Life Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Intertidal Position On Metabolism And Behavior In The Acorn Barnacle, Balanus Glandula, Kali Horn

Master's Theses

The intertidal zone is characterized by persistent, tidally-driven fluctuations in both abiotic (e.g., temperature, [O₂], salinity) and biotic (e.g., food availability, predation) conditions, which makes this a very physiologically challenging habitat for resident organisms. The magnitude and degree of variability of these environmental stressors differs between intertidal zones, with the most extreme physiological stress often being experienced by organisms in the high intertidal. Given that many of the fluctuating conditions in this environment are primary drivers of metabolic rate (e.g., temperature, [O₂], food availability), we hypothesized that sessile conspecifics residing in different tidal zones would exhibit …

The Proteomic Response Of Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga Angustirostris) Pups To Physiological Stress During Development, Melissa P. Voisinet

Master's Theses

Background: Northern elephant seals transition from terrestrial nursing pups to pelagic foraging juveniles in a short period of just 8-12 weeks. During the post-weaning period, pups rely solely on the energy reserves gained during nursing for their caloric demands and water supply. The prolonged absence of food after weaning is the first of many fasts for which the seals have evolved adaptations such as decreased urine production and increased blubber reserves. The stressors experienced from learning to dive for the first time are also stressors that they will experience frequently as an adult and for which they have evolved adaptations. …

The Effects Of Salinity On Zootechnical Performance Of Spotted Seatrout (Cynoscion Nebulosus) In Recirculating Aquaculture Systems, Eric Gigli

Master's Theses

The spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) is a euryhaline finfish candidate for marine aquaculture in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Aquaculture of this species currently uses salinities of 25 psu or greater making production challenging in areas where high salinity water is not available. This study aimed to document the effects of salinity on zootechnical performance of spotted seatrout embryos, early larvae, and juveniles in recirculating aquaculture systems to assist with the development of protocols for low salinity culture.

Embryos obtained from a volitional spawn at 29 psu were incubated at three salinities (12.5, 18.75, or 25 psu) until …

Comparative Thermal Ecology Of Coastal And Inland Pacific Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Oreganus), Hayley Layne Crowell

Master's Theses

Global biodiversity is declining as a direct result of anthropogenic climate change. Ectothermic species have become focal organisms for studying the ecological effects of altered climates due to the clear relationship between environmental temperatures and ectotherms’ basic physiological functions. Historically, examinations of these effects have focused heavily on heliothermic lizards, and most others have tended to focus on single populations or sympatric species within a single community. Addressing the longterm energetic implications of environmental temperature variation will provide valuable insight into the cascading physiological effects that certain populations or species may experience as a result of altered climates.

In this …

Adolescent Binge Alcohol Exposure Effects On Heart Structure And Function, Lizhuo Ai

Master's Theses

More than 5 million underage Americans report binge drinking at least once per month. While the effects of alcohol consumption on the adult heart have been well studied, the impact to the adolescent heart is almost entirely unknown. Adolescents primarily consume alcohol in a binge pattern, which elevates blood alcohol content (BAC) to 0.08 g/dL within 2 hours. During adolescence the body grows rapidly, and the heart must also grow by cellular hypertrophy to meet this increasing demand. Our goal was to determine the impact of adolescent binge alcohol exposure on the heart, using an outbred rat model. This thesis …

Greening Rates And Photosynthetic Development Of Leaves In C3 And C4 Plants, Tayler J. Kriss

Master's Theses

To study chlorophyll development time and overall photosynthetic development in C3 and C4 leaves, seeds were germinated in complete darkness and achlorophyllous leaves were then allowed to develop in lighted conditions. Corn (Zea mays, C4), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor, C4), green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris, C3), broad bean (Vicia faba, C3), and wheat (Triticum aestivum, C3) were investigated for the first ten days of sunlight exposure. Chlorophyll concentration, chlorophyll fluorescence, and CO2 gas exchange measurements were conducted daily on the first leaf that emerged after the embryonic leaves of each plant. The first five days of the experiment, days zero to four …