Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Edaphic And Climatic Factors On Secondary Lichen Chemistry: A Case Study Using Saxicolous Lichens, Alexander Paukov, Anzhelika Teptina, Maria Morozova, Ekaterina Kruglova, Sergio E. Favero-Longo, Cora Bishop, Nishanti Rajakaruna

Biological Sciences

Diversity of secondary lichen metabolites and their relationship to substrate and environmental parameters were studied in saxicolous lichens in the Middle and South Urals of Russia. Atranorin, usnic acid, gyrophoric acid, zeorin, norstictic acid, antraquinones and stictic acid were found in 73, 42, 41, 37, 36, 35 and 32 species, respectively, of 543 taxa collected. One hundred and ninety six species (i.e., 36% of total species documented) contained no secondary metabolites. Spectra of secondary metabolites of crustose lichens varied on different rock types, while in fruticose and foliose groups only those species without lichen acids were dependent on the substrate …

Linking Water Quality To Aedes Aegypti And Zika In Flood-Prone Neighborhoods, Susan Harrell Yee, Donald A. Yee, Rebeca De Jesus Crespo, Autumn Oczkowski, Fengwei Bai, Stephanie Friedman

Faculty Publications

The ability of ecosystems to regulate water quality and flood events has been linked to health outcomes, including mosquito-borne illnesses. In the San Juan Bay Estuary watershed of Puerto Rico, habitat alterations and land-use development have disrupted watershed hydrology, exacerbating wastewater discharges and subjecting some neighborhoods to frequent flooding events. In 2016, the mosquito-borne illness Zika became a new cause for concern. We hypothesized that nutrient-enriched flood water could provide pulses of supplemental nutrients to local mosquito populations. We conducted a field study in six neighborhoods adjacent to the estuary to assess whether environmental variability of nutrient inputs could be …

Fish Performance, Nutrient Digestibilities, And Hepatic And Intestinal Morphologies In Grouper Epinephelus Fuscoguttatus Fed Fermented Copra Meal, Roger Edward P. Mamauag, Janice A. Ragaza, Trisha J. Nacionales

Biology Faculty Publications

Protein enhanced copra meal (PECM®) is an alternative, cheap, and sustainable source of plant protein for the aquafeed industry, albeit its use on carnivorous fish species has been very limited. A 70-day feeding trial using grouper Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (initial mean body weight of 1.86 ± 0.19 g) tested fermented copra meal as feed ingredient. Six isonitrogenous (crude protein of 45%) and iso-lipidic (crude fat of 11%) diets consisted of PECM®: a control diet at 0% soybean meal replacement (C); four diets replacing soybean meal at 25% (FC25), 50% (FC50), 75% (FC75), 100% (FC100) – all with methionine and lysine supplementation; …

Perspectives On Micrornas And Phased Small Interfering Rnas In Maize (Zea Mays L.): Functions And Big Impact On Agronomic Traits Enhancement, Zhanhui Zhang, Sachin Teotia, Jihua Tang, Guiliang Tang

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Small RNA (sRNA) population in plants comprises of primarily micro RNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). MiRNAs play important roles in plant growth and development. The miRNA-derived secondary siRNAs are usually known as phased siRNAs, including phasiRNAs and tasiRNAs. The miRNA and phased siRNA biogenesis mechanisms are highly conserved in plants. However, their functional conservation and diversification may differ in maize. In the past two decades, lots of miRNAs and phased siRNAs have been functionally identified for curbing important maize agronomic traits, such as those related to developmental timing, plant architecture, sex determination, reproductive development, leaf morphogenesis, root development …

Heatwaves And Novel Host Consumption Increase Overwinter Mortality Of An Imperiled Wetland Butterfly, Mariana Abarca, Elise A. Larsen, Leslie Ries

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Disruptive effects of climate change include range shifts, phenological mismatches among consumers and producers, and population declines. While these biological alterations have been widely documented, studies identifying specific mechanisms linking climate change to population declines are scarce. Extreme events, such as heatwaves can have devastating effects on living organisms and are increasing in frequency as Earth warms. Hence, understanding the effects of heatwaves on insects is necessary to inform conservation efforts and to develop predictions of population dynamics under future climate scenarios. Here, we experimentally evaluated the effects of heatwaves on the survival and phenology of the Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas …

Whole-Genome Analysis Of Halomonas Sp. Soap Lake #7 Reveals It Possesses Putative Mrp Antiporter Operon Groups 1 And 2, Melanie R. Mormile, Tiffany Edwards, Ronald L. Frank, Zachery Geurin, Julie Haendiges, Maria Hoffmann, Jesse Miller

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

The genus Halomonas possesses bacteria that are halophilic or halotolerant and exhibit a wide range of pH tolerance. The genome of Halomonas sp. Soap Lake #7 was sequenced to provide a better understanding of the mechanisms for salt and pH tolerance in this genus. The bacterium's genome was found to possess two complete multiple resistance and pH antiporter systems, Group 1 and Group 2. This is the first report of both multiple resistance and pH antiporter Groups 1 and 2 in the genome of a haloalkaliphilic bacterium.

Illustrated Guide To The Immature Lepidoptera On Oaks In Missouri, Robert Marquis, Steven Passoa, John Lill, James Whitfield, Josiane Le Corff, Rebecca Forkner, Valerie Passoa

Biology Department Faculty Works

Oak trees (Quercus spp.) dominate many forests in North America, and their diverse herbivore fauna is a major component of ecological biodiversity. Yet, identification guides for oak-feeding Lepidoptera in the eastern United States usually lack detailed larval morphological characteristics and pupal descriptions. This book describes the immature stages of common species of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) whose larvae are found on 10 species of oak (Quercus) in the eastern Missouri Ozarks (USA). Data were collected mainly as part of the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP), a longterm study of the effects of harvesting regimes on forest structure and function. …

Development Of A Pediatric Model Of Nafld In Neonatal Iberian Pigs, Gabriella Veronica Hernandez, Victoria Alice Smith, Morgan Coffin, Daniel Columbus, Matthew Burd, Kimberly Sprayberry, Mark Edwards, Daniel Peterson, Darin Bennett, Robert Fanter, Christopher Kitts, Michael La Frano, Margaret Rice, Douglas Burrin, Magdalena Maj, Rodrigo Manjarin

Master's Theses

The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in children has increased over the past decades, creating a need for animal models that recapitulate the features of the pediatric disease. Iberian pigs have a leptin-resistant phenotype characterized by hyperleptinemia, hyperphagia, and extreme adipogenesis. We hypothesized that neonatal Iberian pigs fed a high fat high-fructose (HFF) diet will develop a pattern of liver injury resembling pediatric NAFLD. In addition, we sought to determine if a mixture of probiotics would prevent the disease. Animals were fed 1 of 4 diets containing (g/kg body weight × d) 0 g fructose, 11 g fat …

Variation In Morphology, Diet, And Venom Composition In Crotalus Pyrrhus (Cope 1867), Chip Cochran

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Because rattlesnakes rely heavily on their venom for predation and defense, we can expect selection pressures from several sources to act on its composition, including, ontogeny, sex, and environmental variation. In this dissertation, I summarize the results of four studies of the southwestern speckled rattlesnake (Crotalus pyrrhus). First, I describe two cases of envenomation at separate Arizona localities (Tinajas Altas Mountains, Yuma County, and Phoenix Mountains, Maricopa County). Both patients experienced swelling, but neither demonstrated coagulopathy, thrombocytopenia, or hypofibrinogenemia. The latter patient required amputation of the distal portion of his middle finger. I also investigated variation in morphology, diet, and …

Availability Of Microtrash Materials And Selectivity By California Condors, Marie G. Solis

Biological Sciences

California condors consume non-food items, including anthropogenic waste, and provision it to their young. Consuming “microtrash” can cause mortality, especially in nestlings. There are several hypotheses explaining why condors might consume microtrash. These hypotheses assume condors exhibit a preference for the type of material. Therefore, we test the assumption that when California condors take microtrash, they display material selectivity. We did this by sampling microtrash from roadside pullouts in the Los Padres National Forest. Those samples were compared to condor necropsy and nest microtrash data, categorized by material type: glass, plastic, metal, and other. We find that in our analysis …

Determining Heavy Metal Concentrations In The Blueband Hermit Crab (Pagurus Samuelis), Tyler Dos Santos

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Although heavy metal concentrations fluctuate naturally in the environment, anthropogenic sources of heavy metal concentrations can mask and override natural fluctuations. Large anthropogenic metal concentrations can lead to deleterious effects in organisms, such as malformation or death. Indicator species can be used to determine environmental concentrations of certain metals to help understand the impacts of anthropogenic sources of heavy metal concentrations. The aim of this study was to determine if Pagurus samuelis may play a role as an indicator species by analyzing specimens for Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), and Zinc (Zn) found in tidepool seawater in …

Size, Shape, And Sexual Dimorphism Of Island And Mainland Melanerpes Woodpeckers Of The Centurus Clade, Lee Michelle Silva Núñez

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Island ecosystems are widely studied as "natural laboratories” for biological change. Animals that colonize islands frequently exhibit differences from their mainland counterparts in morphology, physiology, and behavior. Some of the most striking features include changes in body size and shape, with extreme examples being dwarfism, gigantism, and flightlessness. These changes are generally driven by isolation and reduction in predators and competitors. The 10 woodpecker species belonging to the Centurus clade of genus Melanerpes are ideally suited to study evolutionary changes associated with island conditions because they include numerous populations restricted to islands, allowing comparisons among island and continent ecosystems. To …

Opportunities For Behavioral Rescue Under Rapid Environmental Change, Samuel B. Fey, David A. Vasseur, Karla Alujević, Kristy J. Kroeker, Michael L. Logan, Mary I. O'Connor, Volker H.W. Rudolf, John Delong, Scott Peacor, Rebecca L. Selden, A Sih, Susana Clusella‐Trullas

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Laboratory measurements of physiological and demographic tolerances are important in understanding the impact of climate change on species diversity; however, it has been recognized that forecasts based solely on these laboratory estimates overestimate risk by omitting the capacity for species to utilize microclimatic variation via behavioral adjustments in activity patterns or habitat choice. The complex, and often context‐dependent nature, of microclimate utilization has been an impediment to the advancement of general predictive models. Here, we overcome this impediment and estimate the potential impact of warming on the fitness of ectotherms using a benefit/cost trade‐off derived from the simple and broadly …

Isoprene Emission In Polytrichaceae Mosses, Timea Deakova

Dissertations and Theses

Our first aim was to identify and quantify Biological Volatile Organic Compound (BVOC) emissions, specifically emissions of isoprene, from the moss Polytrichum juniperinum during its earliest stage of life. Isoprene emission from mosses could be a significant component of the total global budget of BVOC emissions. Data concerning the spatial and temporal variability of these emissions are lacking due to poor characterization of the physical and biological factors controlling isoprene synthesis in both vascular and non-vascular plants. We found that P. juniperinum in its early life stage (protonema) can emit isoprene at detectable levels at day five after spore germination. …

Hippo Signaling In Cancer: Lessons From Drosophila Models, Kirti Snigdha, Karishma Sanjay Gangwani, Gauri Vijay Lapalikar, Amit Singh, Madhuri Kango-Singh

Biology Faculty Publications

Hippo pathway was initially identified through genetic screens for genes regulating organ size in fruitflies. Recent studies have highlighted the role of Hippo signaling as a key regulator of homeostasis, and in tumorigenesis. Hippo pathway is comprised of genes that act as tumor suppressor genes like hippo (hpo) and warts (wts), and oncogenes like yorkie (yki). YAP and TAZ are two related mammalian homologs of Drosophila Yki that act as effectors of the Hippo pathway. Hippo signaling deficiency can cause YAP- or TAZ-dependent oncogene addiction for cancer cells. YAP and TAZ are often activated …

Diurnal Variation In Co2 Efflux By Pine Seedlings And Root-Associated Mycorrhizal Fungi, Richard Easterling

Honors Theses

This project was part of a larger experiment conducted by Amber Horning and Jason Hoeksema in the Department of Biology at the University of Mississippi, which was set up to investigate variation (over time, and with different light levels) in resource exchange between pine seedlings and two different species of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi. The experiment was conducted in a growth chamber, with mycorrhizal pine seedlings growing in plexiglass "mycocosms." I worked with two EM fungal species (Rhizopogon roseolus and Pisolithus arhizus, hereafter "Rhizopogon" and "Pisolithus"), which were collected locally near Oxford, Mississippi under loblolly pine. I selected a subset of …

Whole Blueberry Protects Pancreatic Beta-Cells In Diet-Induced Obese Mouse, Weixiang Liu, Yiping Mao, Jacob Schoenborn, Zhihong Wang, Guiliang Tang, Xiaoqing Tang

Department of Biological Sciences Publications

Background

Blueberry is rich in bioactive substances and possesses powerful antioxidant potential, which can protect against oxidant-induced and inflammatory cell damage and cytotoxicity. The aim of this study was to determine how blueberry affects glucose metabolism and pancreatic β-cell proliferation in high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice.

Methods

Wild type male mice at age of 4 weeks received two different kinds of diets: high-fat diet (HFD) containing 60% fat or modified HFD supplemented with 4% (wt:wt) freeze-dried whole blueberry powder (HFD + B) for 14 weeks. A separate experiment was performed in mice fed with low-fat diet (LFD) containing 10% …

Stress And Body Composition Of Juvenile Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys Temminckii), Brandon Scott Tappmeyer

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii), is a species of conservation concern that is the subject of multiple head-start and reintroduction efforts across its range. In captive propagation programs, producing offspring that are in optimal physiological condition maximizes the likelihood of success after release. The purpose of my study was to compare stress and body composition between one free-ranging reintroduced population and two captive populations. The two captive populations were both housed in southern Oklahoma, but one group was reared indoors whereas the other inhabited outdoor ponds at a national fish hatchery. I used circulating glucocorticoid (corticosterone) concentrations as an …

The Effects Of Electrofishing On Different Life Stages Of Ozark And Eastern Hellbenders, Stephanie Kay Morrison

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Electrofishing, a common method of freshwater fish sampling, has been shown to negatively affect some fish species, but the effects on non-target species, such as hellbenders, have not been well studied. I tested effects of electrofishing on the behavior of several life stages of captivereared Ozark (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi) and eastern (C. a. alleganiensis) hellbenders. Ozark hellbender eggs were exposed to different voltages in the laboratory, and embryos in higher voltages had higher incidences of twitching during exposures and higher numbers of morphological deformities after exposures. For hatchling Ozark hellbenders, which typically are sedentary, individuals moved more during exposure to …

Investigating The Antidiabetic Effect Of Metformin On Pyruvate Carboxylase, Guadalupe A. Solis

Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado

Metformin is the most commonly prescribed treatment for type II diabetes. While the clinical effects of this generic drug are established, exact targets of metformin action remain unclear. The hypothesis of the present study was that metformin lowers blood glucose through inhibition of pyruvate carboxylase (PC), an enzyme catalyzing the first committed step of gluconeogenesis. Because metformin is relatively low cost, it is widely accessible to communities worldwide; currently, 150 million individuals depend on metformin for treatment. Thorough investigation of all targets involved in action of metformin becomes crucial, as it further explains the adverse effects of the drug. The …

Species Distribution Modeling And Cold-Tolerance Of A Fungus-Farming Ant Symbiosis, Sarah F. Senula

Biology Theses

Current anticipated climate change suggests that average global temperature will continue to rise and will cause species ranges to shift to higher latitudes and altitudes. In general, species that are tolerant to a wide range of temperatures and water availability will be able to adapt to changing global temperatures opposed to those who have smaller ranges. In the light of global climate change, many symbioses have been studied regarding stress-induced and adaptive evolution, however, one symbiosis yet to be thoroughly considered is that between fungal-gardening ants and their fungal symbionts. In the following studies, we lay foundation for such work. …

A Combinatorial Approach Of Ionomics, Quantitative Trait Locus Mapping, And Transcriptome Analysis To Characterize Element Homeostasis In Maize, Alexandra Asaro

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

In plant systems, genetic and biochemical pathways impact uptake of elements from the soil. These environment-sensitive pathways often act in the root tissue to impact element concentrations throughout the plant. In order to characterize element regulation as well as apply ionomics to understand plant adaptation, perspectives are needed from multiple tissues and environments and from approaches that take interactions between elements into account. The work described in this thesis includes multi-environment and multi-tissue experiments that connect variation in genetic sequence, and in gene expression, with variation in element accumulation. The associations found here include those that are sensitive to environment, …

The Role Of Ifrd1 In The Recruitment And Function Of Reserve Stem Cells In Regeneration And Cancer, Mark Anthony Lewis

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Mature cells can reprogram into a proliferative, progenitor-like state to repair tissue following injury and inflammation. Differentiated cells in diverse tissues can become proliferative via a dedicated, evolutionarily conserved program we termed paligenosis. We detailed how paligenosis occurs, in both gastric chief and pancreatic acinar cells, in a step-wise manner that involves: 1) autodegradation of mature cell components; 2) re-expression of progenitor genes; 3) re-entry into the cell cycle. This process is governed by mTORC1, a fundamental cellular energy sensor and regulator of protein translation. Blocking mTORC1 permitted autophagy and metaplastic gene induction but blocked cell cycle re-entry at S-phase. …

The Degenerating Star Clock: Circadian Clock Regulation Of Astrogliosis And Implications For Alzheimer’S Disease, Brian Vincent Lananna

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Sleep disruption and circadian dysfunction are common symptoms of aging and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The molecular rhythms in transcription/translation that govern these behavioral processes are mediated by clock genes and can be abrogated by deletion of the master circadian transcription factor Bmal1 (Arntl). We have shown that disruption of clock gene function in the mouse brain causes astrogliosis, synaptic damage, oxidative stress, and exacerbated neurodegeneration. However, the molecular mechanisms linking the circadian clock to these phenotypes and their implications for AD pathology remain largely unknown. Astrocyte activation occurs in response to diverse insults, and plays a critical …

Development Of Enteric Neurons And Muscularis Macrophages, Marina Avetisyan

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is a complex interconnected network of neurons and glia in the bowel wall that regulates intestinal motility, blood flow, and epithelial function. The ENS also controls aspects of inflammatory signaling within the bowel. To perform these tasks, there are at least 20 types of enteric neuron and four types of enteric glia. Although much is known about early events in ENS development, signals governing the development of specific neuronal subtypes and communication with neighboring cell types within the bowel remain poorly understood. One fundamental hypothesis is that diverse trophic factors support distinct neuronal populations in …

Mechanics Of Phenotypic Aging Trajectories In C. Elegans And Humans, William Zhang

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Overall, my dissertation integrates longitudinal measurements of physiology to investigate the aging process. In the first half, I examine the surprising and largely unexplained degree of variation in lifespan within even homogeneous populations. I sought to understand how physiological aging differs between long- and short-lived individuals within a population of genetically identical C. elegans reared in a homogeneous environment. Using a novel culture apparatus, I longitudinally monitored aspects of aging physiology across a large population of isolated individuals. Aggregating several measures into an overall estimate of senescence, I find that long- and short-lived individuals start adulthood on an equal physiological …

The Effects Of Meloidogyne Incognita On Jaz1, Jaz12, And Jaz13 Gene Expression In Arabidopsis, Emily Green

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Meloidogyne incognita, a root-knot nematode (RKN), poses a threat to the well-being of the global agricultural industry. These endoparasites rely on plant roots and drain nutrients from crops intended for human or livestock consumption. Root knot nematodes cost the agricultural industry billions of dollars in lost crops each year and threaten efforts to meet the growing demand for food. Though plants are susceptible to dangers, such as these parasites, many have evolved defense and/or repair mechanisms to compensate for this vulnerability. The goal of this research is to study one gene family involved in such defenses. Specifically, I studied the …

Transformative Learning Gains In Undergraduate Learning Assistants, Caitlin Gold

Honors Projects

The Learning Assistant (LA) program is utilized at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) to assist in shifting classrooms from lecture based to more interactive and groupwork based learning. LAs are employed in courses with greater than 80 students enrolled that have historically high drop, withdrawal, and failure rates. Not only are students in courses with LAs having positive experiences, but the LAs themselves are as well. Interest has grown in the development of LAs during their time in the program; this can be measured in the form of transformation. Transformative learning is defined as “learning that results in transformative changes …

Fungi In A Hot, Dry, Changing World, Miriam I. Hutchinson

Biology ETDs

My doctoral work focused on understanding the reciprocal relationship between fungi and their environment, namely how fungi respond to environmental flux, as well as how fungi can modify and structure their habitats, especially in the context of climate change. As such, I aimed my research on fungi with distinct adaptations to their environmental niches: endophytic fungi that inhabit plant tissue and thermophilic fungi that are capable of growing at the upper temperature limit for eukaryotic life. My research consisted of three studies. First, I investigated the thermophilic species Myceliophthora heterothallica to demonstrate its use as a model organism for efficient …

Effects Of The Pathogen Mycoplasma Gallisepticum Transmission On Growth And Condition Of Eastern Bluebirds Nestlings (Sialia Sialis), Gurshan Kaur

Honors Theses

A critical aspect to understanding disease dynamics is to understand how transmission occurs between hosts. There are two basic modes of transmission: vertical and horizontal. Vertical transmission is the passage of a pathogen from mother to offspring before or during birth, whereas horizontal transmission occurs between an infected host to a susceptible host. Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is a common bacterial pathogen of poultry that causes respiratory disease. Infection of MG often results in weight loss, slowed growth rate, and increased mortality. Both vertical and horizontal transmission of MG have been found to occur in poultry. In the mid-90s, MG underwent …