Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Keyword
-
- Cost of reproduction (2)
- Poeciliidae (2)
- Terminal investment (2)
- Aeolian (1)
- Alzheimer's disease (1)
-
- Approximate Bayesian computation (1)
- Autotrophic (1)
- Bioluminescence (1)
- Biotic resistance (1)
- Burying beetles (1)
- CD33 (1)
- CLU (1)
- Central America (1)
- Chara (1)
- Climate change (1)
- Coalescent (1)
- Coleoptera (1)
- Colorado Plateau (1)
- Comparative phylogeography (1)
- Desert (1)
- Diel oxygen (1)
- Dust (1)
- Ecosystem metabolism (1)
- Epistasis (1)
- Erosion (1)
- Fire (1)
- Fluvial (1)
- Freshwater fishes (1)
- GPP (1)
- Genetic breaks (1)
Articles 1 - 9 of 9
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Generality Of The Terminal Investment Hypothesis: Effects Of Extrinsic Mortality And Resource Availability On Age-Related Reproductive Investment, Allystair Jones
Generality Of The Terminal Investment Hypothesis: Effects Of Extrinsic Mortality And Resource Availability On Age-Related Reproductive Investment, Allystair Jones
Theses and Dissertations
A central question in life history theory is, what combination of traits and behaviors will lead to the highest reproductive success throughout a lifetime. The trade-off between current and future reproduction is central to the lifetime reproductive success of an organism. If there is a cost to reproduction, then allocation of energy to current reproduction will come at a cost to future reproduction. We expect young individuals to favor future reproduction over current reproduction and that balance shifts to current reproduction as they age (i.e. terminal investment hypothesis). However, how this transition from an emphasis on future reproduction to emphasis …
A Molecular Phylogeny Of Lampyridae With Insight Into Visual And Bioluminescent Evolution, Gavin Jon Martin
A Molecular Phylogeny Of Lampyridae With Insight Into Visual And Bioluminescent Evolution, Gavin Jon Martin
Theses and Dissertations
Fireflies are some of the most captivating organisms on the planet. Because of this, they have a rich history of study, especially concerning their bioluminescent and visual behavior. Among insects, opsin copy number variation has been shown to be quite diverse. However, within the beetles, very little work on opsins has been conducted. Here we look at the visual system of fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), which offer an elegant system in which to study visual evolution as it relates to their behavior and broader ecology. They are the best-known case of a terrestrial organism that communicates through the use bioluminescence. The …
Understanding The Diversification Of Central American Freshwater Fishes Using Comparative Phylogeography And Species Delimitation, Justin C. Bagley
Understanding The Diversification Of Central American Freshwater Fishes Using Comparative Phylogeography And Species Delimitation, Justin C. Bagley
Theses and Dissertations
Phylogeography and molecular phylogenetics have proven remarkably useful for understanding the patterns and processes influencing historical diversification of biotic lineages at and below the species level, as well as delimiting morphologically cryptic species. In this dissertation, I used an integrative approach coupling comparative phylogeography and coalescent-based species delimitation to improve our understanding of the biogeography and species limits of Central American freshwater fishes. In Chapter 1, I conducted a literature review of the contributions of phylogeography to understanding the origins and maintenance of lower Central American biodiversity, in light of the geological and ecological setting. I highlighted emerging phylogeographic patterns, …
Variation In Resource Utilization And Cost Of Reproduction For Two Burying Beetle Species, Peter J. Meyers
Variation In Resource Utilization And Cost Of Reproduction For Two Burying Beetle Species, Peter J. Meyers
Theses and Dissertations
The cost of reproduction hypothesis suggests that allocation into current reproduction constrains future reproduction. How organisms accrue reproductive costs may differ between species and with varying levels of resource quality. Burying beetles are model organisms for testing for the cost of reproduction because of their unique natural history; beetles utilize small vertebrate carcasses for reproduction and they and their offspring feed exclusively on these discrete resources. Burying beetles also can utilize a large range of carcass sizes for reproduction. We tested for the cost of reproduction in two species of burying beetles, Nicrophorus marginatus and Nicrophorus guttula found in Central …
The Interaction Of Aeolian And Fluvial Processes In Dry Washes On The Colorado Plateau, Usa, Beau Jensen Walker
The Interaction Of Aeolian And Fluvial Processes In Dry Washes On The Colorado Plateau, Usa, Beau Jensen Walker
Theses and Dissertations
In the past decade there has been a call for integrated studies that examine the interaction of fluvial and aeolian processes (Belnap et al., 2011; Bullard and Livingstone, 2002). In this study, we examined the role of land-use, weather, and soil type on the flux of aeolian material into dry washes on the Colorado Plateau in central Utah, USA, and western Colorado, USA. Our goal was to quantify the impact of individual deposition and erosion events by correlating weather and land-use data with a combination of measurement methods including dust collection via dust traps, GPS surveying, and close-range photogrammetry. Our …
Spatial Heterogeneity Of Ecosystem Metabolism In A Shallow Wetland, Daniel Riley Rackliffe
Spatial Heterogeneity Of Ecosystem Metabolism In A Shallow Wetland, Daniel Riley Rackliffe
Theses and Dissertations
Spatial heterogeneity in ecosystem metabolism may play a critical role in determining ecosystem functions. Variation in ecosystem metabolism between macrophyte patches in shallow wetlands at the extremes of freshwater habitats has not been investigated. We estimated ecosystem metabolism in mesocosms containing different macrophytes using 24-hour oxygen curves to test our hypotheses: (1) net aquatic production (NAP) during spring and summer would be similar among algal patches (metaphyton and Chara), (2) NAP in algal patches would be greater than patches dominated by the vascular plant Potamogeton foliosus, (3) heterotrophy and anaerobiosis would be greatest in patches dominated by Lemna, and (4) …
Small Mammals Matter? Linking Plant Invasion, Biotic Resistance, And Climate Change In Post-Fire Plant Communities, Rory Charles O'Connor
Small Mammals Matter? Linking Plant Invasion, Biotic Resistance, And Climate Change In Post-Fire Plant Communities, Rory Charles O'Connor
Theses and Dissertations
The introduction and establishment of exotic species can profoundly alter ecosystems. Two exotic species drastically changing the landscape of deserts in western North America are Bromus tectorum L. and Bromus rubens L. Through the buildup of biomass and slow decomposition rates in deserts these two exotic annual grasses can alter fire regimes that change the plant and animal community dynamics in the ecosystems. To better understand the ecological mechanisms that could restrict or alter the patterns of invasive plant establishment we established a replicated full factorial experiment in the Great Basin and Mojave Desert. The combinations of factors being manipulated …
Role Of Epistasis In Alzheimer's Disease Genetics, Mark T. Ebbert
Role Of Epistasis In Alzheimer's Disease Genetics, Mark T. Ebbert
Theses and Dissertations
Alzheimer's disease is a complex neurodegenerative disease whose basic etiology and genetic structure remains elusive, despite decades of intensive investigation. To date, the significant genetic markers identified have no obvious functional effects, and are unlikely to play a role in Alzheimer's disease etiology, themselves. These markers are likely linked to other genetic variations, rare or common. Regardless of what causal mutations are found, research has demonstrated that no single gene determines Alzheimer's disease development and progression. It is clear that Alzheimer's disease development and progression are based on a set of interactions between genes and environmental variables. This dissertation focuses …
Perceptions And Influences Behind Teaching Practices: Do Teachers Teach As They Were Taught?, Stephanie Elizabeth Cox
Perceptions And Influences Behind Teaching Practices: Do Teachers Teach As They Were Taught?, Stephanie Elizabeth Cox
Theses and Dissertations
Schools face the problem of recruiting and retaining students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degrees. One reason that students leave STEM fields is because their introductory classes are too hard or not engaging. These introductory classes are typically taught using a lecture-heavy, instructor-centered approach, contrary to current evidence based pedagogy. Many who call for teacher reform put the blame on the way teachers are educated, which is often not student-centered, citing that because ‘teachers teach the way they were taught,’ current education is also not student-centered. The idea that ‘teachers teach the way they were taught’ is commonly …