Life Sciences Commons^™

The Dilemma Of Foraging Herbivores: Dealing With Food And Fear, Clare Mcarthur, Peter B. Banks, Rudy Boonstra, Jennifer Sorensen Forbey

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

For foraging herbivores, both food quality and predation risk vary across the landscape. Animals should avoid low-quality food patches in favour of high-quality ones, and seek safe patches while avoiding risky ones. Herbivores often face the foraging dilemma, however, of choosing between high-quality food in risky places or low-quality food in safe places. Here, we explore how and why the interaction between food quality and predation risk affects foraging decisions of mammalian herbivores, focusing on browsers confronting plant toxins in a landscape of fear. We draw together themes of plant–herbivore and predator–prey interactions, and the roles of animal ecophysiology, behaviour …

Construction And Characterization Of Non-Toxic Bacterial Enterotoxins As Vaccine Adjuvants, Lavanya Vempati

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The development of adjuvants that can promote the delivery of purified subunit vaccines by mucosal routes, such as the nose or the mouth, is recognized as a top priority for vaccine research. The bacterial enterotoxins; cholera toxin (CT) and E.coli heat-labile toxin (LTI), have long been recognized as powerful adjuvants with the ability to stimulate specific immune responses to co-administered antigens when delivered to mucosal surfaces. Shiga toxin 1 (ST1) and pertussis toxin (PT) are structurally homologous bacterial toxins secreted by Escherichia coli 0157:H7 and Bordetella pertussis respectively. ST1 and PT also have reported adjuvant activity but it is less …

Redescription Of Atopospira Galeata (Kahl, 1927) Nov. Comb. And A. Violacea (Kahl, 1926) Nov. Comb. With Redefinition Of Atopospira Jankowski, 1964 Nov. Stat. And Brachonella Jankowski, 1964 (Ciliophora, Armophorida), William A. Bourland, Laura Wendell

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The taxonomy of the Metopidae (Ciliophora, Armophorida) remains poorly understood since most of its members have not been studied by modern morphologic and molecular methods. Recent molecular investigations have indicated that the two most species-rich genera, Metopus and Brachonella, are likely nonmonophyletic with at least one well-supported 18S rDNA clade comprised of a species from each of these genera (Brachonella galeata and Metopus violaceus). We investigated these two species with silver impregnation and scanning electron microscopy. Both taxa share important morphologic characteristics not described in other species of Metopus or Brachonella. These synapomorphies include: (1) a …

An Observation Of Apparent Teaching Behavior In The Pallid Bat, Antrozous Pallidus, Jessie P. Bunkley, Jesse R. Barber

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

During a laboratory study of pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus) hunting behavior, we observed an interaction wherein an adult female appeared to aid a juvenile male in learning a novel foraging task. This single observation adheres to the 3 requirements of teaching outlined by Caro and Hauser (1992). A female bat experienced with a hunting task modified her behavior in the presence of a naïve observing male, resulting in a cost of reduced food availability to the female when she was hungry, while directing the male to food resources and accelerating his learning of a foraging task. …

Movements Of A Juvenile Crowned Eagle (Harpyhaliaetus Coronatus) Tracked By Satellite Telemetry In Central Argentina, Vicente Urios, Maria Pilar Donat-Torres, Marc J. Bechard, Miguel Ferrer

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: A juvenile Crowned Eagle was tagged at its nest with a satellite transmitter. The Crowned Eagle (Harpyhaliaetus coronatus) is one of the most unknown raptor species from the American continent. Their current distribution ranges from central Brazil to central Argentina, with a total population of 350–1500 individuals across this large area, being thus largely fragmented.

Results: During the three years of tracking the bird concentrated its movements in a range spanning for 12845 km², but concentrating mainly in four smaller areas accounting for 3073 km². The locations were recorded mainly over shrubland habitats …

Diet Of A Cryptic But Widespread Invader, The Oriental Weatherfish (Misgurnus Anguillicaudatus) In Idaho, Usa, Alexander N. Urquhart, Peter Koetsier

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The oriental weatherfish (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) is invasive to 13 U.S. states and at least 9 other countries. Although this cryptic fish species is widespread, very little is known regarding its ecology. We used baited minnow traps to collect 237 individuals from water bodies connected to the Boise River, Idaho. To determine the diet of the fish within this invasive population, we dissected and examined stomach contents of the sampled fish. Most of the stomachs (158 of 237) were empty, and 42 contained only the trap bait. However, 37 contained natural food items. Gravimetric analysis, frequency of occurrence, and …

Factors Associated With Flammulated Owl And Northern Saw-Whet Owl Occupancy In Southern Idaho, Micah N. Scholer, Matthias Leu, James R. Belthoff

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Spatially explicit models depicting species occupancy offer a useful conservation tool for land managers. Using occurrence data collected in 2009 and 2010 from the Boise National Forest, Idaho, we developed distribution models for Flammulated Owls (Psiloscops flammeolus) and Northern Saw-whet Owls (Aegolius acadicus) to explore associations between habitat factors and owl occupancy. We then spatially applied these models in a Geographic Information System. We considered land cover and topographic variables at three spatial scales: 0.4-km, 1-km, or 3-km-radius plots centered on point-count locations (n  =  150) with resolution of land covers at 30 m. Flammulated …

Influence Of Wildfire Disturbance And Post-Fire Seeding On Vegetation And Insects In Sagebrush Habitats, Ashley T. Rohde

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Disturbance events alter community composition and structure because of differences in resistance and resilience of individual taxa, changes in habitat resulting in colonization by new taxa and alteration of biotic interaction patterns. Recent changes in disturbance types, frequencies and intensities caused by anthropogenic activities may further alter community composition and structure if these disturbances exceed the tolerances or adaptations of some taxa. In sagebrush steppe habitats of the western United States, wildfire is the current dominant disturbance type, burning millions of hectares annually. Further, up to 90% of sagebrush-steppe ecosystems are affected by anthropogenic influences such as invasive species. Post-fire …

The First Successful Use Of A Low Stringency Familial Match In A French Criminal Investigation, Emmanuel Pham-Hoai, Frank Crispino, Greg Hampikian

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

We describe how a very simple application of familial searching resolved a decade-old, high-profile rape/murder in France. This was the first use of familial searching in a criminal case using the French STR DNA database, which contains approximately 1,800,000 profiles. When an unknown forensic profile (18 loci) was searched against the French arrestee/offender database using CODIS configured for a low stringency search, a single low stringency match was identified. This profile was attributed to the father of the man suspected to be the source of the semen recovered from the murder victim Elodie Kulik. The identification was confirmed using Y-chromosome …

Immunogenicity Of A West Nile Virus Diii-Cholera Toxin A2/B Chimera After Intranasal Delivery, Juliette K. Tinker, Jie Yan, Reece J. Knippel, Panos Panayiotou, Kenneth A. Cornell

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

West Nile virus (WNV) causes potentially fatal neuroinvasive disease and persists at endemic levels in many parts of the world. Despite advances in our understanding of WNV pathogenesis, there remains a significant need for a human vaccine. The domain III (DIII) region of the WNV envelope protein contains epitopes that are the target of neutralizing antibodies. We have constructed a chimeric fusion of the non-toxic cholera toxin (CT) CTA₂/B domains to DIII for investigation as a novel mucosally-delivered WNV vaccine. Purification and assembly of the chimera, as well as receptor-binding and antigen delivery, were verified by western blot, …

Temporal And Spatial Variation Of Nitrogen In Wyoming Big Sagebrush, Stephanie Williams, Jordan Nobler, Kristina Gehlken, Janet Rachlow, Lisa Shipley

College of Arts and Sciences Presentations

Sagebrush steppe systems represent one of North America’s greatest conservation challenges. Shrinking habitat and declining animal populations have prompted researchers to fill gaps in our understanding of the ecology of this system, particularly at a scale relevant to individual animals. What animals eat and why are fundamental questions linked to habitat quality and use. We investigated the temporal and spatial heterogeneity of the dietary quality of food to better understand habitat use by a sagebrush specialist, the pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis). Within a foraging patch, pygmy rabbits selectively browse on individual Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata wyomingensis) that are …

Stüve-Wiedemann Syndrome: Lifr And Associated Cytokines In Clinical Course And Etiology, Dawn Mikelonis, Cheryl L. Jorcyk, Ken Tawara, Julia Thom Oxford

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Stüve-Wiedemann syndrome (STWS; OMIM #610559) is a rare bent-bone dysplasia that includes radiologic bone anomalies, respiratory distress, feeding difficulties, and hyperthermic episodes. STWS usually results in infant mortality, yet some STWS patients survive into and, in some cases, beyond adolescence. STWS is caused by a mutation in the leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) gene, which is inherited in an autosomally recessive pattern. Most LIFR mutations resulting in STWS are null mutations which cause instability of the mRNA and prevent the formation of LIFR, impairing the signaling pathway. LIFR signaling usually follows the JAK/STAT3 pathway, and is initiated by …

Apolipoprotein E Pathology In Vascular Dementia, Troy T. Rohn, Ryan J. Day, Colin B. Sheffield, Alexander J. Rajic, Wayne W. Poon

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Vascular dementia (VaD) is the second most common form of dementia and is currently defined as a cerebral vessel vascular disease leading to ischemic episodes. Apolipoprotein E (apoE) gene polymorphism has been proposed as a risk factor for VaD, however, to date there are few documented post-mortem studies on apoE pathology in the VaD brain. To investigate a potential role for the apoE protein, we analyzed seven confirmed cases of VaD by immunohistochemistry utilizing an antibody that specifically detects the amino-terminal fragment of apoE. Application of this antibody, termed N-terminal, apoE cleavage fragment (nApoECF) revealed consistent labeling within neurofibrillary tangles …

Morphologic And Molecular Description Of Metopus Fuscus Kahl From North America And New Rdna Sequences From Seven Metopids (Armophorea, Metopidae), William A. Bourland, Laura Wendell, Greg Hampikian

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Most species in the large ciliate genus Metopus Claparède & Lachmann, 1858 lack detailed descriptions based on modern morphologic and molecular methods. This lack of data for the vast majority of species hampers application of a morphospecies approach to the taxonomy of Metopus and other armophorids. In this report we redescribe the large species, Metopus fuscus Kahl, 1927 based on in vivo observation, silver impregnation, scanning electron microscopy, and single-cell 18S rDNA sequencing of a freshwater North American (Idaho) population. Metopus fuscus invariably has a perinuclear envelope of endosymbiotic bacteria not found in other species. Unlike the original description of …

Regional Distribution Shifts Help Explain Local Changes In Wintering Raptor Abundance: Implications For Interpreting Population Trends, Neil Paprocki, Julie A. Heath, Shawn J. Novak

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Studies of multiple taxa across broad-scales suggest that species distributions are shifting poleward in response to global climate change. Recognizing the influence of distribution shifts on population indices will be an important part of interpreting trends within management units because current practice often assumes that changes in local populations reflect local habitat conditions. However, the individual- and population-level processes that drive distribution shifts may occur across a large, regional scale and have little to do with the habitats within the management unit. We examined the latitudinal center of abundance for the winter distributions of six western North America raptor species …