Life Sciences Commons^™

Systematics Of Northeastern Meadow Vole (Microtus Pennsylvanicus) Subspecies, With Empasis On The Island Endemic (M. P. Shattucki, Howe 1901) In Penobscot Bay, Maine, Jennifer Marie Lowry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Penobscot meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus shattucki) (PMV) is an insular subspecies of meadow vole (M. pennsylvanicus) inhabiting the islands of North Haven, Islesboro, and Tumbledown Dick in Penobscot Bay, Maine. It is one in a suite of island meadow vole subspecies which has been described from southern New England through eastern Canada. The subspecific recognition of M. p. shattucki, along with the others in this group, was solely based on a univariate analysis of a few morphological characters, which has fostered debate about the validity of the subspecies. Despite this uncertainty, the taxonomy is …

Food Substrates And Digestive Capabilitites Of Marine Deposit Feeders, Lawrence M. Mayer

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Deposit feeders play several important roles in determining whether organic material is demineralized or buried. These animals function to make surfaces available for microbial growth and move particles both horizontally and vertically within the seabed at a pace that far exceeds sedimentation. The central problem in understanding deposit feeders is to identify the materials that they utilize and to determine the sources of those materials. The interdisciplinary approach of this project is to combine a chemical reactor theory of digestion with measurements of the processing of enzymatically available amino acids, focusing on rates of hydrolysis in, and absorption from, the …

The Effect Of Gamete Competition On Levels Of Gamete Production In A Marine Invertebrate, Kevin J. Eckelbarger

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Previous work suggests that high population densities result in more intense male gamete competition and select for increased levels of production of these gametes. This hypothesis will be tested by examining spatial and temporal correlations between density and male gamete production levels in natural populations of a colonial ascidian. Two additional considerations which might modify the effect that male gamete competition has on levels of male gamete production will also be explored. First, natural selection can only act on the genetic portion of total phenotypic variance. Secondly, selection acts simultaneously on the entire phenotype, and so the effect of selection …

Fsml: Construction Of Visiting Investigator/Classroom Building At Darling Marine Center, Kevin J. Eckelbarger

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Since 1991, the University of Maine has made significant financial investments in its marine laboratory, the Darling Marine Center to equally benefit both University personnel and visiting colleges and researchers. During 1997-99 alone, the University supported improvements including a student dormitory/dining hall. New flowing seawater facilities (construction to begin spring 2000), a new 42' coastal research vessel (under construction), and more classroom microscopes and computers (delivered and in use) have also been supported. All of these improvements directly benefit visitors and they reflect a stated policy of encouraging increased use of the facilities by visiting investigators and outside colleges. Extensive …

Ocean Color Observations Of Eddies During The Summer In The Gulf Of California, W. Scott Pegau, Emmanuel Boss, Antonio Martínez

Marine Sciences Faculty Scholarship

Using SeaWiFS ocean color satellite images collected during 1997-2001, a series of eddies have been observed in the Gulf of California. These eddies are not clearly seen in the summertime sea surface temperature images. The surface circulation between the midriff islands and the mouth of the gulf appears to be dominated by this series of eddies that have an alternating sense of rotation. An eddy pair is observed to extend from Cabo Lobos in each of the three years, suggesting that the eddies are topographically locked. The formation mechanism of the eddies remains unknown; however, we suspect the most likely …

Complementary And Alternative Medicines: The Knowledge, Attitudes And Practices Of Dietitians In Maine, Jennifer Kristy Lawrance

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Consumer interest in complementary/alternative medicines (CAM) has increased substantially in the past thirty years. This is due to the growing knowledge of the link between diet and disease, as well as the cost and accessibility of health care. Despite substantial advances in the medical treatment of disease, many people seek patient-directed, nonprescription approaches to prevent and treat disease. In fact, it has been estimated that consumers spend over $ 13 billion each year on CAM. More people are taking ownership of their own health, and have thus turned to nonprescription measures for the prevention and treatment of disease. For the …

Can Cranberry Supplementation Reduce Risks For Diabetes?, Belinda K. Chambers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diabetes affects approximately 250 million people worldwide and health care costs related to diabetes equal approximately $98 billion each year. Aldose reductase has been shown to contribute to the side effects of diabetes including kidney disease, nerve disease, and retinopathy. Cranberries contain anthocyanins and other flavonoids that have been shown in vitro to inhibit the enzyme aldose reductase and to inhibit protein glycosylation. It is believed that daily cranberry supplementation could reduce side effects of diabetes. Twenty-seven adults with type 2 diabetes were recruited for this 12 week double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Fasting blood analysis was done at weeks 0, 6, …

Determining Atmospheric Deposition Inputs To Two Small Watersheds At Acadia National Park, Sarah J. Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two small upland watersheds have been gauged and monitored at Acadia National Park since 1998. Cadillac Brook watershed burned in a wildfire in 1947. Hadlock Brook watershed has been undisturbed for several centuries, and serves as the reference site. Precipitation and throughfall volume and chemistry data have been collected using wetonly and continuously open collectors. Hydrologic and chemical inputs to the sites have been determined for each site. Differences in watershed and vegetation characteristics control the input of water and major ions to these watersheds. Vegetation type was the dominant control on enhancement of precipitation across the heterogeneous watersheds. Relative …

Overcoming Transaction Cost Impediments To Resolving The Dilemma Of Collective Action In The New England Fisheries, William J. Brennan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Management of many global marine fisheries have faltered under science-based government-sponsored management regimes. While the result has often been biological stock failures and consequent socio-economic problems, there are instances where enhanced conservation efforts have led to fishery management success. Studies of New England fisheries reveal that the relative success of fishery management can be explained in terms of the interaction between the fishing industry and the government, the relative power of each in the fishery management exchange, the degree to which information and perceptions about the fishery are comparable, the scale and complexity of the fishery to be managed, and …

The Role Of Forest Soils In A Northern New England Effluent Management System, Leslie B. Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Carrabassett Valley Sanitary District in Carrabassett Valley, Maine has utilized both a forest spray irrigation system and a Snowfluent™ system for the treatment of their wastewater effluent. This study was designed to evaluate potential changes in soil properties after approximately 20 years of treatment in the forested spray irrigation site and three years of treatment in the field Snowfluent™ site. In addition, grass yield and composition were evaluated on the field study sites. After treatment with effluent or Snowfluent™, soils showed an increase in soil exchangeable Ca, Mg, Na, and K, base saturation, and pH. While most constituents were …

Impact Of Preservative Treatments And Fungal Exposure On Phenolic Fiber Reinforced Polymer (Frp) Composite Material Utilized In Wood Reinforcement, Cihat Tascioglu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When wood products are exposed to environmental conditions conducive to biodeterioration, wood preservation becomes a necessity, especially when long-term utilization is desired. Although considerable literature exists on the treatment of laminated timbers and wood composites with wood preservatives, almost no information is available on the exposure of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites to wood preservative chemicals. In this work, FRP material was treated with common preservative chemicals and the effect of wood preservative treatments on mechanical properties of FRP material were investigated. Although the longitudinal elastic modulus was unaffected, some longitudinal strength losses were recorded for CCA and CDDC (water …

Marine Protected Areas In The Gulf Of Maine: Policy For A Common Resource, Carolyn F. Skinder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the wake of 25 years of unsuccessful single-fisheries management in the Gulf of Maine, there has been growing support for reform. Ecosystem management has been proposed as one alternative, but the information needed to manage whole ecosystems is greatly lacking. Implementing fully-protected marine protected areas (MPAs) is one way to preserve habitat while at the same time acquiring data for future ecosystem management. Under the current institutional arrangement in the Gulf, engineering agreement for MPAs is difficult due to the differing goals of varied user groups. The situation is reflective of a common property resource problem in that there …

Fire And Its Effects On Mercury And Methylmercury Dynamics For Two Watersheds In Acadia National Park, Maine, Kenneth B. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cross-continental movement of contaminated air masses and prevailing wind direction. Sites covered with softwood vegetation also received higher Hg deposition than other vegetation types because of the higher scavenging efficiency of the canopy structure. MeHg deposition was not affected by these factors. Hg deposition was lower in Cadillac Brook watershed (burned) than in Hadlock Brook watershed (unburned) because regeneration after the fire was dominated by mixed hardwood, whereas softwoods dominate the landscape in Hadlock Brook watershed. The lower deposition could also be a result of the watershed aspect; Cadillac Brook watershed faces southeast to east and Hadlock Brook watershed faces …

Adolescent Girls:Calcium Intake And Sources, Laura Agard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Calcium is an essential nutrient required for normal growth and development of the skeleton and teeth. Adequate calcium intake is critical during early adolescence to optimize peak bone mass and decrease the risk of osteoporosis later in life. Previous researchers, however, have concluded that adolescent girls consume insufficient calcium to meet the demands of rapid skeletal growth. National surveys conducted prior to 1997 showed that t.he major sources of calcium for adolescent girls were milk and milk products. Shortly after the new Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI's) for calcium were released in 1997, calcium fortified foods became more readily available on …

Pasteurization Of Apple Cider With Uv Irradiation, Nazife Canitez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In a period of increasing concern about food safety, food poisoning outbreaks where unpasterurized apple cider or apple juice was found contaminated with Escherichia coli 0157:H7 reinforces the need for using the best technologies in apple cider production. Most apple cider is sold as an unpasteurized raw product. Because of their acidity, it was believed that juice products do not usually contain microorganisms such as E. coli 0157:H7, Salmonella, and Crytosporidium. Yet all of these foodborne pathogens are capable of being transmitted in unpasteurized juices. It is known that these pathogens can survive for several weeks in a …

Tb180: Baseline Data For Long-Term Forest Vegetation Monitoring At Bear Brook Watershed In Maine, J. D. Eckhoff, G. B. Wiersma

Technical Bulletins

This report includes comprehensive information on the primary and meta forest vegetation data assembled from Bear Brook Watershed in Maine (BBWM). This information represents the first in-depth inventory of the forest vegetation, both woody and non-woody in multiple strata, within the two watersheds initially established at BBWM, West Bear and East Bear, and also the areas adjacent to the east and west of these watersheds. For long-term monitoring of vegetation responses to the continued manipulations and/or the recovery of the ecosystems at BBWM, access to the vegetation baseline information contained within this report is essential.

Powre: A Pilot Study Of Chemoreception Mechanisms In Deposit-Feeding Polychaetes, Sara M. Lindsay

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

This proposal was submitted to the NSF-wide Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education (POWRE) program. The PI proposes to begin research on the sensory mechanisms coordinating chemoreception in spionid polychaetes, a common deposit-feeding invertebrate. These worms are widely distributed in soft-sediment benthic marine environments and, along with other deposit-feeders, are responsible for the bioturbation that is important to this environment. Some evidence indicates that chemoreception may coordinate sediment ingestion rate and other aspects of deposit-feeding in a variety of species. The proposed research will attempt to identify some of the physiological and molecular mechanisms used by the worms …

Phase Function Effects On Oceanic Light Fields, Curtis D. Mobley, Lydia K. Sundman, Emmanuel Boss

Marine Sciences Faculty Scholarship

Numerical simulations show that underwater radiances, irradiances, and reflectances are sensitive to the shape of the scattering phase function at intermediate and large scattering angles, although the exact shape of the phase function in the backscatter directions (for a given backscatter fraction) is not critical if errors of the order of 10% are acceptable. We present an algorithm for generating depth–and wavelength-dependent Fournier–Forand phase functions having any desired backscatter fraction. Modeling of a comprehensive data set of measured inherent optical properties and radiometric variables shows that use of phase functions with the correct backscatter fraction and overall shape is crucial …

2001-2002 Piscataquis County Cooperative Extension Annual Report, Donna Coffin

Maine County Extension Associations

2001-2002 annual report of activities for the Piscataquis County Cooperative Extension Office.

The Value Of Rockweed (Ascophylum Nodosum) As Habitat For Tidepool Fishes, Amy Marie Gullo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tidepool fishes are an interesting and commercially valuable guild of fishes that reside in tidepools at low tide. Tidepool fishes of the North Atlantic Coast reside in tidepools only during the late spring to Ml months, and are typically juveniles of subtidal adult species. Tidepool fishes on the Pacific Coast of North America have been studied extensively, but species of the North Atlantic Coast have rarely been studied. An important area of study is the use of different tidepool microhabitats by fishes, specifically the use of rockweed (AscophyZZum nodosum) fringe, which is present in many tidepools. Rockweed is an algal …

Physiology, Enzyme Production, And Zoospore Behavior Of Balrachochytrium Dendrobatidis, A Chytrid Pathogenic To Amphibians, Jeffery Scott Piotrowski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Balrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a pathogen of amphibians that has caused severe population declines on several continents, and little is known about the conditions that favor epidemics. The zoospore activity, temperature, and pH requirements of B. dendrobutidis were investigated to help understand the ecology and transmission of this pathogen. Over 95% of the chytrid's zoospores stop moving in less than 24 hours, and the zoospores swam less than 2 cm before encysting on tryptone agar. B. dendrobutidis zoospores were not attracted to tryptone, gelatin hydrolysate, casamino acids, keratin, gelatin, glucose, or lactose. The chytrid grew and reproduced at temperatures ranging from …

2001 Wild Blueberry Csrees Project Reports, Alfred A. Bushway, Mary Ellen Camire, Kathy Davis-Dentici, Michael Dougherty, Kathleen Buzzard, Rodney J. Bushway, Kristi Crowe, Brian Perkins, Darrell W. Donahue, Frank Drummond, Judy Collins, Rose Mary Seymour, Maya Panangadan, Maribeth Haines, Heather Mclaughlin, S L. Annis, C S. Stubbs, John M. Smagula, Walter Litten, Karen Loennecker, Adam Nielsen, David E. Yarborough, Timothy M. Hess, John Jemison

Wild Blueberry Research Reports

The 2001 edition of the Wild Blueberry CSREES Progress Reports was prepared for the Maine Wild Blueberry Commission and the University of Maine Wild Blueberry Advisory Committee by researchers at the University of Maine, Orono. Projects in this report include:

1. Effect of Wild Blueberry Products on Oxidation in Meat Based Food Systems

2. Factors Affecting the Microbial and Pesticide Residues Levels on Wild Blueberries

3. Determination of Pesticide Residue Levels in Fresh and Processed Wild Blueberries

4. Separation of Maggot-Infested Wild Blueberries in the IQF Processing Line

5. Water Use of Wild Blueberries and the Impact of Plant Water …

Picturing Nature: Education, Ornithology And Photography In The Life Of Cordelia Stanwood: 1865-1958, Cynthia Watkins Richardson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The field of environmental history, with a few exceptions, has neglected gendered analysis; in addition, several women's histories have analyzed a few environmental issues, but disregard environmental scholarship. In the joining of women's and environmental history, this dissertation examines the life of one woman, Cordelia J. Stanwood of Ellsworth, Maine (1865-1958), to determine how a woman could use nature to transcend the social limits of domesticity in the early twentieth century. Research of her correspondence, published writing, photography and forty years of field notes reveals that like many other women, she took advantage of technology and evolving ideas about womanhood …

The Occurrence And Characterization Of Hemoglobin From Different Strains Of Genetically Diverse, Free-Living Frankia, Jason Beckwith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hemoglobins have been identified in root nodules of many actinorhizal plants. When cultured in vitro, the actinomycete Frankia strain CcI3 produces hemoglobin when grown with or without supplied nitrogen. The cyanobacterium, Nostoc commune, also produces hemoglobin in vitro, although only under nitrogen-fixing, microaerobic conditions, and in less than one fifth of the explored strainslspecies. The objectives of this study were to determine if Frankia strains EANlpec, ArI3, EUNlf, CcI.17, and Cc13, members of diverse genogroups, are capable of producing hemoglobin in vitro, to characterize the oxygen kinetics of the hemoglobin, and to determine the effect of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon …

Growth Increment Analysis Of Marine Bivalves From The North, Stephen D. Houk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aids in developing a sea surface temperature (SST) proxy with monthly temporal resolution using a combination of growth increment and stable isotope analyses of marine bivalves from the north coast of Peru. Faunal assemblages from the Siches and Ostra Base Camp archaeological sites contain shells of warm-tropical mollusks that currently live farther north in Ecuador. The presence of warm-tropical species in these sites and others as far south as 10"s latitude and dating prior to 5730 cal yr B.P. indicates a stable warm-water regime in the eastern tropical Pacific which subsequently changes to a modern temperate-water regime after …

Wood Anatomy Of Metasequoia - Separation From Glyptostrobus And Function/Structure Considerations, George E. Visscher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is part of a broader cooperative study aimed at understanding Paleo-forest dynamics -- namely those of the Eocene period in the Canadian High Arctic. Wood of the dominant tree species -- Metasequoia -- that grew on Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut, Canada is the focus of this research. The text is divided into two chapters written as articles to be submitted to the International Association of Wood Anatomists Journal (IAWA). The first chapter of this text is a direct result of classifying the fossil wood of Axel Heiberg. The wood of Glyptostrobus is similar to that of Metasequoia. Because …

The Relationship Between Green Sea Urchin Spawning, Spring Phytoplankton Blooms, And The Winter-Spring Hydrography At Selected Sites In Maine, Lindsay C. N. Seward

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between green sea urchin spawning, spring phytoplankton blooms, and hydrography were examined at multiple spatial scales during the winter-spring of 2000 at selected sites along the coast of Maine. To determine factors contributing to the variation observed in the timing of green sea urchin spawning, sea urchins, phytoplankton, and oceanographic variables were sampled biweekly at four sites in central Maine and three sites in eastern Maine. Water column properties and phytoplankton was intensively examined at sites in central Maine, while sites in eastern Maine were less well characterized. Analysis of gonad indices showed that spawning was protracted in …

The Embryonic World Of Wood Frogs, Rana Sylvatica: Natal Pond Learning And Anti-Predator Behaviors., Pamela J. Bryer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Even while in ovo many amphibians can react to the world around them, as dissolved molecules are able to pass through their protective jelly matrix and interact with developing sensory systems. Although there are many potential signals dissolved in the water, two, natal-pond recognition cues and predator recognition signals (or kairomones), have been previously shown to be relevant to several species of developing anurans. My study used natural odorants in a test of natal pond learning, and in testing both short- and long-term effects of predator chemical cues on the development and behavior of wood frog, Rana sylvatica, embryos. In …

Crop Tree Growth And Quality Twenty-Five Years After Precommercial Thinning In A Northern Conifer Stand, Leah M. Phillips

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Growth characteristics of selected Picea rubens Sarg. (red spruce) and Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. (balsam fir) crop trees were studied in a northern conifer forest to determine the effects of precommercial thinning (PCT) 25 years after initial treatment. Two measures of growth efficiency (GE, growth per unit of growing space) were examined: stemwood increment (dm3) per unit of projected leaf area (PLA) (m2) and stemwood increment (dm3) per unit of crown projection area (CPA) (m2). Stem form differences were evaluated by comparing stem taper between species and treatments. Branch diameters were measured between 1 .O - 2.0 meters above breast …

Localization Of Expansin Expression During Adventitious And Lateral Rooting In Response To Auxin In Loblolly Pine, Fuyu Xu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Loblolly Pine is the most important and widely cultivated timber species in the southern United States. Due to its fast growth, it is extensively planted for lumber and pulpwood. Vegetative propagation will enhance gains from genetic improvement of tree species. Rooted-cutting is at present the most reliable non-somatic embryogenesis method for cloning specific genotypes. However, an abrupt decline of adventitious rooting capacity has hindered the application of vegetative propagation in loblolly pine. Unraveling the rooting mechanism may facilitate a way to overcome this barrier. Regulation of lateral and adventitious root formation by auxin has been demonstrated through the application of …