Life Sciences Commons^™

Genetic Transformation Among Azotobacter Species, Wayne H. Voth

Dissertations and Theses

Previous methods for genetic transformation in Azotobacter vinelandii have employed poorly defined genetic markers or crude DNA extracts. An improved transformation technique has been developed for use in Azotobacter. The technique was used to transform several strains of Azotobacter with DNA carrying a defined genetic marker. A method for isolating pure, high molecular weight, biologically active DNA from Azotobacter is also presented. Purity of the extracted DNA was determined by standard chemical assays. The molecular weight was determined by boundary sedimentation techniques to be 18.2 megadaltons. DNA was obtained from several mutant strains of Azotobacter. Biological activity of these samples …

Factors Affecting Mating Duration In The Walkingstick Diapheromera Velii (Walsh) (Phasmatodea: Heteronemiidae), John M. Sivinski

Biology ETDs

Mating durations have only recently become the object of detailed research. The stick insect Diapheromera velii mates from 3 to 136 hours, during which time the genitalia are often not inserted, and contact is maintained by a male clasping organ. Prolonged attachment of male D. velii in the absence of copulation is best explained as guarding that assures the efficiency of previously transferred ejaculates by avoiding sperm competition. Oviposition patterns in D. velii are relatively continuous when compared to those of many insects. The result is that female value to males is comparatively constant as well. The amount of time …

The Effects Of Salts And Metals On Germination And Emergence Of Atriplex Canescens (Pursh.) Nutt. And Sporobolus Airoides Torr, Robert L. Edgar

Biology ETDs

Laboratory studies were conducted to determine effects of salts, metals, and their interactions on the germination and emergence of fourwing saltbush [Atriplex canescens (Pursh.) Nutt.] and alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides Torr.). These studies, coupled with soil evaluations, should allow one to predict and possibly alleviate germination and emergence inhibition of these two species due to excessive soil salts and metals. Fourwing saltbush germination and emergence is significantly greater with osmotic stress <-3 bars imposed by inorganic salts (NaCl, Na₂SO₄, MgCl₂, MgSO₄, or CaCl₂) than by polyethylene glycol (PEG) (P <.05). Alkali sacaton germination and emergence is significantly better with osmotic stress <-3 bars imposed by NaCl, Na₂SO₄, or CaCl₂ than by …

Ecological Comparison Of Sigmodon Hispidus And Sigmodon Fulviventer In The Rio Grande Valley, New Mexico, Karen Petersen

Biology ETDs

This study evaluates the potential for competitive interactions between two species of cotton rat along the Rio Grande valley in New Mexico. Field work was carried out on Sigmodon hispidus and S. fulviventer from April, 1976 to August, 1976, at six study sites. Field data gathered included number of juveniles, number of pregnant females and vegetation diversity. Further studies included morphological analysis of museum specimens and a behavioral study of animals brought back to the laboratory.

Population parameters were compared across the study sites for the cotton rats. Neither species has a sex ratio significantly different from 50:50, but the …

Laboratory Comparisons Of Two Species Of Liquidambar, Lynn Wellman

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Laboratory germinated seedlings of Liquidambar styraciflua L., sweet gum, from Barren County, Kentucky, subjected to a flooding or inundation test were shown to respond in significantly different ways than did the controls. Plants with root systems standing in water showed a much shorter period of non-dormancy than plants that were not subjected to submergence when both were grown under long day, warm temperature conditions in growth chambers. There was no evidence of transfer of a growth retardant or dormin-like compound in water transferred from plants grown under short day (long night) conditions to plants with roots submerged under long day …

Origins Of Biological Thought, John B. Jenkins

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Anticonvulsant Drugs On The Morphological And Neurophysiological Aspects Of An Experimental Model Of Epilepsy, Linda D. Compton

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Application Of The Nutrient Loading Concept To Lake Powell, The Effects Of Nutrient Perturbations On Phytoplankton Productivity, And Levels Of Nitrogen And Phosphorus In The Reservoir, Steven Paul Gloss

Biology ETDs

Levels, sources, and biological influence of nitrogen and phosphorus in Lake Powell, Utah-Arizona were examined. The reservoir, one of the three largest in the United States, is a mainstream impoundment on the Colorado River and is classified as a warm monomictic with meromixis exhibited in deeper waters.

Nutrient concentrations in the reservoir were characteristic of a mesotrophic lake. Mean total phosphorus concentration was 17 mg m^-3 during the study, while total nitrogen averaged 531 mg m^-3. Nitrate was the dominant form of nitrogen. Distribution of both nutrients exhibited patterns previously described for lakes to some extent, but …

An Evaluation Of Narrow Hybrid Zones In Vertebrates, William S. Moore

Biological Sciences Faculty Research Publications

A review of the literature on vertebrate hybridization reveals the existence of a number of narrow hybrid zones. Three hypotheses have been suggested to explain the occurrence of these zones. The ephemeral-zone hypothesis states that hybridization will end either in speciation or fusion of the hybridizing taxa by means of introgression. The dynamic-equilibrium hypothesis allows the possibility that narrow hybrid zones might be stable: where hybrids are confined to a small area by steep selection gradients, "crystallization" of an antihybridization mechanism might be prevented by naive immigrants from the parental populations even though hybrids are selected against. The hybrid-superiority hypothesis …

Modern Invertebrate Footprints Compared With Fossil Footprints From The Coconino Sandstone (Permian), Marilyn A. Emtage

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Laboratory studies of trackways of the crayfish, Cambarus clarkii were conducted, and the footprints compared with fossil invertebrate footprints (Paleohelcura sp.) of the Permian Coconino sandstone of Northern Arizona, and similar footprints of other sandstone. Fine grained sand (similar to that composing the Coconino sandstone) was placed in a plexiglass tank to form slopes of various angles. The crayfish walked up and down slopes of 10°± 3°, 20°± 2°, 25° and on level sand, and their trackways were photographed. Trackways were produced on wet sand and underwater sand, but the animals would not walk on dry sand. Clear individual impressions …

Review Of "History Of The Life Sciences. An Annotated Bibliography" By P. Smit, John B. Jenkins

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Distribution And Behavior Study Of Diurnal Tree Squirrels In Portland, Oregon, With Emphasis On The Western Gray Squirrel (Sciurus Griseus Griseus Ord) And The Western Fox Squirrel (S. Niger Rufiventer E. Geoffroy St.-Hilaire), Ira Young Rice Iii

Dissertations and Theses

Populations of diurnal tree squirrels in the Portland area were located by mail surveys, personal interviews, and field inspections. Pine squirrels were found to reside in thickly wooded residential areas with dense understories and running water nearby. Western gray squirrels occupied habitats in relatively quiet residential neighborhoods, in areas well supplied with mast crops. Western fox squirrels were found to coexist with gray squirrels in their preferred habitat, and also to thrive in park settings with few mast trees and high activity and noise levels. In areas occupied by both fox and gray squirrels, dominant-subordinate relationships were noted. Each species …

The Effects Of Gonadal Hormone Manipulations On Aggressive Target-Biting In Mice, George C. Wagner

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Gap Formation: A Reproductive Isolating Mechanism For Parus Atricapillus And P. Carolinensis In Northern Indiana, Peter Gorham Merritt

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Histological And Immunological Study Of The Forty-Eight Hour Normal Lymphocyte Transfer Reaction, Charles W. Ford

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Seasonal Abundance & Diversity Of Fishes At Three Stations On The Middle Fork Of Drake's Creek, Warren & Allen Counties, Kentucky, David Bell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A total of 7,485 fish, representing 49 species, 25 genera, and 11 families, were electroshocked from three stations on the Middle Fork of Drake's Creek during the period January, 1972 through January, 1973. Community structure was influenced by seasonal changes in both numbers of species and numbers of individuals. The number of species per collection was at its highest, at all stations, during the month of September. The total number of species and individuals collected at each station progressively increased toward the upstream areas. Eleven of the forty-nine species collected during the course of the study provided 91.8% of the …

The Germination Requirements Of Certain Species Of Arid Land Plants, David George Sabo

Biology ETDs

The species of shrubs and nine species of grasses were proposed as candidates for investigations for their germination parameters and suitability in stripmine recovery by the US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. Species which were considered as possible candidates for stripmine recovery area: Artemisia frigida, estafiata; Artemisia tridentate, big sagebrush; Atriplex confertifolia, shadscale; Cercocarpus montanus, true mountain mahogany; Chrysothamnus nauseosus ssp. Biglovii and C. nauseousus ssp. Consimilis, rubber rabbit brush; Cowania stansburiana, cliffrose; Fallugia paradoxa, apache plume; Menodora scabra, rough menodora; Sarcobatus vermiculitus, greasewood; Sphaeralcea incana, globe mallow; Agropyron smithii, desert wheatgrass; Andropogon scoparius, little bluestem; …

A Study Of The Vegetation In The Upland Forest Of St. John's Abbey And University, Collegeville, Minnesota, Lorraine Westrup Cofell

Culminating Projects in Biology

PROBLEM

Data were gathered in the upland, hardwood forest of St. John's Abbey and University to 1) determine the composjtion and stage of succession of the forest, 2) compare an area that had been clear-cut fifty years ago with· areas that had never been clear-cut, and 3)discover differences in the occurrence of species on north and south slopes.

PROCEDURE

Twelve areas of 10 acres each were chosen throughout the upland forest. The point quarter method was used to gather data on the trees listing the species of trees, circumference, and distance from sample point. On multiple trees, the circumferences of …

Mapping Adenines, Guanines, And Pyrimidines In Rna, Helen Donis-Keller, Allan Maxam, Walter Gilbert

Helen Donis-Keller

The positions of adenines, guanines, and pyrimidines can be determined by partial nuclease digestion of a terminally labeled RNA molecule. In urea, at elevated temperatures, RNase T1 generates a pattern reflecting cleavage at guanines while RNase U2 cleaves only at adenine. A limited alkaline hydrolysis provides a continuum of fragments derived from breaks at every phosphodiester bond. The reaction products are electrophoretically fractionated by size in adjacent lanes of a polyacrylamide gel. An autoradiograph of the gel displays the sequence up to 100 nucleotides from the end of the molecule, although uracil cannot as yet be distinguished from cytosine. These …

Isolation, Purification And Partial Characterization Of Some Isoenzymes Of Human Serum Alkaline Phosphatase, M. Sue Jones

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the School of Sciences and Mathematics Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by M. Sue Jones on July 18, 1977.

A Floristic Analysis Of The Sevilleta Wildlife Refuge And The Ladron Mountains, G. Thomas Manthey

Biology ETDs

The Sevilleta Wildlife Refuge and Ladron Mountains of westcentral New Mexico were selected for a floristic inventory and analysis because of a lack of previous study in this unique area. A key and annotated checklist of the vascular flora of the study area were compiled. The 1140 taxa representing this floristically diverse area were documented by either (i) specimens in the University of New Mexico Herbarium or (ii) specimens collected during 1975 and 1976. Twelve floristic communities are recognized. These are based upon descriptive field notes, species lists from collection sites, and photographs taken during collection trips. The communities are …

Leaf Tissue Production In Relation To Succession In The Spruce-Fir Forests Of Northern New Mexico, Craig F. Eberhart

Biology ETDs

Leaf tissue production was studied to determine possible successional trends. The study area was in the spruce-fir zone of the southern Rocky Mountains 15 kilometers northeast of Santa Fe, New Mexico. In this area quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is a successional species that is slowly replaced by Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) and corkbark fir (Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica) as succession proceeds towards the classical spruce-fir climax. Five study plots were subjectively selected to represent a successional sequence of forest stands with similar physical characteristics. The plots were arranged in a successional series by using the increase in coniferous basal area …

Effects Of Water Stress And Temperature-Photoperiod Preconditioning On Responses Of Atriplex Canescens (Pursh) Nutt. Seedlings To Drought, Barbara Gail Hjelle

Biology ETDs

Fourwing saltbush [Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.] seedlings were subjected to water stress treatments and temperature-photoperiod regulation to determine if these treatments might induce greater hardiness to subsequent drought stress. Seedlings ages 2, 4, and 8 weeks after emergence were allowed to wilt before rewatering or kept at minimum soil moisture stress. Seedlings aged 2 weeks after emergence were subjected to four regimes of hot and cold temperatures and long and short photoperiods in growth chambers. Treatments were applied for four weeks. Height, fresh weight and dry weight of shoots, and dry weight of roots were reduced by water stress and …

Meeting Of The Elephant Interest Group At Michigan State University, June 21, 1977, Jeheskel Shoshani

Elephant

Digest of the minutes of the first informal meeting of the Elephant Interest Group at the 57th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mamalogists (ASM).

Chromosome Counts Of Compositae From Mexico And The United States, David J. Keil

Biological Sciences

Chromosome counts of Compositae are reported from Mexico and the United States. First generic counts are from Egletes (n = 27), Hydropectis (n = 9), and Pippenalia (2n = ca. 60). First counts also are reported for 22 specific and infraspecific taxa in Baccharis, Erigeron, Flaveria, GnaphaUum, Grindelia, Helenium, Heterotheca, Melampodium, Montanoa, Perymenium, Piqueria, Senecio, Stevia, Verbesina, Xanthocephalum, and Zaluzania. Additional counts also are provided for 123 populations of taxa counted previouslY, of which eight are new numbers. Taxonomic implications of certain counts are discussed.

Chromosome Counts Of Compositae From The United States And Mexico, Donald J. Pinkava, David J. Keil

Biological Sciences

Chromosome counts are reported for 126 taxa representing 122 species and 61 genera of Compositae. First reports include two genera, Stylocline (n = 14) and Chromolepis (n = 19), 17 species, two infraspecific taxa, and one interspecific hybrid. Five additional taxa have chromosome numbers differing from previously published accounts. Carminatia is reinstated to generic status.

The Effects Of Multiple Fin Amputations On Rates Of Fin Regeneration In Goldfish, Carassius Auratus (Linnaeus), Thomas Kozicki

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Goldfish, Carassius auratus (Linnaeus), were used in the study of rates of regeneration in all possible combinations of caudal, dorsal, left pectoral, and right pectoral fin amputations. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effects of multiple injuries on rates of regeneration, to determine rates of regeneration in different fins, to test the hypothesis that rates of regeneration decrease from the proximal to the distal areas of a fin, and to determine the presence or absence of morphogenetic gradients in fin regeneration.

In almost all cases, no significant differences in total regeneration were found to occur when the …

A Study Of Photoperiodic Time Measurement Of Samples From A Michigan Population Of Orconectes Immuni (Hagen), E. Lynn Talton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Experiments were conducted to determine if an hourglass model is the mechanism whereby photoperiodic time is measured by the crayfish, Orconectes immunis. Two experiments were conducted in which there were three series of treatments. Series I and II were T experiments in which T was the total length of the light-dark cycle. In Series I the light phase of the cycle was held at 16 hours with varied lengths of darkness (LD 16:2, T 18; LD 16:8, T 24; LD 16:20, T 36; LD 16:32, T 48). In Series II the dark phase was 8 hours in length and …

Buoyancy Changes As Related To Respiratory Behavior In An Amphibious Snail, Pomacea Urceus (Müller), From Venezuela, Kathleen A. Burky, Albert J. Burky

Biology Faculty Publications

The ampullariid Pomacea urceus uses its ctenidium and lung in respiration. The snails reach the surface with their siphon and ventilate their lung by withdrawing their head-foot in a pumping action. The lung gas also serves to change the buoyancy of the snails. After a ventilation a snail does not necessarily return to the same buoyancy level. They may achieve overall specific gravities of <1 to > 1 after a ventilation. They may remain submerged (s.g. > 1) or float (s.g.

The Effect Of Septal Lesions And Postoperative Time Delay On A Shuttle Sidman Avoidance Task, Martin David Tier

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the School of Education at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts by Martin David Tier on June 9, 1977.