Digital Commons Network^™

Investigation Of Even-Skipped, A Developmentally-Regulated Gene Controlling Neural Segmentation In Dragonflies, Kathryn Bangser

Honors Theses

A comprehensive understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying pattern formation and neurogenesis is necessary in order to trace the evolutionary history of insect embryogenesis.

One of the most important processes of embryogenesis is the organized pattern formation that allows for proper body segmentation and neural development. Proper segmentation, which relies on a series of specific gene expressions, is necessary for the development of an operational nervous system. Even-skipped (eve), one such regulatory gene, has been studied extensively in certain model organisms, and theories regarding the evolution of its functional role could be further elucidated by visualizing its expression …

Sustainable Agriculture: How France Promotes Sustainability, Jordan Pulling

Honors Theses

High consumption lifestyles led to a rapid decline in natural resources. The daily gestures of the people of the world use a quantity massive resource and energy that cannot be replaced. Decision makers of the world are invited to consider what changes will be needed to focus about sustainable and sustainable practices if we want to continue living in the way which we have become accustomed to. The development of renewable energies was a first step towards total sustainable development. Recently, however, we have seen a new way to reduce negative impacts on the rights of the Earth: changes in …

The Effects Of Soil Ph And Composition On Blacklegged Tick Molting Success Avian Window Strike Mortality On Union College Campus, Kaleigh Ahern

Honors Theses

The blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) is the one of the most significant vectors of infectious disease in the world and most notorious for its ability to transmit Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Because both the range of the blacklegged tick and the annual incidence of Lyme disease have been increasing in North America over the past several decades, it is becoming increasingly important to better understand how environmental factors contribute to blacklegged tick survival. Past studies have shown that these factors include precipitation levels, extent of groundcover, plant and animal community composition, temperature, and soil type. Because …

Evidence Of A Rudimentary Colon In Leucoraja Erinacea, Alyssa M. Simeone

Honors Theses

During the transition of animals from water onto land, the colon is believed to have evolved as an essential water-absorbing organ in terrestrial vertebrates to prevent desiccation. The class Chondrichthyes, comprised of sharks, rays, and skates, are isotonic to their marine environment, and thus do not require a functional colon. The Chondrichthyes are an excellent organism for developmental and physiological studies in evolutionary context because they have undergone little evolutionary change since their appearance 450 million years ago. Previous histochemical studies demonstrate potential water absorbing properties in the digestive tract of the little skate, Leucoraja erinacea (Theodosiou et al., 2007). …