Life Sciences Commons^™

Labile Soil Carbon Inputs Mediate The Soil Microbial Community Composition And Plant Residue Decomposition Rates, Marie-Anne De Graaff, Aimee T. Classen, Hector F. Castro, Christopher W. Schadt

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

• Root carbon (C) inputs may regulate decomposition rates in soil, and in this study we ask: how do labile C inputs regulate decomposition of plant residues, and soil microbial communities?

• In a 14 d laboratory incubation, we added C compounds often found in root exudates in seven different concentrations (0, 0.7, 1.4, 3.6, 7.2, 14.4 and 21.7 mg C g soil) to soils amended with and without ¹³C-labeled plant residue. We measured CO₂ respiration and shifts in relative fungal and bacterial rRNA gene copy numbers using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).

• Increased labile C input …

Eighteen Microsatellite Loci Developed From Western Burrowing Owls (Athene Cunicularia Hypugaea), Brant C. Faircloth, Alexandra Title, Kevin Tan, Justin Welty, James R. Belthoff, Patricia Adair Gowaty

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Western burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) are ground-dwelling owls distributed throughout western North America. Because of population declines, this species is considered endangered in Canada, and burrowing owls are listed as a species of conservation concern in states of the western USA. Korfanta et al. (2002) previously presented primers for seven microsatellite loci in burrowing owls. Parentage and relatedness studies require a larger number of markers for accuracy and precision. Here, we developed and characterized 18 additional microsatellite DNA loci, and we tested these loci in 23 individuals. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to …

A Comparison Of Cumulative-Germination Response Of Cheatgrass (Bromus Tectorum L.) And Five Perennial Bunchgrass Species To Simulated Field-Temperature Regimes, Stuart P. Hardegree, Corey A. Moffet, Bruce A. Roundy, Thomas A. Jones, Stephen J. Novak, Patrick E. Clark, Frederick B. Pierson, Gerald N. Flerchinger

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) has come to dominate millions of hectares of rangeland in the Intermountain western United States. Previous studies have hypothesized that one mechanism conferring a competitive advantage to this species is the ability to germinate rapidly at low temperatures in the fall, winter and spring and, therefore, initiate growth and establishment more rapidly than more desirable perennial bunchgrass species. In this experiment, we developed thermal-germination-response models for multiple seedlots of cheatgrass and five perennial grass species. We conducted sensitivity analysis on potentialcumulative- germination response to a 38-y simulation of field-variable conditions of seedbed temperature and moisture. …

The Role Of Caspases In Alzheimer's Disease; Potential Novel Therapeutic Opportunities, Troy T. Rohn

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Although apoptosis plays a critical role in molding the CNS into its final appearance and function, inappropriate activation of this pathway in the aging brain may contribute to neurodegeneration. In Alzheimer’s disease (AD), an overwhelming body of evidence supports the activation of apoptosis in general, and caspases specifically as an early event that may not only contribute to neurodegeneration but also promote the underlying pathology associated with this disease. Therefore, caspase inhibitors may provide an effective strategy for treating AD. However, despite the compelling evidence indicating a role for caspases in disease progression, chronic treatment with caspase inhibitors in animal …

Non-Native Salmonids Affect Amphibian Occupancy At Multiple Spatial Scales, David S. Pilliod, Blake R. Hossack, Peter F. Bahls, Evelyn L. Bull, Paul Stephen Corn, Grant Hokit, Bryce A. Maxell, James C. Munger, Aimee Wyrick

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Aim The introduction of non-native species into aquatic environments has been linked with local extinctions and altered distributions of native species. We investigated the effect of non-native salmonids on the occupancy of two native amphibians, the long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum) and Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris), across three spatial scales: water bodies, small catchments and large catchments.

Location Mountain lakes at ≥ 1500 m elevation were surveyed across the northern Rocky Mountains, USA.

Methods We surveyed 2267 water bodies for amphibian occupancy (based on evidence of reproduction) and fish presence between 1986 and 2002 and modelled …

GenHtr: A Tool For Comparative Assessment Of Genetic Heterogeneity In Microbial Genomes Generated By Massive Short-Read Sequencing, Gongxin Yu

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Microevolution is the study of short-term changes of alleles within a population and their effects on the phenotype of organisms. The result of the below-species-level evolution is heterogeneity, where populations consist of subpopulations with a large number of structural variations. Heterogeneity analysis is thus essential to our understanding of how selective and neutral forces shape bacterial populations over a short period of time. The Solexa Genome Analyzer, a next-generation sequencing platform, allows millions of short sequencing reads to be obtained with great accuracy, allowing for the ability to study the dynamics of the bacterial population at the whole genome …

Foraging Strategies Are Related To Skull Morphology And Life History Traits Of Melanerpes Woodpeckers, David L. Leonard Jr., Julie A. Heath

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Links between morphology and foraging strategies have been well established for many vertebrate groups. Foraging strategies of Melanerpes woodpeckers are especially variable, with at least six species being proficient flycatchers; the remainder of the better known species do not flycatch. Our objective was to examine variation in foraging tactics as it relates to skull morphology and other life history traits among these species to better understand the biology of these diverse woodpeckers. We measured eight skull characters from 241 individuals representing 19 species, but focused on eight species for which we had the most data. We used the log-geometric mean …

Agolohymena Aspidocauda Nov. Gen., Nov. Spec., A Histophagous Freshwater Tetrahymenid Ciliate In The Family Deltopylidae (Ciliophora, Hymenostomatia), From Idaho (Northwest U.S.A.): Morphology, Ontogenesis And Molecular Phylogeny, William A. Bourland, Michaela C. Strüder-Kypke

William Bourland

Morphology, ontogeny and the molecular phylogeny of Agolohymena aspidocauda nov. gen., nov. spec., a new freshwater tetrahymenid ciliate from Idaho, U.S.A, are described. The ontogeny and histophagous mode of nutrition are similar to those of Deltopylum rhabdoides Fauré-Fremiet and Mugard, 1946. The new genus is placed with Deltopylum in the resurrected family Deltopylidae Song & Wilbert, 1989. We emend the diagnostic features of the family to include division by polytomy, right and left somatic kineties extending into the preoral suture, crook-shaped or sigmoid adoral membranelles 1 and 2, markedly reduced adoral membranelle 3 and a tetrahymenid silverline pattern. The main …

Effects Of Old Nest Material On Occupancy And Reuse Of Artificial Burrows, And Breeding Dispersal By Burrowing Owls (Athene Cunicularia) In Southwestern Idaho, Corey S. Riding

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This thesis comprises two chapters describing my investigations of the breeding ecology of burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) in southwestern Idaho. The first chapter details two experimental studies where I examined the effects of old nest material, primarily mammal dung, on the occupancy and reuse of artificial burrows by burrowing owls in 2004 and 2005. For burrows that owls had not used previously for nesting, adding material from actual nests did not induce occupancy. Thus, old nest material does not appear to function as a cue for burrow suitability. Removing old material from burrows that owls had used for …

Agolohymena Aspidocauda Nov. Gen., Nov. Spec., A Histophagous Freshwater Tetrahymenid Ciliate In The Family Deltopylidae (Ciliophora, Hymenostomatia), From Idaho (Northwest U.S.A.): Morphology, Ontogenesis And Molecular Phylogeny, William A. Bourland, Michaela C. Strüder-Kypke

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Morphology, ontogeny and the molecular phylogeny of Agolohymena aspidocauda nov. gen., nov. spec., a new freshwater tetrahymenid ciliate from Idaho, U.S.A, are described. The ontogeny and histophagous mode of nutrition are similar to those of Deltopylum rhabdoides Fauré-Fremiet and Mugard, 1946. The new genus is placed with Deltopylum in the resurrected family Deltopylidae Song & Wilbert, 1989. We emend the diagnostic features of the family to include division by polytomy, right and left somatic kineties extending into the preoral suture, crook-shaped or sigmoid adoral membranelles 1 and 2, markedly reduced adoral membranelle 3 and a tetrahymenid silverline pattern. The main …

Present Effects Of Past Wildfires On Leaf Litter Breakdown In Stream Ecosystems, Peter Koetsier, Teresa R. B. Krause, Quenton M. Tuckett

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

We investigated the present effects from a 10-year-old wildfire on leaf litter breakdown rates in 3 headwater streams in central Idaho. These systems experienced a massive debris flow one year after the fire. Based on soil instability and burn patterns, we identified 3 stream conditions: unburned, burned only, and burned/scoured. We placed leaf bags containing willow leaves (Salix sp.) in each stream type and removed bags at various time intervals until all bags were collected 100 days after their introduction. Leaf material was dried and weighed, and decay rate coefficients were calculated. Macroinvertebrates colonizing the bags were enumerated and identified, …

Caspase-Cleaved Tar Dna-Binding Protein-43 In Parkinson’S Disease And Dementia With Lewy Bodies, Polina Kokoulina, Troy T. Rohn

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43) proteinopathies are classified based upon the extent of modified TDP-43 and include a growing number of neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin immunoreactive, tau-negative inclusions (FTLD-U) and FTLD with motor neuron disease (FTLD-MND). Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine whether proteolytic modifications of TDP-43 are a relevant finding in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). Methods: A novel site-directed caspase-cleavage antibody, termed TDP caspase-cleavage product antibody (TDPccp), was utilized based upon a known caspase-3 cleavage consensus site within TDP-43 at position 219. …

Idaho Bird Observatory: Research, Education, Conservation - 24/7, Elise Faike

Jay D. Carlisle

The Idaho Bird Observatory’s Lucky Peak bird monitoring station atop the foothills overlooking Boise is unique. During fall migration, it’s the only place in western North America that hosts some form of songbird or raptor research all day and all night—for downright fun 24/7!

Biology Of Cancer Class Metastasizes Knowledge, Chris Barbey, Madeline Connley, Ben Davis, Rachel Hightower, Jon Reeck, Caleb Sutherland, Cheryl L. Jorcyk

Service-Learning Program

Cancer, in all its forms, is a leading cause of death and serious disease. The pathology of cancer is very complicated. This combined with the fast pace of research and clinical innovation makes cancer biology a difficult topic, even for experts. As a consequence, patients who wish to gain a better understanding of cancer biology may find themselves stuck somewhere between the blog-a-sphere and technical journals. Cancer is a disease of miscommunication and confusion at the level of cellular signaling. In a sense, this theme of confusion extends to the experience of the patient. The body is in rebellion, perhaps …

Effects Of Small Increases In Corticosterone Levels On Morphology, Immune Function, And Feather Development, Michael W. Butler, Lynda L. Leppert, Alfred M. Dufty Jr.

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Stressors encountered during avian development may affect an individual’s phenotype, including immunocompetence, growth, and feather quality. We examined effects of simulated chronic low-level stress on American kestrel (Falco sparverius) nestlings. Continuous release of corticosterone, a hormone involved in the stress response, can model chronic stress in birds. We implanted 13-d-old males with either corticosterone-filled implants or shams and measured their growth, immune function, and feather coloration.We found no significant differences between groups at the end of the weeklong exposure period in morphometrics (mass, tarsus, wing length, and asymmetry), immunocompetence (cutaneous immunity, heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, and humoral immunity), or feather …

Phenotypic Divergence During The Invasion Of Phyla Canescens In Australia And France: Evidence For Selection-Driven Evolution, Cheng-Yuan Xu, Mic H. Julien, Mohammad Fatemi, Christophe Girod, Rieks D. Van Klinken, Caroline L. Gross, Stephen J. Novak

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Rapid adaptive evolution has been advocated as a mechanism that promotes invasion. Demonstrating adaptive evolution in invasive species requires rigorous analysis of phenotypic shifts driven by selection. Here, we document selection-driven evolution of Phyla canescens, an Argentine weed, in two invaded regions (Australia and France). Invasive populations possessed similar or higher diversity than native populations, and displayed mixed lineages from different sources, suggesting that genetic bottlenecks in both countries might have been alleviated by multiple introductions. Compared to native populations, Australian populations displayed more investment in sexual reproduction, whereas French populations possessed enhanced vegetative reproduction and growth. We partitioned …