Life Sciences Commons^™

Interactive Effects Of Sublethal Concentrations Of Fracking Biocides And Abandoned Mine Drainage On Amphipod Behavior, Kelly Lenhart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examined the sublethal effects of three pollutants, namely glutaraldehyde, 4,4-dimethyloxazolidine (DMO), and abandoned mine drainage (AMD), on amphipods. The primary objective was to investigate their combined effects on amphipods. The three pollutants, despite having the potential to combine in the environment, have not been studied to determine their potential for detrimental interactive effects which could result in unexpected environmental damage.

The research employed a series of experimental setups involving controlled exposure of amphipods to varying, putatively sublethal, concentrations of the chemicals of interest. Subsequently, effects were assessed via both behavioral and feeding assessments. To facilitate this analysis, novel …

Understanding The Impacts Of Anthropogenic Effects An Habitat Variability Interactions On Maine's Rocky Intertidal Ecosystem, Laura Braun

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rocky intertidal ecosystem is an important ecological and cultural aspect of the picturesque Maine coast, playing a vital role in not only Maine’s coastal ecosystem, but also to Maine’s economy. It’s distinct community structure along the sharp elevational gradient and the presence of daily stressors (wave action, heat, and desiccation), make the rocky intertidal ecosystem an important model ecosystem to monitor for effects from anthropogenic impacts. In this thesis, I describe attempts to monitor and understand the impacts of two of these anthropogenic impacts on this system: climate change and industrial harvesting of Ascophyllum nodosum along Maine’s coast. For …

Distribution And Soil Characteristics Associated With The Neches River Rose-Mallow (Hibiscus Dasycalyx), Morgan E. Langlinais

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Neches River rose-mallow, Hibiscus dasycalyx, is a rare herbaceous perennial endemic to East Texas. The threatened, obligate wetland species is currently at risk of being lost in the wild due to habitat loss, encroachment of nonnative and native plant species, and hybridization with two other Hibiscus congeners, Hibiscus laevis and Hibiscus moscheutos. Known locations of each of the three Hibiscus species were used to measure select soil characteristics and habitat variables associated with each of the rose-mallows. H. dasycalyx was concluded to be associated with more fertile soils and slightly more canopy coverage than H. laevis and …

Polyp To Population: A Tale Of Two Corals, Christopher T. Fountain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Deep-sea corals are of conservation concern in the North Atlantic due to prolonged disturbances associated with the exploitation of natural resources and a changing environment. As a result, the recovery rates of deep-sea coral communities are of heightened interest. These recovery rates are suggested to be on the order of decades to millennia, based on slow growth rates and longevity, of various deep-sea coral species. In 2014 and 2017 two research cruises in the Gulf of Maine, collected samples of two locally dominant species, Primnoa resedaeformis and Paramuricea placomus. These specimen collections were coupled with video surveys, conducted by …

Examining The Issue Of Compliance With Personal Protective Equipment Among Wastewater Workers Across The Southeast Region Of The United States, Tamara L. Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wastewater workers are exposed to different occupational hazards such as chemicals, gases, viruses, and bacteria. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a significant factor that can reduce or increase the probability of an accident from hazardous exposures to chemicals and microbial contaminants. The purpose of this study was to identify wastewater worker’s beliefs and practices on wearing PPE and protections offered by PPE through the integration of the Health Belief Model (HBM). Participants were workers in the wastewater industry, which included wastewater operators, laboratory analysts, maintenance workers, wastewater collection workers, equipment operators, managers, and supervisors (n=272). The instrument was a self-administered …

Range-Wide Prevalence And Impacts Of Pseudocercosporella Inconspicua On Lilium Grayi And An Assessment Of L. Superbum And L. Michauxii As Reservoirs, Cindy L. Barrett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lilium grayi (Gray’s Lily), a southern Appalachian endemic species, is threatened by a Lilium-specific fungal pathogen, Pseudocercosporella inconspicua. The disease is characterized by tan lesions that can cause early senescence, while also lowering seed production and viability. This project tested for P. inconspicua conidia and accessed health at nine locations. The disease was present and ubiquitous across the range of L. grayi. Through identification of P. inconspicua conidia in the field, L. superbum (Turk’s Cap Lily) was identified as an additional host, while L. michauxii (Michaux’s Lily) was disease-free. However, infection was inducible in both species. With …