Life Sciences Commons^™

Assessment Of The Efficacy Of The Hose-Bridge As A Road-Crossing Structure For Dekay's Brownsnake (Storeria Dekayi), Sarah Elizabeth Manka

Masters Theses

Various structures have been integrated into roadways to ensure the road does not impede wildlife movements between adjacent habitats. Where traffic volume is low, the costs of installing and maintaining such structures is typically prohibitive. I tested the efficacy of a hose-bridge deployed temporarily on a State Park road in Illinois that allowed the passage of cars over it and small wildlife species to cross through it. I predicted that, during the 4.5 -week period of peak migratory movement, road-based mortality of Dekay's Brownsnakes (Storeria dekayi) would be less at the site having the hose-bridge, when compared to a similar …

Seeing Red In A Sea Of Green: Anthocyanin Production In A Carnivorous Plant, Pinguicula Planifolia, Jenna Annis

Masters Theses

The Southeastern United States is a biological hot-spot for carnivorous plants, with over half of the North American species occurring along the Gulf Coast. Pinguicula planifolia Chapman is one of six carnivorous perennial butterwort species found in the Florida Panhandle. Among these species, only P. planifolia expresses a distinct variation of red coloration on its leaves. The functional role of foliar anthocyanins may include stress response to drought and nutrient deficiency, herbivory defense, free radical scavenging, and photoprotection. Carnivorous plant leaves face strong selection pressures to optimize prey capture and nutrient absorption. Given the frequency of these red pigments in …

Maximal Strength Effects Of Cross Education Training On The Elbow Flexors, Molly Dyer

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the absolute and relative changes in maximal bilateral elbow flexion strength increase after a four-week intervention protocol between a unilateral and bilateral resistance training program in college age females.

Methods: Five non-athlete females, with a mean age of 21.6 years, completed the study. Eligible subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups; unilateral elbow flexion resistance training (n=2) or bilateral elbow flexion resistance training (n=3). Both groups completed a four-week resistance training three days per week using three sets of ten repetitions at 65% of their predicted one repetition maximum. Maximal …

Stopover Ecology Of Neotropical Migratory Songbirds In The Northern Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, Lauren E. Solomon

Masters Theses

Chapter I. Full-service hotels, convenience stores or fire escapes? Evaluating function of stopover sites for Neotropical migrants in the northern Yucatan Peninsula

Nearctic-Neotropical migratory songbirds incur the highest mortality rates during their annual migrations. Migratory songbirds use a network of stopover sites to rest, refuel, or seek refuge during times of poor weather conditions; and the time and energy expended at these sites exceeds that of migratory flight. In order to conserve stopover sites with the highest value to Neotropical migrants, a conceptual framework was developed to classify stop over sites into three functional categories based on their function for …

Genetic Structure And Diversity Of Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus) In Three Large Midwestern Rivers, Vaclav Alexei Sotola

Masters Theses

Little information is available regarding the genetic structure and diversity of sportfishes in large rivers, which can be vital to continuing the sustainable exploitation of these fisheries. Additionally, impoundments often have vast impacts on riverine systems. These impacts include altering the flow regime, changing the nutrient load, and preventing migratory fish from reaching their spawning grounds. If fishes are prevented from reaching their spawning grounds, their genetic diversity and structuring could begin to change relative to historic measures, potentially decreasing their fitness and ability to survive. I screened microsatellite loci to assess the genetic population structure and diversity of channel …

Diel And Seasonal Patterns Of Channel Catfish Movement And Habitat Use In The Lower Wabash River, Hanna Gibbs Kruckman

Masters Theses

Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus are commonly found throughout the Mississippi River basin and support commercial and recreational fisheries in many large river systems. Understanding population demographics as well as movement patterns and habitat usage can provide a more holistic approach to species management and conservation. Within a 16-km stretch of the lower Wabash River, 27 channel catfish were implanted with acoustic transmitters to monitor fine scale movement and habitat use from September 2014 through April 2016. Channel catfish were located using active tracking during two types of tracking events. Site tracking occurred only during daylight hours and diel tracking monitored …

Demographics And Parasites Of Spotted Bass In The Wabash River, Evan C. Boone

Masters Theses

Spotted Bass Micropterus punctulatus Rafinesque are a popular sport fish primarily found in the streams and reservoirs of the south. The Wabash River, a large tributary of the Ohio River, contains a naturally reproducing population on the northern boundary of their range. Currently, the lower Wabash River is monitored using two different sampling designs, the Long Term Electrofishing Program monitors community assemblages using stratified random sampling whereas the Illinois Department of Natural Resources uses a fixed sampling design. Due to the wide distribution but low abundance of Spotted Bass throughout this drainage, captures from each design were compared to assess …

White-Rot Fungi As Pretreatment Agents For Wood Destined For Biofuel Applications, Ryan M. Kalinoski

Masters Theses

Efficient and economical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to biofuels is often hampered by the chemical recalcitrance of the material. Inexpensive and environmentally-friendly pretreatment processes are therefore desirable in order to lower the cost of biofuel production and minimize negative environmental impacts. To that end, we have explored the use of a naturally occurring white-rot fungus, Trametes versicolor, as a direct pretreatment agent for hardwood destined for biofuel applications. Specifically, we examined the pretreatment effects on the hardwood mixture after treatment with the wild-type strain of T. versicolor (52J) compared with those from a cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH)-deficient strain (m4D) , …

The Effects Of High Intensity Interval Training On Body-Esteem Among College-Aged Women, Chelsea K. Duncan

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of high intensity interval training (HIIT) on body-esteem among college-aged females. The study had four participants complete a pre-intervention questionnaire, which included BMI information and the Body-Esteem Scale (BES: Franzoi & Shields, 1984). The participants then completed 12 sessions of HIIT, three sessions each week for four weeks. After completing the HIIT protocol, participants filled out a post-intervention questionnaire, including BMI and the BES. The post-intervention questionnaires were then compared to the participants' pre-intervention questionnaires using a paired-samples t test with SPSS software. Small changes in BES scores occurred, however …

Effects Of Habitat Alteration On Ecomorphology Of Fish Communities In A Restored Stream, Carl Anthony Favata

Masters Theses

Decades of anthropogenic pressure have devastated lotic ecosystems across the riverscapes of North America, resulting in degradation of critical habitat and contributing to sharp declines in biotic integrity. In response, local stream restoration projects have increased in frequency. However, little effort has been allocated to monitoring and project success has been limited. In addition, restoration projects typically focus on ecological effects above the population-level, while relationships with physiological processes are seldom assessed. Lessons from the long-term restoration and ecological monitoring of Kickapoo Creek highlight some of the complex dynamics driving reach-scale restoration projects. Following instream restoration, I predicted that alterations …

Successional Changes In Leaf Nutrient Concentrations Of Woody And Herbaceous Species, Daniel Walter Kuchta

Masters Theses

Leaf nutrient concentrations are an example of a functional trait, a trait that can be used to understand community dynamics by observing how plants interact with their environment. I explored how leaf nutrient concentrations were affected over successional time by environmental changes. The majority of prior research on functional traits focuses on either woody or herbaceous species, but not both life forms simultaneously. To address this, I also explored the successional changes to leaf nutrient concentrations, separating the plant community into woody and herbaceous species.

Healthy, mature leaves were taken from 122 taxa of woody and herbaceous species in a …

Assessing The Feasibility Of Wastewater Effluent As A Nutrient Source For Algae In The Context Of Biofuel Production, Justin Ryan Dore

Masters Theses

Algae have the potential to support the production of biodiesel due to their ability to produce large volumes of oils in relatively small footprints. However, algae production for biodiesel is hampered by the expenses associated with water and nutrients required for sufficient growth. A possible source of inexpensive and nutrient-rich water is the effluent of traditional wastewater treatment facilities. If wastewater effluent can support algae growth, the added benefit of reducing high nutrient loads to natural water systems can be realized. The overarching goal of the current research was to explore the feasibility of growing algae (Scenedesmus) using wastewater effluent …

Quantifying Bat Detection Survey Methods And Activity Patterns, Tara C. Hohoff

Masters Theses

Bats have an astonishing diversity and provide vital ecosystem services in an array of different niches. In North America, most species of bats are insectivores and tend to be frequently overlooked for their important ecosystem role providing insect control. As bat populations have declined in recent years, farmers, land managers, conservationists, and bat enthusiasts have wondered what we can do to protect our local bat populations. As a first step, we need to develop methods that more effectively survey for rare species of bats. By performing inefficient surveys, we are doing a disservice to our funding agencies providing misinformation that …

Diversity Of The Beneficial Bacterium Oxalobacter Formigenes Isolated From The Human Gut, Karen Shaw

Masters Theses

Oxalobacter formigenes is an anaerobic, oxalate degrading organism that colonizes in the mammalian intestinal tract. Currently, O. formigenes is divided into two groups via PCR of the oxc gene. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is a technique used to resolve large pieces of DNA. Typically, PFGE is used to identify differences between strains for pathogenic bacteria, but this study sought to use it to further understand the diversity of a probiotic organism. This study aimed to develop a methodology for utilizing PFGE to examine O. formigenes. The methodology involved lysing O. formigenes cells in plugs, first in proteinase K, …

Sampling Efficiency, Population Characteristics, And Potential Impacts Of Harvest Regulations On Three Riverine Species Of Catfish, Zachary Adam Mitchell

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Transcription Factors On Fibroblast Specific Gene Silencing In Somatic Cell Hybrids, Tania Ray

Masters Theses

As totipotent cells differentiate to specific cell types in multicellular organisms, certain sets of genes are turned off (gene silencing/gene extinction) while others are turned on (gene activation). Cell type specific gene silencing and gene activation is the basis of cell differentiation. Somatic cell hybrids which are produced by fusing different types of somatic cells from two different tissues have been used as a valuable resource to discern the phenomenon of lineage- specific gene extinction. Identification of regulatory factors that mediate gene extinction in hybrids are key to understanding regulatory mechanisms that govern cell differentiation in a multicellular organism. Transcription …

Low-Head Dams On Habitat, Fish Functional Guilds And Genetic Structuring In A Midwestern River System, Shannon Cassandra Frary Smith

Masters Theses

The natural flow regime of the majority of rivers in the United States has been altered by anthropogenic structures. This loss of connectivity plays a strong role in shaping river ecosystems by altering physical habitat characteristics and shaping fish community assemblages. Although the impacts of large dams on river systems are well documented and often easy to observe, there are fewer studies on the effects of smaller low-head dams. Additionally, the influences of low-head dams on the genetic structuring of small-bodied riverine fishes have yet to be fully explored. I assessed the effects of two low-head dams on the Vermilion …

Expression Of Artemia Lea Proteins In Drosophila Melanogaster Cells Using Multicistronic Vector Constructs, Kazi Nazrul Islam

Masters Theses

In nature several organisms exhibit anhydrobiosis, the outstanding feature to survive in extreme desiccation by entering into a state of dormancy known as diapause. The cyst of the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana shows anhydrobiosis by entering into a diapause phase. Previous studies showed a correlation between anhydrobiosis and expression of highly hydrophilic polypeptides termed late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins. However, the precise molecular mechanisms of LEA proteins are still unknown. The presence of multiple LEA proteins in Artemia suggests that some of them might work together. Here, I aimed to express different combination of two LEA proteins from Artemia franciscana …

Evaluation Of Hazelnuts As A Sustainable Crop In Illinois, Sharon Neva Dubosky

Masters Theses

Production of hazelnuts has historically been limited to regions with mild climates, with almost all hazelnut production in the United States occurring in Oregon. A recent boom in demand, along with an expanded selection of varieties with improved environmental tolerances, has pushed hazelnut production into new regions. Hazelnut production could prove profitable in areas of the Midwest that are less well-suited to the cultivation of maize and soybeans. However, the lack of varieties proven to thrive in the climatological conditions of this region (cold winters, hot summers, frequent drought) presents a barrier to the viability of hazelnut production. A trial …