Life Sciences Commons^™

Investigations Of Possible Allelopathic Effects Of Lycopodium Flabelliforme (Fern.) Blanch., Joan Macuszek

Masters Theses

Lycopodium flabelliforme (Fern.) Blanch. sporophytes were collected from a colony west of Flat Rock in Crawford County, Illinois. The material was either ground to a coarse grade using a Wiley Mill (grindate), left whole and untreated (fresh) or water extracted with a Waring blender (extract). The effect of the sporophyte material was tested on the germination of seeds and on the growth of seedlings of Raphnus sativa L. Sporophytes subjected to the grindate treatment showed the most inhibitory effects. It was shown that the alledged inhibitory substance was heat stable and able to be concentrated. Using column chromatography, at 37.7°C, …

The Effects Of Sulphur Dioxide On Selected Hepatics, Steven L. Gatchel

Masters Theses

Extensive studies have been reported on the air pollutant sulphur dioxide (SO₂), and its effects on vascular and nonvascular plants. It has been shown to interrupt normal physiology, metabolism, reproduction, and alter the plant’s morphology.

Of the cryptogams, lichens have been extensively used as biological indicators of air pollution. More recently, bryophytes have been shown to be as sensitive to contaminates as lichens, and may exhibit responses to the pollutant similar to those of vascular and nonvascular plants. The threshold sensitivity of these cryptogams is about 0.5 ppm over a 12 hour period. However no study to date …

Feeding Habits And Behavior Of The Whiptail Lizard Cnemidophorus Tigris On Partida Island, Patrick Alan Malone

Masters Theses

The feeding habits of the whiptail lizard Cnemidophorus tigris were studied from May 25 until July 23, 1977 on the Partida Island in the Gulf of California. Analysis of the stomach contents of 91 lizards revealed that during this period the eggs and young of the least and black petrel are a primary food source while tenebrionid beetles become a major food source after bird products become unavailable.

The Effects Of Residual Chlorine On Selected Microflora Of Kickapoo And Cassell Creek, James A. Mcgaughey

Masters Theses

The survival of fecal coliforms, fecal streptococci, and heterotrophs after exposure to chlorine were compared in receiving waters of the Mattoon and Charleston, Illinois waste treatment facilities employing membrane filter techniques and Standard Plate Counts. Water samples were taken from receiving waters upstream from the treatment plant, from secondary effluent and chlorinated secondary effluent within the plant, and from downstream receiving waters. Stream flow contribution and plant effluent contribution required the calculation of dilution factors to determine expected numbers of the various microflora found downstream assuming no residual chlorine effect. Total chlorine concentration was measured by amperometric titration at the …

The Cirsium Altissimum - Discolor Complex In Illinois, Dennis R. Bischoff

Masters Theses

Cirsium altissimum, C. discolor and suspected hybrids used in this study were collected during September 1977 from three locations in east central Illinois. All were combined for subsequent taking of data because the study dealt with incidence of hybridization and morphological discriminators rather than degrees and directions of introgression. Ten possible discriminators were chosen by examination of herbarium specimens of parental plants: I, Involucre width; II, Involucre height; III, Pubescence of upper leaf surface; IV, Angle of departure of main veins from the midrib; V, Number of spines per cm along the margin; VI, Length of indurate portion of …

Capillaria Sp. From Cryptotis Parva, Joseph N'Dong

Masters Theses

Twenty-nine Cryptotis parva were trapped at Lincoln Log Cabin State Park in Coles County Illinois between 22 December 1976 and 31 January 1978. Trapped specimens were necropsied and examined for the presence of helminth parasites. Nematode infections were found to be present in eight (27.2%) of the shrews collected with five (17.2%) of the males and three (10.3%) of the females infected. Three adult female nematodes were recovered from the small intestines of the host specimens, described and identified as the genus Capillaria. No male Capillaria were obtained and therefore species identification was impossible. However, the general appearance of …

Utilization Of Heat Sensitivity In Crotalidae, James Cordrey Miller

Masters Theses

Specimens of five genera of snakes (Crotalus, Agkistrodon, Bitis, Epicrates, and Elaphe) were tested for use of thermal cues in food selection. Results indicate that pit vipers (Crotalus and Agkistrodon) and boas (Epicrates) utilize thermal radiation in selection of food. It was also indicated that Crotalus (rattlesnakes) do not invariably show a reflexive strike before food is investigated or ingested.

A Study Of Symbiosis Involving The Fish-Eating Bat (Myotis Vivesi), The Least Petrel (Halocyptera Microsoma), The Black Petrel (Oceanodroma Melania), And The Lizard (Cnemidophorus Tigris), Joel King

Masters Theses

A field study was conducted on Partida Island in the Gulf of Mexico on the dates May 26 through July 26, 1977, inclusive.

Field observations were made of the lizard (Cnemidophorus tigris) preying on eggs and hatchlings of the least petrel (Halocyptena microsoma), and the black petrel (Oceanodroma melania). The petrels roost among rock slides with the fish-eating bat (Myotis vivesi).

In 24 trials of experimental boxes with lizards, bats, and petrels as subjects, 16 trials resulted in aggression of bats to lizards.

A symbiosis is postulated between bats and petrels.

Interactions In Lambdoid Bacteriophage Populations, Bruce Edward Mitchell

Masters Theses

The lambdoid bacteriophages are ideal subjects for the study of populational interactions at the molecular level because they do not mutually exclude one another in mixed infection of the same host cell. Previous work done in this laboratory using the lambdoid phage pairs λ-434 hy mi and λ-∅80 have demonstrated a density-dependent reduction in progeny yield per infected cell (burst size) as a function of increasing multiplicity of infection (m.o.i.). The λ cI gene which codes for the repress or molecule has been demonstrated to be the cause of the interaction in the λ-434 hy mi phage pair. …

Epizoic Protozoa Of Planktonic Copepoda And Cladocera From A Small Eutrophic Lake, And Their Possible Use As Indicators Of Organic Water Pollution, Michael Stevens Henebry

Masters Theses

The epizoic protozoa of planktonic copepoda and cladocera from a eutrophic lake (Ashmore Lake, Coles County, Illinois) were studied over a 13-week period in the summer and fall of 1975. All organisms were collected with a 125 micron mesh plankton net. Epizoans (all peritrichs and suctorians) were hosted by three of four species of copepods and four of the ten species of cladocerans. The percentage of total organisms hosting epizoans varied significantly (0.001 alpha level) by month, but averaged 11.6 percent. This high occurrence of epizoans was thought to be related to the highly-eutrophic conditions existing in the lake. If …

The Structure And Fate Of Germinal Plasm In The Asiatic Fire-Bellied Frog, Bombina Orientalis (Anura-Discoglossidae), Ted W. Odom

Masters Theses

Lehman's polychrome stain was used to follow the fate of germinal plasm in early development of Bombina orientalis embryos. Islets of germinal plasm approximately 6 um in diameter were observed in the vegetal pole region of the 2-cell embryo. By the 4-cell stage, some of these islets had coalesced to form larger ones so that two size classes of islets were present (approximately 7.5 and 19.5 um in diameter).

As cleavage continued to the 16-cell stage, the islets were moved further up the cleavage furrow and were always observed to remain in close association with the cleavage membrane. The islets …

A Histochemical Study Of Tooth Development In The Chinese Hamster (Cricetulus Griseus), Robert B. Daszkiewicz

Masters Theses

The normal morphological development of the Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) during the last week of gestation was studied. A review of the literature reveals no distinct study of tooth development in this species. An identical gestation period is found in the mouse (Mus musculus) making direct comparison between the embryos of the same age of the two species feasible. During this investigation, it was found that morphological tooth development in the Chinese hamster lagged behind that of the mouse by about 2 days. On day 14 of gestation in the Chinese hamster, the oral epithelium is …