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Full-Text Articles in Biology

The Impacts Of Embryo Development And Asynchronous Hatching On Morphology, Growth, And Development Of Larval Burbot (Lota Lota)., Andrew J. Shapiro Nov 2023

The Impacts Of Embryo Development And Asynchronous Hatching On Morphology, Growth, And Development Of Larval Burbot (Lota Lota)., Andrew J. Shapiro

All NMU Master's Theses

Burbot (Lota lota) are native fish in Lake Superior and typically spawn during the winter under the ice or by migrating up rivers. The early life history of larval burbot, where they dispurse, how fast they develop, and what their survival rates have not been extensively studied. Asynchronous hatching is a strategy used by other cod species as a bet-hedging strategy to ensure that some larvae are hatched in more advantageous conditions in a varying environment. Asynchronous hatching has been documented in burbot, but the extent of the period and the impacts that asynchrony has on the development of …


The Functional Implications Of Anuran Metamorphosis For Survival, Locomotor Performance, And Limb Bone Mechanical Properties, Chase Kinsey Aug 2023

The Functional Implications Of Anuran Metamorphosis For Survival, Locomotor Performance, And Limb Bone Mechanical Properties, Chase Kinsey

All Dissertations

Many organisms must contend with navigating their environments from birth. An organism could be classified as – and is often studied – in the context of locomotion through a single habitat type. However, many organisms must contend with a wide variety of environmental obstacles and substrates. What’s more, a large group of animals, Lissamphibia, do so while undergoing drastic transformation of their morphology and locomotor appendages. This transformation, term metamorphosis, typically coincides with a movement from water as a tadpole, to land as a frog or salamander. Many studies have associated this transitionary period with decreased locomotor performance and worse …


Determining How Anthropogenic Change Filters Biological Communities And How Species Modify Their Traits In Response To Urbanization, Kristopher Warren Row Aug 2023

Determining How Anthropogenic Change Filters Biological Communities And How Species Modify Their Traits In Response To Urbanization, Kristopher Warren Row

Biology Dissertations

Humans are significantly altering the environment at an alarming pace, leading to a reduction in species diversity. This transformation has created modified habitats where some species struggle to survive, while a few others not only manage to survive but thrive. One of the most drastic forms of habitat modification is urbanization, which is spreading worldwide and contributing to the decline of biodiversity. Urbanization has given rise to urban-tolerant species that differ ecologically from species that avoid urban areas across various niche dimensions. These urban-tolerant species must adapt to changes in food sources, microhabitat conditions, and alterations in physical habitat structures. …


The Effects Of Diatom-Specific Polyunsaturated Aldehydes On Larval Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Rachel Raymer Jan 2023

The Effects Of Diatom-Specific Polyunsaturated Aldehydes On Larval Zebrafish (Danio Rerio), Rachel Raymer

WWU Graduate School Collection

Diatoms are ubiquitous in marine planktonic and benthic environments and are common in diets for many lower-trophic organisms. Certain species of diatoms produce polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs) that can exist in particulate and dissolved forms. Diatom PUAs are known for negatively affecting the fecundity of their primary consumers, including invertebrate grazers like copepods and echinoderms. However, little is known about the effects of diatom PUAs on vertebrates that may be exposed to dissolved or ingested PUAs due to overlapping distribution with diatom populations. The purpose of this study was to test whether dissolved diatom PUAs affect the early life stages of …