Biology Commons^™

Culturing Echinoderm Larvae Through Metamorphosis, Jason Hodin, Andreas Hayland, Annie Mercier, Bruno Pernet, David L. Cohen, Jean-Francois Hamel, Jonathan D. Allen, Justin S. Mcalister, Maria Byrne, Sophie B. George

Arts & Sciences Book Chapters

Echinoderms are favored study organisms not only in cell and developmental biology, but also physiology, larval biology, benthic ecology, population biology and paleontology, among other fields. However, many echinoderm embryology labs are not well-equipped to continue to rear the post-embryonic stages that result. This is unfortunate, as such labs are thus unable to address many intriguing biological phenomena, related to their own cell and developmental biology studies, that emerge during larval and juvenile stages. To facilitate broader studies of post-embryonic echinoderms, we provide here our collective experience rearing these organisms, with suggestions to try and pitfalls to avoid. Furthermore, we …

Mitosrnas And Extreme Anoxia Tolerance In Embryos Of The Annual Killifish Austrofundulus Limnaeus, Claire L. Riggs, Steven Cody Woll, Jason Podrabsky

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Embryos of the annual killifish Austrofundulus limnaeus are the most anoxia-tolerant vertebrate. Annual killifish inhabit ephemeral ponds, producing drought and anoxia-tolerant embryos, which allows the species to persist generation after generation. Anoxia tolerance and physiology vary by developmental stage, creating a unique opportunity for comparative study within the species. A recent study of small ncRNA expression in A. limnaeus embryos in response to anoxia and aerobic recovery revealed small ncRNAs with expression patterns that suggest a role in supporting anoxia tolerance. MitosRNAs, small ncRNAs derived from the mitochondrial genome, emerged as an interesting group of these sequences. MitosRNAs derived from …

The Impacts Of Gold Mining On Vegetation And Mycorrhizal Colonization In Northern Canada, Sarah Mediouni

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Gold mining is an important part of economic development in Northern Canada. A large portion of the gold that is found in the North is contained within arsenopyrite ores, therefore, arsenic contamination is of special concern. Little is known regarding the impacts of arsenic on plants and mycorrhizae in Northern Ecosystems. Arsenic has been shown to negatively impact plant growth and seed germination in some temperate species, while others are tolerant and can accumulate arsenic concentrations over 1000 mg/kg. In temperate regions, arbuscular mycorrhiza can accelerate the remediation process in gold mines by supporting plant growth in poor soil conditions …

Potential Impact Of Northern Resource Development On Aquatic Biota: Toxicity Of Chromium And Rare Earth Element Processing Reagent, So Yeon Choi

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Chromite and rare earth element development was identified in the 2015 Canadian Federal budget as a significant opportunity, however, key data gaps exist regarding the environmental concerns related to these resource developments. Chromium is essential in the production of stainless steel, and no suitable substitute is known. Rare earth elements (REEs) are a series of metals that are composed of 15 lanthanides, as well as scandium and yttrium. Uses for REEs range from electronic devices (i.e. cell phones, computers, televisions) to magnets and controlling nuclear reactors. While commercial production of REEs signify a great economic opportunity for Canada, key data …

Diversity And Evolution Of Seeds In Cuscuta (Dodders, Convolvulaceae): Morphology And Structure, Magdalena Olszewski

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Cuscuta is a genus of nearly 200 obligate stem parasites with a nearly cosmopolitan distribution and considerable agricultural and ecological significance. Dodder seeds are considered “unspecialized”, with no morphological adaptations towards particular dispersal vectors; however, the seed coat anatomy has recently suggested an adaptation to endozoochory. This is the first attempt to provide a genus-wide overview of the diversity in morphology and anatomy of Cuscuta seeds, together with an assessment of the water gap and exploration of various form-function relationships. I surveyed 104 species belonging to all four Cuscuta subgenera. Seeds of the species of the first infrageneric dodder …

Context Is Everything: An Investigation Of Spanish River Carbonatite And Its Effects On Soil-Plant-Microorganism Systems, James Mc Jones

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

With growing concerns about agricultural sustainability and food security, the use of rock fertilizers and agrominerals is receiving renewed interest. A wide variety of geological resources have been proposed as crop nutrient sources, with silicate rocks the predominant focus. Carbonatite rocks are known to weather more readily than silicate rocks; yet, they have received relatively little attention as it is thought their high Ca and Mg contents hinder effective nutrient release. However, there is strong evidence that the nutrients within carbonatite rocks are easily accessible to plants, and that these rocks have noticable effects on crop plant growth. Here I …

Investigating The Antiviral Effects Of Vig-3 From Rainbow Trout, Shanee Herrington-Krause

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Rainbow trout is the most farmed fish in Ontario, and thus is economically important to the province. Despite this, there is a lack of understanding regarding fish innate immunity, specifically with regards to interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) and their antiviral effector functions. ISGs are the workhorses of the innate antiviral response, operating together to limit each step of virus replication. The Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV) induced gene (Vig)-3 is a newly identified ISG within many fish species and is homologous to ISG-15 in mammals. It is a small ubiquitin-like protein inducible by type I interferon (IFN-I), and is suggested to …

Symbiotic Bacteria Can Colonize Closely-Related, But Not Distantly-Related Species Of Its Host Dictyostelium Discoideum, Rory Vu Mather

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Some of the closest interactions between organisms can be found within symbioses, where different individuals live in close physiological contact and either benefit or harm the other. A powerful kind of benefit comes when bacterial symbionts produce amino acids or provide digestive capabilities outside the host’s ability, in essence taking advantage of the other’s genetic catalog. One such symbiosis is that of the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum and its bacterial symbionts Burkholderia agricolaris, Burkholderia hayleyella, and Burkholderia bonneia. In this symbiosis, Burkholderia provide the capability of carrying food bacteria to their host, an advantageous trait when bacterial food is rare. …

Inferring Food Web Structure To Identify Seasonal And Longitudinal Patterns In Ogeechee River Invertebrate Communities, Julien Marc Buchbinder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how the structure and function of aquatic communities vary across space and time is essential for proper management of freshwater ecosystems. Current management relies on rapid biomonitoring using metrics of community structure, but metrics that incorporate ecosystem processes and functions are only just beginning to see use in assessment and management. Food webs inferred from known species interactions have been proposed as a method of incorporating function into bioassessment without expending extra effort or sacrificing the cost-effectiveness of current monitoring schemes. To apply food webs in biomonitoring, it is first necessary to understand how communities and food webs vary …

Food Choice By A Free-Ranging Antillean Manatee (Trichechus Manatus Manatus) In Tabasco, Mexico, Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske, David Olivera-Gomez

Faculty Publications

Understanding foraging ecology is an important element of effective conservation strategies. While West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) have been documented to consume a wide variety of vascular plants and algae, little is known about the diet of the Endangered Antillean subspecies (T. m. manatus) at freshwater sites such as the wetlands of Tabasco, the largest manatee habitat in Mexico. Here we present the results of a study of wild manatee diet in a freshwater site in Mexico. Controlled food choice experiments were conducted on a wild adult manatee during the dry seasons of 2011 and 2012. …

From Witch Hunts To Autoantibodies: Overcoming Psychogenic Stigma To Uncover The Molecular Cause Of Autoimmunity, Emma Hainstock

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Due to the frequency of misdiagnosis of autoimmune diseases and their disproportionate incidence in women, my thesis explores historical misconceptions about autoimmune conditions which could have lingered in society to impede their diagnoses today. Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome (APS) and Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis (ANRE) are the conditions I focused on, as both diseases can cause complex neurologic symptoms such as hallucinations and memory loss, which in combination with the fact that they are disproportionately suffered by women, have caused physicians in the past to misdiagnose patients as either hysteric or demonically possessed. I explore antiphospholipid antibody syndrome and anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis’s …

Assessment Of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus Catenatus) In Berrien County Historical Sites, Roshelle M. Hall

Master's Theses

The Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus; EMR) is a small robust pit viper currently found in nine states and the province of Ontario, Canada. Wetland habitats have experienced significant destruction and fragmentation by humans; as a result, the current distribution of the EMR is a fraction of its historic distribution. For this reason, the EMR has been federally listed as threatened. In general, little is known about the current distribution of this rattlesnake (in the southwest corner of Michigan, the size of local populations or their stability and genetic diversity. Much of this knowledge is based upon historical data. My …

Synthesis And Screening Of Novel Hybrid Benzothiazoles In U-87 Mg Glioblastoma Cell Line, Priscilla Kyi

Master's Theses

Benzothiazole is a heteroaromatic compound known for its wide range of bioactivities including anti-cancer, anti-viral, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsant, anti-diabetic, anti-helminthic, and anti-tubercular activities. Research has shown that derivatives of benzothiazole exhibit inhibition of proliferation via apoptosis in various human cancer cell lines, such as liver cancer (Wang, et. al., 2011). In this study, a series of novel hybrid benzothiazole α-cyanostilbene derivatives and styrylbenzothiazole derivatives containing boronic acid and non-boronic acid pharmacophores were synthesized. The anti-cancer and anti-invasive properties of selected benzothiazole α-cyanostilbene derivatives on U-87MG glioblastoma cells were investigated in vitro.

U-87MG cells were incubated with synthesized novel hybrid compounds …

Habitat Characteristics And Nesting Ecology Of Golden Eagles In Arizona, Michele J. Losee

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) have a broad range globally and in general are well-studied. However, Arizona’s Golden Eagle population remained essentially unstudied until 2011, when Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) began nest surveys for cliff nesting Golden Eagles throughout the state. As a result of this data collection, the natural history of Arizona’s Golden Eagles is finally revealing itself. This dissertation outlined a reliable description of their nesting phenology that provides a framework for timing surveys and a baseline to monitor the effects of climate change on Golden Eagles. The mean date for egg-laying was February 14 and pairs …

The Role Of Sphingosine Kinase 2 In Alcoholic Liver Disease, Eric K. Kwong

Theses and Dissertations

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is one of the most common liver diseases worldwide characterized by the accumulation of lipids within the liver, inflammation and the possibility of progressing to cirrhosis and liver failure. More importantly, there are currently no effective treatments for ALD and liver transplantation remains the only therapeutic option for end-stage liver disease. Previous studies have shown that ALD is a result of a combination of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, lipid metabolism dysregulation and inflammation. It has been previously reported that alcohol disrupts gut microbiota homeostasis and causes increased endotoxins that contribute to the pathology of ALD. However, …

Facilitative And Competitive Tradeoffs Between Morella Cerifera Seedlings And Coastal Grasses, Michael N. Sinclair

Theses and Dissertations

Morella cerifera is a rapidly expanding native shrub on the Virginia barrier islands which displaces other native coastal species and may interrupt normal sediment dynamics. Barrier islands are considered stressful environments with low nutrients, high solar load, and frequent drought and salt exposure; facilitation often dominates in stressful environments according to the Stress Gradient Hypothesis. The objective of this project was to understand the importance of species interactions with grasses on the growth and physiology of M. cerifera at the seedling life stage through both field and lab experiments. Grasses provided ~1.3°C insulation to shrubs during winter freeze events and …

A Multitrophic Perspective On Biodiversity–Ecosystem Functioning Research, Nico Eisenhauer, Holger Schielzeth, Andrew D. Barnes, Kathryn Barry, Aletta Bonn, Ulrich Brose, Helge Bruelheide, Nina Buchmann, Francois Buscott, Anne Ebeling, Olga Ferlian, Grégoire T. Freschet, Darren P. Giling, Stephan Hättenschwiler, Helmut Hillebrand, Jes Hines, Forest Isbell, Eva Koller-France, Birgitta König-Ries, Hans De Kroon, Sebastian T. Meyer, Alexandru Milcu, Jörg Müller, Charles A. Nock, Jana S. Petermann, Christiane Roscher, Christoph Scherber, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Bernhard Schmid, Andreas Schuldt, Teja Tscharntke, Manfred Türke, Nicole M. Van Dam, Fons Van Der Plas, Anja Vogel, Cameron Wagg, David A. Wardle, Alexandra Weigelt, Wolfgang W. Weisser, Christian Wirth, Malte Jochum

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Concern about the functional consequences of unprecedented loss in biodiversity has prompted biodiversity–ecosystem functioning (BEF) research to become one of the most active fields of ecological research in the past 25 years. Hundreds of experiments have manipulated biodiversity as an independent variable and found compelling support that the functioning of ecosystems increases with the diversity of their ecological communities. This research has also identified some of the mechanisms underlying BEF relationships, some context-dependencies of the strength of relationships, as well as implications for various ecosystem services that mankind depends upon. In this paper, we argue that a multitrophic perspective of …

Reproductive And Developmental Biology Of Rice Field Crab Esanthelphusa Nani (Naiyanetr, 1984), Rachata Maneein

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The rice field crabs are freshwater crabs that can be considered as pest in paddy field as well as a stable food source by local people. Either of these roles requires a good knowledge of its reproductive biology to manage population in nature. In this study, reproductive and endocrine cycles of male and female, and development of embryo were examined. Adult Esanthelphusa nani were field caught from Nan province during November 2015 to November 2016. Crabs were euthanized and dissected for reproductive tracts. Accessory organ nearby the mandibular muscle was collected for endocrine activities in male, while hemolymph was collected …

Ecosystem Service Assessment Of Green Roofs In Bangkok, Rattanapan Phoomirat

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Green roofs are constructed ecosystems that can provide four main types of ecosystem services (regulating, provisioning, cultural, and supporting services). However, most green roof studies have focused on the regulating services and each ecosystem service type was usually evaluated separately. Moreover, there is a lack of assessment tool that can provide comparable outputs of total and different ecosystem services on green roofs, resulting in the difficulty to improve ecosystem service provision by green roofs. Therefore, this research aimed to (i) assess four main categories of ecosystem services provided by seven green roofs in Bangkok using direct measurement techniques and a …

Effects Of Coral Reef Habitat Complexity On The Community Composition And Trophic Structure Of Marine Fish Assemblages In Indonesia’S Wakatobi Marine National Park, Kuyer Josiah Fazekas Jr.

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The coral reefs within Indonesia’s Wakatobi Marine National Park support a high diversity of reef-building hard corals and associated marine fish. Climate change threatens to dramatically affect coral reef ecosystems by altering the interactions between reef fish and the specific microhabitats they depend on for survival. To examine the spatially varied effects of habitat complexity on the community composition and trophic structure of marine fish assemblages, I analyzed fish community and habitat complexity data across reef zones. Habitat complexity metrics were: structural complexity, the percentage of hard coral (HC) cover, HC genera richness, HC genera diversity (Shannon index), and HC …