Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Effects Of Ecologically Relevant Concentrations Of Nitrate On Behavior In Betta Splendens, Sarah Janson

Honors College

Nitrate is a ubiquitous pollutant that is becoming more prevalent in both fresh and saltwater environments. Short term effects are often studied, but an organism’s response to stress can change due to whatever the stressor is. In order to research this, a study was run using environmentally relevant nitrate treatments (0 mg/L, 10 mg/L NO3-N, and 100 mg/L NO3-N) to see the effect of nitrate on scototaxis behaviors, a measure of anxiety. This study used Betta splendens because they are easy to rear and have very well documented behaviors. In addition to the scototaxis, the effect of temperature on mortality …

The Conservation Project: An Exploration Of Multimedia In Ocean Conservation, Ilaria Bardini

Honors College

The Conservation Project ties in many elements of multimedia and its possible applications in marine conservation. The purpose of this thesis was to develop new skills in videography, photography, podcast production, and website development through which to deepen my understanding of the multimedia as a tool in science, through the development of a website.

Understanding The Connection Between Water, Fish, And Pfas Concentrations: Implications Of Fish Diet And Species-Specific Variability, Ece Yeldan

Honors College

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS or “forever chemicals,” have emerged as a significant concern for both human health and the environment. These persistent compounds permeate various aspects of commerce, leading to widespread exposure and the cycling of these compounds through environmental feedback routes. Among the sources of exposure to humans, fish consumption stands out prominently. Recreational and sustenance fishing, cherished by Maine residents and indigenous communities alike, underscores the need to comprehend PFAS dynamics in fish and water. To explore the variability of PFAS accumulation in fish, water, and sediment, I conducted a comprehensive literature review. The …

Assessing The Influence Of Interseeded Cover Crops On Beneficial Arthropod Abundance In A Northeastern Agroecosystem, Charles Cooper

Honors College

Conservation agriculture approaches are gaining traction as the planet’s food system grapples with climate change, oil depletion, and rampant environmental degradation (Palm et al., 2014). Cover cropping is an integral practice of conservation agriculture. Ground dwelling arthropods play an important role in agroecosystems, providing ecosystem services including seed predation and nutrient cycling. Because the relationship between cover crops and arthropod abundance are likely influenced by management conditions, I investigated arthropod abundance in a field interseeded with cover crops on a research farm in Maine, United States. Interseeding is an emerging practice in the northeastern United States, with potential to address …

Ecological Effects And Ethics Of A Species Range Shift To High Elevation Ponds, Ava Ardito

Honors College

As temperatures warm, the climate crisis is having a significant influence on species across the world and altering their distributions. Colorado's high elevation ponds have recently observed a species range shift, traveling to higher altitudes than they have previously inhabited. The Mexican Cut Nature Preserve near the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) in Gothic, CO, is home to a prominent caddisfly Limnephilus externus, but recently a new range-shifting species, Nemotaulius hostilis, has appeared. Caddisflies play an essential role in nutrient cycling and putting energy back into the food web. The range-shifting species is known to excrete high rates of phosphorus …

Analysis Of Nonsmooth Neural Mass Models, Cadi Howell

Honors College

Neural activity in the brain involves a series of action potentials that represent “all or nothing” impulses. This implies the action potential will only “fire” if the mem- brane potential is at or above a specific threshold. The Wilson-Cowan neural mass model [6, 28] is a popular mathematical model in neuroscience that groups excita- tory and inhibitory neural populations and models their communication. Within the model, the on/off behavior of the firing rate is typically modeled by a smooth sigmoid curve. However, a piecewise-linear (PWL) firing rate function has been considered in the Wilson-Cowan model in the literature (e.g., see …

Comstock Point, Lubec, Maine - A Natural And Photographic History, Willaim H. Schlesinger, Lisa M. Dellwo

Documents from Environmental Organizations

A natural and photographic history of our lands compiled by Lisa Dellwo and Bill Schlesinger, with the help of many friends and neighbors.

Maine Lobstermen's Association Whale Update, Amber-Jean Nickel, Maine Lobstermen's Association

Fisheries

The Maine Lobstermen's Association “has been closely following the death of Right Whale 5120 found dead on Martha’s Vineyard on January 28th. The MLA was shocked and dismayed when NOAA Fisheries announced on February 14th that the rope removed from the deceased whale 'is consistent with the rope used in Maine state water trap/pot buoy lines.’”

“Maine lobstermen have made many changes to how we fish to avoid harming a Right whale which makes this news hard to believe. As we move forward, MLA will push back on NOAA’s finding until the industry’s questions about the entanglement and how NOAA …