Life Sciences Commons^™

Swimming Mechanisms Of Temperate Forest Ants, Noah D. Gripshover, Evan M. Gora, Stephen P. Yanoviak

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Swimming Mechanisms of Temperate Forest Ants (Camponotus pennsylvanicus and Formica subsericea)

Noah D. Gripshover, Evan M. Gora, and Stephen P. Yanoviak

University of Louisville

Abstract

Environmental challenges shape the evolution of animal behavior and morphology. For wingless terrestrial invertebrates like ants, pools of water on the forest floor are particularly dangerous. Here we show that ants can overcome this obstacle using a modified gait to transverse the water surface. We compared the locomotor morphology and swimming performance of two arboreal ant species that are common in Kentucky (Camponotus pennsylvanicus and Formica subsericea). We defined performance as speed …

Strengthening Students’ Information Literacy Skills As They Develop Original Research Proposals In A Scientific Process Course, Kimberly A. Reycraft, Nora E. Demers

Florida Statewide Symposium: Best Practices in Undergraduate Research

Scientific Process is a required course for all undergraduate science majors at FGCU. In this course, students develop original research proposals on topics of their interest. Information literacy skills are critical as students must be able to use multiple sources of information to develop their proposals. Biology and library faculty have collaborated to add instruction and assignments addressing research question development, search strategy, citation management, and more. Our goal is to improve students’ information literacy skills as well as the quality and quantity of citations in their final proposals. We will present on this initiative and our preliminary assessment results.

Biology Internship In Austria, Maria Gabriela Herrera, Valentina Ramirez

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

The summer biology internship in Austria is an excellent opportunity for students who desire to pursue the field of medicine. As part of the program, students will be assigned to the organ transplant team where they will have the opportunity to not only observe such surgeries, but also actually participate and assist during the procedure. Other possible specialties during this program include plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and urology depending on availability. The selected students will travel to Graz, Austria and meet with the organ transplant team and learn how to prepare for and assist in surgery. The …

The Scripps Research Institute Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Ezana Assefa

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

This program is a 10-week internship designed for undergraduates interested in the scientific field to engage in current research. Students have the option of requesting to work under three mentors, one of which they will be paired. Students will work in the lab with the principal investigator and other members of the lab. Along with working in the lab, students in the program will also attend bi-weekly talks/lectures from researchers, grad students, and professionals at TSRI as well as participating in two presentations and a final poster or oral presentation.

The Spatial Distribution And Density Of The Emerald Ash Borer Infestation In Rock Island And Moline, Il, Kendall Smith, Victoria Lason, Tierney Brosius, Michael Reisner

Celebration of Learning

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Copleoptera: Buprestidae) is a destructive colonizer of ash trees that arrived in the United States in 2002. Since then, EAB has been detected in 22 states and two Canadian provinces, and has proven to be a complicated management issue for many cities including Rock Island. The purpose of this study was to determine the spatial distribution and density of the EAB infestation in Rock Island, Ill and to identify potential correlations between host larval densities and visual symptoms. A continuation of spatial distribution was determined through a tree survey examining specific species …

Effects Of Two Different Concentrations Of Miracle-Gro Solution On Wisconsin Fast Plant Growth, Peter Francissen, Joseph Gonziorek, Katherine Morgan, Danielle Deering

Celebration of Learning

Wisconsin Fast Plant (Brassica Rapa, Brassicaceae) seeds were planted in three six-celled planting chambers. The chambers were filled with standard potting soil under continuous grow-lux lighting. A week after germination, one planting chamber (E1) was supplied with the recommended Miracle-Gro fertilizer solution. Our second experimental chamber (E2) was supplied with 1.5x the eight was 60.4. Our t-tests showed that the height of the control plants vs. E1 was significant (P=.010563), for control plants vs. E2 it was even more significant (P=.008813). However, for E1 vs. E2, our data was insignificant (P=.318883). Our hypothesis was that supplying the Wisconsin Fast Plants …

The Effects Of Two Levels Of Salinity On Wisconsin Fast Plants, Megan M. Janssen, Emily Geison, Tiffany Bertoni, Matthew Zimmerman

Celebration of Learning

Wisconsin Fast Plant (Brassica rapa, Brassicaceae) seeds were planted in three, six-celled planting containers filled with potting soil and put beneath a continuous grow-lux light. One week after sprouting, one container (E1) was put into a separate tray filled with 0.5% NaCl solution, another container (E2) was put into a separate tray filled with 1.0% NaCl solution, and the third container was left in regular tap water. At seven-day intervals thereafter, the height of all plants was recorded, and the numbers of leaves and flowers were recorded. By week four of recording data, the average height (mm) of the control …

New Curriculum: Soil & Water Science And Weather & Climate Science, Natalie Carroll

Purdue P-12 Networking Summit & Poster Session

Natalie will present an overview the content of two new (2015) curricula designed for youth in grades 3 through 12. Soil and Water Science; Weather and Climate Science. Three booklets are included in each curriculum. Level 1, for youth in grades 3-5, introduces basic terms and concepts. Level 2 activities, for youth in grades 6-8, help youth put the basic concepts into action to understand more advanced concepts and interactions. Level 3 manuals delve more deeply into important concepts and helps prepare youth to be well informed and for advanced studies at college or university.

• Level 3 Soil & Water …

Thermal Analysis Of Borosilicate Glass For Its Biological Applications, Gregory Humble

Symposium of Student Scholars

Borosilicate glass doped with varying wt% of cerium oxide is investigated for biological applications. Thermal studies of each formulation were conducted using an SDT Q600 differential scanning calorimeter. 30mg samples of 350 - 425 μm particle size of each type of glass were heated to 1200°C in order to obtain the glass transition, crystallization, and melting temperatures. Samples were then heated to 900°C at several heating rates, ranging from 2°C/min to 100°C/min, then compared against each other as well as against an undoped borosilicate glass.

Kentucky Lake: An Opportunity For Long Term Monitoring Of Fish Communities, Bradley Hartman

Scholars Week

Global aquatic ecosystems are impacted by a variety of mechanisms including habitat destruction, fish overharvest, and the introduction of invasive species. Long term monitoring of an ecosystem’s fish community, along with abiotic and biotic factors that influence the fish community, is crucial in establishing effective management strategies. Currently, numerous monitoring programs exist across the United States. However, a long term monitoring program of non-game and non-commercial fish community dynamics has not been established within Kentucky Lake in Western Kentucky. Preliminary sampling of the Kentucky Lake fish community was performed using boat electroshocking and surface trawling. Four embayments within Kentucky Lake …

The Effects Of The Fungus Beauvaria Sp. On The Cave Cricket, Hadenoecus Subterraneus, Christina N. Walker, Derrick J. Jent, Claire A. Fuller

Scholars Week

The cave cricket, Hadenoecus subterraneus, is a keystone species in cave ecosystems within Mammoth Cave National Park (MCNP). Within MCNP, many cricket cadavers have been found

with a thick, white fungus growing on them; this fungus has previously been identified to be Beauveria bassiana. However, new molecular data suggests that this may actually be the species B. amorpha. Cricket cadavers with Beauveria sp. were collected from MCNP and cultured on potato dextrose agar. Cultures will be sent to the USDA for a genetic analysis and identification of the fungus. The purpose of this study is to examine if the relationship …

The Effects Of Chronic Partial Sleep Deprivation On Alcohol Consumption And Delta Fos B Accumulation, Kristian Ponder

Showcase of Graduate Student Scholarship and Creative Activities

The present study explores the relation between sleep restriction and alcohol use and the neural substrates that result from chronic behaviors, such as transcription factors. Transcription factor activity is suggested as a possible outcome of chronic behaviors, such as addiction. Sleep is discussed as possible mediating factor in the relationship between specific transcription factors and alcohol. Analysis will focus on brain areas related to both sleep and reward.

The Effect Of Nitrate On The Release Of Glucose Into The Hemolymph Of Crayfish, Procambarus Clarkii, Alec R. Flores, Lee Kats, David Green, Gary Bucciarelli

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Pollutants can change the behaviors of invertebrate stream animals. The level of one common pollutant, nitrate (NO3), has been rising in many local rivers and streams throughout the United States due to increases in anthropogenic sources. Nitrate, heavily regulated for its toxic effects to human health, namely the aiding in the development of cancer, also dangerously affects aquatic species by converting oxygen-carrying pigments to forms that are incapable of carrying oxygen. To understand the stress effects of ambient nitrate exposure on P. clarkii, we collected hemolymph samples from red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) over a 48-hour period after exposure to …

Root Hydraulic Conductance In Malosma Laurina Experiencing Severe Dieback In The Santa Monica Mountains, Natalie M. Aguirre 5861995, Avery Davis, Sarah Nelson

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Malosma laurina is a dominant species in coastal chaparral ecosystems The deep root systems of M. laurina provide structural support for the steep Santa Monica Mountains and allow M. laurina to tap into the deep water table. M. laurina dieback is prevalent in coastal exposures of the SMM, presumably due to historic drought predisposing plant tissues to infection by the fungal pathogen Botryosphaeria dothidea. In ecosystems that experience annual dry periods, a high hydraulic conductance in roots is necessary to provide plants with sufficient water. A recent study has examined the effect of Botryosphaeria on the hydraulic conductance of M. …

Pollinator Garden, Paige E. Bradley

Engagement & Service-Learning Summit

The goal of the project is to increase awareness about global climate change and the necessity of environmentally sustainable practice, particularly among the younger citizens of the Lafayette area. The Lyn Greece Boys & Girls Club extended a hand and offered us land to install a pollinator garden on their campus and an opportunity to meet with the kids one-on-one to promote sustainability ideas and help them understand the basics of gardening. The project is as local as possible, using native plants, no pesticides or herbicides, Bennett's Greenhouse (a local business), and the resources on campus to reach out to …

Movements Of Sub-Adult Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) In Puget Sound, Washington, As Indicated By Hydroacoustic Tracking, Anna Kagley, Joseph Smith, Kurt L. Fresh, Kinsey Frick, Thomas P. (Thomas Peter) Quinn

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Alternative forms of migratory behavior can have substantial consequences for the growth, survival, and fitness of the individuals involved. Salmonids vary in the tendency of individuals to migrate to marine waters (anadromy) or remain in freshwater habitats. In addition, substantial variation in migratory patterns can exist among anadromous and resident species. This talk summarizes our use of hydroacoustic telemetry to investigate the movement patterns of anadromous Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha remaining in the marine waters of Puget Sound after ocean entry rather than continuing out to the coastal waters of the North Pacific Ocean, as is typical of the species. …

Variable Marsh Resilience To Stress Offers Clues To Climate Change Adaptive Management, Roger Nathan Fuller, Katrina L. Poppe, John M. Rybczyk, Eric Grossman, Chad Stellern

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

In Puget Sound’s Stillaguamish estuary, tidal marshes exhibit evidence of multiple stressors that affect their vulnerability and provide insight into adaptive management opportunities to enhance their resilience. Despite high accretion rates, some marsh areas have receded by 10m/yr since 1964. Sources of stress include overgrazing by snow geese, high soil salinities, insect attacks, and changes in flow and inundation patterns. These interact with winter vegetation structure, sediment composition, and wave exposure to result in spatially variable marsh resilience. Some marshes are receding quickly, some slowly, and others are minimally affected. In the context of climate change, with potentially substantial near-term …

An Inventory Of Environmental Governance In The Salish Sea, Laurie D. Trautman

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

How is the natural environment of the Salish Sea governed? The fact that the Salish Sea is bifurcated by a national border has inhibited our ability to answer this question. Indeed, the Salish Sea involves not only two national governments, but also a multitude of both state and non-state actors, which exist across scales, and interact in different frameworks (i.e. First Nations/tribes often seek only to negotiate with federal, rather than state/provincial governments). Environmental governance in the Salish Sea also encompasses informal modes of interaction involving public and private interest groups, social movements and community stakeholders, in addition to traditional …

A Long-Term Phytoplankton Monitoring Program For Central Puget Sound Using Particle Imaging, Gabriela Hannach, Lyndsey M. Swanson

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Puget Sound is a large and highly productive estuarine system that is vulnerable to climate change and anthropogenic impacts from a growing population. King County operates an exceptionally comprehensive, long-running monitoring program designed to assess water quality in the Puget Sound Central Basin. Data are collected year-round for a suite of physical, chemical, and biological parameters. Phyoplankton monitoring using traditional methods was added to the program in 2008 to address a significant biological data gap at the lower trophic level. Since acquisition of a FlowCAM particle imaging system in 2014 the program is generating a more extensive and robust dataset …

Skagit Climate Science Consortium: Using Local Polling To Provide Relevant Science, Carol B. Macilroy, Larry Wasserman

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Skagit Climate Science Consortium (SC²) and the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication partnered to conduct a public opinion poll in the spring of 2015 regarding Skagit County resident’s attitudes and perceptions regarding global warming. The effort, part of Yale’s renown 6 America’s Project, also is providing SC² critical information to help understand local concerns and beliefs about climate change in order to better provide relevant and timely climate science to a broader Skagit community. This presentation will provide an overview of SC²’s theory of change regarding the role of climate science in supporting …

Virtual Simulations Of Potential Vessel Discharges In Puget Sound And The Puget Sound No Discharge Zone, Teizeen Mohamedali, Mindy Roberts, Amy Jankowiak

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) evaluated the potential transport, dispersion and dilution of potential vessel sewer discharges within the draft proposed Puget Sound No Discharge Zone (NDZ). These model simulations included potential vessel sewer discharges at six locations in Puget Sound along major shipping routes. Results are presented as virtual animations of surface concentrations, allowing us to visualize the transport, circulation, and dilution of these discharges over the course of several days.

Ecology and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory jointly developed a three-dimensional hydrodynamic FVCOM (Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model) computer model of the Salish Sea. This model is …

Volunteer-Assisted Monitoring Of A Significant Private Bulkhead Removal, Jeffrey Adams, Brenda Padgham, Jason David Toft, Kyra O'Neil, Kate Litle

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Monitoring efforts to restore physical and biological functions along developed shorelines can take many forms and be influenced by monitoring goals, the scope and scale of the project, and available resources. The Powel project in Port Madison on Bainbridge Island, Washington, had regional significance because of its scale (removing 1544 lineal feet of armor), the diversity of types of armor and shoreline, and its private ownership, but it lacked the funding to support a broad, long-term monitoring program. Not willing to let the opportunity pass without some effort to gather as much appropriate information as possible about the impact and …