Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

PDF

Biology Theses

Theses/Dissertations

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication Year

Articles 1 - 30 of 307

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Investigating The Cellular Mechanisms Of Intracellular Ph Regulation During Exposure To High Co2., Dillon Flowers Aug 2024

Investigating The Cellular Mechanisms Of Intracellular Ph Regulation During Exposure To High Co2., Dillon Flowers

Biology Theses

There are at least two different strategies of pH regulation among fish. The first is coupled pH regulation (CPR), where regulation of blood pH facilitates tissue pH regulation; and the second is preferential intracellular pH (pHi) regulation (PPR), where tissue pH remains tightly regulated despite a sustained reduction in blood pH. The cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the differences in pHi regulation are currently unknown. I investigated the mechanisms of pH regulation in fishes using Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) which use CPR and PPR, respectively. Fish were exposed to elevated CO …


Cherokia Georgiana Mitogenome Sequencing And Analysis, William Wittstock Jul 2024

Cherokia Georgiana Mitogenome Sequencing And Analysis, William Wittstock

Biology Theses

Despite the vast diversity of millipedes, complete genomic and mitogenomic data available in public databases is limited, hindering comprehensive studies on their classification, evolution, and genetics. Among the underrepresented taxa are the Xystodesmidae, a family comprising approximately 500 species with minimal mitogenomic data, and no complete genomes sequenced. Our research involves sequencing the mitochondrial genome of Cherokia georgiana, a representative of this diverse family with interesting traits that are not clearly defined at a genetic level. This research also serves as a pilot study to develop DNA extraction methods and protocols for whole genome sequencing. Multiple DNA extraction kits …


The Stability Of Epigenetic Variants That Can Act As Loci Causing Phenotypic Change, Raul Faburrieta May 2024

The Stability Of Epigenetic Variants That Can Act As Loci Causing Phenotypic Change, Raul Faburrieta

Biology Theses

Epigenetic variations are a possible source of heritable phenotypic variation. In this study I focus on phenotypic alterations seen in epigenetic Recombinant Inbred Lines (epiRILs) of Arabidopsis thaliana. These epiRILs allow me to study the effects differentially methylated regions (DMRs) have on phenotypic variance. In a study performed in 2014 by Cortijo et al., they found that DMR’s affect flowering time and root length when grown under greenhouse conditions. In this study, I replicated the Cortijo et al. (2014) study, with some changes, to see whether the same significant eQTL regions are found. I found that, some of the eQTLs …


Intra And Interspecific Competition Via Allelopathy Among Native And Non-Native Plants, Mimi Byrne, Robert Warren May 2024

Intra And Interspecific Competition Via Allelopathy Among Native And Non-Native Plants, Mimi Byrne, Robert Warren

Biology Theses

Invasive non- native species success often is attributed to their competitive superiority, potentially through allelochemical inhibition (allelopathy) of native species, as suggested by the novel weapons hypothesis. However, it is also possible that non- native species are able to be successful through decreased intraspecific competition. Decreased intraspecific competition could be attributed to a lack of genetic variation creating less variable allelopathic effects. I predict that if non- native species follow the novel weapons hypothesis, their allelochemicals will restrict more biomass and give them a competitive edge compared to native species. Additionally, I predict that if non- native species have lower …


Ecological Niche Modeling Of Endemic Texas Crayfish Species Under Current Conditions, Sarah A. Burgett Apr 2024

Ecological Niche Modeling Of Endemic Texas Crayfish Species Under Current Conditions, Sarah A. Burgett

Biology Theses

Crayfish play many important roles in freshwater ecosystems such as ecosystem engineering, bioindicator, and food resource. Even though they are important to ecosystems, they are highly understudied. There has been previous work done on ecological niche modeling on Texas crayfish species, but this study takes it a step further by combining soil, climate, and hydrology variables to model the ecological niches of three endemic species: Procambarus texanus, Procambarus nueces, and Procambarus fayettei. Ecological niche models were created for the three species of interest using the program Maxent. I found that P. texanus and P. fayettei have indistinguishable …


Development Of A Novel Edna Sampling Method For Macroinvertebrate Species Of Greatest Conservation Need (Sgcn) In Texas, James York Jan 2024

Development Of A Novel Edna Sampling Method For Macroinvertebrate Species Of Greatest Conservation Need (Sgcn) In Texas, James York

Biology Theses

Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling is a new sampling technique that allows for non-invasive sampling of target species or the characterization of entire communities based on barcoding genes. The goal of this study was to sequence common barcoding genes such as 28S rRNA and Cytochrome C Oxidase I (COI), and then develop species-specific primers for eight macroinvertebrates listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in Texas. After sampling for the target species, five were not found, all of which were in the Order Trichoptera (caddisflies). A sixth target species, Isoperla sagittata, was found to have only one gap and …


Status Survey Of Eight Rare Aquatic Macroinvertebrates In East Texas, Alexandra Randall Dec 2023

Status Survey Of Eight Rare Aquatic Macroinvertebrates In East Texas, Alexandra Randall

Biology Theses

Freshwater is essential to human existence. The health of each freshwater source is connected to the survival of pollution intolerant species of aquatic macroinvertebrates in the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT taxa). A higher presence of EPT taxa equates to better water quality because their water bound larvae assist in maintaining clean freshwater environments and will not survive in highly polluted water. Human disruption to natural environments is causing increases in polluted freshwater, leading to decreases in the presence of EPT taxa. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department documentation shows major concern for the populations of eight EPT species of …


Modeling A Parkinson’S Disease Like State In Zebrafish Larvae Utilizing 6-Hydroxydopamine, Adrian Romero Dec 2023

Modeling A Parkinson’S Disease Like State In Zebrafish Larvae Utilizing 6-Hydroxydopamine, Adrian Romero

Biology Theses

Parkinson's’ disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons that currently has no cure. It is primarily characterized in patients by motor symptoms that include but are not limited to: tremor at rest, rigidity, akinesia, and postural instability affecting the quality of life for over 8.5 million people worldwide. The neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) has been used to induce a Parkinson’s disease-like state in several animal models; however, assessment of 6-OHDA use in zebrafish demonstrated a lack of consensus on method and utility. We determined an optimized protocol utilizing 6-OHDA to produce a PD-like …


Identification Of Biomarkers Of Sub-Lethal Algal Toxin Exposure In Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar) And Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) Using Differential Gene Expression Analysis, Brandon Ellingson Nov 2023

Identification Of Biomarkers Of Sub-Lethal Algal Toxin Exposure In Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar) And Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) Using Differential Gene Expression Analysis, Brandon Ellingson

Biology Theses

Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) and Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) are important culturally, recreationally, economically, and are a common aquaculture species in Canada and the United States. In the Pacific Northwest, blooms of toxic algae result in millions of dollars annually in losses for salmonid aquaculture producers. Blooms of harmful cyanobacteria produce microcystins which have been linked to net-pen liver disease which has large financial impacts on net pen salmon operations. Microcystin-LR, the most toxic variant, bioaccumulates in the liver and disrupts normal cellular activity by inhibiting protein phosphatases leading to deleterious effects on growth, immune status, and liver function. To …


Mechanism Of Action Of Pitm Reduction Of Zikv Replication In Cell Culture, Oluwatola Femi-Olatunji Aug 2023

Mechanism Of Action Of Pitm Reduction Of Zikv Replication In Cell Culture, Oluwatola Femi-Olatunji

Biology Theses

Zika virus, a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus belonging to the Flaviviridae family, has been linked to a distinct pattern of birth defects and disabilities, as well as Guillain-Barre syndrome in healthy individuals. Proimmune™, free-form amino acids (FFAAP) reduce ZIKV replication by up to 90% in comparison to the mocked-infected cells. The mechanism by which ZIKV replication is reduced is puzzling because blocking intracellular glutathione biosynthesis is still associated with reduced ZIKV replication. Here we provide data generated to test the hypothesis Proimmune™ was sufficient to neutralize ROS, preventing the cell from inducing Oxeiptosis via nrf2 release from KEAP1 the usual …


Nicotine And Amphetamine Decrease Sucrose Self-Administration, Cameron Fulco Aug 2023

Nicotine And Amphetamine Decrease Sucrose Self-Administration, Cameron Fulco

Biology Theses

Limited research exists on how amphetamine and nicotine, drugs with potent influences on feeding behaviors, impact the rewarding and pleasurable aspects of feeding. As the rewarding aspects of feeding are thought to be significant drivers of the ongoing obesity epidemic, we sought to test 1-whether amphetamine or nicotine affect the rewarding aspects of food, and 2- whether there were sex differences in these effects. In these studies, we tested whether amphetamine or nicotine altered sucrose self-administration using an FR3 schedule. Amphetamine elicited a dose dependent decrease in responding for sucrose, whereas nicotine also decreased responding, but only with the highest …


Heterogeneity Among Harveyi Clade-Specific Virulence Genes And Attribution Of These Genes To Possible Environmental Carriers, Cameron Brown Aug 2023

Heterogeneity Among Harveyi Clade-Specific Virulence Genes And Attribution Of These Genes To Possible Environmental Carriers, Cameron Brown

Biology Theses

In the face of global warming, waterborne pathogens are evolving rapidly and expanding geographically. The Vibrio Harveyi clade encompasses a number of human and aquatic organism pathogens, and due to their physiology, they may benefit from ongoing changes in the temperature, pH, and salinity of the global Ocean. With this, the Southeastern United States might become an accommodating environment for Harveyi clade species, and it is imperative to monitor for their abundance and distribution in the environment. A qPCR assay was developed for the detection and quantification of clade-specific virulence genes toxRvh, hly, toxR, luxR, srp, vhha, vhh, and vhp …


Impacts Of Dam Removal On Cyanobacteria Blooms And Zooplankton Community In Hypereutrophic Upper Klamath Lake, Pruett Noelle Kasey Aug 2023

Impacts Of Dam Removal On Cyanobacteria Blooms And Zooplankton Community In Hypereutrophic Upper Klamath Lake, Pruett Noelle Kasey

Biology Theses

The Chiloquin Dam was removed from the Sprague River in 2008 to restore the natural hydrology of Upper Klamath Lake (UKL), allow fish access to historical spawning grounds, and alleviate the effects of long-term eutrophication. This provided a natural opportunity to investigate the effects of restoration efforts on eutrophication. Using a 10-year dataset including 5 years before and 5 years after dam removal, we developed a consensus modeling approach to investigate factors contributing to the cyanobacteria blooms, observe changes in the ecosystem since the recovery efforts, and to assess the performances of three model types: logistic regression, random forest, and …


An Ecological Survey Of East Texas Salamanders Across The Camp Tyler Outdoor Field School In Smith County, Texas, Justin C. Hunt Jul 2023

An Ecological Survey Of East Texas Salamanders Across The Camp Tyler Outdoor Field School In Smith County, Texas, Justin C. Hunt

Biology Theses

Amphibians are a unique class of organisms with a very long and storied evolutionary history of survival. Many modern amphibian clades occupy several vital ecological roles within their native freshwater environments. One of these roles, typically includes functioning as an ecological indicator species, whereby the presence of stable and diverse populations of many amphibian species, including salamanders, within a freshwater ecosystem have long been considered ecological indicators of good habitat quality and stable ecosystem health. Similarly, salamanders also function as important members of their local food webs and act as valuable mediators of complex trophic hierarchies to facilitate nutrient cycling …


Monitoring The Effects Of Poultry Waste On Fishes And Macroinvertebrates In The Sabine River, Karley R. Parker Jul 2023

Monitoring The Effects Of Poultry Waste On Fishes And Macroinvertebrates In The Sabine River, Karley R. Parker

Biology Theses

Freshwater is a vital resource that provides life and sustainability for almost all organisms on Earth. It is important to maintain its health and protect it from emerging pollutants that pose a threat to the organisms that use it. Pollution continues to threaten the well-being of the environment’s freshwater sources all around the world that could lead to damaging effects in the future. The Sabine River is a major freshwater resource in the east Texas and western Louisiana areas that provides a habitat for thousands of organisms as well as other domestic uses for humans. In 2019, a waste discharge …


Examining Protein Localization Via Fluorescence Microscopy In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Lewis Barr, Richard H. Adams, Ellen France Phd Jul 2023

Examining Protein Localization Via Fluorescence Microscopy In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Lewis Barr, Richard H. Adams, Ellen France Phd

Biology Theses

Twenty-seven years ago, Saccharomyces cerevisiae became the first eukaryote to have its full genome sequenced, thus leading to the discovery that 30% of genes related to human diseases are orthologous to those in S. cerevisiae. Since then, 75% of the proteome has had its localization classified, and we sought to fill the remaining gaps of knowledge by identifying the localization of three proteins: Fsh3, Gid10, and Ade13, which function as a serine hydrolase, ubiquitin ligase, and adenylosuccinate lyase, respectively. To visualize cellular localization, we used a C-terminal GFP tagging strategy and subsequent fluorescence microscopy. Through colocalization analyses, we identified …


Toward Accelerometer Recording Of Pit Viper Foraging Behavior In Nature: Validation And Case Study With Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Horridus), Morgan L. Thompson May 2023

Toward Accelerometer Recording Of Pit Viper Foraging Behavior In Nature: Validation And Case Study With Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Horridus), Morgan L. Thompson

Biology Theses

Accelerometer dataloggers are becoming increasingly common in field studies of animal behavior. Among the most difficult study subjects, and consequently, the most ideal candidates for accelerometer applications, are those for which simultaneous observation of key fitness-determining behaviors, such as foraging, across a sample of individuals in the wild is traditionally impossible or restricted to the use of proxy measures. This is the case for many solitary vertebrate predators, such as all pit vipers (Viperidae; Crotalinae). Large-bodied pit vipers are ambush (sit-and-wait) specialists that represent uniquely challenging and intriguing study subjects in predator ecology. Unlike many comparable avian or mammalian terrestrial …


The Effect Of Callery Pear (Pyrus Calleryana) On Soil Macrofauna (Diplopoda And Oligochaeta), Joseph M. Mcgee Apr 2023

The Effect Of Callery Pear (Pyrus Calleryana) On Soil Macrofauna (Diplopoda And Oligochaeta), Joseph M. Mcgee

Biology Theses

Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) is a relatively recent invader of North America. Its ecological effects are still being explored, including those affecting soil macrofauna such as millipedes (Diplopoda) and earthworms (Clitellata: Oligochaeta). These animals play important roles in many soil processes so understanding how they respond to invasive species is vital to soil health. A previous study exploring potential herbicide control was completed in 2019, however as of 2022 there are still treatment zones with little to no Callery pear alongside fully invaded plots, providing an optimal habitat mosaic for comparison. This allowed us to pursue two research …


Niche Modeling Of Eight Crayfish Species In Texas, Nathan Schubert Dec 2022

Niche Modeling Of Eight Crayfish Species In Texas, Nathan Schubert

Biology Theses

Freshwater species make up ~10% of all known species and occupy less than one percent of earth’s habitat, which is being degraded by human usage. Crayfish have a large impact on their aquatic or terrestrial environment and can serve as a health indicator of aquatic environments, as they generally require undegraded environments. In many habitats, crayfish make up more than half of the macroinvertebrate biomass, and play important ecological roles, as a food resource for both aquatic and terrestrial species, as predators of fish and invertebrates, and as bioprocessors of vegetation and detritus. The objective of this project was to …


Factors That Impacted Biology Student Performance During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Aliyah Martin Dec 2022

Factors That Impacted Biology Student Performance During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Aliyah Martin

Biology Theses

This thesis aimed to discover factors that affected academic performance and determine if there was any significant change in student performance before the Covid-19 pandemic (Spring, Summer, and Fall 2019) and during the Covid-19 pandemic, specifically the Spring and Fall 2020 semesters. Data was collected from Georgia State University undergraduate biology students who completed three foundational courses: Principles of Biology I, Principles of Biology II, and Molecular Cell Biology. Student resources were identified via survey, while academic performance was measured via iCollege grades and engagement data. Independent samples t-tests comparing the final grades between 2019 and 2020 revealed an increase …


Differential Expression Of Photosynthetic Genes In Cryptophyte Algae (Hemiselmis Cryptochromatica Ccmp 1181), Chastity D. Aguilar Dec 2022

Differential Expression Of Photosynthetic Genes In Cryptophyte Algae (Hemiselmis Cryptochromatica Ccmp 1181), Chastity D. Aguilar

Biology Theses

Cryptophytes are a group of freshwater algae that have acquired photosynthesis through secondary endosymbiosis with a red alga and an unknown eukaryote heterotroph. Cryptophytes possess photosynthetic pigment-protein structures called phycobiliproteins (PBPs). Cryptophyte phycobiliproteins are composed of α and β-protein subunits and four chromophores (bilins). There are nine classes of cryptophyte PBPs that absorb different wavelengths of light based on the type of bilins covalently bound to the protein subunits. Three cryptophyte PBPs are phycoerythrins that give the algae a red appearance and six are phycocyanins that give the algae a blue to green appearance. Hemiselmis cryptochromatica (CCMP 1181) is a …


Round Goby (Neogobius Melanostomus) Seasonal Diet, Drift Impacts, And Influence On Stream Connectivity In Great Lakes Tributary Streams, Kyle R. Glenn Mr Dec 2022

Round Goby (Neogobius Melanostomus) Seasonal Diet, Drift Impacts, And Influence On Stream Connectivity In Great Lakes Tributary Streams, Kyle R. Glenn Mr

Biology Theses

Seasonality, energy recruitment, and food web position dictate the degree of impact fish impose on their surrounding environment. In the Great Lakes, the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is known to out-migrate from nearshore habitat to offshore depths in the winter months. However, in Great Lake tributaries, round goby populations were found up to 25 km upstream during winter months, and distance upstream was a predictor of out-migration propensity; populations farthest upstream did not out-migrate. Seasonal resources shaped the diet and condition of these fish thus creating inland populations with different average lengths, diets, and body condition compared to …


Fitness Of Interspecific Hybrids In The Genus Cyprinella: An Evaluation Of Swimming Performance In North American Stream Fishes, Jessica Wilks Dec 2022

Fitness Of Interspecific Hybrids In The Genus Cyprinella: An Evaluation Of Swimming Performance In North American Stream Fishes, Jessica Wilks

Biology Theses

Due to anthropogenic pressures, freshwater ecosystems are being rapidly destroyed worldwide. Accordingly, human impacts have also resulted in the loss of native aquatic biodiversity. In particular, the introduction of non-native species to aquatic habitats is of great concern. Historically, the introductions of many non-native freshwater fishes are the result of commercial baitfish aquaculture, food industries, and private aquarium release. The red shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis) is a small stream fish that is endemic to the Central U.S., and its natural range is restricted to East of the Mississippi River. Since the 1950’s, red shiner have been commercially raised and transported …


Temperature Affects Nest Box Occupancy, Nest Success, And Nestling Size In A Southeastern Population Of Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia Sialis), Christopher G. Horacek Nov 2022

Temperature Affects Nest Box Occupancy, Nest Success, And Nestling Size In A Southeastern Population Of Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia Sialis), Christopher G. Horacek

Biology Theses

Given the critical role that temperature plays in avian reproductive biology, rising temperatures as a result of global climate change will likely impact reproductive success of many bird populations. Secondary cavity nesting birds, many of which rely on artificial nest boxes to maintain population levels, may be particularly at risk because increased temperatures inside nest boxes can determine whether nest boxes are selected, reduce nest success, and/or negatively affect the growth and survival of offspring. We examined the effect of nest box color on nest box temperature and the influence of nest box temperature, nest box color, entrance orientation, and …


Filamentous Green Algae (Cladophora Glomerata) In Near Shore Lake Ontario: An Investigation Of Tissue And Water Nutrient Dynamics Through A Period Of Growth And Decomposition., James L. Wagner Jr Oct 2022

Filamentous Green Algae (Cladophora Glomerata) In Near Shore Lake Ontario: An Investigation Of Tissue And Water Nutrient Dynamics Through A Period Of Growth And Decomposition., James L. Wagner Jr

Biology Theses

Cladophora glomerata, a filamentous green alga abundant in the Laurentian Great Lakes, has long been considered a nuisance throughout the region. Previous phosphorus (P) abatement practices and legislation successfully reduced the abundance of the algae, but with the introduction of dreissenid mussels, a resurgence has been observed. Though there is substantial literature and modeling of the growth cycle of Cladophora, relatively little research has been dedicated to the decomposition stage of the algae, a period which may contribute to a substantial influx of nutrients to near-shore environmental regions. By first examining a period of in-situ growth within Lake …


Niche Partitioning Of Food Resources By Freshwater Mussels In A Multispecies Mussel Bed In The Sabine River, Marissa Netti Aug 2022

Niche Partitioning Of Food Resources By Freshwater Mussels In A Multispecies Mussel Bed In The Sabine River, Marissa Netti

Biology Theses

Freshwater mussels (Unionids) are a very diverse group of bivalves, with about 300 species in the United States. Although freshwater mussels are very diverse, they are also critically endangered and are declining at extremely high rates. In fact, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed excluding eight freshwater mussel species from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2021 because they went extinct. Mussels play a key role in keeping our water systems healthy because of their filter feeding method. Filter feeding influences the rest of the ecosystem through the transfer of energy, cycling of nutrients, and purification of the surrounding …


Associations Of Rare Caddisflies With The Western Dwarf Salamander Eurycea Paludicola, Lillie Hawkins Aug 2022

Associations Of Rare Caddisflies With The Western Dwarf Salamander Eurycea Paludicola, Lillie Hawkins

Biology Theses

There is limited information on the three species of caddisflies Philopotamidae Chimarra holzenthali, Hydropsychidae Cheumatopsyche morsei, Hydroptilidae Hydroptila ouachita and the western dwarf salamander Eurycea paludicola. In particular, there is a lack of any habitat associations between these caddisflies and the western dwarf salamander. Museum specimens of the caddisflies are scarce; however, the literature suggests they are spring dwelling like the western dwarf salamander. The goal of this project was to sample previously known and new habitats where these organisms might be found and report overall quality of the habitats and whether the caddisflies were associated with …


Microbial Dimension Of Symbiosis And Dysbiosis In Fungus–Gardening Ants, Blake S. Bringhurst Aug 2022

Microbial Dimension Of Symbiosis And Dysbiosis In Fungus–Gardening Ants, Blake S. Bringhurst

Biology Theses

With symbiotic partners, the means by which a host obtain a symbiont influence the specificity between the host and the symbiont. One such system where symbiont specificity is seen to varying degrees is with higher attine ants. Higher attine ants have symbiotic relationships with the fungal cultivar they grow and the bacterial symbionts in their microbiomes. Among the higher attines, there are two broad groups of fungi. Most ants in the genus Trachymyrmex tend to grow Clade–B fungi, which are a group of undescribed Leucocoprinus species, while leaf–cutting ants in the genera Acromyrmex and Atta tend to grow Clade–A fungi …


Characterization Of Zika Virus (Zikv) Monoclonal Antibodies Induced In Hamsters, Mengzhu Tang Aug 2022

Characterization Of Zika Virus (Zikv) Monoclonal Antibodies Induced In Hamsters, Mengzhu Tang

Biology Theses

The Zika virus (ZIKV) has been listed as an international public health emergency since 2016 by the World Health Organization (WHO). Unfortunately, no vaccines or antivirals are currently available for ZIKV prevention and control. The genotypical and phenotypical similarities between ZIKV and other flaviviruses make it challenging to differentiate ZIKV infections among flavivirus infections by serological techniques. One of the approaches to find better ways to unequivocally differentiate ZIKV antibodies from antibodies induced by other serologically cross-reacting flaviviruses was to generate ZIKV-specific monoclonal antibodies (MABs). My thesis focuses on characterizing hamster monoclonal antibodies (MABs), 1) to analyze the activity of …


Regional-Scale Climate-Induced Variation In Ant Physiology And Morphology, Daniel E. Murphy Aug 2022

Regional-Scale Climate-Induced Variation In Ant Physiology And Morphology, Daniel E. Murphy

Biology Theses

The biology of ectotherms such as insects is influenced by ambient thermal conditions. Ants are a ubiquitous and ecologically important group of insects and are well-established as bioindicators of thermal conditions. Ants are sensitive to the thermal extremes that vary with latitude, elevation, and land use, and these thermal gradients influence their spatial and temporal distributions. As a result, ants have evolved physiological and morphological thermal adaptations in response to the thermal environment of their habitats. These adaptations include increased physiological and morphological tolerance for temperature extremes. In Western New York (WNY), temperatures are temporally and spatially heterogeneous, changing with …