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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Ecological Predictors And Consequences Of Non-Native Earthworms In Kennebec County, Maine, Julia Rogers
Ecological Predictors And Consequences Of Non-Native Earthworms In Kennebec County, Maine, Julia Rogers
Honors Theses
Non-native earthworms are found throughout much of the United States and southern Canada in areas that were glaciated during the most recent glaciation. These earthworms are changing nutrient cycling, modifying soil structure, and influencing diversity in forests throughout the Northern United States, and their invasion northward is facilitated by human activities. Although worms are present in compost piles and gardens of all Maine counties, there are no comprehensive studies of earthworms distributions in forested areas of Maine. I documented the presence and absence of earthworms in forested recreation areas in Kennebec County, Maine, and investigated ecological and landscape level variables …
The Effect Of Cyanobacterium Gloeotrichia Echinulata In The Belgrade Lakes, Maine, Harriet T. Rothschild
The Effect Of Cyanobacterium Gloeotrichia Echinulata In The Belgrade Lakes, Maine, Harriet T. Rothschild
Honors Theses
Gloeotrichia echinulata is a cyanobacteria species that has been increasingly forming blooms in oligotrophic lakes in the Northeastern United States. The Belgrade Lakes in central Maine have experienced increasing blooms over the past decades. Long Pond and Great Pond in the Belgrade Lakes region are popular locations for summer tourism and year-round residents. Research into G. echinulata is important to the Belgrade community because of potential effects to water quality, public health, and recreation. Studying G. echinulata bloom density throughout the summer and how it may affect the phosphorous cycle, the nitrogen cycle, and the plankton community will help scientists …
The Impact Of Dams On Nitrogen Cycling In The Messalonskee Stream, Rebecca K. Forgrave
The Impact Of Dams On Nitrogen Cycling In The Messalonskee Stream, Rebecca K. Forgrave
Honors Theses
The Messalonskee Stream in central Maine has five hydroelectric dams on 16.6km. Each dam drastically changes the flow regime of the stream, dividing it into segments with different patterns of sediment settling and organic matter retention. I investigated how these disruptions impact nitrogen cycling, specifically nitrification rates above and below each dam. I expected higher nitrification rates above the dams, where levels of organic matter are higher, and lower rates below the dam where scouring removes organic matter and fine sediment from the streambed. I measured sediment nitrification rates with a nitrapyrin-inhibition assay and potential drivers of nitrification including sediment …
Movement Patterns And Feeding Behavior Of The Limpet Tectura Testudinalis (Müller) Along The Mid-Maine Coast, Joshua Lord
Movement Patterns And Feeding Behavior Of The Limpet Tectura Testudinalis (Müller) Along The Mid-Maine Coast, Joshua Lord
Honors Theses
Tectura testudinalis is a limpet that lives in the mid-intertidal zone along the coast of Maine and grazes on a variety of encrusting algae. A previous study asserted that T. testudinalis preferred to feed and rest on the encrusting alga Clathromorphum circumscriptum and that this species of limpet displayed homing behavior. However, I show that T. testudinalis does not home or return to any specific substrate while resting. Conclusive evidence was found for nocturnal movement. I show that C. circumscriptum was the preferred food source for this limpet, closely followed by Hildenbrandia rubra, another encrusting alga. Field and lab experiments …
Microhabitat Selection By The Tortoiseshell Limpet, Tectura Testudinalis (Müller), In Tide Pools On The Mid-Maine Coast, Emily R. Lyczkowski
Microhabitat Selection By The Tortoiseshell Limpet, Tectura Testudinalis (Müller), In Tide Pools On The Mid-Maine Coast, Emily R. Lyczkowski
Honors Theses
Microhabitat selection of the limpet Tectura testudinalis, an important grazer along the rocky Maine coast is examined using both mensurative and manipulative experiments. T. testudinalis substrate selection is essential to its survival in the unpredictable and harsh regime of the intertidal zone. At three sites studied in the Gulf of Maine, T. testudinalis selectively inhabits tidal pools and vertically oriented substrates. Both of these microhabitats reduce the degree of environmental stress (desiccation, extreme temperature, and hypersaline conditions) and predation experienced by individuals. Differences among sites are common, indicating the importance of varying environmental factors in regulating and influencing habitat selection …
The Effect Of Orientation To Growing Season Sunlight On Stomatal Parameters Of Q. Rubra In The Belgrade Lakes Region, Central Maine, Rachel G. Daly
The Effect Of Orientation To Growing Season Sunlight On Stomatal Parameters Of Q. Rubra In The Belgrade Lakes Region, Central Maine, Rachel G. Daly
Honors Theses
Stomatal frequencies of fossil-plant species are used to estimate past pCO2 levels based on the physiological functions of living taxa. Numerous studies have shown that there is an inverse relationship between pCO2 and stomatal frequency parameters. As levels of pCO2 increase, the Stomatal Density (SD) and Stomatal Index (SI) decrease. However, pCO2 is not the only factor affecting SD and SI values, which are a product of leaf growth and expansion. Stomatal characteristics differ between genera, and studies also have shown that SD and light intensity have a positive correlation. The present study hypothesizes that SD and SI are not …