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Articles 1 - 30 of 34
Full-Text Articles in Biology
Comparative Energetics Of Mammalian Thermoregulatory Physiology, Ana M. Breit
Comparative Energetics Of Mammalian Thermoregulatory Physiology, Ana M. Breit
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Endothermy allows species to decouple body temperature from environmental
temperatures but does not equate to endothermic species maintaining those constant temperatures. Instead, heterothermy fluctuating body temperatures, both in and outside of torpor is common and allows endotherms to expand the limits of thermoneutrality. Thermolability is likely to be more common in the tropics and subtropics, where species live within or above their thermoneutral zone. My dissertation research focused on the heterothermic-homeothermic continuum, specifically quantifying where on the continuum different species fall at certain times and why those species have evolved to be at those points. I quantified the thermal profile …
The Role Of Cort And Anaphase Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (Apc/C) In Drosophila Sex Determination And Meiosis, Abuzar Sikander Malik
The Role Of Cort And Anaphase Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (Apc/C) In Drosophila Sex Determination And Meiosis, Abuzar Sikander Malik
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The E3 ubiquitin ligase, APC/C, is essential for the completion cell cycle; along with its co-activators it allows mitotic exit and maintenance of G1. APC/C marks various substrates with ubiquitin chains; marked substrates are subsequently destroyed via the 26S proteasome pathway. Cort is a Drosophila female meiosis specific activator of APC/C. Cort works within meiosis in conjunction with Fzy to mediate Securin and cyclin destruction. A C-terminal IR-tail motif and a N-terminal C-box support Cort-APC/C interaction, whereas short motifs like D-box and KEN-box on the target protein impart substrate recognition to Cort. Cort expression is tightly controlled in the female …
Sustainability Practices In Aquaculture: Using Algae Turf Scrubber Biomass To Raise Black Soldier Flies As An Alternative Feed In Blue Tilapia, Oreochromis Aureus, Culture, Michelle C. Lowery
Sustainability Practices In Aquaculture: Using Algae Turf Scrubber Biomass To Raise Black Soldier Flies As An Alternative Feed In Blue Tilapia, Oreochromis Aureus, Culture, Michelle C. Lowery
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Since the 1980s, non-algal aquaculture has grown to encompass 49% of all seafood production in response to a growing human population and increased seafood demand (FAO, 2022). Hurdles exist to aquaculture sustainability, including dependence on wild sourced fishmeal (FM) and the impacts wastewater discharge. It takes 4-5 tons of wild forage fish to produce one ton of dry FM (Miles and Chapman, 2006) and as aquaculture is primarily conducted in earthen ponds and public open water bodies (FAO, 2022), finfish culture can have a high impact on the surrounding environment by discharging excess nutrients. This study used algae turf scrubber …
Importance Of The Microhabitat And Microclimate Conditions In The Northern Gray-Cheeked Salamander (Plethodon Montanus) Across An Elevation Gradient, Trevor Chapman
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The southern Appalachian Mountains have among the highest salamander diversity in the world, largely due to local speciation in the family Plethodontidae. Plethodontid salamanders (i.e., lungless salamanders) are particularly sensitive to habitat climate conditions due to their reliance on cutaneous respiration, and their immediate environmental conditions (microhabitat) likely influence their dispersion and activity more than the large-scale atmospheric conditions. The Northern Gray-cheeked salamander (Plethodon montanus) is restricted to high elevations in the Appalachian Mountains. Our goal was to investigate the relationship between P. montanus and its microhabitat by examining behavioral preference for climatic conditions, characterizing the microclimate with …
A Review Of Current Methods In Avian Dietary Analysis And Their Integrated Application To Characterize The Trophic Niche Of Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia Motacilla)., Brandon Hoenig
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Characterizing a species’ dietary composition presents an avenue to understand many facets of its ecological niche and can provide essential information for the species’ long-term conservation. To date, the vast majority of diet studies have relied on direct identification of prey during foraging observations or from diet samples to characterize the dietary habits of birds. However, advancements in laboratory-based approaches have revolutionized the field of trophic ecology by allowing researchers to indirectly infer dietary habits with higher resolution across greater time scales. Here, I apply two of these laboratory-based techniques, namely DNA metabarcoding and stable isotope analysis, to characterize the …
Fish Community Assembly At Multiple Spatial Scales In East Texas Streams, Jake R. Swanson
Fish Community Assembly At Multiple Spatial Scales In East Texas Streams, Jake R. Swanson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Stream communities are structured by environmental processes that vary in strength across different spatiotemporal scales. Therefore, revealing how stream fish communities are influenced by environmental gradients may clarify how communities respond to disturbance associated with anthropogenic change. I investigated the relative role environmental variables play in the processes that structure the taxonomic and functional diversity of stream fish communities, as well as historical trends in occurrence and local habitat associated with a species of greatest conservation need within east Texas. The results of this study indicate that stream sites with more habitat complexity and stability support a more taxonomically and …
Functional Role Of Ppal And Potential For Moss In Industrial Applications., Susana Perez Martinez
Functional Role Of Ppal And Potential For Moss In Industrial Applications., Susana Perez Martinez
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation is an examination and characterization of the functional roles of PPAL. PROTEIN PRENYLTRANSFERASE ALPHA SUBUNIT-LIKE (PPAL) is a recently discovered gene. PPAL homologs are present in all plants and many animals, where its function is largely unknown. It is possible that PPAL could participate in prenylation processes since it shares similarity to the α subunits of known prenylation enzymes. Prenylation is a post-translational modification of proteins that involves the addition of a lipid moiety to proteins to facilitate membrane targeting and association and promote protein-protein interactions. Prenylation has important roles in plant growth and development, including …
Utilizing An Integrated Approach To Explore Niche In A Complex Equatorial System, Danielle Orrell
Utilizing An Integrated Approach To Explore Niche In A Complex Equatorial System, Danielle Orrell
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Our ability to identify and understand the relationships and distributions of organisms in nature is key to exploring the rich tapestry of life seen on Earth. The term "niche" describes how animals partition resources in space and time, shaped by behavioural choices and environmental conditions. Iterations of niche over time have focused on different aspects of a species' ecological characteristics, from Grinnell’s initial study of songbird distribution (‘spatial niche’) in 1917 to Elton’s description of functional attributes shaping trophic position (‘trophic niche’). The fusion of these niche definitions formed Hutchinson’s n-dimensional niche hypervolume. The coexistence of …
Computational And Biochemical Characterizations Of Anhydrobiosis-Related Intrinsically Disordered Proteins., Brett R. Janis
Computational And Biochemical Characterizations Of Anhydrobiosis-Related Intrinsically Disordered Proteins., Brett R. Janis
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Anhydrobiosis is the remarkable phenomenon of “life without water”. It is a common technique found in plant seeds, and a rare technique utilized by some animals to temporarily stop the clock of life and enter a stasis for up to several millennia by removing all of their cellular water. If this phenomenon can be replicated, then biological and medical materials could be stored at ambient temperatures for centuries, which would address research challenges as well as enhance the availability of medicine in areas of the world where refrigeration, freezing, and cold-chain infrastructure are not developed or infeasible. Furthermore, modifying crop …
Parasites And Sexual Selection In A Sexually Dichromatic Toad, Nicole Erin Shangi
Parasites And Sexual Selection In A Sexually Dichromatic Toad, Nicole Erin Shangi
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Parasitism is among the most common and successful life history strategies on Earth, leading to constant coevolution between parasites and hosts. Parasites continuously pressure hosts to evolve more effective parasite resistance, fueling interest in the relationships between expression of sexually selected host ornamentation and parasite resistance. By studying parasite-mediated sexual selection we gain unique insights into the evolution of animal traits. In this thesis, I attempt to further our understanding of a sexually dichromatic neotropical anuran by studying its parasites in the context of sexual selection. Firstly, in the General Introduction (Chapter 1), I reviewed important background information key to …
The Effects Of Acid Rain Mitigation Efforts On The Behaviour-Dependent Movement Of Migrating Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar, L.) Smolts, Omar Salem Taboun
The Effects Of Acid Rain Mitigation Efforts On The Behaviour-Dependent Movement Of Migrating Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar, L.) Smolts, Omar Salem Taboun
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Acidification has led to changes in the chemistry of fresh waters and has impacted the survival of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar), an endangered anadromous fish species. Liming, which has been implemented to restore freshwater ecosystems, has been demonstrated to restore a suitable pH for Atlantic Salmon, however, it remained unknown to what extent liming can restore the underlying behavioural traits and migration behaviour of smolts. We captured 116 smolts from two freshwater river treatments in Nova Scotia, Canada: acidified Little River (n=17) and lime-treated West River (n=99). We performed stream-side behavioural assays and discerned five behavioural metrics: (1) …
Plasticity And The Impact Of Increasing Temperature On A Tropical Ectotherm, Adam A. Rosso
Plasticity And The Impact Of Increasing Temperature On A Tropical Ectotherm, Adam A. Rosso
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organisms may respond to climate change through behavior, genetic adaptation, and/or phenotypic plasticity. Tropical ectotherms are thought to be especially vulnerable to climate change because most have a narrow range of thermal tolerance while living close to their upper thermal tolerance limits. Additionally, many tropical species live in closed-canopy forests, which provide homogenous thermal landscapes that prevent behavioral compensation for stressfully warm temperatures. Finally, tropical ectotherms are thought to have decreased capacity for phenotypic plasticity because they have evolved in thermally stable environments. We tested gene expression patterns and phenotypic plasticity in the Panamanian slender anole by a) measuring changes …
The Potential For Dickeya Dianthicola To Be Vectored By Two Common Insect Pests Of Potatoes, Jonas K. Insinga
The Potential For Dickeya Dianthicola To Be Vectored By Two Common Insect Pests Of Potatoes, Jonas K. Insinga
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Dickeya dianthicola (Samson) causing blackleg and soft rot was first detected in potatoes grown in Maine in 2014. Previous work has suggested that insects, particularly aphids, may be able to vector bacteria in this genus between plants, but no conclusive work has been done to confirm this theory. In order to determine whether insect-mediated transmission is likely to occur in potato fields, two model potato pests common in Maine were used: the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decimlineata Say) and the green peach aphids (Myzus persicae Sulzer). Olfactometry and recruitment experiments evaluated if either insect discriminates between infected and …
Does Thermotolerance In Daphnia Depend On The Mitochondrial Function?, Rajib Hasan
Does Thermotolerance In Daphnia Depend On The Mitochondrial Function?, Rajib Hasan
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Thermotolerance limit in aquatic organism is set by the ability to sustain aerobic scope to sudden temperature shifts. This study tested the genetic and plastic differences in thermotolerance of Daphnia that can be explained by the differences in the ability to retain mitochondrial integrity at high temperatures. Five genotypes with different biogeographic origins were acclimated to 18ᵒC and 25ᵒC. We developed a rhodamine 123 in-vivo assay to measure mitochondrial membrane potential and observed higher fluorescent in heat damaged tissues as the disruption of the mitochondrial membrane potential. Significant effects on temperature tolerance were observed with CCCP …
Landscape Pattern And Wild Bee Communities In Maine, Brianne Du Clos
Landscape Pattern And Wild Bee Communities In Maine, Brianne Du Clos
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Commercial production of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) in Maine relies primarily on managed honeybee hives; however, naturally occurring wild bees are more efficient pollinators of the crop. Wild bees have short foraging distances and must nest near crop fields to provide pollination services. After crop bloom, the surrounding landscape must provide sufficient forage to maintain wild bee populations for the remainder of the growing season. Lowbush blueberries in Maine are produced in a mixed-use landscape with two distinct landscape contexts. Here, we document bee communities and habitat resources (nesting and floral) in power line rights-of-way and eight land …
Differentiating Black Bears (Ursus Americanus) And Brown Bears (U. Arctos) Using Linear Tooth Measurements And Identification Of Ursids From Oregon Caves National Monument, Emily Bogner
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
North American black bears and brown bears can be difficult to distinguish in the fossil record due to similar dental and skeletal morphologies. Challenges identifying ursid material from Oregon Caves National Monument (ORCA) called for an accurate tool to distinguish the species. This study utilized a large database of lower tooth lengths and ratios in an attempt to differentiate black and brown bears in North America. Further, this project examined how these linear measurements differ geographically. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) found significant differences between black and brown bears from across North America for every variable studied. Stepwise discriminant analyses (DA) …
Seascape Genetics And Rehabilitation Efficiency In The Florida Manatee, Madison Hall
Seascape Genetics And Rehabilitation Efficiency In The Florida Manatee, Madison Hall
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) was recently downlisted federally from "endangered" to "threatened" despite acknowledgments of remaining threats to long term population persistence. Challenges to future manatee conservation include, but are not limited to, increases in frequency of harmful algal blooms, intensifying anthropogenic disturbance, and loss of warm-water habitat. The goals of this dissertation were 1) to assess threats to the manatee via a comprehensive, long-term (1973-2016), retrospective analysis of the manatee rescue and rehabilitation partnership (MRRP) and 2) to use seascape genetics analysis to examine whether abiotic, biotic, or anthropogenic seascape variables could significantly describe genetic distance patterns …
Effects Of Climate Variability: A Long-Term Perspective On Leaf Litter Processing In The Ogeechee River, Jose A. Sanchez
Effects Of Climate Variability: A Long-Term Perspective On Leaf Litter Processing In The Ogeechee River, Jose A. Sanchez
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) predicts a rise in temperatures and changes to precipitation patterns for the 21st century. These changes are expected to lead to a higher frequency of extreme events such as drought and floods which lead to the alteration of the hydrology, communities, and processes of freshwater ecosystems. Leaf litter decomposition in stream ecosystems is an important component of the energy and nutrient cycle representing a food source for aquatic organisms. This has made it a tool for assessing long term responses to disturbance due to changes in the assemblage of macroinvertebrates that …
Investigating The Interaction Of Monoamines And Diel Rhythmicity On Anti-Predator Behavior In An Orb-Weaving Spider, Larinioides Cornutus (Araneae: Araneae), Rebecca Wilson
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Circadian rhythms are ubiquitous among organisms, influencing a wide array of physiological processes and behaviors including aggression. While many neurophysiological mechanisms are involved in the regulation of aggressive behaviors, relatively few studies have investigated the underlying components involved in the interplay between circadian rhythms and aggression. Spiders are an ideal model system for studying circadian regulation of aggression as they are ecologically both predators and prey. Recent studies have revealed a nocturnal orb- weaving spider Larinioides cornutus exhibits a diel and circadian rhythm in anti-predator behavior (i.e. boldness) that can be manipulated by administration of octopamine (OA) and serotonin (5- …
Unfolded Protein Response Pathways In Skeletal Muscle Homeostasis., Kyle R. Bohnert
Unfolded Protein Response Pathways In Skeletal Muscle Homeostasis., Kyle R. Bohnert
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Skeletal muscle mass, contractile properties, and metabolic function are regulated through the coordinated activation of multiple intracellular signaling pathways and genetic reprogramming. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays a pivotal role in protein folding and calcium homeostasis in many cell types, including skeletal muscle. Disruption of calcium levels or accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER lumen leads to stress, which results in the activation of a signaling network called the unfolded protein response (UPR). Further, recent studies have suggested that in certain conditions, UPR pathways can be activated independent of ER stress. However, the role of ER stress and the …
The Evolution Of Peristenus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): Taxonomy, Phylogenetics And Ecological Speciation, Yuanmeng Zhang
The Evolution Of Peristenus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): Taxonomy, Phylogenetics And Ecological Speciation, Yuanmeng Zhang
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Parasitoid wasps are ecologically and economically important as biological control agents. However, little is known about the diversity, distribution and biology of most hymenopteran parasitoids due to their small size, morphological conservatism, and complex life styles. The focus of my PhD research was to investigate the evolution and speciation of euphorine braconid wasps, using a combination of multilocus phylogenetics and population genomic techniques combined with traditional taxonomy. The three data chapters of my dissertation are divided into different taxonomic ranks of euphorine braconids, focusing on genera, species, and populations. For chapter 2, I built a multilocus phylogeny of the tribe …
Evolution And Distribution Of Phenotypic Diversity In The Venom Of Mojave Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Scutulatus), Jason Strickland
Evolution And Distribution Of Phenotypic Diversity In The Venom Of Mojave Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Scutulatus), Jason Strickland
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Intraspecific phenotype diversity allows for local adaption and the ability for species to respond to changing environmental conditions, enhancing survivability. Phenotypic variation could be stochastic, genetically based, and/or the result of different environmental conditions. Mojave Rattlesnakes, Crotalus scutulatus, are known to have high intraspecific venom variation, but the geographic extent of the variation and factors influencing venom evolution are poorly understood. Three primary venom types have been described in this species based on the presence (Type A) or absence (Type B) of a neurotoxic phospholipase A2 called Mojave toxin and an inverse relationship with the presence of snake venom metalloproteinases …
Morphological And Behavioral Traits Associated With Locomotion In Lizards, Chase T. Kinsey
Morphological And Behavioral Traits Associated With Locomotion In Lizards, Chase T. Kinsey
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Morphology, locomotion, and behavior are co-adapted to optimize performance and ultimately fitness. Successfully navigating a complex environment is dictated by an animal’s locomotor behavior, and for some behaviors, its locomotor performance. The locomotor performance of an organism is directly related to the form and function of the structures involved in locomotion such that movement is efficient – that is, minimal loss of energy. The first chapter of this thesis focuses on the effects of obstacle placement and forelimb position on facultative bipedalism. Placing an obstacle beyond a lizard’s acceleration threshold did not affect the frequency of bipedal posture. Furthermore, the …
Divergent Responses Of Larval And Juvenile Blue Mussels To Low Salinity Exposure, Melissa A. May
Divergent Responses Of Larval And Juvenile Blue Mussels To Low Salinity Exposure, Melissa A. May
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In this study, we compared the osmotic stress response of larval and juvenile blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) at the transcriptomic, metabolomic, and whole organism levels. Blue mussels inhabit coastal areas, where they face climate-induced reductions in nearshore salinity. Despite their ecological and economic importance, scientists do not fully understand the underlying transcriptomic and cellular mechanisms of the osmotic stress response in blue mussels or how the ability to respond to stress changes throughout development. Blue mussels spend the first weeks of life developing through several larval stages in the plankton. These early life history stages are more vulnerable …
Measuring Fertilization In Populations Of Sea Scallop (Placopecten Magellanicus): Developing And Testing Methods In The Laboratory And Field, Skylar Bayer
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Most marine organisms are broadcast spawners, releasing their sperm and eggs into the water column. Methods of measuring in situ fertilization have proven successful with a few model species, which are reviewed in my introductory chapter. However, many commercially exploited species, such as the sea scallop Placopecten magellanicus, have been neglected. Sea scallop populations have greatly increased from fishing closures, but the mechanism behind this response is uncertain, particularly in regard to fertilization. In this dissertation I developed a methodology of measuring fertilization success and spawning events of P. magellanicus, tested it in laboratory and field settings, and …
Reproductive Life History And Signal Evolution In A Multi-Species Assemblage Of Electric Fish, Joseph Waddell
Reproductive Life History And Signal Evolution In A Multi-Species Assemblage Of Electric Fish, Joseph Waddell
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Animals that co-occur in sympatry with multiple closely-related species use reproductive mate attraction signals not only to assess the quality of a potential conspecific mate (sexual selection), but also to discriminate conspecifics from heterospecifics (species recognition). However, the extent to which sexual selection and species recognition may interact, or even conflict, is poorly known. Neotropical electric fish offer unrivaled opportunities for understanding this problem. They generate simple, stereotyped mate attraction signals that are easy to record and quantify, and that are well-understood from the neurobiological perspective. Additionally, they live in electrically-crowded environments, where multiple congeners live and reproduce in close …
The Role Of The Y-Chromosome In The Evolution Of Autosomally Coded Traits, Ian Kutch
The Role Of The Y-Chromosome In The Evolution Of Autosomally Coded Traits, Ian Kutch
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Recent work indicates that the Y-chromosome of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster can influence gene regulation on the autosomes and X chromosome. This newly discovered function of the Y has the potential to dramatically shape the regulatory evolution of numerous genes that reside throughout the genome; even for genes that code for both male and female traits. Given that the mechanism underlying the Y-linked influence on gene expression in D. melanogaster appears to exist in other independently evolved heterogametic sex chromosomes, the evolutionary implications of Y-linked regulatory variation (YRV) deserves to be explored. These implications include the potential for Y-chromosomes …
Using Molecular Genetic And Demographic Tools To Improve Management Of Ex Situ Avian Populations, Gina Ferrie
Using Molecular Genetic And Demographic Tools To Improve Management Of Ex Situ Avian Populations, Gina Ferrie
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Small populations, specifically those that are isolated from others, are more prone to extinction than larger inter-connected populations. The risks that these small isolated populations face include loss of genetic diversity due to founder effects and inbreeding due to population bottlenecks, as well as demographic uncertainty due to fluctuating fecundity and mortality rates and impacts of external environmental factors. Ex situ populations, including those managed as conservation breeding programs with species recovery aims, as well as those that do not have reintroduction goals but are managed for long term population sustainability, suffer from the same extinction risks as small and …
Evolutionary Linkage Of Mimetic And Non-Mimetic Color Traits In A Coral Snake Mimicry Complex, John D. Curlis Jr
Evolutionary Linkage Of Mimetic And Non-Mimetic Color Traits In A Coral Snake Mimicry Complex, John D. Curlis Jr
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Color polymorphism in aposematic mimicry systems is a perplexing phenomenon for evolutionary biologists, as theoretically the benefits of converging on a model phenotype should constrain the evolution of phenotypic diversity in these systems (i.e., color polymorphism should not occur). Nevertheless, color polymorphism in mimicry systems is prevalent throughout many taxa. In some of these systems, the evolution of color polymorphism results in the existence of non-mimetic morphs, such as those that are cryptic. The case of ground snakes (Sonora semiannulata) is unique in that color polymorphism encompasses both mimetic and cryptic morphs, as well as individual mimetic and …
Roles Of Siphon Flows In Suspension Feeding, Kevin Du Clos
Roles Of Siphon Flows In Suspension Feeding, Kevin Du Clos
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Benthic marine suspension feeders provide an important link between benthic and pelagic ecosystems. The strength of this link is determined by suspension-feeding rates. Many studies have measured suspension-feeding rates using indirect clearance-rate methods, which are based on the depletion of suspended particles. Direct methods that measure the flow of water itself are less common, but they can be more broadly applied because clearance-rate measurements are affected by properties of the cleared particles. We present pumping rates for three species of suspension feeders, the clams Mya arenaria and Mercenaria mercenaria and the tunicate Ciona intestinalis, calculated using a direct method …