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MSU Graduate Theses

Articles 241 - 249 of 249

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Reintroduction Biology Of Head-Started Ornate Box Turtles, Eric R. Sievers Jan 2015

Reintroduction Biology Of Head-Started Ornate Box Turtles, Eric R. Sievers

MSU Graduate Theses

The ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata) is a prairie-dwelling species that has experienced population declines, especially near the northern edge of its range. In order to provide supporting research for a reintroduction program at the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge in northwestern Illinois, I compared the relative success of different approaches to reintroduction. Specifically, I tested the null hypothesis that reintroduced turtles exhibited equal reintroduction success when, 1) released at a site that is known to support a viable ornate box turtle population, 2) ‘soft-released' in a fenced enclosure at a site where very few ornate box …

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Management And Production Practices Of The Missouri Beef Cattle Industry, Jordan Lee Kinder Jan 2015

Management And Production Practices Of The Missouri Beef Cattle Industry, Jordan Lee Kinder

MSU Graduate Theses

A survey of beef cattle producers in Missouri was conducted to evaluate the management and production practices of the beef cattle industry. Production and demographic data from 112 (response rate of 5.9%) were analyzed to identify areas in need of future research and education. The web-based survey was conducted through Survey Monkey© and distributed by the Missouri Cattlemen's Association to a list of their members. Responding producers were located in 65 of the 114 counties in Missouri, with 63.3% located north of Interstate 44 and 36.7% south of Interstate 44. The majority (47.3%) of producers were between ages 31 and …

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Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Promotes Peripheral And Central Trigeminal Sensitization, Lauren Elise Cornelison Jan 2015

Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Promotes Peripheral And Central Trigeminal Sensitization, Lauren Elise Cornelison

MSU Graduate Theses

Temporomandibular joint disorder is characterized by peripheral and central sensitization of trigeminal nociceptive neurons. Although CGRP is implicated in the development of central sensitization by stimulating glial activation via its receptor, the mechanism by which CGRP promotes and maintains sensitization of trigeminal nociceptive neurons is not well understood. The goal of my study was to investigate the role of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on the initiation and maintenance of a nocifensive withdrawal response to mechanical stimulation following activation of primary trigeminal sensory neurons. For my studies, I used adult male Sprague Dawley rats that were injected with CGRP alone or …

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Nesting Success And Parental Behavior Of The Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria Citrea) In Southwestern Missouri, Kathryn Marie Siverly Jan 2015

Nesting Success And Parental Behavior Of The Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria Citrea) In Southwestern Missouri, Kathryn Marie Siverly

MSU Graduate Theses

The breeding biology and singing rates of Prothonotary Warblers (Protonotaria citrea) were studied in southwestern Missouri in 2014 and 2015, using wooden nesting boxes. Data were collected on clutch and brood sizes, the numbers of young fledged, parental care and male singing rates. Five pairs were studied over the course of the two summers. Of 28 eggs laid, 14 young fledged. In 2015, significant flooding resulted in the loss of all young and eggs for that year. First clutches were larger than second clutches. Observations suggest females may contribute more to the care of offspring, in terms of foraging and …

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Effects Of Low Concentrations Of Carbon Nanotubes On Growth And Gas Exchange In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Rajeeva Voleti Jan 2015

Effects Of Low Concentrations Of Carbon Nanotubes On Growth And Gas Exchange In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Rajeeva Voleti

MSU Graduate Theses

The effect of pure single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on plant growth and gas exchange was investigated in Arabidopsis thaliana. To date there has been no research on the effects of SWCNTs on whole plant physiology. A. thaliana seeds were directly grown in growth medium containing SWCNTs concentrations of 24.93micrograms/ml and 53.55 micrograms/ml. control plants were grown in media containing distilled water. I determined growth by measuring dry mass of plants. I determined gas exchange by measuring photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance, transpiration rates, and water use efficiency. I also examined the following physiological mechanisms that would limit plant growth: ATP and …

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Effect Of Ingestion By Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys Temminckii) On Seeds Of Riparian Vegetation, Jean Pierre Elbers Jan 2010

Effect Of Ingestion By Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys Temminckii) On Seeds Of Riparian Vegetation, Jean Pierre Elbers

MSU Graduate Theses

The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is a large freshwater turtle that inhabits many lotic water bodies in the Southeastern United States. The species consumes primarily fish but also consumes large amounts of vegetation including seeds of common persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), tupelos (Nyssa sp.), willow oak (Quercus phellos), and pecan (Carya illinoensis). Captive specimens of M. temminckii were fed samples of the above-mentioned seeds to assess how the species affects ingested seeds in order to evaluate the potential role this species may play as a seed disperser. The proportion of seeds defecated intact varied with species (57−99 %), was lowest …

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Geology And Wine In Missouri: Spatial Analysis Of Terroir Using A Geographic Information System And Remote Sensing, Kathryn Nora Barnard Jan 2009

Geology And Wine In Missouri: Spatial Analysis Of Terroir Using A Geographic Information System And Remote Sensing, Kathryn Nora Barnard

MSU Graduate Theses

The concept of terroir, based on the French word meaning 'sense of place,' suggests that flavor and quality of wine is associated with certain physical characteristics of the earth as well as viticulture and viniculture practices. The physical characteristics of terroir include soil, geology, topography, and climate. Designated American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) are discrete appellations in the United States that have well-established and historic viticultural practices, but the relationship between terroir and AVA appellations is complex. Wineries are a growing industry in the United States and the use of a GIS and remote sensing has proved useful in many other …

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Growth And Population Assessment Of Spotted Bass (Micropterus Punctulatus) In Beaver, Table Rock, And Bull Shoals Lakes, Northern Arkansas-Southern Missouri, Jeremy Troy Risley Jan 2006

Growth And Population Assessment Of Spotted Bass (Micropterus Punctulatus) In Beaver, Table Rock, And Bull Shoals Lakes, Northern Arkansas-Southern Missouri, Jeremy Troy Risley

MSU Graduate Theses

Little research has been conducted on spotted bass, Micropterus punctulatus, even though it is a popular recreational fish. Most previous research was on young-of-the-year fish and interactions among other species in reservoirs, with little research on adult spotted base in the Ozarks region or other regions of the United States. The objective of this study was to compare the growth and population characteristics of spotted bass within and among Beaver, Bull Shoals and Table Rock Lacks. Growth, abundance, and conditions within and among reservoirs were similar. However, spotted bass in Beaver Lake did not reach as great lengths as those …

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Habitat Use Of Urban Bats In Springfield, Missouri, Sarah Jane Robertson Jan 2002

Habitat Use Of Urban Bats In Springfield, Missouri, Sarah Jane Robertson

MSU Graduate Theses

During the summers of 1998-2000, the Anabat II bat detector system was placed in a mosaic of habitats within Springfield, Missouri and surrounding rural areas in southern Missouri to compare the activity indices of nine bat species between urban and rural environments. A total of 1,876 echolocation call sequences was recorded, identified to species and analyzed; 1,066 were from 42 Springfield sites, and 810 were from 22 rural locations. For all species combined, urban bat activity tended to be higher than rural activity, but those differences were only significant at the reading taken 3 hours after sunset. Eptesicus fuscus activity …

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