, indicating no evidence for species from lower latitudes/warmer climates being more susceptible to seasonal mortality under zoo conditions. 3 MM was related to reproductive biology, with seasonally reproducing species also displaying more seasonal mortality. This pattern differed between groups: In cervids, the onset of seasonal mortality appeared linked to the onset of rut in both sexes. This was less evident in bovids, where in a number of species (especially caprids), the onset of female seasonal mortality was linked to the lambing period. While showing that the origin of a species from warmer climate zones does not constrain husbandry success in ruminants in terms of an increased seasonal mortality, the results suggest that husbandry measures aimed at protecting females from rutting males are important, especially in cervids. Zoo Biol. 36:74-86, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Automatic morphological classification of galaxy images

PubMed Central

Shamir, Lior

2009-01-01

We describe an image analysis supervised learning algorithm that can automatically classify galaxy images. The algorithm is first trained using a manually classified images of elliptical, spiral, and edge-on galaxies. A large set of image features is extracted from each image, and the most informative features are selected using Fisher scores. Test images can then be classified using a simple Weighted Nearest Neighbor rule such that the Fisher scores are used as the feature weights. Experimental results show that galaxy images from Galaxy Zoo can be classified automatically to spiral, elliptical and edge-on galaxies with accuracy of ~90% compared to classifications carried out by the author. Full compilable source code of the algorithm is available for free download, and its general-purpose nature makes it suitable for other uses that involve automatic image analysis of celestial objects. PMID:20161594

Bronx Zoo cogeneration project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rivet, P.H.

The New York Zoological Society commenced feasibility studies for a proposed cogeneration and district heating system for the Bronz Zoo in spring 1982. Early studies focused on evaluating the Zoo's energy loads, infrastructure, and energy delivery and financing systems. The Zoological Society and New York City joined in the decision to support the construction of a system which would serve not only the Bronx Zoo but also five nearby City-funded installations, including the adjacent New York Botanical Garden. Since the submission of that study, the project has been modified in scope, scaling back to a generating capacity designed to servemore » only the Bronz Zoo.« less

Reproducing the local and global morphological segregation between S and S0 galaxies in rich clusters by simple ram-pressure stripping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solanes, Jose M.; Salvador-Sole, Eduardo

1992-08-01

We calculate the morphological segregation in rich galaxy clusters expected to arise from the possible evolution of S galaxies into S0 galaxies via the gas removal of their disks by ram-pressure stripping. The calculation is run on Monte Carlo simulations by following individual S galaxies in the potential well of a spherical anisotropic cluster making use of Gunn and Gott's (1972) stripping condition. The results are compared with both Dressler's (1980) local type/density relation and a global population-richness correlation inferred from real data in the present work. We find that, contrary to a rather extended opinion, this evolution scheme reproduces very well the observed morphological segregation between S and S0 galaxies in rich clusters provided that the initial populations are close to those i dense loose groups.

Zoo theater's influence on affect and cognition: a case study from the Central Park Zoo in New York.

PubMed

Penn, Laura

2009-09-01

Zoo theater is used by zoos as a means to influence visitor feelings and knowledge gain about wildlife and environmental themes. This study examined whether and to what extent zoo theater fulfilled these aims by investigating its impact on affect and cognition. The study consisted of an in-depth case study at the Central Park Zoo in New York, a location that has one of the most diverse zoo theater programs in the United States. Using a multimethod approach the study explored many facets of the Central Park Zoo's extensive zoo theater program. These included performances at a main stage, at exhibits, and in the children's zoo. The study found that the extent of zoo theater's influence on affect and cognition is dependent on a combination of a variety of characteristics that include the length of a performance, audience participation, the level of structure of a performance, the presence of song and dance elements, and the scale of the productions.

Gradient pattern analysis applied to galaxy morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosa, R. R.; de Carvalho, R. R.; Sautter, R. A.; Barchi, P. H.; Stalder, D. H.; Moura, T. C.; Rembold, S. B.; Morell, D. R. F.; Ferreira, N. C.

2018-06-01

Gradient pattern analysis (GPA) is a well-established technique for measuring gradient bilateral asymmetries of a square numerical lattice. This paper introduces an improved version of GPA designed for galaxy morphometry. We show the performance of the new method on a selected sample of 54 896 objects from the SDSS-DR7 in common with Galaxy Zoo 1 catalogue. The results suggest that the second gradient moment, G2, has the potential to dramatically improve over more conventional morphometric parameters. It separates early- from late-type galaxies better (˜ 90 per cent) than the CAS system (C˜ 79 per cent, A˜ 50 per cent, S˜ 43 per cent) and a benchmark test shows that it is applicable to hundreds of thousands of galaxies using typical processing systems.

Gradient Pattern Analysis Applied to Galaxy Morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosa, R. R.; de Carvalho, R. R.; Sautter, R. A.; Barchi, P. H.; Stalder, D. H.; Moura, T. C.; Rembold, S. B.; Morell, D. R. F.; Ferreira, N. C.

2018-04-01

Gradient pattern analysis (GPA) is a well-established technique for measuring gradient bilateral asymmetries of a square numerical lattice. This paper introduces an improved version of GPA designed for galaxy morphometry. We show the performance of the new method on a selected sample of 54,896 objects from the SDSS-DR7 in common with Galaxy Zoo 1 catalog. The results suggest that the second gradient moment, G2, has the potential to dramatically improve over more conventional morphometric parameters. It separates early from late type galaxies better (˜90%) than the CAS system (C ˜ 79%, A ˜ 50%, S ˜ 43%) and a benchmark test shows that it is applicable to hundreds of thousands of galaxies using typical processing systems.

The metal enrichment of passive galaxies in cosmological simulations of galaxy formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okamoto, Takashi; Nagashima, Masahiro; Lacey, Cedric G.; Frenk, Carlos S.

2017-02-01

Massive early-type galaxies have higher metallicities and higher ratios of α elements to iron than their less massive counterparts. Reproducing these correlations has long been a problem for hierarchical galaxy formation theory, both in semi-analytic models and cosmological hydrodynamic simulations. We show that a simulation in which gas cooling in massive dark haloes is quenched by radio-mode active galactic nuclei (AGNs) feedback naturally reproduces the observed trend between α/Fe and the velocity dispersion of galaxies, σ. The quenching occurs earlier for more massive galaxies. Consequently, these galaxies complete their star formation before α/Fe is diluted by the contribution from Type Ia supernovae. For galaxies more massive than ˜1011 M⊙, whose α/Fe correlates positively with stellar mass, we find an inversely correlated mass-metallicity relation. This is a common problem in simulations in which star formation in massive galaxies is quenched either by quasar- or radio-mode AGN feedback. The early suppression of gas cooling in progenitors of massive galaxies prevents them from recapturing enriched gas ejected as winds. Simultaneously reproducing the [α/Fe]-σ relation and the mass-metallicity relation is, thus, difficult in the current framework of galaxy formation.

An investigation into the determining factors of zoo visitor attendances in UK zoos.

PubMed

Whitworth, Andrew William

2012-01-01

The debate as to which animals are most beneficial to keep in zoos in terms of financial and conservative value is readily disputed; however, demographic factors have also been shown to relate to visitor numbers on an international level. The main aims of this research were: (1) To observe the distribution and location of zoos across the UK, (2) to develop a way of calculating zoo popularity in terms of the species kept within a collection and (3) to investigate the factors related to visitor numbers regarding admission costs, popularity of the collection in terms of the species kept and local demographic factors. Zoo visitor numbers were positively correlated with generated popularity ratings for zoos based on the species kept within a collection and admission prices (Pearson correlation: n = 34, r = 0.268, P = 0.126 and n = 34, r = -0.430, P = 0.011). Animal collections are aggregated around large cities and tourist regions, particularly coastal areas. No relationship between demographic variables and visitor numbers was found (Pearson correlation: n = 34, r = 0.268, P = 0.126), which suggests that the popularity of a zoo's collection relative to the types and numbers of species kept is more indicative of a collection's visitor numbers than its surrounding demographic figures. Zoos should incorporate generating high popularity scores as part of their collection planning strategies, to ensure that they thrive in the future, not only as tourist attractions but also as major conservation organizations.

An Investigation into the Determining Factors of Zoo Visitor Attendances in UK Zoos

PubMed Central

Whitworth, Andrew William

2012-01-01

The debate as to which animals are most beneficial to keep in zoos in terms of financial and conservative value is readily disputed; however, demographic factors have also been shown to relate to visitor numbers on an international level. The main aims of this research were: (1) To observe the distribution and location of zoos across the UK, (2) to develop a way of calculating zoo popularity in terms of the species kept within a collection and (3) to investigate the factors related to visitor numbers regarding admission costs, popularity of the collection in terms of the species kept and local demographic factors. Zoo visitor numbers were positively correlated with generated popularity ratings for zoos based on the species kept within a collection and admission prices (Pearson correlation: n = 34, r = 0.268, P = 0.126 and n = 34, r = −0.430, P = 0.011). Animal collections are aggregated around large cities and tourist regions, particularly coastal areas. No relationship between demographic variables and visitor numbers was found (Pearson correlation: n = 34, r = 0.268, P = 0.126), which suggests that the popularity of a zoo's collection relative to the types and numbers of species kept is more indicative of a collection's visitor numbers than its surrounding demographic figures. Zoos should incorporate generating high popularity scores as part of their collection planning strategies, to ensure that they thrive in the future, not only as tourist attractions but also as major conservation organizations. PMID:22253799

Feeding live prey to zoo animals: response of zoo visitors in Switzerland.

PubMed

Cottle, Lauren; Tamir, Dan; Hyseni, Mimoza; Bühler, Dominique; Lindemann-Matthies, Petra

2010-01-01

In summer 2007, with the help of a written questionnaire, the attitudes of more than 400 visitors to the zoological garden of Zurich, Switzerland, toward the idea of feeding live insects to lizards, live fish to otters, and live rabbits to tigers were investigated. The majority of Swiss zoo visitors agreed with the idea of feeding live prey (invertebrates and vertebrates) to zoo animals, both off- and on-exhibit, except in the case of feeding live rabbits to tigers on-exhibit. Women and frequent visitors of the zoo disagreed more often with the on-exhibit feeding of live rabbits to tigers. Study participants with a higher level of education were more likely to agree with the idea of feeding live invertebrates and vertebrates to zoo animals off-exhibit. In comparison to an earlier study undertaken in Scotland, zoo visitors in Switzerland were more often in favor of the live feeding of vertebrates. Feeding live prey can counter the loss of hunting skills of carnivores and improve the animals' well-being. However, feeding enrichments have to strike a balance between optimal living conditions of animals and the quality of visitor experience. Our results show that such a balance can be found, especially when live feeding of mammals is carried out off-exhibit. A good interpretation of food enrichment might help zoos to win more support for the issue, and for re-introduction programs and conservation. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

How Zoos Are Meeting the Challenges Facing Biodiversity: Bristol Zoo Gardens as a Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrett, Simon

2010-01-01

As ideas about effective conservation of biodiversity develop, zoos are adapting their roles to meet the new challenges. This article considers these changes, using the work of Bristol and other UK zoos as a case study. The significance of zoos in both global and local conservation of biodiversity, their role in promoting public engagement and…

Is wounding aggression in zoo-housed chimpanzees and ring-tailed lemurs related to zoo visitor numbers?

PubMed

Hosey, Geoff; Melfi, Vicky; Formella, Isabel; Ward, Samantha J; Tokarski, Marina; Brunger, Dave; Brice, Sara; Hill, Sonya P

2016-05-01

Chimpanzees in laboratory colonies experience more wounds on weekdays than on weekends, which has been attributed to the increased number of people present during the week; thus, the presence of more people was interpreted as stressful. If this were also true for primates in zoos, where high human presence is a regular feature, this would clearly be of concern. Here we examine wounding rates in two primate species (chimpanzees Pan troglodytes and ring-tailed lemurs Lemur catta) at three different zoos, to determine whether they correlate with mean number of visitors to the zoo. Wounding data were obtained from a zoo electronic record keeping system (ZIMS™). The pattern of wounds did not correlate with mean gate numbers for those days for either species in any group. We conclude that there is no evidence that high visitor numbers result in increased woundings in these two species when housed in zoos. Zoo Biol. 35:205-209, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Submillimeter Galaxy Number Counts and Magnification by Galaxy Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima, Marcos; Jain, Bhuvnesh; Devlin, Mark; Aguirre, James

2010-07-01

We present an analytical model that reproduces measured galaxy number counts from surveys in the wavelength range of 500 μm-2 mm. The model involves a single high-redshift galaxy population with a Schechter luminosity function that has been gravitationally lensed by galaxy clusters in the mass range 1013-1015 M sun. This simple model reproduces both the low-flux and the high-flux end of the number counts reported by the BLAST, SCUBA, AzTEC, and South Pole Telescope (SPT) surveys. In particular, our model accounts for the most luminous galaxies detected by SPT as the result of high magnifications by galaxy clusters (magnification factors of 10-30). This interpretation implies that submillimeter (submm) and millimeter surveys of this population may prove to be a useful addition to ongoing cluster detection surveys. The model also implies that the bulk of submm galaxies detected at wavelengths larger than 500 μm lie at redshifts greater than 2.

Bulgeless Galaxies Hosting 107 M⊙ AGN in Galaxy Zoo: The Growth of Black Holes via Secular Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simmons, Brooke; Lintott, C. J.; Schawinski, K.; Moran, E. C.; Han, A.; Kaviraj, S.; Masters, K. L.; Urry, C. M.; Willett, K.; Bamford, S. P.; Nichol, R.

2013-01-01

The growth of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) appears to proceed via multiple pathways including mergers and secular processes, but these are difficult to disentangle for most galaxies given their complex evolutionary histories. In order to understand the effects of secular galaxy evolution on black hole growth, we require a sample of active galactic nuclei (AGN) in galaxies with a calm formation history free of significant mergers, a population that heretofore has been difficult to locate. Here we present a sample of 13 AGN in massive galaxies lacking the classical bulges believed inevitably to result from mergers; they also either lack or have extremely small pseudobulges, meaning they have had very calm accretion histories. This is the largest sample to date of massive, bulgeless AGN host galaxies selected without any direct restriction on the SMBH mass. The broad-line objects in the sample have black hole masses of 106-7 M⊙ Eddington arguments imply similar masses for the rest of the sample, meaning these black holes have grown substantially in the absence of mergers or other bulge-building processes such as violent disk instabilities. The black hole masses are systematically higher than expected from established bulge-black hole relations. However, these systems may be consistent with the correlation between black hole mass and total stellar mass. We discuss these results in the context of other studies and consider the implication that the details of stellar galaxy evolution and dynamics may not be fundamental to the co-evolution of galaxies and black holes.

Buying time for wild animals with zoos.

PubMed

Conway, William G

2011-01-01

Zoos and aquariums exhibit many rare species, but sustain few for long periods. Demanding genetic, demographic, and behavioral requirements are a part of the sustainability challenge, and historical zoo goals and limiting animal management objectives are another, but they have been overtaken by worldwide wildlife population contraction and endangerment. New policies are essential for zoo continuance and, if vanishing species are to be helped by zoo propagation, they must be given priority. However, zoos have little animal carrying capacity and propagation must be much more sharply focused. In addition, it is becoming urgent that zoos help to support parks and reserves and, where possible, manage some especially endangered species mutually with parks. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Arthropods of medicoveterinary importance in zoos.

PubMed

Adler, Peter H; Tuten, Holly C; Nelder, Mark P

2011-01-01

Zoos present a unique assemblage of arthropods, captive vertebrates, free-roaming wildlife, humans, and plants, each with its own biota of symbiotic organisms. Arthropods of medicoveterinary importance are well represented in zoos, and an ample literature documents their influence in these animal-rich environments. Mosquitoes are of greatest significance because of the animal and human pathogens they transmit, followed by ectoparasites, many of which are exotic and present health risks to captive and native animals. Biting flies, cockroaches, filth flies, and triatomid bugs represent additional concerns. Integrated management programs for arthropods in zoos are commonplace. Zoos can play a role in biosurveillance, serving as an advanced guard for detecting exotic arthropods and vector-borne diseases. We provide the first review of arthropods of medicoveterinary importance in zoos. A case is made for the value of collaborations between entomologists and zoo personnel as a means of enhancing research and public education while safeguarding the health of captive animals and the public.

Teaching Operant Conditioning at the Zoo.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lukas, Kristen E.; Marr, M. Jackson; Maple, Terry L.

1998-01-01

Describes a partnership between Zoo Atlanta and the Georgia Institute of Technology in teaching the principles of operant conditioning to students in an experimental psychology class. Maintains that the positive training techniques used in zoos are models of applied operant conditioning. Includes a discussion of zoo training goals. (MJP)

The Stability Of Disk Barred Galaxies Over the Past 7 Billion Years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapia, Amauri; Simmons, Brooke

2017-01-01

A recently released model of interacting disk galaxies provides a hypothesis for the origins of off center bars in disks. No systematic search for offset bars in the early universe has yet been undertaken. The Galaxy Zoo project has produced data regarding the large-scale bars of many galaxies. Using this data alongside images collected by the Hubble Space Telescope and other sources, we have examined 5190 galaxies for signatures of off-centered bars. Less than 5 percent of the sample shows clear signs of an offset bar. We describe their overall properties of this sub-sample and compare the properties of galaxies with offset bars to those with centered bars. We assess the feasibility of the proposed model and place these galaxies in the context of the overall evolution of galaxies.

The Zoo, Benchmarks & You: How To Reach the Oregon State Benchmarks with Zoo Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2002

This document aligns Oregon state educational benchmarks and standards with Oregon Zoo resources. Benchmark areas examined include English, mathematics, science, social studies, and career and life roles. Brief descriptions of the programs offered by the zoo are presented. (SOE)

SUBMILLIMETER GALAXY NUMBER COUNTS AND MAGNIFICATION BY GALAXY CLUSTERS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lima, Marcos; Jain, Bhuvnesh; Devlin, Mark

2010-07-01

We present an analytical model that reproduces measured galaxy number counts from surveys in the wavelength range of 500 {mu}m-2 mm. The model involves a single high-redshift galaxy population with a Schechter luminosity function that has been gravitationally lensed by galaxy clusters in the mass range 10{sup 13}-10{sup 15} M{sub sun}. This simple model reproduces both the low-flux and the high-flux end of the number counts reported by the BLAST, SCUBA, AzTEC, and South Pole Telescope (SPT) surveys. In particular, our model accounts for the most luminous galaxies detected by SPT as the result of high magnifications by galaxy clustersmore » (magnification factors of 10-30). This interpretation implies that submillimeter (submm) and millimeter surveys of this population may prove to be a useful addition to ongoing cluster detection surveys. The model also implies that the bulk of submm galaxies detected at wavelengths larger than 500 {mu}m lie at redshifts greater than 2.« less

Who's in the Zoo?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slack, Amy

2010-01-01

To make the concept of biomes fresh for high school students and help them achieve more conceptual depth, the author Amy Slack created the "Who's in the Zoo?" project. Working in groups, students design a zoo that represents five of Earth's biomes and the climate found in their respective habitats. These groups prepare a proposal and a poster of…

Do Low Surface Brightness Galaxies Host Stellar Bars?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cervantes Sodi, Bernardo; Sánchez García, Osbaldo

2017-09-01

With the aim of assessing if low surface brightness galaxies host stellar bars and by studying the dependence of the occurrence of bars as a function of surface brightness, we use the Galaxy Zoo 2 data set to construct a large volume-limited sample of galaxies and then segregate these galaxies as having low or high surface brightness in terms of their central surface brightness. We find that the fraction of low surface brightness galaxies hosting strong bars is systematically lower than that found for high surface brightness galaxies. The dependence of the bar fraction on the central surface brightness is mostly driven by a correlation of the surface brightness with the spin and the gas richness of the galaxies, showing only a minor dependence on the surface brightness. We also find that the length of the bars is strongly dependent on the surface brightness, and although some of this dependence is attributed to the gas content, even at a fixed gas-to-stellar mass ratio, high surface brightness galaxies host longer bars than their low surface brightness counterparts, which we attribute to an anticorrelation of the surface brightness with the spin.

Do Low Surface Brightness Galaxies Host Stellar Bars?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cervantes Sodi, Bernardo; Sánchez García, Osbaldo, E-mail: b.cervantes@irya.unam.mx, E-mail: o.sanchez@irya.unam.mx

With the aim of assessing if low surface brightness galaxies host stellar bars and by studying the dependence of the occurrence of bars as a function of surface brightness, we use the Galaxy Zoo 2 data set to construct a large volume-limited sample of galaxies and then segregate these galaxies as having low or high surface brightness in terms of their central surface brightness. We find that the fraction of low surface brightness galaxies hosting strong bars is systematically lower than that found for high surface brightness galaxies. The dependence of the bar fraction on the central surface brightness ismore » mostly driven by a correlation of the surface brightness with the spin and the gas richness of the galaxies, showing only a minor dependence on the surface brightness. We also find that the length of the bars is strongly dependent on the surface brightness, and although some of this dependence is attributed to the gas content, even at a fixed gas-to-stellar mass ratio, high surface brightness galaxies host longer bars than their low surface brightness counterparts, which we attribute to an anticorrelation of the surface brightness with the spin.« less

Evaluating children's conservation biology learning at the zoo.

PubMed

Jensen, Eric

2014-08-01

Millions of children visit zoos every year with parents or schools to encounter wildlife firsthand. Public conservation education is a requirement for membership in professional zoo associations. However, in recent years zoos have been criticized for failing to educate the public on conservation issues and related biological concepts, such as animal adaptation to habitats. I used matched pre- and postvisit mixed methods questionnaires to investigate the educational value of zoo visits for children aged 7-15 years. The questionnaires gathered qualitative data from these individuals, including zoo-related thoughts and an annotated drawing of a habitat. A content analysis of these qualitative data produced the quantitative data reported in this article. I evaluated the relative learning outcomes of educator-guided and unguided zoo visits at London Zoo, both in terms of learning about conservation biology (measured by annotated drawings) and changing attitudes toward wildlife conservation (measured using thought-listing data). Forty-one percent of educator-guided visits and 34% of unguided visits resulted in conservation biology-related learning. Negative changes in children's understanding of animals and their habitats were more prevalent in unguided zoo visits. Overall, my results show the potential educational value of visiting zoos for children. However, they also suggest that zoos' standard unguided interpretive materials are insufficient for achieving the best outcomes for visiting children. These results support a theoretical model of conservation biology learning that frames conservation educators as toolmakers who develop conceptual resources to enhance children's understanding of science. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Blood-feeding ecology of mosquitoes in zoos.

PubMed

Tuten, H C; Bridges, W C; Paul, K S; Adler, P H

2012-12-01

To determine if the unique host assemblages in zoos influence blood-feeding by mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae), a sampling programme was conducted in Greenville and Riverbanks Zoos, South Carolina, U.S.A., from April 2009 to October 2010. A total of 4355 female mosquitoes of 14 species were collected, of which 106 individuals of nine species were blood-fed. The most common taxa were Aedes albopictus (Skuse), Aedes triseriatus (Say), Anopheles punctipennis (Say), Culex erraticus (Dyar & Knab), Culex pipiens complex (L.) and Culex restuans (Theobald). Molecular analyses (cytochrome b) of bloodmeals revealed that mosquitoes fed on captive animals, humans and wildlife, and took mixed bloodmeals. Host species included one amphibian, 16 birds, 10 mammals (including humans) and two reptiles. Minimum dispersal distances after feeding on captive hosts ranged from 15.5 m to 327.0 m. Mosquito-host associations generally conformed to previous accounts, indicating that mosquito behaviour inside zoos reflects that outside zoos. However, novel variation in host use, including new, exotic host records, warrants further investigation. Zoos, thus, can be used as experiment environments in which to study mosquito behaviour, and the findings extrapolated to non-zoo areas, while providing medical and veterinary benefits to zoo animals, employees and patrons. © 2012 The Authors. Medical and Veterinary Entomology © 2012 The Royal Entomological Society.

Visitor interest in zoo animals and the implications for collection planning and zoo education programmes.

PubMed

Moss, Andrew; Esson, Maggie

2010-01-01

As zoos have sought to further their conservation missions, they have become powerful providers of environmental education. Outside of "formal" education initiatives, such as those designed for school and other organized groups, or structured public talks programmes, much of the learning potential that the zoo has to offer is around the viewing of animals and the response of visitors to them. In this, zoo learning is a very personal construct, develops from the previous knowledge, and experiences and motivations of each individual. In this article, we make the assertion that learning potential, although difficult to quantify, is very much related to the attractiveness of animal species and the interest that visitors show in them. Using standard behaviorist measures of attraction and interest (the proportion of visitors that stop and for how long), we analyzed the relative interest in 40 zoo species held in a modern UK zoo and the variables that are significant in predicting that popularity. Further to this, the suggestion is made that the zoo collection planning process could use such information to make more informed decisions about which species should be housed for their educational value. Taxonomic grouping was found to be the most significant predictor of visitor interest--that is, visitors were far more interested in mammals than any other group--although body size (length), increasing animal activity and whether the species was the primary or "flagship" species in an exhibit or not, were all found to have a significant bearing on visitor interest. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Advancing Behavior Analysis in Zoos and Aquariums.

PubMed

Maple, Terry L; Segura, Valerie D

2015-05-01

Zoos, aquariums, and other captive animal facilities offer promising opportunities to advance the science and practice of behavior analysis. Zoos and aquariums are necessarily concerned with the health and well-being of their charges and are held to a high standard by their supporters (visitors, members, and donors), organized critics, and the media. Zoos and aquariums offer unique venues for teaching and research and a locus for expanding the footprint of behavior analysis. In North America, Europe, and the UK, formal agreements between zoos, aquariums, and university graduate departments have been operating successfully for decades. To expand on this model, it will be necessary to help zoo and aquarium managers throughout the world to recognize the value of behavior analysis in the delivery of essential animal health and welfare services. Academic institutions, administrators, and invested faculty should consider the utility of training students to meet the growing needs of applied behavior analysis in zoos and aquariums and other animal facilities such as primate research centers, sanctuaries, and rescue centers.

Visitor Behavior at Melbourne Zoo.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Churchman, David

The potential educational impact of the Melbourne Zoo (Australia) for recreational visitors was examined in this study using time as the major dependent variable. Specific goals included: (1) assessment of the potential cognitive and affective educational impact of zoos on recreational visitors; (2) determination of the temporal and spatial…

Strong bimodality in the host halo mass of central galaxies from galaxy-galaxy lensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandelbaum, Rachel; Wang, Wenting; Zu, Ying; White, Simon; Henriques, Bruno; More, Surhud

2016-04-01

We use galaxy-galaxy lensing to study the dark matter haloes surrounding a sample of locally brightest galaxies (LBGs) selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We measure mean halo mass as a function of the stellar mass and colour of the central galaxy. Mock catalogues constructed from semi-analytic galaxy formation simulations demonstrate that most LBGs are the central objects of their haloes, greatly reducing interpretation uncertainties due to satellite contributions to the lensing signal. Over the full stellar mass range, 10.3 < log [M*/M⊙] < 11.6, we find that passive central galaxies have haloes that are at least twice as massive as those of star-forming objects of the same stellar mass. The significance of this effect exceeds 3σ for log [M*/M⊙] > 10.7. Tests using the mock catalogues and on the data themselves clarify the effects of LBG selection and show that it cannot artificially induce a systematic dependence of halo mass on LBG colour. The bimodality in halo mass at fixed stellar mass is reproduced by the astrophysical model underlying our mock catalogue, but the sign of the effect is inconsistent with recent, nearly parameter-free age-matching models. The sign and magnitude of the effect can, however, be reproduced by halo occupation distribution models with a simple (few-parameter) prescription for type dependence.

It's a Zoo out There!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henson, Kate

2008-01-01

Zoos can provide exciting educational opportunities for students to learn about a wide range of science subject matter. Zoos and similar nonschool sites have the added advantage of getting students out of school and into another environment, demonstrating that science learning can take place anywhere--not only in formal school settings. Through…

Bar Evolution and Bar Properties from Disc Galaxies in the Early Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchinson-Smith, Tenley; Simmons, Brooke

2017-01-01

Bars in disc galaxies indicate a large collection of stars in a specific configuration of orbits that give the galaxy center a rectangular looking feature. Astronomers have discovered that these bars affect the distribution of matter in galaxies, and are also related to galaxy stellar mass and star formation history. Little is known about the specifics of how bars evolve and drive the evolution of their host galaxies because only a handful of bars have been studied in detail so far. I have examined a sample of 8,221 barred galaxies from the early universe to identify and examine correlations with galaxy properties. The data comes from Galaxy Zoo, an online citizen science project that allows anyone to classify and measure detailed properties of galaxies. I present results including the fraction of galaxies in the sample that have bars, and the variation of galaxy properties with bar length, including galaxy color and stellar mass. I also compare these results to barred galaxies in the local universe. I will discuss the implications of these results in the context of galaxy evolution overall, including the effect of dark matter on bars and galaxy evolution.

Technology at the zoo: the influence of a touchscreen computer on orangutans and zoo visitors.

PubMed

Perdue, Bonnie M; Clay, Andrea W; Gaalema, Diann E; Maple, Terry L; Stoinski, Tara S

2012-01-01

A computer-controlled touchscreen apparatus (hereafter referred to as "touchscreen") in the orangutan exhibit at Zoo Atlanta provides enrichment to the animals and allows cognitive research to take place on exhibit. This study investigated the impact of the touchscreen on orangutan behavior and visibility, as well as its impact on zoo visitors. Despite previous research suggesting that providing a single computer system may negatively affect orangutan behavior, there was not a significant increase in aggression, stereotypic, or distress-related behaviors following the activation of the on-exhibit touchscreen. We also investigated the possibility that zoo visitors may be negatively affected by technology because it deviates from naturalism. However, we did not find a change in stay time or overall experience rating when the computer was turned on. This research was the first to assess visitor attitudes toward technology at the zoo, and we found that visitors report highly positive attitudes about technology for both animals and visitors. If subjects visited the exhibit when the computer was turned on, they more strongly agreed that orangutans benefit from interacting with computerized enrichment. This study is the first investigation of an on-exhibit touchscreen in group-housed apes; our findings of no negative effects on the animals or zoo visitors and positive attitudes toward technology suggest a significant value of this practice. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Automatic Approach to Morphological Classification of Galaxies With Analysis of Galaxy Populations in Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sultanova, Madina; Barkhouse, Wayne; Rude, Cody

2018-01-01

The classification of galaxies based on their morphology is a field in astrophysics that aims to understand galaxy formation and evolution based on their physical differences. Whether structural differences are due to internal factors or a result of local environment, the dominate mechanism that determines galaxy type needs to be robustly quantified in order to have a thorough grasp of the origin of the different types of galaxies. The main subject of my Ph.D. dissertation is to explore the use of computers to automatically classify and analyze large numbers of galaxies according to their morphology, and to analyze sub-samples of galaxies selected by type to understand galaxy formation in various environments. I have developed a computer code to classify galaxies by measuring five parameters from their images in FITS format. The code was trained and tested using visually classified SDSS galaxies from Galaxy Zoo and the EFIGI data set. I apply my morphology software to numerous galaxies from diverse data sets. Among the data analyzed are the 15 Abell galaxy clusters (0.03 < z < 0.184) from Rude et al. 2017 (in preparation), which were observed by the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. Additionally, I studied 57 galaxy clusters from Barkhouse et al. (2007), 77 clusters from the WINGS survey (Fasano et al. 2006), and the six Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Frontier Field galaxy clusters. The high resolution of HST allows me to compare distant clusters with those nearby to look for evolutionary changes in the galaxy cluster population. I use the results from the software to examine the properties (e.g. luminosity functions, radial dependencies, star formation rates) of selected galaxies. Due to the large amount of data that will be available from wide-area surveys in the future, the use of computer software to classify and analyze the morphology of galaxies will be extremely important in terms of efficiency. This research aims to contribute to the solution of this problem.

Programmatic Evaluation in Association of Zoos and Aquariums--Accredited Zoos and Aquariums: A Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khalil, Kathayoon; Ardoin, Nicole

2011-01-01

Evaluation of educational programs in zoos and aquariums is a growing area of interest for researchers and professionals. In this review, the authors examine the literature that focuses on these settings. They then discuss evaluations that have been conducted in institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in relation to…

Galaxy Classifications with Deep Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukic, Vesna; Brüggen, Marcus

2017-06-01

Machine learning techniques have proven to be increasingly useful in astronomical applications over the last few years, for example in object classification, estimating redshifts and data mining. One example of object classification is classifying galaxy morphology. This is a tedious task to do manually, especially as the datasets become larger with surveys that have a broader and deeper search-space. The Kaggle Galaxy Zoo competition presented the challenge of writing an algorithm to find the probability that a galaxy belongs in a particular class, based on SDSS optical spectroscopy data. The use of convolutional neural networks (convnets), proved to be a popular solution to the problem, as they have also produced unprecedented classification accuracies in other image databases such as the database of handwritten digits (MNIST †) and large database of images (CIFAR ‡). We experiment with the convnets that comprised the winning solution, but using broad classifications. The effect of changing the number of layers is explored, as well as using a different activation function, to help in developing an intuition of how the networks function and to see how they can be applied to radio galaxy images.

The new semi-analytic code GalICS 2.0 - reproducing the galaxy stellar mass function and the Tully-Fisher relation simultaneously

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cattaneo, A.; Blaizot, J.; Devriendt, J. E. G.; Mamon, G. A.; Tollet, E.; Dekel, A.; Guiderdoni, B.; Kucukbas, M.; Thob, A. C. R.

2017-10-01

GalICS 2.0 is a new semi-analytic code to model the formation and evolution of galaxies in a cosmological context. N-body simulations based on a Planck cosmology are used to construct halo merger trees, track subhaloes, compute spins and measure concentrations. The accretion of gas on to galaxies and the morphological evolution of galaxies are modelled with prescriptions derived from hydrodynamic simulations. Star formation and stellar feedback are described with phenomenological models (as in other semi-analytic codes). GalICS 2.0 computes rotation speeds from the gravitational potential of the dark matter, the disc and the central bulge. As the rotation speed depends not only on the virial velocity but also on the ratio of baryons to dark matter within a galaxy, our calculation predicts a different Tully-Fisher relation from models in which vrot ∝ vvir. This is why, GalICS 2.0 is able to reproduce the galaxy stellar mass function and the Tully-Fisher relation simultaneously. Our results are also in agreement with halo masses from weak lensing and satellite kinematics, gas fractions, the relation between star formation rate (SFR) and stellar mass, the evolution of the cosmic SFR density, bulge-to-disc ratios, disc sizes and the Faber-Jackson relation.

K-2 at the Zoo.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Lori; Andrews, Steve

This packet is designed to help teachers maximize a zoo visit for children ages 5 to 7. The packet provides activities for use before, during, and after the zoo visit. Activities are provided to enhance student skills in language arts, reading, art, science, and math, and are correlated to the Oregon Essentials Learning Skills Common Curriculum…

Galaxy-scale Bars in Late-type Sloan Digital Sky Survey Galaxies Do Not Influence the Average Accretion Rates of Supermassive Black Holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goulding, A. D.; Matthaey, E.; Greene, J. E.; Hickox, R. C.; Alexander, D. M.; Forman, W. R.; Jones, C.; Lehmer, B. D.; Griffis, S.; Kanek, S.; Oulmakki, M.

2017-07-01

Galaxy-scale bars are expected to provide an effective means for driving material toward the central region in spiral galaxies, and possibly feeding supermassive black holes (BHs). Here we present a statistically complete study of the effect of bars on average BH accretion. From a well-selected sample of 50,794 spiral galaxies (with {M}* ˜ 0.2{--}30× {10}10 {M}⊙ ) extracted from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Galaxy Zoo 2 project, we separate those sources considered to contain galaxy-scale bars from those that do not. Using archival data taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, we identify X-ray luminous ({L}{{X}}≳ {10}41 {erg} {{{s}}}-1) active galactic nuclei and perform an X-ray stacking analysis on the remaining X-ray undetected sources. Through X-ray stacking, we derive a time-averaged look at accretion for galaxies at fixed stellar mass and star-formation rate, finding that the average nuclear accretion rates of galaxies with bar structures are fully consistent with those lacking bars ({\\dot{M}}{acc}≈ 3× {10}-5 {M}⊙ yr-1). Hence, we robustly conclude that large-scale bars have little or no effect on the average growth of BHs in nearby (z< 0.15) galaxies over gigayear timescales.

Research in Review: Assessing the Educational Impact of Zoos.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeRosa, Bill

1985-01-01

Reviews a research study that examined zoo visitors' understanding of wildlife before and after zoo visits. Low posttest scores suggested that a zoo experience is regarded as a recreational outing rather than an educational event. Implications for educational improvement are presented. (ML)

A Universal Animal Welfare Framework for Zoos

PubMed Central

Kagan, Ron; Carter, Scott; Allard, Stephanie

2015-01-01

The Detroit Zoological Society's (DZS) Center for Zoo Animal Welfare (CZAW) was created to advance the science and policy of the welfare of exotic nonhuman animals in captivity. This important part of the DZS mission is achieved through assessments of, and research on, the welfare of animals in zoos; by recognizing extraordinary achievement in the advancement of animal welfare; by widely sharing knowledge through a bibliographic resource center; by conducting professional training for animal care staff; and by convening important discussions in the form of international symposia. This special issue of the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science features selected papers from the most recent international CZAW symposium held at the Detroit Zoo in November 2014, as well as a universal framework for zoo animal welfare developed by the DZS. PMID:26440494

A Universal Animal Welfare Framework for Zoos.

PubMed

Kagan, Ron; Carter, Scott; Allard, Stephanie

2015-01-01

The Detroit Zoological Society's (DZS) Center for Zoo Animal Welfare (CZAW) was created to advance the science and policy of the welfare of exotic nonhuman animals in captivity. This important part of the DZS mission is achieved through assessments of, and research on, the welfare of animals in zoos; by recognizing extraordinary achievement in the advancement of animal welfare; by widely sharing knowledge through a bibliographic resource center; by conducting professional training for animal care staff; and by convening important discussions in the form of international symposia. This special issue of the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science features selected papers from the most recent international CZAW symposium held at the Detroit Zoo in November 2014, as well as a universal framework for zoo animal welfare developed by the DZS.

[The prevention of distemper in zoo animals].

PubMed

Franke, V; Matern, B; Ackermann, O; Danner, K

1989-02-01

The distemper virus infection of different non-domestic carnivorous zoo animals is known since long. All species involved belonged to the suborder Fissipedia. In 1988 a distemper or morbillivirus-like infection occurred in harbour seals, a member of the suborder pinnipedia. For the prophylaxis of distemper in dogs attenuated live vaccines are commonly used. In zoo animals, however, these vaccines caused distemper several times. In contrast, an inactivated virus vaccine proved both its safety and efficacy in more than hundred zoo animals of various species.

Knowledge, Interest, and Value of Youth Zoo Visitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burris, Alexandra M.

In the face of massive global extinction, the mission of zoos for conservation education has increasing importance. Zoos are in a unique position to affect the development of youth in ways that are consistent with cultivating pro-environmental behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine three intrinsic traits of youth important to the goals of conservation education: knowledge about animals, interest in animals, and value for animals. In particular, I explored the relationship between these three traits and the utterances and behaviors of youth zoo visitors during their visit. Using an embedded correlational data transformation mixed methods design, this study examined the experiences of 37 youth attending the zoo. Data collection sources included a drawing activity meant to assess the knowledge of youth about animals, Likert-type questionnaires meant to assess the youth's interest and value, and a semi-structured interview meant to ascertain critical moments from the youth's visit. The results of these instruments were paired with extensive video data of the youth's entire zoo visit. Results of the study indicated that youth organize their knowledge about animals around ecological and morphological concepts and that this forms the basis for their value of animals. The knowledge, interest, and value of youth zoo visitors did seem to correlate with some utterances and behaviors in the zoo, but learning talk was rare. Results also indicated that certain critical moments during the youth's visit were social in nature and centered on the behaviors of animals. These moments may be the most promising for influencing the development of knowledge, interest, and value. The discussion and implications sections of the study focus on the practical use of the findings for zoo education. The study points to the importance of studying intrinsic traits of youth as well as the important influences of the social and physical context on the development of these traits during

Does the galaxy-halo connection vary with environment?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dragomir, Radu; Rodríguez-Puebla, Aldo; Primack, Joel R.; Lee, Christoph T.

2018-05-01

(Sub)halo abundance matching (SHAM) assumes that one (sub) halo property, such as mass Mvir or peak circular velocity Vpeak, determines properties of the galaxy hosted in each (sub) halo such as its luminosity or stellar mass. This assumption implies that the dependence of galaxy luminosity functions (GLFs) and the galaxy stellar mass function (GSMF) on environmental density is determined by the corresponding halo density dependence. In this paper, we test this by determining from a Sloan Digital Sky Survey sample the observed dependence with environmental density of the ugriz GLFs and GSMF for all galaxies, and for central and satellite galaxies separately. We then show that the SHAM predictions are in remarkable agreement with these observations, even when the galaxy population is divided between central and satellite galaxies. However, we show that SHAM fails to reproduce the correct dependence between environmental density and g - r colour for all galaxies and central galaxies, although it better reproduces the colour dependence on environmental density of satellite galaxies.

At the Zoo: Kindergartners Reinvent a Dramatic Play Area

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowne, Mary; Brokmeier, Sue

2008-01-01

In a South Dakota early childhood program, children and adults in the kindergarten classroom collaborated to build a "classroom zoo" in support of the children's pretend play. Creation of the zoo incorporated information about animals and zoos that the children and their families and teachers located in secondary sources such as…

Prevalence of Salmonella enterica serovar Albany in captive zoo wild animals in the Culiacán Zoo in Mexico.

PubMed

Silva-Hidalgo, Gabriela; López-Moreno, Héctor Samuel; Ortiz-Navarrete, Vianney Francisco; Alpuche-Aranda, Celia; Rendón-Maldonado, José Guadalupe; López-Valenzuela, José Angel; López-Valenzuela, Martin; Juárez-Barranco, Felipe

2013-03-01

Salmonellosis is an important zoonotic disease but little is known about the role that free-living animals play as carriers of this pathogen. Moreover, the primary route of infection in the wild needs to be elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the source and the route of transmission of Salmonella enterica serovar Albany (S. Albany) infection in captive zoo wild animals in the Culiacán Zoo. A total of 267 samples were analyzed including 220 fecal samples from zoo animals, 15 fecal samples from rodents, 5 pooled samples each of two insects (Musca domestica and Periplaneta americana), and 22 samples of animal feed. We detected S. Albany in 28 (10.5%) of the samples analyzed, including in samples from raw chicken meat. Characterization of isolates was performed by serotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. All isolates shared a single pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profile, indicating a possible common origin. These data suggest that the infected meat consumed by the wild felines was the primary source of infection in this zoo. It is likely that the pathogen was shed in the feces and disseminated by insects and rats to other locations in the zoo.

Current husbandry of red pandas (Ailurus fulgens) in zoos.

PubMed

Eriksson, P; Zidar, J; White, D; Westander, J; Andersson, M

2010-01-01

The endangered red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is held in zoos worldwide. The aim of this study was to examine how red pandas are kept and managed in captivity and to compare it with the management guidelines. Sixty-nine zoos, mainly from Europe but also from North America and Australia/New Zealand, responded to our survey. The results revealed that in general zoos follow the management guidelines for most of the investigated issues. The average enclosure is almost four times larger than the minimum size recommended by the management guidelines, although seven zoos have smaller enclosures. About half the zoos do not follow the guidelines concerning visitor access and number of nest boxes. Other issues that may compromise animal welfare include proximity of neighboring carnivore species and placement of nest boxes. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Seroepidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii in zoo animals in selected zoos in the midwestern United States.

PubMed

de Camps, Silvia; Dubey, J P; Saville, W J A

2008-06-01

Toxoplasma gondii infections in zoo animals are of interest because many captive animals die of clinical toxoplasmosis and because of the potential risk of exposure of children and elderly to T. gondii oocysts excreted by cats in the zoos. Seroprevalence of T. gondii antibodies in wild zoo felids, highly susceptible zoo species, and feral cats from 8 zoos of the midwestern United States was determined by using the modified agglutination test (MAT). A titer of 1:25 was considered indicative of T. gondii exposure. Among wild felids, antibodies to T. gondii were found in 6 (27.3%) of 22 cheetahs (Acynonyx jubatus jubatus), 2 of 4 African lynx (Caracal caracal), 1 of 7 clouded leopards (Neofelis nebulosa), 1 of 5 Pallas cats (Otocolobus manul), 12 (54.5%) of 22 African lions (Panthera leo), 1 of 1 jaguar (Panthera onca), 1 of 1 Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis), 1 of 1 Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor), 5 (27.8%) of 18 Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica), 1 of 4 fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus), 3 of 6 pumas (Puma concolor), 2 of 2 Texas pumas (Puma concolor stanleyana), and 5 (35.7%) of 14 snow leopards (Uncia uncia). Antibodies were found in 10 of 34 feral domestic cats (Felis domesticus) trapped in 3 zoos. Toxoplasma gondii oocysts were not found in any of the 78 fecal samples from wild and domestic cats. Among the macropods, antibodies were detected in 1 of 3 Dama wallabies (Macropus eugenii), 1 of 1 western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus), 1 of 2 wallaroos (Macropus robustus), 6 of 8 Bennett's wallabies (Macropus rufogriseus), 21 (61.8%) of 34 red kangaroos (Macropus rufus), and 1 of 1 dusky pademelon (Thylogale brunii). Among prosimians, antibodies were detected in 1 of 3 blue-eyed black lemurs (Eulemur macaco flavifrons), 1 of 21 ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta), 2 of 9 red-ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata rubra), and 2 of 4 black- and white-ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata variegata). Among the avian species tested, 2 of 3 bald

Life expectancy and longevity of varanid lizards (Reptilia:Squamata:Varanidae) in North American zoos.

PubMed

Mendyk, Robert W

2015-01-01

In zoos, life expectancy-the average lifespan of individuals within a population, and longevity-the maximum lifespan within a population, can be useful parameters for evaluating captive husbandry and animal welfare. Using life history and demographic data derived from regional studbooks, this study examined life expectancy and longevity in a total of 782 wild-caught (WC) and captive-bred (CB) varanid lizards of seven species maintained in North American zoos since 1926. The average lifespans for WC and CB animals were 6.3 ± 0.3 and 9.3 ± 0.4 years, respectively, with CB males living significantly longer than females (P = 0.009). A total of 26.4% of WC and 22.5% of CB animals experienced mortality during their first 2 years in captivity, with mortality during this period greatest among Varanus rudicollis and V. prasinus. A positive correlation was observed between life expectancy and adult body mass in captive-bred individuals (r = 0.981; P = 0.002). Wild-caught females with a history of successful reproduction had a significantly greater average lifespan than non-reproducing females (P < 0.0001). Results from this study suggest that varanids have not been reaching their lifespan capacities in North American zoos. In light of these findings, several husbandry-related factors which may be affecting the welfare and lifespans of varanids in zoos are identified and discussed. This study also highlights the utility of demographic and life history data in captive animal management, and offers a general framework for future herpetological studies of a similar nature. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Zoo experiences: conversations, connections, and concern for animals.

PubMed

Clayton, Susan; Fraser, John; Saunders, Carol D

2009-09-01

One way in which zoos attempt to fulfill their goal of conservation is by educating visitors about the importance of protecting wildlife. Research has only begun to examine the effectiveness of zoos in place-based learning, and there has been much debate about how such informal learning is defined and measured. Free-choice learning research has demonstrated that educational outcomes are often indirect, constructed by the visitor as much as they are influenced by the zoo's educational staff. This constructivist definition of education includes emotional dimensions and personal meaning-making that occur in the social context of visiting, as well as any structured interpretive material provided on signs and through live presentations. This paper presents an examination of how the zoo is experienced by the visitor, through surveys and through observations of how visitors watch animals and incorporate those viewings into their social experience. Results from surveys of 206 zoo visitors show that support for protecting both individual animals and species is associated with learning, with wanting to know more, and with a feeling of connection to the animal. An analysis of 1,900 overheard visitor conversations suggests that zoo animals are used to facilitate topical interaction among social groups and to explore the connections that people share with nonhuman animals. The authors propose that these perceived positive connections may be related to support for conservation initiatives, and conclude that a visit to the zoo appears to be a positive emotional experience that leaves visitors interested in learning more about animals, irrespective of their reading the exhibit labels.

Sharing Gravity's Microscope: Star Formation and Galaxy Evolution for Underserved Arizonans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knierman, Karen A.; Monkiewicz, Jacqueline A.; Bowman, Catherine DD; Taylor, Wendy

2016-01-01

Learning science in a community is important for children of all levels and especially for many underserved populations. This project combines HST research of galaxy evolution using gravitationally lensed galaxies with hands-on activities and the Starlab portable planetarium to link astronomy with families, teachers, and students. To explore galaxy evolution, new activities were developed and evaluated using novel evaluation techniques. A new set of galaxy classification cards enable inquiry-based learning about galaxy ages, evolution, and gravitational lensing. Activities using new cylinder overlays for the Starlab transparent cylinder will enable the detailed examination of star formation and galaxy evolution as seen from the viewpoint inside of different types of galaxies. These activities were presented in several Arizona venues that enable family and student participation including ASU Earth and Space Open House, Arizona Museum of Natural History Homeschooling Events, on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and inner city Phoenix schools serving mainly Hispanic populations. Additional events targeted underserved families at the Phoenix Zoo, in Navajo County, and for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. After evaluation, the activities and materials will also be shared with local teachers and nationally.

Zoo visitor perceptions, attitudes, and conservation intent after viewing African elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

PubMed

Hacker, Charlotte E; Miller, Lance J

2016-07-01

Elephants in the wild face several conservation issues. With the rebranding of zoos as conservation and education pioneers, they have the ability to both educate and inspire guests to action. The purpose of this research was to analyze visitor perceptions and attitudes toward elephant conservation and outcomes post-exhibit visit. A one-page survey was randomly administered to assess perceptions of elephant behavior, attitudes about elephant conservation, and intended conservation-related outcomes from September 2013 to January 2014. Principle component analysis identified three major components: concern for elephants in zoos, importance of elephants in the wild, and modification of nature. Visitors who scored highly on conservation intent were those with positive attitudes towards elephants in the wild and negative attitudes regarding the modification of nature. The greatest changes in conservation intent were a result of a self-reported up-close encounter and the ability to witness active behaviors. Providing guests with the opportunity to witness or experience such occurrences may aid in a more successful delivery of the zoo's conservation message. Further research into guest emotions and affective states in relation to viewing elephants in a zoological institution would provide greater insight into improving the guest experience and helping zoos meet their conservation mission. Zoo Biol. 35:355-361, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A new catalogue of polar-ring galaxies selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moiseev, Alexei V.; Smirnova, Ksenia I.; Smirnova, Aleksandrina A.; Reshetnikov, Vladimir P.

2011-11-01

Galaxies with polar rings (PRGs) are a unique class of extragalactic objects. Using these, we can investigate a wide range of problems, linked to the formation and evolution of galaxies, and we can study the properties of their dark haloes. The progress that has been made in the study of PRGs has been constrained by the small number of known objects of this type. The Polar Ring Catalogue (PRC) by Whitmore et al. and their photographic atlas of PRGs and related objects includes 157 galaxies. At present, there are only about two dozen kinematically confirmed galaxies in this PRG class, mostly from the PRC. We present a new catalogue of PRGs, supplementing the PRC and significantly increasing the number of known candidate PRGs. The catalogue is based on the results of the original Galaxy Zoo project. Within this project, volunteers performed visual classifications of nearly a million galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Based on the preliminary classifications of the Galaxy Zoo, we viewed more than 40 000 images of the SDSS and selected 275 galaxies to include in our catalogue. Our SDSS-based Polar Ring Catalogue (SPRC) contains 70 galaxies that we have classified as 'the best candidates'. Among these, we expect to have a very high proportion of true PRGs, and 115 good PRG candidates. There are 53 galaxies classified as PRG-related objects (mostly galaxies with strongly warped discs, and mergers). In addition, we have identified 37 galaxies that have their presumed polar rings strongly inclined to the line of sight (seen almost face-on). The SPRC objects are, on average, fainter and are located further away than the galaxies from the PRC, although our catalogue does include dozens of new nearby candidate PRGs. The SPRC significantly increases the number of genuine PRG candidates. It might serve as a good basis for both a further detailed study of individual galaxies and a statistical analysis of PRGs as a separate class of objects. We have performed

Assessment of Change in Conservation Attitudes through Zoo Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randall, Teresa

2011-01-01

This study was conducted at the Oklahoma City Zoo in fall 2010 and subjects were students' ages 14-18 who either participated in a formal conservation education class led by zoo educators or in a field trip in which they were engaged in free-choice learning. Two research questions were: 1) Does a trip to the zoo affect conservation attitudes and…

The Assessment of Animal Welfare in British Zoos by Government-Appointed Inspectors

PubMed Central

Draper, Chris; Harris, Stephen

2012-01-01

Simple Summary Since 1984, British zoos have been required to meet the animal welfare standards set out under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. Zoos are regularly assessed by government-appointed inspectors, who report on animal welfare standards in each zoo. This is the first analysis of those reports from a representative sample of British zoos. We highlight a number of concerns about the inspection process itself, and identify areas where changes would lead to improvements in both the inspection process and our ability to monitor animal welfare standards in zoos. Abstract We analysed the reports of government-appointed inspectors from 192 zoos between 2005–2008 to provide the first review of how animal welfare was assessed in British zoos since the enactment of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. We examined the effects of whether or not a veterinarian was included in the inspection team, type of inspection, licence status of the zoo and membership of a zoo association on the inspectors’ assessments of animal welfare standards in five areas that approximate to the Five Freedoms. At least 11% of full licence inspections did not comply with the legal requirement for two inspectors. The inspectors’ reports were unclear as to how animal welfare was assessed, whether all animals or only a sub-sample had been inspected, and were based predominantly on welfare inputs rather than outcomes. Of 9,024 animal welfare assessments across the 192 zoos, 7,511 (83%) were graded as meeting the standards, 782 (9%) as substandard and the rest were not graded. Of the 192 zoos, 47 (24%) were assessed as meeting all the animal welfare standards. Membership of a zoo association was not associated with a higher overall assessment of animal welfare standards, and specialist collections such as Farm Parks and Other Bird collections performed least well. We recommend a number of changes to the inspection process that should lead to greater clarity in the assessment of animal welfare in British

CANDELS: A Cosmic Quest for Distant Galaxies Offering Live Views of Galaxy Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koo, David C.; CANDELS

2017-06-01

For decades, the study of distant galaxies has been pushing the frontiers of extra-galactic research, with observations from the best suite of telescopes and instruments and with theory from the most advanced computer simulations. This talk will focus on observations taken within the CANDELS fields to reveal the richness and complexity of this still-growing field. CANDELS (Cosmic Assembly Near-IR Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey) itself is the largest project ever taken by Hubble and is composed of optical and near-infrared images of five tiny regions of sky containing over 200,000 distant galaxies. All these regions, two of which are GOODS North and South, were already outstanding in possessing years of prior surveys taken by many teams worldwide and have continued to attract more and better spectra and panchromatic images from Keck, Hubble, Chandra, Spitzer, and other telescopes ranging from X-ray to radio. Combined together, the rich data within the CANDELS fields offer live views of galaxy evolution from “Cosmic Dawn” when the first infant galaxies and cosmic black holes were born, through “Cosmic Noon” during the peak of galaxy and black hole growth, and then to “Cosmic Afternoon” when star formation and black hole activities, morphologies, motions, and contents settled to those of our Milky Way and its zoo of cousins today. The talk will highlight some interesting discoveries from the last two periods and close with new mysteries challenging our field in the 21st century and future prospects for solving them.

Zoos, Aquariums, and Expanding Students' Data Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mokros, Jan; Wright, Tracey

2009-01-01

Zoo and aquarium educators are increasingly providing educationally rigorous programs that connect their animal collections with curriculum standards in mathematics as well as science. Partnering with zoos and aquariums is a powerful way for teachers to provide students with more opportunities to observe, collect, and analyze scientific data. This…

There are big gaps in our knowledge, and thus approach, to zoo animal welfare: a case for evidence-based zoo animal management.

PubMed

Melfi, V A

2009-11-01

There are gaps in knowledge that hinder our ability within zoos to provide good animal welfare. This does not mean that zoos cannot or do not provide good welfare, only that currently this goal is hindered. Three reasons for these gaps are identified as: (1) there is an emphasis on the identification and monitoring of indicators that represent poor welfare and it is assumed that an absence of poor welfare equates to good welfare. This assumption is overly simplistic and potentially erroneous; (2) our understanding of how housing and husbandry (H&H) affects animals is limited to a small set of variables determined mostly by our anthropogenic sensitivities. Thus, we place more value on captive environmental variables like space and companionship, ignoring other factors that may have a greater impact on welfare, like climate; (3) finally, whether intentional or not, our knowledge and efforts to improve zoo animal welfare are biased to very few taxa. Most attention has been focused on mammals, notably primates, large cats, bears, and elephants, to the exclusion of the other numerous species about which very little is known. Unfortunately, the extent to which these gaps limit our ability to provide zoo animals with good welfare is exacerbated by our over reliance on using myth and tradition to determine zoo animal management. I suggest that we can fill these gaps in our knowledge and improve our ability to provide zoo animals with good welfare through the adoption of an evidence-based zoo animal management framework. This approach uses evidence gathered from different sources as a basis for making any management decisions, as good quality evidence increases the likelihood that these decisions result in good zoo animal welfare.

A horizon scan for species conservation by zoos and aquariums.

PubMed

Gusset, Markus; Fa, John E; Sutherland, William J

2014-01-01

We conducted the first horizon scan for zoos and aquariums to identify the 10 most important emerging issues for species conservation. This involved input from more than 100 experts from both the wider conservation community and the world zoo and aquarium community. Some of the issues are globally important: diseases, zoonoses, and biosecurity issues; new (communication) technologies; global water shortage and food insecurity; developing economies and markets for wildlife consumption; changes in wildlife population dynamics; and political instability and conflicts. Other issues are more specific to zoos and aquariums: need for extractive reserves; space shortage in zoos and aquariums; need for metapopulation management; and demand for caring of more species in zoos and aquariums. We also identified some broad approaches to these issues. Addressing the emerging issues identified in our horizon scan will further increase the contribution of the world zoo and aquarium community to global biodiversity conservation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Learning on Zoo Field Trips: The Interaction of the Agendas and Practices of Students, Teachers, and Zoo Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidson, Susan Kay; Passmore, Cynthia; Anderson, David

2010-01-01

This paper reports on the findings of a case study that investigated the interaction of the agendas and practices of students, teachers, and zoo educators during a class field trip to a zoo. The study reports on findings of the analysis of two case classes of students and their perceptions of their learning experiences during the field trip. The…

Green Peas emit X-rays: Extreme Star Formation in Early Universe Analog Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brorby, Matthew; Kaaret, Philip

2017-01-01

Luminous compact galaxies (LCGs), Lyman Alpha Emitters (LAEs), and Lyman Break Analog galaxies (LBAs) are all used as proxies for star-forming galaxies in the early Universe (z ≥ 6). The X-ray emission from such galaxies has been found to be elevated compared to other star-forming galaxies in our local Universe. It has been suggested that this may be due to the lower metallicity seen in these proxies to high-redshift galaxies and the elevated X-ray emission may affect the heating and Reionization evolution of the early Universe. Our previous studies have suggested the existence of an LX-SFR-metallicity plane for all star-forming galaxies. We present these results in the context of our newest Joint Chandra/HST study containing the first X-ray detection of the Green Pea galaxies, a population of compact starburst galaxies discovered by volunteers in the Galaxy Zoo Project (Cardamone+2009). The galaxies were given the name Green Peas due to their compact size and green appearance in the gri composite images from SDSS. The green color is caused by a strong [OIII]λ5007Å emission line, an indicator of recent star formation. We observed a few of the most promising candidates with joint Chandra/HST observation and discuss our findings here.

Interpretive signs designed to trigger naturalist intelligence at two American zoos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryant, Martha

An investigation of interpretive graphics was conducted in 2005 at two mid-sized AZA-accredited zoos, Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa, Florida and Knoxville Zoo, Knoxville, Tennessee. The Lowry Park Zoo study investigated signs at a red-tailed hawk and sandhill crane exhibit. Combination signs and wordless signs were more effective helping visitors see animals, increasing holding time, and number of engagements than treatments of no signs, or signs with words only. A second study, at Knoxville Zoo, tested combination and wordless signs in a children's zoo, investigating 31 signs at a 3.5-acre exhibit. Comparisons of visitors seeing the animals/using interactive exhibit elements, holding time, and engagement activities, showed wordless signs were more effective than combination signs. Differences in gender ratio, age, group size, and other demographics were not significant. Visit motivation differed between zoos, with visitors from Lowry Park Zoo more often articulating reason for a visit as wanting to see animals. Visitors at Knoxville Zoo most often said they wanted to spend time with family and friends. Differences in potential for naturalist intelligence were probably related to local practices rather than to innate differences in naturalist intelligence. The number of communities in Florida that regulate pet ownership and provide lawn service could account for the lower number of people who have pets and plants. At both institutions, behaviors supported educational theories. The importance of signs as advanced organizers was shown where signs were removed at the bird exhibit at Lowry Park Zoo, with fewer visitors seeing the animals. Social interaction was noted at both zoos, with intra- and inter-group conversations observed. If naturalist intelligence is necessary to see animals, visitors run a continuum. Some are unable to see animals with signs and assistance from other visitors; others see animals with little difficulty. The importance of honing naturalist

Zoo and Wildlife Libraries: An International Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coates, Linda L.; Tierney, Kaitlyn Rose

2010-01-01

The conservation and well-being of exotic animals is core to the mission of zoos, aquariums and many small nonprofit wildlife groups. Increasingly, these organizations are committed to scientific research, both basic and applied. To ascertain the current state of the libraries that support their efforts, librarians at the San Diego Zoo conducted…

Achieving true sustainability of zoo populations.

PubMed

Lacy, Robert C

2013-01-01

For the last 30 years, cooperative management of irreplaceable animal populations in zoos and aquariums has focused primarily on the goal of minimizing genetic decay within defined time frames, and large advances have been made in technologies to optimize genetic management of closed populations. However, recent analyses have shown that most zoo programs are not projected to meet their stated goals. This has been described as a lack of achieving "sustainability" of the populations, yet by definition a goal of managed decay is not a plan for sustainability. True sustainability requires management of the resource in manner that does not deplete its value for the future. Achieving such sustainability for many managed populations may require changing from managing isolated populations to managing populations that are part of a broader metapopulation, with carefully considered exchange between populations across a spectrum of ex situ to in situ. Managing zoo populations as components of comprehensive conservation strategies for the species will require research on determinants of various kinds of genetic, physiological, behavioral, and morphological variation and their roles in population viability, development of an array of management techniques and tools, training of population managers in metapopulation management and integrated conservation planning, and projections of impacts of management strategies on the viability of the captive populations and all populations that are interactively managed or affected. Such a shift in goals and methods would result in zoo population management being an ongoing part of species conservation rather than short-term or isolated from species conservation. Zoo Biol. 32:19-26, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Risk of Delivering Disturbing Messages to Zoo Family Audiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Esson, Maggie; Moss, Andrew

2013-01-01

One of the roles of the modern zoo is to provide environmental education. Zoo visitation comprises primarily family groups seeking to spend time together. There is potential for tension between message and audience expectation as zoos seek to raise awareness of the effects of irresponsible human behavior on the environment. This may unsettle…

Behaviors and Motivations observed in the Zooniverse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gay, P. L.; Brown, S.; Huang, A. D.; Lehan, C.; Moon Zoo Team

2010-12-01

Today, the total number of astronomers and geophysicists working in academia is dwarfed by the legions of citizen scientists who are flocking to citizen science programs like Moon Zoo, StarDust@Home, Solar Storm Watch, and Be a Martian. Through the Zooniverse collection of projects (including Moon Zoo and Solar Storm Watch), more than 2-dozen peer-reviewed science papers have been generated. These everyday people are, in their spare time, accomplishing necessary tasks and proving themselves to be a vital part of the research pipeline. While it is now understood they can make meaningful contributions to research, the questions of why they are contributing, and how they interact with the projects are still being investigated. In this presentation, preliminary results of a two-part study of Zooniverse user motivations and behaviors are presented. Motivations: We present the results of two sets of studies: detailed research into the motivations of Galaxy Zoo users during the Galaxy Zoo 1 and 2 projects and preliminary results into the investigations of Moon Zoo users. From Galaxy Zoo, we know that the largest primary motivation for people participating in Galaxy Zoo is the desire to contribute to science. At the time of this writing, interviews are being prepared to see if Moon Zoo users have similar motivations to Galaxy Zoo users, and to understand the personal context in which they make their contributions. Behaviors: As users explore the Zooniverse, they have the opportunity to participate in multiple science projects, to consume educational content, to take advantage of tutorials, and to be part of a community on the forums. Preliminary results examining how users moved between different science projects during the duration of Galaxy Zoo 2, and how they are moving between content and classifications in Galaxy Zoo Hubble and Moon Zoo are presented.

Ocular oxyspirurosis of primates in zoos: intermediate host, worm morphology, and probable origin of the infection in the Moscow zoo.

PubMed

Ivanova, E; Spiridonov, S; Bain, O

2007-12-01

Over the last century, only two cases of ocular oxyspirurosis were recorded in primates, both in zoos, and two species were described: in Berlin, Germany, Oxyspirura (O.) conjunctivalis from the lemurid Microcebus murinus, later also found in the lorisid Loris gracilis; in Jacksonville, Florida, O. (O.) youngi from the cercopithecid monkey Erythrocebus patas. In the present case from the Moscow zoo, oxyspirurosis was recorded in several species of Old World lemuriforms and lorisiforms, and some South American monkeys. i) The intermediate host was discovered to be a cockroach, as for O. (O.) mansoni, a parasite of poultry. The complete sequence identity between ITS-1 rDNA from adult nematodes of the primate and that of the larval worms from the vector, Nauphoete cinerea, confirmed their conspecificity. ii) Parasites from Moscow zoo recovered from Nycticebus c. coucang were compared morphologically to those from other zoos. The length and shape of the gubernaculum, used previously as a distinct character, were found to be variable. However, the vulvar bosses arrangement, the distal extremity of left spicule and the position of papillae of the first postcloacal pair showed that the worms in the different samples were not exactly identical and that each set seemed characteristic of a particular zoo. iii) The presence of longitudinal cuticular crests in the infective stage as well as in adult worms was recorded. Together with several other morphological and biological characters (long tail and oesophagus, cockroach vector), this confirmed that Oxyspirura is not closely related to Thelazia, another ocular parasite genus. iv) The disease in the Moscow zoo is thought to have started with Nycticebus pygmaeus imported fromVietnam, thus the suggestion was that Asiatic lorisids were at the origin of the Moscow set of cases. The natural host(s) for the Berlin and Jacksonville cases remain unknown but they are unlikely to be the species found infected in zoos. Consequently the

Lighting retrofits at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aviary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sadowski, E.C.

The Pittsburgh Zoo occupies approximately 52 acres in the City`s Highland Park. Thirty structures serve as animal holding facilities, public display buildings, classrooms, food service facilities, offices, warehouses, a veterinary hospital, and gift shops. The cost of energy for heating, cooling, lighting, pumping, food service, etc. is approximately $280,000 a year. Of this, about 79 percent, or $220,000, is spent for electricity. About 20 percent ($44,000) of that electricity cost is spent directly on lighting. In mid-1992 a series of retrofits to the lighting systems in the Zoo`s buildings was begun. These were completed in mid-1994. These improvements cost $127,690,more » and they are expected to reduce electricity costs by $24,500 a year. The most interesting projects were carried out in the Tropical Forest Building, the Aqua Zoo, and the Niches of the World Building.« less

Two fatal tiger attacks in zoos.

PubMed

Tantius, Britta; Wittschieber, Daniel; Schmidt, Sven; Rothschild, Markus A; Banaschak, Sibylle

2016-01-01

Two captive tiger attacks are presented that took place in Cologne and Münster zoos. Both attacks occurred when the handlers, intent on cleaning the enclosures, entered whilst the tigers accidently retained access to the location, and thus defended their territory against the perceived intruders. Both victims suffered fatal neck injuries from the bites. At Münster, colleagues managed to lure the tiger away from its victim to enable treatment, whilst the Cologne zoo tiger had to be shot in order to allow access to be gained. Whilst it was judged that human error led to the deaths of the experienced zookeepers, the investigation in Münster was closed as no third party was found to be at fault, whereas the Cologne zoo director was initially charged with being negligent. These charges were subsequently dismissed as safety regulations were found to be up to date.

The Galactic Club or Galactic Cliques? Exploring the limits of interstellar hegemony and the Zoo Hypothesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forgan, Duncan H.

2017-10-01

The Zoo solution to Fermi's Paradox proposes that extraterrestrial intelligences (ETIs) have agreed to not contact the Earth. The strength of this solution depends on the ability for ETIs to come to agreement, and establish/police treaties as part of a so-called `Galactic Club'. These activities are principally limited by the causal connectivity of a civilization to its neighbours at its inception, i.e. whether it comes to prominence being aware of other ETIs and any treaties or agreements in place. If even one civilization is not causally connected to the other members of a treaty, then they are free to operate beyond it and contact the Earth if wished, which makes the Zoo solution `soft'. We should therefore consider how likely this scenario is, as this will give us a sense of the Zoo solution's softness, or general validity. We implement a simple toy model of ETIs arising in a Galactic Habitable Zone, and calculate the properties of the groups of culturally connected civilizations established therein. We show that for most choices of civilization parameters, the number of culturally connected groups is >1, meaning that the Galaxy is composed of multiple Galactic Cliques rather than a single Galactic Club. We find in our models for a single Galactic Club to establish interstellar hegemony, the number of civilizations must be relatively large, the mean civilization lifetime must be several millions of years, and the inter-arrival time between civilizations must be a few million years or less.

nIFTY galaxy cluster simulations - III. The similarity and diversity of galaxies and subhaloes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elahi, Pascal J.; Knebe, Alexander; Pearce, Frazer R.; Power, Chris; Yepes, Gustavo; Cui, Weiguang; Cunnama, Daniel; Kay, Scott T.; Sembolini, Federico; Beck, Alexander M.; Davé, Romeel; February, Sean; Huang, Shuiyao; Katz, Neal; McCarthy, Ian G.; Murante, Giuseppe; Perret, Valentin; Puchwein, Ewald; Saro, Alexandro; Teyssier, Romain

2016-05-01

We examine subhaloes and galaxies residing in a simulated Λ cold dark matter galaxy cluster (M^crit_{200}=1.1× 10^{15} h^{-1} M_{⊙}) produced by hydrodynamical codes ranging from classic smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH), newer SPH codes, adaptive and moving mesh codes. These codes use subgrid models to capture galaxy formation physics. We compare how well these codes reproduce the same subhaloes/galaxies in gravity-only, non-radiative hydrodynamics and full feedback physics runs by looking at the overall subhalo/galaxy distribution and on an individual object basis. We find that the subhalo population is reproduced to within ≲10 per cent for both dark matter only and non-radiative runs, with individual objects showing code-to-code scatter of ≲0.1 dex, although the gas in non-radiative simulations shows significant scatter. Including feedback physics significantly increases the diversity. Subhalo mass and Vmax distributions vary by ≈20 per cent. The galaxy populations also show striking code-to-code variations. Although the Tully-Fisher relation is similar in almost all codes, the number of galaxies with 109 h- 1 M⊙ ≲ M* ≲ 1012 h- 1 M⊙ can differ by a factor of 4. Individual galaxies show code-to-code scatter of ˜0.5 dex in stellar mass. Moreover, systematic differences exist, with some codes producing galaxies 70 per cent smaller than others. The diversity partially arises from the inclusion/absence of active galactic nucleus feedback. Our results combined with our companion papers demonstrate that subgrid physics is not just subject to fine-tuning, but the complexity of building galaxies in all environments remains a challenge. We argue that even basic galaxy properties, such as stellar mass to halo mass, should be treated with errors bars of ˜0.2-0.4 dex.

The sizes of elephant groups in zoos: implications for elephant welfare.

PubMed

Rees, Paul A

2009-01-01

This study examined the distribution of 495 Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and 336 African elephants (Loxodonta africana) in 194 zoos, most of which were located in Europe (49.1%) and North America (32.6%). Cows outnumbered bulls 4 to 1 (Loxodonta) and 3 to 1 (Elephas). Groups contained 7 or fewer: mean, 4.28 (sigma = 5.73). One fifth of elephants lived alone or with one conspecific. Forty-six elephants (5.5%) had no conspecific. Many zoos ignore minimum group sizes of regional zoo association guidelines. The American Zoo and Aquarium Association recommends that breeding facilities keep herds of 6 to 12 elephants. The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums recommends keeping together at least 4 cows over 2 years old. Over 69% Asian and 80% African cow groups-including those under 2 years-consisted of fewer than 4 individuals. Recently, Europe and North America have made progress with some zoos no longer keeping elephants and with others investing in improved facilities and forming larger herds. The welfare of individual elephants should outweigh all other considerations; zoos should urgently seek to integrate small groups into larger herds.

Retrospective Study on Fatal Melioidosis in Captive Zoo Animals in Thailand.

PubMed

Kasantikul, T; Sommanustweechai, A; Polsrila, K; Kongkham, W; Chaisongkram, C; Sanannu, S; Kongmakee, P; Narongwanichgarn, W; Bush, M; Sermswan, R W; Banlunara, W

2016-10-01

Melioidosis is caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei and is an important zoonotic infectious disease causing high mortality from fulminant septicaemia in humans and a wide variety of animal species. The incidence of fatal melioidosis in zoo animals has been significant in many Thai zoos. A total number of 32 cases were evaluated throughout the Thai zoo animal populations. The highest prevalence of disease has been reported from the north-eastern region followed by the zoos in the southern part of the country, approximately 47% and 38%, respectively, while the other zoos reported sporadic infections. Herbivores and non-human primates were the most commonly affected animals with incidences of 59% and 28%, respectively. This appears to be a seasonal correlation with the highest incidence of melioidosis in zoo animals reported in the rainy season (44%) or subdivided monthly in June (19%) followed by September and November (16% and 12%, respectively). The route of infection and the incubation period still remain unclear. This retrospective study examined the clinical presentation in various zoo species, pathological findings and epidemiological data as well as conducting an in depth literature review. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

RADIO DETECTION OF GREEN PEAS: IMPLICATIONS FOR MAGNETIC FIELDS IN YOUNG GALAXIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chakraborti, Sayan; Yadav, Naveen; Ray, Alak

Green Peas are a new class of young, emission line galaxies that were discovered by citizen volunteers in the Galaxy Zoo project. Their low stellar mass, low metallicity, and very high star formation rates make Green Peas the nearby (z {approx} 0.2) analogs of the Lyman break galaxies which account for the bulk of the star formation in the early universe (z {approx} 2-5). They thus provide accessible laboratories in the nearby universe for understanding star formation, supernova feedback, particle acceleration, and magnetic field amplification in early galaxies. We report the first direct radio detection of Green Peas with lowmore » frequency Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope observations and our stacking detection with archival Very Large Array FIRST data. We show that the radio emission implies that these extremely young galaxies already have magnetic fields ({approx}> 30 {mu}G) even larger than that of the Milky Way. This is at odds with the present understanding of magnetic field growth based on amplification of seed fields by dynamo action over a galaxy's lifetime. Our observations strongly favor models with pregalactic magnetic fields at {mu}G levels.« less

Visitors or visits? An examination of zoo visitor numbers using the case study of Australia.

PubMed

Smith, Liam

2013-01-01

Usually cited in reference to the potential reach of zoo education, one of the popular figures for global zoo visitation is that 600 million people visit zoos annually. However, this number needs clarification on two fronts. First, there are many zoo visitors who are not included in the calculation because they visited a zoo that was not included in the count. Second, it does not take into consideration the people visit either the same or different zoos more than once annually. Using data collected from several sources, including zoo visitors themselves, this article focuses on one country--Australia--that contributes 15.6 million to the visitation total, and contends that the correct number of unique annual zoo visitors to Australian zoos is likely to be between 8 and 10 million. However, rather than suggesting an overemphasis on the potential of zoos for educating visitors, having regular repeat visitors represents a distinct advantage for zoos, allowing for progressive education opportunities. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Energy Production from Zoo Animal Wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klasson, KT

Elephant and rhinoceros dung was used to investigate the feasibility of generating methane from the dung. The Knoxville Zoo produces 30 cubic yards (23 m{sup 3}) of herbivore dung per week and cost of disposal of this dung is $105/week. The majority of this dung originates from the Zoo's elephant and rhinoceros population. The estimated weight of the dung is 20 metric tons per week and the methane production potential determined in experiments was 0.033 L biogas/g dung (0.020 L CH{sub 4}/g dung), and the digestion of elephant dung was enhanced by the addition of ammonium nitrogen. Digestion was bettermore » overall at 37 C when compared to digestion at 50 C. Based on the amount of dung generated at the Knoxville Zoo, it is estimated that two standard garden grills could be operated 24 h per day using the gas from a digester treating 20 metric ton herbivore dung per week.« less

Environments of z~0.2 Star Forming Galaxies: Building on the Citizen Science Discovery of the Green Peas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardamone, Carolin; Cappelluti, Nico; Powell, Meredith; Urry, Meg; Galaxy Zoo Science Team

2018-01-01

‘Green Pea’ galaxies, discovered in the Galaxy Zoo citizen science project, are rare low-mass (M < 1 x 1010 M⊙) galaxies, experiencing an episode of compact, relatively low-metalicity (z ≈ 1/5 z⊙), intense starformation (3-60 M⊙/yr). While their spectra have been investigated in a wide-array of follow-up studies, a detailed study of their environments is missing. Two-point correlation functions have been used to show the environmental dependence of an array of galaxy properties (eg., mass, luminosity, color, star formation, and morphology). In this study, we present a cross-correlation analysis between the Green Peas and the Luminous Red Galaxies throughout the SDSS footprint, and we find that the population of Green Peas at 0.11

The global reach of zoos and aquariums in visitor numbers and conservation expenditures.

PubMed

Gusset, Markus; Dick, Gerald

2011-01-01

A survey conducted by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, in collaboration with national and regional zoo and aquarium associations, showed that annually more than 700 million people visit zoos and aquariums worldwide and are thus potentially exposed to environmental education. Furthermore, the world zoo and aquarium community reportedly spends about US$ 350 million on wildlife conservation each year. Therefore, the world zoo and aquarium community has the potential to play an important role in both environmental education and wildlife conservation. Systematic reviews are encouraged to provide further evidence for the effectiveness of zoos and aquariums as centers of education and conservation. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Factors Influencing Zoo Visitors' Conservation Attitudes and Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanagan, Jeffrey S.

2000-01-01

Predicts that Zoo Atlanta visitors who had interactive experience with the zoo's elephant demonstration and bio-fact program would be more likely to actively support elephant conservation than those who simply viewed the animals in their exhibit and read graphics. Uses survey instruments including 25 closed-ended questions, petitions, and…

The galaxy-dark matter halo connection: which galaxy properties are correlated with the host halo mass?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Contreras, S.; Baugh, C. M.; Norberg, P.; Padilla, N.

2015-09-01

We demonstrate how the properties of a galaxy depend on the mass of its host dark matter subhalo, using two independent models of galaxy formation. For the cases of stellar mass and black hole mass, the median property value displays a monotonic dependence on subhalo mass. The slope of the relation changes for subhalo masses for which heating by active galactic nuclei becomes important. The median property values are predicted to be remarkably similar for central and satellite galaxies. The two models predict considerable scatter around the median property value, though the size of the scatter is model dependent. There is only modest evolution with redshift in the median galaxy property at a fixed subhalo mass. Properties such as cold gas mass and star formation rate, however, are predicted to have a complex dependence on subhalo mass. In these cases, subhalo mass is not a good indicator of the value of the galaxy property. We illustrate how the predictions in the galaxy property-subhalo mass plane differ from the assumptions made in some empirical models of galaxy clustering by reconstructing the model output using a basic subhalo abundance matching scheme. In its simplest form, abundance matching generally does not reproduce the clustering predicted by the models, typically resulting in an overprediction of the clustering signal. Using the predictions of the galaxy formation model for the correlations between pairs of galaxy properties, the basic abundance matching scheme can be extended to reproduce the model predictions more faithfully for a wider range of galaxy properties. Our results have implications for the analysis of galaxy clustering, particularly for low abundance samples.

The Assessment of Animal Welfare in British Zoos by Government-Appointed Inspectors.

PubMed

Draper, Chris; Harris, Stephen

2012-09-28

We analysed the reports of government-appointed inspectors from 192 zoos between 2005-2008 to provide the first review of how animal welfare was assessed in British zoos since the enactment of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. We examined the effects of whether or not a veterinarian was included in the inspection team, type of inspection, licence status of the zoo and membership of a zoo association on the inspectors' assessments of animal welfare standards in five areas that approximate to the Five Freedoms. At least 11% of full licence inspections did not comply with the legal requirement for two inspectors. The inspectors' reports were unclear as to how animal welfare was assessed, whether all animals or only a sub-sample had been inspected, and were based predominantly on welfare inputs rather than outcomes. Of 9,024 animal welfare assessments across the 192 zoos, 7,511 (83%) were graded as meeting the standards, 782 (9%) as substandard and the rest were not graded. Of the 192 zoos, 47 (24%) were assessed as meeting all the animal welfare standards. Membership of a zoo association was not associated with a higher overall assessment of animal welfare standards, and specialist collections such as Farm Parks and Other Bird collections performed least well. We recommend a number of changes to the inspection process that should lead to greater clarity in the assessment of animal welfare in British zoos.

36 CFR 520.4 - Protection of zoo animals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Protection of zoo animals... Protection of zoo animals. Except for official purposes, no person shall: (a) Kill, injure, or disturb any exhibit or research animal by any means except to secure personal safety; (b) Pet, attempt to pet, handle...

36 CFR 520.4 - Protection of zoo animals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Protection of zoo animals... Protection of zoo animals. Except for official purposes, no person shall: (a) Kill, injure, or disturb any exhibit or research animal by any means except to secure personal safety; (b) Pet, attempt to pet, handle...

36 CFR 520.4 - Protection of zoo animals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Protection of zoo animals... Protection of zoo animals. Except for official purposes, no person shall: (a) Kill, injure, or disturb any exhibit or research animal by any means except to secure personal safety; (b) Pet, attempt to pet, handle...

36 CFR 520.4 - Protection of zoo animals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Protection of zoo animals... Protection of zoo animals. Except for official purposes, no person shall: (a) Kill, injure, or disturb any exhibit or research animal by any means except to secure personal safety; (b) Pet, attempt to pet, handle...

Is the cluster environment quenching the Seyfert activity in elliptical and spiral galaxies?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Souza, R. S.; Dantas, M. L. L.; Krone-Martins, A.; Cameron, E.; Coelho, P.; Hattab, M. W.; de Val-Borro, M.; Hilbe, J. M.; Elliott, J.; Hagen, A.; COIN Collaboration

2016-09-01

We developed a hierarchical Bayesian model (HBM) to investigate how the presence of Seyfert activity relates to their environment, herein represented by the galaxy cluster mass, M200, and the normalized cluster centric distance, r/r200. We achieved this by constructing an unbiased sample of galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, with morphological classifications provided by the Galaxy Zoo Project. A propensity score matching approach is introduced to control the effects of confounding variables: stellar mass, galaxy colour, and star formation rate. The connection between Seyfert-activity and environmental properties in the de-biased sample is modelled within an HBM framework using the so-called logistic regression technique, suitable for the analysis of binary data (e.g. whether or not a galaxy hosts an AGN). Unlike standard ordinary least square fitting methods, our methodology naturally allows modelling the probability of Seyfert-AGN activity in galaxies on their natural scale, I.e. as a binary variable. Furthermore, we demonstrate how an HBM can incorporate information of each particular galaxy morphological type in an unified framework. In elliptical galaxies our analysis indicates a strong correlation of Seyfert-AGN activity with r/r200, and a weaker correlation with the mass of the host cluster. In spiral galaxies these trends do not appear, suggesting that the link between Seyfert activity and the properties of spiral galaxies are independent of the environment.

Zoos and public health: A partnership on the One Health frontier.

PubMed

Robinette, C; Saffran, L; Ruple, A; Deem, S L

2017-06-01

Today, accredited zoos are not just places for entertainment, they are actively involved in research for conservation and health. During recent decades in which the challenges for biodiversity conservation and public health have escalated, zoos have made significant changes to address these difficulties. Zoos increasingly have four key areas of focus: education, recreation, conservation, and research. These key areas are important in addressing an interrelated global conservation ( i.e. habitat and wildlife loss) and public health crisis. Zoo and public health professionals working together within a One Health framework represent a powerful alliance to address current and future conservation and public health problems around the world. For researchers, practitioners, and students, the collaboration between zoos and public health institutions offers the opportunity to both teach and operationalize this transdisciplinary approach. Using examples from our programs, we give a template for moving forward with collaborative initiatives and sustainable solutions involving partners in both zoos and public health institutions. We provide examples of cooperative programs and suggest a model for consideration in the development of further activities in this area.

Constraining Feedback in Galaxy Formation: Using Galaxy and AGN Surveys to Shed Light on ``Gastrophysics"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monaco, P.

2007-12-01

We present some results of the new MORGANA model for the rise of galaxies and active nuclei, and show that the improved physical motivation of the description of star formation and feedback allows to get hints on the physical processes at play. We propose that the high level of turbulence in star-forming bulges is at the base of the observed downsizing of AGNs. In this framework it is also possible to reproduce the recently obtained evidence that most low-redshift accretion is powered by relatively massive, slowly accreting black holes. Besides, we notice that many galaxy formation models (including MORGANA) fail to reproduce a basic observable, namely the number density of 10^{11} M_⊙ galaxies at z˜1, as traced by the GOODS-MUSIC sample. This points to a possibly missing ingredient in the modeling of stellar feedback.

We're Definitely Going to the Zoo!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haydon, Rachel; Pace, Stephanie

2016-01-01

Cognitive gains in science content linked to single zoo visits are well evidenced; zoos are unique educational settings. Not only do they foster learning about the natural world, but they also help young people to connect with wildlife (Jensen, 2014; Pearson et al., 2014). Even out-of-classroom experiences of short duration can evoke strong…

Knowledge, Interest, and Value of Youth Zoo Visitors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burris, Alexandra M.

2017-01-01

In the face of massive global extinction, the mission of zoos for conservation education has increasing importance. Zoos are in a unique position to affect the development of youth in ways that are consistent with cultivating pro-environmental behaviors. The purpose of this study was to examine three intrinsic traits of youth important to the…

The educational claims of zoos: where do we go from here?

PubMed

Moss, Andrew; Esson, Maggie

2013-01-01

Zoos exude a certain self-confidence regarding their roles as education providers. Indeed, the education outputs of zoos are, at face value, pretty impressive, with most investing in learning opportunities for leisure visitors, education groups and in some cases, as part of their in situ programs. However, these outputs are not necessarily reliable indicators of the educational achievements of zoos. Quantity does not necessarily equate to quality, just as outputs do not necessarily lead to outcomes. Zoo-accreditation organizations such as the AZA and EAZA offer us clear insight into the strategic vision underpinning the education goals for zoo visitors; a heightened appreciation of the value of biodiversity and a connectedness with the natural world. Unsurprisingly, most zoos have educational goals that ally neatly with the vision of their respective accreditation body. Consequently, we are left with fairly narrow, top-down educational goals. This does not necessarily sit well with what we know about the unpredictability of "free choice" learning in environments such as zoos and aquariums, or what is known about public science communication. Research that seeks to explore the impacts of zoo visits often focuses on evaluating performance based on educational goals and the findings are used as a means of providing evidence of institutional achievement. However, any visitor outcome that falls outside of this narrow range could well be missed by the research. In this article, we propose that research that takes unpredictable and unexpected outcomes into account is necessary and overdue. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Are we ignoring neutral and negative human-animal relationships in zoos?

PubMed

Hosey, Geoff; Melfi, Vicky

2015-01-01

Human-animal interactions (HAI), which may lead to human-animal relationships (HAR), may be positive, neutral, or negative in nature. Zoo studies show that visitors may be stressful, may have no effect, or may be enriching. There is also evidence that good HARs set up between animals and their keepers can have positive effects on animal welfare. However, we need to know more about negative HARs, and as a first step we attempt to do this here by considering cases where animals attack people in the zoo. Due to the sensitivity and rarity of these events data appear sparse and unsystematically collected. Here, information available in the public domain about the circumstances of these attacks has been collated to test hypotheses about negative HAIs derived from a model of zoo HARs. The limited data presented here broadly support the zoo HAR model, and suggest that attacks usually happen in unusual circumstances, where there may be a failure by the animal to recognise the HAR, or where the relationship, if there is one, does not hold; and give some support to the prediction that exposure to many keepers may impair the development of a positive HAR. This study may provide useful information for the zoo community to proactively collect systematic standardised records, which will enable a fuller understanding of zoo HARs, upon which appropriate measures might be adopted to build better zoo HARs, which are likely to positively impact zoo animal welfare, and reduce these rare incidences further. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The effect of visiting zoos on human health and quality of life.

PubMed

Sakagami, Taketo; Ohta, Mitsuaki

2010-02-01

The increased mental stress of daily life and aging of the population are serious matters in Japan. There are many studies regarding the effects of human-animal interactions on mental and physical human health, whereas there are few studies examining the effects of visiting zoos. To determine the effect of visiting zoos on human health and quality of life, two different zoos were visited by 70 participants in Experiment 1 and 163 participants in Experiment 2. In this study we administered the WHO QOL-26 questionnaire in Japanese to assess the psychological scales of participants, and blood pressures and pulse rates were measured to assess their physical scales. We also used pedometers to count the number of steps taken during zoo visits. Both zoo visits decreased blood pressure and participants demonstrated more than 6000 steps during each visit. The quality of life sub-scale scores were improved after zoo visits.

SPIN ALIGNMENTS OF SPIRAL GALAXIES WITHIN THE LARGE-SCALE STRUCTURE FROM SDSS DR7

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Youcai; Yang, Xiaohu; Luo, Wentao

Using a sample of spiral galaxies selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 and Galaxy Zoo 2, we investigate the alignment of spin axes of spiral galaxies with their surrounding large-scale structure, which is characterized by the large-scale tidal field reconstructed from the data using galaxy groups above a certain mass threshold. We find that the spin axes only have weak tendencies to be aligned with (or perpendicular to) the intermediate (or minor) axis of the local tidal tensor. The signal is the strongest in a cluster environment where all three eigenvalues of the local tidal tensor aremore » positive. Compared to the alignments between halo spins and the local tidal field obtained in N-body simulations, the above observational results are in best agreement with those for the spins of inner regions of halos, suggesting that the disk material traces the angular momentum of dark matter halos in the inner regions.« less

How much a galaxy knows about its large-scale environment?: An information theoretic perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, Biswajit; Sarkar, Suman

2017-05-01

The small-scale environment characterized by the local density is known to play a crucial role in deciding the galaxy properties but the role of large-scale environment on galaxy formation and evolution still remain a less clear issue. We propose an information theoretic framework to investigate the influence of large-scale environment on galaxy properties and apply it to the data from the Galaxy Zoo project that provides the visual morphological classifications of ˜1 million galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We find a non-zero mutual information between morphology and environment that decreases with increasing length-scales but persists throughout the entire length-scales probed. We estimate the conditional mutual information and the interaction information between morphology and environment by conditioning the environment on different length-scales and find a synergic interaction between them that operates up to at least a length-scales of ˜30 h-1 Mpc. Our analysis indicates that these interactions largely arise due to the mutual information shared between the environments on different length-scales.

Observation of practices at petting zoos and the potential impact on zoonotic disease transmission.

PubMed

Weese, J Scott; McCarthy, Lisa; Mossop, Michael; Martin, Hayley; Lefebvre, Sandi

2007-07-01

Although petting zoos are common at public events and allow the public to interact with animals, there has been minimal evaluation of practices at petting zoos. Unannounced observation was performed at 36 petting zoos in Ontario, Canada. Observers recorded information, including physical layout, animal species, animal health, types of animal contact permitted, animal sources, hand hygiene facilities, signage, sale of food for human consumption, and hand hygiene compliance. The majority of petting zoos (24 [67%] of 36 petting zoos) were part of temporary events, particularly agricultural fairs (21 [58%] of 36 petting zoos). A variety of animal species were present, including some animals that are considered to be at particularly high risk for disease transmission (neonatal calves and baby chicks). The following items that would come into contact with the mouths of infants and children were carried into the petting zoos: baby bottles (at 17 petting zoos; 50%), pacifiers (at 24 petting zoos; 71%), spill-proofs cups (at 19 petting zoos; 56%), and infant toys (at 22 petting zoos; 65%). Hand hygiene facilities were provided at 34 (94%) of 36 events, and hand hygiene compliance ranged from 0% through 77% (mean compliance [+/-SD], 30.9%+/-22.1%; median compliance, 26.5%). Predictors for increased hand hygiene compliance included the location of a hand hygiene station on an exit route, the presence of hand hygiene reminder signs, and the availability of running water. Numerous deficiencies were encountered. Better education of petting zoo operators and the general public is needed. Provision of hand hygiene stations with running water that are placed near exits is one effective way to encourage compliance.

Extraordinary Animals and Expository Writing: Zoo in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trainin, Guy; Wilson, Kathleen; Wickless, Mimi; Brooks, David

2005-01-01

A zoo outreach program led to placing animals in classrooms where those animals became foci for numerous learning activities such as writing, observing, and care. Systematic debriefings suggested uniqueness to learning outcomes connected to zoo animals. Subsequent analysis of student writing indicated that students responded to situational…

Galaxy-M: a Galaxy workflow for processing and analyzing direct infusion and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry-based metabolomics data.

PubMed

Davidson, Robert L; Weber, Ralf J M; Liu, Haoyu; Sharma-Oates, Archana; Viant, Mark R

2016-01-01

Metabolomics is increasingly recognized as an invaluable tool in the biological, medical and environmental sciences yet lags behind the methodological maturity of other omics fields. To achieve its full potential, including the integration of multiple omics modalities, the accessibility, standardization and reproducibility of computational metabolomics tools must be improved significantly. Here we present our end-to-end mass spectrometry metabolomics workflow in the widely used platform, Galaxy. Named Galaxy-M, our workflow has been developed for both direct infusion mass spectrometry (DIMS) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolomics. The range of tools presented spans from processing of raw data, e.g. peak picking and alignment, through data cleansing, e.g. missing value imputation, to preparation for statistical analysis, e.g. normalization and scaling, and principal components analysis (PCA) with associated statistical evaluation. We demonstrate the ease of using these Galaxy workflows via the analysis of DIMS and LC-MS datasets, and provide PCA scores and associated statistics to help other users to ensure that they can accurately repeat the processing and analysis of these two datasets. Galaxy and data are all provided pre-installed in a virtual machine (VM) that can be downloaded from the GigaDB repository. Additionally, source code, executables and installation instructions are available from GitHub. The Galaxy platform has enabled us to produce an easily accessible and reproducible computational metabolomics workflow. More tools could be added by the community to expand its functionality. We recommend that Galaxy-M workflow files are included within the supplementary information of publications, enabling metabolomics studies to achieve greater reproducibility.

Volunteers as Products of a Zoo Conservation Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bixler, Robert D.; Joseph, Stephanie L.; Searles, Vicki M.

2014-01-01

Zoos embrace docents/volunteers as a means of interpreting the threats to wildlife and biodiversity to visitors. To accomplish this, zoos provide docents' education, training, and work experience. Docents themselves also engage in solitary and social wildlife experiences outside of their volunteer obligations. This study examined what motivates…

DISTANT CLUSTER OF GALAXIES [left

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

One of the deepest images to date of the universe, taken with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope (HST), reveals thousands of faint galaxies at the detection limit of present day telescopes. Peering across a large volume of the observable cosmos, Hubble resolves thousands of galaxies from five to twelve billion light-years away. The light from these remote objects has taken billions of years to cross the expanding universe, making these distant galaxies fossil evidence' of events that happened when the universe was one-third its present age. A fraction of the galaxies in this image belong to a cluster located nine billion light-years away. Though the field of view (at the cluster's distance) is only two million light-years across, it contains a multitude of fragmentary objects. (By comparison, the two million light-years between our Milky Way galaxy and its nearest large companion galaxy, in the constellation Andromeda, is essentially empty space!) Very few of the cluster's members are recognizable as normal spiral galaxies (like our Milky Way), although some elongated members might be edge-on disks. Among this zoo of odd galaxies are ``tadpole-like'' objects, disturbed and apparently merging systems dubbed 'train-wrecks,' and a multitude of faint, tiny shards and fragments, dwarf galaxies or possibly an unknown population of objects. However, the cluster also contains red galaxies that resemble mature examples of today's elliptical galaxies. Their red color comes from older stars that must have formed shortly after the Big Bang. The image is the full field view of the Wide Field and Planetary Camera-2. The picture was taken in intervals between May 11 and June 15, 1994 and required an 18-hour long exposure, over 32 orbits of HST, to reveal objects down to 29th magnitude. [bottom right] A close up view of the peculiar radio galaxy 3C324 used to locate the cluster. The galaxy is nine billion light-years away as measured by its spectral redshift (z=1.2), and located in the

Assessment of change in conservation attitudes through zoo education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randall, Teresa

2011-12-01

This study was conducted at the Oklahoma City Zoo in fall 2010 and subjects were students' ages 14-18 who either participated in a formal conservation education class led by zoo educators or in a field trip in which they were engaged in free-choice learning. Two research questions were: 1) Does a trip to the zoo affect conservation attitudes and 2) does learning experience, free-choice or formal, affect conservation attitudes? A criterion group design was used and the instrument used to measure conservation attitudes was Tool 4 from the Visitor Evaluation Toolbox produced by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums MIRP study (Falk, J., Bronnenkant, K., Vernon, C., & Heimlich, J., 2009). Group one (N=110) engaged in a free-choice (field trip only) experience and group two (N=367) engaged in a formal conservation education class. The survey was administered retrospectively to both groups upon completion of their learning experience at the zoo. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 17.0. A paired sample t-test showed the overall mean within both groups increased in a positive direction from 67.965 (retrospective) to 72.345 (present). With alpha set at .05 the two-tailed probability was <0.001, therefore confirming that the change in conservation attitudes was significant. An independent sample t-test of the change in scores between the groups produced p values of 0.792 and 0.773 and revealed that the change was not significant. Findings did illustrate that a trip to the zoo did positively and significantly affect conservation attitudes among teens and that the type of learning experience did not significantly affect change in conservation attitude scores.

Using a Field Trip Inventory to Determine If Listening to Elementary School Students' Conversations, While on a Zoo Field Trip, Enhances Preservice Teachers' Abilities to Plan Zoo Field Trips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patrick, Patricia; Mathews, Cathy; Tunnicliffe, Sue Dale

2013-10-01

This study investigated whether listening to spontaneous conversations of elementary students and their teachers/chaperones, while they were visiting a zoo, affected preservice elementary teachers' conceptions about planning a field trip to the zoo. One hundred five preservice elementary teachers designed field trips prior to and after listening to students' conversations during a field trip to the zoo. In order to analyze the preservice teachers' field trip designs, we conducted a review of the literature on field trips to develop the field trip inventory (FTI). The FTI focussed on three major components of field trips: cognitive, procedural, and social. Cognitive components were subdivided into pre-visit, during-visit, and post-visit activities and problem-solving. Procedural components included information about the informal science education facility (the zoo) and the zoo staff and included advanced organizers. Social components on student groups, fun, control during the zoo visit, and control of student learning. The results of the investigation showed that (a) the dominant topic in conversations among elementary school groups at the zoo was management, (b) procedural components were mentioned least often, (c) preservice teachers described during-visit activities more often than any other characteristic central to field trip design, (d) seven of the nine characteristics listed in the FTI were noted more frequently in the preservice teachers' field trip designs after they listened to students' conversations at the zoo, and (e) preservice teachers thought that students were not learning and that planning was important.

Do Zoo Visitors Come to Learn? An Internationally Comparative, Mixed-Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roe, Katie; McConney, Andrew

2015-01-01

Zoo visitors go to see animals, but are they there to learn? This mixed-methods study examines visitor learning from both zoos' and visitors' perspectives using qualitative and quantitative data. Five hundred and forty zoo visitor interviews from nine case studies provide insight into visitor intentions, which indicate that the majority of…

Planning or something else? Examining neuropsychological predictors of Zoo Map performance.

PubMed

Oosterman, Joukje M; Wijers, Marijn; Kessels, Roy P C

2013-01-01

The Zoo Map Test of the Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome battery is often applied to measure planning ability as part of executive function. Successful performance on this test is, however, dependent on various cognitive functions, and deficient Zoo Map performance does therefore not necessarily imply selectively disrupted planning abilities. To address this important issue, we examined whether planning is still the most important predictor of Zoo Map performance in a heterogeneous sample of neurologic and psychiatric outpatients (N = 71). In addition to the Zoo Map Test, the patients completed other neuropsychological tests of planning, inhibition, processing speed, and episodic memory. Planning was the strongest predictor of the total raw score and inappropriate places visited, and no additional contribution of other cognitive scores was found. One exception to this was the total time, which was associated with processing speed. Overall, our findings indicate that the Zoo Map Test is a valid indicator of planning ability in a heterogeneous patient sample.

Lighting retrofits at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aviary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sadowski, E.C.

Energy bills for the Pittsburgh Zoo typically total $280,000 a year, of which about $220,000 are spent on electricity. Until recently, lighting accounted for 20 percent of this electricity use. This translated into an annual cost of $44,000. Recent advances in lighting technology have made it possible to perform lighting retrofits in Zoo facilities that reduce energy costs while also providing improved light quality and better lit and more natural looking exhibits and animal holding areas. Through an investment of $127,690 in these projects from mid-1992 through mid-1994, the Zoo expects to realize an annual savings in electricity costs ofmore » $24,500 and further savings from a reduction in maintenance and plant replacement costs. Retrofits to the lighting systems in the Tropical Forest Building, the Aquarium, and the Niches of the World Building were the most interesting and are described in detail. Providing a sufficient amount of ultraviolet light to maintain the health of reptiles was a particular challenge in the Niches of the World Building. Lack of separate meters and additions to the Zoo have made the determination of the actual performance of these retrofit projects impossible. A similar retrofit project at the Pittsburgh Aviary (now the National Aviary) in 1989 through 1990 provides savings figures that should be comparable to those expected at the Zoo, however. This project cost $100,000 and saved $21,008 in electricity costs during the first year of operation. Maintenance costs were reduced by approximately $5000 a year.« less

[Construction of occupational zoonoses control system at a zoo].

PubMed

Hori, Ai; Nakamura, Sachiko; Sotohira, Yukari; Iwano, Toshiro; Taniguchi, Hatsumi

2006-12-01

More than 200 diseases are known to be transmitable from animals to humans. These zoonotic infections (zoonoses) are considered as a major occupational health risk among zoo workers, including veterinarians and animal handlers. In order to prevent possible pathogen transmission, precaution measures for workers, visitors and animals are important, as well as institutional hygiene. Construction of a zoonoses control system at a zoo is presented in this report. There are two main components of this system: 1. routine disease prevention activity, 2. action planning for crisis. Workers, an operating officer, an occupational physician and a veterinarian from the zoo cooperated with infection control professionals from the local community.

Dusty Dwarfs Galaxies Occulting A Bright Background Spiral

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holwerda, Benne

2017-08-01

The role of dust in shaping the spectral energy distributions of low mass disk galaxies remains poorly understood. Recent results from the Herschel Space Observatory imply that dwarf galaxies contain large amounts of cool (T 20K) dust, coupled with very modest optical extinctions. These seemingly contradictory conclusions may be resolved if dwarfs harbor a variety of dust geometries, e.g., dust at larger galactocentric radii or in quiescent dark clumps. We propose HST observations of six truly occulting dwarf galaxies drawn from the Galaxy Zoo catalog of silhouetted galaxy pairs. Confirmed, true occulting dwarfs are rare as most low-mass disks in overlap are either close satellites or do not have a confirmed redshift. Dwarf occulters are the key to determining the spatial extent of dust, the small scale structure introduced by turbulence, and the prevailing dust attenuation law. The recent spectroscopic confirmation of bona-fide low mass occulting dwarfs offers an opportunity to map dust in these with HST. What is the role of dust in the SED of these dwarf disk galaxies? With shorter feedback scales, how does star-formation affect their morphology and dust composition, as revealed from their attenuation curve? The resolution of HST allows us to map the dust disks down to the fine scale structure of molecular clouds and multi-wavelength imaging maps the attenuation curve and hence dust composition in these disks. We therefore ask for 2 orbits on each of 6 dwarf galaxies in F275W, F475W, F606W, F814W and F125W to map dust from UV to NIR to constrain the attenuation curve.

The Role of Zoos and Aquariums in Education for a Sustainable Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Packer, Jan; Ballantyne, Roy

2010-01-01

Zoos and aquariums today consider education to be a central role. The vision of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (2005, p. 35) is that "Zoos and aquariums with their unique resource of live animals, their expertise, and their links to field conservation will be recognized as leaders and mentors in formal and informal education for…

Salmonella prevalence among reptiles in a zoo education setting.

PubMed

Hydeskov, H B; Guardabassi, L; Aalbaek, B; Olsen, K E P; Nielsen, S S; Bertelsen, M F

2013-06-01

Clinically healthy reptiles may shed Salmonella and therefore act as a potential zoonotic threat. Most people in Northern European countries are rarely exposed to reptiles, but many zoos have education departments where children have direct contact with this group of animals. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and serotype distribution of Salmonella among reptiles in the Education Department (n = 55) at Copenhagen Zoo and compare it to the Zoo's main reptile collection (n = 145) to evaluate the zoonotic risk. Salmonella was isolated from cloacal swabs by selective enrichment, and a single isolate from each positive sample was further identified by biochemical tests and serotyped. The overall prevalence was 35% (69/200) with significant difference between the Education Department (64%, 35/55) and the main reptile collection (23%, 34/145). A total of 28 serotypes were detected. Ten serotypes were isolated from more than one specimen and four from more than one species. Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Eastbourne was the predominant serotype (32%, 22/69) and was also the serotype isolated from most reptile species (n = 7). Transmission of serotypes from one department to another was very limited indicated by the serotype distribution. Despite the relative high prevalence observed among the reptiles in the Zoo's Education Department compared to the reptiles in the Zoo's main reptile collection, no Salmonella cases have been linked to the Zoo, and Salmonella ser. Eastbourne is very rarely isolated from humans in Denmark. Simple hygienic procedures such as hand washing which is consistently carried out following handling of reptiles at the Education Department may reduce the risk and therefore contribute to this low prevalence. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Zoo Visitor Knowledge and Attitudes toward Gorillas and Chimpanzees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lukas, K. E.; Ross, S. R.

2005-01-01

The authors conducted an evaluation of visitor knowledge and conservation attitudes toward African apes at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo. Using S. R. Kellert's and J. Dunlap's (1989) analysis of zoo visitor knowledge and attitudes as a model, they modified and administered a survey to 1,000 visitors to the ape facility. On average, visitors correctly…

Kinematic scaling relations of CALIFA galaxies: A dynamical mass proxy for galaxies across the Hubble sequence.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aquino-Ortíz, E.; Valenzuela, O.; Sánchez, S. F.; Hernández-Toledo, H.; Ávila-Reese, V.; van de Ven, G.; Rodríguez-Puebla, A.; Zhu, L.; Mancillas, B.; Cano-Díaz, M.; García-Benito, R.

2018-06-01

We used ionized gas and stellar kinematics for 667 spatially resolved galaxies publicly available from the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area survey (CALIFA) 3rd Data Release with the aim of studying kinematic scaling relations as the Tully & Fisher (TF) relation using rotation velocity, Vrot, the Faber & Jackson (FJ) relation using velocity dispersion, σ, and also a combination of Vrot and σ through the SK parameter defined as SK^2 = KV_{rot}^2 + σ ^2 with constant K. Late-type and early-type galaxies reproduce the TF and FJ relations. Some early-type galaxies also follow the TF relation and some late-type galaxies the FJ relation, but always with larger scatter. On the contrary, when we use the SK parameter, all galaxies, regardless of the morphological type, lie on the same scaling relation, showing a tight correlation with the total stellar mass, M⋆. Indeed, we find that the scatter in this relation is smaller or equal to that of the TF and FJ relations. We explore different values of the K parameter without significant differences (slope and scatter) in our final results with respect the case K = 0.5 besides than a small change in the zero point. We calibrate the kinematic SK^2 dynamical mass proxy in order to make it consistent with sophisticated published dynamical models within 0.15 dex. We show that the SK proxy is able to reproduce the relation between the dynamical mass and the stellar mass in the inner regions of galaxies. Our result may be useful in order to produce fast estimations of the central dynamical mass in galaxies and to study correlations in large galaxy surveys.

36 CFR § 520.4 - Protection of zoo animals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true Protection of zoo animals. Â... § 520.4 Protection of zoo animals. Except for official purposes, no person shall: (a) Kill, injure, or disturb any exhibit or research animal by any means except to secure personal safety; (b) Pet, attempt to...

Conservation and Education: Prominent Themes in Zoo Mission Statements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrick, Patricia G.; Matthews, Catherine E.; Ayers, David Franklin; Tunnicliffe, Sue Dale

2007-01-01

In this study, the authors examine the mission statements of 136 zoos in the United States that the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) has accredited, and report on the predominant themes of education and conservation in the statements. To explore the relation between these two themes, the authors present a literature review of the roles…

An analysis of zoo and aquarium provided teacher professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubarek-Sandor, Joy

Informal science institutions are a significant provider of science teacher professional development. As pressure continues to critically analyze the work of teachers and their effectiveness in the classroom, it is important to understand how informal science institutions contribute to effective change in teacher science content knowledge and pedagogy. This research study analyzed zoo and aquarium provided teacher professional development to respond to the research questions: How do zoos and aquaria determine and assess their goals for teacher professional development? How do these goals align with effective teacher change for science content knowledge and pedagogy? Theoretical frameworks for high quality teacher professional development, effective evaluation of teacher professional development, and learning in informal science settings guided the research. The sample for the study was AZA accredited zoos and aquariums providing teacher professional development (N=107). Data collection consisted of an online questionnaire, follow-up interviews, and content analysis of teacher professional development artifacts. Analysis revealed that by and large zoos and aquariums are lacking in their provision of science teacher professional development. Most professional development focuses on content or resources, neglecting pedagogy. Assessments mismatch the goals and rely heavily on self-report and satisfaction measures. The results demonstrate a marked difference between those zoos and aquariums that are larger in capacity versus those that are medium to small in size. This may be an area of research for the future, as well as analyzing the education resources produced by zoos and aquariums as these were emphasized heavily as a way they serve teachers.

An epidemiological approach to welfare research in zoos: the Elephant Welfare Project.

PubMed

Carlstead, Kathy; Mench, Joy A; Meehan, Cheryl; Brown, Janine L

2013-01-01

Multi-institutional studies of welfare have proven to be valuable in zoos but are hampered by limited sample sizes and difficulty in evaluating more than just a few welfare indicators. To more clearly understand how interactions of husbandry factors influence the interrelationships among welfare outcomes, epidemiological approaches are needed as well as multifactorial assessments of welfare. Many questions have been raised about the housing and care of elephants in zoos and whether their environmental and social needs are being met in a manner that promotes good welfare. This article describes the background and rationale for a large-scale study of elephant welfare in North American zoos funded by the (U.S.) Institute of Museum and Library Services. The goals of this project are to document the prevalence of positive and negative welfare states in 291 elephants exhibited in 72 Association of Zoos and Aquariums zoos and then determine the environmental, management, and husbandry factors that impact elephant welfare. This research is the largest scale nonhuman animal welfare project ever undertaken by the zoo community, and the scope of environmental variables and welfare outcomes measured is unprecedented.

Do Formal Inspections Ensure that British Zoos Meet and Improve on Minimum Animal Welfare Standards?

PubMed Central

Draper, Chris; Browne, William; Harris, Stephen

2013-01-01

Simple Summary Key aims of the formal inspections of British zoos are to assess compliance with minimum standards of animal welfare and promote improvements in animal care and husbandry. We compared reports from two consecutive inspections of 136 British zoos to see whether these goals were being achieved. Most zoos did not meet all the minimum animal welfare standards and there was no clear evidence of improving levels of compliance with standards associated with the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. The current system of licensing and inspection does not ensure that British zoos meet and maintain, let alone exceed, the minimum animal welfare standards. Abstract We analysed two consecutive inspection reports for each of 136 British zoos made by government-appointed inspectors between 2005 and 2011 to assess how well British zoos were complying with minimum animal welfare standards; median interval between inspections was 1,107 days. There was no conclusive evidence for overall improvements in the levels of compliance by British zoos. Having the same zoo inspector at both inspections affected the outcome of an inspection; animal welfare criteria were more likely to be assessed as unchanged if the same inspector was present on both inspections. This, and erratic decisions as to whether a criterion applied to a particular zoo, suggest inconsistency in assessments between inspectors. Zoos that were members of a professional association (BIAZA) did not differ significantly from non-members in the overall number of criteria assessed as substandard at the second inspection but were more likely to meet the standards on both inspections and less likely to have criteria remaining substandard. Lack of consistency between inspectors, and the high proportion of zoos failing to meet minimum animal welfare standards nearly thirty years after the Zoo Licensing Act came into force, suggest that the current system of licensing and inspection is not meeting key objectives and requires

Molecular characterization of Blastocystis isolates from zoo animals and their animal-keepers.

PubMed

Parkar, Unaiza; Traub, Rebecca J; Vitali, Simone; Elliot, Aileen; Levecke, Bruno; Robertson, Ian; Geurden, Thomas; Steele, Jan; Drake, Bev; Thompson, R C Andrew

2010-04-19

Blastocystis is an enteric protist and one of the most frequently reported parasitic infections in humans and a variety of animal hosts. It has also been reported in numerous parasite surveys of animals in zoological gardens and in particular in non-human primate species. PCR-based methods capable of the direct detection of Blastocystis in faeces were used to detect Blastocystis from various hosts, including non-human primates, Australian native fauna, elephants and giraffes, as well as their keepers from a Western Australian zoo. Additional faecal samples were also collected from elephants and giraffes from four other zoos in Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Antwerp (Belgium), Melbourne and Werribee (Australia). Information regarding the general health and lifestyle of the human volunteers were obtained by questionnaire. Overall, 42% and 63% of animals and zoo-keepers sampled from the Western Australian zoo were positive for Blastocystis, respectively. The occurrence of Blastocystis in elephants and giraffes from other cities was similar. This is the first report of Blastocystis found in the elephant, giraffe, quokka, southern hairy nosed wombat and western grey kangaroo. Three novel and what appear to be highly host-specific subtypes (STs) of Blastocystis in the elephant, giraffe and quokka are also described. These findings indicate that further exploration of the genetic diversity of Blastocystis is crucial. Most zoo-keepers at the Perth Zoo were harbouring Blastocystis. Four of these zoo-keeper isolates were identical to the isolates from the southern hairy nosed wombat and five primate species.

The galaxy builders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Adrian

2018-06-01

Philip Hopkins, a theoretical astrophysicist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, likes to prank his colleagues. An expert in simulating the formation of galaxies, Hopkins sometimes begins his talks by projecting images of his creations next to photos of real galaxies and defying his audience to tell them apart. "We can even trick astronomers," Hopkins says. For decades, scientists have tried to simulate how the trillions of galaxies in the observable universe arose from clouds of gas after the big bang. But only in the past few years have the simulations begun to reproduce both the details of individual galaxies and their distribution of masses and shapes. As the fake universes improve, their role is also changing. Previously, information flowed one way: from the astronomers studying real galaxies to the modelers trying to simulate them. Now, insight is flowing the other way, too, with the models helping guide astronomers and astrophysicists. The models suggest that the earliest galaxies were oddly pickle-shaped, that wafer-thin spiral galaxies are surprisingly rugged in the face of collisions, and, perhaps most important, that galaxies must form stars far more slowly than astrophysicists expected. Progress is coming so fast, says Tiziana Di Matteo, a numerical cosmologist at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that "the whole thing has reached this little golden age."

Dwarf galaxy populations in present-day galaxy clusters - II. The history of early-type and late-type dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lisker, Thorsten; Weinmann, Simone M.; Janz, Joachim; Meyer, Hagen T.

2013-06-01

How did the dwarf galaxy population of present-day galaxy clusters form and grow over time? We address this question by analysing the history of dark matter subhaloes in the Millennium II cosmological simulation. A semi-analytic model serves as the link to observations. We argue that a reasonable analogue to early morphological types or red-sequence dwarf galaxies are those subhaloes that experienced strong mass-loss, or alternatively those that have spent a long time in massive haloes. This approach reproduces well the observed morphology-distance relation of dwarf galaxies in the Virgo and Coma clusters, and thus provides insight into their history. Over their lifetime, present-day late types have experienced an amount of environmental influence similar to what the progenitors of dwarf ellipticals had already experienced at redshifts above 2. Therefore, dwarf ellipticals are more likely to be a result of early and continuous environmental influence in group- and cluster-size haloes, rather than a recent transformation product. The observed morphological sequences of late-type and early-type galaxies have developed in parallel, not consecutively. Consequently, the characteristics of today's late-type galaxies are not necessarily representative for the progenitors of today's dwarf ellipticals. Studies aiming to reproduce the present-day dwarf population thus need to start at early epochs, model the influence of various environments, and also take into account the evolution of the environments themselves.

Elephant Management in North American Zoos: Environmental Enrichment, Feeding, Exercise, and Training.

PubMed

Greco, Brian J; Meehan, Cheryl L; Miller, Lance J; Shepherdson, David J; Morfeld, Kari A; Andrews, Jeff; Baker, Anne M; Carlstead, Kathy; Mench, Joy A

2016-01-01

The management of African (Loxodonta africana) and Asian (Elephas maximus) elephants in zoos involves a range of practices including feeding, exercise, training, and environmental enrichment. These practices are necessary to meet the elephants' nutritional, healthcare, and husbandry needs. However, these practices are not standardized, resulting in likely variation among zoos as well as differences in the way they are applied to individual elephants within a zoo. To characterize elephant management in North America, we collected survey data from zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, developed 26 variables, generated population level descriptive statistics, and analyzed them to identify differences attributable to sex and species. Sixty-seven zoos submitted surveys describing the management of 224 elephants and the training experiences of 227 elephants. Asian elephants spent more time managed (defined as interacting directly with staff) than Africans (mean time managed: Asians = 56.9%; Africans = 48.6%; p<0.001), and managed time increased by 20.2% for every year of age for both species. Enrichment, feeding, and exercise programs were evaluated using diversity indices, with mean scores across zoos in the midrange for these measures. There were an average of 7.2 feedings every 24-hour period, with only 1.2 occurring during the nighttime. Feeding schedules were predictable at 47.5% of zoos. We also calculated the relative use of rewarding and aversive techniques employed during training interactions. The population median was seven on a scale from one (representing only aversive stimuli) to nine (representing only rewarding stimuli). The results of our study provide essential information for understanding management variation that could be relevant to welfare. Furthermore, the variables we created have been used in subsequent elephant welfare analyses.

Elephant Management in North American Zoos: Environmental Enrichment, Feeding, Exercise, and Training

PubMed Central

Greco, Brian J.; Meehan, Cheryl L.; Miller, Lance J.; Shepherdson, David J.; Morfeld, Kari A.; Andrews, Jeff; Baker, Anne M.; Carlstead, Kathy; Mench, Joy A.

2016-01-01

The management of African (Loxodonta africana) and Asian (Elephas maximus) elephants in zoos involves a range of practices including feeding, exercise, training, and environmental enrichment. These practices are necessary to meet the elephants’ nutritional, healthcare, and husbandry needs. However, these practices are not standardized, resulting in likely variation among zoos as well as differences in the way they are applied to individual elephants within a zoo. To characterize elephant management in North America, we collected survey data from zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, developed 26 variables, generated population level descriptive statistics, and analyzed them to identify differences attributable to sex and species. Sixty-seven zoos submitted surveys describing the management of 224 elephants and the training experiences of 227 elephants. Asian elephants spent more time managed (defined as interacting directly with staff) than Africans (mean time managed: Asians = 56.9%; Africans = 48.6%; p<0.001), and managed time increased by 20.2% for every year of age for both species. Enrichment, feeding, and exercise programs were evaluated using diversity indices, with mean scores across zoos in the midrange for these measures. There were an average of 7.2 feedings every 24-hour period, with only 1.2 occurring during the nighttime. Feeding schedules were predictable at 47.5% of zoos. We also calculated the relative use of rewarding and aversive techniques employed during training interactions. The population median was seven on a scale from one (representing only aversive stimuli) to nine (representing only rewarding stimuli). The results of our study provide essential information for understanding management variation that could be relevant to welfare. Furthermore, the variables we created have been used in subsequent elephant welfare analyses. PMID:27414654

MORFOMETRYKA—A NEW WAY OF ESTABLISHING MORPHOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION OF GALAXIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferrari, F.; Carvalho, R. R. de; Trevisan, M., E-mail: fabricio@ferrari.pro.br

We present an extended morphometric system to automatically classify galaxies from astronomical images. The new system includes the original and modified versions of the CASGM coefficients (Concentration C{sub 1}, Asymmetry A{sub 3}, and Smoothness S{sub 3}), and the new parameters entropy, H, and spirality σ{sub ψ}. The new parameters A{sub 3}, S{sub 3}, and H are better to discriminate galaxy classes than A{sub 1}, S{sub 1}, and G, respectively. The new parameter σ{sub ψ} captures the amount of non-radial pattern on the image and is almost linearly dependent on T-type. Using a sample of spiral and elliptical galaxies from themore » Galaxy Zoo project as a training set, we employed the Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) technique to classify EFIGI (Baillard et al. 4458 galaxies), Nair and Abraham (14,123 galaxies), and SDSS Legacy (779,235 galaxies) samples. The cross-validation test shows that we can achieve an accuracy of more than 90% with our classification scheme. Therefore, we are able to define a plane in the morphometric parameter space that separates the elliptical and spiral classes with a mismatch between classes smaller than 10%. We use the distance to this plane as a morphometric index (M{sub i}) and we show that it follows the human based T-type index very closely. We calculate morphometric index M{sub i} for ∼780k galaxies from SDSS Legacy Survey–DR7. We discuss how M{sub i} correlates with stellar population parameters obtained using the spectra available from SDSS–DR7.« less

Low pathogenic influenza A virus activity at avian interfaces in Ohio zoos, 2006-2009.

PubMed

Nolting, Jacqueline M; Dennis, Patricia; Long, Lindsey; Holtvoigt, Lauren; Brown, Deniele; King, Mary Jo; Shellbarger, Wynonna; Hanley, Chris; Killian, Mary Lea; Slemons, Richard D

2013-09-01

This investigation to examine influenza A virus activity in avian species at four Ohio zoos was initiated to better understand the ecology of avian-origin influenza A (AIV) virus in wild aquatic birds and the possibility of spill-over of such viruses into captive zoo birds, both native and foreign species. Virus isolation efforts resulted in the recovery of three low pathogenic (LP) AIV isolates (one H7N3 and two H3N6) from oral-pharyngeal or cloacal swabs collected from over 1000 zoo birds representing 94 species. In addition, 21 LPAIV isolates possessing H3N6, H4N6, or H7N3 subtype combinations were recovered from 627 (3.3%) environmental fecal samples collected from outdoor habitats accessible to zoo and wild birds. Analysis of oral-pharyngeal and cloacal swabs collected from free-ranging mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) live-trapped at one zoo in 2007 resulted in the recovery of 164 LPAIV isolates (48% of samples) representing five HA and six NA subtypes and at least nine HA-NA combinations. The high frequency of isolate recovery is undoubtedly due to the capture and holding of wild ducks in a common pen before relocation. Serologic analyses using an agar gel immune diffusion assay detected antibodies to the influenza A virus type-specific antigen in 147 of 1237 (11.9%) zoo bird sera and in 14 of 154 (9%) wild mallard sera. Additional analyses of a limited number of zoo bird sera demonstrated HA- and NA-inhibition activity to 15 HA and nine NA subtypes. The spectrum of HA antibodies indicate antibody diversity of AIV infecting zoo birds; however, the contribution of heterologous cross-reactions and steric interference was not ruled out. This proactive investigation documented that antigenically diverse LPAIVs were active in all three components of the avian zoologic-wild bird interfaces at Ohio zoos (zoo birds, the environment, and wild birds). The resulting baseline data provides insight and justification for preventive medicine strategies for zoo birds.

How Do Zoos "Talk" to Their General Visitors? Do Visitors "Listen"? A Mixed Method Investigation of the Communication between Modern Zoos and Their General Visitors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roe, Katie; McConney, Andrew; Mansfield, Caroline F.

2014-01-01

Modern zoos utilise a variety of education tools for communicating with visitors. Previous research has discussed the benefits of providing multiple education communications, yet little research provides an indication of what communications are being employed within zoos today. This research is a two-phased, mixed-methods investigation into the…

Looking around at the Zoo.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milson, James L.

1984-01-01

Suggests various observations that can be made while at a zoo, including behavior of animals, adaptations to special environments, locomotion, food type, and physical characteristics. Provides a sample data sheet for animal observations, citing the usefulness of organized observation. (JM)

A multi-zoo investigation of nutrient provision for captive red-crested turacos.

PubMed

Hulbert, Alexander J; Hunt, Kerry A; Rose, Paul E

2017-03-01

Turacos (Musophagidae) are common zoo birds; the 14 species of Tauraco being most often exhibited. Turacos possess unique non-structural, copper-based feather pigments, and a specialized dietary strategy. Tauraco inhabit tropical woodlands, foraging for predominantly folivorous and/or frugivorous food items. Using a study population of 16 red-crested turacos (T. erythrolophus) at seven zoos in the United Kingdom, the nutrient composition of diets from diet sheets was calculated, using Zootrition v.2.6, Saint Louis Zoo, USA for analyses of important nutrients within each diet, and compared against an example of currently available literature. For all nutrients analyzed, significant differences were noted between amounts presented in each zoo's diet (as fed). Turacos are presented with a wide range of ingredients in diets fed, and all zoos use domestic fruits to a large extent in captive diets. Similarities exist between zoos when comparing amounts of as-fed fiber. Analysis of the calcium to phosphorous ratio for these diets showed there to be no significant difference from the published ratio available. While this is a small-scale study on only a limited number of zoos, it provides useful information on current feeding practice for a commonly-housed species of bird and highlights potential areas of deviation away from standard practice, as well as identifying ways of reducing wastage of food. Data on wild foraging behavior and food selection, or collaboration with tauraco keepers from institutions in the tropics, is recommended as a way of improving feeding regimes and updating feeding practice for this and other Tauraco species. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Weather sensitivity for zoo visitation in Toronto, Canada: a quantitative analysis of historical data.

PubMed

Hewer, Micah J; Gough, William A

2016-11-01

Based on a case study of the Toronto Zoo (Canada), multivariate regression analysis, involving both climatic and social variables, was employed to assess the relationship between daily weather and visitation. Zoo visitation was most sensitive to weather variability during the shoulder season, followed by the off-season and, then, the peak season. Temperature was the most influential weather variable in relation to zoo visitation, followed by precipitation and, then, wind speed. The intensity and direction of the social and climatic variables varied between seasons. Temperatures exceeding 26 °C during the shoulder season and 28 °C during the peak season suggested a behavioural threshold associated with zoo visitation, with conditions becoming too warm for certain segments of the zoo visitor market, causing visitor numbers to decline. Even light amounts of precipitation caused average visitor numbers to decline by nearly 50 %. Increasing wind speeds also demonstrated a negative influence on zoo visitation.

Weather sensitivity for zoo visitation in Toronto, Canada: a quantitative analysis of historical data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hewer, Micah J.; Gough, William A.

2016-11-01

Based on a case study of the Toronto Zoo (Canada), multivariate regression analysis, involving both climatic and social variables, was employed to assess the relationship between daily weather and visitation. Zoo visitation was most sensitive to weather variability during the shoulder season, followed by the off-season and, then, the peak season. Temperature was the most influential weather variable in relation to zoo visitation, followed by precipitation and, then, wind speed. The intensity and direction of the social and climatic variables varied between seasons. Temperatures exceeding 26 °C during the shoulder season and 28 °C during the peak season suggested a behavioural threshold associated with zoo visitation, with conditions becoming too warm for certain segments of the zoo visitor market, causing visitor numbers to decline. Even light amounts of precipitation caused average visitor numbers to decline by nearly 50 %. Increasing wind speeds also demonstrated a negative influence on zoo visitation.

The relative role of captive breeding and of zoo-bred animals in North American conservation translocations.

PubMed

Brichieri-Colombi, Typhenn A; Lloyd, Natasha A; Mcpherson, Jana M; Moehrenschlager, Axel

2018-06-19

With the loss of biodiversity accelerating, conservation translocations such as reintroductions are becoming an increasingly common conservation tool. Conservation translocations must source individuals for release from either wild or captive-bred populations. We asked what proportion of North American conservation translocations rely on captive breeding, and to what extent zoos and aquaria (hereafter zoos) fulfill captive breeding needs. Our comprehensive literature review indicates that North American conservation translocations published before 2014 involved captive breeding for 162 (58%) of the 279 animal species translocated. Fifty-four zoos contributed animals for release; the fourty species of animals bred for release by zoos represents only 14% of all animal species for which conservation translocations were published, and only 25% of all animal species that were bred for releases occurring in North America. Zoo contributions varied by taxon, ranging from zoo-bred animals released in 42% of amphibian conservation translocations to zero contributions for marine invertebrates. Proportional involvement of zoos in captive breeding programs for release has increased over time as has the proportion of translocation-focused scientific papers co-authored by zoo professionals. While zoos also contribute to conservation translocations through education, funding, and professional expertise, increasing the contribution of animals for release in responsible conservation translocation programs presents a future conservation need and opportunity. We especially encourage increased dialogue and planning between the zoo community, academic institutions, and governments to optimize the direct contribution zoos can make to wildlife conservation through conservation translocations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Bronx Zoo Fuel Cell Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoang Pham

A 200 kW Fuel Cell has been installed in the Lion House, Bronx Zoo, NY. The Fuel Cell is a 200 kW phosphoric acid type manufactured by United Technologies Corporation (UTC) and will provide thermal energy at 725,000 Btu/hr.

A Comparison of Walking Rates Between Wild and Zoo African Elephants.

PubMed

Miller, Lance J; Chase, Michael J; Hacker, Charlotte E

2016-01-01

With increased scrutiny surrounding the welfare of elephants in zoological institutions, it is important to have empirical evidence on their current welfare status. If elephants are not receiving adequate exercise, it could lead to obesity, which can lead to many issues including acyclicity and potentially heart disease. The goal of the current study was to compare the walking rates of elephants in the wild versus elephants in zoos to determine if elephants are walking similar distances relative to their wild counterparts. Eleven wild elephants throughout different habitats and locations in Botswana were compared to 8 elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Direct comparisons revealed no significant difference in average walking rates of zoo elephants when compared with wild elephants. These results suggest that elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park walk similar rates to those of wild elephants and may be meeting their exercise needs.

Unsilencing voices: a study of zoo signs and their language of authority

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fogelberg, Katherine

2014-12-01

Zoo signs are important for informal learning, but their effect on visitor perception of animals has been sparsely studied. Other studies have established the importance of informal learning in American society; this study discusses zoo signs in the context of such learning. Through the lens of Critical Theory framed by informal learning, and by applying critical discourse analysis, I discovered subtle institutional power on zoo signs. This may influence visitors through dominant ideological discursive formations and emergent discourse objects, adding to the paradox of "saving" wild animals while simultaneously oppressing them. Signs covering a variety of species from two different United States-accredited zoos were analyzed. Critical Theory looks to emancipate oppressed human populations; here I apply it zoo animals. As physical emancipation is not practical, I define emancipation in the sociological sense—in this case, freedom from silence. Through this research, perhaps we can find a way to represent animals as living beings who have their own lives and voices, by presenting them honestly, with care and compassion.

Efficiently Sorting Zoo-Mesh Data Sets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cook, R; Max, N; Silva, C

The authors describe the SXMPVO algorithm for performing a visibility ordering zoo-meshed polyhedra. The algorithm runs in practice in linear time and the visibility ordering which it produces is exact.

Do Formal Inspections Ensure that British Zoos Meet and Improve on Minimum Animal Welfare Standards?

PubMed

Draper, Chris; Browne, William; Harris, Stephen

2013-11-08

We analysed two consecutive inspection reports for each of 136 British zoos made by government-appointed inspectors between 2005 and 2011 to assess how well British zoos were complying with minimum animal welfare standards; median interval between inspections was 1,107 days. There was no conclusive evidence for overall improvements in the levels of compliance by British zoos. Having the same zoo inspector at both inspections affected the outcome of an inspection; animal welfare criteria were more likely to be assessed as unchanged if the same inspector was present on both inspections. This, and erratic decisions as to whether a criterion applied to a particular zoo, suggest inconsistency in assessments between inspectors. Zoos that were members of a professional association (BIAZA) did not differ significantly from non-members in the overall number of criteria assessed as substandard at the second inspection but were more likely to meet the standards on both inspections and less likely to have criteria remaining substandard. Lack of consistency between inspectors, and the high proportion of zoos failing to meet minimum animal welfare standards nearly thirty years after the Zoo Licensing Act came into force, suggest that the current system of licensing and inspection is not meeting key objectives and requires revision.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Compact early-type galaxies in SDSS (Saulder+, 2015)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saulder, C.; van den Bosch, R. C. E.; Mieske, S.

2015-11-01

As the baseline sample of our search for b19 analogues, we made broad use of the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys (SDSS) and especially of its tenth (Ahn et al., 2014ApJS..211...17A) and seventh (Abazajian et al., 2009ApJS..182..543A) data releases (DR10 and DR7). Furthermore, we used GalaxyZoo (Lintott et al., 2008MNRAS.389.1179L, 2011, Cat. J/MNRAS/410/166) for our galaxy classifications, the refits of SDSS DR7 using Sersic profiles done by Simard et al. (2011, Cat. J/ApJS/196/11), and the stellar masses from Mendel et al. (2014, Cat. J/ApJS/210/3), which is itself based on the previous work of Simard et al. (2011, Cat. J/ApJS/196/11). For comparison, we also used the list of 63 compact massive galaxies from Taylor et al. (2010, Cat. J/ApJ/720/723), which is based on SDSS DR7 as well as a list of 29 compact massive galaxies from Trujillo et al. (2009ApJ...692L.118T), which is based on the NYU Value-Added Galaxy Catalog (Blanton et al., 2005AJ....129.2562B) and covers a sub-sample of SDSS. (9 data files).

Improving galaxy morphologies for SDSS with Deep Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domínguez Sánchez, H.; Huertas-Company, M.; Bernardi, M.; Tuccillo, D.; Fischer, J. L.

2018-05-01

We present a morphological catalogue for ˜670 000 galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey in two flavours: T-type, related to the Hubble sequence, and Galaxy Zoo 2 (GZ2 hereafter) classification scheme. By combining accurate existing visual classification catalogues with machine learning, we provide the largest and most accurate morphological catalogue up to date. The classifications are obtained with Deep Learning algorithms using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). We use two visual classification catalogues, GZ2 and Nair & Abraham (2010), for training CNNs with colour images in order to obtain T-types and a series of GZ2 type questions (disc/features, edge-on galaxies, bar signature, bulge prominence, roundness, and mergers). We also provide an additional probability enabling a separation between pure elliptical (E) from S0, where the T-type model is not so efficient. For the T-type, our results show smaller offset and scatter than previous models trained with support vector machines. For the GZ2 type questions, our models have large accuracy (>97 per cent), precision and recall values (>90 per cent), when applied to a test sample with the same characteristics as the one used for training. The catalogue is publicly released with the paper.

The ultraviolet attenuation law in backlit spiral galaxies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Keel, William C.; Manning, Anna M.; Holwerda, Benne W.

The effective extinction law (attenuation behavior) in galaxies in the emitted ultraviolet (UV) regime is well known only for actively star-forming objects and combines effects of the grain properties, fine structure in the dust distribution, and relative distributions of stars and dust. We use Galaxy Evolution Explorer, XMM Optical Monitor, and Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data to explore the UV attenuation in the outer parts of spiral disks which are backlit by other UV-bright galaxies, starting with the candidate list of pairs provided by Galaxy Zoo participants. New optical images help to constrain the geometry and structure of the targetmore » galaxies. Our analysis incorporates galaxy symmetry, using non-overlapping regions of each galaxy to derive error estimates on the attenuation measurements. The entire sample has an attenuation law across the optical and UV that is close to the Calzetti et al. form; the UV slope for the overall sample is substantially shallower than found by Wild et al., which is a reasonable match to the more distant galaxies in our sample but not to the weighted combination including NGC 2207. The nearby, bright spiral NGC 2207 alone gives an accuracy almost equal to the rest of our sample, and its outer arms have a very low level of foreground starlight. Thus, this widespread, fairly 'gray' law can be produced from the distribution of dust alone, without a necessary contribution from differential escape of stars from dense clouds. Our results indicate that the extrapolation needed to compare attenuation between backlit galaxies at moderate redshifts from HST data, and local systems from Sloan Digital Sky Survey and similar data, is mild enough to allow the use of galaxy overlaps to trace the cosmic history of dust in galaxies. For NGC 2207, HST data in the near-UV F336W band show that the covering factor of clouds with small optical attenuation becomes a dominant factor farther into the UV, which opens the possibility that

The "Science" Behind a Successful Field Trip to the Zoo

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Catherine Marie; Matthews, Catherine E.

2011-01-01

A field trip to the local zoo is often a staple in many elementary school curricula. Many zoos offer free entry to local teachers and their students. Teachers take students on field trips to enrich the curriculum, make connections to what students are learning in school, and provide students with meaningful learning experiences (Kisiel 2007).…

SpArcFiRe: Scalable automated detection of spiral galaxy arm segments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, Darren R.; Hayes, Wayne B., E-mail: drdavis@uci.edu, E-mail: whayes@uci.edu

Given an approximately centered image of a spiral galaxy, we describe an entirely automated method that finds, centers, and sizes the galaxy (possibly masking nearby stars and other objects if necessary in order to isolate the galaxy itself) and then automatically extracts structural information about the spiral arms. For each arm segment found, we list the pixels in that segment, allowing image analysis on a per-arm-segment basis. We also perform a least-squares fit of a logarithmic spiral arc to the pixels in that segment, giving per-arc parameters, such as the pitch angle, arm segment length, location, etc. The algorithm takesmore » about one minute per galaxies, and can easily be scaled using parallelism. We have run it on all ∼644,000 Sloan objects that are larger than 40 pixels across and classified as 'galaxies'. We find a very good correlation between our quantitative description of a spiral structure and the qualitative description provided by Galaxy Zoo humans. Our objective, quantitative measures of structure demonstrate the difficulty in defining exactly what constitutes a spiral 'arm', leading us to prefer the term 'arm segment'. We find that pitch angle often varies significantly segment-to-segment in a single spiral galaxy, making it difficult to define the pitch angle for a single galaxy. We demonstrate how our new database of arm segments can be queried to find galaxies satisfying specific quantitative visual criteria. For example, even though our code does not explicitly find rings, a good surrogate is to look for galaxies having one long, low-pitch-angle arm—which is how our code views ring galaxies. SpArcFiRe is available at http://sparcfire.ics.uci.edu.« less

[Valuating public health in some zoos in Colombia. Phase 1: designing and validating instruments].

PubMed

Agudelo-Suárez, Angela N; Villamil-Jiménez, Luis C

2009-10-01

Designing and validating instruments for identifying public health problems in some zoological parks in Colombia, thereby allowing them to be evaluated. Four instruments were designed and validated along with the participation of five zoos. The instruments were validated regarding appearance, content, sensitivity to change, reliability tests and determining the tools' usefulness. An evaluation scale was created which assigned a maximum of 400 points, having the following evaluation intervals: 350-400 points meant good public health management, 100-349 points for regular management and 0-99 points for deficient management. The instruments were applied to the five zoos as part of the validation, forming a base-line for future evaluation of public health in them. Four valid and useful instruments were obtained for evaluating public health in zoos in Colombia. The five zoos presented regular public health management. The base-line obtained when validating the instruments led to identifying strengths and weaknesses regarding public health management in the zoos. The instruments obtained generally and specifically evaluated public health management; they led to diagnosing, identifying, quantifying and scoring zoos in Colombia in terms of public health. The base-line provided a starting point for making comparisons and enabling future follow-up of public health in Colombian zoos.

Measuring animal personality for use in population management in zoos: suggested methods and rationale.

PubMed

Watters, Jason V; Powell, David M

2012-01-01

The concept that animals have personalities is gaining traction in the scientific community and is well established in zoos and aquariums. Applying knowledge of animal personalities has occurred more slowly and is most often only considered informally. However, animal personalities are likely to affect the welfare animals experience in captivity and thus should be of primary concern to zoo managers. In addition, animal personality likely affects the outcomes of zoo guest experiences and potentially guests' conservation-related behavior. With over 1,000,000 animals in the care of zoos internationally and hundreds of millions of visitors annually, it would be prudent and beneficial to maximize our use of animal personality data in zoos to effect positive conservation outcomes. Understanding how to broaden population planning techniques to include measures of animal personality and the important outcomes of welfare and education value is of prime importance to the zoo industry. In order to succeed, it is necessary to employ techniques that reliably assess animal personalities and provide measures that can easily be used in population planning models. We discuss the outcomes of recent workshops designed to determine the best techniques for measuring animal personalities in the zoo setting with the goal of incorporating personality into population planning. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

HI-Selected Galaxies in Hierarchical Models of Galaxy Formation and Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoldan, Anna

2017-07-01

This poster presents the main results of a statistical study of HI-selected galaxies based on six different semi-analytic models, all run on the same cosmological N-body simulation. One of these models includes an explicit treatment for the partition of cold gas into atomic and molecular hydrogen. All models considered agree nicely with the measured HI mass function in the local Universe and with the measured scaling relations between HI and galaxy stellar mass. Most models also reproduce the observed 2-point correlation function for HI rich galaxies, with the exception of one model that predicts very little HI associated with galaxies in haloes above 10^12 Msun. We investigated the influence of satellite treatment on the final HI content and found that it introduces large uncertainties at low HI masses. We found that the assumption of instantaneous stripping of hot gas in satellites does not translate necessarily in lower HI masses. We demonstrate that the assumed stellar feedback, combined with star formation, also affect significantly the gas content of satellite galaxies. Finally, we also analyse the origin of the correlation between HI content of model galaxies and the spin of the parent haloes. Zoldan et al., 2016, MNRAS, 465, 2236

Moon Zoo: Educating side-by-side with Doing Science (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gay, P. L.; Moon Zoo Team

2010-12-01

The Moon Zoo citizen science project (http://www.moonzoo.org) engages individuals - primarily members of the public - in identifying geological (and sometimes technological) features on the lunar surface. Using a flash-based interface that runs in a web browser, users can mark craters, linear features, and even left-behind lunar landers on Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter images. These science tools are embedded in an environment designed to encourage learning and collaboration. On the main Moon Zoo site users can explore educational content, including video tutorials, articles, glossary terms, and flash interactive activities. Additionally, there is a blog and a forum to encourage collaboration and social learning, and a twitter feed for general communications. Through this suite of software Moon Zoo users can contribute to science while learning about the Moon and geology. The Moon Zoo educational content is designed with one purpose in mind: To make sure that a curious user can find information quickly, easily, and on (or within 1-click of) the Moon Zoo site. The Internet is filled with many excellent lunar educational products, and many high-quality digital products exist in offline archives. Finding desired resources, however, can sometimes be a challenge even for professional educators. In order to make finding content easier, we developed a glossary list and a basic concept map for our website that addresses geology, lunar exploration, observing, and the moon in history and culture, and then we populated these terms and concepts with already available materials. We also do things in a way that encourages both doing science tasks and learning at the same time! Specifically, we use pop-out audio and video players that allow users to listen, learn, and classify the lunar surface all at once. To try and understand our users better we are conducting both learning and motivations studies while also monitoring site usage. Our learning assessments use an assessment tool

Can the Λ CDM model reproduce MOND-like behavior?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, De-Chang; Lu, Chunyu

2017-12-01

It is usually believed that MOND can describe the galactic rotational curves with only baryonic matter and without any dark matter very well, while the Λ CDM model is expected to have difficulty in reproducing MOND-like behavior. Here, we use EAGLE's data to learn whether the Λ CDM model can reproduce MOND-like behavior. EAGLE's simulation result clearly reproduces the MOND-like behavior for ab⪆10-12 m/s 2 at z =0 , although the acceleration constant, a0, is a little larger than the observational data indicate. We find that a0 increases with the redshift in a way different from what Milgrom proposed (a0∝H ). Therefore, while galaxy rotation curves can be fitted by MOND's empirical function in the Λ CDM model, there is no clear connection between a0 and the Hubble constant. We also find that a0 at z ⪆1 is well separated from a0 at z =0 . Once we have enough galaxies observed at high redshifts, we will be able to rule out the modified gravity model based on MOND-like empirical function with a z -independent a0.

Assessment Of The Effect Of Participation In Zooniverse Projects On Content Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cormier, Sebastien; Prather, E. E.; Brissenden, G.; Lintott, C.; Gay, P. L.; Raddick, J.; Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars CATS

2011-01-01

The citizen science projects developed by Zooniverse afford volunteers the opportunity to contribute to scientific research in a meaningful way by interacting with actual scientific data. We created two surveys to measure the impact that participation in the Galaxy Zoo and Moon Zoo citizen science projects has on user conceptual knowledge. The Zooniverse Astronomy Concept Survey (ZACS) was designed to assess Galaxy Zoo user understanding of concepts related to galaxies and how their understanding changed through participation in classifying galaxies. The Lunar Cratering Concept Inventory (LCCI) was designed to measure the impact of the Moon Zoo activities on user knowledge about lunar craters and cratering history. We describe how the surveys were developed and validated in collaboration with education researchers and astronomers. Both instruments are administered over time to measure changes to user conceptual knowledge as they gain experience with either Galaxy Zoo or Moon Zoo. Data collection has already begun and in the future we will be able to compare survey answers from users who have classified, for example, a thousand galaxies with users who have only classified ten galaxies. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0715517, a CCLI Phase III Grant for the Collaboration of Astronomy Teaching Scholars (CATS). Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III Education and Public Outreach Program.

The Influence of an Interactive Educational Approach on Visitors' Learning in a Swiss Zoo

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindemann-Matthies, Petra; Kamer, Tobias

2005-01-01

A new but costly approach to providing visitors of zoos with information on conservation is the presentation of small exhibits by zoo professionals or volunteers. At these "touch tables" visitors can find out about the biology, ecology, and conservation of animals kept in the zoo. We studied the effect of a touch table on visitors'…

Mutual benefits of research collaborations between zoos and academic institutions.

PubMed

Fernandez, Eduardo J; Timberlake, William

2008-11-01

Zoos focus on welfare, conservation, education, and research related to animals they keep. Academic institutions emphasize description, experimentation, modeling, and teaching of general and specific animal biology and behavior through work in both laboratory and field. The considerable overlap in concerns and methods has increased interest in collaborative projects, but there is ample room for closer and more extensive interactions. The purpose of this article is to increase awareness of potential research collaborations in three areas: (1) control and analysis of behavior, (2) conservation and propagation of species, and (3) education of students and the general public. In each area, we outline (a) research in zoos, (b) research in academics, and (c) potential collaborative efforts. Zoo Biol 27:470-487, 2008. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Assessing the global zoo response to the amphibian crisis through 20-year trends in captive collections.

PubMed

Dawson, Jeff; Patel, Freisha; Griffiths, Richard A; Young, Richard P

2016-02-01

Global amphibian declines are one of the biggest challenges currently facing the conservation community, and captive breeding is one way to address this crisis. Using information from the International Species Information System zoo network, we examined trends in global zoo amphibian holdings across species, zoo region, and species geographical region of origin from 1994 to 2014. These trends were compared before and after the 2004 Global Amphibian Assessment to assess whether any changes occurred and whether zoo amphibian conservation effort had increased. The numbers of globally threatened species (GTS) and their proportional representation in global zoo holdings increased and this rate of increase was significantly greater after 2004. North American, European, and Oceanian GTS were best represented in zoos globally, and proportions of Oceanian GTS held increased the most since 2004. South American and Asian GTS had the lowest proportional representation in zoos. At a regional zoo level, European zoos held the lowest proportions of GTS, and this proportion did not increase after 2004. Since 1994, the number of species held in viable populations has increased, and these species are distributed among more institutions. However, as of 2014, zoos held 6.2% of globally threatened amphibians, a much smaller figure than for other vertebrate groups and one that falls considerably short of the number of species for which ex situ management may be desirable. Although the increased effort zoos have put into amphibian conservation over the past 20 years is encouraging, more focus is needed on ex situ conservation priority species. This includes building expertise and capacity in countries that hold them and tracking existing conservation efforts if the evidence-based approach to amphibian conservation planning at a global level is to be further developed. © 2015 Society for Conservation Biology.

Zoos through the Lens of the IUCN Red List: A Global Metapopulation Approach to Support Conservation Breeding Programs

PubMed Central

Conde, Dalia A.; Colchero, Fernando; Gusset, Markus; Pearce-Kelly, Paul; Byers, Onnie; Flesness, Nate; Browne, Robert K.; Jones, Owen R.

2013-01-01

Given current extinction trends, the number of species requiring conservation breeding programs (CBPs) is likely to increase dramatically. To inform CBP policies for threatened terrestrial vertebrates, we evaluated the number and representation of threatened vertebrate species on the IUCN Red List held in the ISIS zoo network and estimated the complexity of their management as metapopulations. Our results show that 695 of the 3,955 (23%) terrestrial vertebrate species in ISIS zoos are threatened. Only two of the 59 taxonomic orders show a higher proportion of threatened species in ISIS zoos than would be expected if species were selected at random. In addition, for most taxa, the management of a zoo metapopulation of more than 250 individuals will require the coordination of a cluster of 11 to 24 ISIS zoos within a radius of 2,000 km. Thus, in the zoo network, the representation of species that may require CBPs is currently low and the spatial distribution of these zoo populations makes management difficult. Although the zoo community may have the will and the logistical potential to contribute to conservation actions, including CBPs, to do so will require greater collaboration between zoos and other institutions, alongside the development of international agreements that facilitate cross-border movement of zoo animals. To maximize the effectiveness of integrated conservation actions that include CBPs, it is fundamental that the non-zoo conservation community acknowledges and integrates the expertise and facilities of zoos where it can be helpful. PMID:24348999

Zoos through the lens of the IUCN Red List: a global metapopulation approach to support conservation breeding programs.

PubMed

Conde, Dalia A; Colchero, Fernando; Gusset, Markus; Pearce-Kelly, Paul; Byers, Onnie; Flesness, Nate; Browne, Robert K; Jones, Owen R

2013-01-01

Given current extinction trends, the number of species requiring conservation breeding programs (CBPs) is likely to increase dramatically. To inform CBP policies for threatened terrestrial vertebrates, we evaluated the number and representation of threatened vertebrate species on the IUCN Red List held in the ISIS zoo network and estimated the complexity of their management as metapopulations. Our results show that 695 of the 3,955 (23%) terrestrial vertebrate species in ISIS zoos are threatened. Only two of the 59 taxonomic orders show a higher proportion of threatened species in ISIS zoos than would be expected if species were selected at random. In addition, for most taxa, the management of a zoo metapopulation of more than 250 individuals will require the coordination of a cluster of 11 to 24 ISIS zoos within a radius of 2,000 km. Thus, in the zoo network, the representation of species that may require CBPs is currently low and the spatial distribution of these zoo populations makes management difficult. Although the zoo community may have the will and the logistical potential to contribute to conservation actions, including CBPs, to do so will require greater collaboration between zoos and other institutions, alongside the development of international agreements that facilitate cross-border movement of zoo animals. To maximize the effectiveness of integrated conservation actions that include CBPs, it is fundamental that the non-zoo conservation community acknowledges and integrates the expertise and facilities of zoos where it can be helpful.

An investigation into resting behavior in Asian elephants in UK zoos.

PubMed

Williams, Ellen; Bremner-Harrison, Samantha; Harvey, Naomi; Evison, Emma; Yon, Lisa

2015-01-01

Maintaining adequate welfare in captive elephants is challenging. Few studies have investigated overnight rest behavior in zoo elephants, yet time spent resting has been identified as a welfare indicator in some species. We investigated resting behavior in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in UK zoos, with the aim of identifying patterns or preferences in lying rest. Details of standing (SR) and lying (LR) rest behavior were identified by observing video footage of inside enclosures collected for 14 elephants (2 male, 12 female) housed at three UK zoos (Zoo A: 18 nights; Zoo B: 27 nights; Zoo C: 46 nights) from 16:00 to 08:30 (approximately). Elephants engaged in a mean of 58-337 min rest per night. Time of night affected mean duration of LR bouts (P < 0.001); longest bouts were observed between 22:01 and 06:00. Elephants showed a substrate preference when lying to rest; LR was not observed on concrete or tiled flooring. Where sand was available (to 11/14 elephants), all elephants engaged in LR on sand flooring. Only two elephants engaged in LR on rubber flooring (available to 7/14 elephants). Mean duration of rest bouts was greater when a conspecific was within two body lengths than when conspecifics were not (P < 0.01). Our study indicated that elephants show substrate preferences when choosing an area for rest and engage in more rest when conspecifics are in close proximity. The results of this study could be used as a basis for future studies investigating the link between rest and welfare in captive elephants. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluating the contribution of zoos and aquariums to Aichi Biodiversity Target 1.

PubMed

Moss, Andrew; Jensen, Eric; Gusset, Markus

2015-04-01

The United Nations Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 is a key initiative within global efforts to halt and eventually reverse the loss of biodiversity. The very first target of this plan states that "by 2020, at the latest, people are aware of the values of biodiversity and the steps they can take to conserve and use it sustainably." Zoos and aquariums worldwide, attracting more than 700 million visits every year, could potentially make a positive contribution to this target. However, a global evaluation of the educational impacts of visits to zoos and aquariums is entirely lacking in the existing literature. To address this gap, we conducted a large-scale impact evaluation study. We used a pre- and postvisit repeated-measures survey design to evaluate biodiversity literacy-understanding of biodiversity and knowledge of actions to help protect it-of zoo and aquarium visitors worldwide. Ours was the largest and most international study of zoo and aquarium visitors ever conducted. In total, 5661 visitors to 26 zoos and aquariums from 19 countries around the globe participated in the study. Aggregate biodiversity understanding and knowledge of actions to help protect biodiversity both significantly increased over the course of zoo and aquarium visits. There was an increase from previsit (69.8%) to postvisit (75.1%) in respondents demonstrating at least some positive evidence of biodiversity understanding. Similarly, there was an increase from previsit (50.5%) to postvisit (58.8%) in respondents who could identify actions to help protect biodiversity that could be achieved at an individual level. Our results are the most compelling evidence to date that zoo and aquarium visits contribute to increasing the number of people who understand biodiversity and know actions they can take to help protect biodiversity. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Evaluating physiological stress in Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris ssp. sumatrae) managed in Australian zoos.

PubMed

Parnell, Tempe; Narayan, Edward J; Magrath, Michael J L; Roe, Sheila; Clark, Giles; Nicolson, Vere; Martin-Vegue, Patrick; Mucci, Al; Hero, Jean-Marc

2014-01-01

Glucocorticoid quantification using non-invasive methods provides a powerful tool for assessing the health and welfare of wildlife in zoo-based programmes. In this study, we provide baseline data on faecal-based glucocorticoid (cortisol) monitoring of Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris ssp. sumatrae) managed at the Melbourne Zoo in Victoria, Australia. We sampled five tigers daily for 60 days. Faecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) in tiger faecal extracts were quantified using enzyme immunoassays that were successfully validated using parallelism and accuracy recovery checks. Two female tigers had significantly higher mean FCM levels than the two males and another female, suggesting that females may have higher FCM levels. A significant elevation was noted in the FCM levels for one female 2 days after she was darted and anaesthetized; however, the FCM levels returned to baseline levels within 3 days after the event. Comparative analysis of FCM levels of tigers sampled at Melbourne Zoo with tigers sampled earlier at two other Australian Zoos (Dreamworld Themepark and Australia Zoo) showed that FCM levels varied between zoos. Differences in the enclosure characteristics, timing of sampling, size and composition of groupings and training procedures could all contribute to this variation. Overall, we recommend the use of non-invasive sampling for the assessment of adrenocortical activity of felids managed in zoos in Australia and internationally in order to improve the welfare of these charismatic big cats.

The origin of ultra diffuse galaxies: stellar feedback and quenching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, T. K.; Kereš, D.; Wetzel, A.; Hopkins, P. F.; Faucher-Giguère, C.-A.; El-Badry, K.; Garrison-Kimmel, S.; Boylan-Kolchin, M.

2018-05-01

We test if the cosmological zoom-in simulations of isolated galaxies from the FIRE project reproduce the properties of ultra diffuse galaxies (UDGs). We show that outflows that dynamically heat galactic stars, together with a passively aging stellar population after imposed quenching, naturally reproduce the observed population of red UDGs, without the need for high spin halos, or dynamical influence from their host cluster. We reproduce the range of surface brightness, radius and absolute magnitude of the observed red UDGs by quenching simulated galaxies at a range of different times. They represent a mostly uniform population of dark matter-dominated dwarf galaxies with M* ˜ 108 M⊙, low metallicity and a broad range of ages; the more massive the UDGs, the older they are. The most massive red UDG in our sample (M* ˜ 3 × 108M⊙) requires quenching at z ˜ 3 when its halo reached Mh ˜ 1011 M⊙. Our simulated UDGs form with normal stellar-to-halo ratios and match the central enclosed masses and the velocity dispersions of the observed UDGs. Enclosed masses remain largely fixed across a broad range of quenching times because the central regions of their dark matter halos complete their growth early. If our simulated dwarfs are not quenched, they evolve into bluer low-surface brightness galaxies with M/L similar to observed field dwarfs. While our simulation sample covers a limited range of formation histories and halo masses, we predict that UDG is a common, and perhaps even dominant, galaxy type around M* ˜ 108 M⊙, both in the field and in clusters.

The origin of ultra diffuse galaxies: stellar feedback and quenching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, T. K.; Kereš, D.; Wetzel, A.; Hopkins, P. F.; Faucher-Giguère, C.-A.; El-Badry, K.; Garrison-Kimmel, S.; Boylan-Kolchin, M.

2018-07-01

We test if the cosmological zoom-in simulations of isolated galaxies from the FIRE project reproduce the properties of ultra diffuse galaxies (UDGs). We show that outflows that dynamically heat galactic stars, together with a passively aging stellar population after imposed quenching, naturally reproduce the observed population of red UDGs, without the need for high spin haloes, or dynamical influence from their host cluster. We reproduce the range of surface brightness, radius, and absolute magnitude of the observed red UDGs by quenching simulated galaxies at a range of different times. They represent a mostly uniform population of dark matter-dominated dwarf galaxies with M* ˜ 108 M⊙, low metallicity, and a broad range of ages; the more massive the UDGs, the older they are. The most massive red UDG in our sample (M* ˜ 3 × 108 M⊙) requires quenching at z ˜ 3 when its halo reached Mh ˜ 1011 M⊙. Our simulated UDGs form with normal stellar-to-halo ratios and match the central enclosed masses and the velocity dispersions of the observed UDGs. Enclosed masses remain largely fixed across a broad range of quenching times because the central regions of their dark matter haloes complete their growth early. If our simulated dwarfs are not quenched, they evolve into bluer low surface brightness galaxies with M/L similar to observed field dwarfs. While our simulation sample covers a limited range of formation histories and halo masses, we predict that UDG is a common, and perhaps even dominant, galaxy type around M* ˜ 108 M⊙, both in the field and in clusters.

Testing the MOND paradigm of modified dynamics with galaxy-galaxy gravitational lensing.

PubMed

Milgrom, Mordehai

2013-07-26

The MOND paradigm of modified dynamics predicts that the asymptotic gravitational potential of an isolated, bounded (baryonic) mass, M, is ϕ(r)=(MGa0)1/2ln(r). Relativistic MOND theories predict that the lensing effects of M are dictated by ϕ(r) as general-relativity lensing is dictated by the Newtonian potential. Thus MOND predicts that the asymptotic Newtonian potential deduced from galaxy-galaxy gravitational lensing will have (1) a logarithmic r dependence, and (2) a normalization (parametrized standardly as 2σ2) that depends only on M: σ=(MGa0/4)1/4. I compare these predictions with recent results of galaxy-galaxy lensing, and find agreement on all counts. For the “blue”-lenses subsample (“spiral” galaxies) MOND reproduces the observations well with an r′-band M/Lr′∼(1–3)(M/L)⊙, and for “red” lenses (“elliptical” galaxies) with M/Lr′∼(3–6)(M/L)⊙, both consistent with baryons only. In contradistinction, Newtonian analysis requires, typically, M/Lr′∼130(M/L)⊙, bespeaking a mass discrepancy of a factor ∼40. Compared with the staple, rotation-curve tests, MOND is here tested in a wider population of galaxies, through a different phenomenon, using relativistic test objects, and is probed to several-times-lower accelerations–as low as a few percent of a0.

Galaxy Clustering Topology in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Main Galaxy Sample: A Test for Galaxy Formation Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Yun-Young; Park, Changbom; Kim, Juhan; Gott, J. Richard, III; Weinberg, David H.; Vogeley, Michael S.; Kim, Sungsoo S.; SDSS Collaboration

2010-09-01

We measure the topology of the main galaxy distribution using the Seventh Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, examining the dependence of galaxy clustering topology on galaxy properties. The observational results are used to test galaxy formation models. A volume-limited sample defined by Mr < -20.19 enables us to measure the genus curve with an amplitude of G = 378 at 6 h -1 Mpc smoothing scale, with 4.8% uncertainty including all systematics and cosmic variance. The clustering topology over the smoothing length interval from 6 to 10 h -1 Mpc reveals a mild scale dependence for the shift (Δν) and void abundance (AV ) parameters of the genus curve. We find substantial bias in the topology of galaxy clustering with respect to the predicted topology of the matter distribution, which varies with luminosity, morphology, color, and the smoothing scale of the density field. The distribution of relatively brighter galaxies shows a greater prevalence of isolated clusters and more percolated voids. Even though early (late)-type galaxies show topology similar to that of red (blue) galaxies, the morphology dependence of topology is not identical to the color dependence. In particular, the void abundance parameter AV depends on morphology more strongly than on color. We test five galaxy assignment schemes applied to cosmological N-body simulations of a ΛCDM universe to generate mock galaxies: the halo-galaxy one-to-one correspondence model, the halo occupation distribution model, and three implementations of semi-analytic models (SAMs). None of the models reproduces all aspects of the observed clustering topology; the deviations vary from one model to another but include statistically significant discrepancies in the abundance of isolated voids or isolated clusters and the amplitude and overall shift of the genus curve. SAM predictions of the topology color dependence are usually correct in sign but incorrect in magnitude. Our topology tests indicate that, in

VizieR Online Data Catalog: GV galaxies UV-optical radial color profiles (Pan+, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Z.; Li, J.; Lin, W.; Wang, J.; Kong, X.

2017-04-01

Our parent sample is drawn from Schawinski et al. (2014MNRAS.440..889S), which contains ~46000 galaxies at the redshift range of z = [0.02, 0.05]. This sample is magnitude completed to Mz, Petro = -19.5 AB mag and with Galaxy Zoo (Lintott 2008MNRAS.389.1179L; 2011, J/MNRAS/410/166) visual morphological classifications (http://data.galaxyzoo.org/). The stellar masses are derived by fitting the five SDSS photometric bands to a library of 6.8x106 models of star formation histories generated from Maraston et al. (1998MNRAS.300..872M; 2005MNRAS.362..799M) stellar models. We follow the process of Schawinski et al. (2014MNRAS.440..889S) to select GV galaxies. First, the galaxies are k-corrected to z = 0 using the KCORRECT code of Blanton & Roweis (2007AJ....133..734B) with the SDSS five broadband photometry. Then, the magnitudes are corrected for dust reddening using estimates of internal extinction from the stellar continuum fits by Oh et al. (2011ApJS..195...13O), applying the Cardelli et al. (1989ApJ...345..245C) law. (2 data files).

The impact of curiosity on learning during a school field trip to the zoo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlin, Kerry Ann

1999-11-01

This study was designed to examine (a) differences in cognitive learning as a result of a zoo field trip, (b) if the trip to the zoo had an impact on epistemic curiosity, (c) the role epistemic curiosity plays in learning, (d) the effect of gender, race, prior knowledge and prior visitation to the zoo on learning and epistemic curiosity, (e) participants' affect for the zoo animals, and (f) if prior visitation to the zoo contributes to prior knowledge. Ninety-six fourth and fifth grade children completed curiosity, cognitive, and affective written tests before and after a field trip to the Lowery Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida. The data showed that students were very curious about zoo animals. Dependent T-tests indicated no significant difference between pretest and posttest curiosity levels. The trip did not influence participants' curiosity levels. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the dependent variable, curiosity, and the independent variables, gender, race, prior knowledge, and prior visitation. No significant differences were found. Dependent T-tests indicated no significant difference between pretest and posttest cognitive scores. The field trip to the zoo did not cause an increase in participants' knowledge. However, participants did learn on the trip. After the field trip, participants identified more animals displayed by the zoo than they did before. Also, more animals were identified by species and genus names after the trip than before. These differences were significant (alpha = .05). Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between the dependent variable, posttest cognitive performance, and the independent variables, curiosity, gender, race, prior knowledge, and prior visitation. A significant difference was found for prior knowledge (alpha = .05). No significant differences were found for the other independent variables. Chi-square tests of significance indicated significant differences

Seroprevalences of antibodies to Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in zoo animals.

PubMed

Sedlák, K; Bártová, E

2006-03-31

Neospora caninum is an apicomplexan parasite that causes neuromuscular disease in dogs and abortions in cattle. Little is known about the prevalence of antibodies to this parasite in zoo animals. Sera from 556 animals, from 13 Czech and Slovak zoos were tested for antibodies to N. caninum and Toxoplasma gondii by indirect fluorescent antibody test. Antibodies to N. caninum were found in 31 of 556 zoo animals (5.6%), representing 18 of 114 species tested: Eurasian wolf (Canis lupus lupus), Maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), fennec (Vulpes zerda), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), jaguarundi (Herpailurus yaguarondi), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), Indian lion (Panthera leo goojratensis), fisher (Martes pennanti), blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), European bison (Bison bonasus), lechwe (Kobus leche), African buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer), eland (Taurotragus oryx), sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekei gratus), Thorold's deer (Cervus albirostris), Eastern elk (C. elaphus canadensis), Vietnam sika deer (C. nippon pseudaxis) and Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus). Titres ranged from 1:40 to 1:2560. The highest prevalence 50% was found in family mustelidae of the order carnivora. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 193 of 556 zoo animals (34.7%) representing 72 of 114 species tested, with titres ranging from 1:40 to 1:40960. The highest prevalence 100% was found in families: hyaenidae, mustelidae, ursidae and viveridae of the order carnivora. The results of this study indicate that zoo animals have more exposure to T. gondii than to N. caninum. It is the first report of seroprevalence of antibodies to N. caninum in European zoo animals.

The catalog of edge-on disk galaxies from SDSS. I. The catalog and the structural parameters of stellar disks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bizyaev, D. V.; Kautsch, S. J.; Mosenkov, A. V.

We present a catalog of true edge-on disk galaxies automatically selected from the Seventh Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). A visual inspection of the g, r, and i images of about 15,000 galaxies allowed us to split the initial sample of edge-on galaxy candidates into 4768 (31.8% of the initial sample) genuine edge-on galaxies, 8350 (55.7%) non-edge-on galaxies, and 1865 (12.5%) edge-on galaxies not suitable for simple automatic analysis because these objects either show signs of interaction and warps, or nearby bright stars project on it. We added more candidate galaxies from RFGC, EFIGI, RC3, andmore » Galaxy Zoo catalogs found in the SDSS footprints. Our final sample consists of 5747 genuine edge-on galaxies. We estimate the structural parameters of the stellar disks (the stellar disk thickness, radial scale length, and central surface brightness) in the galaxies by analyzing photometric profiles in each of the g, r, and i images. We also perform simplified three-dimensional modeling of the light distribution in the stellar disks of edge-on galaxies from our sample. Our large sample is intended to be used for studying scaling relations in the stellar disks and bulges and for estimating parameters of the thick disks in different types of galaxies via the image stacking. In this paper, we present the sample selection procedure and general description of the sample.« less

Evaluating physiological stress in Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris ssp. sumatrae) managed in Australian zoos

PubMed Central

Parnell, Tempe; Narayan, Edward J.; Magrath, Michael J. L.; Roe, Sheila; Clark, Giles; Nicolson, Vere; Martin-Vegue, Patrick; Mucci, Al; Hero, Jean-Marc

2014-01-01

Glucocorticoid quantification using non-invasive methods provides a powerful tool for assessing the health and welfare of wildlife in zoo-based programmes. In this study, we provide baseline data on faecal-based glucocorticoid (cortisol) monitoring of Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris ssp. sumatrae) managed at the Melbourne Zoo in Victoria, Australia. We sampled five tigers daily for 60 days. Faecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) in tiger faecal extracts were quantified using enzyme immunoassays that were successfully validated using parallelism and accuracy recovery checks. Two female tigers had significantly higher mean FCM levels than the two males and another female, suggesting that females may have higher FCM levels. A significant elevation was noted in the FCM levels for one female 2 days after she was darted and anaesthetized; however, the FCM levels returned to baseline levels within 3 days after the event. Comparative analysis of FCM levels of tigers sampled at Melbourne Zoo with tigers sampled earlier at two other Australian Zoos (Dreamworld Themepark and Australia Zoo) showed that FCM levels varied between zoos. Differences in the enclosure characteristics, timing of sampling, size and composition of groupings and training procedures could all contribute to this variation. Overall, we recommend the use of non-invasive sampling for the assessment of adrenocortical activity of felids managed in zoos in Australia and internationally in order to improve the welfare of these charismatic big cats. PMID:27293659

Facebooking Citizen Science with the Zooniverse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Joseph; Gay, P. L.; Hogan, K.; Lintott, C.; Impey, C.; Watson, C.

2011-01-01

While fully online citizen science projects like Galaxy Zoo and Moon Zoo are able to garner participation by tens to hundreds of thousands of people, this success pales next to the number of people who use Facebook. With a population well over half a billion, Facebook is, at the time of this writing, the largest single online community. As an experiment in social science-engagement, we have created Facebook fan pages for Zooniverse science tasks, social-sharing apps for Moon Zoo and Galaxy Zoo, and a novel galaxy-related citizen science project all within Facebook. In this poster we present early analysis on how these engagements attract both old and new users, and how users choose to share and interact through these pages.

Quenching histories of galaxies and the role of AGN feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smethurst, Rebecca Jane; Lintott, Chris; Simmons, Brooke; Galaxy Zoo Team

2016-01-01

Two open issues in modern astrophysics are: (i) how do galaxies fully quench their star formation and (ii) how is this affected - or not - by AGN feedback? I present the results of a new Bayesian-MCMC analysis of the star formation histories of over 126,000 galaxies across the colour magnitude diagram showing that diverse quenching mechanisms are instrumental in the formation of the present day red sequence. Using classifications from Galaxy Zoo we show that the rate at which quenching can occur is morphologically dependent in each of the blue cloud, green valley and red sequence. We discuss the nature of these possible quenching mechanisms, considering the influence of secular evolution, galaxy interactions and mergers, both with and without black hole activity. We focus particularly on the relationship between these quenched star formation histories and the presence of an AGN by using this new Bayesian method to show a population of type 2 AGN host galaxies have recently (within 2 Gyr) undergone a rapid (τ < 1 Gyr) drop in their star formation rate. With this result we therefore present the first statistically supported observational evidence that AGN feedback is an important mechanism for the cessation of star formation in this population of galaxies. The diversity of this new method also highlights that such rapid quenching histories cannot account fully for all the quenching across the current AGN host population. We demonstrate that slower (τ > 2 Gyr) quenching rates dominate for high stellar mass (log10[M*/M⊙] > 10.75) hosts of AGN with both early- and late-type morphology. We discuss how these results show that both merger-driven and non-merger processes are contributing to the co-evolution of galaxies and supermassive black holes across the entirety of the colour magnitude diagram.

Determining Connections between the Daily Lives of Zoo Elephants and Their Welfare: An Epidemiological Approach.

PubMed

Meehan, Cheryl L; Mench, Joy A; Carlstead, Kathy; Hogan, Jennifer N

2016-01-01

Concerns about animal welfare increasingly shape people's views about the acceptability of keeping animals for food production, biomedical research, and in zoos. The field of animal welfare science has developed over the past 50 years as a method of investigating these concerns via research that assesses how living in human-controlled environments influences the behavior, health and affective states of animals. Initially, animal welfare research focused on animals in agricultural settings, but the field has expanded to zoos because good animal welfare is essential to zoos' mission of promoting connections between animals and visitors and raising awareness of conservation issues. A particular challenge for zoos is ensuring good animal welfare for long-lived, highly social species like elephants. Our main goal in conducting an epidemiological study of African (Loxodonta africana) and Asian (Elephas maximus) elephant welfare in 68 accredited North American zoos was to understand the prevalence of welfare indicators in the population and determine the aspects of an elephant's zoo environment, social life and management that are most important to prevent and reduce a variety of welfare problems. In this overview, we provide a summary of the findings of the nine papers in the collection titled: Epidemiological Investigations of North American Zoo Elephant Welfare with a focus on the life history, social, housing, and management factors found to be associated with particular aspects of elephant welfare, including the performance of abnormal behavior, foot and joint problems, recumbence, walking rates, and reproductive health issues. Social and management factors were found to be important for multiple indicators of welfare, while exhibit space was found to be less influential than expected. This body of work results from the largest prospective zoo-based animal welfare study conducted to date and sets in motion the process of using science-based welfare benchmarks to

Zoo Playgrounds: A Source of Enrichment or Stress for a Group of Nearby Cockatoos? A Case Study.

PubMed

Collins, Courtney K; Marples, Nicola M

2015-01-01

There is increasing evidence that in some circumstances, zoo visitors may be aversive stimuli to nonhuman animals housed in zoos. Yet, most previous research has focused on primates with little attention given to numerous other species who are housed in zoos. The focus animal of this project was the cockatoo, a species who has received minimal attention in zoo-based research. Furthermore, although the influence of the zoo setting has become increasingly important in visitor effect studies, this is the 1st study to quantify the effect of activity at a children's playground on zoo animals. There was an investigation on the effect of a zoo playground on the behavior of citron-crested and Moluccan cockatoos (Cacatua sulphurea citrinocristata and Cacatua moluccensis), as well as the effect of children standing in front of the birds' aviaries. The results showed that in some circumstances, the Moluccan cockatoos retreated from visitors, while the citron-crested cockatoos did not retreat from visitors and became more social in the presence of visitors. These findings highlight the importance of careful selection of species and individual animals to be housed near zoo playgrounds.

Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA): A “No Smoking” Zone for Giant Elliptical Galaxies?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khosroshahi, Habib G.; Raouf, Mojtaba; Miraghaei, Halime

We study the radio emission of the most massive galaxies in a sample of dynamically relaxed and unrelaxed galaxy groups from the Galaxy and Mass Assembly survey. The dynamical state of the group is defined by the stellar dominance of the brightest group galaxy (BGG), e.g., the luminosity gap between the two most luminous members, and the offset between the position of the BGG and the luminosity centroid of the group. We find that the radio luminosity of the largest galaxy in the group strongly depends on its environment, such that the BGGs in dynamically young (evolving) groups are anmore » order of magnitude more luminous in the radio than those with a similar stellar mass but residing in dynamically old (relaxed) groups. This observation has been successfully reproduced by a newly developed semi-analytic model that allows us to explore the various causes of these findings. We find that the fraction of radio-loud BGGs in the observed dynamically young groups is ∼2 times that of the dynamically old groups. We discuss the implications of this observational constraint on the central galaxy properties in the context of galaxy mergers and the super massive black hole accretion rate.« less

Retrospective investigation of chronic wasting disease of cervids at the Toronto Zoo, 1973–2003

PubMed Central

Dubé, Caroline; Mehren, Kay G.; Barker, Ian K.; Peart, Brian L.; Balachandran, Aru

2006-01-01

The occurrence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) at the Toronto Zoo was investigated retrospectively, based on an examination of management, animal health, and postmortem records, and immunohistochemical studies. Records of animal movements, clinical signs, and postmortem findings were examined for all cervids 1973–2003. All available samples of fixed, wax-embedded lymphoid or central nervous system tissue from cervids that died at the Toronto Zoo from 1973 to 2003, > 12 months of age, were tested, using prion protein immunostaining. Chronic wasting disease prion antigen was detected in 8 of 105 animals tested: 7 mule deer and 1 black-tailed deer. The most likely method of introduction was the importation of CWD-infected animals from a zoo in the United States. Animal-to-animal contact and environmental contamination were the most likely methods of spread of CWD at the zoo. No mule deer left the Toronto Zoo site, and the last animal with CWD died in 1981. Historic findings and ongoing testing of cervids indicate that the Toronto Zoo collection has very low risk of currently being infected with CWD. PMID:17217088

MoZis: mobile zoo information system: a case study for the city of Osnabrueck

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michel, Ulrich

2007-10-01

This paper describes a new project of the Institute for Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing, funded by the German Federal Foundation for the Environment (DBU, Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt www.dbu.de). The goal of this project is to develop a mobile zoo information system for Pocket PCs and Smart phones. Visitors of the zoo will be able to use their own mobile devices or use Pocket PCs, which could be borrowed from the zoo to navigate around the zoo's facilities. The system will also provide additional multimedia based information such as audio-based material, animal video clips, and maps of their natural habitat. People could have access to the project at the zoo via wireless local area network or by downloading the necessary files using a home internet connection. Our software environment consists of proprietary and non-proprietary software solutions in order to make it as flexible as possible. Our first prototype was developed with Visual Studio 2003 and Visual Basic.Net.

Finite length-scale anti-gravity and observations of mass discrepancies in galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanders, R. H.

1986-01-01

The modification of Newtonian attraction suggested by Sanders (1984) contains a repulsive Yukawa component which is characterised by two physical parameters: a coupling constant, α, and a length scale, r0. Although this form of the gravitational potential can result in flat rotation curves for a galaxy (or a point mass) it is not obvious that any modification of gravity associated with a definite length scale can reproduce the observed rotation curves of galaxies covering a wide range of mass and size. Here it is shown that the rotation curves of galaxies ranging in size from 5 to 40 kpc can be reproduced by this modified potential. Moreover, the implied mass-to-light ratios for a larger sample of galaxies are reasonable (one to three) and show no systematic trend with the size of the galaxy. The observed infrared Tully-Fisher law is shown to be consistent with the prediction of this revised gravity. The modified potential permits the X-ray emitting halos observed around elliptical galaxies to be bound without the addition of dark matter.

The EAGLE simulations: atomic hydrogen associated with galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crain, Robert A.; Bahé, Yannick M.; Lagos, Claudia del P.; Rahmati, Alireza; Schaye, Joop; McCarthy, Ian G.; Marasco, Antonino; Bower, Richard G.; Schaller, Matthieu; Theuns, Tom; van der Hulst, Thijs

2017-02-01

We examine the properties of atomic hydrogen (H I) associated with galaxies in the Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environments (EAGLE) simulations of galaxy formation. EAGLE's feedback parameters were calibrated to reproduce the stellar mass function and galaxy sizes at z = 0.1, and we assess whether this calibration also yields realistic H I properties. We estimate the self-shielding density with a fitting function calibrated using radiation transport simulations, and correct for molecular hydrogen with empirical or theoretical relations. The `standard-resolution' simulations systematically underestimate H I column densities, leading to an H I deficiency in low-mass (M⋆ < 1010 M⊙) galaxies and poor reproduction of the observed H I mass function. These shortcomings are largely absent from EAGLE simulations featuring a factor of 8 (2) better mass (spatial) resolution, within which the H I mass of galaxies evolves more mildly from z = 1 to 0 than in the standard-resolution simulations. The largest volume simulation reproduces the observed clustering of H I systems, and its dependence on H I richness. At fixed M⋆, galaxies acquire more H I in simulations with stronger feedback, as they become associated with more massive haloes and higher infall rates. They acquire less H I in simulations with a greater star formation efficiency, since the star formation and feedback necessary to balance the infall rate is produced by smaller gas reservoirs. The simulations indicate that the H I of present-day galaxies was acquired primarily by the smooth accretion of ionized, intergalactic gas at z ≃ 1, which later self-shields, and that only a small fraction is contributed by the reincorporation of gas previously heated strongly by feedback. H I reservoirs are highly dynamic: over 40 per cent of H I associated with z = 0.1 galaxies is converted to stars or ejected by z = 0.

Conservation caring: measuring the influence of zoo visitors' connection to wildlife on pro-conservation behaviors.

PubMed

Skibins, Jeffrey C; Powell, Robert B

2013-01-01

Zoos in the 21st century are striving to make effective contributions to conservation. Although zoos are extremely popular and host over 600 million visitors worldwide, one challenge zoos face is how to effectively engage visitors and raise awareness and action for conservation. To this end, zoos commonly rely on charismatic megafauna, which have been shown to elicit a connection with zoo visitors. However, little is known about how to measure a connection to a species or how this connection may influence conservation behaviors. This study had two sequential objectives. The first was to develop a scale to measure visitors' connection to a species (Conservation Caring). The second was to investigate the relationship of Conservation Caring to pro-conservation behaviors, following a zoo experience. Pre- (n = 411) and post-visit (n = 452) responses were collected from three sites in order to assess the reliability and validity of a scale to measure Conservation Caring. Structural equation modeling was used to explore the relationship between Conservation Caring and pro-conservation behaviors. Conservation Caring was deemed a valid and reliable scale and was a strong predictor of species oriented behaviors (β = 0.62), for example, "adopting" an animal, but a weak predictor for biodiversity oriented behaviors (β = 0.07), for example, supporting sustainability policies. Results support the role zoos can play in fostering a connection to wildlife and stimulating pro-conservation behaviors. Additionally, visitors connected to a wide array of animals. On the basis of these results, zoos may recruit a wider assemblage of species as potential flagships. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Habitat characteristics of larval mosquitoes in zoos of South Carolina, USA.

PubMed

Tuten, Holly C

2011-06-01

To investigate whether the unique assemblage of habitats in zoos could affect mosquito oviposition behavior and to provide zoos with suggestions for mosquito control, larvae were sampled and associated habitat variables were measured in 2 zoos in South Carolina, U.S.A. Fifty-nine sites were sampled from March 2008 to January 2009. A total of 1630 larvae representing 16 species was collected and identified. The dominant species was Aedes albopictus (46.0%), followed by Ae. triseriatus (23.6%), Culex restuans (12.4%), and Cx. pipiens complex (9.7%). Principal components and multiple logistic regression analyses showed that across both zoos the distribution of Ae. albopictus larvae was predicted by ambient and site temperature, precipitation, dissolved oxygen, and container habitats. The distribution of Ae. triseriatus larvae was predicted by natural containers and shade height < or =2 m. Overall larval mosquito presence (regardless of species) was predicted by ambient and site temperature, precipitation, dissolved oxygen, presence of natural habitats, and absence of aquatic vegetation. Additionally, C8 values of pairwise species associations indicated significant habitat-based relationships between Ae. albopictus and Ae. triseriatus, and Cx. pipiens complex and Cx. restuans. In general, species-habitat associations conformed to previously published studies. Recommendations to zoo personnel include elimination of artificial container habitats, reduction of shade sources < or =2 m over aquatic habitats, use of approved mosquito larvicides, and training in recognizing and mitigating larval mosquito habitats.

Simplified galaxy formation with mesh-less hydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lupi, Alessandro; Volonteri, Marta; Silk, Joseph

2017-09-01

Numerical simulations have become a necessary tool to describe the complex interactions among the different processes involved in galaxy formation and evolution, unfeasible via an analytic approach. The last decade has seen a great effort by the scientific community in improving the sub-grid physics modelling and the numerical techniques used to make numerical simulations more predictive. Although the recently publicly available code gizmo has proven to be successful in reproducing galaxy properties when coupled with the model of the MUFASA simulations and the more sophisticated prescriptions of the Feedback In Realistic Environment (FIRE) set-up, it has not been tested yet using delayed cooling supernova feedback, which still represent a reasonable approach for large cosmological simulations, for which detailed sub-grid models are prohibitive. In order to limit the computational cost and to be able to resolve the disc structure in the galaxies we perform a suite of zoom-in cosmological simulations with rather low resolution centred around a sub-L* galaxy with a halo mass of 3 × 1011 M⊙ at z = 0, to investigate the ability of this simple model, coupled with the new hydrodynamic method of gizmo, to reproduce observed galaxy scaling relations (stellar to halo mass, stellar and baryonic Tully-Fisher, stellar mass-metallicity and mass-size). We find that the results are in good agreement with the main scaling relations, except for the total stellar mass, larger than that predicted by the abundance matching technique, and the effective sizes for the most massive galaxies in the sample, which are too small.

Morphology Is a Link to the Past: Examining Formative and Secular Galactic Evolution through Morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galloway, Melanie A.

Galaxy morphology is one of the primary keys to understanding a galaxy's evolutionary history. External mechanisms (environment/clustering, mergers) have a strong impact on the formative evolution of the major galactic components (disk, bulge, Hubble type), while internal instabilities created by bars, spiral arms, or other substructures drive secular evolution via the rearrangement of material within the disk. This thesis will explore several ways in which morphology impacts the dynamics and evolution of a galaxy using visual classifications from several Galaxy Zoo projects. The first half of this work will detail the motivations of using morphology to study galaxy evolution, and describe how morphology is measured, debiased, and interpreted using crowdsourced classification data via Galaxy Zoo. The second half will present scientific studies which make use of these classifications; first by focusing on the morphology of galaxies in the local Universe (z < 0.2) using data from Galaxy Zoo 2 and Galaxy Zoo UKIDSS. Last, the high-redshift Universe will be explored by examining populations of morphologies at various lookback times, from z = 0 out to z = 1 using data from Galaxy Zoo Hubble. The investigation of the physical implications of morphology in the local Universe will first be presented in Chapter 4, in a study of the impact of bars on the fueling of an active galactic nucleus (AGN). Using a sample of 19,756 disk galaxies at 0.01 < z < 0.05 imaged by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and morphologically classified by Galaxy Zoo 2 (GZ2), the difference in AGN fraction in barred and unbarred disks was measured. A weak, but statistically significant, effect was found in that the population of AGN hosts exhibited a 16.0% increase in bar fraction as compared to their unbarred counterparts at fixed mass and color. These results are consistent with a cosmological model in which bar-driven fueling contributes to the growth of black holes, but other dynamical mechanisms

Role of Brazilian zoos in ex situ bird conservation: from 1981 to 2005.

PubMed

Azevedo, Cristiano S; Young, Robert J; Rodrigues, Marcos

2011-01-01

Zoos may play an important role in conservation when they maintain and breed large numbers of animals that are threatened with extinction. Bird conservation is in a privileged situation owing to the extensive biological information available about this class. Annual inventories produced by the "Sociedade de Zoológicos do Brasil" in the years 1981, 1990, 2000, and 2005 were analyzed. Variables, such as the number of zoos per geographic region; number of birds held; number of bird species in each IUCN threat category; number of exotic and native bird species; number of potentially breeding bird species; number of bird species in each order; and number of threatened bird species breeding, were analyzed. Brazilian zoos kept more than 350 bird species. The number of bird species and specimens held by the Brazilian Zoos increased from 1981 to 2000, but decreased in 2005. The same pattern was observed for the number of species in each IUCN threat category. Results showed that the potential of the Brazilian zoos in bird conservation needs to be enhanced because they maintain threatened species but do not implement systematic genetic, reproductive, or behavioral management protocols for most species. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Growth of the Disk Galaxy UGC8802

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, R. X.; Shen, S. Y.; Hou, J. L.

2012-07-01

The disk galaxy UGC8802 has high neutral gas content and a flat profile of star formation rate compared to other disk galaxies with similar stellar mass. It also shows a steep metallicity gradient. We construct a chemical evolution model to explore its growth history by assuming its disk grows gradually from continuous gas infall, which is shaped by a free parameter—the infall-peak time. By adopting the recently observed molecular surface density related star formation law, we show that a late infall-peak time can naturally explain the observed high neutral gas content, while an inside-out disk formation scenario can fairly reproduce the steep oxygen abundance gradient. Our results show that most of the observed features of UGC8802 can be well reproduced by simply "turning the knob" on gas inflow with one single parameter, which implies that the observed properties of gas-rich galaxies could also be modeled in a similar way.

Bring the Zoo to You!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilcox, Dawn Renee; Sterling, Donna R.

2008-01-01

This hands-on, minds-on zoo project provides a fun and safe opportunity for students to experience the world of animals and nature right in their own classroom. Students have the chance to work individually or in small groups to explore, observe, and discover answers to their questions about the natural world. In addition, it provides numerous…

[Scabies among the Zoo mammals].

PubMed

Zuchowska, E

1991-01-01

Scabies was observed in 9 species of mammals at the Zoological Garden of Lódź in years 1957-1989. Sarcoptes scabiei spp. was found in capybaras, tapirs and camelids. Notoedres cati was recorded from the siberian tiger, but Notoedres sp. from the Erinaceus europaeus. Scabies was also found in a wild dead Tapla europaea at the Zoo area.

Galaxy HiCExplorer: a web server for reproducible Hi-C data analysis, quality control and visualization.

PubMed

Wolff, Joachim; Bhardwaj, Vivek; Nothjunge, Stephan; Richard, Gautier; Renschler, Gina; Gilsbach, Ralf; Manke, Thomas; Backofen, Rolf; Ramírez, Fidel; Grüning, Björn A

2018-06-13

Galaxy HiCExplorer is a web server that facilitates the study of the 3D conformation of chromatin by allowing Hi-C data processing, analysis and visualization. With the Galaxy HiCExplorer web server, users with little bioinformatic background can perform every step of the analysis in one workflow: mapping of the raw sequence data, creation of Hi-C contact matrices, quality assessment, correction of contact matrices and identification of topological associated domains (TADs) and A/B compartments. Users can create publication ready plots of the contact matrix, A/B compartments, and TADs on a selected genomic locus, along with additional information like gene tracks or ChIP-seq signals. Galaxy HiCExplorer is freely usable at: https://hicexplorer.usegalaxy.eu and is available as a Docker container: https://github.com/deeptools/docker-galaxy-hicexplorer.

Accurate Modeling of Galaxy Clustering on Small Scales: Testing the Standard ΛCDM + Halo Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Manodeep; Berlind, Andreas A.; McBride, Cameron; Scoccimarro, Roman

2015-01-01

The large-scale distribution of galaxies can be explained fairly simply by assuming (i) a cosmological model, which determines the dark matter halo distribution, and (ii) a simple connection between galaxies and the halos they inhabit. This conceptually simple framework, called the halo model, has been remarkably successful at reproducing the clustering of galaxies on all scales, as observed in various galaxy redshift surveys. However, none of these previous studies have carefully modeled the systematics and thus truly tested the halo model in a statistically rigorous sense. We present a new accurate and fully numerical halo model framework and test it against clustering measurements from two luminosity samples of galaxies drawn from the SDSS DR7. We show that the simple ΛCDM cosmology + halo model is not able to simultaneously reproduce the galaxy projected correlation function and the group multiplicity function. In particular, the more luminous sample shows significant tension with theory. We discuss the implications of our findings and how this work paves the way for constraining galaxy formation by accurate simultaneous modeling of multiple galaxy clustering statistics.

Young and Exotic Stellar Zoo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2005-03-01

Summary Super star clusters are groups of hundreds of thousands of very young stars packed into an unbelievably small volume. They represent the most extreme environments in which stars and planets can form. Until now, super star clusters were only known to exist very far away, mostly in pairs or groups of interacting galaxies. Now, however, a team of European astronomers [1] have used ESO's telescopes to uncover such a monster object within our own Galaxy, the Milky Way, almost, but not quite, in our own backyard! The newly found massive structure is hidden behind a large cloud of dust and gas and this is why it took so long to unveil its true nature. It is known as "Westerlund 1" and is a thousand times closer than any other super star cluster known so far. It is close enough that astronomers may now probe its structure in some detail. Westerlund 1 contains hundreds of very massive stars, some shining with a brilliance of almost one million suns and some two-thousand times larger than the Sun (as large as the orbit of Saturn)! Indeed, if the Sun were located at the heart of this remarkable cluster, our sky would be full of hundreds of stars as bright as the full Moon. Westerlund 1 is a most unique natural laboratory for the study of extreme stellar physics, helping astronomers to find out how the most massive stars in our Galaxy live and die. From their observations, the astronomers conclude that this extreme cluster most probably contains no less than 100,000 times the mass of the Sun, and all of its stars are located within a region less than 6 light-years across. Westerlund 1 thus appears to be the most massive compact young cluster yet identified in the Milky Way Galaxy. PR Photo 09a/05: The Super Star Cluster Westerlund 1 (2.2m MPG/ESO + WFI) PR Photo 09b/05: Properties of Young Massive Clusters Super Star Clusters Stars are generally born in small groups, mostly in so-called "open clusters" that typically contain a few hundred stars. From a wide range of

Galaxy Evolution Across The Redshift Desert

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotulla, Ralf

2010-01-01

GALEV evolutionary synthesis models are an ideal tool to study the formation and evolution of galaxies. I present a large model grid that contains undisturbed E and Sa-Sd type galaxies as well as a wide range of models undergoing starbursts of various strengths and at different times and also includes the subsequent post-starburst phases for these galaxies. This model grid not only allows to describe and refine currently used color selection criteria for Lyman Break Galaxies, BzK galaxies, Extremely Red Objects (ERO) and both Distant and Luminous Red Galaxies (DRG, LRG). It also gives accurate stellar masses, gas fractions, star formation rates, metallicities and burst strengths for an unprecedentedly large sample of galaxies with multi-band photometry. We find, amongst other things, that LBGs are most likely progenitors of local early type spiral galaxies and low-mass ellipticals. We are for the first time able to reproduce E+A features in EROs by post-starbursts as an alternative to dusty starforming galaxies and predict how to discriminate between these scenarios. Our results from photometric analyses perfectly agree with all available spectroscopic information and open up a much wider perspective, including the bulk of the less luminous and more typical galaxy population, in the redshift desert and beyond. All model data are available online at http://www.galev.org.

A pilot study of occupational envenomations in North American zoos and aquaria.

PubMed

Vohra, Rais; Clark, Rick; Shah, Nilofar

2008-11-01

To characterize occupational envenomations from exotic and native creatures, we surveyed North American zoos and aquaria. Survey questionnaires were mailed to curators at 216 zoos/aquaria which are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and listed on the AZA website. Reptile curators were asked to complete the zoo surveys. The questions addressed the number and types of bites, availability of antivenom (AV) on the premises, and sources of general information about envenoming. Responses were kept anonymous. A total of 216 surveys were mailed. The response rate was 58% for this pilot research project. Twenty-six (21%) of responding institutions replied that they had at least one incident of bite from a venomous species in the last 10 years. Species of animals included a variety of native and exotic terrestrial and marine species. There were no deaths or serious outcomes reported as complications of these incidents. Less than one-third of responding institutions reported having AVs on-site for medical use in case of envenomations. A variety of information sources, including internally developed protocols and poison center resources, were reported as sources of envenoming information for respondents. Clinicians and toxicologists should be prepared to care for cases of envenomations from exotic zoo or aquarium species such as the ones identified in this survey in their practice regions.

Monkeying Around: Examining the Effects of a Community Zoo on the Science Achievement of Third Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenny, Heather A.

2010-01-01

This investigation examined the efficacy of a model of integrated science and literacy instruction situated at a community zoo. Three intact cohorts of third grade urban students received instruction via different treatments: inquiry-based instruction at a zoo; inquiry-based instruction at school; and activity-based instruction at a zoo. All three…

Prevalence and characterization of Chlamydia DNA in zoo animals in Japan.

PubMed

Kabeya, Hidenori; Sato, Shingo; Maruyama, Soichi

2015-09-01

Because many people visit zoos, prevention of zoonoses is important from the standpoint of public health. This study examined the prevalence of Chlamydia among zoo animals in Japan by PCR and characterized these bacteria by performing phylogenetic analyses of the sequences of the variable domain (VD) 2 and VD4 regions of the ompA gene, which encodes the Chlamydia major outer membrane protein. Fecal samples were collected from 1150 zoo animals in five zoos and examined for Chlamydia DNA. Chlamydia psittaci DNA was found in 3.9% of mammals, 7.2% of birds and 8.1% of reptiles. The prevalence of Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA was significantly higher in reptiles (5.8%) than in mammals (0.3%) and birds (0.3%). Phylogenetic analysis of the ompA VD2 region from 18 samples showed that nine were in three different clusters containing C. psittaci strains, six were in a cluster containing C. pneumoniae strains and three each formed a distinct branch. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of the ompA VD4 region showed that C. pneumoniae DNAs from reptiles were close to those from human patients. The C. pneumoniae DNAs from the European glass lizard, Emerald tree boa, and Panther chameleon were classified in clusters that were distinct from other strains, suggesting that these reptiles had each been infected with a specific C. pneumoniae genotype. This study showed that diverse Chlamydia strains have been prevalent among a variety of zoo animals. © 2015 The Societies and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Endoparasite Infections in Pet and Zoo Birds in Italy

PubMed Central

Papini, Roberto; Girivetto, Martine; Marangi, Marianna; Mancianti, Francesca; Giangaspero, Annunziata

2012-01-01

Faecal samples were individually collected from pet (n = 63) and zoo (n = 83) birds representing 14 orders and 63 species. All the samples were examined by faecal flotation technique. In a subgroup of samples (n = 75), molecular assays were also used to detect Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia duodenalis cysts. Overall, 35.6% of the birds harboured parasites (42.2% of zoo birds and 27% of pet birds), including Strongyles-Capillarids (8.9%), Ascaridia (6.8%), Strongyles (5.5%), G. duodenalis Assemblage A (5.3%), Coccidia (4.1%), Cryptosporidium (4%), Porrocaecum (2.7%), Porrocaecum-Capillarids (2%), and Syngamus-Capillarids (0.7%). The zoonotic G. duodenalis Assemblage A and Cryptosporidium were exclusively found in Psittaciformes, with prevalences of 10.3% and 7.7% within this bird group. Zoo birds were more likely to harbor mixed infections (OR = 14.81) and symptomatic birds to be parasitized (OR = 4.72). Clinicians should be aware of the public health implications posed by zoonotic G. duodenalis Assemblages and Cryptosporidium species in captive birds. PMID:22536128

Geoinformatics paves the way for a zoo information system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michel, Ulrich

2008-10-01

The use of modern electronic media offers new ways of (environmental) knowledge transfer. All kind of information can be made quickly available as well as queryable and can be processed individually. The Institute for Geoinformatics and Remote Sensing (IGF) in collaboration with the Osnabrueck Zoo, is developing a zoo information system, especially for new media (e.g. mobile devices), which provides information about the animals living there, their natural habitat and endangerment status. Thereby multimedia information is being offered to the zoo visitors. The implementation of the 2D/3D components is realized by modern database and Mapserver technologies. Among other technologies, the VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) standard is used for the realization of the 3D visualization so that it can be viewed in every conventional web browser. Also, a mobile information system for Pocket PCs, Smartphones and Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPC) is being developed. All contents, including the coordinates, are stored in a PostgreSQL database. The data input, the processing and other administrative operations are executed by a content management system (CMS).

Dust lanes in backlit galaxies: first results from the STARSMOG survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keel, William C.; Bradford, Sarah; Holwerda, Benne; Conselice, Christopher; Baldry, Ivan; Bland-Hawthorn, Jonathan; Driver, Simon P.; Dunne, Loretta; Liske, Jochen; Robotham, Aaron; Tuffs, Richard

2017-01-01

STARSMOG is an HST WFC3 snapshot survey of dust attenuation in overlapping backlit galaxies, planned to span the range of morphological type and luminosity of dust-rich galaxies. The target list came from the Galaxy Zoo and GAMA catalogs, imposing a minimum redshift difference to guarantee large line-of-sight separations, virtually eliminating scattering corrections and avoiding potentially distorted interacting systems. These include the first flocculent spirals studied with the occulting-galaxy approach. We present results from the geometrically most favorable subset of 9 pairs from the 54 observed STARSMOG systems. The data quality and intensity of background light let us map dust features with attenuations of only a few per cent in the red F606W band. Organized dust lanes show sharp outer boundaries in disks, and are absent in galaxies of late Hubble type. Many Sb-Sc disks show a dusty web of criss-crossing lanes, some nearly at right angles to the overall spiral pattern. Particularly favorable cases constraint the scale height of starlight in the foreground disks, through comparison of the light loss in regions with and without background light. The covering fraction of dust at various attenuation levels is consistent between barred and nonbarred spirals, although dust features may be more concentrated in azimuth when a bar is present (and concentrated in an annulus when a stellar resonance ring is seen). Together with our previous data on much more limited samples or at lower resolution,these results add to a picture where galaxies of similar morphology may have quite different attenuation patterns with radius for both arm and interarm dust.

PHOTOMETRIC PROPERTIES AND LUMINOSITY FUNCTION OF NEARBY MASSIVE EARLY-TYPE GALAXIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

He, Y. Q.; Xia, X. Y.; Hao, C. N.

We perform photometric analyses of a bright early-type galaxy sample with 2949 galaxies (M{sub r} < -22.5 mag) in the redshift range of 0.05-0.15, drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR7 with morphological classification from Galaxy Zoo 1. We measure the Petrosian and isophotal magnitudes, as well as the corresponding half-light radius for each galaxy. We find that for the brightest galaxies (M{sub r} < -23 mag), our Petrosian magnitudes and isophotal magnitudes to 25 mag arcsec{sup -2} and 1% of the sky brightness are on average 0.16 mag, 0.20 mag, and 0.26 mag brighter than the SDSSmore » Petrosian values, respectively. In the first case, the underestimations are caused by overestimations in the sky background by the SDSS PHOTO algorithm, while the latter two are also due to deeper photometry. Similarly, the typical half-light radii (r{sub 50}) measured by the SDSS algorithm are smaller than our measurements. As a result, the bright end of the r-band luminosity function is found to decline more slowly than previous works. Our measured luminosity densities at the bright end are more than one order of magnitude higher than those of Blanton et al., and the stellar mass densities at M{sub *} {approx} 5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 11} M{sub Sun} and M{sub *} {approx} 10{sup 12} M{sub Sun} are a few tenths and a factor of a few higher than those of Bernardi et al. These results may significantly alleviate the tension in the assembly of massive galaxies between observations and predictions of the hierarchical structure formation model.« less

Do Zoo Visitors Need Zoology Knowledge to Understand Conservation Messages? An Exploration of the Public Understanding of Animal Biology and of the Conservation of Biodiversity in a Zoo Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dove, Tracy; Byrne, Jenny

2014-01-01

This study explores the current knowledge and understanding about animal biology of zoo visitors and investigates whether knowledge of animal biology influences the ability of people to understand how human activity affects biodiversity. Zoos can play a role in the development of scientific literacy in the fields of animal biology and biodiversity…

Motivation of Citizen Scientists Participating in Moon Zoo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Shanique; Gay, P. L.; Daus, C. S.

2011-01-01

Moon Zoo is an online citizen science project with the aim of providing detailed crater counts for as much of the Moon's surface as possible. In addition to focusing on craters, volunteers are encouraged to remain vigilant for sightings of atypical features which may lead to new discoveries. Volunteers accomplish these tasks by exploring images captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) which has a resolution of 50cm per pixel. To be successful, Moon Zoo needs to attract and retain a large population of citizen scientists. In this study, we examine the factors motivating Moon Zoo participants who invest many hours exploring these images. In this, the first of a two-phased study, we conducted a qualitative analysis using semi-structured interviews as a means of data collection. A stratified sample of participants was used in an attempt to uncover the driving forces behind decisions to participate from a wide-range of participants. Inquiring and probing questions were asked about factors which led volunteers to Moon Zoo as well as reasons which kept them committed to exploring the Moon's surface through this online portal. Responses were then categorized using a grounded theory approach, and frequency distributions are calculated where appropriate. Aggregate results from these interviews are presented here including the demographics of the sample and motivators as per the content analysis. The information gathered from this phase will be used to guide the development of an online survey to further explore volunteers’ motivation based on the presented classification schemes. The survey will then be used to guide future research and development in the area of citizen science in the field of astronomy. These findings will also be useful in charting new boundaries for future research.

Keeper-Animal Interactions: Differences between the Behaviour of Zoo Animals Affect Stockmanship.

PubMed

Ward, Samantha J; Melfi, Vicky

2015-01-01

Stockmanship is a term used to describe the management of animals with a good stockperson someone who does this in a in a safe, effective, and low-stress manner for both the stock-keeper and animals involved. Although impacts of unfamiliar zoo visitors on animal behaviour have been extensively studied, the impact of stockmanship i.e familiar zoo keepers is a new area of research; which could reveal significant ramifications for zoo animal behaviour and welfare. It is likely that different relationships are formed dependant on the unique keeper-animal dyad (human-animal interaction, HAI). The aims of this study were to (1) investigate if unique keeper-animal dyads were formed in zoos, (2) determine whether keepers differed in their interactions towards animals regarding their attitude, animal knowledge and experience and (3) explore what factors affect keeper-animal dyads and ultimately influence animal behaviour and welfare. Eight black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), eleven Chapman's zebra (Equus burchellii), and twelve Sulawesi crested black macaques (Macaca nigra) were studied in 6 zoos across the UK and USA. Subtle cues and commands directed by keepers towards animals were identified. The animals latency to respond and the respective behavioural response (cue-response) was recorded per keeper-animal dyad (n = 93). A questionnaire was constructed following a five-point Likert Scale design to record keeper demographic information and assess the job satisfaction of keepers, their attitude towards the animals and their perceived relationship with them. There was a significant difference in the animals' latency to appropriately respond after cues and commands from different keepers, indicating unique keeper-animal dyads were formed. Stockmanship style was also different between keepers; two main components contributed equally towards this: "attitude towards the animals" and "knowledge and experience of the animals". In this novel study, data demonstrated unique dyads

Unsilencing Voices: A Study of Zoo Signs and Their Language of Authority

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fogelberg, Katherine

2014-01-01

Zoo signs are important for informal learning, but their effect on visitor perception of animals has been sparsely studied. Other studies have established the importance of informal learning in American society; this study discusses zoo signs in the context of such learning. Through the lens of Critical Theory framed by informal learning, and by…

Vocal activity of lesser galagos (Galago spp.) at zoos.

PubMed

Schneiderová, Irena; Zouhar, Jan; Štefanská, Lucie; Bolfíková, Barbora Černá; Lhota, Stanislav; Brandl, Pavel

2016-01-01

Almost nothing is known about the natural vocal behavior of lesser galagos living in zoos. This is perhaps because they are usually kept in nocturnal exhibits separated from the visitors by a transparent and acoustically insulating glass barrier. The aim of the present study was therefore to fill this gap in knowledge of the vocal behavior of lesser galagos from zoos. This knowledge might be beneficial because the vocalizations of these small primates can be used for species determination. We performed a 10-day-long acoustic monitoring of vocal activity in each of seven various groups of Galago senegalensis and G. moholi living at four zoos. We quantitatively evaluated the occurrence of four loud vocalization types present in both species, including the most species-specific advertisement call. We found that qualitative as well as quantitative differences exist in the vocal behavior of the studied groups. We confirmed that the observed vocalization types can be collected from lesser galagos living at zoos, and the success can be increased by selecting larger and more diverse groups. We found two distinct patterns of diel vocal activity in the most vocally active groups. G. senegalensis groups were most vocally active at the beginning and at the end of their activity period, whereas one G. moholi group showed an opposite pattern. The latter is surprising, as it is generally accepted that lesser galagos emit advertisement calls especially at dawn and dusk, i.e., at the beginning and at the end of their diel activity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Determining Connections between the Daily Lives of Zoo Elephants and Their Welfare: An Epidemiological Approach

PubMed Central

Meehan, Cheryl L.; Mench, Joy A.; Carlstead, Kathy; Hogan, Jennifer N.

2016-01-01

Concerns about animal welfare increasingly shape people’s views about the acceptability of keeping animals for food production, biomedical research, and in zoos. The field of animal welfare science has developed over the past 50 years as a method of investigating these concerns via research that assesses how living in human-controlled environments influences the behavior, health and affective states of animals. Initially, animal welfare research focused on animals in agricultural settings, but the field has expanded to zoos because good animal welfare is essential to zoos’ mission of promoting connections between animals and visitors and raising awareness of conservation issues. A particular challenge for zoos is ensuring good animal welfare for long-lived, highly social species like elephants. Our main goal in conducting an epidemiological study of African (Loxodonta africana) and Asian (Elephas maximus) elephant welfare in 68 accredited North American zoos was to understand the prevalence of welfare indicators in the population and determine the aspects of an elephant’s zoo environment, social life and management that are most important to prevent and reduce a variety of welfare problems. In this overview, we provide a summary of the findings of the nine papers in the collection titled: Epidemiological Investigations of North American Zoo Elephant Welfare with a focus on the life history, social, housing, and management factors found to be associated with particular aspects of elephant welfare, including the performance of abnormal behavior, foot and joint problems, recumbence, walking rates, and reproductive health issues. Social and management factors were found to be important for multiple indicators of welfare, while exhibit space was found to be less influential than expected. This body of work results from the largest prospective zoo-based animal welfare study conducted to date and sets in motion the process of using science-based welfare benchmarks

Why Should I Care? Exploring the Use of Environmental Concern as a Frame of Communication in Zoos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yocco, Victor S.; Bruskotter, Jeremy; Wilson, Robyn; Heimlich, Joseph E.

2015-01-01

Effectively communicating environmental issues to motivate visitors' behavior is critical for zoos to accomplish their missions. We examined the relationship between zoo visitors' environmental concern and agreement with messages framed by environmental concern. Findings from two zoos (N = 298; N = 400), using two message formats, provided nearly…

Modelling galaxy clustering: halo occupation distribution versus subhalo matching.

PubMed

Guo, Hong; Zheng, Zheng; Behroozi, Peter S; Zehavi, Idit; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Comparat, Johan; Favole, Ginevra; Gottloeber, Stefan; Klypin, Anatoly; Prada, Francisco; Rodríguez-Torres, Sergio A; Weinberg, David H; Yepes, Gustavo

2016-07-01

We model the luminosity-dependent projected and redshift-space two-point correlation functions (2PCFs) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 7 Main galaxy sample, using the halo occupation distribution (HOD) model and the subhalo abundance matching (SHAM) model and its extension. All the models are built on the same high-resolution N -body simulations. We find that the HOD model generally provides the best performance in reproducing the clustering measurements in both projected and redshift spaces. The SHAM model with the same halo-galaxy relation for central and satellite galaxies (or distinct haloes and subhaloes), when including scatters, has a best-fitting χ 2 /dof around 2-3. We therefore extend the SHAM model to the subhalo clustering and abundance matching (SCAM) by allowing the central and satellite galaxies to have different galaxy-halo relations. We infer the corresponding halo/subhalo parameters by jointly fitting the galaxy 2PCFs and abundances and consider subhaloes selected based on three properties, the mass M acc at the time of accretion, the maximum circular velocity V acc at the time of accretion, and the peak maximum circular velocity V peak over the history of the subhaloes. The three subhalo models work well for luminous galaxy samples (with luminosity above L * ). For low-luminosity samples, the V acc model stands out in reproducing the data, with the V peak model slightly worse, while the M acc model fails to fit the data. We discuss the implications of the modelling results.

77 FR 43167 - Safety Zone; Electric Zoo Fireworks, East River, Randall's Island, NY

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-24

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard 33 CFR Part 165 [Docket Number USCG-2012-0588] RIN 1625-AA00 Safety Zone; Electric Zoo Fireworks, East River, Randall's Island, NY AGENCY: Coast Guard... Zone; Electronic Zoo Fireworks, East River, Randall's Island, NY. (a) Regulated Area. The following...

Shedding of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts by Felidae in zoos in the Czech Republic.

PubMed

Lukesová, D; Literák, I

1998-01-15

In 1995 and 1996, the shedding of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts was monitored in the faeces of Felidae in six zoos in the Czech Republic. In all, 2287 samples of faeces from 19 species of Felidae were examined. In Ostrava Zoo, four episodes of shedding of Toxoplasma-like oocysts were identified, using a flotation examination, in a pair of wild cats (Felis silvestris), six episodes in a wild cat held separately, and three episodes in a pair of Amur leopard cats (F. euptilurus). After the passage of sporulated oocysts through laboratory mice, T. gondii was confirmed in the pair of wild cats (three episodes), in the wild cat held separately (three episodes) and in the pair of Amur leopard cats (one episode). In Jihlava Zoo, one episode of shedding of T. gondii oocyst was identified in Geoffroy's cat (Oncifelis geoffroyi) using flotation and isolation examination. The possible sources of toxoplasmosis of the Felidae in zoos are discussed.

Human-animal bonds between zoo professionals and the animals in their care.

PubMed

Hosey, Geoff; Melfi, Vicky

2012-01-01

Some human-animal relationships can be so positive that they confer emotional well-being to both partners and can thus be viewed as bonds. In this study, 130 delegates at zoo research and training events completed questionnaires in which they were asked about their professional work in the zoo and whether they believed they had established bonds with any animals. They were also asked to indicate agreement or disagreement with several statements about human-animal bonds. Results showed that many zoo professionals consider that they have established bonds with some of their animals; 103 respondents believed that they had a bond with at least one animal, and 78 of these identified that the bond was with a zoo animal. The most frequent bonds reported were with primates (n = 24) and carnivores (n = 28). Perceived benefits of these bonds to the respondents included both operational (animal easier to handle, easier to administer treatments to) and affective (sense of well-being, enjoyment at being with the animal). Identifying benefits to the animals was more difficult. Most respondents identified similar benefits for their animals as for themselves, i.e. operational (animal responded more calmly, appeared less stressed) and affective (animal appeared to enjoy contact with respondent, seemed more content). This suggests that bonding between zoo professionals and their animals could have profound consequences for the management and welfare of the animals, not to mention the job satisfaction of the people involved. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Galactic rings revisited. II. Dark gaps and the locations of resonances in early-to-intermediate-type disc galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buta, Ronald J.

2017-10-01

Dark gaps are commonly seen in early-to-intermediate-type barred galaxies having inner and outer rings or related features. In this paper, the morphologies of 54 barred and oval ringed galaxies have been examined with the goal of determining what the dark gaps are telling us about the structure and evolution of barred galaxies. The analysis is based mainly on galaxies selected from the Galaxy Zoo 2 data base and the Catalogue of Southern Ringed Galaxies. The dark gaps between inner and outer rings are of interest because of their likely association with the L4 and L5 Lagrangian points that would be present in the gravitational potential of a bar or oval. Since the points are theoretically expected to lie very close to the corotation resonance (CR) of the bar pattern, the gaps provide the possibility of locating corotation in some galaxies simply by measuring the radius rgp of the gap region and setting rCR=rgp. With the additional assumption of generally flat rotation curves, the locations of other resonances can be predicted and compared with observed morphological features. It is shown that this `gap method' provides remarkably consistent interpretations of the morphology of early-to-intermediate-type barred galaxies. The paper also brings attention to cases where the dark gaps lie inside an inner ring, rather than between inner and outer rings. These may have a different origin compared to the inner/outer ring gaps.

Host Galaxy Properties of the Swift BAT Ultra Hard X-Ray Selected AGN

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koss, Michael; Mushotzky, Richard; Veilleux, Sylvain; Winter, Lisa M.; Baumgartner, Wayne; Tueller, Jack; Gehrels, Neil; Valencic, Lynne

2011-01-01

We have assembled the largest sample of ultra hard X-ray selected (14-195 keV) AGN with host galaxy optical data to date, with 185 nearby (z<0.05), moderate luminosity AGN from the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) sample. The BAT AGN host galaxies have intermediate optical colors (u -- r and g -- r) that are bluer than a comparison sample of inactive galaxies and optically selected AGN from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) which are chosen to have the same stellar mass. Based on morphological classifications from the RC3 and the Galaxy Zoo, the bluer colors of BAT AGN are mainly due to a higher fraction of mergers and massive spirals than in the comparison samples. BAT AGN in massive galaxies (log Stellar Mass >10.5) have a 5 to 10 times higher rate of spiral morphologies than in SDSS AGN or inactive galaxies. We also see enhanced far-IR emission in BAT AGN suggestive of higher levels of star formation compared to the comparison samples. BAT AGN are preferentially found in the most massive host galaxies with high concentration indexes indicative of large bulge-to-disk ratios and large supermassive black holes. The narrow-line (NL) BAT AGN have similar intrinsic luminosities as the SDSS NL Seyferts based on measurements of [O III] Lambda 5007. There is also a correlation between the stellar mass and X-ray emission. The BAT AGN in mergers have bluer colors and greater ultra hard X-ray emission compared to the BAT sample as whole. In agreement with the Unified Model of AGN, and the relatively unbiased nature of the BAT sources, the host galaxy colors and morphologies are independent of measures of obscuration such as X-ray column density or Seyfert type. The high fraction of massive spiral galaxies and galaxy mergers in BAT AGN suggest that host galaxy morphology is related to the activation and fueling of local AGN.

Enhancing the Educational Effectiveness of Zoos.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braverman, Marc T.; Yates, Mary Ellen

This study addressed whether the educational impact of a zoo visit can be enhanced through the provision of appropriate instructional supports such as preparatory trainings or orientations. One important function of the educational process, in contrast to providing direct information or skill development, is to make the learner more sensitive to…

Hot Gas Halos in Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulchaey, John

Most galaxy formation models predict that massive low-redshift disk galaxies are embedded in extended hot halos of externally accreted gas. Such gas appears necessary to maintain ongoing star formation in isolated spirals like the Milky Way. To explain the large population of red galaxies in rich groups and clusters, most galaxy evolution models assume that these hot gas halos are stripped completely when a galaxy enters a denser environment. This simple model has been remarkably successful at reproducing many observed properties of galaxies. Although theoretical arguments suggest hot gas halos are an important component in galaxies, we know very little about this gas from an observational standpoint. In fact, previous observations have failed to detect soft X-ray emission from such halos in disk galaxies. Furthermore, the assumption that hot gas halos are stripped completely when a galaxy enters a group or cluster has not been verified. We propose to combine proprietary and archival XMM-Newton observations of galaxies in the field, groups and clusters to study how hot gas halos are impacted by environment. Our proposed program has three components: 1) The deepest search to date for a hot gas halo in a quiescent spiral galaxy. A detection will confirm a basic tenet of disk galaxy formation models, whereas a non-detection will seriously challenge these models and impose new constraints on the growth mode and feedback history of disk galaxies. 2) A detailed study of the hot gas halos properties of field early-type galaxies. As environmental processes such as stripping are not expected to be important in the field, a study of hot gas halos in this environment will allow us to better understand how feedback and other internal processes impact hot gas halos. 3) A study of hot gas halos in the outskirts of groups and clusters. By comparing observations with our suite of simulations we can begin to understand what role the stripping of hot gas halos plays in galaxy

Using a Field Trip Inventory to Determine If Listening to Elementary School Students' Conversations, While on a Zoo Field Trip, Enhances Preservice Teachers' Abilities to Plan Zoo Field Trips

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrick, Patricia; Mathews, Cathy; Tunnicliffe, Sue Dale

2013-01-01

This study investigated whether listening to spontaneous conversations of elementary students and their teachers/chaperones, while they were visiting a zoo, affected preservice elementary teachers' conceptions about planning a field trip to the zoo. One hundred five preservice elementary teachers designed field trips prior to and after…

AGN feedback and the origin of the α enhancement in early-type galaxies - insights from the GAEA model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Lucia, Gabriella; Fontanot, Fabio; Hirschmann, Michaela

2017-03-01

We take advantage of our recently published model for GAlaxy Evolution and Assembly (GAEA) to study the origin of the observed correlation between [α/Fe] and galaxy stellar mass. In particular, we analyse the role of radio-mode active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback, which recent work has identified as a crucial ingredient to reproduce observations. In GAEA, this process introduces the observed trend of star formation histories extending over shorter time-scales for more massive galaxies, but does not provide a sufficient condition to reproduce the observed α enhancements of massive galaxies. In the framework of our model, this is possible only by assuming that any residual star formation is truncated for galaxies more massive than 1010.5 M⊙. This results, however, in even shorter star formation time-scales for the most massive galaxies, which translate in total stellar metallicities significantly lower than observed. Our results demonstrate that (I) trends of [α/Fe] ratios cannot be simply converted into relative time-scale indicators; and (II) AGN feedback cannot explain alone the positive correlation between [α/Fe] and galaxy mass/velocity dispersion. Reproducing simultaneously the mass-metallicity relation and the α enhancements observed pose a challenge for hierarchical models, unless more exotic solutions are adopted such as metal-rich winds or a variable initial mass function.

Comparing models of star formation simulating observed interacting galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quiroga, L. F.; Muñoz-Cuartas, J. C.; Rodrigues, I.

2017-07-01

In this work, we make a comparison between different models of star formation to reproduce observed interacting galaxies. We use observational data to model the evolution of a pair of galaxies undergoing a minor merger. Minor mergers represent situations weakly deviated from the equilibrium configuration but significant changes in star fomation (SF) efficiency can take place, then, minor mergers provide an unique scene to study SF in galaxies in a realistic but yet simple way. Reproducing observed systems also give us the opportunity to compare the results of the simulations with observations, which at the end can be used as probes to characterize the models of SF implemented in the comparison. In this work we compare two different star formation recipes implemented in Gadget3 and GIZMO codes. Both codes share the same numerical background, and differences arise mainly in the star formation recipe they use. We use observations from Pico dos Días and GEMINI telescopes and show how we use observational data of the interacting pair in AM2229-735 to characterize the interacting pair. Later we use this information to simulate the evolution of the system to finally reproduce the observations: Mass distribution, morphology and main features of the merger-induced star formation burst. We show that both methods manage to reproduce roughly the star formation activity. We show, through a careful study, that resolution plays a major role in the reproducibility of the system. In that sense, star formation recipe implemented in GIZMO code has shown a more robust performance. Acknowledgements: This work is supported by Colciencias, Doctorado Nacional - 617 program.

Stellar feedback in galaxies and the origin of galaxy-scale winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopkins, Philip F.; Quataert, Eliot; Murray, Norman

2012-04-01

Feedback from massive stars is believed to play a critical role in driving galactic super-winds that enrich the intergalactic medium and shape the galaxy mass function, mass-metallicity relation and other global galaxy properties. In previous papers, we have introduced new numerical methods for implementing stellar feedback on sub-giant molecular cloud (sub-GMC) through galactic scales in numerical simulations of galaxies; the key physical processes include radiation pressure in the ultraviolet through infrared, supernovae (Type I and Type II), stellar winds ('fast' O star through 'slow' asymptotic giant branch winds), and H II photoionization. Here, we show that these feedback mechanisms drive galactic winds with outflow rates as high as ˜10-20 times the galaxy star formation rate. The mass-loading efficiency (wind mass-loss rate divided by the star formation rate) scales roughly as ? (where Vc is the galaxy circular velocity), consistent with simple momentum-conservation expectations. We use our suite of simulations to study the relative contribution of each feedback mechanism to the generation of galactic winds in a range of galaxy models, from Small Magellanic Cloud like dwarfs and Milky Way (MW) analogues to z˜ 2 clumpy discs. In massive, gas-rich systems (local starbursts and high-z galaxies), radiation pressure dominates the wind generation. By contrast, for MW-like spirals and dwarf galaxies the gas densities are much lower and sources of shock-heated gas such as supernovae and stellar winds dominate the production of large-scale outflows. In all of our models, however, the winds have a complex multiphase structure that depends on the interaction between multiple feedback mechanisms operating on different spatial scales and time-scales: any single feedback mechanism fails to reproduce the winds observed. We use our simulations to provide fitting functions to the wind mass loading and velocities as a function of galaxy properties, for use in cosmological

Galaxy evolution in protoclusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muldrew, Stuart I.; Hatch, Nina A.; Cooke, Elizabeth A.

2018-01-01

We investigate galaxy evolution in protoclusters using a semi-analytic model applied to the Millennium Simulation, scaled to a Planck cosmology. We show that the model reproduces the observed behaviour of the star formation history (SFH) both in protoclusters and the field. The rate of star formation peaks ∼0.7 Gyr earlier in protoclusters than in the field and declines more rapidly afterwards. This results in protocluster galaxies forming significantly earlier: 80 per cent of their stellar mass is already formed by z = 1.4, but only 45 per cent of the field stellar mass has formed by this time. The model predicts that field and protocluster galaxies have similar average specific star-formation rates (sSFR) at z > 3, and we find evidence of an enhancement of star formation in the dense protoclusters at early times. At z < 3, protoclusters have lower sSFRs, resulting in the disparity between the SFHs. We show that the stellar mass functions of protoclusters are top-heavy compared with the field due to the early formation of massive galaxies, and the disruption and merging of low-mass satellite galaxies in the main haloes. The fundamental cause of the different SFHs and mass functions is that dark matter haloes are biased tracers of the dark matter density field: the high density of haloes and the top-heavy halo mass function in protoclusters result in the early formation then rapid merging and quenching of galaxies. We compare our results with observations from the literature and highlight which observables provide the most informative tests of galaxy formation.

Evaluation of public engagement activities to promote science in a zoo environment.

PubMed

Whitehouse, Jamie; Waller, Bridget M; Chanvin, Mathilde; Wallace, Emma K; Schel, Anne M; Peirce, Kate; Mitchell, Heidi; Macri, Alaina; Slocombe, Katie

2014-01-01

Scientists are increasing their efforts to promote public engagement with their science, but the efficacy of the methods used is often not scientifically evaluated. Here, we designed, installed and evaluated the educational impact of interactive games on touchscreens at two primate research centres based in zoo environments. The games were designed to promote interest in and understanding of primates and comparative psychology, as a scaffold towards interest in science more generally and with the intention of targeting younger individuals (under 16's). We used systematic observational techniques and questionnaires to assess the impact of the games on zoo visitors. The games facilitated increased interest in psychology and science in zoo visitors, and changed the knowledge of visitors, through demonstration of learning about specific scientific findings nested within the games. The impact of such devices was greatest on younger individuals (under 16's) as they were significantly more likely to engage with the games. On the whole, therefore, this study demonstrates that interactive devices can be successful educational tools, and adds to the growing body of evidence that conducting research on public view in zoos can have a tangible impact on public engagement with science.

Evaluation of Public Engagement Activities to Promote Science in a Zoo Environment

PubMed Central

Whitehouse, Jamie; Waller, Bridget M.; Chanvin, Mathilde; Wallace, Emma K.; Schel, Anne M.; Peirce, Kate; Mitchell, Heidi; Macri, Alaina; Slocombe, Katie

2014-01-01

Scientists are increasing their efforts to promote public engagement with their science, but the efficacy of the methods used is often not scientifically evaluated. Here, we designed, installed and evaluated the educational impact of interactive games on touchscreens at two primate research centres based in zoo environments. The games were designed to promote interest in and understanding of primates and comparative psychology, as a scaffold towards interest in science more generally and with the intention of targeting younger individuals (under 16's). We used systematic observational techniques and questionnaires to assess the impact of the games on zoo visitors. The games facilitated increased interest in psychology and science in zoo visitors, and changed the knowledge of visitors, through demonstration of learning about specific scientific findings nested within the games. The impact of such devices was greatest on younger individuals (under 16's) as they were significantly more likely to engage with the games. On the whole, therefore, this study demonstrates that interactive devices can be successful educational tools, and adds to the growing body of evidence that conducting research on public view in zoos can have a tangible impact on public engagement with science. PMID:25415193

The effects of the initial mass function on the chemical evolution of elliptical galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Masi, Carlo; Matteucci, F.; Vincenzo, F.

2018-03-01

We describe the use of our chemical evolution model to reproduce the abundance patterns observed in a catalogue of elliptical galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 4. The model assumes ellipticals form by fast gas accretion, and suffer a strong burst of star formation followed by a galactic wind, which quenches star formation. Models with fixed initial mass function (IMF) failed in simultaneously reproducing the observed trends with the galactic mass. So, we tested a varying IMF; contrary to the diffused claim that the IMF should become bottom heavier in more massive galaxies, we find a better agreement with data by assuming an inverse trend, where the IMF goes from being bottom heavy in less massive galaxies to top heavy in more massive ones. This naturally produces a downsizing in star formation, favouring massive stars in largest galaxies. Finally, we tested the use of the integrated Galactic IMF, obtained by averaging the canonical IMF over the mass distribution function of the clusters where star formation is assumed to take place. We combined two prescriptions, valid for different SFR regimes, to obtain the Integrated Initial Mass Function values along the whole evolution of the galaxies in our models. Predicted abundance trends reproduce the observed slopes, but they have an offset relative to the data. We conclude that bottom-heavier IMFs do not reproduce the properties of the most massive ellipticals, at variance with previous suggestions. On the other hand, an IMF varying with galactic mass from bottom heavier to top heavier should be preferred.

H I-SELECTED GALAXIES IN THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY. II. THE COLORS OF GAS-RICH GALAXIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

West, Andrew A.; Garcia-Appadoo, Diego A.; Dalcanton, Julianne J.

2009-09-15

We utilize color information for an H I-selected sample of 195 galaxies to explore the star formation histories and physical conditions that produce the observed colors. We show that the H I selection creates a significant offset toward bluer colors that can be explained by enhanced recent bursts of star formation. There is also no obvious color bimodality, because the H I selection restricts the sample to bluer, actively star-forming systems, diminishing the importance of the red sequence. Rising star formation rates are still required to explain the colors of galaxies bluer than g - r< 0.3. We also demonstratemore » that the colors of the bluest galaxies in our sample are dominated by emission lines and that stellar population synthesis models alone (without emission lines) are not adequate for reproducing many of the galaxy colors. These emission lines produce large changes in the r - i colors but leave the g - r color largely unchanged. In addition, we find an increase in the dispersion of galaxy colors at low masses that may be the result of a change in the star formation process in low-mass galaxies.« less

Investigation of zoonotic infections among Auckland Zoo staff: 1991-2010.

PubMed

Forsyth, M B; Morris, A J; Sinclair, D A; Pritchard, C P

2012-12-01

Investigation was undertaken to assess the occurrence of zoonotic infection among staff at Auckland Zoological Park, New Zealand, in 1991, 2002 and 2010. Serial cross-sectional health surveys in 1991, 2002 and 2010 comprising a health questionnaire, and serological, immunological and microbiological analysis for a range of potential zoonotic infections were performed. Laboratory results for zoo animals were also reviewed for 2004-2010 to assess the occurrence of potential zoonotic infections. Veterinary clinic, animal handler, grounds, maintenance and administrative staff participated in the surveys, with 49, 42 and 46 participants in the 1991, 2002 and 2010 surveys, respectively (29% of total zoo staff in 2010). A small number of staff reported work-related infections, including erysipelas (1), giardiasis (1) and campylobacteriosis (1). The seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis A virus and Toxoplasma gondii closely reflected those in the Auckland community. No carriage of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was detected, and most of those with anti-HBV antibodies had been vaccinated. Few staff had serological evidence of past leptospiral infection. Three veterinary clinic staff had raised Chlamydophila psittaci antibodies, all < 1 : 160 indicating past exposure. Two staff (in 1991) had asymptomatic carriage of Giardia lamblia and one person (in 2010) had a dermatophyte infection. After 1991, positive tests indicating exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis were < 10%, comparable to the general New Zealand population. Zoo animals had infections with potential zoonotic agents, including G. lamblia, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp. and T. gondii, although the occurrence was low. Zoonotic agents pose an occupational risk to zoo workers. While there was evidence of some zoonotic transmission at Auckland Zoo, this was uncommon and risks appear to be adequately managed under current policies and procedures. Nevertheless, ongoing assessment of risk factors is needed as

Efficiency of Metal Mixing in Dwarf Galaxies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hirai, Yutaka; Saitoh, Takayuki R., E-mail: yutaka.hirai@nao.ac.jp

Metal mixing plays a critical role in the enrichment of metals in galaxies. The abundance of elements such as Mg, Fe, and Ba in metal-poor stars helps us understand the metal mixing in galaxies. However, the efficiency of metal mixing in galaxies is not yet understood. Here we report a series of N -body/smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations of dwarf galaxies with different efficiencies of metal mixing using a turbulence-induced mixing model. We show that metal mixing apparently occurs in dwarf galaxies from Mg and Ba abundances. We find that a scaling factor for metal diffusion larger than 0.01 is necessarymore » to reproduce the measured abundances of Ba in dwarf galaxies. This value is consistent with the value expected from turbulence theory and experiments. We also find that the timescale of metal mixing is less than 40 Myr. This timescale is shorter than the typical dynamical times of dwarf galaxies. We demonstrate that the determination of a degree of scatters of Ba abundance by the observation will help us to better constrain the efficiency of metal mixing.« less

A population of compact elliptical galaxies detected with the Virtual Observatory.

PubMed

Chilingarian, Igor; Cayatte, Véronique; Revaz, Yves; Dodonov, Serguei; Durand, Daniel; Durret, Florence; Micol, Alberto; Slezak, Eric

2009-12-04

Compact elliptical galaxies are characterized by small sizes and high stellar densities. They are thought to form through tidal stripping of massive progenitors. However, only a handful of them were known, preventing us from understanding the role played by this mechanism in galaxy evolution. We present a population of 21 compact elliptical galaxies gathered with the Virtual Observatory. Follow-up spectroscopy and data mining, using high-resolution images and large databases, show that all the galaxies exhibit old metal-rich stellar populations different from those of dwarf elliptical galaxies of similar masses but similar to those of more massive early-type galaxies, supporting the tidal stripping scenario. Their internal properties are reproduced by numerical simulations, which result in compact, dynamically hot remnants resembling the galaxies in our sample.

IQ Zoo and Teaching Operant Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bihm, Elson M.; Gillaspy, J. Arthur, Jr.; Lammers, William J.; Huffman, Stephanie P.

2010-01-01

Psychology texts often cite the work of Marian and Keller Breland and their business, Animal Behavior Enterprises (ABE), to demonstrate operant conditioning and the "misbehavior of organisms" from an evolutionary perspective. Now available on the Internet at the official IQ Zoo website (http://www3.uca.edu/iqzoo/), the artifacts of ABE's work, in…

Keeper-Animal Interactions: Differences between the Behaviour of Zoo Animals Affect Stockmanship

PubMed Central

Ward, Samantha J.; Melfi, Vicky

2015-01-01

Stockmanship is a term used to describe the management of animals with a good stockperson someone who does this in a in a safe, effective, and low-stress manner for both the stock-keeper and animals involved. Although impacts of unfamiliar zoo visitors on animal behaviour have been extensively studied, the impact of stockmanship i.e familiar zoo keepers is a new area of research; which could reveal significant ramifications for zoo animal behaviour and welfare. It is likely that different relationships are formed dependant on the unique keeper-animal dyad (human-animal interaction, HAI). The aims of this study were to (1) investigate if unique keeper-animal dyads were formed in zoos, (2) determine whether keepers differed in their interactions towards animals regarding their attitude, animal knowledge and experience and (3) explore what factors affect keeper-animal dyads and ultimately influence animal behaviour and welfare. Eight black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), eleven Chapman’s zebra (Equus burchellii), and twelve Sulawesi crested black macaques (Macaca nigra) were studied in 6 zoos across the UK and USA. Subtle cues and commands directed by keepers towards animals were identified. The animals latency to respond and the respective behavioural response (cue-response) was recorded per keeper-animal dyad (n = 93). A questionnaire was constructed following a five-point Likert Scale design to record keeper demographic information and assess the job satisfaction of keepers, their attitude towards the animals and their perceived relationship with them. There was a significant difference in the animals’ latency to appropriately respond after cues and commands from different keepers, indicating unique keeper-animal dyads were formed. Stockmanship style was also different between keepers; two main components contributed equally towards this: “attitude towards the animals” and “knowledge and experience of the animals”. In this novel study, data demonstrated

Ecological status of soils in Moscow Zoo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yurkova, N. E.; Yurkov, A. M.; Smagin, A. V.

2009-03-01

The quantitative assessment of the status of soils in Moscow Zoo was performed using traditional and original methods based on the differentiated system of indices. The studies were conducted in animal open-air cages and on plots available for visitors. The dynamics of the temperature and water-air regimes in the root-inhabited layer, the density, the acidity, and the salinity of the soils were studied. The level of the biological activity was assessed according to the intensity of the organic matter decomposition and the substrate-induced respiration. In the background of the rather satisfactory status of the soils, negative factors were found: a periodic excess or deficit of moisture and, for the most part, low biological activity (low respiration and decomposition of the lignin-cellulose test material). Recommendations for the improvement of the status of the soil cover in Moscow Zoo are proposed.

Epidemiological survey of zoonotic pathogens in feral pigeons (Columba livia var. domestica) and sympatric zoo species in Southern Spain.

PubMed

Cano-Terriza, David; Guerra, Rafael; Lecollinet, Sylvie; Cerdà-Cuéllar, Marta; Cabezón, Oscar; Almería, Sonia; García-Bocanegra, Ignacio

2015-12-01

A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of pathogenic zoonotic agents (flaviviruses, avian influenza viruses (AIVs), Salmonella spp. and Toxoplasma gondii) in feral pigeons and sympatric zoo animals from Córdoba (Southern Spain) between 2013 and 2014. Antibodies against flaviviruses were detected in 7.8% out of 142 (CI95%: 3.7-11.8) pigeons, and 8.2% of 49 (CI95%: 0.9-15.4) of zoo animals tested. Antibodies with specificity against West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) were confirmed both in pigeons and in zoo birds. Even though seropositivity to AIVs was not detected in any of the analyzed pigeons, 17.9% of 28 (CI95%: 3.7-32.0) zoo birds tested showed positive results. Salmonella spp. was not isolated in any of 152 fecal samples collected from pigeons, while 6.8% of 44 zoo animals were positive. Antibodies against T. gondii were found in 9.2% of 142 (CI95%: 4.8-13.6) feral pigeons and 26.9% of 108 (CI95%: 19.6-34.1) zoo animals. This is the first study on flaviviruses and T. gondii in feral pigeons and captive zoo species in Spain. Antibodies against WNV and USUV detected in non-migratory pigeons and captive zoo animals indicate local circulation of these emerging pathogens in the study area. T. gondii was widespread in species analyzed. This finding could be of importance for Public Health and Conservation of endangered species present in zoo parks. Pigeons and zoo animals may be included as sentinel species for monitoring zoonotic pathogens in urban areas. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isolation of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 Strain from Fecal Samples of Zoo Animal

PubMed Central

Mohammed Hamzah, Aseel; Mohammed Hussein, Aseel; Mahmoud Khalef, Jenan

2013-01-01

The isolation and characterization of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains from 22 out of 174 fecal samples from petting zoo animals representing twenty-two different species (camel, lion, goats, zebra, bear, baboon monkey, Siberian monkey, deer, elk, llama, pony, horses, fox, kangaroo, wolf, porcupine, chickens, tiger, ostrich, hyena, dogs, and wildcats) were investigated. One petting Al-Zawraa zoological society of Baghdad was investigated for E. coli O157:H7 over a 16-month period that spanned two summer and two autumn seasons. Variation in the occurrence of E. coli O157:H7-positive petting zoo animals was observed, with animals being culture positive only in the summer months but not in the spring, autumn, or winter. E. coli O157:H7 isolates were distinguished by agglutination with E. coli O157:H7 latex reagent (Oxoid), identified among the isolates, which showed that multiple E. coli strains were isolated from one petting zoo animal, in which a single animal simultaneously shed multiple E. coli strains; E. coli O157:H7 was isolated only by selective enrichment culture of 2 g of petting zoo animal feces. In contrast, strains other than O157:H7 were cultured from feces of petting zoo animals without enrichment. PMID:24489514

Isolation of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 strain from fecal samples of zoo animal.

PubMed

Mohammed Hamzah, Aseel; Mohammed Hussein, Aseel; Mahmoud Khalef, Jenan

2013-01-01

The isolation and characterization of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains from 22 out of 174 fecal samples from petting zoo animals representing twenty-two different species (camel, lion, goats, zebra, bear, baboon monkey, Siberian monkey, deer, elk, llama, pony, horses, fox, kangaroo, wolf, porcupine, chickens, tiger, ostrich, hyena, dogs, and wildcats) were investigated. One petting Al-Zawraa zoological society of Baghdad was investigated for E. coli O157:H7 over a 16-month period that spanned two summer and two autumn seasons. Variation in the occurrence of E. coli O157:H7-positive petting zoo animals was observed, with animals being culture positive only in the summer months but not in the spring, autumn, or winter. E. coli O157:H7 isolates were distinguished by agglutination with E. coli O157:H7 latex reagent (Oxoid), identified among the isolates, which showed that multiple E. coli strains were isolated from one petting zoo animal, in which a single animal simultaneously shed multiple E. coli strains; E. coli O157:H7 was isolated only by selective enrichment culture of 2 g of petting zoo animal feces. In contrast, strains other than O157:H7 were cultured from feces of petting zoo animals without enrichment.

Quantifying long-term impact of zoo and aquarium visits on biodiversity-related learning outcomes.

PubMed

Jensen, Eric A; Moss, Andrew; Gusset, Markus

2017-07-01

Zoos and aquariums aim to achieve lasting impact on their public audiences' awareness of biodiversity, its value, and the steps they can take to conserve it. Here, we evaluate the long-term educational impact of visits to zoos and aquariums on biodiversity understanding and knowledge of actions to help protect biodiversity. A minimum of two years after completing a repeated-measures survey before and after visiting a zoo or aquarium, the same participants were invited to take part in a follow-up online survey. Despite the small number of respondents (n = 161), our study may still represent the best available quantitative evidence pertaining to zoo and aquarium visits' long-term educational impact. We found that improvements in respondents' biodiversity understanding from pre- to post-visit leveled off, staying unchanged in the follow-up survey. In contrast, the improved knowledge of actions to help protect biodiversity from pre- to post-visit showed further improvement from post-visit to delayed post-visit follow-up survey. These results suggest that the immediate positive effects of a zoo or aquarium visit on biodiversity-related learning outcomes may be long lasting and even help lay the groundwork for further improvements over an extended period of time following the visit. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dynamics of the interstellar matter in galaxies : isolated barred spiral galaxies : cloud formation processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helmuth, Kristen

1998-12-01

The dynamical components of six isolated barred spiral (SB) galaxies are investigated. No evidence is found supporting the hypothesis of a low amount of dark matter being characteristic of SB galaxies. The presence of companion galaxies is found to correlate with an increased statistical spread in the neutral hydrogen (HI) extent. It is concluded that the selection of galaxies with large HI extent may introduce a bias towards tidally interacting systems. The circumnuclear region of the SB galaxy NGC 1365 is studied with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Numerous bright "super star clusters" (SSCs) are detected, surrounding the active nucleus. The bright compact radio source NGC 1365:A is found to coincide spatially with one of the SSCs. We conclude that the source is a "radio supernova". In the [OIII] l 5007 line, the HST resolves individual clouds within the conical outflow from the nucleus, some of which gather in larger agglomerations. An in-depth study of the dynamics of the SB galaxy NGC 1300 is presented. Multi-wavelength data yield an estimate of the velocity field and gravitational potential. Subsequent hydrodynamical simulations are able to reproduce the morphology and kinematics in the bar region using a pure bar perturbing potential. To reproduce the spiral structure a weak spiral component has to be added, indicative of stellar spiral response to the bar and/or self-gravitating gas in the arms. Two separate models, differing mainly with respect to pattern speed and associated resonance structure, are found to reproduce the observations. We study numerically the linear polarization and extinction of light from background stars passing through molecular clouds, illuminating the intricacies of the derivation of the magnetic-field-line pattern in a cloud from the observed polarization pattern: Due to a higher gas-grain collision frequency within the cloud, the polarization caused by the cloud may well be dominated by background/foreground polarization

An XMM-Newton view of the radio galaxy 3C 411

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bostrom, Allison; Reynolds, Christopher S.; Tombesi, Francesco

We present the first high signal-to-noise XMM-Newton observations of the broad-line radio galaxy 3C 411. After fitting various spectral models, an absorbed double power-law (PL) continuum and a blurred relativistic disk reflection model (kdblur) are found to be equally plausible descriptions of the data. While the softer PL component (Γ = 2.11) of the double PL model is entirely consistent with that found in Seyfert galaxies (and hence likely originates from a disk corona), the additional PL component is very hard (Γ = 1.05); amongst the active galactic nucleus zoo, only flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQ) have such hard spectra. Togethermore » with the flat radio-spectrum displayed by this source, we suggest that it should instead be classified as an FSRQ. This leads to potential discrepancies regarding the jet inclination angle, with the radio morphology suggesting a large jet inclination but the FSRQ classification suggesting small inclinations. The kdblur model predicts an inner disk radius of at most 20 r {sub g} and relativistic reflection.« less

Detection of koala retrovirus subgroup B (KoRV-B) in animals housed at European zoos.

PubMed

Fiebig, Uwe; Keller, Martina; Denner, Joachim

2016-12-01

Many koalas carry an endogenous retrovirus, KoRV-A, in their genome. Recently, a second retrovirus, KoRV-B, was detected in koalas in Japanese and U.S. zoos. However, this virus is not endogenous, differs in the receptor binding site of the surface envelope protein, and uses a receptor different from that of KoRV-A. We describe here a KoRV-B found in koalas at zoos in Germany and Belgium that differs slightly from that found in the Los Angeles zoo.

On the Formation of Ultra-Difuse Galaxies as Tidally-Stripped Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carleton, Timothy; Cooper, Michael; Kaplinghat, Manoj; Errani, Raphael; Penarrubia, Jorge

2018-01-01

The recent identification of a large population of so-called 'Ultra-Diffuse' Galaxies (UDGs), with stellar masses ~108 M⊙, but half light radii over 1.5 kpc, has challenged our understanding of galaxy evolution. Motivated by the environmental dependence of UDG properties and abundance, I present a model for the formation of UDGs through tidal-stripping of dwarf galaxies in cored dark matter halos. To test this scenario, I utilize results from simulations of tidal stripping, which demonstrate that changes in the stellar profile of a tidally stripped galaxy can be written as a function of the amount of tidal stripping experienced by the halo (tidal tracks). These tracks, however, are different for cored and cuspy halos. Additional simulations show how the halo responds to tidal interactions given the halo orbit within a cluster.In particular, dwarf elliptical galaxies, born in 1010-10.5 M⊙ halos, expand significantly as a result of tidal stripping and produce UDGs. Applying these models to the population of halos in the Bolshoi simulation, I am able to follow the effects of tidal stripping on the dwarf galaxy population in clusters. Using tidal tracks for cuspy halos does not reproduce the observed properties of UDGs. However, using the tidal tracks for cored halos, I reproduce the distribution of sizes, stellar masses, and abundance of UDGs in clusters remarkably well.

A quantitative microbiological risk assessment for Campylobacter in petting zoos.

PubMed

Evers, Eric G; Berk, Petra A; Horneman, Mijke L; van Leusden, Frans M; de Jonge, Rob

2014-09-01

The significance of petting zoos for transmission of Campylobacter to humans and the effect of interventions were estimated. A stochastic QMRA model simulating a child or adult visiting a Dutch petting zoo was built. The model describes the transmission of Campylobacter in animal feces from the various animal species, fences, and the playground to ingestion by visitors through touching these so-called carriers and subsequently touching their lips. Extensive field and laboratory research was done to fulfill data needs. Fecal contamination on all carriers was measured by swabbing in 10 petting zoos, using Escherichia coli as an indicator. Carrier-hand and hand-lip touching frequencies were estimated by, in total, 13 days of observations of visitors by two observers at two petting zoos. The transmission from carrier to hand and from hand to lip by touching was measured using preapplied cow feces to which E. coli WG5 was added as an indicator. Via a Beta-Poisson dose-response function, the number of Campylobacter cases for the whole of the Netherlands (16 million population) in a year was estimated at 187 and 52 for children and adults, respectively, so 239 in total. This is significantly lower than previous QMRA results on chicken fillet and drinking water consumption. Scenarios of 90% reduction of the contamination (meant to mimic cleaning) of all fences and just goat fences reduces the number of cases by 82% and 75%, respectively. The model can easily be adapted for other fecally transmitted pathogens. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

MULTIDARK-GALAXIES: data release and first results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knebe, Alexander; Stoppacher, Doris; Prada, Francisco; Behrens, Christoph; Benson, Andrew; Cora, Sofia A.; Croton, Darren J.; Padilla, Nelson D.; Ruiz, Andrés N.; Sinha, Manodeep; Stevens, Adam R. H.; Vega-Martínez, Cristian A.; Behroozi, Peter; Gonzalez-Perez, Violeta; Gottlöber, Stefan; Klypin, Anatoly A.; Yepes, Gustavo; Enke, Harry; Libeskind, Noam I.; Riebe, Kristin; Steinmetz, Matthias

2018-03-01

We present the public release of the MULTIDARK-GALAXIES: three distinct galaxy catalogues derived from one of the Planck cosmology MULTIDARK simulations (i.e. MDPL2, with a volume of (1 h-1 Gpc)3 and mass resolution of 1.5 × 109 h-1 M⊙) by applying the semi-analytic models GALACTICUS, SAG, and SAGE to it. We compare the three models and their conformity with observational data for a selection of fundamental properties of galaxies like stellar mass function, star formation rate, cold gas fractions, and metallicities - noting that they sometimes perform differently reflecting model designs and calibrations. We have further selected galaxy subsamples of the catalogues by number densities in stellar mass, cold gas mass, and star formation rate in order to study the clustering statistics of galaxies. We show that despite different treatment of orphan galaxies, i.e. galaxies that lost their dark-matter host halo due to the finite-mass resolution of the N-body simulation or tidal stripping, the clustering signal is comparable, and reproduces the observations in all three models - in particular when selecting samples based upon stellar mass. Our catalogues provide a powerful tool to study galaxy formation within a volume comparable to those probed by ongoing and future photometric and redshift surveys. All model data consisting of a range of galaxy properties - including broad-band SDSS magnitudes - are publicly available.

Presence of Helicobacter and Campylobacter species in faecal samples from zoo mammals.

PubMed

De Witte, C; Lemmens, C; Flahou, B; De Laender, P; Bouts, T; Vercammen, F; Ducatelle, R; Smet, A; Haesebrouck, F

2018-06-01

Helicobacter and Campylobacter species (spp.) colonize the gastrointestinal tract of various domesticated animals. Apart from their pathogenic significance in animals, several species are of zoonotic importance as well. For most non-domesticated animal spp., however, little is known on the presence and importance of these agents. Therefore, we investigated the presence of Helicobacter and Campylobacter spp. in marine and terrestrial zoo mammals. Faecal samples of various marine and terrestrial zoo mammals were collected from 6 different zoos in Belgium. These samples were tested for the presence of Helicobacter and Campylobacter spp. by isolation and direct demonstration of DNA using genus-specific PCRs, followed by sequencing of the obtained amplicons. Helicobacter spp. were detected in 12 and Campylobacter spp. in 5 of the 22 faecal samples from marine mammals. In 4 of 5 dolphins, H. cetorum was demonstrated, a well-known pathogen associated with gastritis and gastric ulceration in marine mammals. C. insulaenigrae was isolated from 4 of 6 sea lions and from 1 of 11 seals. To our knowledge, this is the first description of the presence of C. insulaenigrae on the European mainland. Helicobacter spp. were detected in 5 and Campylobacter spp. (mainly C. jejuni subsp. jejuni and C. coli) in 9 of the 26 faecal samples from terrestrial mammals. Potential novel enterohepatic Helicobacter spp. were detected in both marine and terrestrial zoo mammals. For the first time, the presence of several known and unknown Campylobacter and Helicobacter spp. was demonstrated in the gastrointestinal tract of various marine and terrestrial zoo mammals. Further investigation is needed on the pathogenic and zoonotic importance of these species. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measuring zoo animal welfare: theory and practice.

PubMed

Hill, Sonya P; Broom, Donald M

2009-11-01

The assessment of animal welfare relates to investigations of how animals try to cope with their environment, and how easy or how difficult it is for them to do so. The use of rigorous scientific methods to assess this has grown over the past few decades, and so our understanding of the needs of animals has improved during this time. Much of the work in the field of animal welfare has been conducted on farm animals, but it is important to consider how the methods and approaches used in assessing farm animal welfare have been, and can be, adapted and applied to the measurement of welfare in animals in other domains, such as in zoos. This is beneficial to our understanding of both the theoretical knowledge, and the practicability of methods. In this article, some of the commonly-used methods for measuring animal welfare will be discussed, as well as some practical considerations in assessing the welfare of zoo animals.

Adolescent Learning in the Zoo: Embedding a Non-Formal Learning Environment to Teach Formal Aspects of Vertebrate Biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randler, Christoph; Kummer, Barbara; Wilhelm, Christian

2012-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of a zoo visit in terms of learning and retention of knowledge concerning the adaptations and behavior of vertebrate species. Basis of the work was the concept of implementing zoo visits as an out-of-school setting for formal, curriculum based learning. Our theoretical framework centers on the self-determination theory, therefore, we used a group-based, hands-on learning environment. To address this questions, we used a treatment—control design (BACI) with different treatments and a control group. Pre-, post- and retention tests were applied. All treatments led to a substantial increase of learning and retention knowledge compared to the control group. Immediately after the zoo visit, the zoo-guide tour provided the highest scores, while after a delay of 6 weeks, the learner-centered environment combined with a teacher-guided summarizing scored best. We suggest incorporating the zoo as an out-of-school environment into formal school learning, and we propose different methods to improve learning in zoo settings.

A survey of diabetes prevalence in zoo-housed primates.

PubMed

Kuhar, C W; Fuller, G A; Dennis, P M

2013-01-01

In humans, type II diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the pancreas is capable of producing insulin but cells do not appropriately respond to insulin with an uptake of glucose. While multiple factors are associated with type II diabetes in humans, a high calorie diet and limited exercise are significant risk factors for the development of this disease. Zoo primates, with relatively high caloric density diets and sedentary lifestyles, may experience similar conditions that could predispose them to the development of diabetes. We surveyed all Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) facilities with primates in their collections to determine the prevalence of diabetes, diagnosis and treatment methods, and treatment outcomes. Nearly 30% of responding institutions reported at least one diabetic primate in their current collection. Although the majority of reported cases were in Old World Monkeys (51%), all major taxonomic groups were represented. Females represented nearly 80% of the diagnosed cases. A wide variety of diagnosing, monitoring, and treatment techniques were reported. It is clear from these results diabetes should be considered prominently in decisions relating to diet, weight and activity levels in zoo-housed primates, as well as discussions surrounding animal health and welfare. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Applying behavior-analytic methodology to the science and practice of environmental enrichment in zoos and aquariums.

PubMed

Alligood, Christina A; Dorey, Nicole R; Mehrkam, Lindsay R; Leighty, Katherine A

2017-05-01

Environmental enrichment in zoos and aquariums is often evaluated at two overlapping levels: published research and day-to-day institutional record keeping. Several authors have discussed ongoing challenges with small sample sizes in between-groups zoological research and have cautioned against the inappropriate use of inferential statistics (Shepherdson, , International Zoo Yearbook, 38, 118-124; Shepherdson, Lewis, Carlstead, Bauman, & Perrin, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 147, 298-277; Swaisgood, , Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 102, 139-162; Swaisgood & Shepherdson, , Zoo Biology, 24, 499-518). Multi-institutional studies are the typically-prescribed solution, but these are expensive and difficult to carry out. Kuhar ( Zoo Biology, 25, 339-352) provided a reminder that inferential statistics are only necessary when one wishes to draw general conclusions at the population level. Because welfare is assessed at the level of the individual animal, we argue that evaluations of enrichment efficacy are often instances in which inferential statistics may be neither necessary nor appropriate. In recent years, there have been calls for the application of behavior-analytic techniques to zoo animal behavior management, including environmental enrichment (e.g., Bloomsmith, Marr, & Maple, , Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 102, 205-222; Tarou & Bashaw, , Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 102, 189-204). Single-subject (also called single-case, or small-n) designs provide a means of designing evaluations of enrichment efficacy based on an individual's behavior. We discuss how these designs might apply to research and practice goals at zoos and aquariums, contrast them with standard practices in the field, and give examples of how each could be successfully applied in a zoo or aquarium setting. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Designing a Zoo-Based Endangered Species Database.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Christopher L.

1989-01-01

Presented is a class activity that uses the database feature of the Appleworks program to create a database from which students may study endangered species. The use of a local zoo as a base of information about the animals is suggested. Procedures and follow-up activities are included. (CW)

HOST GALAXY PROPERTIES OF THE SWIFT BAT ULTRA HARD X-RAY SELECTED ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koss, Michael; Mushotzky, Richard; Veilleux, Sylvain

We have assembled the largest sample of ultra hard X-ray selected (14-195 keV) active galactic nucleus (AGN) with host galaxy optical data to date, with 185 nearby (z < 0.05), moderate luminosity AGNs from the Swift BAT sample. The BAT AGN host galaxies have intermediate optical colors (u - r and g - r) that are bluer than a comparison sample of inactive galaxies and optically selected AGNs from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) which are chosen to have the same stellar mass. Based on morphological classifications from the RC3 and the Galaxy Zoo, the bluer colors of BATmore » AGNs are mainly due to a higher fraction of mergers and massive spirals than in the comparison samples. BAT AGNs in massive galaxies (log M{sub *} >10.5) have a 5-10 times higher rate of spiral morphologies than in SDSS AGNs or inactive galaxies. We also see enhanced far-infrared emission in BAT AGN suggestive of higher levels of star formation compared to the comparison samples. BAT AGNs are preferentially found in the most massive host galaxies with high concentration indexes indicative of large bulge-to-disk ratios and large supermassive black holes. The narrow-line (NL) BAT AGNs have similar intrinsic luminosities as the SDSS NL Seyferts based on measurements of [O III] {lambda}5007. There is also a correlation between the stellar mass and X-ray emission. The BAT AGNs in mergers have bluer colors and greater ultra hard X-ray emission compared to the BAT sample as a whole. In agreement with the unified model of AGNs, and the relatively unbiased nature of the BAT sources, the host galaxy colors and morphologies are independent of measures of obscuration such as X-ray column density or Seyfert type. The high fraction of massive spiral galaxies and galaxy mergers in BAT AGNs suggest that host galaxy morphology is related to the activation and fueling of local AGN.« less

Genetic diversity and sex ratio of naked mole rat, Heterocephalus glaber, zoo populations.

PubMed

Chau, Linh M; Groh, Amy M; Anderson, Emily C; Alcala, Micaela O; Mendelson, Joseph R; Slade, Stephanie B; Kerns, Kenton; Sarro, Steve; Lusardi, Clinton; Goodisman, Michael A D

2018-05-01

The naked mole rat, Heterocephalus glaber, is a highly unusual mammal that displays a complex social system similar to that found in eusocial insects. Colonies of H. glaber are commonly maintained in zoo collections because they represent fascinating educational exhibits for the public. However, little is known about the genetic structure or sex ratio of captive populations of H. glaber. In this study, we developed a set of microsatellite markers to examine genetic variation in three captive zoo populations of H. glaber. We also studied sex ratio of these captive populations. Our goal was to determine levels of genetic variation within, and genetic differences between, captive populations of H. glaber. Overall, we found modest levels of genetic variation in zoo populations. We also uncovered little evidence for inbreeding within the captive populations. However, zoo populations did differ genetically, which may reflect the isolation of captive naked mole rat colonies. Finally, we found no evidence of biased sex ratios within colonies. Overall, our study documents levels of genetic variation and sex ratios in a captive eusocial mammalian population. Our results may provide insight into how to manage captive populations of H. glaber. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Black-hole-regulated star formation in massive galaxies.

PubMed

Martín-Navarro, Ignacio; Brodie, Jean P; Romanowsky, Aaron J; Ruiz-Lara, Tomás; van de Ven, Glenn

2018-01-18

Supermassive black holes, with masses more than a million times that of the Sun, seem to inhabit the centres of all massive galaxies. Cosmologically motivated theories of galaxy formation require feedback from these supermassive black holes to regulate star formation. In the absence of such feedback, state-of-the-art numerical simulations fail to reproduce the number density and properties of massive galaxies in the local Universe. There is, however, no observational evidence of this strongly coupled coevolution between supermassive black holes and star formation, impeding our understanding of baryonic processes within galaxies. Here we report that the star formation histories of nearby massive galaxies, as measured from their integrated optical spectra, depend on the mass of the central supermassive black hole. Our results indicate that the black-hole mass scales with the gas cooling rate in the early Universe. The subsequent quenching of star formation takes place earlier and more efficiently in galaxies that host higher-mass central black holes. The observed relation between black-hole mass and star formation efficiency applies to all generations of stars formed throughout the life of a galaxy, revealing a continuous interplay between black-hole activity and baryon cooling.

Black-hole-regulated star formation in massive galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martín-Navarro, Ignacio; Brodie, Jean P.; Romanowsky, Aaron J.; Ruiz-Lara, Tomás; van de Ven, Glenn

2018-01-01

Supermassive black holes, with masses more than a million times that of the Sun, seem to inhabit the centres of all massive galaxies. Cosmologically motivated theories of galaxy formation require feedback from these supermassive black holes to regulate star formation. In the absence of such feedback, state-of-the-art numerical simulations fail to reproduce the number density and properties of massive galaxies in the local Universe. There is, however, no observational evidence of this strongly coupled coevolution between supermassive black holes and star formation, impeding our understanding of baryonic processes within galaxies. Here we report that the star formation histories of nearby massive galaxies, as measured from their integrated optical spectra, depend on the mass of the central supermassive black hole. Our results indicate that the black-hole mass scales with the gas cooling rate in the early Universe. The subsequent quenching of star formation takes place earlier and more efficiently in galaxies that host higher-mass central black holes. The observed relation between black-hole mass and star formation efficiency applies to all generations of stars formed throughout the life of a galaxy, revealing a continuous interplay between black-hole activity and baryon cooling.

Naturally acquired picornavirus infections in primates at the Dhaka zoo.

PubMed

Oberste, M Steven; Feeroz, Mohammed M; Maher, Kaija; Nix, W Allan; Engel, Gregory A; Begum, Sajeda; Hasan, Kamrul M; Oh, Gunwha; Pallansch, Mark A; Jones-Engel, Lisa

2013-01-01

The conditions in densely populated Bangladesh favor picornavirus transmission, resulting in a high rate of infection in the human population. Data suggest that nonhuman primates (NHP) may play a role in the maintenance and transmission of diverse picornaviruses in Bangladesh. At the Dhaka Zoo, multiple NHP species are caged in close proximity. Their proximity to other species and to humans, both zoo workers and visitors, provides the potential for cross-species transmission. To investigate possible interspecies and intraspecies transmission of picornaviruses among NHP, we collected fecal specimens from nine NHP taxa at the Dhaka Zoo at three time points, August 2007, January 2008, and June 2008. Specimens were screened using real-time PCR for the genera Enterovirus, Parechovirus, and Sapelovirus, and positive samples were typed by VP1 sequencing. Fifty-two picornaviruses comprising 10 distinct serotypes were detected in 83 fecal samples. Four of these serotypes, simian virus 19 (SV19), baboon enterovirus (BaEV), enterovirus 112 (EV112), and EV115, have been solely associated with infection in NHP. EV112, EV115, and SV19 accounted for 88% of all picornaviruses detected. Over 80% of samples from cages housing rhesus macaques, olive baboons, or hamadryas baboons were positive for a picornavirus, while no picornaviruses were detected in samples from capped langurs or vervet monkeys. In contrast to our findings among synanthropic NHP in Bangladesh where 100% of the picornaviruses detected were of human serotypes, in the zoo population, only 15% of picornaviruses detected in NHP were of human origin. Specific serotypes tended to persist over time, suggesting either persistent infection of individuals or cycles of reinfection.

Naturally Acquired Picornavirus Infections in Primates at the Dhaka Zoo

PubMed Central

Feeroz, Mohammed M.; Maher, Kaija; Nix, W. Allan; Engel, Gregory A.; Begum, Sajeda; Hasan, Kamrul M.; Oh, Gunwha; Pallansch, Mark A.; Jones-Engel, Lisa

2013-01-01

The conditions in densely populated Bangladesh favor picornavirus transmission, resulting in a high rate of infection in the human population. Data suggest that nonhuman primates (NHP) may play a role in the maintenance and transmission of diverse picornaviruses in Bangladesh. At the Dhaka Zoo, multiple NHP species are caged in close proximity. Their proximity to other species and to humans, both zoo workers and visitors, provides the potential for cross-species transmission. To investigate possible interspecies and intraspecies transmission of picornaviruses among NHP, we collected fecal specimens from nine NHP taxa at the Dhaka Zoo at three time points, August 2007, January 2008, and June 2008. Specimens were screened using real-time PCR for the genera Enterovirus, Parechovirus, and Sapelovirus, and positive samples were typed by VP1 sequencing. Fifty-two picornaviruses comprising 10 distinct serotypes were detected in 83 fecal samples. Four of these serotypes, simian virus 19 (SV19), baboon enterovirus (BaEV), enterovirus 112 (EV112), and EV115, have been solely associated with infection in NHP. EV112, EV115, and SV19 accounted for 88% of all picornaviruses detected. Over 80% of samples from cages housing rhesus macaques, olive baboons, or hamadryas baboons were positive for a picornavirus, while no picornaviruses were detected in samples from capped langurs or vervet monkeys. In contrast to our findings among synanthropic NHP in Bangladesh where 100% of the picornaviruses detected were of human serotypes, in the zoo population, only 15% of picornaviruses detected in NHP were of human origin. Specific serotypes tended to persist over time, suggesting either persistent infection of individuals or cycles of reinfection. PMID:23097447

Quantifying the impact of Wellington Zoo's persuasive communication campaign on post-visit behavior.

PubMed

MacDonald, Edith

2015-01-01

Zoos potential to facilitate visitor conservation behavior is commonly articulated. Few studies, however, have quantified whether zoos' conservation messages result in visitors implementing the behavior. To test if zoo conservation messages are adopted at home, I implemented a persuasive communication campaign which advocated keeping cats indoor at night, a behavior that is a potential solution to cats depredating native wildlife. Furthermore, I tested if a public commitment (signing a pledge card) strengthened the relationship between on-site intention to engage in the behavior and actual implementation of the behavior at home. The conservation behavior was included in the twice-daily animal presentations in the amphitheater. A sample of 691 visitors completed a survey as they exited the amphitheater that measured their recall of the conservation behavior and intention to engage in the behavior at home. The last 311 visitors to complete the survey were asked to sign a pledge card which was publicly displayed in the amphitheater. Six weeks after their zoo trip, visitors were contacted and asked if they had implemented the behavior. Recall of the conservation behavior was high (91% for control, 100% for pledge group) and the entire pledge group had implemented the behavior whereas just half (51%) of the control group did. Furthermore, signing the pledge card strengthened the relationship between onsite intention and at home behavior (r = 1.0 of for the pledge group and r = 0.21 for the control group). Overall, the zoo's conservation message was recalled and behavior implemented at home. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Vector-borne transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi among captive Neotropical primates in a Brazilian zoo.

PubMed

Minuzzi-Souza, Thaís Tâmara Castro; Nitz, Nadjar; Knox, Monique Britto; Reis, Filipe; Hagström, Luciana; Cuba, César A Cuba; Hecht, Mariana Machado; Gurgel-Gonçalves, Rodrigo

2016-01-26

Neotropical primates are important sylvatic hosts of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. Infection is often subclinical, but severe disease has been described in both free-ranging and captive primates. Panstrongylus megistus, a major T. cruzi vector, was found infesting a small-primate unit at Brasília zoo (ZooB), Brazil. ZooB lies close to a gallery-forest patch where T. cruzi circulates naturally. Here, we combine parasitological and molecular methods to investigate a focus of T. cruzi infection involving triatomine bugs and Neotropical primates at a zoo located in the Brazilian Savannah. We assessed T. cruzi infection in vectors using optical microscopy (n = 34) and nested PCR (n = 50). We used quantitative PCR (qPCR) to examine blood samples from 26 primates and necropsy samples from two primates that died during the study. We determined parasite lineages in five vectors and two primates by comparing glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (G6pi) gene sequences. Trypanosoma cruzi was found in 44 vectors and 17 primates (six genera and eight species); one Mico chrysoleucus and one Saguinus niger had high parasitaemias. Trypanosoma cruzi DNA was detected in three primates born to qPCR-negative mothers at ZooB and in the two dead specimens. One Callithrix geoffroyi became qPCR-positive over a two-year follow-up. All G6pi sequences matched T. cruzi lineage TcI. Our findings strongly suggest vector-borne T. cruzi transmission within a small-primate unit at ZooB - with vectors, and perhaps also parasites, presumably coming from nearby gallery forest. Periodic checks for vectors and parasites would help eliminate T. cruzi transmission foci in captive-animal facilities. This should be of special importance for captive-breeding programs involving endangered mammals, and would reduce the risk of accidental T. cruzi transmission to keepers and veterinarians.

Galaxy gas as obscurer - II. Separating the galaxy-scale and nuclear obscurers of active galactic nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchner, Johannes; Bauer, Franz E.

2017-03-01

The 'torus' obscurer of active galactic nuclei (AGN) is poorly understood in terms of its density, sub-structure and physical mechanisms. Large X-ray surveys provide model boundary constraints, for both Compton-thin and Compton-thick levels of obscuration, as obscured fractions are mean covering factors fcov. However, a major remaining uncertainty is host-galaxy obscuration. In Paper I, we discovered a relation of {NH} ∝ M_{star }^{1/3} for the obscuration of galaxy-scale gas. Here, we apply this observational relation to the AGN population, and find that galaxy-scale gas is responsible for a luminosity-independent fraction of Compton-thin AGN, but does not produce Compton-thick columns. With the host-galaxy obscuration understood, we present a model of the remaining nuclear obscurer, which is consistent with a range of observations. Our radiation-lifted torus model consists of a Compton-thick component (fcov ∼ 35 per cent) and a Compton-thin component (fcov ∼ 40 per cent), which depends on both black hole mass and luminosity. This provides a useful summary of observational constraints for torus modellers who attempt to reproduce this behaviour. It can also be employed as a sub-grid recipe in cosmological simulations that do not resolve the torus. We also investigate host-galaxy X-ray obscuration inside cosmological, hydrodynamic simulations (Evolution and Assembly of Galaxies and their Environment; Illustris). The obscuration from ray-traced galaxy gas can agree with observations, but is highly sensitive to the chosen feedback assumptions.

Using Animals as Teaching Tools: A Handbook for the Zoo Project for Handicapped Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamb, Gerald F.

The handbook was developed to allow teachers to take advantage of the ideas of persons participating in the Zoo Project for Handicapped Children, in which educationally and mentally handicapped children received language arts instruction organized around the use of animals at the zoo site and in classrooms. The first section of the handbook lists…

A Comparison of Zoo Animal Behavior in the Presence of Familiar and Unfamiliar People.

PubMed

Martin, Rosemary Anne; Melfi, Vicky

2016-01-01

As recorded in domestic nonhuman animals, regular interactions between animals in zoos and keepers and the resulting relationship formed (human-animal relationship [HAR]) are likely to influence the animals' behaviors with associated welfare consequences. HAR formation requires that zoo animals distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar people. This ability was tested by comparing zoo animal behavioral responses to familiar (routine) keepers and unfamiliar keepers (participants in the "Keeper for the Day" program). Study subjects included 1 African elephant (Loxodonta Africana), 3 Rothschild's giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi), 2 Brazilian tapir (Tapirus terrestris), and 2 slender-tailed meerkats (Suricata suricatta). Different behavior was evident and observed as decreased avoidance behavior toward familiar keepers (t7 = 6.00, p <  .001). This finding suggests the zoo animals have a lower level of fear toward familiar keepers. Keeper familiarity did not significantly affect any other behavioral measure. This finding suggests that in the current study, unfamiliar keeper presence did not appear to have detrimental effects. Furthermore, unfamiliar keeper-animal interactions could provide an increased number of positive human-animal interactions and potentially enhance animal welfare.

Dark-ages reionization and galaxy formation simulation - IV. UV luminosity functions of high-redshift galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chuanwu; Mutch, Simon J.; Angel, P. W.; Duffy, Alan R.; Geil, Paul M.; Poole, Gregory B.; Mesinger, Andrei; Wyithe, J. Stuart B.

2016-10-01

In this paper, we present calculations of the UV luminosity function (LF) from the Dark-ages Reionization And Galaxy-formation Observables from Numerical Simulations project, which combines N-body, semi-analytic and seminumerical modelling designed to study galaxy formation during the Epoch of Reionization. Using galaxy formation physics including supernova feedback, the model naturally reproduces the UV LFs for high-redshift star-forming galaxies from z ˜ 5 through to z ˜ 10. We investigate the luminosity-star formation rate (SFR) relation, finding that variable SFR histories of galaxies result in a scatter around the median relation of 0.1-0.3 dex depending on UV luminosity. We find close agreement between the model and observationally derived SFR functions. We use our calculated luminosities to investigate the LF below current detection limits, and the ionizing photon budget for reionization. We predict that the slope of the UV LF remains steep below current detection limits and becomes flat at MUV ≳ -14. We find that 48 (17) per cent of the total UV flux at z ˜ 6 (10) has been detected above an observational limit of MUV ˜ -17, and that galaxies fainter than MUV ˜ -17 are the main source of ionizing photons for reionization. We investigate the luminosity-stellar mass relation, and find a correlation for galaxies with MUV < -14 that has the form M_{ast } ∝ 10^{-0.47M_UV}, in good agreement with observations, but which flattens for fainter galaxies. We determine the luminosity-halo mass relation to be M_vir ∝ 10^{-0.35M_UV}, finding that galaxies with MUV = -20 reside in host dark matter haloes of 1011.0±0.1 M⊙ at z ˜ 6, and that this mass decreases towards high redshift.

ELUCID. V. Lighting Dark Matter Halos with Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiaohu; Zhang, Youcai; Wang, Huiyuan; Liu, Chengze; Lu, Tianhuan; Li, Shijie; Shi, Feng; Jing, Y. P.; Mo, H. J.; van den Bosch, Frank C.; Kang, Xi; Cui, Weiguang; Guo, Hong; Li, Guoliang; Lim, S. H.; Lu, Yi; Luo, Wentao; Wei, Chengliang; Yang, Lei

2018-06-01

In a recent study, using the distribution of galaxies in the north galactic pole of the SDSS DR7 region enclosed in a 500 {h}-1 {Mpc} box, we carried out our ELUCID simulation (ELUCID III). Here, we light the dark matter halos and subhalos in the reconstructed region in the simulation with galaxies in the SDSS observations using a novel neighborhood abundance matching method. Before we make use of the galaxy–subhalo connections established in the ELUCID simulation to evaluate galaxy formation models, we set out to explore the reliability of such a link. For this purpose, we focus on the following few aspects of galaxies: (1) the central–subhalo luminosity and mass relations, (2) the satellite fraction of galaxies, (3) the conditional luminosity function (CLF) and conditional stellar mass function (CSMF) of galaxies, and (4) the cross-correlation functions between galaxies and dark matter particles, most of which are measured separately for all, red, and blue galaxy populations. We find that our neighborhood abundance matching method accurately reproduces the central–subhalo relations, satellite fraction, and the CLFs, CSMFs, and biases of galaxies. These features ensure that galaxy–subhalo connections thus established will be very useful in constraining galaxy formation processes. We provide some suggestions for the three levels of using the galaxy–subhalo pairs for galaxy formation constraints. The galaxy–subhalo links and the subhalo merger trees in the SDSS DR7 region extracted from our ELUCID simulation are available upon request.

Is a top-heavy initial mass function needed to reproduce the submillimetre galaxy number counts?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safarzadeh, Mohammadtaher; Lu, Yu; Hayward, Christopher C.

2017-12-01

Matching the number counts and redshift distribution of submillimetre galaxies (SMGs) without invoking modifications to the initial mass ffunction (IMF) has proved challenging for semi-analytic models (SAMs) of galaxy formation. We adopt a previously developed SAM that is constrained to match the z = 0 galaxy stellar mass function and makes various predictions which agree well with observational constraints; we do not recalibrate the SAM for this work. We implement three prescriptions to predict the submillimetre flux densities of the model galaxies; two depend solely on star formation rate, whereas the other also depends on the dust mass. By comparing the predictions of the models, we find that taking into account the dust mass, which affects the dust temperature and thus influences the far-infrared spectral energy distribution, is crucial for matching the number counts and redshift distribution of SMGs. Moreover, despite using a standard IMF, our model can match the observed SMG number counts and redshift distribution reasonably well, which contradicts the conclusions of some previous studies that a top-heavy IMF, in addition to taking into account the effect of dust mass, is needed to match these observations. Although we have not identified the key ingredient that is responsible for our model matching the observed SMG number counts and redshift distribution without IMF variation - which is challenging given the different prescriptions for physical processes employed in the SAMs of interest - our results demonstrate that in SAMs, IMF variation is degenerate with other physical processes, such as stellar feedback.

Galaxy Downsizing Evidenced by Hybrid Evolutionary Tracks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Firmani, C.; Avila-Reese, V.

2010-11-01

to predict the transition rate in the number density of active to passive population; the predicted values agree with direct estimates of the growth rate in the number density for the (massive) red population up to z ~ 1. We show that ΛCDM-based models of disk galaxy evolution, including feedback-driven outflows, are able to reproduce the low-mass side of the M s-M h relation at z ~ 0, but at higher z strongly disagree with the GHETs: models do not reproduce the strong downsizing in SSFR and the high SSFR of low-mass galaxies.

Molecular diversity of methanogens in fecal samples from Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) at two zoos.

PubMed

Turnbull, Kathryn L; Smith, Rachel P; St-Pierre, Benoit; Wright, André-Denis G

2012-08-01

Animals are dependent on mutualistic microbial communities that reside in their gastrointestinal track for essential physiological functions such as nutrition and pathogen resistance. The composition of microbial communities in an animal is influenced by various factors, including species, diet and geographical location. In this preliminary study, the population structure of fecal methanogens in Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus) from two zoos was studied using separate 16S rRNA gene libraries for each zoo. While methanogen sequences belonging to the genus Methanobrevibacter were dominant in both libraries, they showed significant differences in diversity (p=0.05) and structure (p<0.0001). Population structure analysis revealed that only two operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were shared between libraries, while two OTUs were unique to the Southwick Zoo library and seven OTUs were unique to the Potter Park Zoo library. These preliminary results highlight how methanogen population structures can vary greatly between animals of the same species maintained in captivity at different locations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Infection of great apes and a zoo keeper with the same Mycobacterium tuberculosis spoligotype.

PubMed

Akkerman, Onno W; van der Werf, Tjip S; Rietkerk, Frank; Eger, Tony; van Soolingen, Dick; van der Loo, Kees; van der Zanden, Adri G M

2014-04-01

An animal keeper was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) after bi-annual screening for latent TB infection in zoo employees. In the same period, several bonobos of the zoo were suffering from TB as well. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains from both the animal keeper and the bonobos appeared identical. We provide evidence that the animals infected their keeper.

Robust covariance estimation of galaxy-galaxy weak lensing: validation and limitation of jackknife covariance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirasaki, Masato; Takada, Masahiro; Miyatake, Hironao; Takahashi, Ryuichi; Hamana, Takashi; Nishimichi, Takahiro; Murata, Ryoma

2017-09-01

We develop a method to simulate galaxy-galaxy weak lensing by utilizing all-sky, light-cone simulations and their inherent halo catalogues. Using the mock catalogue to study the error covariance matrix of galaxy-galaxy weak lensing, we compare the full covariance with the 'jackknife' (JK) covariance, the method often used in the literature that estimates the covariance from the resamples of the data itself. We show that there exists the variation of JK covariance over realizations of mock lensing measurements, while the average JK covariance over mocks can give a reasonably accurate estimation of the true covariance up to separations comparable with the size of JK subregion. The scatter in JK covariances is found to be ∼10 per cent after we subtract the lensing measurement around random points. However, the JK method tends to underestimate the covariance at the larger separations, more increasingly for a survey with a higher number density of source galaxies. We apply our method to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data, and show that the 48 mock SDSS catalogues nicely reproduce the signals and the JK covariance measured from the real data. We then argue that the use of the accurate covariance, compared to the JK covariance, allows us to use the lensing signals at large scales beyond a size of the JK subregion, which contains cleaner cosmological information in the linear regime.

Comparative analyses of longevity and senescence reveal variable survival benefits of living in zoos across mammals.

PubMed

Tidière, Morgane; Gaillard, Jean-Michel; Berger, Vérane; Müller, Dennis W H; Bingaman Lackey, Laurie; Gimenez, Olivier; Clauss, Marcus; Lemaître, Jean-François

2016-11-07

While it is commonly believed that animals live longer in zoos than in the wild, this assumption has rarely been tested. We compared four survival metrics (longevity, baseline mortality, onset of senescence and rate of senescence) between both sexes of free-ranging and zoo populations of more than 50 mammal species. We found that mammals from zoo populations generally lived longer than their wild counterparts (84% of species). The effect was most notable in species with a faster pace of life (i.e. a short life span, high reproductive rate and high mortality in the wild) because zoos evidently offer protection against a number of relevant conditions like predation, intraspecific competition and diseases. Species with a slower pace of life (i.e. a long life span, low reproduction rate and low mortality in the wild) benefit less from captivity in terms of longevity; in such species, there is probably less potential for a reduction in mortality. These findings provide a first general explanation about the different magnitude of zoo environment benefits among mammalian species, and thereby highlight the effort that is needed to improve captive conditions for slow-living species that are particularly susceptible to extinction in the wild.

It's a Zoo out There!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillan, Amy Larrison; Hebert, Terri

2014-01-01

The People Learning Urban Science (PLUS) program creates partnerships and coordinates efforts involving a local zoo, university, and school district, seeking to instill within students a sense of the natural environment. Even though the majority of students live among concrete and metal structures, their eyes and ears can be trained to make…

Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from Zoo Wildlife and Pet Birds in Fujian, China

PubMed Central

CHEN, Renfeng; LIN, Xuan; HU, Lingying; CHEN, Xiaoli; TANG, Yao; ZHANG, Jia; CHEN, Meizhen; WANG, Shoukun; HUANG, Cuiqin

2015-01-01

Background: Toxoplasmosis, a worldwide zoonotic disease, is caused by Toxoplasma gondii. The distribution of genetic diversity of T. gondii in wild animals is of great importance to understand the transmission of the parasite in the environment. However, little is known about T. gondii prevalence in wild animals and birds in China. Methods: We conducted the genetic characterization of T. gondii isolated from Zoo Wild Animals and Pet Birds in Fujian Province, Southeastern China. Heart tissues were collected from 45 zoo animals and 140 pet birds. After identified using B1 gene, the genetic diversity of T. gondii isolates were typed at 11 genetic markers, including SAG1, 5’ and 3’-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico, and CS3. Results: Seven of 45 zoo animals and 3 of 140 pet birds were positive by PCR amplification using T. gondii B1 gene specific primers. Of these positive isolates, 3 isolates from Black-capped (Cebus apella), Peacock (Peafowl) and Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) were successfully genotyped at 11 genetic loci, and grouped to three distinct genotypes: ToxoDB Genotype #9, #2 and #10, respectively. Conclusion: This is the first genotyping of T. gondii isolated from zoo wild animals and pet birds in Fujian, China. There is a potential risk for the transmission of this parasite through zoo wild animals and pet birds in this region. PMID:26811736

Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from Zoo Wildlife and Pet Birds in Fujian, China.

PubMed

Chen, Renfeng; Lin, Xuan; Hu, Lingying; Chen, Xiaoli; Tang, Yao; Zhang, Jia; Chen, Meizhen; Wang, Shoukun; Huang, Cuiqin

2015-01-01

Toxoplasmosis, a worldwide zoonotic disease, is caused by Toxoplasma gondii. The distribution of genetic diversity of T. gondii in wild animals is of great importance to understand the transmission of the parasite in the environment. However, little is known about T. gondii prevalence in wild animals and birds in China. We conducted the genetic characterization of T. gondii isolated from Zoo Wild Animals and Pet Birds in Fujian Province, Southeastern China. Heart tissues were collected from 45 zoo animals and 140 pet birds. After identified using B1 gene, the genetic diversity of T. gondii isolates were typed at 11 genetic markers, including SAG1, 5' and 3'-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico, and CS3. Seven of 45 zoo animals and 3 of 140 pet birds were positive by PCR amplification using T. gondii B1 gene specific primers. Of these positive isolates, 3 isolates from Black-capped (Cebus apella), Peacock (Peafowl) and Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) were successfully genotyped at 11 genetic loci, and grouped to three distinct genotypes: ToxoDB Genotype #9, #2 and #10, respectively. This is the first genotyping of T. gondii isolated from zoo wild animals and pet birds in Fujian, China. There is a potential risk for the transmission of this parasite through zoo wild animals and pet birds in this region.

Validating Semi-analytic Models of High-redshift Galaxy Formation Using Radiation Hydrodynamical Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Côté, Benoit; Silvia, Devin W.; O’Shea, Brian W.; Smith, Britton; Wise, John H.

2018-05-01

We use a cosmological hydrodynamic simulation calculated with Enzo and the semi-analytic galaxy formation model (SAM) GAMMA to address the chemical evolution of dwarf galaxies in the early universe. The long-term goal of the project is to better understand the origin of metal-poor stars and the formation of dwarf galaxies and the Milky Way halo by cross-validating these theoretical approaches. We combine GAMMA with the merger tree of the most massive galaxy found in the hydrodynamic simulation and compare the star formation rate, the metallicity distribution function (MDF), and the age–metallicity relationship predicted by the two approaches. We found that the SAM can reproduce the global trends of the hydrodynamic simulation. However, there are degeneracies between the model parameters, and more constraints (e.g., star formation efficiency, gas flows) need to be extracted from the simulation to isolate the correct semi-analytic solution. Stochastic processes such as bursty star formation histories and star formation triggered by supernova explosions cannot be reproduced by the current version of GAMMA. Non-uniform mixing in the galaxy’s interstellar medium, coming primarily from self-enrichment by local supernovae, causes a broadening in the MDF that can be emulated in the SAM by convolving its predicted MDF with a Gaussian function having a standard deviation of ∼0.2 dex. We found that the most massive galaxy in the simulation retains nearby 100% of its baryonic mass within its virial radius, which is in agreement with what is needed in GAMMA to reproduce the global trends of the simulation.

Cybersafari: The Effects of Inquiry and Information Apps on Visitor Learning and Satisfaction at Zoos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Marybeth; Conkey, April; Challoo, Linda

2015-01-01

Educating the public about wildlife and conservation has long been a core component of many zoos' mission statements (Patrick, Matthews, Ayers, & Tunnicliffe, 2007). However, research has demonstrated that most patrons visit zoos to be entertained and to socialize rather than to be educated. Thus, greater emphasis is now placed on encouraging…

How Abnormal Is the Behaviour of Captive, Zoo-Living Chimpanzees?

PubMed Central

Birkett, Lucy P.; Newton-Fisher, Nicholas E.

2011-01-01

Background Many captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) show a variety of serious behavioural abnormalities, some of which have been considered as possible signs of compromised mental health. The provision of environmental enrichments aimed at reducing the performance of abnormal behaviours is increasing the norm, with the housing of individuals in (semi-)natural social groups thought to be the most successful of these. Only a few quantitative studies of abnormal behaviour have been conducted, however, particularly for the captive population held in zoological collections. Consequently, a clear picture of the level of abnormal behaviour in zoo-living chimpanzees is lacking. Methods We present preliminary findings from a detailed observational study of the behaviour of 40 socially-housed zoo-living chimpanzees from six collections in the United States of America and the United Kingdom. We determined the prevalence, diversity, frequency, and duration of abnormal behaviour from 1200 hours of continuous behavioural data collected by focal animal sampling. Results, Conclusion and Significance Our overall finding was that abnormal behaviour was present in all sampled individuals across six independent groups of zoo-living chimpanzees, despite the differences between these groups in size, composition, housing, etc. We found substantial variation between individuals in the frequency and duration of abnormal behaviour, but all individuals engaged in at least some abnormal behaviour and variation across individuals could not be explained by sex, age, rearing history or background (defined as prior housing conditions). Our data support a conclusion that, while most behaviour of zoo-living chimpanzees is ‘normal’ in that it is typical of their wild counterparts, abnormal behaviour is endemic in this population despite enrichment efforts. We suggest there is an urgent need to understand how the chimpanzee mind copes with captivity, an issue with both scientific and welfare

How abnormal is the behaviour of captive, zoo-living chimpanzees?

PubMed

Birkett, Lucy P; Newton-Fisher, Nicholas E

2011-01-01

Many captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) show a variety of serious behavioural abnormalities, some of which have been considered as possible signs of compromised mental health. The provision of environmental enrichments aimed at reducing the performance of abnormal behaviours is increasing the norm, with the housing of individuals in (semi-)natural social groups thought to be the most successful of these. Only a few quantitative studies of abnormal behaviour have been conducted, however, particularly for the captive population held in zoological collections. Consequently, a clear picture of the level of abnormal behaviour in zoo-living chimpanzees is lacking. We present preliminary findings from a detailed observational study of the behaviour of 40 socially-housed zoo-living chimpanzees from six collections in the United States of America and the United Kingdom. We determined the prevalence, diversity, frequency, and duration of abnormal behaviour from 1200 hours of continuous behavioural data collected by focal animal sampling. Our overall finding was that abnormal behaviour was present in all sampled individuals across six independent groups of zoo-living chimpanzees, despite the differences between these groups in size, composition, housing, etc. We found substantial variation between individuals in the frequency and duration of abnormal behaviour, but all individuals engaged in at least some abnormal behaviour and variation across individuals could not be explained by sex, age, rearing history or background (defined as prior housing conditions). Our data support a conclusion that, while most behaviour of zoo-living chimpanzees is 'normal' in that it is typical of their wild counterparts, abnormal behaviour is endemic in this population despite enrichment efforts. We suggest there is an urgent need to understand how the chimpanzee mind copes with captivity, an issue with both scientific and welfare implications.

Baltimore Zoo digester project. Final report. [Elephants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gibson, P.W.

The results of a project to produce methane using the manure from zoo animals as a feedstock is presented. Two digesters are in operation, the first (built in 1974) utilizing wastes from the Hippo House and a second (built in 1980) utilizing wastes from the Elephant House. Demonstrations on the utilization of the gas were performed during zoo exhibits. The Elephant House Digester has a capacity of 4200 gallons and a floating gas dome which can retain at least 150 cu ft of gas. Solar energy has been incorporated into the design to maintain digester temperature at 95/sup 0/F. Themore » system produces 50 cu ft per day. After cleaning the gas, it is used to generate electricity to power an electric light, a roof fan, and an air conditioner. The gas is also used to operate a gas range and a gas lamp. During the opening day exhibit, 50 meals were cooked using the bio-gas from just 2 elephants. (DMC)« less

Comparing cosmological hydrodynamic simulations with observations of high- redshift galaxy formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finlator, Kristian Markwart

We use cosmological hydrodynamic simulations to study the impact of outflows and radiative feedback on high-redshift galaxies. For outflows, we consider simulations that assume (i) no winds, (ii) a "constant-wind" model in which the mass-loading factor and outflow speed are constant, and (iii) "momentum-driven" winds in which both parameters vary smoothly with mass. In order to treat radiative feedback, we develop a moment-based radiative transfer technique that operates in both post-processing and coupled radiative hydrodynamic modes. We first ask how outflows impact the broadband spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of six observed reionization-epoch galaxies. Simulations reproduce five regardless of the outflow prescription, while the sixth suggests an unusually bursty star formation history. We conclude that (i) simulations broadly account for available constraints on reionization-epoch galaxies, (ii) individual SEDs do not constrain outflows, and (iii) SED comparisons efficiently isolate objects that challenge simulations. We next study how outflows impact the galaxy mass metallicity relation (MZR). Momentum-driven outflows uniquely reproduce observations at z = 2. In this scenario, galaxies obey two equilibria: (i) The rate at which a galaxy processes gas into stars and outflows tracks its inflow rate; and (ii) The gas enrichment rate owing to star formation balances the dilution rate owing to inflows. Combining these conditions indicates that the MZR is dominated by the (instantaneous) variation of outflows with mass, with more-massive galaxies driving less gas into outflows per unit stellar mass formed. Turning to radiative feedback, we use post-processing simulations to study the topology of reionization. Reionization begins in overdensities and then "leaks" directly into voids, with filaments reionizing last owing to their high density and low emissivity. This result conflicts with previous findings that voids ionize last. We argue that it owes to the

The impact of zoo live animal presentations on students' propensity to engage in conservation behaviors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirchgessner, Mandy L.

Zoos frequently deploy outreach programs, often called "Zoomobiles," to schools; these programs incorporate zoo resources, such as natural artifacts and live animals, in order to teach standardized content and in hopes of inspiring students to protect the environment. Educational research at zoos is relatively rare, and research on their outreach programs is non-existent. This leaves zoos vulnerable to criticisms as they have little to no evidence that their strategies support their missions, which target conservation outcomes. This study seeks to shed light on this gap by analyzing the impact that live animals have on offsite program participants' interests in animals and subsequent conservation outcomes. The theoretical lens is derived from the field of Conservation Psychology, which believes personal connections with nature serve as the motivational component to engagement with conservation efforts. Using pre, post, and delayed surveys combined with Zoomobile presentation observations, I analyzed the roles of sensory experiences in students' (N=197) development of animal interest and conservation behaviors. Results suggest that touching even one animal during presentations has a significant impact on conservation intents and sustainment of those intents. Although results on interest outcomes are conflicting, this study points to ways this kind of research can make significant contributions to zoo learning outcomes. Other significant variables, such as emotional predispositions and animal-related excitement, are discussed in light of future research directions.

Dark-ages reionization and galaxy formation simulation - III. Modelling galaxy formation and the epoch of reionization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mutch, Simon J.; Geil, Paul M.; Poole, Gregory B.; Angel, Paul W.; Duffy, Alan R.; Mesinger, Andrei; Wyithe, J. Stuart B.

2016-10-01

We introduce MERAXES, a new, purpose-built semi-analytic galaxy formation model designed for studying galaxy growth during reionization. MERAXES is the first model of its type to include a temporally and spatially coupled treatment of reionization and is built upon a custom (100 Mpc)3 N-body simulation with high temporal and mass resolution, allowing us to resolve the galaxy and star formation physics relevant to early galaxy formation. Our fiducial model with supernova feedback reproduces the observed optical depth to electron scattering and evolution of the galaxy stellar mass function between z = 5 and 7, predicting that a broad range of halo masses contribute to reionization. Using a constant escape fraction and global recombination rate, our model is unable to simultaneously match the observed ionizing emissivity at z ≲ 6. However, the use of an evolving escape fraction of 0.05-0.1 at z ˜ 6, increasing towards higher redshift, is able to satisfy these three constraints. We also demonstrate that photoionization suppression of low-mass galaxy formation during reionization has only a small effect on the ionization history of the intergalactic medium. This lack of `self-regulation' arises due to the already efficient quenching of star formation by supernova feedback. It is only in models with gas supply-limited star formation that reionization feedback is effective at regulating galaxy growth. We similarly find that reionization has only a small effect on the stellar mass function, with no observationally detectable imprint at M* > 107.5 M⊙. However, patchy reionization has significant effects on individual galaxy masses, with variations of factors of 2-3 at z = 5 that correlate with environment.

The Days and Nights of Zoo Elephants: Using Epidemiology to Better Understand Stereotypic Behavior of African Elephants (Loxodonta africana) and Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) in North American Zoos.

PubMed

Greco, Brian J; Meehan, Cheryl L; Hogan, Jen N; Leighty, Katherine A; Mellen, Jill; Mason, Georgia J; Mench, Joy A

2016-01-01

Stereotypic behavior is an important indicator of compromised welfare. Zoo elephants are documented to perform stereotypic behavior, but the factors that contribute to performance have not been systematically assessed. We collected behavioral data on 89 elephants (47 African [Loxodonta africana], 42 Asian [Elephas maximus]) at 39 North American zoos during the summer and winter. Elephants were videoed for a median of 12 daytime hours per season. A subset of 32 elephants (19 African, 13 Asian) was also observed live for a median of 10.5 nighttime hours. Percentages of visible behavior scans were calculated from five minute instantaneous samples. Stereotypic behavior was the second most commonly performed behavior (after feeding), making up 15.5% of observations during the daytime and 24.8% at nighttime. Negative binomial regression models fitted with generalized estimating equations were used to determine which social, housing, management, life history, and demographic variables were associated with daytime and nighttime stereotypic behavior rates. Species was a significant risk factor in both models, with Asian elephants at greater risk (daytime: p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 4.087; nighttime: p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 8.015). For both species, spending time housed separately (p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 1.009), and having experienced inter-zoo transfers (p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 1.175), increased the risk of performing higher rates of stereotypy during the day, while spending more time with juvenile elephants (p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 0.985), and engaging with zoo staff reduced this risk (p = 0.018, Risk Ratio = 0.988). At night, spending more time in environments with both indoor and outdoor areas (p = 0.013, Risk Ratio = 0.987) and in larger social groups (p = 0.039, Risk Ratio = 0.752) corresponded with reduced risk of performing higher rates of stereotypy, while having experienced inter-zoo transfers (p = 0.033, Risk Ratio = 1.115) increased this risk. Overall, our results indicate

The Days and Nights of Zoo Elephants: Using Epidemiology to Better Understand Stereotypic Behavior of African Elephants (Loxodonta africana) and Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) in North American Zoos

PubMed Central

Greco, Brian J.; Meehan, Cheryl L.; Hogan, Jen N.; Leighty, Katherine A.; Mellen, Jill; Mason, Georgia J.; Mench, Joy A.

2016-01-01

Stereotypic behavior is an important indicator of compromised welfare. Zoo elephants are documented to perform stereotypic behavior, but the factors that contribute to performance have not been systematically assessed. We collected behavioral data on 89 elephants (47 African [Loxodonta africana], 42 Asian [Elephas maximus]) at 39 North American zoos during the summer and winter. Elephants were videoed for a median of 12 daytime hours per season. A subset of 32 elephants (19 African, 13 Asian) was also observed live for a median of 10.5 nighttime hours. Percentages of visible behavior scans were calculated from five minute instantaneous samples. Stereotypic behavior was the second most commonly performed behavior (after feeding), making up 15.5% of observations during the daytime and 24.8% at nighttime. Negative binomial regression models fitted with generalized estimating equations were used to determine which social, housing, management, life history, and demographic variables were associated with daytime and nighttime stereotypic behavior rates. Species was a significant risk factor in both models, with Asian elephants at greater risk (daytime: p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 4.087; nighttime: p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 8.015). For both species, spending time housed separately (p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 1.009), and having experienced inter-zoo transfers (p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 1.175), increased the risk of performing higher rates of stereotypy during the day, while spending more time with juvenile elephants (p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 0.985), and engaging with zoo staff reduced this risk (p = 0.018, Risk Ratio = 0.988). At night, spending more time in environments with both indoor and outdoor areas (p = 0.013, Risk Ratio = 0.987) and in larger social groups (p = 0.039, Risk Ratio = 0.752) corresponded with reduced risk of performing higher rates of stereotypy, while having experienced inter-zoo transfers (p = 0.033, Risk Ratio = 1.115) increased this risk. Overall, our results indicate

Tidal Disruption Events Prefer Unusual Host Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arcavi, Iair; French, K. Decker; Zabludoff, Ann I.

2016-06-01

A star passing close to a supermassive black hole (SMBH) can be torn apart in a Tidal Disruption Events (TDE). TDEs that are accompanied by observable flares are now being discovered in transient surveys and are revealing the presence and the properties of otherwise-quiescent SMBHs. Recently, it was discovered that TDEs show a strong preference for rare post-starburst galaxies, (i.e. galaxies that have undergone intense star formation but are no longer forming stars today). We quantify this preference and find that TDEs are approximately 30-200 times more likely to occur in post-starburst hosts (compared to the general SDSS galaxy population), with the enhancement factor depending on the star formation history of the galaxy. This surprising host-galaxy preference connects the until-now disparate TDE subclasses of UV/optical-dominated TDEs and X-ray-dominated TDEs, and serves as the basis for TDE-targeted transient surveys. Post-starburst galaxies may be post-mergers, with binary SMBH systems that are still spiraling in. Such systems could enhance the TDE rate, but it is not yet clear if models can quantitatively reproduce the observed enhancement. Alternative explanations for enhanced TDE rate in post-starbursts include non-spherical post-merger central potentials and enhanced rates of giant stars.

Steller Cove. Oregon Zoo Teacher Resource Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Kristin

The goal of this teacher guide is to promote education by providing resources and information to aid classroom teachers in using the Oregon Zoo as an educational setting. The unit also emphasizes the integration of science, mathematics, reading, writing, speaking, and problem solving. It is designed for grades 3-5 and is based on the Oregon State…

Models and Simulations as a Service: Exploring the Use of Galaxy for Delivering Computational Models

PubMed Central

Walker, Mark A.; Madduri, Ravi; Rodriguez, Alex; Greenstein, Joseph L.; Winslow, Raimond L.

2016-01-01

We describe the ways in which Galaxy, a web-based reproducible research platform, can be used for web-based sharing of complex computational models. Galaxy allows users to seamlessly customize and run simulations on cloud computing resources, a concept we refer to as Models and Simulations as a Service (MaSS). To illustrate this application of Galaxy, we have developed a tool suite for simulating a high spatial-resolution model of the cardiac Ca2+ spark that requires supercomputing resources for execution. We also present tools for simulating models encoded in the SBML and CellML model description languages, thus demonstrating how Galaxy’s reproducible research features can be leveraged by existing technologies. Finally, we demonstrate how the Galaxy workflow editor can be used to compose integrative models from constituent submodules. This work represents an important novel approach, to our knowledge, to making computational simulations more accessible to the broader scientific community. PMID:26958881

Implications of Galaxy Buildup for Putative IMF Variations in Massive Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blancato, Kirsten; Genel, Shy; Bryan, Greg

2017-08-01

Recent observational evidence for initial mass function (IMF) variations in massive quiescent galaxies at z = 0 challenges the long-established paradigm of a universal IMF. While a few theoretical models relate the IMF to birth cloud conditions, the physical driver underlying these putative IMF variations is still largely unclear. Here we use post-processing analysis of the Illustris cosmological hydrodynamical simulation to investigate possible physical origins of IMF variability with galactic properties. We do so by tagging stellar particles in the simulation (each representing a stellar population of ≈ {10}6 {M}⊙ ) with individual IMFs that depend on various physical conditions, such as velocity dispersion, metallicity, or star formation rate, at the time and place in which the stars are formed. We then follow the assembly of these populations throughout cosmic time and reconstruct the overall IMF of each z = 0 galaxy from the many distinct IMFs it is composed of. Our main result is that applying the observed relations between IMF and galactic properties to the conditions at the star formation sites does not result in strong enough IMF variations between z = 0 galaxies. Steeper physical IMF relations are required for reproducing the observed IMF trends, and some stellar populations must form with more extreme IMFs than those observed. The origin of this result is the hierarchical nature of massive galaxy assembly, and it has implications for the reliability of the strong observed trends, for the ability of cosmological simulations to capture certain physical conditions in galaxies, and for theories of star formation aiming to explain the physical origin of a variable IMF.

Comparative analyses of longevity and senescence reveal variable survival benefits of living in zoos across mammals

PubMed Central

Tidière, Morgane; Gaillard, Jean-Michel; Berger, Vérane; Müller, Dennis W. H.; Bingaman Lackey, Laurie; Gimenez, Olivier; Clauss, Marcus; Lemaître, Jean-François

2016-01-01

While it is commonly believed that animals live longer in zoos than in the wild, this assumption has rarely been tested. We compared four survival metrics (longevity, baseline mortality, onset of senescence and rate of senescence) between both sexes of free-ranging and zoo populations of more than 50 mammal species. We found that mammals from zoo populations generally lived longer than their wild counterparts (84% of species). The effect was most notable in species with a faster pace of life (i.e. a short life span, high reproductive rate and high mortality in the wild) because zoos evidently offer protection against a number of relevant conditions like predation, intraspecific competition and diseases. Species with a slower pace of life (i.e. a long life span, low reproduction rate and low mortality in the wild) benefit less from captivity in terms of longevity; in such species, there is probably less potential for a reduction in mortality. These findings provide a first general explanation about the different magnitude of zoo environment benefits among mammalian species, and thereby highlight the effort that is needed to improve captive conditions for slow-living species that are particularly susceptible to extinction in the wild. PMID:27819303

Disease Surveillance of California Ground Squirrels ( Spermophilus beecheyi ) in a Drive-through Zoo in Oregon, USA.

PubMed

Beest, Julia Ter; Cushing, Andrew; McClean, Modesto; Hsu, Wendy; Bildfell, Robert

2017-07-01

Rodents and other small wild mammals are often considered to be pests and vectors for disease in zoos that house small populations of valuable threatened and endangered animals. In 2005, three nonhuman primates at a drive-through zoo in Oregon, US, acquired tularemia from an unknown source. Due to an abundance of California ground squirrels ( Spermophilus beecheyi ) on zoo grounds, we instituted serosurveillance of this species from July through September 2008 to determine the prevalence of antibodies against pathogens considered to be potentially transmissible to collection animals. Serologic testing was performed for Francisella tularensis ; Leptospira interrogans serovars Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Hardjo, Icterohemorrhagiae, and Pomona; Toxoplasma gondii ; and Yersinia pestis . All squirrels were seronegative for Yersinia pestis (0%; 0/45) and Toxoplasma gondii (0%; 0/20); there was a prevalence of 2% (1/45) for Francisella tularensis antibodies and 57% (24/42) were positive for various Leptospira serovars. Although it remains unclear whether ground squirrels present a significant risk for transmission of disease to zoo animals, vaccination of high-risk zoo animals against leptospirosis warrants consideration. Beyond this, continued vigilance and persistence with various forms of pest control may reduce the likelihood of disease transmission from wildlife hosts to animals in human care.

Programmatic approaches to assessing and improving animal welfare in zoos and aquariums.

PubMed

Barber, Joseph C E

2009-11-01

There continues to be intense public, professional, and scientific focus on the welfare of animals in zoos and aquariums, but implementing welfare assessment tools consistently throughout this community remains challenging. Indirect measures can be used to assess "welfare potential"-the potential that animals will experience good welfare based on the care that they are provided with. Zoos and aquariums focus on welfare potential with their continued commitment to develop animal care guidelines (e.g. Animal Care Manuals) that can play a role within institutional accreditation or certification. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums Animal Welfare Committee has been pursuing approaches to maximize welfare potential by developing the concept of an integrated welfare approach or framework-an attempt to identify recommended animal care programs (e.g. enrichment, nutrition, veterinary care, research, and animal training programs) and their programmatic components. Objectively assessing the influence that animal care recommendations have on the welfare of individual animals is important to determine the efficacy of programmatic approaches. The future of welfare assessment within zoos and aquariums will include population-level evaluations-tracking emerging trends in health and behavior that come from both formal and informal institutional animal reports. Sharing this information, and performing meta-analyses of the data using epidemiological approaches, will become easier with advances in technology and database management software. Identifying welfare "red/green flags" throughout captive populations will provide direction for more focused assessments that will ultimately inform the design of more effective animal care programs.

Possible Imprints of Cold-mode Accretion on the Present-day Properties of Disk Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noguchi, Masafumi

2018-01-01

Recent theoretical studies suggest that a significant part of the primordial gas accretes onto forming galaxies as narrow filaments of cold gas without building a shock and experiencing heating. Using a simple model of disk galaxy evolution that combines the growth of dark matter halos predicted by cosmological simulations with a hypothetical form of cold-mode accretion, we investigate how this cold-accretion mode affects the formation process of disk galaxies. It is found that the shock-heating and cold-accretion models produce compatible results for low-mass galaxies owing to the short cooling timescale in such galaxies. However, cold accretion significantly alters the evolution of disk galaxies more massive than the Milky Way and puts observable fingerprints on their present properties. For a galaxy with a virial mass {M}{vir}=2.5× {10}12 {M}ȯ , the scale length of the stellar disk is larger by 41% in the cold-accretion model than in the shock-heating model, with the former model reproducing the steep rise in the size–mass relation observed at the high-mass end. Furthermore, the stellar component of massive galaxies becomes significantly redder (0.66 in u ‑ r at {M}{vir}=2.5× {10}12 {M}ȯ ), and the observed color–mass relation in nearby galaxies is qualitatively reproduced. These results suggest that large disk galaxies with red optical colors may be the product of cold-mode accretion. The essential role of cold accretion is to promote disk formation in the intermediate-evolution phase (0.5< z< 1.5) by providing the primordial gas having large angular momentum and to terminate late-epoch accretion, quenching star formation and making massive galaxies red.

Fruit Bats, Cats, and Naked Mole Rats: Lifelong Learning at the Zoo. ERIC/CSMEE Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomson, Barbara S.; Diem, Jason J.

An informal study found that zoo visitors want to know not just the name, weight, and age of animals in a collection, but also about diet, reproduction, life span, and behavioral characteristics. What kinds of learning opportunities, beyond enhanced signage, can be offered to the sophisticated new breed of visitors in zoos, aquariums, and nature…

13. WEST END, LOOKING NE, PHILADELPHIA ZOO LION SCULPTURE IN ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

13. WEST END, LOOKING NE, PHILADELPHIA ZOO LION SCULPTURE IN FOREGROUND. - Connecting Railway, Schuylkill River Bridge, Spanning Schuylkill River, north of Girard Avenue Bridge, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Impact of zoo visitors on the fecal cortisol levels and behavior of an endangered species: Indian blackbuck (Antelope cervicapra L.).

PubMed

Rajagopal, Thangavel; Archunan, Govindaraju; Sekar, Mahadevan

2011-01-01

This study investigated behavioral activities (resting, moving, aggressive, social, and reproductive behavior) and fecal cortisol levels in 8 individually identified adult male blackbucks during periods of varying levels of zoo visitors (zero, low, high, and extremely high zoo visitor density). This study also elucidated whether zoo visitor density could disturb nonhuman animal welfare. This study analyzed fecal cortisol from the samples of blackbuck by radioimmunoassay and found significant differences (p < .05) for time the animals devoted to moving, resting, aggressive, reproductive, and social behavior on days with high and extremely high levels of zoo visitors. The ANOVA with Duncan's Multiple Range Test test showed that the fecal cortisol concentration was higher (p < .05) during the extremely high (137.30 ± 5.88 ng/g dry feces) and high (113.51 ± 3.70 ng/g dry feces) levels of zoo visitor density. The results of the study suggest that zoo visitor density affected behavior and adrenocortical secretion in Indian Blackbuck, and this may indicate an animal welfare problem.

American Zoo and Aquarium Association Multi-Institutional Research Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dierking, Lynn D.

2001-01-01

Summarizes the results of a literature review of the level of conservation-related knowledge, attitudes, affect, and behavior among visitors to zoos and aquariums. Includes some details of the pilot project related to the literature review. (DDR)

Fat-soluble vitamin and mineral comparisons between zoo-based and free-ranging koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus).

PubMed

Schmidt, Debra A; Pye, Geoffrey W; Hamlin-Andrus, Chris C; Ellis, William A; Bercovitch, Fred B; Ellersieck, Mark R; Chen, Tai C; Holick, Michael F

2013-12-01

As part of a health investigation on koalas at San Diego Zoo, serum samples were analyzed from 18 free-ranging and 22 zoo-based koalas, Phascolarctos cinereus. Serum concentrations of calcium, chloride, cobalt, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, zinc, and vitamins A, E, and 25(OH)D3 were quantified. Calcium, chloride, molybdenum, selenium, and vitamin E concentrations were significantly higher in zoo-based koalas than in free-ranging koalas, whereas magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc concentrations were significantly higher in the free-ranging koalas. No significant differences were found between genders. The results from this study will help to establish a starting point for determining target circulating nutrient concentrations in koalas.

Observation of public health risk behaviours, risk communication and hand hygiene at Kansas and Missouri petting zoos--2010-2011.

PubMed

Erdozain, G; KuKanich, K; Chapman, B; Powell, D

2013-06-01

Outbreaks of human illness have been linked to visiting settings with animal contact throughout developed countries. This study details an observational study of hand hygiene tool availability and recommendations; frequency of risky behaviour; and handwashing attempts by visitors in Kansas (9) and Missouri (4), USA, petting zoos. Handwashing signs and hand hygiene stations were available at the exit of animal-contact areas in 10/13 and 8/13 petting zoos, respectively. Risky behaviours were observed being performed at all petting zoos by at least one visitor. Frequently observed behaviours were as follows: children (10/13 petting zoos) and adults (9/13 petting zoos) touching hands to face within animal-contact areas; animals licking children's and adults' hands (7/13 and 4/13 petting zoos, respectively); and children and adults drinking within animal-contact areas (5/13 petting zoos each). Of 574 visitors observed for hand hygiene when exiting animal-contact areas, 37% (n = 214) of individuals attempted some type of hand hygiene, with male adults, female adults and children attempting at similar rates (32%, 40% and 37%, respectively). Visitors were 4.8× more likely to wash their hands when a staff member was present within or at the exit to the animal-contact area (136/231, 59%) than when no staff member was present (78/343, 23%; P < 0.001, OR = 4.863, 95% CI = 3.380-6.998). Visitors at zoos with a fence as a partial barrier to human-animal contact were 2.3× more likely to wash their hands (188/460, 40.9%) than visitors allowed to enter the animals' yard for contact (26/114, 22.8%; P < 0.001, OR = 2.339, 95% CI = 1.454-3.763). Inconsistencies existed in tool availability, signage and supervision of animal contact. Risk communication was poor, with few petting zoos outlining risks associated with animal contact, or providing recommendations for precautions to be taken to reduce these risks. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Investigating the impact of large carcass feeding on the behavior of captive Andean condors (Vultur gryphus) and its perception by zoo visitors.

PubMed

Gaengler, Hannah; Clum, Nancy

2015-01-01

Naturalistic feeding methods, such as the provision of whole carcasses to zoo animals, are potentially controversial because zoo visitors might not approve of them. However, since several species of zoo animals feed from large carcasses in the wild, this food type could benefit their welfare in captivity compared to other less-natural food types. Scavengers in particular almost exclusively live on carcasses in nature; therefore, their welfare in captivity could significantly depend on the opportunity to express behaviors related to carcass feeding. In this study, we assessed the frequency of carcass feeding for vultures in North American zoos and investigated the effect of different food types on the behavior of zoo-housed Andean condors (Vultur gryphus). We also evaluated the opinion of North American zoo visitors about carcass feeding. Our results show that small whole carcasses (rats, rabbits) are part of the diet of vultures in most North American zoos, but large whole carcasses (ungulates) are rarely fed. Our behavioral study indicated that Andean condors appear to be more motivated to feed on more natural food types, which also seem to physically engage the birds more and occupy them longer. Most zoo visitors approved of carcass feeding for captive vultures over a range of prey animals, and the majority would also like to observe the vultures eat. Collectively, our results demonstrate that carcass feeding, particularly with larger prey, potentially enriches both zoo-housed vultures as well as the visitor experience. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Resolving the problem of galaxy clustering on small scales: any new physics needed?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, X.

2014-02-01

Galaxy clustering sets strong constraints on the physics governing galaxy formation and evolution. However, most current models fail to reproduce the clustering of low-mass galaxies on small scales (r < 1 Mpc h-1). In this paper, we study the galaxy clusterings predicted from a few semi-analytical models. We first compare two Munich versions, Guo et al. and De Lucia & Blaizot. The Guo11 model well reproduces the galaxy stellar mass function, but overpredicts the clustering of low-mass galaxies on small scales. The DLB07 model provides a better fit to the clustering on small scales, but overpredicts the stellar mass function. These seem to be puzzling. The clustering on small scales is dominated by galaxies in the same dark matter halo, and there is slightly more fraction of satellite galaxies residing in massive haloes in the Guo11 model, which is the dominant contribution to the clustering discrepancy between the two models. However, both models still overpredict the clustering at 0.1 < r < 10 Mpc h-1 for low-mass galaxies. This is because both models overpredict the number of satellites by 30 per cent in massive haloes than the data. We show that the Guo11 model could be slightly modified to simultaneously fit the stellar mass function and clusterings, but that cannot be easily achieved in the DLB07 model. The better agreement of DLB07 model with the data actually comes as a coincidence as it predicts too many low-mass central galaxies which are less clustered and thus brings down the total clustering. Finally, we show the predictions from the semi-analytical models of Kang et al. We find that this model can simultaneously fit the stellar mass function and galaxy clustering if the supernova feedback in satellite galaxies is stronger. We conclude that semi-analytical models are now able to solve the small-scales clustering problem, without invoking of any other new physics or changing the dark matter properties, such as the recent favoured warm dark matter.

Recognition of an important water quality issue at zoos: prevalence and potential threat of toxic cyanobacteria.

PubMed

Doster, Enrique; Chislock, Michael F; Roberts, John F; Kottwitz, Jack J; Wilson, Alan E

2014-03-01

Zoo animals may be particularly vulnerable to water sources contaminated with cyanobacterial toxins given their nonvoluntary close association with this resource. However, the prevalence and potential threat of toxic cyanobacteria in this setting are unknown. Several otherwise unexplained yellow-bellied slider (Trachemys scripta scripta) deaths were documented in a zoo moat with recurring blooms of toxic Microcystis aeruginosa. Furthermore, an extremely high and potentially lethal concentration of the hepatotoxin microcystin (166 ng/g) was found in the liver of a necropsied turtle that died in this moat. A subsequent monthly survey of water quality revealed detectable concentrations of microcystin in all moats (0.0001 to 7.5 microg/L), with moats higher than 1 microg/L being significantly higher than the threshold for safe drinking water recommended by the World Health Organization. These results demonstrate that cyanobacterial blooms are an important water quality issue in zoos, and future research is necessary to identify potential associations among water quality, zoo animal health, and moat management strategies.

20. Zoo Substation. Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA. Sec. 1101, MP ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

20. Zoo Substation. Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co., PA. Sec. 1101, MP 87.25. - Northeast Railroad Corridor, Amtrak route between Delaware-Pennsylvania & Pennsylvania-New Jersey state lines, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Zoo agent's measure in applying the five freedoms principles for animal welfare.

PubMed

Demartoto, Argyo; Soemanto, Robertus Bellarminus; Zunariyah, Siti

2017-09-01

Animal welfare should be prioritized not only for the animal's life sustainability but also for supporting the sustainability of living organism's life on the earth. However, Indonesian people have not understood it yet, thereby still treating animals arbitrarily and not appreciating either domesticated or wild animals. This research aimed to analyze the zoo agent's action in applying the five freedoms principle for animal welfare in Taman Satwa Taru Jurug (thereafter called TSTJ) or Surakarta Zoo and Gembira Loka Zoo (GLZ) of Yogyakarta Indonesia using Giddens structuration theory. The informants in this comparative study with explorative were organizers, visitors, and stakeholders of zoos selected using purposive sampling technique. The informants consisted of 19 persons: 8 from TSTJ (Code T) and 10 from GLZ (Code G) and representatives from Natural Resource Conservation Center of Central Java (Code B). Data were collected through observation, in-depth interview, and Focus Group Discussion and Documentation. Data were analyzed using an interactive model of analysis consisting of three components: Data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. Data validation was carried out using method and data source triangulations. Food, nutrition, and nutrition level have been given consistent with the animals' habit and natural behavior. Animal keepers always maintain their self-cleanliness. GLZ has provided cages according to the technical instruction of constructing ideal cages, but the cages in TSTJ are worrying as they are not consistent with standard, rusty, and damaged, and animals have no partner. Some animals in GLZ are often sick, whereas some animals in TSTJ are dead due to poor maintenance. The iron pillars of cages restrict animal behavior in TSTJ so that they have not had freedom to behave normally yet, whereas, in GLZ, they can move freely in original habitat. The animals in the two zoos have not been free from disruption, stress, and pressure due to the

Searching for behavioral indicators of welfare in zoos: uncovering anticipatory behavior.

PubMed

Watters, Jason V

2014-01-01

A current focus of zoo-based research aims to identify indicators of animal welfare. Reliable behavioral indicators of welfare are highly desirable as behavioral observation is non invasive and requires little in the way of specialized equipment and other costly resources-save for observer time. Anticipatory behavior is an indicator of an animal's sensitivity to reward and as such, it is a real-time indicator of animals' own perceptions of their well-being. In fact, anticipatory behavior may generate a positive affective state and thus be at least a brief manifestation of good welfare itself. The husbandry conditions of most captive animals are such that food acquisition and other positive outcomes are highly scheduled and easily signaled. These conditions promote the development of anticipatory behavior, yet little research has either documented or interpreted this behavior in zoo and aquarium animals. This commentary suggests that anticipatory behavior could be a useful tool for assessing welfare and calls upon zoo and aquarium researchers to begin to develop this tool by describing the behavior and the circumstances that lead to its modulation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

NEOPLASIA IN SNAKES AT ZOO ATLANTA DURING 1992-2012.

PubMed

Page-Karjian, Annie; Hahne, Megan; Leach, Kate; Murphy, Hayley; Lock, Brad; Rivera, Samuel

2017-06-01

A retrospective study was conducted to review neoplasia of captive snakes in the Zoo Atlanta collection from 1992 to 2012. Of 255 snakes that underwent necropsy and histopathologic examination at Zoo Atlanta during the study period, 37 were observed with neoplasia at necropsy. In those 37 snakes, 42 neoplastic lesions of 18 primary cell types were diagnosed. Thirty-five of those neoplasms (83.3%) were malignant, and of those, 19 were of mesenchymal origin, whereas 14 were of epithelial origin. The median annual rate of neoplasia at necropsy was 12.5% (interquartile range = 2.8-19.5%) over the 21-yr study period. The mean estimated age at death for snakes with neoplasia was 13.2 yr (range, 1-24 yr). Investigating the incidence and clinical significance of neoplasia in captive snakes is vital for developing effective preventative and treatment regimes.

Short- and Long-Term Outreach at the Zoo: Cognitive Learning about Marine Ecological and Conservational Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sattler, Sabrina; Bogner, Franz X.

2017-01-01

Although zoos envision themselves as environmental education institutions and governmental policies require that students become environmentally responsible citizens, it is surprising, that little research is done with regard to school field trips to the zoo. Many students are not aware that their everyday life affects marine environments that may…

A modified operational sequence methodology for zoo exhibit design and renovation: conceptualizing animals, staff, and visitors as interdependent coworkers.

PubMed

Kelling, Nicholas J; Gaalema, Diann E; Kelling, Angela S

2014-01-01

Human factors analyses have been used to improve efficiency and safety in various work environments. Although generally limited to humans, the universality of these analyses allows for their formal application to a much broader domain. This paper outlines a model for the use of human factors to enhance zoo exhibits and optimize spaces for all user groups; zoo animals, zoo visitors, and zoo staff members. Zoo exhibits are multi-faceted and each user group has a distinct set of requirements that can clash or complement each other. Careful analysis and a reframing of the three groups as interdependent coworkers can enhance safety, efficiency, and experience for all user groups. This paper details a general creation and specific examples of the use of the modified human factors tools of function allocation, operational sequence diagram and needs assessment. These tools allow for adaptability and ease of understanding in the design or renovation of exhibits. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hemosporidian parasites of free-living birds in the São Paulo Zoo, Brazil.

PubMed

Chagas, Carolina Romeiro Fernandes; Guimarães, Lilian de Oliveira; Monteiro, Eliana Ferreira; Valkiūnas, Gediminas; Katayama, Michele Viana; Santos, Stéfanie Vanessa; Guida, Fernanda Junqueira Vaz; Simões, Roseli França; Kirchgatter, Karin

2016-04-01

Numerous studies addressed the diversity of bird Plasmodium and Haemoproteus parasites. However, a few have been carried out in continental avian hotspot regions such as Brazil, a country with markedly different biomes, including Amazon, Brazilian Savanna, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Pantanal, and Pampas. We present the first study on hemosporidian (Haemosporida) parasites in free-living birds from an Atlantic Forest fragment where more than 80 avian species have been reported. Within this area, the São Paulo Zoo locates, and it is the fourth largest zoo in the world and the largest in Latin America. A total of 133 free-living bird samples representing 12 species were collected in the zoo, with the overall hemosporidian prevalence of 18 % by PCR-based diagnostics. Twenty-four positive PCR signals were reported from four different bird species, including migratory ones. Columba livia, an urban species, considered nowadays a pest in big cities, showed 100 % prevalence of Haemoproteus spp., mainly Haemoproteus columbae. We discuss the epidemiological importance of new parasites introduced by migratory birds in the São Paulo Zoo area and the risk it poses to the captive species, which are natives or exotics. We also warn about the influence these parasites can have on the biodiversity and the structure of host populations by altering the competitive interaction between the free-living and the captive birds.

The galaxy luminosity function around groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González, R. E.; Padilla, N. D.; Galaz, G.; Infante, L.

2005-11-01

We present a study on the variations of the luminosity function of galaxies around clusters in a numerical simulation with semi-analytic galaxies, attempting to detect these variations in the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey. We subdivide the simulation box into equal-density regions around clusters, which we assume can be achieved by selecting objects at a given normalized distance (r/rrms, where rrms is an estimate of the halo radius) from the group centre. The semi-analytic model predicts important variations in the luminosity function out to r/rrms~= 5. In brief, variations in the mass function of haloes around clusters (large dark matter haloes with M > 1012h-1Msolar) lead to cluster central regions that present a high abundance of bright galaxies (high M* values) as well as low-luminosity galaxies (high α) at r/rrms~= 3 there is a lack of bright galaxies, which shows the depletion of galaxies in the regions surrounding clusters (minimum in M* and α), and a tendency to constant luminosity function parameters at larger cluster-centric distances. We take into account the observational biases present in the real data by reproducing the peculiar velocity effect on the redshifts of galaxies in the simulation box, and also by producing mock catalogues. We find that excluding from the analysis galaxies which in projection are close to the centres of the groups provides results that are qualitatively consistent with the full simulation box results. When we apply this method to mock catalogues of the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS) and the 2PIGG catalogue of groups, we find that the variations in the luminosity function are almost completely erased by the Finger of God effect; only a lack of bright galaxies at r/rrms~= 3 can be marginally detected in the mock catalogues. The results from the real 2dFGRS data show a clearer detection of a dip in M* and α for r/rrms= 3, consistent with the semi-analytic predictions.

Are groups of galaxies virialized systems?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diaferio, Antonaldo; Ramella, Massimo; Geller, Margaret J.; Ferrari, Attilio

1993-01-01

Groups are systems of galaxies with crossing times t(cr) much smaller than the Hubble time. Most of them have t(cr) less than 0.1/H0. The usual interpretation is that they are in virial equilibrium. We compare the data of the group catalog selected from the CfA redshift survey extension with different N-body models. We show that the distributions of kinematic and dynamical quantities of the groups in the CfA catalog can be reproduced by a single collapsing group observed along different line of sights. This result shows that (1) projection effects dominate the statistics of these systems, and (2) observed groups of galaxies are probably still in the collapse phase.

Serum concentration comparisons of amino acids, fatty acids, lipoproteins, vitamins A and E, and minerals between zoo and free-ranging giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis).

PubMed

Schmidt, Debra A; Koutsos, Elizabeth A; Ellersieck, Mark R; Griffin, Mark E

2009-03-01

Serum concentrations of amino acids, fatty acids, lipoproteins, vitamins A and E, and minerals in zoo giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) were compared to values obtained from free-ranging giraffes in an effort to identify potential nutritional differences in the zoo population. Zoo giraffes have a specific set of maladies that may be nutritionally related, including peracute mortality, energy malnutrition, pancreatic disease, urolithiasis, hoof disease, and severe intestinal parasitism. Dietary requirements for giraffes are not known; invasive studies used with domestic animals cannot be performed on zoo animals. Though domestic animal standards are often used to evaluate nutritional health of exotic animals, they may not be the most appropriate standards to use. Serum samples from 20 zoo giraffes at 10 zoological institutions in the United States were compared to previously collected samples from 24 free-ranging giraffes in South Africa. Thirteen of the zoo animal samples were collected from animals trained for blood collection, and seven were banked samples obtained from a previous serum collection. Dietary information was also collected on each zoo giraffe; most zoo giraffe diets consisted of alfalfa-based pellets (acid detergent fiber-16), alfalfa hay, and browse in varying quantities. Differences between zoo and free-ranging giraffes, males and females, and adults and subadults were analyzed with the use of a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial and Fisher's Least Significant Difference (LSD) for mean separation. Of the 84 parameters measured, 54 (60%) were significantly different (P < or = 0.05) between zoo and free-ranging giraffes. Nine (11%) items were significantly different (P < or = 0.05) between adult and subadult animals. Only one parameter, sodium concentration, was found to be significantly different (P < or = 0.05) between genders. Further investigation in zoo giraffe diets is needed to address the differences seen in this study and the potentially related health

The cluster galaxy circular velocity function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desai, V.; Dalcanton, J. J.; Mayer, L.; Reed, D.; Quinn, T.; Governato, F.

2004-06-01

We present galaxy circular velocity functions (GCVFs) for 34 low-redshift (z<~ 0.15) clusters identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), for 15 clusters drawn from dark matter simulations of hierarchical structure growth in a ΛCDM cosmology, and for ~22 000 SDSS field galaxies. We find that the simulations successfully reproduce the shape, amplitude and scatter in the observed distribution of cluster galaxy circular velocities. The power-law slope of the observed cluster GCVF is ~-2.4, independent of cluster velocity dispersion. The average slope of the simulated GCVFs is somewhat steeper, although formally consistent given the errors. We find that the effects of baryons on galaxy rotation curves is to flatten the simulated cluster GCVF into better agreement with observations. The cumulative GCVFs of the simulated clusters are very similar across a wide range of cluster masses, provided individual subhalo circular velocities are scaled by the circular velocities of the parent cluster. The scatter is consistent with that measured in the cumulative, scaled observed cluster GCVF. Finally, the observed field GCVF deviates significantly from a power law, being flatter than the cluster GCVF at circular velocities less than 200 km s-1.

The DEEP2 Galaxy Redshift Survey: The Voronoi-Delaunay Method Catalog of Galaxy Groups

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gerke, Brian F.; /UC, Berkeley; Newman, Jeffrey A.

2012-02-14

We use the first 25% of the DEEP2 Galaxy Redshift Survey spectroscopic data to identify groups and clusters of galaxies in redshift space. The data set contains 8370 galaxies with confirmed redshifts in the range 0.7 {<=} z {<=} 1.4, over one square degree on the sky. Groups are identified using an algorithm (the Voronoi-Delaunay Method) that has been shown to accurately reproduce the statistics of groups in simulated DEEP2-like samples. We optimize this algorithm for the DEEP2 survey by applying it to realistic mock galaxy catalogs and assessing the results using a stringent set of criteria for measuring group-findingmore » success, which we develop and describe in detail here. We find in particular that the group-finder can successfully identify {approx}78% of real groups and that {approx}79% of the galaxies that are true members of groups can be identified as such. Conversely, we estimate that {approx}55% of the groups we find can be definitively identified with real groups and that {approx}46% of the galaxies we place into groups are interloper field galaxies. Most importantly, we find that it is possible to measure the distribution of groups in redshift and velocity dispersion, n({sigma}, z), to an accuracy limited by cosmic variance, for dispersions greater than 350 km s{sup -1}. We anticipate that such measurements will allow strong constraints to be placed on the equation of state of the dark energy in the future. Finally, we present the first DEEP2 group catalog, which assigns 32% of the galaxies to 899 distinct groups with two or more members, 153 of which have velocity dispersions above 350 km s{sup -1}. We provide locations, redshifts and properties for this high-dispersion subsample. This catalog represents the largest sample to date of spectroscopically detected groups at z {approx} 1.« less

Skin disease in captive bats: results of an online survey of zoos and rehabilitators in Europe, North America and Australasia.

PubMed

Fountain, Kay I; Stevens, Kim B; Lloyd, David H; Loeffler, Anette

2017-04-01

Bats may be held captive in zoos and breeding programmes, and for rehabilitation due to illness, abandonment or injury. To describe the frequency and characteristics of skin disease in captive bats. Zoos (n = 164) in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, Wildlife Disease Association members and rehabilitators were invited to complete online questionnaires on skin lesions and housing. Associations between lesion type and site, frequency, species, age, suspected cause and season, and their association with housing in zoos were tested using chi-squared and two-sample z-tests. Skin lesions were seen by 38.5% (15 of 39) of responding zoos and more frequently by rehabilitators (66.7%, 18 of 27; P = 0.024). Of the total of 153 lesions of any type reported by zoos and rehabilitators, almost two thirds occurred on the pinnae (49 of 153, 32%) or wing membranes (45 of 153, 29%). Amongst pinnal lesions, crusting (27%), swelling and redness (25%) and necrosis (20%) were most frequent. In zoos, pinnal (P = 0.001) and wing lesions (P = 0.045) were associated with "season", being more common in winter. Pruritus was rare but more often reported from rehabilitation centres (12 of 77 observed lesions) than from zoos (1 of 76) (P = 0.0015). Lesions most often affected adult and geriatric bats in zoos, and juveniles and adults in rehabilitation. Eight respondents reported that skin disease necessitated euthanasia in individual bats. There was no significant association between type of housing and lesions. Pinnal and wing lesions were common in captive bats, often with necrosis. Further research into the causes is needed to improve health and welfare of captive bats. © 2016 ESVD and ACVD.

Dust emission in simulated dwarf galaxies using GRASIL-3D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos-Santos, I. M.; Domínguez-Tenreiro, R.; Granato, G. L.; Brook, C. B.; Obreja, A.

2017-03-01

Recent Herschel observations of dwarf galaxies have shown a wide diversity in the shapes of their IR-submm spectral energy distributions as compared to more massive galaxies, presenting features that cannot be explained with the current models. In order to understand the physics driving these differences, we have computed the emission of a sample of simulated dwarf galaxies using the radiative transfer code GRASIL-3D. This code separately treats the radiative transfer in dust grains from molecular clouds and cirri. The simulated galaxies have masses ranging from 10^6-10^9 M_⊙ and have evolved within a Local Group environment by using CLUES initial conditions. We show that their IR band luminosities are in agreement with observations, with their SEDs reproducing naturally the particular spectral features observed. We conclude that the GRASIL-3D two-component model gives a physical interpretation to the emission of dwarf galaxies, with molecular clouds (cirri) as the warm (cold) dust components needed to recover observational data.

Fitting the spectral energy distributions of galaxies with CIGALE : Code Investigating GALaxy Emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giovannoli, E.; Buat, V.

2013-03-01

We use the code CIGALE (Code Investigating Galaxies Emission: Burgarella et al. 2005; Noll et al. 2009) which provides physical information about galaxies by fitting their UV (ultraviolet)-to-IR (infrared) spectral energy distribuition (SED). CIGALE is based on the use of a UV-optical stellar SED plus a dust IR-emitting component. We study a sample of 136 Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIRGs) at z˜0.7 in the ECDF-S previously studied in Giovannoli et al. (2011). We focus on the way the empirical Dale & Helou (2002) templates reproduce the observed SEDs of the LIRGs. Fig. 1 shows the total infrared luminosity (L IR ) provided by CIGALE using the 64 templates (x axis) and using 2 templates (y axis) representative of the whole sample. Despite the larger dispersion when only 1 or 2 Herschel data are available, the agreement between both values is good with Δ log L IR = 0.0013 ± 0.045 dex. We conclude that 2 IR SEDs can be used alone to determine the L IR of LIRGs at z˜0.7 in an SED-fitting procedure.

Self-consistent Bulge/Disk/Halo Galaxy Dynamical Modeling Using Integral Field Kinematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taranu, D. S.; Obreschkow, D.; Dubinski, J. J.; Fogarty, L. M. R.; van de Sande, J.; Catinella, B.; Cortese, L.; Moffett, A.; Robotham, A. S. G.; Allen, J. T.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Bryant, J. J.; Colless, M.; Croom, S. M.; D'Eugenio, F.; Davies, R. L.; Drinkwater, M. J.; Driver, S. P.; Goodwin, M.; Konstantopoulos, I. S.; Lawrence, J. S.; López-Sánchez, Á. R.; Lorente, N. P. F.; Medling, A. M.; Mould, J. R.; Owers, M. S.; Power, C.; Richards, S. N.; Tonini, C.

2017-11-01

We introduce a method for modeling disk galaxies designed to take full advantage of data from integral field spectroscopy (IFS). The method fits equilibrium models to simultaneously reproduce the surface brightness, rotation, and velocity dispersion profiles of a galaxy. The models are fully self-consistent 6D distribution functions for a galaxy with a Sérsic profile stellar bulge, exponential disk, and parametric dark-matter halo, generated by an updated version of GalactICS. By creating realistic flux-weighted maps of the kinematic moments (flux, mean velocity, and dispersion), we simultaneously fit photometric and spectroscopic data using both maximum-likelihood and Bayesian (MCMC) techniques. We apply the method to a GAMA spiral galaxy (G79635) with kinematics from the SAMI Galaxy Survey and deep g- and r-band photometry from the VST-KiDS survey, comparing parameter constraints with those from traditional 2D bulge-disk decomposition. Our method returns broadly consistent results for shared parameters while constraining the mass-to-light ratios of stellar components and reproducing the H I-inferred circular velocity well beyond the limits of the SAMI data. Although the method is tailored for fitting integral field kinematic data, it can use other dynamical constraints like central fiber dispersions and H I circular velocities, and is well-suited for modeling galaxies with a combination of deep imaging and H I and/or optical spectra (resolved or otherwise). Our implementation (MagRite) is computationally efficient and can generate well-resolved models and kinematic maps in under a minute on modern processors.

Mighty Math[TM] Zoo Zillions[TM]. [CD-ROM].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1996

Zoo Zillions contains five activities for grades K-2: Annie's Jungle Trail, 3D Gallery, Number Line Express, Gnu Ewe Boutique, and Fish Stories. These activities enable children to review and practice basic mathematics skills; identify three-dimensional shapes, watch them in motion, and create their own three-dimensional designs; locate numbers…

Stellar properties of dwarf galaxies and their connections with the Milky Way halo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Revaz, Yves; Pascale Jablonka

2018-06-01

In this talk, relying on recent chemo-dynamical simulations, I will describe the stellar properties and in particular the abundances ratios of dwarf galaxies emerging from a LCDM framework. Faint systems quenched by the UV-background as well as luminous ones exhibiting an extended star formation history nicely reproduce observations, without necessary requiring a strong interaction with the Milky Way. However, dwarf galaxies with complex star formation histories like Carina and Fornax are much more difficult to reproduce. Those systems are often believed to result from an interaction with the Milky Way. I will show that when such interaction is taken into account in our high resolution simulations through ram pressure stripping, a much more complex reality appears.

A Cosmic Zoo in the Large Magellanic Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2010-06-01

galaxy can be included. Dozens of clusters of young stars can be seen as well as traces of glowing gas clouds. Huge numbers of faint stars fill the image from edge to edge and in the background, more galaxies, far beyond the LMC, are visible. Globular clusters are collections of hundreds of thousands to millions of stars bound by gravity into a roughly spherical shape just a few light-years across. Many clusters orbit the Milky Way and most are ancient, over ten billion years old, and composed mainly of old red stars. The LMC also has globular clusters and one is visible as the fuzzy white oval cluster of stars in the upper right part of the image. This is NGC 1978, an unusually massive globular cluster. Unlike most other globular clusters, NGC 1978 is believed to be just 3.5 billion years old. The presence of this kind of object in the LMC leads astronomers to think that the LMC has a more recent history of active star formation than our own Milky Way. As well as being a vigorous region of star birth, the LMC has also seen many spectacular stellar deaths in the form of brilliant supernova explosions. At the top right of the image, the remnant of one such supernova, a strangely shaped wispy cloud called DEM L 190, often also referred to as N 49, can be seen. This giant cloud of glowing gas is the brightest supernova remnant in the LMC, and is about 30 light-years across. At the centre, where the star once burned, now lies a magnetar, a neutron star with an extremely powerful magnetic field. It was only in 1979 that satellites orbiting Earth detected a powerful gamma-ray burst from this object, drawing attention to the extreme properties of this new class of stellar exotica created by supernova explosions. This part of the Large Magellanic Cloud is so packed with star clusters and other objects that astronomers can spend entire careers exploring it. With so much activity, it is easy to see why astronomers are so keen to study the strange creatures in this heavenly zoo

Why Are Some Galaxies Not Barred?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Kanak; Elmegreen, Bruce

2018-05-01

Although more than two-thirds of star-forming disk galaxies in the local universe are barred, some galaxies remain unbarred, occupying the upper half of the Hubble tuning fork diagram. Numerical simulations almost always produce bars spontaneously, so it remains a challenge to understand how galaxies sometimes prevent bars from forming. Using a set of collisionless simulations, we first reproduce the common result that cold stellar disks surrounding a classical bulge become strongly unstable to non-axisymmetric perturbations, leading to the rapid formation of spiral structure and bars. However, our analyses show that galaxy models with compact classical bulges (whose average density is greater than or comparable to the disk density calculated within bulge half-mass radii) are able to prevent bar formation for at least 4 Gyr even when the stellar disk is maximal and having low Toomre Q. Such bar prevention is the result of several factors such as (a) a small inner Lindblad resonance with a high angular rate, which contaminates an incipient bar with x 2 orbits, and (b) rapid loss of angular momentum accompanied by a rapid heating in the center from initially strong bar and spiral instabilities in a low-Q disk; in other words, a rapid initial rise to a value larger than ∼5 of the ratio of the random energy to the rotational energy in the central region of the galaxy.

Moon Zoo: Making the public part of a crater survey algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gay, P. L.; Brown, S.; Huang, D.; Daus, C.; Lehan, C.; Robbins, S.

2011-10-01

The Moon Zoo citizen science website launched in May 2010 and invited the public to annotate images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's Narrow Angle Camera (NAC). Tasks included marking the edges of craters with an ellipse tool, indicating where linear features (e.g. scarps) and special types of craters (e.g. dark haloed) are located with a box, and rating the number of boulders in an image. The goal of this project is to create crater and feature catalogues for large areas of the moon. In addition to doing science, Moon Zoo also seeks to educate its audience through educational content, to engage them through social media, and to understand them through research into their motivations and behaviors.

Dynamics of the Interstellar Matter in Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kristen, H.

The dynamical components of six isolated barred spiral (SB) galaxies are investigated. No evidence is found supporting the hypothesis of a low amount of dark matter being characteristic of SB galaxies. The presence of companion galaxies is found to correlate with an increased statistical spread in the neutral hydrogen (HI) extent. It is concluded that the selection of galaxies with large HI~extent may introduce a bias towards tidally interacting systems. The circumnuclear region of the SB galaxy NGC 1365 is studied with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Numerous bright ``super star clusters'' (SSCs) are detected, surrounding the active nucleus. The bright compact radio source NGC 1365:A is found to coincide spatially with one of the SSCs. We conclude that the source is a ``radio supernova''. In the [OIII] 5007 line, the HST resolves individual clouds within the conical outflow from the nucleus, some of which gather in larger agglomerations. An in-depth study of the dynamics of the SB galaxy NGC 1300 is presented. Multi-wavelength data yield an estimate of the velocity field and gravitational potential. Subsequent hydrodynamical simulations are able to reproduce the morphology and kinematics in the bar region using a pure bar perturbing potential. To reproduce the spiral structure a weak spiral component has to be added, indicative of stellar spiral response to the bar and/or self-gravitating gas in the arms. Two separate models, differing mainly with respect to pattern speed and associated resonance structure, are found to reproduce the observations. We study numerically the linear polarization and extinction of light from background stars passing through molecular clouds, illuminating the intricacies of the derivation of the magnetic-field-line pattern in a cloud from the observed polarization pattern: Due to a higher gas-grain collision frequency within the cloud, the polarization caused by the cloud may well be dominated by background/foreground polarization

Zoology, evolution, and ecology for elementary teachers in a model alliance between a university biology department and a zoo

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DuBrul, E.F.; Lewis N.; Mesteller, P.

Many of the goals and performance objectives for elementary science deal with hands-on experiences such as observing the characteristics of living things, sorting and classifying, and measuring and recording data. Ideal environments for learning episodes that can foster these objectives are zoos and parks or nature preserves. This poster describes a program that uses the University faculty, local master elementary teachers, and Zoo staff and facilities to: (1) educate K-6 teachers about zoology, ecology, and evolution, (2) provide practical, on-site learning exercises as examples of how teachers can develop zoo visits that will be true learning experiences, (3) help themore » participants develop zoo-related exercises of classroom use, (4) show the participants the behind-the scenes work that goes on at a zoo, and (5) establish a close rapport between the teachers and a large group of professional resource persons. We present the results of evaluations and follow-up interviews, and we note the key features of this program and suggest how our experience may be used by other partnerships.« less

Near-infrared spectroscopy of post-starburst galaxies: a limited impact of TP-AGB stars on galaxy spectral energy distributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zibetti, Stefano; Gallazzi, Anna; Charlot, Stéphane; Pierini, Daniele; Pasquali, Anna

2013-01-01

We present Very Large Telescope Infrared Spectrometer And Array Camera (ISAAC) near-infrared (NIR) spectrophotometric observations of 16 post-starburst galaxies aimed at constraining the debated influence of thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch (TP-AGB) stars on the spectral energy distribution (SED) of galaxies with stellar ages between 0.5 and 2 Gyr, hence critical for high-redshift studies. Post-starburst galaxies are characterized by negligible ongoing star formation and a SED dominated by the stellar population formed in a recent (<2 Gyr) burst. By selecting post-starburst galaxies with mean luminosity-weighted ages between 0.5 and 1.5 Gyr and a broad range of metallicities (based on Sloan Digital Sky Survey optical spectroscopy), we explore the parameter space over which the relative energy output of TP-AGB stars peaks. A key feature of the present study is that we target galaxies at z ≈ 0.2, so that two main spectral features of TP-AGB stars (C-molecule band-head drops at 1.41 and 1.77 μm, blended with strong telluric absorption features, hence hardly observable from the ground, for targets at z ≈ 0) move inside the H and K atmospheric windows and can be constrained for the first time to high accuracy. Our observations provide key constraints to stellar population synthesis models. Our main results are (i) the NIR regions around 1.41 and 1.77 μm (rest frame) are featureless for all galaxies in our sample over the whole range of relevant ages and metallicities at variance with the Maraston `TP-AGB heavy' models, which exhibit marked drops there, and (ii) no flux boosting is observed in the NIR. The optical-NIR SEDs of most of our post-starburst galaxies can be consistently reproduced with the 2003 version of the Bruzual & Charlot models, using either simple stellar populations of corresponding light-weighted ages and metallicities or a more realistic burst plus an underlying old population containing up to approximately 60 per cent of the total

Phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from zoo and wild animals.

PubMed

Feßler, Andrea T; Thomas, Patricia; Mühldorfer, Kristin; Grobbel, Mirjam; Brombach, Julian; Eichhorn, Inga; Monecke, Stefan; Ehricht, Ralf; Schwarz, Stefan

2018-05-01

Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus is a major problem in human and veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to characterise S. aureus isolates from wild and zoo animals mainly associated with bacterial infections. In total, 23 S. aureus isolates, including nine from wild animals and 14 from zoo animals, were obtained during routine diagnostics. All isolates were subjected to multilocus sequence typing (MLST), spa typing, macrorestriction analysis with subsequent SmaI pulsed-field gelelectrophoresis (PFGE), antimicrobial susceptibility testing and S. aureus-specific DNA-microarray analysis. Resistant isolates were also tested for their respective resistance genes by PCR. Isolates from zoo animals and wildlife showed a high diversity of MLST types, spa types and PFGE patterns. Nineteen different spa types were identified, including three novel types and 16 main macrorestriction patterns. Only few isolates were resistant to members of four classes of antimicrobial agents and harboured the respective resistance genes (β-lactams [blaZ, mecA, mecC], tetracyclines [tet(K), tet(L)] and chloramphenicol [cat pC221 ]) or mutations (fluoroquinolones). The DNA microarray analysis identified one isolate from a zoo animal harbouring the toxic shock syndrome toxin gene tst1. Moreover, several enterotoxin genes were detected in five S. aureus isolates. All isolates were negative for Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) genes, but the animal-associated leukocidin genes lukM/lukF-P83 were found in three isolates from two animals. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An exogenous retrovirus isolated from koalas with malignant neoplasias in a US zoo.

PubMed

Xu, Wenqin; Stadler, Cynthia K; Gorman, Kristen; Jensen, Nathaniel; Kim, David; Zheng, HaoQiang; Tang, Shaohua; Switzer, William M; Pye, Geoffrey W; Eiden, Maribeth V

2013-07-09

Leukemia and lymphoma account for more than 60% of deaths in captive koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in northeastern Australia. Although the endogenizing gammaretrovirus koala endogenous retrovirus (KoRV) was isolated from these koalas, KoRV has not been definitively associated with leukemogenesis. We performed KoRV screening in koalas from the San Diego Zoo, maintained for more than 45 y with very limited outbreeding, and the Los Angeles Zoo, maintained by continuously assimilating captive-born Australian koalas. San Diego Zoo koalas are currently free of malignant neoplasias and were infected with only endogenous KoRV, which we now term subtype "KoRV-A," whereas Los Angeles Zoo koalas with lymphomas/leukemias are infected in addition to KoRV-A by a unique KoRV we term subtype "KoRV-B." KoRV-B is most divergent in the envelope protein and uses a host receptor distinct from KoRV-A. KoRV-B also has duplicated enhancer regions in the LTR associated with increased pathology in gammaretroviruses. Whereas KoRV-A uses the sodium-dependent phosphate transporter 1 (PiT1) as a receptor, KoRV-B employs a different receptor, the thiamine transporter 1 (THTR1), to infect cells. KoRV-B is transmitted from dam to offspring through de novo infection, rather than via genetic inheritance like KoRV-A. Detection of KoRV-B in native Australian koalas should provide a history, and a mode for remediation, of leukemia/lymphoma currently endemic in this population.

The new galaxy evolution paradigm revealed by the Herschel surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eales, Stephen; Smith, Dan; Bourne, Nathan; Loveday, Jon; Rowlands, Kate; van der Werf, Paul; Driver, Simon; Dunne, Loretta; Dye, Simon; Furlanetto, Cristina; Ivison, R. J.; Maddox, Steve; Robotham, Aaron; Smith, Matthew W. L.; Taylor, Edward N.; Valiante, Elisabetta; Wright, Angus; Cigan, Philip; De Zotti, Gianfranco; Jarvis, Matt J.; Marchetti, Lucia; Michałowski, Michał J.; Phillipps, Steven; Viaene, Sebastien; Vlahakis, Catherine

2018-01-01

The Herschel Space Observatory has revealed a very different galaxyscape from that shown by optical surveys which presents a challenge for galaxy-evolution models. The Herschel surveys reveal (1) that there was rapid galaxy evolution in the very recent past and (2) that galaxies lie on a single Galaxy Sequence (GS) rather than a star-forming 'main sequence' and a separate region of 'passive' or 'red-and-dead' galaxies. The form of the GS is now clearer because far-infrared surveys such as the Herschel ATLAS pick up a population of optically red star-forming galaxies that would have been classified as passive using most optical criteria. The space-density of this population is at least as high as the traditional star-forming population. By stacking spectra of H-ATLAS galaxies over the redshift range 0.001 < z < 0.4, we show that the galaxies responsible for the rapid low-redshift evolution have high stellar masses, high star-formation rates but, even several billion years in the past, old stellar populations - they are thus likely to be relatively recent ancestors of early-type galaxies in the Universe today. The form of the GS is inconsistent with rapid quenching models and neither the analytic bathtub model nor the hydrodynamical EAGLE simulation can reproduce the rapid cosmic evolution. We propose a new gentler model of galaxy evolution that can explain the new Herschel results and other key properties of the galaxy population.

Prevalence of endoparasitic infections of birds in zoo gardens in Serbia.

PubMed

Ilić, Tamara; Becskei, Zsolt; Gajić, Bojan; Özvegy, József; Stepanović, Predrag; Nenadović, Katarina; Dimitrijević, Sanda

2018-03-26

This report represents the prevalence of endoparasitic infections of birds in zoological gardens in Serbia. Coprological examination conducted during 2015 and 2016, involved samples from 318 individual birds belonging to 112 species, in three zoo gardens (Belgrade, Palić and Bor). Individual faeces samples were analysed by the flotation method in salt solution. The presence of endoparasites was established in 51.96% (Belgrade), 46.16% (Palić) and 16.66% (Bor) of the tested birds. We diagnosed coccidian oocysts, eggs of Capillaria spp, Heterakis spp, Trichostrongylus spp, Ascaridia spp, Syngamus trachea and eggs of yet unidentified trematode. There were no detection of parasites from the class of cestodes. Prevalence of infection with coccidia, depending on location, was in the ranges between 8.33% and 32.84%, capillariosis 2.77% and 29.41%, heterakiosis 2.56% and 12.74%, trichostrongylidosis 5.55% and 25.64%, askaridiosis 10.25% and 10.78%, syngamosis 2.94% and trematodes of unknown etiology 2.45%. Coinfections with two or three parasitic species were detected in Belgrade and Palić Zoo Gardens, while quadruple infection was established in birds of Belgrade Zoo Garden. Obtained results can be used in establishing programs for health protection of endangered bird species.

The behavior of a zoo-housed infant orangutan after the death of its mother.

PubMed

Whilde, Jenny; Marples, Nicola

2011-01-01

The behavior of an infant female orangutan at Dublin Zoo before and after the death of her mother was recorded using scan sampling and compared. Social interactions and associations of the infant with the other individuals in the group were also compared before and after the death of her mother. Increases in climbing and object manipulation were observed, and a decrease in resting occurred. The infant orangutan significantly increased the amount of time she spent in close contact with another related adult female in the group after her mother's death. This case study describes an example of a zoo-housed infant orangutan being successfully fostered by a related female without human intervention. It also provides a quantification of the behavior of an infant orangutan before and after being orphaned. Zoo Biol 30:205-211, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Zoo agent’s measure in applying the five freedoms principles for animal welfare

PubMed Central

Demartoto, Argyo; Soemanto, Robertus Bellarminus; Zunariyah, Siti

2017-01-01

Background: Animal welfare should be prioritized not only for the animal’s life sustainability but also for supporting the sustainability of living organism’s life on the earth. However, Indonesian people have not understood it yet, thereby still treating animals arbitrarily and not appreciating either domesticated or wild animals. Aim: This research aimed to analyze the zoo agent’s action in applying the five freedoms principle for animal welfare in Taman Satwa Taru Jurug (thereafter called TSTJ) or Surakarta Zoo and Gembira Loka Zoo (GLZ) of Yogyakarta Indonesia using Giddens structuration theory. Materials and Methods: The informants in this comparative study with explorative were organizers, visitors, and stakeholders of zoos selected using purposive sampling technique. The informants consisted of 19 persons: 8 from TSTJ (Code T) and 10 from GLZ (Code G) and representatives from Natural Resource Conservation Center of Central Java (Code B). Data were collected through observation, in-depth interview, and Focus Group Discussion and Documentation. Data were analyzed using an interactive model of analysis consisting of three components: Data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. Data validation was carried out using method and data source triangulations. Results: Food, nutrition, and nutrition level have been given consistent with the animals’ habit and natural behavior. Animal keepers always maintain their self-cleanliness. GLZ has provided cages according to the technical instruction of constructing ideal cages, but the cages in TSTJ are worrying as they are not consistent with standard, rusty, and damaged, and animals have no partner. Some animals in GLZ are often sick, whereas some animals in TSTJ are dead due to poor maintenance. The iron pillars of cages restrict animal behavior in TSTJ so that they have not had freedom to behave normally yet, whereas, in GLZ, they can move freely in original habitat. The animals in the two zoos have not

A serologic survey of viral infections in captive ungulates in Turkish zoos.

PubMed

Yeşilbağ, Kadir; Alpay, Gizem; Karakuzulu, Hatice

2011-03-01

Zoos and zoologic gardens make optimal environments for interspecies transmission of viral infections. There are seven zoos and several small zoologic collections in Turkey. This study aimed to determine the current status of viral infections in captive ungulates living in these environments. Blood samples were taken from 163 captive animals from two zoos. There were 39 Cameroon sheep (Ovis ammon f aries), 11 Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia), 57 pygmy goats (Capra hircus), 9 Angora goats (Capra hircus), 21 mountain goats (Capra aegagrus-aegagrus), 7 llamas (Lama glama), 8 Persian goitred gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa subgutturosa), 7 Caspian red deer (Cervus elaphus maral), 2 fallow deer (Dama dama), and 2 camels (Camelus dromedarius). Antibodies against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1), bovine adenoviruses (BAV-1 and -3), parainfluenzavirus 3 (PI-3), and bluetongue viruses (BTV-4 and -9) were investigated using the virus neutralization test, and malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) antibodies were screened by ELISA. All animals were negative for BVDV and BHV-1 antibodies. Seroprevalence of BAV-1, BAV-3, PI-3, BRSV, BT-4, BT-9, and MCF were detected as follows: 46.6%, 60.1%, 0.6%, 7.3%, 1.8%, 1.2%, and 51.6%, respectively. Seroprevalence of BAVs and MCF were more common than all other viruses (P < 0.0001). Ten sheep (37.0%), 48 goats (84.2), and 1 Ilama (14.2%) were the only species positive for MCF antibodies. Prevalence of BRSV and MCF antibodies were found to be significantly higher in goats than in sheep. BTV antibodies were detected both in Cameroon sheep and mountain goats and suggest that zoo animals are at risk for BTV in endemic regions.

There's a Zoo in Our Room

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Julie; Warner, Kathryn; Forsythe, Michelle

2017-01-01

It can be a struggle for early childhood teachers to create hands-on, engaging lessons about animals. This is especially true of units that require exposure to a wide range of animals from a variety of habitats. The authors' describe how they shook up their traditional animal unit by creating a Kindergarten zoo! Herein they summarize their…

Implementing a low-starch biscuit-free diet in zoo gorillas: the impact on health.

PubMed

Less, E H; Lukas, K E; Bergl, R; Ball, R; Kuhar, C W; Lavin, S R; Raghanti, M A; Wensvoort, J; Willis, M A; Dennis, P M

2014-01-01

In the wild, western lowland gorillas consume a diet high in fiber and low in caloric density. In contrast, many gorillas in zoos consume a diet that is high-calorie and low in fiber. Some items commonly used in captive gorilla diets contain high levels of starch and sugars, which are minimal in the natural diet of gorillas. There is a growing concern that captive gorillas may qualify as obese. Furthermore, the leading cause of death for adult male gorillas in zoos is heart disease. In humans, a diet that is high in simple carbohydrates is associated with both obesity and the incidence of heart disease. In response to these issues, we implemented a biscuit-free diet (free of biscuits and low in fruit) and measured serum biomarkers of obesity and insulin resistance pre- and post-diet change at three institutions: North Carolina Zoological Garden, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, and Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. We also added a resistant starch supplement to gorilla diets at two of the above institutions. We anticipated that these diet changes would positively affect biomarkers of obesity and insulin resistance. Both diet manipulations led to a reduction in insulin. Resistant starch also decreased overall serum cholesterol levels. Future research will examine these health changes in a greater number of individuals to determine if the results remain consistent with these preliminary findings. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Observing Animal Behavior at the Zoo: A Learning Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hull, Debra B.

2003-01-01

Undergraduate students in a learning laboratory course initially chose a species to study; researched that species' physical and behavioral characteristics; then learned skills necessary to select, operationalize, observe, and record animal behavior accurately. After their classroom preparation, students went to a local zoo to observe the behavior…

UV spectroscopy of the most metal-poor galaxies: clues for interpreting distant galaxy observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wofford, A.; Vidal-García, A.; Feltre, A.; Chevallard, J.; Herenz, E.; Charlot, S., Stark, D. P.; Hayes, M.

2017-11-01

Among the most metal-poor galaxies known, SBS 0335-052E is on one of the most well-studied. For this galaxy, we present Hubble Space Telescope (HST) / Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) detections of the C IV λλ1549, 1551, He II λ1640, O III] λλ1661, 1666, [C III] λ1907, and C III] λ1909 UV emission lines; and a Very Large Telescope (VLT) / Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) spectrum covering from 4600 to 9400 Å, which is co-spatial with the UV data and integrated over the same area. Using these datasets we test: a) the latest Charlot & Bruzal spectral synthesis models with very massive (300 M_⊙) single non-rotating stars; b) the ability of the tool, BayEsian Analysis of GaLaxy sEds (BEAGLE) to reproduce the observed emission line fluxes; and c) the extent to which physical properties of the gas and dust derived independently from the UV and optical with BEAGLE are constrained. The UV observations are part of a pilot program where we also observed UGC 5340-1 and I Zw 18 SE, whose spectra we also present in this contribution.

"Our Zoo to You": The Link between Zoo Animals in the Classroom and Science and Literacy Concepts in First-Grade Journal Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Kathleen; Trainin, Guy; Laughridge, Virginia; Brooks, David; Wickless, Mimi

2011-01-01

This study examined first-grade students' journal writing to determine how placing live zoo animals in classrooms for science education links to students' emergent and early writing. Students were asked to write journal entries during the daily language arts period. Although no direct instruction in informational text writing was offered, teachers…

Comparative cytogenetic analysis of sex chromosomes in several Canidae species using zoo-FISH.

PubMed

Bugno-Poniewierska, Monika; Sojecka, Agnieszka; Pawlina, Klaudia; Jakubczak, Andrzej; Jezewska-Witkowska, Grazyna

2012-01-01

Sex chromosome differentiation began early during mammalian evolution. The karyotype of almost all placental mammals living today includes a pair of heterosomes: XX in females and XY in males. The genomes of different species may contain homologous synteny blocks indicating that they share a common ancestry. One of the tools used for their identification is the Zoo-FISH technique. The aim of the study was to determine whether sex chromosomes of some members of the Canidae family (the domestic dog, the red fox, the arctic fox, an interspecific hybrid: arctic fox x red fox and the Chinese raccoon dog) are evolutionarily conservative. Comparative cytogenetic analysis by Zoo-FISH using painting probes specific to domestic dog heterosomes was performed. The results show the presence of homologous synteny covering the entire structures of the X and the Y chromosomes. This suggests that sex chromosomes are conserved in the Canidae family. The data obtained through Zoo-FISH karyotype analysis append information obtained using other comparative genomics methods, giving a more complete depiction of genome evolution.

Lion, ungulate, and visitor reactions to playbacks of lion roars at Zoo Atlanta.

PubMed

Kelling, Angela S; Allard, Stephanie M; Kelling, Nicholas J; Sandhaus, Estelle A; Maple, Terry L

2012-01-01

Felids in captivity are often inactive and elusive in zoos, leading to a frustrating visitor experience. Eight roars were recorded from an adult male lion and played back over speakers as auditory enrichment to benefit the lions while simultaneously enhancing the zoo visitor experience. In addition, ungulates in an adjacent exhibit were observed to ensure that the novel location and increased frequency of roars did not lead to a stress or fear response. The male lion in this study roared more in the playback phase than in the baseline phases while not increasing any behaviors that would indicate compromised welfare. In addition, zoo visitors remained at the lion exhibit longer during playback. The nearby ungulates never exhibited any reactions stronger than orienting to playbacks, identical to their reactions to live roars. Therefore, naturalistic playbacks of lion roars are a potential form of auditory enrichment that leads to more instances of live lion roars and enhances the visitor experience without increasing the stress levels of nearby ungulates or the lion themselves, who might interpret the roar as that of an intruder.

Pathways for Success in Developing a Nature Trail at a Zoo: A Mixed-Methods Evaluative Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hendrickson, Carol F.

2010-01-01

Modern zoos serve as tourist attractions and recreational facilities, while providing educational outreach programs in ecology, conservation, and animal needs. However, in the 21st century, there has been a negative backlash of people associating zoos with animals being shut away in cages or pits. This case study included an examination of the…

High-energy gamma-ray and neutrino production in star-forming galaxies across cosmic time: Difficulties in explaining the IceCube data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudoh, Takahiro; Totani, Tomonori; Kawanaka, Norita

2018-06-01

We present new theoretical modeling to predict the luminosity and spectrum of gamma-ray and neutrino emission of a star-forming galaxy, from the star formation rate (ψ), gas mass (Mgas), stellar mass, and disk size, taking into account production, propagation, and interactions of cosmic rays. The model reproduces the observed gamma-ray luminosities of nearby galaxies detected by Fermi better than the simple power-law models as a function of ψ or ψMgas. This model is then used to predict the cosmic background flux of gamma-rays and neutrinos from star-forming galaxies, by using a semi-analytical model of cosmological galaxy formation that reproduces many observed quantities of local and high-redshift galaxies. Calibration of the model using gamma-ray luminosities of nearby galaxies allows us to make a more reliable prediction than previous studies. In our baseline model, star-forming galaxies produce about 20% of the isotropic gamma-ray background unresolved by Fermi, and only 0.5% of IceCube neutrinos. Even with an extreme model assuming a hard injection cosmic-ray spectral index of 2.0 for all galaxies, at most 22% of IceCube neutrinos can be accounted for. These results indicate that it is difficult to explain most of the IceCube neutrinos by star-forming galaxies, without violating the gamma-ray constraints from nearby galaxies.

High-energy gamma-ray and neutrino production in star-forming galaxies across cosmic time: Difficulties in explaining the IceCube data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudoh, Takahiro; Totani, Tomonori; Kawanaka, Norita

2018-04-01

We present new theoretical modeling to predict the luminosity and spectrum of gamma-ray and neutrino emission of a star-forming galaxy, from the star formation rate (ψ), gas mass (Mgas), stellar mass, and disk size, taking into account production, propagation, and interactions of cosmic rays. The model reproduces the observed gamma-ray luminosities of nearby galaxies detected by Fermi better than the simple power-law models as a function of ψ or ψMgas. This model is then used to predict the cosmic background flux of gamma-rays and neutrinos from star-forming galaxies, by using a semi-analytical model of cosmological galaxy formation that reproduces many observed quantities of local and high-redshift galaxies. Calibration of the model using gamma-ray luminosities of nearby galaxies allows us to make a more reliable prediction than previous studies. In our baseline model, star-forming galaxies produce about 20% of the isotropic gamma-ray background unresolved by Fermi, and only 0.5% of IceCube neutrinos. Even with an extreme model assuming a hard injection cosmic-ray spectral index of 2.0 for all galaxies, at most 22% of IceCube neutrinos can be accounted for. These results indicate that it is difficult to explain most of the IceCube neutrinos by star-forming galaxies, without violating the gamma-ray constraints from nearby galaxies.

Beyond Borders: Zoo as Training Location for Wildlife Biologists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melber, Leah M.; Bergren, Rachel; Santymire, Rachel

2011-01-01

The role of institutions such as zoos in global conservation efforts is critical. In addition to serving as informal learning centers for the general public, these institutions are well-positioned to provide training and professional development for the next generation of conservation scientists. And while many organizations traditionally have…

A remarkable double-ring galaxy in the cluster Abell 2199

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pence, W.D.; Oegerle, W.; Borne, K.D.

B and R CCD images have been obtained of the morphologically peculiar galaxy A1627 + 39, which lies near the center of the rich cluster of galaxies A2199. The galaxy is determined to be a nearly face-on barred S0 galaxy containing two nonconcentric rings. The rings are quite unusual in that they are displaced in opposite directions from the galactic center. There is no color difference across the rings, indicating no recent burst of star formation. Two hypotheses for the origin of the rings have been investigated: (1) a resonance effect with the central bar, and (2) the result ofmore » an off-axis, deeply penetrating collision with another cluster member. Models of such a collision are presented, which can reproduce the observed rings. However, neither hypothesis can provide a completely satisfactory explanation of all the observations reported here. 32 refs.« less

New analytical solutions for chemical evolution models: characterizing the population of star-forming and passive galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spitoni, E.; Vincenzo, F.; Matteucci, F.

2017-03-01

Context. Analytical models of chemical evolution, including inflow and outflow of gas, are important tools for studying how the metal content in galaxies evolves as a function of time. Aims: We present new analytical solutions for the evolution of the gas mass, total mass, and metallicity of a galactic system when a decaying exponential infall rate of gas and galactic winds are assumed. We apply our model to characterize a sample of local star-forming and passive galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey data, with the aim of reproducing their observed mass-metallicity relation. Methods: We derived how the two populations of star-forming and passive galaxies differ in their particular distribution of ages, formation timescales, infall masses, and mass loading factors. Results: We find that the local passive galaxies are, on average, older and assembled on shorter typical timescales than the local star-forming galaxies; on the other hand, the star-forming galaxies with higher masses generally show older ages and longer typical formation timescales compared than star-forming galaxies with lower masses. The local star-forming galaxies experience stronger galactic winds than the passive galaxy population. Exploring the effect of assuming different initial mass functions in our model, we show that to reproduce the observed mass-metallicity relation, stronger winds are requested if the initial mass function is top-heavy. Finally, our analytical models predict the assumed sample of local galaxies to lie on a tight surface in the 3D space defined by stellar metallicity, star formation rate, and stellar mass, in agreement with the well-known fundamental relation from adopting gas-phase metallicity. Conclusions: By using a new analytical model of chemical evolution, we characterize an ensemble of SDSS galaxies in terms of their infall timescales, infall masses, and mass loading factors. Local passive galaxies are, on average, older and assembled on shorter typical

From Peer-Reviewed to Peer-Reproduced in Scholarly Publishing: The Complementary Roles of Data Models and Workflows in Bioinformatics

PubMed Central

Zhao, Jun; Avila-Garcia, Maria Susana; Roos, Marco; Thompson, Mark; van der Horst, Eelke; Kaliyaperumal, Rajaram; Luo, Ruibang; Lee, Tin-Lap; Lam, Tak-wah; Edmunds, Scott C.; Sansone, Susanna-Assunta

2015-01-01

Motivation Reproducing the results from a scientific paper can be challenging due to the absence of data and the computational tools required for their analysis. In addition, details relating to the procedures used to obtain the published results can be difficult to discern due to the use of natural language when reporting how experiments have been performed. The Investigation/Study/Assay (ISA), Nanopublications (NP), and Research Objects (RO) models are conceptual data modelling frameworks that can structure such information from scientific papers. Computational workflow platforms can also be used to reproduce analyses of data in a principled manner. We assessed the extent by which ISA, NP, and RO models, together with the Galaxy workflow system, can capture the experimental processes and reproduce the findings of a previously published paper reporting on the development of SOAPdenovo2, a de novo genome assembler. Results Executable workflows were developed using Galaxy, which reproduced results that were consistent with the published findings. A structured representation of the information in the SOAPdenovo2 paper was produced by combining the use of ISA, NP, and RO models. By structuring the information in the published paper using these data and scientific workflow modelling frameworks, it was possible to explicitly declare elements of experimental design, variables, and findings. The models served as guides in the curation of scientific information and this led to the identification of inconsistencies in the original published paper, thereby allowing its authors to publish corrections in the form of an errata. Availability SOAPdenovo2 scripts, data, and results are available through the GigaScience Database: http://dx.doi.org/10.5524/100044; the workflows are available from GigaGalaxy: http://galaxy.cbiit.cuhk.edu.hk; and the representations using the ISA, NP, and RO models are available through the SOAPdenovo2 case study website http

Cosmological Simulations of Galaxy Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borgani, Stefano; Kravtsov, Andrey

2011-02-01

We review recent progress in the description of the formation and evolution of galaxy clusters in a cosmological context by using state-of-art numerical simulations. We focus our presentation on the comparison between simulated and observed X-ray properties, while we will also discuss numerical predictions on properties of the galaxy population in clusters, as observed in the optical band. Many of the salient observed properties of clusters, such as scaling relations between X-ray observables and total mass, radial profiles of entropy and density of the intracluster gas, and radial distribution of galaxies are reproduced quite well. In particular, the outer regions of cluster at radii beyond about 10 per cent of the virial radius are quite regular and exhibit scaling with mass remarkably close to that expected in the simplest case in which only the action of gravity determines the evolution of the intra-cluster gas. However, simulations generally fail at reproducing the observed "cool core" structure of clusters: simulated clusters generally exhibit a significant excess of gas cooling in their central regions, which causes both an overestimate of the star formation in the cluster centers and incorrect temperature and entropy profiles. The total baryon fraction in clusters is below the mean universal value, by an amount which depends on the cluster-centric distance and the physics included in the simulations, with interesting tensions between observed stellar and gas fractions in clusters and predictions of simulations. Besides their important implications for the cosmological application of clusters, these puzzles also point towards the important role played by additional physical processes, beyond those already included in the simulations. We review the role played by these processes, along with the difficulty for their implementation, and discuss the outlook for the future progress in numerical modeling of clusters.

A retrospective study of mortality in varanid lizards (Reptilia: Squamata: Varanidae) at the Bronx Zoo: implications for husbandry and reproductive management in zoos.

PubMed

Mendyk, Robert W; Newton, Alisa L; Baumer, Megan

2013-03-01

Varanid lizards have been maintained in zoological parks for more than a century, yet few studies to date have attempted to pinpoint significant health issues affecting their management or areas of captive husbandry that are in need of improvement. In an effort to identify and better understand some of the husbandry-related challenges and health issues specifically affecting varanids in zoos, this study examined mortality in 16 species maintained at the Bronx Zoo between 1968 and 2009. Out of 108 records reviewed, complete necropsy reports were available for 85 individuals. Infection-related processes including bacterial (15.3%), protozoal (12.9%), nematode (9.4%), and fungal (3.5%) infections accounted for the greatest number of deaths (47.1%). Noninfectious diseases including female reproductive disorders (7.1%), neoplasia (7.1%), gout (10.8%), and hemipenal prolapse (1.3%) accounted for 29.4% of deaths. Multiple disease agents were responsible for 5.9% of deaths, and a cause for death could not be determined for 17.7% of individuals. Reproductive complications accounted for 11.5% of female deaths, but were identified in 23.1% of females. Although not necessarily the cause for death, gout was present in 18.8% of individuals. Differences in mortality between species, genders, and origin (captive-bred vs. wild-caught) were also evaluated. The results of this study corroborate earlier findings that identify bacterial infections, neoplasia, female reproductive disorders, gout, and endoparasitism as major sources of mortality in captive varanids. In light of these results, we discuss potential etiologies and offer recommendations for improving captive management practices in zoos. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Quenching and ram pressure stripping of simulated Milky Way satellite galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, Christine; Grand, Robert; Gomez, Facundo; Marinacci, Federico; Pakmor, Rüdiger; Springel, Volker; Campbell, David; Frenk, Carlos; Auriga Project, Virgo Consortium

2018-01-01

We present predictions for the quenching of star formation in satellite galaxies of the Local Group from a suite of 30 cosmological zoom simulations of Milky Way-like host galaxies. The Auriga simulations resolve satellites down to the luminosity of the classical dwarf spheroidal galaxies of the Milky Way. We find strong mass-dependent and distance-dependent quenching signals, where dwarf systems beyond 600 kpc are only strongly quenched below a stellar mass of 107 M⊙. Ram pressure stripping appears to be the dominant quenching mechanism and 50% of quenched systems cease star formation within 1 Gyr of first infall. We demonstrate that systems within a host galaxy's R200 radius are comprised of two populations: (i) a first infall population that has entered the host halo within the past few Gyrs and (ii) a population of returning `backsplash' systems that have had a much more extended interaction with the host. Backsplash galaxies that do not return to the host galaxy by redshift zero exhibit quenching properties similar to galaxies within R200 and are distinct from other external systems. The simulated quenching trend with stellar mass has some tension with observations, but our simulations are able reproduce the range of quenching times measured from resolved stellar populations of Local Group dwarf galaxies.

Quenching and ram pressure stripping of simulated Milky Way satellite galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, Christine M.; Grand, Robert J. J.; Gómez, Facundo A.; Marinacci, Federico; Pakmor, Rüdiger; Springel, Volker; Campbell, David J. R.; Frenk, Carlos S.

2018-07-01

We present predictions for the quenching of star formation in satellite galaxies of the Local Group from a suite of 30 cosmological zoom simulations of Milky Way-like host galaxies. The Auriga simulations resolve satellites down to the luminosity of the classical dwarf spheroidal galaxies of the Milky Way. We find strong mass-dependent and distance-dependent quenching signals, where dwarf systems beyond 600 kpc are only strongly quenched below a stellar mass of 107 M⊙. Ram pressure stripping appears to be the dominant quenching mechanism and 50 per cent of quenched systems cease star formation within 1 Gyr of first infall. We demonstrate that systems within a host galaxy's R200 radius are comprised of two populations: (i) a first infall population that has entered the host halo within the past few Gyrs and (ii) a population of returning `backsplash' systems that have had a much more extended interaction with the host. Backsplash galaxies that do not return to the host galaxy by redshift zero exhibit quenching properties similar to galaxies within R200 and are distinct from other external systems. The simulated quenching trend with stellar mass has some tension with observations, but our simulations are able reproduce the range of quenching times measured from resolved stellar populations of Local Group dwarf galaxies.

Quenching and ram pressure stripping of simulated Milky Way satellite galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, Christine M.; Grand, Robert J. J.; Gómez, Facundo A.; Marinacci, Federico; Pakmor, Rüdiger; Springel, Volker; Campbell, David J. R.; Frenk, Carlos S.

2018-03-01

We present predictions for the quenching of star formation in satellite galaxies of the Local Group from a suite of 30 cosmological zoom simulations of Milky Way-like host galaxies. The Auriga simulations resolve satellites down to the luminosity of the classical dwarf spheroidal galaxies of the Milky Way. We find strong mass-dependent and distance-dependent quenching signals, where dwarf systems beyond 600 kpc are only strongly quenched below a stellar mass of 107 M⊙. Ram pressure stripping appears to be the dominant quenching mechanism and 50% of quenched systems cease star formation within 1 Gyr of first infall. We demonstrate that systems within a host galaxy's R200 radius are comprised of two populations: (i) a first infall population that has entered the host halo within the past few Gyrs and (ii) a population of returning `backsplash' systems that have had a much more extended interaction with the host. Backsplash galaxies that do not return to the host galaxy by redshift zero exhibit quenching properties similar to galaxies within R200 and are distinct from other external systems. The simulated quenching trend with stellar mass has some tension with observations, but our simulations are able reproduce the range of quenching times measured from resolved stellar populations of Local Group dwarf galaxies.

Mass-Discrepancy Acceleration Relation: A Natural Outcome of Galaxy Formation in Cold Dark Matter Halos.

PubMed

Ludlow, Aaron D; Benítez-Llambay, Alejandro; Schaller, Matthieu; Theuns, Tom; Frenk, Carlos S; Bower, Richard; Schaye, Joop; Crain, Robert A; Navarro, Julio F; Fattahi, Azadeh; Oman, Kyle A

2017-04-21

We analyze the total and baryonic acceleration profiles of a set of well-resolved galaxies identified in the eagle suite of hydrodynamic simulations. Our runs start from the same initial conditions but adopt different prescriptions for unresolved stellar and active galactic nuclei feedback, resulting in diverse populations of galaxies by the present day. Some of them reproduce observed galaxy scaling relations, while others do not. However, regardless of the feedback implementation, all of our galaxies follow closely a simple relationship between the total and baryonic acceleration profiles, consistent with recent observations of rotationally supported galaxies. The relation has small scatter: Different feedback implementations-which produce different galaxy populations-mainly shift galaxies along the relation rather than perpendicular to it. Furthermore, galaxies exhibit a characteristic acceleration g_{†}, above which baryons dominate the mass budget, as observed. These observations, consistent with simple modified Newtonian dynamics, can be accommodated within the standard cold dark matter paradigm.

CO excitation in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 7130

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozzi, F.; Vallini, L.; Vignali, C.; Talia, M.; Gruppioni, C.; Mingozzi, M.; Massardi, M.; Andreani, P.

2017-09-01

We present a coherent multiband modelling of the carbon monoxide (CO) spectral energy distribution of the local Seyfert galaxy NGC 7130 to assess the impact of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity on the molecular gas. We take advantage of all the available data from X-ray to the submillimetre, including ALMA data. The high-resolution (˜0.2 arcsec) ALMA CO(6-5) data constrain the spatial extension of the CO emission down to an ˜70 pc scale. From the analysis of the archival Chandra and NuSTAR data, we infer the presence of a buried, Compton-thick AGN of moderate luminosity, L2-10 keV ˜ 1.6 × 1043 erg s-1. We explore photodissociation and X-ray-dominated-region (PDR and XDR) models to reproduce the CO emission. We find that PDRs can reproduce the CO lines up to J ˜ 6; however, the higher rotational ladder requires the presence of a separate source of excitation. We consider X-ray heating by the AGNs as a source of excitation, and find that it can reproduce the observed CO spectral energy distribution. By adopting a composite PDR+XDR model, we derive molecular cloud properties. Our study clearly indicates the capabilities offered by the current generation of instruments to shed light on the properties of nearby galaxies by adopting state-of-the-art physical modelling.

Dynamical simulations of the interacting galaxies in the NGC 520/UGC 957 system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanford, S. A.; Balcells, Marc

1991-01-01

Numerical simulations of the interacting galaxies in the NGC 520/UGC 957 system are presented. Two sets of models were produced to investigate the postulated three-galaxy system of two colliding disk galaxies within NGC 520 and the dwarf galaxy UGC 957. The first set of models simulated a dwarf perturbing one-disk galaxy, which tested the possibility that NGC 520 contains only one galaxy disturbed by the passage of UGC 957. The resulting morphology of the perturbed single disk in the simulation fails to reproduce the observed tidal tails and northwest mass condensation of NGC 520. A second set of models simulated two colliding disks, which tested the hypothesis that NGC 520 itself contains two galaxies in a strong collision and UGC 957 is unimportant to the interaction. These disk-disk models produced a good match to the morphology of the present NGC 520. It is concluded that (1) NGC 520 contains two colliding disk galaxies which have produced the brighter southern half of the long tidal tail and (2) UGC 957, which may originally have been a satellite of one of the disk galaxies, formed the diffuse northern tail as it orbited NGC 520.

Circadian rhythm of salivary cortisol secretion in female zoo-kept African elephants (Loxodonta africana).

PubMed

Casares, Miguel; Silván, Gema; Carbonell, Maria Dolores; Gerique, Cati; Martinez-Fernandez, Leticia; Cáceres, Sara; Illera, Juan Carlos

2016-01-01

Salivary samples were collected over a 24-hr period from one group of six juvenile (7-12 years) and one group of three adult (24-25 years) African elephant females, Loxodonta africana, and the cortisol concentration was measured in unextracted samples by EIA. Samples were collected during May, June, and November 2012 (n = 147) using cotton swabs at 4-hr intervals from 20:00 to 20:00 of the next day (seven samples per animal in each trial). The animals are kept under standard zoo management: the herd is maintained in their indoor enclosures until 10:00 and then released into the outdoor enclosures until 21:00-21:30 (May/June) and 18:30-19:00 (November). No adult elephant bull was present at the zoo during this time. The results demonstrate a clear diurnal pattern of cortisol secretion with the lowest concentration observed at 20:00 (2.03 ± 0.08 ng/ml saliva) and the peak concentrations at 08:00 (5.26 ± 0.35 ng/ml saliva). Although the cortisol values were higher in the adult cows compared to the juvenile cows in the May-June period, the differences were not significant. However, the values obtained in November from the juvenile group were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the concentrations measured in this group in June. In conclusion, salivary cortisol in zoo elephants follows a circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle) adapted to daily zoo husbandry routines. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A potentially fatal mix of herpes in zoos.

PubMed

Greenwood, Alex D; Tsangaras, Kyriakos; Ho, Simon Y W; Szentiks, Claudia A; Nikolin, Veljko M; Ma, Guanggang; Damiani, Armando; East, Marion L; Lawrenz, Arne; Hofer, Heribert; Osterrieder, Nikolaus

2012-09-25

Pathogens often have a limited host range, but some can opportunistically jump to new species. Anthropogenic activities that mix reservoir species with novel, hence susceptible, species can provide opportunities for pathogens to spread beyond their normal host range. Furthermore, rapid evolution can produce new pathogens by mechanisms such as genetic recombination. Zoos unintentionally provide pathogens with a high diversity of species from different continents and habitats assembled within a confined space. Institutions alert to the problem of pathogen spread to unexpected hosts can monitor the emergence of pathogens and take preventative measures. However, asymptomatic infections can result in the causative pathogens remaining undetected in their reservoir host. Furthermore, pathogen spread to unexpected hosts may remain undiagnosed if the outcome of infection is limited, as in the case of compromised fertility, or if more severe outcomes are restricted to less charismatic species that prompt only limited investigation. We illustrate this problem here with a recombinant zebra herpesvirus infecting charismatic species including zoo polar bears over at least four years. The virus may cause fatal encephalitis and infects at least five mammalian orders, apparently without requiring direct contact with infected animals. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Galaxies in the Illustris simulation as seen by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey - II. Size-luminosity relations and the deficit of bulge-dominated galaxies in Illustris at low mass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bottrell, Connor; Torrey, Paul; Simard, Luc; Ellison, Sara L.

2017-05-01

The interpretive power of the newest generation of large-volume hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy formation rests upon their ability to reproduce the observed properties of galaxies. In this second paper in a series, we employ bulge+disc decompositions of realistic dust-free galaxy images from the Illustris simulation in a consistent comparison with galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Examining the size-luminosity relations of each sample, we find that galaxies in Illustris are roughly twice as large and 0.7 mag brighter on average than galaxies in the SDSS. The trend of increasing slope and decreasing normalization of size-luminosity as a function of bulge fraction is qualitatively similar to observations. However, the size-luminosity relations of Illustris galaxies are quantitatively distinguished by higher normalizations and smaller slopes than for real galaxies. We show that this result is linked to a significant deficit of bulge-dominated galaxies in Illustris relative to the SDSS at stellar masses log M_{\\star }/M_{⊙}≲ 11. We investigate this deficit by comparing bulge fraction estimates derived from photometry and internal kinematics. We show that photometric bulge fractions are systematically lower than the kinematic fractions at low masses, but with increasingly good agreement as the stellar mass increases.

Emission from the Ionized Gaseous Halos of Low-redshift Galaxies and Their Neighbors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Huanian; Zaritsky, Dennis; Behroozi, Peter

2018-07-01

Using a sample of nearly half a million galaxies, intersected by over 8 million lines of sight from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 12, we extend our previous study of the recombination radiation emitted by the gaseous halos of nearby galaxies. We identify an inflection in the radial profile of the Hα+N[II] radial emission profile at a projected radius of ∼50 kpc and suggest that beyond this radius the emission from ionized gas in spatially correlated halos dominates the profile. We confirm that this is a viable hypothesis using results from a highly simplified theoretical treatment in which the dark matter halo distribution from cosmological simulations is straightforwardly populated with gas. Whether we fit the fraction of halo gas in a cooler (T = 12,000 K), smooth (c = 1) component (0.26 for galaxies with {M}* ={10}10.88 M ⊙ and 0.34 for those with {M}* ={10}10.18 M ⊙) or take independent values of this fraction from published hydrodynamical simulations (0.19 and 0.38, respectively), this model successfully reproduces the radial location and amplitude of the observed inflection. We also observe that the physical nature of the gaseous halo connects to primary galaxy morphology beyond any relationship to the galaxy’s stellar mass and star formation rate. We explore whether the model reproduces behavior related to the central galaxy’s stellar mass, star formation rate, and morphology. We find that it is unsuccessful in reproducing the observations at this level of detail and discuss various shortcomings of our simple model that may be responsible.

H2-based star formation laws in hierarchical models of galaxy formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Lizhi; De Lucia, Gabriella; Hirschmann, Michaela; Fontanot, Fabio; Zoldan, Anna

2017-07-01

We update our recently published model for GAlaxy Evolution and Assembly (GAEA), to include a self-consistent treatment of the partition of cold gas in atomic and molecular hydrogen. Our model provides significant improvements with respect to previous ones used for similar studies. In particular, GAEA (I) includes a sophisticated chemical enrichment scheme accounting for non-instantaneous recycling of gas, metals and energy; (II) reproduces the measured evolution of the galaxy stellar mass function; (III) reasonably reproduces the observed correlation between galaxy stellar mass and gas metallicity at different redshifts. These are important prerequisites for models considering a metallicity-dependent efficiency of molecular gas formation. We also update our model for disc sizes and show that model predictions are in nice agreement with observational estimates for the gas, stellar and star-forming discs at different cosmic epochs. We analyse the influence of different star formation laws including empirical relations based on the hydrostatic pressure of the disc, analytic models and prescriptions derived from detailed hydrodynamical simulations. We find that modifying the star formation law does not affect significantly the global properties of model galaxies, neither their distributions. The only quantity showing significant deviations in different models is the cosmic molecular-to-atomic hydrogen ratio, particularly at high redshift. Unfortunately, however, this quantity also depends strongly on the modelling adopted for additional physical processes. Useful constraints on the physical processes regulating star formation can be obtained focusing on low-mass galaxies and/or at higher redshift. In this case, self-regulation has not yet washed out differences imprinted at early time.

Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and tick-borne encephalitis virus in zoo animal species in the Czech Republic.

PubMed

Sirmarová, Jana; Tichá, Lucie; Golovchenko, Marina; Salát, Jiří; Grubhoffer, Libor; Rudenko, Nataliia; Nowotny, Norbert; Růžek, Daniel

2014-09-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies against Borrelia bugdorferi (Bb) s.l. and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in zoo animals in the Czech Republic. We collected 133 serum samples from 69 animal species from 5 zoos located in different parts of the country. The samples were obtained from even-toed ungulates (n=78; 42 species), odd-toed ungulates (n=32; 11 species), carnivores (n=13; 9 species), primates (n=2, 2 species), birds (n=3; 2 species), and reptiles (n=5; 3 species). A high antibody prevalence (60%) was observed for Bb s.l. On the other hand, only two animals had TBEV-specific antibodies: a markhor (Capra falconeri) and a reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), both from the same zoo, located in an area endemic for TBEV. Both of these animals were also positive for Bb s.l. antibodies. Our results indicate that a high number of animal species in the Czech zoos were exposed to Bb s.l. and that TBEV infection occurred at least in one of the investigated zoos. Considering the pathogenic potential of these two tick-borne pathogens, clinical and serological monitoring should be continued, and therapeutic and preventive measures should be taken when necessary. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

An examination of environmental collective identity development across three life-stages: The contribution of social public experiences at zoos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fraser, John Robert

This research breaks ground toward a revised theory of how collective environmental identity is associated with pro-environmental behaviors. My research comprises three activities that examined the experiences of three groups of people who claim zoo visiting as an important part of their life-story. The three studied groups were; conservation biologists who describe zoo experiences as having significant formative role in their childhood development of environmental values; parents who prioritize zoo visits as an important cultural experiences for their children; and a active zoo volunteers. This research also investigated whether the group experiences these participants had at zoos contributed to the value these people place on their current collective and environmental identities. Field conservationists' interest in learning from animals was validated by parents who also valued education and helped these children develop identities that included other animals in their scope of justice. Parents used zoos instrumentally to promote caring for others as a skill that will serve their children's socio-political future as part of human society. In both cases, these experiences appeared to be shaped around developing attitudes that would include animals in these children's scope of justice in later life. Zoo volunteers included animals in their scope of justice, believing that other species were also important sources of for their knowledge development. Shared positive attitudes toward animals were central to volunteers feeling part of a community and contributing to their collective self-esteem. The group may serve a restorative function in their lives, allowing them to take on a more activist role in society, seeking to promote social norms that are more inclusive of animal rights, and helping them to change their behaviors toward more environmentally responsible ends. This research contributes to the understanding of the theory of planned behavior and the values

Report - Susceptibility of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli from Zoo birds in Indonesia to antibiotics and disinfectants.

PubMed

Umar, Sajid; Maiyah, Ana Triana; Shareef, Mehwish; Qadir, Hajra; Nisa, Qamarun; Abbas, Seema

2018-03-01

Antibiotic resistance in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is a common problem in the Indonesian poultry industry. Zoo birds have been postulated as sentinels, reservoirs, and potential spreaders of antibiotic resistance, although much is still unknown about the strains of zoo birds. Disinfection can reduce the infection burden. However, little is known about the presence of resistance against these products. Sixty one APEC strains were isolated from Indonesian zoo birds. The resistance to different classes of antibiotics as well as the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of five disinfectants most often used in the poultry industry was determined. Resistance to tetracycline (42.6%), sulfonamides (24.5%), ampicillin (22.9%), gentamicin (19.6), nalidixic acid (18.03%) and streptomycin (16.3%) was high, but resistance to other tested antibiotics was low and none of the isolates were resistant to extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producers. Sixteen strains (26.2%) were found positive for multi drug resistance. The MIC of the disinfectants for the APEC strains showed normal distribution, indicating that there was no acquired resistance. MBCs were similar to MICs using the broth dilution method, showing the bactericidal effect of the disinfectants. Phenotypic resistance to commonly used disinfectants could not be found, indicating that the current use of disinfectants in the zoo and aviaries did not select for resistance. Significantly high resistance rates against commonly used antibiotics in Indonesian zoos is worrisome and indicates that widespread use of antibiotics could have negative implications for animal health and the environment. Proper use of antibiotics and surveillance programs to monitor antimicrobial resistance in pathogenic bacteria are warranted.

Behavioral ecology of captive species: using behavioral adaptations to assess and enhance welfare of nonhuman zoo animals.

PubMed

Koene, Paul

2013-01-01

This project aimed to estimate a species' adaptations in nature and in captivity, assess welfare, suggest environmental changes, and find species characteristics that underlie welfare problems in nonhuman animals in the zoo. First, the current status of zoo animal welfare assessment was reviewed, and the behavioral ecology approach was outlined. In this approach, databases of species characteristics were developed using (a) literature of natural behavior and (b) captive behavior. Species characteristics were grouped in 8 functional behavioral ecological fitness-related categories: space, time, metabolic, safety, reproductive, comfort, social, and information adaptations. Assessments of the strength of behavioral adaptations in relation to environmental demands were made based on the results available from the literature. The databases with literature at the species level were coupled with databases of (c) behavioral observations and (d) welfare assessments under captive conditions. Observation and welfare assessment methods were adapted from the animal on the farm realm and applied to zoo species. It was expected that the comparison of the repertoire of behaviors in natural and captive environments would highlight welfare problems, provide solutions to welfare problems by environmental changes, and identify species characteristics underlying zoo animal welfare problems.

Understanding geographic origins and history of admixture among chimpanzees in European zoos, with implications for future breeding programmes.

PubMed

Hvilsom, C; Frandsen, P; Børsting, C; Carlsen, F; Sallé, B; Simonsen, B T; Siegismund, H R

2013-06-01

Despite ample focus on this endangered species, conservation planning for chimpanzees residing outside Africa has proven a challenge because of the lack of ancestry information. Here, we analysed the largest number of chimpanzee samples to date, examining microsatellites in >100 chimpanzees from the range of the species in Africa, and 20% of the European zoo population. We applied the knowledge about subspecies differentiation throughout equatorial Africa to assign origin to chimpanzees in the largest conservation management programme globally. A total of 63% of the genotyped chimpanzees from the European zoos could be assigned to one of the recognized subspecies. The majority being of West African origin (40%) will help consolidate the current breeding programme for this subspecies and the identification of individuals belonging to the two other subspecies so far found in European zoos can form the basis for breeding programmes for these. Individuals of various degree of mixed ancestry made up 37% of the genotyped European zoo population and thus highlight the need for appropriate management programmes guided by genetic analysis to preserve maximum genetic diversity and reduce hybridization among subspecies.

The Moon Zoo citizen science project: Preliminary results for the Apollo 17 landing site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bugiolacchi, Roberto; Bamford, Steven; Tar, Paul; Thacker, Neil; Crawford, Ian A.; Joy, Katherine H.; Grindrod, Peter M.; Lintott, Chris

2016-06-01

Moon Zoo is a citizen science project that utilises internet crowd-sourcing techniques. Moon Zoo users are asked to review high spatial resolution images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC), onboard NASA's LRO spacecraft, and perform characterisation such as measuring impact crater sizes and identify morphological 'features of interest'. The tasks are designed to address issues in lunar science and to aid future exploration of the Moon. We have tested various methodologies and parameters therein to interrogate and reduce the Moon Zoo crater location and size dataset against a validated expert survey. We chose the Apollo 17 region as a test area since it offers a broad range of cratered terrains, including secondary-rich areas, older maria, and uplands. The assessment involved parallel testing in three key areas: (1) filtering of data to remove problematic mark-ups; (2) clustering methods of multiple notations per crater; and (3) derivation of alternative crater degradation indices, based on the statistical variability of multiple notations and the smoothness of local image structures. We compared different combinations of methods and parameters and assessed correlations between resulting crater summaries and the expert census. We derived the optimal data reduction steps and settings of the existing Moon Zoo crater data to agree with the expert census. Further, the regolith depth and crater degradation states derived from the data are also found to be in broad agreement with other estimates for the Apollo 17 region. Our study supports the validity of this citizen science project but also recommends improvements in key elements of the data acquisition planning and production.

Measuring the impact of informal science education in zoos on environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Christopher David

Despite the emphasis in modern zoos and aquaria on conservation and environmental education, we know very little about what people learn in these settings, and even less about how they learn it. Research on informal learning in settings such as zoos has suffered from a lack of theory, with few connections being made to theories of learning in formal settings, or to theories regarding the nature of the educational goals. This dissertation consists of three parts: the development and analysis of a test instrument designed to measure constructs of environmental learning in zoos; the application of the test instrument along with qualitative data collection in an evaluation designed to measure the effectiveness of a zoo's education programs; and the analysis of individually matched pre- and post-test data to examine how environmental learning takes place, with respect to the constructivist view of learning, as well as theories of environmental learning and the barriers to pro-environmental behavior. The test instrument consisted of 40 items split into four scales: environmental knowledge, attitudes toward the environment, support for conservation, and environmentally responsible behavior. A model-driven approach was used to develop the instrument, which was analyzed using Item Response Theory and the Rasch dichotomous measurement model. After removal of two items with extremely high difficulty, the instrument was found to be unidimensional and sufficiently reliable. The results of the IRT analyses are interpreted with respect to a modern validity framework. The evaluation portion of this study applied this test instrument to measuring the impact of zoo education programs on 750 fourth through seventh grade students. Qualitative data was collected from program observations and teacher surveys, and a comparison was also made between programs that took place at the zoo, and those that took place in the school classroom, thereby asking questions regarding the role of

Adolescent Learning in the Zoo: Embedding a Non-Formal Learning Environment to Teach Formal Aspects of Vertebrate Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randler, Christoph; Kummer, Barbara; Wilhelm, Christian

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of a zoo visit in terms of learning and retention of knowledge concerning the adaptations and behavior of vertebrate species. Basis of the work was the concept of implementing zoo visits as an out-of-school setting for formal, curriculum based learning. Our theoretical framework centers on the…

A Universe of ultradiffuse galaxies: theoretical predictions from ΛCDM simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rong, Yu; Guo, Qi; Gao, Liang; Liao, Shihong; Xie, Lizhi; Puzia, Thomas H.; Sun, Shuangpeng; Pan, Jun

2017-10-01

A particular population of galaxies have drawn much interest recently, which are as faint as typical dwarf galaxies but have the sizes as large as L* galaxies, the so called ultradiffuse galaxies (UDGs). The lack of tidal features of UDGs in dense environments suggests that their host haloes are perhaps as massive as that of the Milky Way. On the other hand, galaxy formation efficiency should be much higher in the haloes of such masses. Here, we use the model galaxy catalogue generated by populating two large simulations: the Millennium-II cosmological simulation and Phoenix simulations of nine big clusters with the semi-analytic galaxy formation model. This model reproduces remarkably well the observed properties of UDGs in the nearby clusters, including the abundance, profile, colour and morphology, etc. We search for UDG candidates using the public data and find two UDG candidates in our Local Group and 23 in our Local Volume, in excellent agreement with the model predictions. We demonstrate that UDGs are genuine dwarf galaxies, formed in the haloes of ˜1010 M⊙. It is the combination of the late formation time and high spins of the host haloes that results in the spatially extended feature of this particular population. The lack of tidal disruption features of UDGs in clusters can also be explained by their late infall-time.

A Bridge from Optical to Infrared Galaxies: Explaining Local Properties and Predicting Galaxy Counts and the Cosmic Background Radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Totani, Tomonori; Takeuchi, Tsutomu T.

2002-05-01

We give an explanation for the origin of various properties observed in local infrared galaxies and make predictions for galaxy counts and cosmic background radiation (CBR) using a new model extended from that for optical/near-infrared galaxies. Important new characteristics of this study are that (1) mass scale dependence of dust extinction is introduced based on the size-luminosity relation of optical galaxies and that (2) the large-grain dust temperature Tdust is calculated based on a physical consideration for energy balance rather than by using the empirical relation between Tdust and total infrared luminosity LIR found in local galaxies, which has been employed in most previous works. Consequently, the local properties of infrared galaxies, i.e., optical/infrared luminosity ratios, LIR-Tdust correlation, and infrared luminosity function are outputs predicted by the model, while these have been inputs in a number of previous models. Our model indeed reproduces these local properties reasonably well. Then we make predictions for faint infrared counts (in 15, 60, 90, 170, 450, and 850 μm) and CBR using this model. We found results considerably different from those of most previous works based on the empirical LIR-Tdust relation; especially, it is shown that the dust temperature of starbursting primordial elliptical galaxies is expected to be very high (40-80 K), as often seen in starburst galaxies or ultraluminous infrared galaxies in the local and high-z universe. This indicates that intense starbursts of forming elliptical galaxies should have occurred at z~2-3, in contrast to the previous results that significant starbursts beyond z~1 tend to overproduce the far-infrared (FIR) CBR detected by COBE/FIRAS. On the other hand, our model predicts that the mid-infrared (MIR) flux from warm/nonequilibrium dust is relatively weak in such galaxies making FIR CBR, and this effect reconciles the prima facie conflict between the upper limit on MIR CBR from TeV gamma

Creating Learning Experiences that Promote Informal Science Education: Designing Conservation-Focused Interactive Zoo Exhibits through Action Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalenda, Peter

Research on exhibit design over the past twenty years has started to identify many different methods to increase the learning that occurs in informal education environments. This study utilized relevant research on exhibit design to create and study the effectiveness of a mobile interactive exhibit at the Seneca Park Zoo that promotes socialization, engagement in science, and conservation-related practices among guests. This study will serve as one component of a major redesign project at the Seneca Park Zoo for their Rocky Coasts exhibit. This action research study targeted the following question, "How can interactive exhibits be designed to promote socialization, engagement in science, and real-world conservation-related practices (RCPs) among zoo guests?" Specific research questions included: 1. In what ways did guests engage with the exhibit? 2. In what ways were guests impacted by the exhibit? a) What evidence exists, if any, of guests learning science content from the exhibit? b) What evidence exists, if any, of guests being emotionally affected by the exhibit? c) What evidence exists, if any, of guests changing their RCPs after visiting the exhibit? Data were collected through zoo guest surveys completed by zoo guests comparing multiple exhibits, interviews with guests before and after they used the prototype exhibit, observations and audio recordings of guests using the prototype exhibit, and follow-up phone interviews with guests who volunteered to participate. Data were analyzed collaboratively with members of the zoo's exhibit Redesign Team using grounded theory qualitative data analysis techniques to find patterns and trends among data. Initial findings from data analysis were used to develop shifts in the exhibit in order to increase visitor engagement and learning. This process continued for two full action research spirals, which resulted in three iterations of the prototype exhibit. The overall findings of this study highlight the ways in which

The study of two barred galaxies with curious kinematical features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saburova, A. S.; Katkov, I. Y.; Khoperskov, S. A.; Zasov, A. V.; Uklein, R. I.

2017-09-01

We performed long-slit spectral observations of two SB-type galaxies: NGC 5347 and UGC 1344. They were previously suspected as the galaxies with unusually low mass-to-light ratios (on the ground of mass estimates from the H I linewidths), which are in conflict with their observed colours. The observations were conducted at the Russian 6-m telescope. The aim of this study was to clarify the kinematics and structure, as well as the properties of stellar populations of the galaxies. The results of observations disproved the peculiarly low mass-to-light ratios of both galaxies. The most probable reasons of underestimation of their masses are discussed. We tried to reproduce the main observed features of kinematical profiles of the galaxies in the N-body simulations of barred galaxies. We found that both galaxies possess central components of different structures. Indeed, the age and velocity dispersion of stellar population in NGC 5347 are low in its innermost part in comparison to that of the bulge or a bar, which agrees with the presence of nuclear kinematically decoupled disc. It probably was formed due to the bar that supplied the inner region with gas. The kinematical profiles of the second galaxy UGC 1344 give evidence in favour of the central peanut-shaped bulge. In spite of the different luminosities of the two galaxies, they possess nearly equal (close to solar) central stellar abundance and the flattening of the stellar metallicity gradient in the bar regions. However, in the less luminous NGC 5347, the mean stellar age is younger than that in UGC 1344.

High-redshift galaxy populations and their descendants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Qi; White, Simon D. M.

2009-06-01

We study predictions in the concordance Λ cold dark matter cosmology for the abundance and clustering of high-redshift galaxies and for the properties of their descendants. We focus on three high-redshift populations: Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) at z ~ 3, optically selected star-forming galaxies at z ~ 2 (BXs) and distant red galaxies (DRGs) at z ~ 2. We select galaxies from mock catalogues based on the Millennium Simulation using the observational colour and apparent magnitude criteria. With plausible dust assumptions, our galaxy formation model can simultaneously reproduce the abundances, redshift distributions and clustering of all three observed populations. The star formation rates (SFRs) of model LBGs and BXs are lower than those quoted for the real samples, reflecting differing initial mass functions and scatter in model dust properties. About 85 per cent of model galaxies selected as DRGs are star forming, with SFRs in the range 1 to ~100Msolaryr-1. Model LBGs, BXs and DRGs together account for less than half of all star formation over the range 1.5 < z < 3.2; many massive, star-forming galaxies are predicted to be too heavily obscured to appear in these populations. Model BXs have metallicities which agree roughly with observation, but model LBGs are only slightly more metal poor, in disagreement with recent observational results. The model galaxies are predominantly disc dominated. Stellar masses for LBGs and BXs are ~109.9Msolar, and for DRGs are ~1010.7Msolar. Only about 30 per cent of model galaxies with M* > 1011Msolar are classified as LBGs or BXs at the relevant redshifts, while 65 per cent are classified as DRGs. Almost all model LBGs and BXs are the central galaxies of their dark haloes, but fewer than half of the haloes of any given mass have an LBG or BX central galaxy. Half of all LBG descendants at z = 2 would be identified as BXs, but very few as DRGs. Clustering increases with decreasing redshift for descendants of all three populations

The Sensitive Side of Galaxy Formation: How sub-L* Galaxies Accrete, Form Stars, and Enrich the IGM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oppenheimer, Benjamin

2012-10-01

We propose a series of cosmological zoom simulations specifically targeting the formation and evolution of dwarf and sub-L* galaxies living in halos of 10^11- 10^12 solar masses. The shallow potential wells and low-density environments of these halos provide uniquely sensitive laboratories to understand the physics of galactic feedback, as well as the thermal history of the intergalactic medium, from which these galaxies accrete. Given that 129 orbits of Cycle 18 COS data probing such halos is now being completed, combined with the insufficiency of current cosmological simulations to resolve these halos, the theory is lagging the data. We will remedy this by running zoom simulations of individual halos with 1000-10,000 times greater mass resolution than current cosmological simulations used for similar studies. We aim to resolve the sub-kpc scale of high-velocity cloud-like structures and <100 pc scales of the interstellar medium. We will simulate circumgalactic quasar absorption metal-line and H I statistics using our novel non-equilibrium ionization solver that follows individual ionic states. We will also investigate the delicate balance of accretion, star formation, and feedback required to reproduce the observed stellar properties of these small galaxies. In the spirit of transparency, we will make our simulation results available on a public website to encourage new projects and collaborations with observers and theorists understanding the physics regulating galaxy growth.

Why do high-redshift galaxies show diverse gas-phase metallicity gradients?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xiangcheng; Hopkins, Philip F.; Feldmann, Robert; Torrey, Paul; Faucher-Giguère, Claude-André; Kereš, Dušan

2017-04-01

Recent spatially resolved observations of galaxies at z ˜ 0.6-3 reveal that high-redshift galaxies show complex kinematics and a broad distribution of gas-phase metallicity gradients. To understand these results, we use a suite of high-resolution cosmological zoom-in simulations from the Feedback in Realistic Environments project, which include physically motivated models of the multiphase interstellar medium, star formation and stellar feedback. Our simulations reproduce the observed diversity of kinematic properties and metallicity gradients, broadly consistent with observations at z ˜ 0-3. Strong negative metallicity gradients only appear in galaxies with a rotating disc, but not all rotationally supported galaxies have significant gradients. Strongly perturbed galaxies with little rotation always have flat gradients. The kinematic properties and metallicity gradient of a high-redshift galaxy can vary significantly on short time-scales, associated with starburst episodes. Feedback from a starburst can destroy the gas disc, drive strong outflows and flatten a pre-existing negative metallicity gradient. The time variability of a single galaxy is statistically similar to the entire simulated sample, indicating that the observed metallicity gradients in high-redshift galaxies reflect the instantaneous state of the galaxy rather than the accretion and growth history on cosmological time-scales. We find weak dependence of metallicity gradient on stellar mass and specific star formation rate (sSFR). Low-mass galaxies and galaxies with high sSFR tend to have flat gradients, likely due to the fact that feedback is more efficient in these galaxies. We argue that it is important to resolve feedback on small scales in order to produce the diverse metallicity gradients observed.

Confronting models of star formation quenching in galaxy clusters with archival Spitzer data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudnick, Gregory

Large scale structures in the universe form hierarchically: small structures merge to form larger ones. Over the same epoch where these structures experience significant growth, the fraction of star forming galaxies within them decreases, and at a faster rate than for field galaxies. It is now widely accepted that there must be physical processes at work in these dense environments to actively quench star formation. However, despite no shortage of candidate mechanisms, sophisticated cosmological simulations still cannot reproduce the star formation rate distributions within dense environments, such as galaxy clusters. Insufficient observational constraints are a primary obstacle to further progress. In particular, the interpretation of observations of nearby clusters relies on untested assumptions about the properties of galaxies before they entered the dense cluster environment at higher redshifts. Clearly, direct constraints on these properties are required. Our group has assembled two data sets designed to address these concerns. The first focuses on an intermediate wide-field cluster sample and the second focuses on a well-matched low-redshift cluster sample. We will use these samples, along with sophisticated models of hierarchical galaxy formation, to meet the following objectives: 1. Directly measure the SFR distribution of the progenitors of present-day cluster galaxies. We will use ground-based spectroscopy to identify cluster members within four virial radii of eight intermediate-redshift clusters. We will couple this with archival Spitzer/MIPS data to measure the SFRs of galaxies out to the cluster outskirts. 2. Measure the SFR distribution of the present-day cluster galaxies using Spitzer and WISE. Robust N-body simulations tell us statistically which galaxies at intermediate redshifts will have entered the cluster virial radius by the current epoch. By combining our wide-field coverage at high redshift with our local cluster sample, we will determine

Factors influencing breeding success, ovarian cyclicity, and cub survival in zoo-managed tigers (Panthera tigris).

PubMed

Saunders, Sarah P; Harris, Tara; Traylor-Holzer, Kathy; Beck, Karen Goodrowe

2014-01-10

Understanding factors that influence reproduction and offspring survival in zoo populations is critical for management of threatened and endangered species. Examination of long-term data (1989-2011) compiled from the Association of Zoos and Aquarium's zoo-managed tiger breeding program provides the basis for a more thorough understanding of reproduction and scientifically based decisions for effective population management in this endangered felid. Biological and management-related factors that could influence tiger breeding success and cub survival were evaluated using logistic mixed models. Breeding success improved with female age until approximately age five, then declined thereafter. Experienced female breeders had greater breeding success than inexperienced females. Litter size was most predictive of cub survival, with average-sized litters (3-4 cubs) experiencing the highest proportional survival. Management-related factors, such as whether the breeding institution had a recent tiger litter and whether both animals were already located at the same institution, also influenced breeding success and cub survival. These results highlight the importance of institutional husbandry experience and the need to retain knowledge through staff turnovers to achieve optimal reproductive success. Using fecal estrogen data, frequency of ovarian cyclicity and mean cycle length did not differ by female age or parity; thus, lack of cyclicity and/or increased cycle duration are not likely explanations for declining breeding success with age. These results provide valuable reproductive information that should improve scientific management of zoo-based tiger populations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hubble's deepest view ever of the Universe unveils earliest galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2004-03-01

Multi-object Spectrometer (NICMOS). Both images reveal some galaxies that are too faint to be seen by ground-based telescopes, or even in Hubble's previous faraway looks, called the Hubble Deep Fields (HDFs), taken in 1995 and 1998. The HUDF field contains an estimated 10,000 galaxies in a patch of sky just one-tenth the diameter of the full Moon. Besides the rich harvest of classic spiral and elliptical galaxies, there is a zoo of oddball galaxies littering the field. Some look like toothpicks; others like links on a bracelet. A few appear to be interacting. Their strange shapes are a far cry from the majestic spiral and elliptical galaxies we see today. These oddball galaxies chronicle a period when the Universe was more chaotic. Order and structure were just beginning to emerge. The combination of ACS and NICMOS images will be used to search for galaxies that existed between 400 and 800 million years after the Big Bang (in cosmological terms this corresponds to a 'redshift' range of 7 to 12). Astronomers around the world will use these data to understand whether in this very early stages the Universe appears to be the same as it did when the cosmos was between 1000 and 2000 million years old. Hubble's ACS allows astronomers to see galaxies two to four times fainter than Hubble could view previously, but the NICMOS sees even farther than the ACS. The NICMOS reveals the farthest galaxies ever seen because the expanding Universe has stretched their light into the near-infrared portion of the spectrum. The ACS uncovered galaxies that existed 800 million years after the Big Bang (at a redshift of 7). But the NICMOS might have spotted galaxies that lived just 400 million years after the birth of the cosmos (at a redshift of 12). Just like the previous HDFs, the new data are expected to galvanise the astronomical community and lead to dozens of research papers that will offer new insights into the birth and evolution of galaxies. This will hold the record as the deepest

Dark Matter or Modified Dynamics? Hints from Galaxy Kinematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gentile, G.

2010-12-01

I show two observational projects I am involved in, which are aimed at understanding better the existence and nature of dark matter, and also aimed at testing alternatives to galactic dark matter such as MOND (Modified Newtonian Dynamics). I present new HI observations of the nearby dwarf galaxy NGC 3741. This galaxy has an extremely extended HI disc (42 B-band exponential scalelengths). The distribution and kinematics are accurately derived by building model data cubes, which closely reproduce the observations. Mass modelling of the rotation curve shows that a cored dark matter halo or MOND provide very good fits, whereas Cold Dark Matter density profiles fail to fit the data. I also show new results about tidal dwarf galaxies, which within the CDM framework are expected to be dark matter-free but whose kinematics instead show a mass discrepancy, exactly of the magnitude that is expected in MOND (Modified Newtonian Dynamics).

Stellar Populations and Radial Migrations in Virgo Disk Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roediger, Joel C.; Courteau, Stéphane; Sánchez-Blázquez, Patricia; McDonald, Michael

2012-10-01

galaxies, fail to reproduce these results, thus calling for adequate hydrodynamical simulations of dense galaxy environments if we are to understand cluster disks. The current paper highlights numerous constraints for such simulations. In the Appendix, we confirm the claim by Erwin et al. that Type II breaks are absent in Virgo cluster S0s and discuss the detection of Type III breaks in such galaxies.

Patterns of wounding in hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas) in North American zoos.

PubMed

Wiley, Jodi N; Leeds, Austin; Carpenter, Kamisha D; Kendall, Corinne J

2018-03-01

In North American zoos, hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas) have traditionally been housed as single one-male units (single male groups). In recent years, efforts have been made to house hamadryas in groups composed of multiple one-male units (multi-male groups) to more closely mirror their natural social structure, in addition to all-male or bachelor groups to manage surplus males. Given that the majority of social conflict in hamadryas occurs between males during the acquisition and defense of females, it was thought that managing hamadryas in these multi-male groups would result in increased rates of wounding. To assess this, incidences of wounding were recorded over one year across seven zoos (10 social groups, 59 individuals). Overall, we found no difference in wounding rates between group types, or by sex, and group type. These data provide evidence that managing hamadryas in multi-male and bachelor groups is an effective husbandry practice that does not negatively impact the welfare of the individuals, in addition to providing a more species-appropriate social setting for hamadryas in zoos. As the management of hamadryas in multi-male and bachelor groups continues and expands, additional research will be needed to understand what factors contribute to optimal cohesion, and welfare of groups and if wounding rates change as group size continues to increase. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Bridge from Optical to Infrared Galaxies: Explaining Local Properties, Predicting Galaxy Counts and the Cosmic Background Radiation