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Articles 1 - 14 of 14
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Optimizing Sample Collection And Data Interpretation For Effective Wastewater-Based Epidemiology In Combined Sewer Systems, Christopher Allen Anderson
Optimizing Sample Collection And Data Interpretation For Effective Wastewater-Based Epidemiology In Combined Sewer Systems, Christopher Allen Anderson
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
COVID-19 has spurred growth in the science surrounding wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) pertaining to the detection of severe acute respiratory virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in waste streams as an early warning signal for public health. However, the highly variable wastewater environment has made it difficult to standardize an approach for sampling and analysis, especially in locations using combined sewer infrastructure. This study addresses knowledge gaps of WBE via three specific aims: (1) to compare diurnal fluctuations of SARS-CoV-2 and the human fecal indicator, pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) influent samples collected during dry versus wet weather conditions; …
Extension Of The Ergot Alkaloid Gene Cluster, Samantha Joy Fabian
Extension Of The Ergot Alkaloid Gene Cluster, Samantha Joy Fabian
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Specialized metabolites produced by fungi impact human health. A large portion of the pharmaceuticals currently on the market are derived from metabolites biosynthesized by microbes. Ergot alkaloids are a class of fungal metabolites that are important in the interactions of environmental fungi with insects and mammals and also are used in the production of pharmaceuticals. In animals, ergot alkaloids can act as partial agonists or antagonists at receptors for 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin), dopamine, and noradrenaline as ergot alkaloids have chemical structures similar to those neurotransmitters. Therefore, they affect insects and mammals that consume them and can be used to produce drugs …
Attachment Issues: Microbes, Minerals, And The Persistence Of Soil Organic Matter, Md Shafiul Islam Rion
Attachment Issues: Microbes, Minerals, And The Persistence Of Soil Organic Matter, Md Shafiul Islam Rion
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The remnants of microorganisms are now understood to account for the majority of organic matter in many mineral soils. Despite the significance of this microbial necromass for soil carbon storage, we know relatively little about how the traits of microorganisms interact with soil minerals to determine the stability of microbe derived carbon in soil. Soil minerals differ in their surface area and chemistry potentially influencing microbial attachment, biofilm formation, and the persistence of microbial necromass. To address this knowledge gap, we grew twelve bacterial species from four broad groups of varying cell wall morphology (Gram positive, Gram negative, filamentous actinobacteria, …
Evaluating Innovative Methods Of Quantitatively Linking Microbial Community Structure To Ecosystem Function, Jeth Gv Walkup
Evaluating Innovative Methods Of Quantitatively Linking Microbial Community Structure To Ecosystem Function, Jeth Gv Walkup
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Microbial functional diversity is the product of community structure and intraspecific trait variation. Due to microbial diversity and limited availability of microbial trait measurements, it has been challenging to quantitatively link community structure to microbial function. Although community-level activity rates vary with community composition, issues in the scale of their measurement inhibit our understanding of their relationship. Quantitative stable isotope probing (qSIP) is a method for quantitatively measuring taxon-specific microbial traits, providing new opportunities to apply trait-based approaches for studying microbial ecology. Quantitative microbial trait data from these experiments enables the functional characterization of microbial communities, potentially enabling the extrapolation …
Anthropogenic Disturbance Regimes Impact The Microbial And Chemical Composition Of Soils And Sediments Across Ecosystems, Gregory D. Martin
Anthropogenic Disturbance Regimes Impact The Microbial And Chemical Composition Of Soils And Sediments Across Ecosystems, Gregory D. Martin
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Human activities have led to profound changes in the climate and environment, fundamentally changing global carbon and nitrogen cycles. Ongoing conversion of wildland for human use and the intensification of agricultural systems have dire consequences for biodiversity and the ecosystem services that support society. While natural disturbance regimes are important for the long-term maintenance of native biodiversity and ecosystem function, many disturbances are becoming increasingly frequent due to anthropogenic activities. Increasing the frequency, intensity, or duration of disturbances can prevent ecosystems from returning to their previous equilibria. Disturbance-induced changes to the local environment shape microbial communities, which in turn govern …
Cross-Kingdom Interactions Shape Soil Biogeochemistry In Natural And Agricultural Ecosystems, Jennifer Lynne Kane
Cross-Kingdom Interactions Shape Soil Biogeochemistry In Natural And Agricultural Ecosystems, Jennifer Lynne Kane
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Microorganisms influence life on earth in innumerable ways, including in medical, industrial, environmental, and agricultural contexts. Given the increasingly apparent consequences of climate warming, interest in how to better predict and manage Earth’s carbon sinks has never been greater. Soil, the largest terrestrial carbon sink, harbors an incredibly taxonomically and functionally diverse microbial community. These soil-dwelling microbes govern the fate of soil carbon and nutrients by cycling organic matter as they live, grow, and die. It has only been relatively recently that technological advancement has allowed for in-depth surveys of the vast diversity of soil microbes. High throughput analytical capabilities …
Determining The Effects Of Imidacloprid On Non-Target Soil Organisms In Hemlock Stands, Braley Burke
Determining The Effects Of Imidacloprid On Non-Target Soil Organisms In Hemlock Stands, Braley Burke
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), is an invasive insect that is causing mortality of eastern hemlock trees, Tsuga canadensis, and Carolina hemlock trees, Tsuga caroliniana, across the eastern United States. To protect these ecologically important tree species, a neonicotinoid insecticide, imidacloprid, is commonly used. Imidacloprid is an effective treatment and can remain effective against HWA for four to six years but long-term (≥ one year after application) non-target effects of imidacloprid on forest ecosystems are not well-studied. This study examined terrestrial non-target effects of imidacloprid in hemlock stands with different treatment histories to …
Effects Of Biofertilizer On Soil Nutrient Cycling And The Productivity Of Bioproduct Crops In Marginal Soils, Kieran B. Liseski
Effects Of Biofertilizer On Soil Nutrient Cycling And The Productivity Of Bioproduct Crops In Marginal Soils, Kieran B. Liseski
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Recently there has been increased interest in the use of marginal lands in order to grow bioproduct crops. Utilizing marginal lands to grow bioproduct crops such as Miscanthus x giganteus and Panicum virgatum could not only improve soil quality and minimize negative environmental impacts on the surrounding ecosystems but could also offer economic benefits to growers in rural areas. Because marginal soils tend to reduce crop yields compared to prime farmlands even when growing bioproduct crops, which tend to be more robust than traditional food crops, augmenting the soil with biofertilizers (i.e., the direct addition of viable microbial cells) could …
The Host Gatekeeper: Using The Flagellar Pathway To Understand Symbiont Host Adaptation, Adam R. Pollio
The Host Gatekeeper: Using The Flagellar Pathway To Understand Symbiont Host Adaptation, Adam R. Pollio
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The acquisition of microbial partners is a strategy used by a diverse group of arthropods to overcome ecological barriers that might normally make certain niches uninhabitable. The unique phylogenetic opportunities attainable from the natural experiment of the Sodalis-allied clade allow for better understanding of how molecular structures evolve through time. Here, we focus on the evolution of the flagellar synthesis pathway, due to its complexity and ability to diverge in response to ecological pressures. We used this molecular pathway and natural experiment to show that normal evolutionary outcomes associated with symbiosis (i.e., genome reduction) do not explain the predicted conservation …
Genetic And Biochemical Characterization Of Ergot Alkaloid Synthesizing Fungi And Their Symbionts, Matthew Duane Maust
Genetic And Biochemical Characterization Of Ergot Alkaloid Synthesizing Fungi And Their Symbionts, Matthew Duane Maust
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Ergot alkaloids are fungal tryptophan derived toxins which affect mammalian circulation and neurotransmission. These compounds are biosynthesized by a conserved genetic pathway, known as the ergot alkaloid synthesis (EAS) pathway by fungi belonging to the ascomycete families Trichocomaceae and Clavicipitaceae. Several Ipomoea species and related plants in the morning glory family harbor vertically transmitted symbiotic fungi in the genus Periglandula, also members of Clavicipitaceae, that produce ergot alkaloids. Metabolomic analysis of seeds identified a previously uncharacterized glycoside form of the pharmaceutically important ergot alkaloid, ergonovine. Several species belonging to the fungal genus Metarhizium have recently been shown to have the …
Microbial Responses To Unconventional Oil And Gas Development May Alter Ecosystem Function In Headwater Streams, Rachel Michaels
Microbial Responses To Unconventional Oil And Gas Development May Alter Ecosystem Function In Headwater Streams, Rachel Michaels
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The demand for natural gas, and the need for efficient extraction, has led to the development of unconventional oil and natural gas (UOG) techniques. Due to the novelty of UOG, the potential impacts to freshwater ecosystems are not fully understood. We used a dual pronged approach to study the effects of UOG development on microbial biodiversity and function via a laboratory microcosm experiment and a survey study of streams with and without UOG development within their watersheds. The laboratory microcosm study simulated stream contamination with produced water, a byproduct of UOG operation, using sediment collected from one high water-quality stream …
Soil Microbial Succession Following Surface Mining Is Governed Primarily By Deterministic Factors, Jennifer Lynne Kane
Soil Microbial Succession Following Surface Mining Is Governed Primarily By Deterministic Factors, Jennifer Lynne Kane
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Understanding the successional dynamics governing soil microbial community assembly is a promising way to advance development of remediation strategies for lands disturbed by anthropogenic activities. The environmental and ecological influences shaping these communities following soil disturbance remain only partially understood. One example of a physical anthropogenic disturbance is extraction of minerals such as coal by surface mining. Surface mining removes natural soils and these soils may be replaced immediately on adjacent reclaimed areas or they may be stored in piles for later use. During reclamation, the soil is replaced on the landscape and the site is re-vegetated with grasses and …
Mine Reclamation Using Biofuel Crops: Insights Into The Microbial Ecology Of The Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum) Microbiome, Brianna L. Mayfield
Mine Reclamation Using Biofuel Crops: Insights Into The Microbial Ecology Of The Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum) Microbiome, Brianna L. Mayfield
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Bioenergy crop production has steadily increased due to growing political support for renewable energy, thus initiating a demand to find alternative agricultural land. An innovative option is the use of marginal soils, such as reclaimed mine lands, to produce bioenergy crops. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a promising bioenergy crop that can be grown on marginal lands due to its robust growth in various soil types and climates. However, little is known regarding plant-microbe interactions among switchgrass systems within reclaimed mine lands. A study conducted in 2008 grew switchgrass on high- and low- quality reclaimed mine sites (Hampshire and …
Crop Rotations That Integrate Pasture Are Less Vulnerable To Nitrogen Leaching Due To Changes In Microbial Community Composition And Reduced Nitrification, Jeth Gv Walkup
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Agroecosystems occupy a large portion of the United States and receive a disproportionally high amount of terrestrial nitrogen inputs. As application rates increase, nitrogen use efficiency declines leading to higher rates of nitrogen loss. To develop sustainable agricultural practices, the long-term effects of management practices on the soil microorganisms that perform central roles in the transformation of nitrogen need to be studied. To study the long-term impacts of compost application and pasture integration in crop rotation, samples were collected from the existing 19-year-old Organic Crop Livestock Field (OCLF) experiment on the WVU organic research farm. The OCLF experiment includes a …