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Clutch Size In The Eastern Kingbird: Factors Affecting Nestling Survival, Michael T. Murphy

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Observational and experimental procedures were used to evaluate the potential importance of brood size and weather on the evolution of clutch size in the Eastern Kingbird. Modal clutch size was three eggs, yet broods of four were most productive. Nestling size varied inversely with brood size, so that "nestling quality" was lower in broods of four than in broods of three. Asymptotic weight of nestlings in broods of three was directly and significantly correlated with ambient air temperature, followed by hatch order. Because larger broods were being fed during a period of relatively cool and wet weather, the effects of …

Breeding Success And Nest Site Characteristics Of The Western Bluebird On Parrett Mountain, Marcia Diane Sims

Dissertations and Theses

The lack of suitable nest sites may be a limiting factor for Western Bluebird populations inhabiting the upper Willamette Valley. Nest box trails have been established on the hills surrounding the Portland metropolitan area. Since their placement, approximately 25% of the boxes available have been used by Western Bluebirds as nest cavities. This study was undertaken to identify factors which might determine the selection of a nest box by Western Bluebirds and the subsequent nest success or failure.

The breeding biology of Western Bluebirds using the nest box trail located on Parrett Mountain, Oregon in 1979 was investigated. Breeding season, …

Relative Intestine Length And Feeding Ecology Of Freshwater Fishes, David O. Ribble, M H. Smith

Biology Faculty Research

There is a significant relationship between the intestine length (Y) and total body length (X) for 11 species of freshwater fish (Y = 0.08X1.42). Sufficient variation exists about this relationship to indicate important differences among the species' diets. The diets for each species, ranked on a Trophic Index scale determined from literature data, are negatively rank order correlated with the mean relative intestine lengths (rs = -0.67). There is no significant rank order correlation between the Trophic Indices determined from data on stomach contents and the mean relative intestine lengths for fish from a single creek.

Multiple Captures Of Peromyscus Le Uco Pus: Social Behavior In A Small Rodent, James M. Novak

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The capture of more than one individual in a live trap can often provide information on the social behavior of small mammals, but the conclusions drawn from these data will depend on the type of live trap used. Davis (1955) and Getz (1972) used multiple capture traps and analyzed their data with respect to attraction and repulsion of individuals both within and between different age and sex classes. Petersen (1975), Feldhamer (1977), Blaustein and Rothstein (1978), Jenkins and Llewellyn (1981) and Spencer et al. (1982) gained information on the formation of associations during foraging and dispersal from multip~ captures made …

Dental Evolution Of The Meadow Vole In Mainland, Peninsular, And Insular Environments In Southern New England, Gordon K. Weddle, Jerry R. Choate

Fort Hays Studies Series

Accordingly, the objectives of this study were: 1) to compare the extent of variability (both quantitative and qualitative) in the dentitions of populations of Microtus inhabiting mainland, penisular, and insular environments; 2) to identify some of the selective forces that affect mainland and maritime populations of Microtus; 3) to examine Guthrie's hypothesis regarding the relationship between intensity of selection and variation.

Ua35/11 Student Honors Research Bulletin, Wku Honors Program

WKU Administration Documents

The WKU Student Honors Research Bulletin is dedicated to scholarly involvement and student research. These papers are representative of work done by students from throughout the university.

• Albin, Bettye. John Dryden's Criticism: The Neglected Link
• Allen, Christopher. Martial Reflections: Ancient Cultures and Their War-Gods
• Case, Laura. Climatic Preference
• Deller, Kathy. Regression Analysis: The Effects of Advertising, Price, Income and Import Sales on American-Made Auto Sales
• Downing, Elizabeth. Dorothy Leigh Sayers: Detective of Literary Theory in The Mind of the Maker
• Elder, Janice. A Retrospective Study on Discharge Planning and Primiparas at Breckinridge Memorial
• Flora, Joan. Narcissism and the Need for …

A Nutritional And Morphological Study Of Two Cyanobacteria Free Azolla Ferns, Michael Paul Bonner

Theses and Dissertations

The symbiotic association between the aquatic water fern Azolla and its symbiont, Anabaena azollae Straus. has been extensively studied in the past ten years. The cyanobacteria has received much of the attention due to its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen while the fern free of the cyanobiont has been somewhat neglected. The purpose of this research was to determine the nutritional requirements of the cyanobacteria free (CBF) ferns and study the morphology of the leaves and branches of these CBF ferns.

Azolla filiculoides and Azolla pinnata were freed of the cyanobiont using the surface sterilization technique adopted from Duckett, et …

Some Effects Of Naturally Occurring Amygdalin On Female C3h/Hej Mice, Gareth Eli Shemesh

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Serial Cardiovascular Adaptations During Pregnancy, Mark Vincent Hart

Dissertations and Theses

Maternal cardiovascular adaptations appear to be essential in order to supply extra circulation to both the developing fetus and maternal system during a successful pregnancy. Since inadequate cardiovascular adjustments may produce abortions or maternal morbidity, the characterization of maternal cardiovascular changes during pregnancy and the elaboration of the underlying mechanism for these changes are essential to the understanding of how the heart enlarges during pregnancy and what significance this enlargement might have. To provide needed information regarding this time course and extent of maternal cardiac enlargement and the hormonal and hemodynamic changes which may be responsible for these changes, the …

Observaciones Sobre La Biología De Phyllomedusa Iheringi Boulenger, 1885, (Anura, Hylidae), Rafael O. De Sá, Annelise Gerhau

Biology Faculty Publications

RESUMEN:

Se presentan las características que permiten diferenciar las larvas de Phyllomedusa iheringi de las de otros anuros que habitan en nuestro territorio, junto con algunas observaciones sobre la biología de esta especie poco conocida en el Uruguay.

SUMMARY:

The characteristics that differentiate the larvae of Phyllomedusa iheringi from other anurans that live in Uruguay are presented here. Some observations on the biology of this species are also recorded.

Historical Patterns Of Phytoplankton Productivity In Lake Mead, Richard T. Prentki, Larry J. Paulson

Publications (WR)

Lake Mead was impounded in 1935 by the construction of Hoover Dam. The Colorado River was unregulated prior to then and therefore was subjected to extreme variations in flows and suspended sediment loads. Hoover Dam stabilized flows and reduced suspended sediment loads downstream, but Lake Mead still received silt-laden inflows from the upper Colorado River Basin. The Colorado River contributed 97% of the suspended sediment inputs to Lake Mead, and up to 140 x 1O⁶ metric tons (t) entered the reservoir in years of high runoff. Most of the sediments were deposited in the river channel and formed an …

Breeding Behavior Of Captive Emperor Penguins (Aptenodytes Forsteri), Mary Elizabeth Kiel

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Breeding behavior of captive Emperor Penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) was observed at Sea World, San Diego, California during July, August, and September 1980, and April 1981. Emphasis was on displays, courtship, egg-laying, incubation, and care of chicks.

I observed the trumpet display most often between birds of opposite sexes and I interpret it as a signal of sexual identity. I interpreted the sideways stare display as a signal of sexual identity important in pair bond maintenance. Three head movements studied shared several functions including comfort behavior and reduction of intraspecific aggression. My observations confirmed that the display walk occurs in Emperors …

Defensive Adaptations And Natural Enemies Of A Case-Bearing Beetle, Exema Canadensis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), R. B. Root, Frank J. Messina

Biology Faculty Publications

The larval habit of constructing and carrying a portable case has evolved many times in the Holometabola. It is a widespread trait of the Trichoptera and Lepidoptera (e.g. the Coleophoridae and Psychidae). Among the Coleoptera, casebearing is found in four related subfamilies of the Chrysomelidae, the so-called camptosomates: Clytrinae, Cryptocephalinae, Chlamisinae, and Lamprosomatinae (B6ving and Craighead 1931). The larval case of many insects is thought to function primarily in defense by providing armor or camouflage (Otto and Svensson 1980). Here we describe the uses of the case and other defenses in a chlamisine beetle, Exerna canadensis Pierce, and speculate briefly …

Prevalence Of Baylisascaris Procyonis In Northern Illinois And Larval Migration In The Mongolian Gerbil (Meriones Unguiculatus), Diane Mary Sudduth

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Lh Pulses On In Vitro Follicular Development In The Metestrous Rat Ovary, Shirley Jane Luttmer

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

An Ecological Succession Model Applied To Environmental Management, Diane Rosenberg

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Habitat Selection Related To Resource Availability Among Cavity-Nesting Birds, Timothy Brush

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Variation in snag species and abundance appeared to explain most of the habitat selection patterns observed in five cavity-nesting riparian species over a three-year period. All species except Ash-throated Flycatchers were most common in areas with cottonwood or willow snags, which have relatively soft wood and are preferred nest sites. Classification of habitats on the basis of nest-site characteristics was useful and should be considered in other habitat selection studies.

Coxsackievirus B4 Induced Diabetes In Cd-1 Mice, Mary C. F. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Most evidence to date clearly indicates that CB4 virus can affect the pancreas of both man and mice during acute infection. Yet, conflicting evidence exists relative to the consequence of the infection in both man and mice. The study described here attempted to provide definitive evidence on the relative role of the virus isolate (i.e. heterogenous virion populations vs. purified clones) in induction of prolonged diabetes-like disease in mice.

Population Structure, Density And Movements Of The Texas Tortoise Gopherus Berlandieri, Frank W. Judd, Francis L. Rose

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Gopherus berlandieri was studied on a 3.3 ha grid in Cameron Co., Texas for five years. One hundred two tortoises were marked (43 males, 30 females, 26 juv., and 3 adults whose sex was not determined). Numbers of males and females did not differ significantly. Juveniles comprised 27% to 9% of the population and maximum population density was 15 to 16 tortoises per ha. The number of females remained constant, but males and juveniles declined gradually from 1972 to 1975, then markedly in 1976. The percentage of shared individuals in successive years was higher for females than males, but only …

Protein Contributions Of The Male Accessory Organs To The Composition Of Human Seminal Plasma As Determined By High Resolution Two-Dimensional Electrophoresis, Edward E. Gaunt

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Human Seminal Plasma was evaluated using a High Resolution Two-Dimensional Electrophoresis technique adapted by this laboratory. Seminal plasma from healthy volunteers with recently proven fertility were characterized using this technique to establish "normal" protein distribution patterns in the two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel slab. In addition, time studies were performed on selected specimens to determine the effects of liquefaction on seminal plasma protein composition within the first several hours after collection. Split ejaculates were collected for identification and elaboration of accessory organ components in the whole seminal plasma specimen. A more direct approach to accessory organ component analysis involved electrophoresis of semen …

The Effects Of Photoperiod-Temperature Interactions On Testicular Regression In The Green Anole, Anolis Carolinensis, Teri Wickelhaus

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Interrupted-night photoperiod experiments were carried out in green anoles (Anolis carolinensis) in July and August 1981 in order to explore the possibility that seasonal timing of testicular regression regulated by day length involves circadian rhythms. The influence that temperature has on testicular responsiveness to light was also assessed. Testicular weight responses to different interrupted-night photoperiod treatments were similar in anoles kept at constant warm temperatures but varied in anoles kept at constant cold temperatures. Rates of decline of spermatogenesis in response to different interrupted-night photoperiod treatments were, on the other hand, similar in anoles kept at constant cold …

Reproductive Biology Of The Rat Lungworm Angiostrongylus Cantonensis (Metastrongyloidea: Angiostrongylidae), Grace Spatafora Harris

Master's Theses

Twenty rats (Rattus norvegicus) received infective inocula of 5, 10, 20, and 40 third-stage larvae of Angiostrongylus cantonensis. The effects of varying doses of larvae on prepatent period larval production, worm establishment, worm size, and fertility were studied. The aquatic gastropod Biomphalaria glabratta was the experimental intermediate host.

The duration of the prepatent period varied from 37 to 45 days. The shortest prepatent period was observed in animals that received the highest infective inoculum. The prepatent period showed a significant inverse relationship with increasing inoculum size. Larval production increased logarithmically, followed by a plateau phase. The number of larvae per …

Intellectual Traditions In The Life Sciences: Molecular Biology And Biochemistry, Scott F. Gilbert

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

In Vivo Study Of The Effects Of Danazol On Cytoplasmic Receptors In The Female Rat, Deborah L. Spencer

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the School of Sciences and Mathematics at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Biology by Deborah L. Spencer on August 26, 1982.

Characterization Of Danazol Binding To Specific Cytosol Receptors In Vitro, Gail Wright Russell

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the School of Sciences and Mathematics at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of Master of Science in Biology by Gail Wright Russell on August 26, 1982.

A New Column Perfusion Technique Using Isolated Rat Adrenal Cells To Study Acth And Danazol, Diane H. Johnson

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the School of Sciences and Mathematics at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Biology by Diane H. Johnson on August 15, 1982.

The Influence Of Livestock Feed Size On Feed Consumption By Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris), Daniel Twedt

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Ground meal and 4 sizes of pelleted feeds (3/16, ¼, 3/8 and ½ inch diameters) were offered to captive Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris, Linnaeus) to determine the minimum feed size they were unable to consume in significant amounts. The ground meal, 3/8 and ½ inch diameter pellets substantially decreased feed consumption compared with 3/16 and ¼ inch diameter pellets. Additionally, ½ inch pellets were consumed substantially less than ground meal or 3/8 inch pellets. Supplemental feed was require to prevent mortality among Starlings offered only ½ inch pellets.

Two pellet sizes, the 3/16 inch pellet which was readily consumed by …

A Histopathological Study Of The Effect Of Ethylnitrosourea On Ha(Icr) Mice Testes, Mildred Rodriguez

Masters Theses

Ethylnitrosourea (ENU) is very strongly mutagenic, carcinogenic and teratogenic in mice. In the present study ENU was used to induce germ cell damage in the mouse testis. Mice were given single injections of vehicle, 50, 100, or 200 milligrams of ENU per kilogram of body weight and killed at various times over a fifteen week period. Microscopic examination of the testes showed that extensive killing of spermatogonial cells and therefore maturation depletion had occurred in the seminiferous tubules. The histopathology was dose dependent and the testicular weight decreased with an increasing ENU concentration.

Hindlimb Immobilization: Length-Tension And Contractile Properties Of Skeletal Muscle, Frank Arthur Witzmann, D. H. Kim, Robert H. Fitts

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The effect of hindlimb immobilization (IM) on the contractile properties of fast and slow skeletal muscle was studied in rats following various periods of IM ranging from 1 to 42 days; muscle atrophy, muscle, fiber, and sarcomere length, and the length-tension characteristics were determined after 42 days of IM. The slow-twitch soleus (SOL), the fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL), and the fast-twitch superficial region of the vastus lateralis (SVL) all showed rapid atrophy following the onset of IM, reaching a new reduced steady-state weight by day 21. After 42 days of IM the passive tension (g) and active twitch …

The Ecology Of The Mottled Sculpin, Cottus Bairdii, In The Clearwater River, Beltrami County, Minnesota, Mark A. Hanson

Biology Graduate Theses

No abstract provided.