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Using Stable Isotopes To Assess The Trophic Ecology Of A Native And Invasive Fish Species In The Western Basin Of Lake Erie, Matthew M. Guzzo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using stable isotopes of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N), I investigate the trophic ecology and niche overlap of Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) and White Perch (Morone americana) across the western basin of Lake Erie. Stable isotopes varied spatially and temporally in lower trophic level organisms, which are used to estimate carbon sources and trophic position of consumers. These variations inhibit our ability to assess trophic relationships, particularly in large lakes. Yellow Perch relied on benthic food sources, while White Perch occupied higher trophic positions and had larger niche widths. Trophic positions of yellow and white perch were related …

The Influence Of Sperm Competition And Life-History Traits On Brain Size Evolution In Male And Female Birds, Melissa Leila Abdellah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interspecific variation in brain size is described as being an adaptive consequence of development and behaviour. Despite growing interest in sex-specific influences on the development of conspicuous traits, little research has focused on investigating sex-specific determinants of brain size. The overall goal of my thesis was to investigate the sex-specific influences on brain size evolution in birds. By measuring endocranial volume from museum specimens, I collected a large sex-specific dataset spanning 106 avian species. In Chapter 2, I found that male brain size was negatively associated with testis size, suggesting that sperm competition may be critical in determining brain size …

The Influence Of Visual Environment And Sympatry On Plumage Coloration In New World Warblers, Allison Flora Mistakidis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Several factors may drive interspecific divergence, and investigating possible mechanisms from multiple angles may be most efficient for understanding the evolutionary history of diverse groups. The main objective of my thesis was to examine mechanisms that may promote plumage divergence in Parulidae warblers. In my first study, I investigated the signalling environments of 17 sympatric species of warblers to test predictions of sensory drive. I determined sexual selection has likely influenced plumage evolution in warblers, plumage and visual environment coloration were correlated, and warblers were not most conspicuous in chosen display environments. In my second study, I tested the relationship …

Er Stress Mediated Effects On Plasma Membrane Cholesterol And Nitric Oxide Bioavailability, Ruchi Chaube

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Endothelial dysfunction is due in part to the decrease in the biosynthesis and the bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO) in the endothelial cell layer. The chronic exposure of blood vessels to cardiovascular risk factors such as LDL-cholesterol, free fatty acids, homocysteine and conditions of hyperglycemia can give rise to endothelial dysfunction. Many of these same risk factors have also been shown to induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, in endothelial cells. However, the potential links between endothelial dysfunction and ER-stress have not been clearly established.

The present study was undertaken with two objectives. Objective 1 was to determine how increased plasma …

Microarray Time-Series Data Clustering Via Gene Expression Profile Alignment, K M Numanul Hoque Subhani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Clustering gene expression data given In terms of time-series is a challenging problem that imposes its own particular constraints, namely, exchanging two or more time points is not possible as it would deliver quite different results and would lead to erroneous biological conclusions.

In this thesis, clustering methods introducing the concept of multiple alignment of natural cubic spline representations of gene expression profiles are presented. The multiple alignment is achieved by minimizing the sum of integrated squared errors over a time-interval, defined on a set of profiles. The proposed approach with flat clustering algorithms like k-means and EM are …

The Nucleolar Organizer Of The Salivary Gland Polytene Chromosomes As A Measure Of Recent Growth In Laboratory-Reared And Field-Collected Chironomus Spp. (Diptera: Chironomidae) Larvae, Joshua P. Martin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Midge larvae possess giant polytene chromosomes. Genes on these chromosomes undergoing transcription are visible as puffs. The nucleolar organizer (NOR), an especially large puff, shrinks when a larva is stressed. Two feeding experiments were conducted to examine how NOR size changes as a function of Chironomus riparius growth. NOR size was linearly related to an individual's recent growth rate, independent of its body size.

Chironomids were collected from wetlands constructed with oil sands mine water and tailings (OSPM), and reference wetlands to evaluate the utility of the NOR as a field-based measure of larval growth and condition. Small larvae (

Study Of Thickly And Thinly Sectioned Melanoma Skin Tissues With Mechanical Scanning Acoustic Reflection Microscopy, Yihan Tian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The contents of the present study are organized into two parts: the first is focused on characterizing a thickly sectioned skin tissue with a mechanical scanning acoustic reflection microscopy (hereinafter simply called “SAM”) of pulse-wave mode. The second part is focused on characterizing a thinly sectioned skin tissue with tone-burst-wave mode of SAM. We showed analyses of optical and acoustical images, as well as developed mathematical models using an angular spectrum approach for predicting contrast and characterizing acoustic properties of both sections of tissue. Also, for thin specimens a reflectance function for the tissue located on a substrate was theoretically …

Adult Distribution And The Effects Of Dispersal And Genetic Drift On Population Genetic Structure Of Resident Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) In Babine Lake, British Columbia., Rachel Anne Koehler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Resident rainbow trout in Babine Lake, British Columbia are the focus of regionally important recreational and First Nations food fisheries. This study investigates the roles of dispersal and random genetic drift on lake-wide population genetic structure and non-random distribution of adults. Using thirteen microsatellite loci, I found strong divergence between tributary populations and parr and fry life-stages within tributaries. I found that juvenile dispersal did not greatly affect the divergence between parr and fry groups, but that random genetic drift due to low effective population size was the likely cause of divergence between parr and fry. Adult distribution in the …

Dispersal And Invasion Dynamics Of The Round Goby, Neogobius Melanostomus, Facilitating Colonization Of Great Lakes Tributaries, Jennifer Ellen Bronnenhuber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The recent upstream colonization of Great Lakes tributaries by round goby, Neogobius melanostomus, provides an opportunity to identify dispersal mechanisms and examine invasion dynamics associated with successful colonization of a novel aquatic environment. Genetic analyses identified a stratified dispersal strategy associated with upstream colonization. Genetic diversity was maintained during colonization by natural dispersal suggesting founder effects may be mitigated and adaptation may facilitate river colonization. Swimming performance analyses indicates that the uni-directional and high flow of rivers does not limit range expansion. However, morphological differences between lake and river populations suggest that dispersal is not a random diffusion of …

Physiological And Behavioural Response Of The Soybean Aphid (Aphis Glycines Matsumura) To Susceptible And Resistant Soybean, Nicole M. Lamont

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura, is an invasive pest which causes damage and yield loss to soybean plants in North America. One method of soybean aphid control involves the use of soybean varieties that negatively impact aphid physiology and behaviour. Mean aphid fecundity measured at different stages of soybean growth showed differences between resistant and susceptible plant varieties as well as differences between the growth stages. Mean aphid longevity on susceptible and resistant plants at different growth stages showed a similar trend. Movement from resistant plants was higher than movement from susceptible plants amongst 1st -2nd instars, apterous adults, …

Mutual Ornamentation, Sex-Specific Behaviour, And Multifunctional Traits In Neotropical Royal Flycatchers (Onychorhynchus Coronatus ), Kathryn Diane Rieveley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual selection theory focuses largely on showy male traits and choosy females, with most studies drawing conclusions from sexually dimorphic species. Until recently, female ornamentation was relatively unexplored. I investigated sex-specific behaviour in the mutually ornamented Neotropical royal flycatcher (Onychorhynchus coronatus), where both males and females possess an elaborate concealable crest. From observations in the wild, I characterized vocal and visual displays and found that the crest is a multifunctional trait used in intersexual, intrasexual, and heterospecific contexts. Using a model presentation experiment, I discovered that females exhibited a stronger response than males to territory intrusion, that females …

The Vocal Behaviour Of Common Loons (Gavia Immer): Signalling Strategies & Landscape Scale Communication, Van Thuc La

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Communication plays a crucial role in the social behaviour of many animals. In this thesis, I examine both signalling strategies and landscape-scale communication in free-living Common Loons (Gavia immer). Using over 6700 hours of passive, single-channel recordings, I demonstrate that Common Loons modify their vocal behaviour in response to time of day, time of year, and changing weather conditions. Using custom software, CALLSPACE, in combination with a ten-microphone acoustic monitoring system that spans three lakes, I examine the dynamics of over 5000 natural vocal interactions among Common Loons. I demonstrate that Common Loons from different territories participate in dyadic and …