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Articles 1 - 17 of 17
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Seasonality, Distribution, And Biological Control Of Crapemyrtle Bark Scale, A New Invasive Threat In Tennessee, Amira Cornish
Seasonality, Distribution, And Biological Control Of Crapemyrtle Bark Scale, A New Invasive Threat In Tennessee, Amira Cornish
Masters Theses
Crapemyrtle bark scale, Acanthococcus (= Eriococcus) lagerstroemiae (Kuwana), an invasive pest from Asia, is a threat in the United States. to crape myrtles grown in ornamental nurseries and in landscapes. Although mortality to crape myrtles is rare, its negative effects on aesthetics is considerable. It should affect the sale (valued at >$66 million wholesale) and use of crape myrtle in landscapes. This pest species has been found in numerous states, including Tennessee, where little is known about its state-wide distribution, lifecycle, biology, natural enemies, and impact on crape myrtles. The purpose of this two-year study is to gain additional knowledge …
The Time Course And Neuroanatomy Of Rhinophore Regeneration In The Nudibranch Berghia Stephanieae, Ani Maroyan
The Time Course And Neuroanatomy Of Rhinophore Regeneration In The Nudibranch Berghia Stephanieae, Ani Maroyan
Masters Theses
Within five weeks, the nudibranch, Berghia stephanieae (Gastropoda, Mollusca) can regenerate a severed rhinophore, the main olfactory appendage, such that it is indistinguishable from a non-lesioned rhinophore. The rhinophore is a 2 mm long stalk with lateral sides covered in ridges and the distal third covered in fluorescent pigmentation. Its internal morphology is dominated by longitudinal musculature, overlaid by a complex neuronal plexus, which contains neurons that express various neuroactive substances including serotonin and small cardioactive peptide (SCP). Two large nerves originate in the rhinophore ganglion at the base of the rhinophore and run the length of the rhinophore. To …
Development Of A New Behavioral Assay For Juvenile Berghia Stephanieae, Kelly E. Fischer
Development Of A New Behavioral Assay For Juvenile Berghia Stephanieae, Kelly E. Fischer
Masters Theses
Developing robust behavioral assays to study olfactory-driven behaviors allows for greater insight into the neural mechanisms behind them. Oftentimes, olfactory behavioral assays require a two-choice design, consistent variables, and controlled stimulus application. This can be challenging when working with marine dwelling organisms such as nudibranchs. Extensive work shows the importance of olfaction in both pre-metamorphic larval development and adult stage nudibranchs (Gastropoda, Mollusca). However, there is little research investigating how olfaction plays a role in rapidly developing, post-metamorphic juvenile nudibranchs such as Berghia stephanieae. To study olfactory-associated behaviors in juvenile Berghia, a novel behavioral microfluidic chip was designed which …
Factors Influencing Primate Hair Microbiome Diversity, Catherine Kitrinos
Factors Influencing Primate Hair Microbiome Diversity, Catherine Kitrinos
Masters Theses
Primate hair is both a substrate upon which essential social interactions occur and an important host-pathogen interface. As commensal microbes provide important immune functions for their hosts, understanding the microbial diversity in primate hair could provide insight into primate immunity and disease transmission. While studies of human hair and skin microbiomes show differences in microbial communities across body regions, little is known about the nonhuman primate hair microbiome. In this study, we collected hair samples (n=159) from 8 body regions across 12 nonhuman primate species housed at 3 US institutions to examine 1) the diversity and composition of the primate …
Assessing The Short-Term Effects Of Translocation On Freshwater Mussels: Is Habitat Or Water Quality More Important?, Joshua D. Arnold
Assessing The Short-Term Effects Of Translocation On Freshwater Mussels: Is Habitat Or Water Quality More Important?, Joshua D. Arnold
Masters Theses
Freshwater mussels (Order: Unionida) are very important to the function of aquatic ecosystems and are typically indicators of good water quality. They provide a valuable link between the water column and the benthic substrate in which they live and are a valuable food resource for many species of animals. However, most species native to North America are currently threatened with extinction, to the point that more than 70% of native freshwater mussels are listed as either threatened or endangered at the state or federal level. The cause of this decline can be attributed to historical over exploitation, habitat alteration, and …
Pedigree And Molecular Assessment Of Relatedness In A Captive Chimpanzee Population, Francesca Golus
Pedigree And Molecular Assessment Of Relatedness In A Captive Chimpanzee Population, Francesca Golus
Masters Theses
As a crucial component of biodiversity, genetic diversity contributes to variability among individuals, allowing populations of endangered species to be resilient in the face of changing environmental conditions. Zoological institutions have become a cornerstone of conservation efforts and a refuge for endangered species given threats imposed on wild populations by climate change, habitat fragmentation and degradation, and overexploitation. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are an endangered species experiencing drastic population decline in the wild, yet are common residents in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries. To sustain long-term, genetically viable populations of species of concern, zoos use studbooks and paternity testing to …
Evaluating The Winter Diet Of A Reintroduced Herd Of Elk In The Cumberland Mountains, Tennessee, Using Next-Generation Sequencing Techniques, Dailee L. Metts
Evaluating The Winter Diet Of A Reintroduced Herd Of Elk In The Cumberland Mountains, Tennessee, Using Next-Generation Sequencing Techniques, Dailee L. Metts
Masters Theses
A distinct subspecies of elk (Cervus canadensis), the North American elk (C. canadensis canadensis), once inhabited portions of the southeastern United States, including Tennessee, until their extirpation in the mid 1800s. From 2000 to 2008, 201 Manitoban elk were reintroduced on the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area (NCWMA). A year-long food habits study using histological analysis of plant material from feces was completed for the NCWMA elk from 2003 to 2004 and has since aided managers in their landscape planning. Since then, more elk have been released onto the area, food plots have been established throughout …
Effects Of Am Fungi From Conventional And No-Till Michigan Crop Fields On Plant And Soil Health, Derek Bennett
Effects Of Am Fungi From Conventional And No-Till Michigan Crop Fields On Plant And Soil Health, Derek Bennett
Masters Theses
Centuries of conventional till (CT) management in agriculture has depleted soil organic matter (SOM) by over 50%. While only comprising 5% in most soils, SOM provides soil with fertility and productivity. To compensate for SOM depletion, producers have been forced to increase their reliance on fertilizer and irrigation to maintain yields. In the coming decades, climate change is expected to challenge food production and threaten an already fragile system. With no remaining land left to cultivate, conservation management strategies such as no-till (NT) look to restore SOM and increase the resilience of food production for an ever growing, increasingly food …
Life History, Diet And Habitat Of The Federally Endangered Laurel Dace (Chrosomus Saylori), Shawna M. Fix
Life History, Diet And Habitat Of The Federally Endangered Laurel Dace (Chrosomus Saylori), Shawna M. Fix
Masters Theses
Laurel Dace (Chrosomus saylori) is a small, freshwater minnow that is endemic to headwater streams on Walden Ridge, Tennessee. The species was listed as federally endangered in 2011 and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Plan indicates a need for life history, diet and habitat studies. A literature review, samples of archived specimens, and a surrogate species, the Tennessee Dace (Chrosomus tennesseensis), were used to describe the life history and diet of the Laurel Dace. A total of 370 Tennessee Dace were collected from Laurel Ford Branch, a stream 8.6 km from the Laurel Dace …
Evaluation Of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser Fulvescens) Spawning Success On An Artificial Reef Constructed In The Kalamazoo River, Michigan, Jason P. Lorenz
Evaluation Of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser Fulvescens) Spawning Success On An Artificial Reef Constructed In The Kalamazoo River, Michigan, Jason P. Lorenz
Masters Theses
Since lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens monitoring began on the Kalamazoo River in 2009, there has been no documentation of survival past the egg stage. Spawning has occurred directly below Calkins Dam and, in 2016, an artificial spawning reef was constructed 275-m downstream to improve habitat and increase survival to the larval stage. The site was monitored with egg mats and larval drift nets to document evidence of successful natural reproduction of lake sturgeon one year prior to construction (2016) and three years post-construction of the artificial reef (2017-2019). Fertilized lake sturgeon eggs were captured all four years of the study …
Fecal Findings: Investigating Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake Diet Using Dna Metabarcoding, Alyssa Swinehart
Fecal Findings: Investigating Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake Diet Using Dna Metabarcoding, Alyssa Swinehart
Masters Theses
Characterizing the diet of imperiled species using minimally invasive methods is crucial to understanding their conservation requirements. DNA metabarcoding methods have been used to characterize the diet primarily in mammalian systems, while reptiles are heavily underrepresented in this literature. Here, we apply a DNA metabarcoding approach to study the diet of the eastern massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus); a Federally Threatened snake found throughout the Great Lakes Region. Eighty-three fecal samples collected across 10 different massasauga populations located in Michigan were sequenced. We use universal metazoan primers and develop a host-specific oligonucleotide blocker to uncover the full potential diet …
Use Of Imaging Flow Cytometry To Assess The Hematology Of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus Catenatus), Jennifer H. Kovach
Use Of Imaging Flow Cytometry To Assess The Hematology Of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus Catenatus), Jennifer H. Kovach
Masters Theses
The federally threatened eastern massasauga rattlesnake is faced with many threats, including the newly recognized snake fungal disease. Unfortunately, the immune response to the disease is unknown. Leukocyte profiles are used as health assessment tools for many species, and imaging flow cytometry can be used as an application to characterize leukocyte profiles. Our goal was to use imaging flow cytometry to identify leukocyte profiles of eastern massasauga rattlesnakes and determine differences in profiles between sexes, reproductive status, ages, location, and individuals with clinical signs of snake fungal disease. Blood samples from 201 individuals were collected from ten locations throughout the …
Spatial And Demographic Patterns Of Two Threatened Turtle Species In An Urban Environment, Carly E. Brouwers
Spatial And Demographic Patterns Of Two Threatened Turtle Species In An Urban Environment, Carly E. Brouwers
Masters Theses
Urban development is a global threat to native wildlife. The process of urbanization reduces and degrades the useable habitat of a region, and creates novel “urban ecosystems” that possess new threats and stressors to local species. Turtles are one of the most threatened vertebrate groups worldwide, and are particularly at risk of decline in urban ecosystems due to reduced nesting success, increased road mortality events, altered movement patterns, and increased predation rates. Eastern box and Blanding’s turtles are two at-risk turtle species in the state of Michigan, USA, primarily due to land use change. Presently, there are urban populations of …
Effects Of Wastewater Effluent On Fish Fin Morphology Of Larval Fathead Minnows (Pimephales Promelas) And Swimming Performance Of Smallmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus Bubalus), Seth Michael Bogue
Effects Of Wastewater Effluent On Fish Fin Morphology Of Larval Fathead Minnows (Pimephales Promelas) And Swimming Performance Of Smallmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus Bubalus), Seth Michael Bogue
Masters Theses
The Sangamon River flows across central Illinois and is mostly free flowing except in the city of Decatur where it is impounded to form Lake Decatur. The Sanitary District of Decatur (SDD) is located approximately three miles downstream of the Lake Decatur dam. For a significant portion of the year, the stretch of the Sangamon River downstream of SDD is dominated by effluent due to limited discharge from the Lake Decatur dam. This has resulted in heavy nutrient loading, most notably phosphorus, and elevated levels of nickel and other compounds in the downstream section of the river. Smallmouth buffalo ( …
The Validation Of Predicted Biological Age Of Drosophila Melanogaster From Combined Statistical Modeling, Lauren Francis
The Validation Of Predicted Biological Age Of Drosophila Melanogaster From Combined Statistical Modeling, Lauren Francis
Masters Theses
"Sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy body and mind and is associated with aging and aging related diseases. There are individual differences in fly as well as human sleep behavior and lifespan. Between and within individuals, sleep varies in characteristics including consolidation, rhythmicity, continuity, duration, and more. Various evidence in the literature suggests there are many molecular pathways involved with aging and they may be different for individuals. Our research is interested in a possible restorative mechanism of sleep and the ramifications of that mechanism to aging. We have developed two predictive models of aging using the fruit fly …
In Vitro And In Vivo Response To A Novel Borophosphate Bioactive Glass, Nada Abokefa
In Vitro And In Vivo Response To A Novel Borophosphate Bioactive Glass, Nada Abokefa
Masters Theses
"Bioactive glasses have been widely used in several biomedical and tissue engineering applications since the late 1960s. Numerous families of bioactive glasses have emerged over the years, with each having its own advantage and disadvantage. One concern common to all families is that most bioactive glasses create a basic or acidic environment when degraded and, therefore, are toxic for cells. Recently, there has been an increased interest in borophosphate bioactive glass (BPBGs) because of their neutral pH, release of therapeutic ions, and biodegradable properties. Despite the growing interest, there is little reported on the bioactivity of BPBGs. The biological effects …
Predator Scent And Presence Alter Mammal Assemblages In The Missouri Ozarks, Usa, Cara Jean Yocom-Russell
Predator Scent And Presence Alter Mammal Assemblages In The Missouri Ozarks, Usa, Cara Jean Yocom-Russell
Masters Theses
"Species that are vulnerable to predation exhibit a host of behavioral and physiological adaptations toward the avoidance of this outcome: Heightened awareness of surroundings through visual, olfactory, and auditory senses are common ways in which these species avoid detection by predators. While links between direct predator-prey relationships are well established, less is known about how predators can shape overall community structure or the populations of secondary or less frequently consumed prey items. As humans expand into rural areas, the frequency of wildlife conflicts rises. In response, humans look to prevent these events with a variety of methods. One such method …