Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Testing For Relationships Between Animal Personality Traits, Activity Level And Voracity, And The Underlying Influence Of Body Size In The Dragonfly Predator, Epitheca Canis, Flynn Gorman

Senior Theses and Projects

Animal personality, defined as among-individual variation in behavior, is taxonomically widespread, but its ecological implications remain unclear. While associations between animal personality and ecological traits have been examined, methodological shortcomings, such as lack of repeated measurements, limit the insights these studies provide. Here, I measured the repeatability of activity level and feeding rate behaviors in the nymph stage of the dragonfly predator, Epitheca canis, taking 10 repeated measurements of each trait over a 10-week period. Moreover, I tested for a relationship between among-individual variation in activity level and feeding rate while accounting for the underlying influence of nymph body …

Biomechanics Of Mantis Prey Capture, Danielle S. Taylor

Honors Theses

Mantis species have a variety of different morphologies, so do the extreme forms of mantis limbs trade prey catching capability for camouflage? We hypothesize that some extreme forms of mantis limbs that are associated with cryptic species may be associated with a tradeoff of the capability of those limbs. Previous research has developed 2D morphologies of several hundred species of mantises. We are creating a 3D morphology by using micro dissection, micro CT imaging to construct our 3D biomechanical model. We found the attachment points of the ligaments and muscles from a Tenodera forearm and have constructed a 2D biomechanical …

How Akron Affects The Water Quality Of The Cuyahoga River, Allyson Darst

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to analyze whether the city of Akron had negative effects on the Cuyahoga river, and determine if the Cuyahoga River was naturally able to remediate these effects downstream. The pollutants measured in this study include hardness, bromine, residual chlorine, iron, copper, lead, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium chloride, total chlorine, fluoride, carbonate, pH, total alkalinity and cyanuric acid. This study was done using water testing strips (JNW Direct) to test the water at four different locations along the Cuyahoga River downstream (North) of Akron. This study found that the city of Akron does have a negative …

Density Dependent Growth Of Pseudomonas Fluorescens In The Presence And Absence Of C. Elegans Predation In Liquid Media, Jack Landmann

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to understand the predator-prey relationship between C. elegans worms and P. fluorescens bacteria in liquid media. We were aiming to create a predation model of the relationship between these two species.

This study was performed through three experiments. Using 96-well plates, we were able to measure the change in optical density (OD) of these wells and calculate the growth rate. This growth rate was then graphed and analyzed. The first experiment contained P. fluorescens and KB liquid media, this study demonstrated that the bacterial population has a carrying capacity. We were also able to …

Determining Environmental Changes Using Time Lapse Photography, Emily Lemasters

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper aims to use photographs throughout several years to observe, examine, and make conclusions on changes occurring at different areas of the Bath Nature Preserve. Throughout the years 2013-2021, photographs have been captured at roughly the same angle at multiple locations in the preserve. These photographs will be placed into a time lapse video and examined to physically see how the environment is changing. Changes to the environment could be natural or as a result of outside factors. By examining these changes, it can be determined if alterations need to be made to help the environment thrive. Two specific …

Population Genetics Of A Recent Range Expansion By The Southern Pine Beetle, Dendroctonus Frontalis, Into The Northeastern United States, Megan Stubbs

Honors Theses

Population genetics as a field of study aims to determine the genetic variation among individuals in a population, and differences among populations. Certain population genetic analyses can provide such information and be used to better understand the biological aspects to a species’ expansion beyond its native range. The southern pine beetle (SPB), Dendroctonus frontalis, has become an invasive pest to pine forests in northeastern United States with its recent range expansion. Nine microsatellite loci were first developed and then used in analyses. To determine what the genetic variation is among individuals in SPB populations across its entire range, including …

A Genomic Analysis Of Bobcat Populations In North America With A Comparison To The Canada Lynx: An Assessment Of Local Adaptation To Unique Ecoregions And Phylogeography, Jennifer C. Broderick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are an ecologically and genetically diverse species with a large contiguous range throughout North America. The species not only has a wide array of phenotypic variation compared to other mammals, but shows marked adaptability across ecozones with differing ecological influences. It is these various selective pressures in distinctive parts of the continent that have likely led to localized adaptations within the bobcat metapopulations. The species is also marked by its ability to maintain connectivity and populations in anthropogenically developed areas, an advantage it has over other felids, including its close relative the Canada lynx ( …

The Evolution Of Dragons, Laura J. Mayfield

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Dragons have been depicted in human art as early as 4500 BCE. For centuries, these fantasy creatures have inspired countless folk and fantasy tales, as well as appearing in the art of different cultures around the world. Now there are thousands of different depictions of these huge, flying, fire-breathing lizards, but are any of them possible? In this study, I reference peer-reviewed scientific articles, phylogenetic analysis, and paleoart studies to create biologically-sound dragons. Basing the dragon lineage on a real branch of webbed-winged scansoriopterygids—an extinct family of climbing and gliding maniraptoran dinosaurs—I explored the possible wing-structure, fire-breathing abilities, and effects …

Mammal Species Inventory Using Various Trapping Methods In Zone 4 Of Billy Barquedier National Park, Belize During Rainy Season, Mersady Redding

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Belize is a small country, but it is extremely ecologically diverse. Based on the few studies conducted in Belize, the abundance of mammals is low but diversity is high. Particular findings note the number and identity of species differed between four sites in the Maya Mountains of Belize, indicating that a data set from a single site is not representative of the Neotropical region. Insufficient data is available to estimate current species richness of many areas in Belize, including Billy Barquedier National Park (BBNP). The objective of this study was to explore trapping and documentation methods of terrestrial mammals in …

The Role Of Oxytocin On Social Behavior Associated With The Formation Of A Social Pair-Bond In The Socially Monogamous Convict Cichlid (Amatitlania Nigrofasciata), Christopher Garcia

Graduate Theses

The mechanisms for monogamy have evolved several times throughout history across various taxa in accordance with selective pressures. In vertebrates, monogamy is facilitated by the formation and the maintenance of social pair-bonds between mates. Social pair-bonds are a form of selective attachment that require complex neurobiological pathways in order to develop and continue. These neurobiological pathways are often regulated by neuroendocrine mechanisms, such as the release of the two neuroendocrine nonapeptides, oxytocin and arginine vasopressin, in specific parts of the brain or body. These neuroendocrine peptides play a big role in social and sexual behaviors. In prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) …

City Limits: Heat Tolerance Is Influenced By Body Size And Hydration State In An Urban Ant Community, Dustin Jerald Johnson

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Cities are rapidly expanding, and global warming is intensified in urban environments due to the urban heat island effect. Therefore, urban animals may be particularly susceptible to warming associated with ongoing climate change. Thus, I used a comparative and manipulative approach to test three related hypotheses about the determinants of heat tolerance or critical thermal maximum (CTmax) in urban ants—specifically, that (1) body size, (2) hydration status, and (3) preferred micro-environments influence CTmax. I further tested a fourth hypothesis that native species are particularly physiologically vulnerable in urban environments. I manipulated water access and determined CTmax for 11 species common …

An Investigation Of Juvenile Alewife (Alosa Pseudoharengus) Habitat Use And Growth Using Natural Markers, Gregory Norman Labonte Ms

All Student Scholarship

This research attempts to connect patterns in growth and migration of an anadromous species. The goal of this research was to understand habitat movements and growth of juvenile alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) in the Penobscot Estuary and Bay through the use of otolith microchemistry, otolith growth increments, and a laboratory stable isotope turnover study. Understanding the connection between growth and movement of juvenile alewives may lead to more accurate and sophisticated conservation and restoration methods for anadromous species.

Distribution And Abundance Of Anopheles Spp. In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, South Texas, Norma Hermelinda Martinez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study investigated the relationship between Anopheles abundance, collection sites and environmental variables in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, South Texas. In addition, species composition in the Lower Rio Grande Valley was determined in 2011. A total of 6772 female mosquitoes were identified to six genera and 27 species. The most prevalent genera collected were Culex (53.9%), Ochlerotatus (25.6%) and Aedes (13.6%). Anopheles mosquitoes were collected using resting boxes during summer 2012 at multiple locations along the Lower Rio Grande Valley. ArcGIS was used to identify land cover characteristics and nearest water sources at mosquito collection sites. Estero Llano Grande …

Family Matters: An Analysis Of Genetic Relatedness Of Tetraclita Rubescens (The Pink Volcano Barnacle) Over Several Spatial Scales At Monterey And Bodega Bay, California, Kelly N. Chang

Scripps Senior Theses

Inbreeding involves the mating of closely related individuals at a higher frequency than at random; this can decrease the average fitness of populations and individuals by reducing the presence of heterozygotes and augmenting the expression of deleterious genes. Since marine invertebrates exhibit widespread dispersal, their potential for inbreeding is often disregarded. The adult sessile state of barnacles creates the potential for inbreeding as a result of necessary copulation between neighboring individuals. Depending on the degree of mixing that occurs during dispersal, closely related individuals or siblings may settle in close proximity, generating the possibility of kin aggregation and consequent inbreeding. …

Population Ecology And Reproductive Biology Of The Diamondback Watersnake, Nerodia Rhombifer (Serpentes: Colubridae), In Southernmost Texas, Ruben D. Zamora

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Nerodia rhombifer is a polytypic, semi-aquatic snake with a broad geographical distribution ranging from the American Midwest southward to Chiapas, Mexico. Although relatively abundant throughout much of its range, few ecological studies of the species have been conducted. This study provides basic population ecology information in a subtropical habitat. Population data were obtained in a mark-recapture study at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Hidalgo County, Texas, from August 1995 to December 1998. Specimens taken elsewhere in Hidalgo County provided information on the reproductive biology. This study provides the first absolute density estimates from anywhere within the species’ range. Quantitative information …

The Reproductive Ecology Of Graptemys Geographica In The Central Canal, Kati Keppen Rush

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Life for all organisms involves carefully managing a limited amount of resources. In many cases these resources affect how organisms Jive on a daily basis. In addition to competition from other species, organisms face competition within their own species, populations, and niches. Those individuals that manage their resources effectively will increase their chances of survival, reproduction, and the continuation of their genes in the gene pool. Studies that focus on life history characteristics of organisms aim to understand the mechanisms used by organisms to increase the chances that their genes will remain in thegenepoolpasttheirown Iifetime.Thegoal ofthesemechanisms istoensuresurvival and maximize reproduction. …

Chironomid Hemoglobin Genetic Diversity As An Indicator Of The New Jersey Hackensack Meadowlands Wetland Health, Lene Marie De Coursin Jacobs

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Kearny Marsh located within the Hackensack Meadowlands is a freshwater wetland impacted by multiple environmental stressors from human activity. The marsh is located in the northeastern New Jersey metropolitan area. Chironomid larvae, aquatic larvae of midge fly, were analyzed from two Kearny Marsh sample sites, W9 and W22. A previous sediment analysis and toxicity study characterized heavy metal contaminants the marsh. The data results were applied in this thesis study to determine the correlation between environmental stressors and chironomid genetic diversity. Site W9 sediment was impacted by severe levels of total heavy metal contamination, whereas site W22 had just below …

The Reproductive Biology And Edaphic Characteristics Of A Rare, Gynodioecious Saxifage: Saxifraga Bryophora Var. Tobiasiae (Saxifragaceae), Kimberly Pierson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I examined the reproductive biology and general ecology of Saxifraga bryophora var. tobiasiae, a rare saxifrage endemic to the West Salmon River Mountains of central Idaho. Saxifraga bryophora var. tobiasiae combines asexual reproduction via bulbils with a sexual mixed-mating system. Flower production occurred in 1996 only, whereas bulbil production occurred in 1995, 1996, and 1997. Bulbil production precedes floral bud formation and is the dominant form of reproduction. When flowering occurs, outcrossing is promoted by protandry and the gynodioecious mating system found in all populations. No autogamous or agamospermous seed set was observed in either female or hermaphrodite flowers, …

Food Habits Of Dicamptodon Ensatus And Associated Fish Species Of Maratta Creek, Washington, Authur L. Antonelli

All Master's Theses

Three cold-blooded vertebrates, Dicamptodon ensatus, Cottus tenuis, and Salmo gairdneri were investigated as to food habits for a period of one year. The existence of competition between these animals for food was determined by means of stomach analysis. The results were compared relative to each vertebrate and the bottom fauna procurred from the stream. It was shown that the food habits of D. ensatus and S. gairdneri were diverse enough to warrant partial exclusion on the basis of food. C. tenuis demonstrated selectivity and was shown to be under competitive stress from the other two species.

Geographic Variation In Dicamptodon Ensatus (Eschscholtz) With Notes On Life History And Zoogeography, Ronald A. Nussbaum

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this paper is to present information concerning geographic variation between three northern populations of Dicamptodon, and to add to the meager store of information concerning the life history and biology of the species.

The Distribution Of Three Taxa Of Peromyscus In Central Washington, Gay Harold Engelsen

All Master's Theses

One aspect of the study was to define the present ranges of all types of Peromyscus in the study area; the other to determine the extent of interfertility of the groups.

Home Range Analysis Of The Montane Vole, Don Rogers Toews

All Master's Theses

This study on Microtus montanus was divided into three major sections: 1) An examination of nests, burrows, and runways, 2) A comparison of two methods of home range analysis--live trapping and radio-isotope tracing, and 3) A comparison of the home range of Microtus montanus with other species of Microtus as published in the literature.

A Curriculum Study Of The Biological Science Courses In The Secondary Schools And College Of Utah During 1947-48, Merrill H. Gunnell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

At the present time there is a feeling among biologists in Utah that there should be improvement in biological science courses and course sequence to better fill the needs of the non technical student. There are many students filling group requirements with an accumulation of courses which may not provide them with the more important fundamental concepts and principles in biology. Information concerning these courses in high schools and colleges in necessary to provide a basis for curriculum revision in the field. Such information should be useful in evaluating the present system and suggesting modifications. Because of the need for …

Embryology And Evolution, Malo Marius Amunson

Manuscript Thesis Collection

The proofs of evolution must be sought in the entire field of science. Direct proof is found in the study of Morphology, whose bases are comparative anatomy; embryology; in the study of paleontology, of geology, of geographical distribution, in the study of nature and experiments of today. In this vast field of direct proofs of evolution it is our purpose to present some of the evidences of evolution as furnished by one of these, namely, Comparative Embryology.