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Full-Text Articles in Earth Sciences
Effects Of Elevated Temperature On Gonadal Functions, Cellular Apoptosis, And Oxidative Stress In Atlantic Sea Urchin (Arbacia Punctulata), Jackson B. Johnstone
Effects Of Elevated Temperature On Gonadal Functions, Cellular Apoptosis, And Oxidative Stress In Atlantic Sea Urchin (Arbacia Punctulata), Jackson B. Johnstone
Theses and Dissertations
Increasing surface sea water temperatures effect on growth, reproduction and development in marine organisms. Sea urchins are excellent indicator species and ideal model organisms to focus on. In this study, I tested the effect of higher temperatures on reproductive functions, heat shock protein (HSP, a chaperone protein produced by cells in response to heat stress) and nitrotyrosine protein (NTP, an indicator of reactive nitrogen species, RNS) expressions, cellular apoptosis, and ceolomic fluid (CF, a body fluid which regulates important physiological processes) conditions in Atlantic sea urchin at three different temperatures. Ten sea urchins were placed in each of six aquariums …
A Snapshot Of The Age, Growth, And Reproductive Status Of Gray Triggerfish (Balistes Capriscus, Gmelin 1789) On Three Artificial Reefs In The Northwest Gulf Of Mexico, Adam M. Lee
Theses and Dissertations
Age, growth, and reproductive status of gray triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) were identified from 2015-2016 on artificial reefs in the northwest Gulf of Mexico. Individuals ranged from 232-432 mm fork length with and a mean fork length of 319 mm. Individuals from age 0.2 to 5.2 yrs were observed with a weight to length relationship of Wg = 1.1 x -104 x FL2.7 (r2 = 0.94, n = 112), where FL = fork length (mm) and Wg = weight (g). A von Bertalanffy growth equation of Lt = 326(1 - e - 0.9 (t + 1.71)) was calculated irrespective …
Effects Of Global Warming On Gonadal Functions, Cellular Apoptosis, And Oxidative Stress In The American Oyster, Sarah B. Nash
Effects Of Global Warming On Gonadal Functions, Cellular Apoptosis, And Oxidative Stress In The American Oyster, Sarah B. Nash
Theses and Dissertations
Global warming due to climate change is predicted to intensify the heat stress in marine and coastal organisms, affecting their development, growth and reproductive functions. In this study. I analyzed gonadal development, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), nitrotyrosine protein (NTP), dinitrophenyl (DNP) expressions, cellular apoptosis, and coelomic fluid (CF) conditions in American oyster. Oysters were placed in six aquariums and exposed to control (24°C), medium (28°C), and high (32°C) temperatures for one week. Higher temperature significantly decreased the number of eggs and sperm. CF protein concentrations also declined compared to control. In contrast, CF pH and HSP70 expression in gonad …
Impacts Of Habitat Attributes And Community Gardens On Urban Bird Communities, Samuel Glenn Ortiz
Impacts Of Habitat Attributes And Community Gardens On Urban Bird Communities, Samuel Glenn Ortiz
Theses and Dissertations
The Rio Grande Valley of Southern Texas is a major agricultural region yet has some of the highest hunger rates in the USA. Urbanization and agriculture affect biodiversity, which is well studied, but little is known about how agriculture affects biodiversity in urban areas. We investigated how different urban attributes, including those related to urban farming, impact bird communities in Brownsville and Harlingen, TX, and compared sites that have community gardens to those that do not. To study three key urban habitat characteristics, we identified sites that exhibited all possible combinations of these factors, quantified land cover classes related to …
Characterizing Polychlorinated Biphenyl Degradation Potential In Surface Water Bacteria From Rio Grande Valley, Texas Reservoirs, Alisha M. Janiga
Characterizing Polychlorinated Biphenyl Degradation Potential In Surface Water Bacteria From Rio Grande Valley, Texas Reservoirs, Alisha M. Janiga
Theses and Dissertations
The Donna Reservoir in Donna, Texas is contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) pollution. This reviews the current understanding of PCBs and investigate the potential of PCB degradation by native bacteria communities in the Donna Reservoir. The metabolic diversity, biphenyl tolerance, bphA1 presence were tested on surface water samples from the Donna Reservoir. The Ecoplate data suggest that the communities have a diverse metabolic capacity and the degree of plant life may interact with carbon type metabolism but not the rate of growth. Biphenyl growth curves showed that all the samples from the Donna Reservoir are tolerant to the average PCB …
Phylogeography Of An Estuarian Calanoid Copepod; Acartia Tonsa In The Texas Gulf Of Mexico, Nicole J. Figueroa
Phylogeography Of An Estuarian Calanoid Copepod; Acartia Tonsa In The Texas Gulf Of Mexico, Nicole J. Figueroa
Theses and Dissertations
The calanoid copepod, Acartia tonsa is one of the most abundant and well-studied estuarian species. However, the idea that this cosmopolitan species has unrestricted dispersal and high gene flow has been challenged. In this study, a more holistic picture of the phylogeography of A. tonsa was developed using the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase one (mtCOI). Multiple new lineages were found in the Texas Gulf of Mexico that are basal to Northeastern Atlantic lineages. Connectivity was also observed between Brazil and the Texas Gulf of Mexico. The revised phylogeny shows a clear pattern of cryptic speciation as the species made a …
Liming Characteristics Of A High-Calcium, Dry Flue Gas Desulfurization By-Product And Its Effects On Runoff Water Quality, Jason Richard Burgess-Conforti
Liming Characteristics Of A High-Calcium, Dry Flue Gas Desulfurization By-Product And Its Effects On Runoff Water Quality, Jason Richard Burgess-Conforti
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
In 2013, only 37% of the 32 million Mg of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) by-products generated in the United States were reused beneficially. If FGD by-products could be used as a beneficial soil amendment, millions of megagrams may be diverted away from surface impoundments and landfills. The purpose of this research was to identify the liming characteristics of a high-Ca dry FGD (DFGD) by-product in comparison to a Class-C fly ash (FA) and reagent-grade CaCO3, and to evaluate the effects of land application to a managed grassland on runoff, plant, and soil quality. Liming characteristics were determined by measuring the …
South Padre Island Beach Management: Assessment Of Dune Restoration, Shelby Rose Bessette
South Padre Island Beach Management: Assessment Of Dune Restoration, Shelby Rose Bessette
Theses and Dissertations
Dune restoration is a common method of increasing coastal resilience. A dune restoration program was initiated by the City of South Padre Island, TX in 2010 consisting primarily of plantings of Sea Oats, Uniola paniculata, and Bitter Panicum, Panicum amarum and has continued approximately annually thereafter. These restoration efforts were evaluated in this study by comparing dune ecological structure and function among reference sites and restoration plots ranging in age from 2 to 5 years. Plant and animal communities were examined using a combination of quadrat sampling, funnel traps, pit-falls and sweep nets. Soil organic content and soil electric …
Decomposition And Nitrogen Dynamics Of Turtle Grass (Thalassia Testudinum) In A Subtropical Estuarine System, Monica Delgado
Decomposition And Nitrogen Dynamics Of Turtle Grass (Thalassia Testudinum) In A Subtropical Estuarine System, Monica Delgado
Theses and Dissertations
Seagrass beds are pivotal in the functioning of coastal ecosystems in terms of productivity, organic matter turnover and nutrient cycling. Aiming to document decay and nitrogen (N) dynamics of turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) in a subtropical estuarine system, decomposition patterns of leaves and rhizomes were characterized and compared. Nitrogen usage during decomposition of tissues, and of live tissues and epiphytes growing on live leaves, was also quantified and compared. Stable isotope ratios allowed tracing N within the seagrass bed, following N incorporation into seagrass tissues from the surrounding media (water, sediment). Leaves had a higher N content and decomposed at …
Long-Term Residue And Water Management Effects On Soil Respiration And Soil Aggregate Stability In A Wheat-Soybean, Double-Crop System In Eastern Arkansas, Sharon Faye Smith
Long-Term Residue And Water Management Effects On Soil Respiration And Soil Aggregate Stability In A Wheat-Soybean, Double-Crop System In Eastern Arkansas, Sharon Faye Smith
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Sustainability in agriculture is paramount to assuring continued production from our most naturally fertile soils. Storing carbon (C) in soil as organic matter through sustainable agricultural management practices can both remove atmospheric C and improve soil quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of water management (irrigation and dryland), residue management [burn and no-burn, conventional (CT) and no-tillage (NT)] and residue/fertility level (high and low) on soil respiration and aggregate stability in a wheat- (Triticum aestivum L.) soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], double-crop system in a silt-loam soil (Aquic Fraglossudalf) in the Mississippi River Delta …
Assessing Ageing At Beaver Reservoir, Northwest Arkansas: Limnological, Geochemical & Paleolimnological Approach, Byron Anthony Winston
Assessing Ageing At Beaver Reservoir, Northwest Arkansas: Limnological, Geochemical & Paleolimnological Approach, Byron Anthony Winston
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Access to potable water has been arguably one of the most important requisites for the advancement of human civilization on earth. As a result, man in his infinite wisdom devised the dam and formed reservoirs, (man- made lakes), to exploit water resources at will. In all natural lakes and reservoirs changes occur in the water quality parameters as it relates to chemical nutrients, temperature and turbidity over time. These changes are collectively referred to as "Reservoir Ageing", of which sedimentation and eutrophication are primary. Reservoir Ageing has consequences which adversely affect and defeat many of the intended uses of the …