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Articles 16111 - 16140 of 20631

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Overcoming Barriers To Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery (Notes), Steve J. Schomisch Jan 2009

Overcoming Barriers To Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery (Notes), Steve J. Schomisch

ETD Archive

Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) avoids skin incisions by accessing the abdominal cavity through natural orifices. Benefits include less pain, fewer complications and no scars. The aims of this study were to evaluate safety and efficacy of access techniques for natural orifice surgery, to investigate safety and efficacy of closure methodologies and to compare the inflammatory response induced by NOTES with that following conventional surgery. Access techniques were evaluated for safety and efficacy by measuring resultant injury and time required to access the peritoneal cavity in an acute porcine model. Four different gastrotomy closure modalities were evaluated for safety …

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Myf5 Does Not Induce Apoptosis In Skeletal Myoblasts But Is Regulated By Oncogenic Ras Expression, Alexander Phillip Talarico Jan 2009

Myf5 Does Not Induce Apoptosis In Skeletal Myoblasts But Is Regulated By Oncogenic Ras Expression, Alexander Phillip Talarico

ETD Archive

Skeletal myogenesis is initiated by a family of muscle regulatory factors (MRFs) composed of the transcription factors MyoD, Myf5, MRF4, and myogenin. Of these, MyoD was the first discovered, is the most studied, and plays a well-characterized role in skeletal myoblast determination and differentiation. Our laboratory has also discovered that MyoD plays an important role in the apoptotic process that occurs in a subpopulation of myoblasts induced to differentiate. Expression of oncogenic Ras is known to inhibit myoblast differentiation and to decrease the expression of MyoD mRNA and protein. Our laboratory was the first to report that expression of oncogenic …

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Cloning And Expression Of Aquaporin In The Antennal Gland Of Crayfish, Procambarus Clarkii, Yang Gao Jan 2009

Cloning And Expression Of Aquaporin In The Antennal Gland Of Crayfish, Procambarus Clarkii, Yang Gao

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Aquaporins (AQPs) are responsible for transferring water and other small molecules across the cell membrane. Relatively little research has been conducted on AQPs in crustaceans. To study the AQPs in crayfish, I hypothesis that 1) AQP is expressed in the antennal gland (kidney analogue) of crayfish; 2) crayfish AQP will show greater expression in tissues (gill and antennal gland) associated with volume regulation; 3) AQP mRNA expression in antennal gland and gill will increase in premolt and decrease in postmolt compared with intermolt level. RT-PCR and Real-time PCR assay were applied to test the hypothesis. A partial AQP gene was …

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Functional Morphology And Fluid Interactions During Early Development Of The Scyphomedusa Aurelia Aurita, K. E. Feitl, A. F. Millett, Sean Colin, John O. Dabiri, John H. Costello Jan 2009

Functional Morphology And Fluid Interactions During Early Development Of The Scyphomedusa Aurelia Aurita, K. E. Feitl, A. F. Millett, Sean Colin, John O. Dabiri, John H. Costello

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Scyphomedusae undergo a predictable ontogenetic transition from a conserved, universal larval form to a diverse array of adult morphologies. This transition entails a change in bell morphology from a highly discontinuous ephyral form, with deep clefts separating eight discrete lappets, to a continuous solid umbrella-like adult form. We used a combination of kinematic, modeling, and flow visualization techniques to examine the function of the medusan bell throughout the developmental changes of the scyphomedusa Aurelia aurita. We found that flow around swimming ephyrae and their lappets was relatively viscous (1 < Re < 10) and, as a result, ephyral lappets were surrounded by thick, overlapping boundary layers that occluded flow through the gaps between lappets. As medusae grew, their fluid environment became increasingly influenced by inertial forces (10 < Re < 10,000) and, simultaneously, clefts between the lappets were replaced by organic tissue. Hence, although the bell undergoes a structural transition from discontinuous (lappets with gaps) to continuous (solid bell) surfaces during development, all developmental stages maintain functionally continuous paddling surfaces. This developmental pattern enables ephyrae to efficiently allocate tissue to bell diameter increase via lappet growth, while minimizing tissue allocation to inter-lappet spaces that …

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Caspase Cleavage Of The Amyloid Precursor Protein Is Prevented After Overexpression Of Bcl-2 In A Triple Transgenic Mouse Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Debra K. Kumasaka, Veronica Galvan, Elizabeth Head, Troy T. Rohn Jan 2009

Caspase Cleavage Of The Amyloid Precursor Protein Is Prevented After Overexpression Of Bcl-2 In A Triple Transgenic Mouse Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Debra K. Kumasaka, Veronica Galvan, Elizabeth Head, Troy T. Rohn

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

A recent study demonstrated the lack of beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaque formation and accumulation of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) in a triple transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease (3xTg-AD) following overexpression of the anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2 (Rohn et al., J. Neurosci. 28: 3051-9, 2008). The supposition from that study was the accumulation of APP resulted from a decrease in caspase-mediated processing of APP. To determine a direct role for the caspase-cleavage of APP in 3xTg-AD mice, we designed a site-directed caspasecleavage antibody to APP and demonstrated it is a specific marker for caspase-cleaved APP. Application of this antibody revealed neuronal …

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Wolf Spiders Of The Pacific Region: The Genus Zoica (Araneae, Lycosidae), Volker W. Framenau, James W. Berry, Joseph A. Beatty Jan 2009

Wolf Spiders Of The Pacific Region: The Genus Zoica (Araneae, Lycosidae), Volker W. Framenau, James W. Berry, Joseph A. Beatty

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

The wolf spider genus Zoica Simon 1898 is currently known only from the Indo-Australasian region, including India in the west to northern Western Australia and Papua New Guinea in the east. Here we extend the known distribution of the genus into the Pacific region by describing two new species, Z. carolinensis new species from the Caroline Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Z. pacifica new species from the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

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Assessment Of River Herring And Striped Bass In The Connecticut River: Abundance, Population Structure, And Predator/Prey Interactions, Justin P. Davis, Eric T. Schultz, Jason Vokoun Jan 2009

Assessment Of River Herring And Striped Bass In The Connecticut River: Abundance, Population Structure, And Predator/Prey Interactions, Justin P. Davis, Eric T. Schultz, Jason Vokoun

EEB Articles

Populations of anadromous alewife Alosa pseudoharengus and blueback herring A. aestivalis, collectively referred to as river herring, have declined in the Connecticut River. An explanatory hypothesis for these declines is that predation pressures have increased as a result of recent increases in abundance of sympatric striped bass Morone saxatilis. We sampled river herring and striped bass from the stretch of the Connecticut River between Wethersfield, CT and Holyoke, MA during the vernal migration seasons of 2005-2008. The objectives of the sampling program were to assess abundance, temporal/spatial distribution, and population structure of both river herring and striped bass, …

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Seal Bounties In Maine And Massachusetts, 1888 To 1962, Barbarai Lelli, David Harris Ph.D, Aboueissa Abouel-Makarim Jan 2009

Seal Bounties In Maine And Massachusetts, 1888 To 1962, Barbarai Lelli, David Harris Ph.D, Aboueissa Abouel-Makarim

Faculty Publications

Maine and Massachusetts paid bounties on seals during the 19th and 20th centuries. To determine the number of seals killed for bounty, we examined historical records of bounty claims, and used geographic information systems and multiple linear regression to find predictors of places where large numbers of bounties were paid. We found records of 24,831 bounties paid in Maine (1891-1945) and 15,690 in Massachusetts (1888-1962), Considering possible fraud, missing data, and seals struck and lost, this suggests that 72,284 to 135,498 seals were killed in the bounty hunt, probably enough to account for regional declines in seal populations. Larger numbers …

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The Tadpole Of Hypsiboas Atlanticus (Anura, Hylidae) From Northeastern Brazil, Filipe A. C. Do Nascimento, Marcelo G. De Lima, Gabriel O. Skuk, Rafael O. De Sá Jan 2009

The Tadpole Of Hypsiboas Atlanticus (Anura, Hylidae) From Northeastern Brazil, Filipe A. C. Do Nascimento, Marcelo G. De Lima, Gabriel O. Skuk, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

The tadpole of Hypsiboas atlanticus (Caramaschi & Velosa, 1996) is described from the municipality of Maceió, State of Alagoas, Brazil. At stage 36 the larvae have an overall elliptical body in lateral and dorsal views, oral disc anteroventral, spiracular tube sinistral, and labial tooth row formula 2(1,2)/3(1). The oral disc is surrounded, almost completely (anterior medial gap present) by a single row of marginal papillae. Described tadpoles of the H. punctatus species group can be differentiated by a combined disc oral features. Additional descriptions of H. punctatus (Schneider, 1799) tadpoles from populations throughout South America may be helpful in determining …

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The Round-Eared Sengi And The Evolution Of Social Monogamy: Factors That Constrain Males To Live With A Single Female, M. Schubert, N. Pillay, David O. Ribble, C. Schradin Jan 2009

The Round-Eared Sengi And The Evolution Of Social Monogamy: Factors That Constrain Males To Live With A Single Female, M. Schubert, N. Pillay, David O. Ribble, C. Schradin

Biology Faculty Research

Animal dispersion in space and time results from environmental pressures, and affects the outcome of a species’ social organization. When females are solitary, males may either roam or be pair-living. We studied possible environmental influences affecting the social organization of the round-eared sengi (Macroscelides proboscideus) in a semi-desert in South Africa, using trapping and radio-tracking across 2.5 yr. Adult sex ratios did not deviate from 1:1 and we found no indication of sexual dimorphism in body mass. Females maintained exclusive areas, which had little overlap (

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Incidence And Post-Pollination Mechanisms Of Nonrandom Mating In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Ann L. Carlson, Megan Telligman, Rob Swanson Jan 2009

Incidence And Post-Pollination Mechanisms Of Nonrandom Mating In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Ann L. Carlson, Megan Telligman, Rob Swanson

Biology Faculty Publications

Compatible pollinations from many differenttaxa display nonrandom mating. Here we describe a systemfor examining questions of nonrandom mating in Arabidopsisthaliana. Using this system, we demonstrate thatArabidopsis thaliana displays nonrandom mating betweendistinct accessions. Statistical analysis of these data demonstratesaspects of both pollen competition and male–female complementarity in these matings. Cytologicalexperiments implicate pollen germination and pollen tubegrowth rates as possible causal factors in these nonrandommating efficiencies.

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Global Chloroplast Phylogeny And Biogeography Of Bracken (Pteridium: Dennstaedtiaceae), Joshua P. Der, J. A. Thomson, J. K. Stratford, Paul G. Wolf Jan 2009

Global Chloroplast Phylogeny And Biogeography Of Bracken (Pteridium: Dennstaedtiaceae), Joshua P. Der, J. A. Thomson, J. K. Stratford, Paul G. Wolf

Biology Faculty Publications

Bracken ferns (genus Pteridium ) represent an ancient species complex with a natural worldwide distribution. Pteridium has historically been treated as comprising a single species, but recent treatments have recognized several related species. Phenotypic plasticity, geographically structured morphological variation, and geographically biased sampling have all contributed to taxonomic confusion in the genus. We sampled bracken specimens worldwide and used variable regions of the chloroplast genome to investigate phylogeography and reticulate evolution within the genus. Our results distinguish two major clades within Pteridium , a primarily northern hemisphere Laurasian/African clade, which includes all taxa currently assigned to P. aquilinum , and …

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Determining The Phylogeographic Dynamics Of The Edge Relationships Between Aphonopelma Hentzi (Girard) And Its Neighbors Along The Colorado River Basin (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Theraphosidae), Chris A. Hamilton Jan 2009

Determining The Phylogeographic Dynamics Of The Edge Relationships Between Aphonopelma Hentzi (Girard) And Its Neighbors Along The Colorado River Basin (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Theraphosidae), Chris A. Hamilton

Biology Theses - Archive

Theraphosids, commonly known as “tarantulas”, are a group of large, hirsute spiders that have drawn relatively little interest in ecological, behavioral, or evolutionary research from biologists. The lack of research on theraphosids is problematic because of conservation concerns for this group and the need to compile good life history data, and determine taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships. I examined the phylogenetic relationships among populations of tarantulas of the genus Aphonopelma along the Colorado River basin in Texas to construct a framework within which to test ecological, evolutionary, and biogeographical hypotheses in an area of species transition and possible Pleistocene refugia. In …

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Assessment Of Biology Majors’ Versus Nonmajors’ Views On Evolution, Creationism, And Intelligent Design, Guillermo Paz-Y-Mino C., Avelina Espinosa Jan 2009

Assessment Of Biology Majors’ Versus Nonmajors’ Views On Evolution, Creationism, And Intelligent Design, Guillermo Paz-Y-Mino C., Avelina Espinosa

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

The controversy around evolution, creationism, and intelligent design resides in a historical struggle between scientific knowledge and popular belief. Four hundred seventy-six students (biology majors n=237, nonmajors n=239) at a secular liberal arts private university in Northeastern United States responded to a five-question survey to assess their views about: (1) evolution, creationism, and intelligent design in the science class; (2) students’ attitudes toward evolution; (3) students’ position about the teaching of human evolution; (4) evolution in science exams; and (5) students’ willingness to discuss evolution openly. There were 60.6% of biology majors and 42% of nonmajors supported the exclusive teaching …

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In Situ Manipulation Of Vertically Migrating Gelatinous Zooplankton Using Nighttime Blue-Water Scuba In The South-Central Adriatic Sea, William M. Graham, John H. Costello, Sean Colin, Alenka Malej, Davor Lučić, Vladimir Onofri, Adam Benović Jan 2009

In Situ Manipulation Of Vertically Migrating Gelatinous Zooplankton Using Nighttime Blue-Water Scuba In The South-Central Adriatic Sea, William M. Graham, John H. Costello, Sean Colin, Alenka Malej, Davor Lučić, Vladimir Onofri, Adam Benović

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Technological advance in undersea exploration (e.g. tethered cameras, remotely operated vehicles [ROVs], Autonomous Underwater Vehicles [AUVsG, and manned submersibles)have opened new windows into diversityand distribution of fragile gelatinous organisms in the vast mesopelagic realm(300 m-1000 m deep). While exstraordinary in expanding our view of its richness, mesopelagic exploration remains largely a "look but don't touch" environment and this limits of our ability to understand these animals through physical manipulation relevant to the finer scales of the individual organism. We have been conducting a series of in situ observations and manipulations using blue-water SCUBA during the night at a 1, 200 …

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In Vitro Inhibition By Aerosol-Ot Of Bacillus Anthracis Sterne Endospores, Andrea M. Rendziperis Jan 2009

In Vitro Inhibition By Aerosol-Ot Of Bacillus Anthracis Sterne Endospores, Andrea M. Rendziperis

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Bacillus anthracis is an endospore-forming, Gram-positive bacterium that is the causative agent of the disease anthrax. The sodium ion surfactant Aerosol-OT (AOT) has been shown to kill some species of Gram-positive bacteria. This study examined the effect of AOT on B. anthracis endospores and vegetative cells, to show any changes in germination and growth that could potentially affect host development of disease. B. anthracis endospores and vegetative cell cultures were exposed to varying levels of AOT and samples were heated to show the proportion of endospores, or washed of the supernatant to show any temporary inhibitory effects on growth. B. …

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Habitat Variation Among Aquatic Gastropod Assemblages Of Indiana, U.S.A., Mark Pyron, Jayson Beugly, Matthew Spielman, Jennifer Pritchett, Stephen J. Jacquemin Jan 2009

Habitat Variation Among Aquatic Gastropod Assemblages Of Indiana, U.S.A., Mark Pyron, Jayson Beugly, Matthew Spielman, Jennifer Pritchett, Stephen J. Jacquemin

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

We collected aquatic gastropods at 137 sites in lakes and streams of Indiana and tested for patterns of assemblages with environmental variables. The survey resulted in 32 species with a mean of 2.8 species at each site, and a mean abundance at each site of 144 individuals. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS) multivariate analyses resulted in watershed drainage area, water conductivity, substrate category frequency, and dissolved oxygen as significant correlates of gastropod assemblage structure. Gastropod assemblages of lakes were not significantly different than assemblages of streams in the ordination. Prosobranch taxa occurred in higher abundances than pulmonate taxa at sites with …

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How Do Animal Mitochondria Tolerate Water Stress?, Michael Menze, Steven Hand Jan 2009

How Do Animal Mitochondria Tolerate Water Stress?, Michael Menze, Steven Hand

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The vast majority of animal species do not tolerate severe water stress, but the encysted embryo of the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana is an exceptionally useful organism to investigate physiological mechanisms for enduring extreme environmental insults. Any substantial reduction in cellular water poses a threat to survival. Nevertheless anhydrobiotic animals survive virtually complete loss of cellular water. The mechanisms that govern “life without water” (anhydrobiosis) are still not well understood. With certain exceptions, it seems that a recurring strategy for tolerating severe water loss involves the accumulation of both low molecular weight solutes (e.g. trehalose or other polyol) and highly …

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The Effect Of Zinc On L-Leucine Transport In Lobster Intestine, Anna Lynn Mullins Jan 2009

The Effect Of Zinc On L-Leucine Transport In Lobster Intestine, Anna Lynn Mullins

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The current study is a characterization of L-leucine absorption across the American lobster intestine in order to determine the likelihood of a bis-complex formation with zinc ([Leu]-Zn-[Leu]) as a possible substrate for PEPT1. This study required isolated lobster intestines to be mounted in a perfusion chamber in order to quantify 3H-L-leucine transport. It was hypothesized that an apical dipeptide transporter, PEPT1, was responsible for uptake of L-leucine via formation of a bis-complex with zinc ([Leu]-Zn-[Leu]) in the form of molecular mimicry, where the bis-complex mimics the normal dipeptide substrate of the proposed carrier system. It was found that L-leucine transport …

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Changes In A Tropical Forest Support Metabolic Zero-Sum Dynamics, S.K. Morgan Ernest, Ethan P. White, J. H. Brown Jan 2009

Changes In A Tropical Forest Support Metabolic Zero-Sum Dynamics, S.K. Morgan Ernest, Ethan P. White, J. H. Brown

Biology Faculty Publications

Major shifts in many ecosystem-level properties of tropical forests have been observed, but the processes driving these changes are poorly understood. Over the past two decades, the forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama (BCI) exhibited a 20% decrease in the number of trees and a 10% increase in average tree diameter. Here we show that these changes are consistent with a zero-sum constraint operating in this forest. Zero-sum constraints result when the total resource use of an ecosystem is limited by available resources. This causes increases in resource use by some groups of organisms to be compensated for by decreases …

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Selective Herbivory By The Woodrat (Neotoma Lepida) On Joshua Trees (Yucca Brevifolia), M P. Stanford, Nancy J. Huntly Jan 2009

Selective Herbivory By The Woodrat (Neotoma Lepida) On Joshua Trees (Yucca Brevifolia), M P. Stanford, Nancy J. Huntly

Biology Faculty Publications

We studied herbivory by the desert woodrat (Neotoma lepida) on Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) in the Mojave Desert to determine whether N. lepida fed selectively based on leaf nitrogen content. We measured leaf nitrogen content and the location and amount of herbivory by woodrats on Y. brevifolia trees in southwestern Utah, USA. Neotoma lepida removed the outer tips of leaves (1/3 to 2/3 of total leaf length) but left leaf bases, which had lower nitrogen content, uneaten. Herbivory by N. lepida also was concentrated on rosettes that were oriented south, and these had significantly higher nitrogen content than rosettes that …

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An Introduction To The Biocomplexity Of Sanak Island, Western Gulf Alaska, Hd G. Maschner, M Betts, J Cornell, B Finney, J A. Dunne, Nancy J. Huntly, J W. Jordan, N Misarti, K L. Reedy-Maschner, R Russell Jan 2009

An Introduction To The Biocomplexity Of Sanak Island, Western Gulf Alaska, Hd G. Maschner, M Betts, J Cornell, B Finney, J A. Dunne, Nancy J. Huntly, J W. Jordan, N Misarti, K L. Reedy-Maschner, R Russell

Biology Faculty Publications

The Sanak Biocomplexity Project is a transdisciplinary research effort focused on a small island archipelago 50 km south of the Alaska Peninsula in the western Gulf of Alaska. This team of archaeologists, terrestrial ecologists, social anthropologists, intertidal ecologists, geologists, oceanographers, paleoecologists, and modelers is seeking to understanding the role of the ancient, historic, and modern Aleut in the structure and functioning of local and regional ecosystems. Using techniques ranging from systematic surveys to stable isotope chemistry, long-term shifts in social dynamics and ecosystem structure are present in the context of changing climatic regimes and human impacts. This paper presents a …

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Habitat Use By The Southeastern Beach Mouse (Peromyscus Polionotus Niveiventris) At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, Kathryn Simmons Jan 2009

Habitat Use By The Southeastern Beach Mouse (Peromyscus Polionotus Niveiventris) At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, Kathryn Simmons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Successful recovery of the federally threatened southeastern beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris) depends in part on an understanding of their habitat requirements. I studied habitat use by beach mice at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida from March 2005 until March 2006. I livetrapped six grids, three on coastal dunes and three within scrub located inland from the coast. On each grid and trap station, I quantified the extent of bare ground, woody vegetation, non-woody vegetation, height of vegetation, and percentage of coarse sand in the surface soil. I assessed trap success relative to these habitat variables using linear and …

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Host And Seasonal Effects On The Infection Dynamics Of Skrjabinoptera Phrynosoma (Ortlepp) Schulz, 1927, A Parasitic Nematode Of Horned Lizards, Kathryn Claire Hilsinger Jan 2009

Host And Seasonal Effects On The Infection Dynamics Of Skrjabinoptera Phrynosoma (Ortlepp) Schulz, 1927, A Parasitic Nematode Of Horned Lizards, Kathryn Claire Hilsinger

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Author's Abstract: Skrjabinoptera phrynosoma (Ortlepp) Schulz, 1927 is a common parasitic nematode of horned lizards. The life cycle of S. phrynosoma was described by Lee in 1957, but has received little attention since. The present study addressed effect of season as well as host characteristics on the infection dynamics in lizard hosts. In the Alvord Basin in southeastern Oregon, S. phrynosoma were collected from Phrynosoma platyrhinos Gerard 1852 horned lizards via stomach flushes, cloaca flushes and fecal pellet collections. Parasite load variables (number of nematodes per host, length of those nematodes, and total worm burden (ΣL)) were analyzed within three …

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Behavioral Response Of Japanese Beetles (Popillia Japonica) To Sex Pheromone: Exploring Factors Of Social Situation And Recent Mating Experience, Carissa A. Schoenick Jan 2009

Behavioral Response Of Japanese Beetles (Popillia Japonica) To Sex Pheromone: Exploring Factors Of Social Situation And Recent Mating Experience, Carissa A. Schoenick

Masters Theses

Insects in have several methods of advertising for mates; one important and common method is via the use of chemical pheromones. Insects release pheromones into the environment to communicate information about their sex, mating status and receptivity to others. For example, Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) produce a very volatile sex pheromone conspecifics can readily detect. This pheromone is released by virgin females only, and triggers scramble competition among the males that detect and follow the signal for access to these females. Because Japanese beetles are an invasive species and an important pest of ornamental and agricultural plants, there is strong …

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Reintroduction Of Bison (Bison Bison) On Reservations In South Dakota: Four Case Studies, Trudy M. Ecoffey Jan 2009

Reintroduction Of Bison (Bison Bison) On Reservations In South Dakota: Four Case Studies, Trudy M. Ecoffey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research explored and documented issues of sustainability associated with the reintroduction of bison in four different bison herds on Reservations in South Dakota. The four herds were managed by: a tribal family cooperative, an individual tribal member, a tribal university and a tribal fish and wildlife agency. The objectives were to identify management practices associated with the sustainability of bison introduction by American Indians; to explore the role of American Indian culture in the management of bison for sustainability; and to investigate rangeland criteria that could be used to measure sustainability of bison reintroduced by American Indians. This project …

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Mojave Applied Ecology Notes Winter 2009, Scott R. Abella, Lindsay P. Chiquoine, Alice C. Newton Jan 2009

Mojave Applied Ecology Notes Winter 2009, Scott R. Abella, Lindsay P. Chiquoine, Alice C. Newton

Mojave Applied Ecology Notes

Chronology of forest structure and use in the Spring Mountains, Soil-Tech’s restoration work balancing construction with nature, species performance and treatment effectiveness for revegetation projects, and strategic research areas for Mojave conservation and management

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Summer Burrows Of Ord's Kangaroo Rats (Dipodomys Ordii) In Western Nebraska: Food Content And Structure, Jeremy A. White Jan 2009

Summer Burrows Of Ord's Kangaroo Rats (Dipodomys Ordii) In Western Nebraska: Food Content And Structure, Jeremy A. White

Biology Faculty Publications

Extent of larder hoarding differs among species of kangaroo rats, and limited information is available for food stored in burrows by Ord's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ordii)—the most widespread species of Dipodomys. I excavated 9 burrows recently used by adult D. ordii during summer in the Sandhill Region of Nebraska. I observed only small quantities of food stored in burrows. Eight of 9 burrows contained segments of sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus) in limited quantities. These segments consisted of upper leaves with fruits (containing seeds) housed in sheaths. My observations represent the first documentation of D. ordii storing food in burrows under …

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Molecular Decay Of The Tooth Gene Enamelin (Enam) Mirrors The Loss Of Enamel In The Fossil Record Of Placental Mammals, Robert Meredith, John Gatesy, William J. Murphy, Oliver A. Ryder, Mark S. Springer Jan 2009

Molecular Decay Of The Tooth Gene Enamelin (Enam) Mirrors The Loss Of Enamel In The Fossil Record Of Placental Mammals, Robert Meredith, John Gatesy, William J. Murphy, Oliver A. Ryder, Mark S. Springer

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Vestigial structures occur at both the anatomical and molecular levels, but studies documenting the co-occurrence of morphological degeneration in the fossil record and molecular decay in the genome are rare. Here, we use morphology, the fossil record, and phylogenetics to predict the occurrence of "molecular fossils" of the enamelin (ENAM) gene in four different orders of placental mammals (Tubulidentata, Pholidota, Cetacea, Xenarthra) with toothless and/or enamelless taxa. Our results support the "molecular fossil" hypothesis and demonstrate the occurrence of frameshift mutations and/or stop codons in all toothless and enamelless taxa. We then use a novel method based on selection intensity …

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Fecal Glucocorticoids Reflect Socio-Ecological And Anthropogenic Stressors In The Lives Of Wild Spotted Hyenas, Heather E. Watts Jan 2009

Fecal Glucocorticoids Reflect Socio-Ecological And Anthropogenic Stressors In The Lives Of Wild Spotted Hyenas, Heather E. Watts

Biology Faculty Works

Our aim was to identify natural and anthropogenic influences on the stress physiology of large African carnivores, using wild spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) as model animals. With both longitudinal data from a single social group, and cross-sectional data from multiple groups, we used fecal glucocorticoids (fGC) to examine potential stressors among spotted hyenas. Longitudinal data from adult members of a group living on the edge of the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, revealed that fGC concentrations were elevated during two periods of social upheaval among adults, especially among younger females; however, prey availability, rainfall, and presence of lions did not …

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