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Causes And Consequences Of Prolonged Dormancy For An Iteroparous Geophyte, Silene Spaldingii, Peter Lesica, Elizabeth E. Crone

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

1. Prolonged dormancy, during which a plant does not produce above-ground shoots during one or more growing seasons, is common in temperate herbaceous species, but its role in life history is poorly understood.

2. We analysed stage transitions to determine the consequences of prolonged dormancy for Silene spaldingii, a perennial geophyte of semi-arid grasslands in the Columbia Basin of western North America. We monitored 179 S. spaldingii plants from 1987 through 2005, and analysed demographic rates as a function of plant state and seasonal precipitation.

3. Dormant plants had similar survival and growth to vegetative plants, and were more …

Ultrafine Particle Initiation Of Lipid Peroxidation In Mitochondria, Josephine Kimberly Wells

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Studies have shown that car exhaust particles increase cellular oxidative stress (Li, 2002), and people who live in highly polluted areas have shown a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease (Beck, 2005). Recently a theory has been developed that ultrafine particles (< 0.1 µm in diameter) contained in the atmospheric pollution are responsible for initiating the adverse effects of damage and disease (Li, 2003).

Ultrafine particles (UFP), which make up 72% of the particle concentration in the air (Beck, 2005), typically originate from sources involving combustion, such as cars, forest fires, volcanoes and industry (USDHHS, 1995). The small size and abundance of UFPs provide ample surface area with an increased absorption for damaging substances such as iron or reactive organic compounds (Beck, 2005; …

Parasites, Proteomics And Performance: Effects Of Gregarine Gut Parasites On Dragonfly Flight Muscle Composition And Function, Rudolf J. Schilder, James H. Marden

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

In previous work, we found that dragonflies infected with gregarine gut parasites have reduced muscle power output, loss of lipid oxidation in their flight muscles, and a suite of symptoms similar to mammalian metabolic syndrome. Here, we test the hypothesis that changes in muscle protein composition underlie the observed changes in contractile performance. We found that gregarine infection was associated with a 10-fold average reduction in abundance of a ~155·kDa fragment of muscle myosin heavy chain (MHC; ~206·kDa intact size). Insect MHC gene sequences contain evolutionarily conserved amino acid motifs predicted for calpain cleavage, and we found that calpain digestion …

Comparison Of The Functional And Numerical Responses Of Resistant Versus Non-Resistant Populations Of The Copepod Acartia Hudsonica Fed The Toxic Dinoflagellate Alexandrium Tamarense, Sean Colin, Hans G. Dam

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

The functional and numerical responses of grazers are key pieces of information in predicting and modeling predator–prey interactions. It has been demonstrated that exposure to toxic algae can lead to evolved resistance in grazer populations. However, the influence of resistance on the functional and numerical response of grazers has not been studied to date. Here, we compared the functional and numerical responses of populations of the copepod Acartia hudsonica that vary in their degree of resistance to the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense. In common environment experiments carried out after populations had been grown under identical conditions for several generations, …

The Effect Of 1,25-Dihydroxy Vitamin D3 On At1 Cell Receptor Expression In Human Iliac Artery Endothelial Cells (Hiaec), Jenny Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays an important part in homeostasis through angiotensin IPs role as a vasoconstrictor. Defects in the renin angiotensin system can lead to hypertension, heart attack, and stroke (Weir, 1999). Studies have shown an inverse relationship between Vitamin D3 and blood pressure (Li et al., 2002). While studies have been performed on vitamin D's effect on renin expression, little is known about vitamin D's effect on the angiotensin II high-affinity type 1 (ATi) receptor. The hypothesis for this study was that human iliac artery endothelial cells (HIAEC) supplemented with 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 will express less AT] receptor …

Response Of Eelgrass Zostera Marina To Co2 Enrichment: Possible Impacts Of Climate Change And Potential For Remediation Of Coastal Habitats, Sherry L. Palacios, Richard C. Zimmerman

OES Faculty Publications

Projected increases in dissolved aqueous concentrations of carbon dioxide [CO_2(aq)] may have significant impacts on photosynthesis Of CO₂-limited organisms such as seagrasses. Short-term CO_2(aq) enrichment increases photosynthetic rates and reduces light requirements for growth and survival of individual eelgrass Zostera marina L. shoots growing in the laboratory under artificial light regimes for at least 45 d. This study examined the effects of long-term CO_2(aq) enrichment on the performance of eelgrass growing under natural light-replete (33% surface irradiance) and light-limited (5% surface irradiance) conditions for a period of 1 yr. Eelgrass shoots were grown at …

Trophic Status Of A Small Mammal Assemblage On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station With An Emphasis On Peromyscus Polionotus Niveiv, Megan Keserauskis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Successful translocation of a listed species into an area of previous occupation requires knowledge of the habitat needs. The presence of the necessary food items is critical to the successful establishment of a new population; this information is unknown for Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris, the southeastern beach mouse, a threatened subspecies on the east coast of Florida. I used fecal and stable isotope analysis to determine the diet of this subspecies at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Brevard County, Florida, between the autumn of 2003 and the spring of 2005. Six trapping grids were established, three in the dune/swale and three …

Preference And Performance Of The Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis Baptisiae) On Its Native Host Yellow Wild Indigo (Baptisia Tinctoria) And On The Introduced Plant Crown Vetch (Securigera Varia), Susan D. Mcmahon

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The Wild Indigo Duskywing butterfly (Erynnis baptisiae) shifted from its native host plant Yellow Wild Indigo (Baptisia tinctoria) to the introduced plant Crown Vetch (Securigera varia). This study examined the effects of this host shift by comparing butterfly preference (larval feeding and female oviposition) and performance (pupal weight and pupation success) of two distinct butterfly populations, on both native and introduced plants. Caterpillars reared on the native plant had significantly greater pupal weight regardless of the population origin. Larval feeding preference was significantly affected by the plant fed upon; larvae from both populations strongly …

Juvenile Hormone And Reproductive Tactics In Romalea Microptera, The Eastern Lubber Grasshopper, Raime Blair Fronstin

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Isolated populations that inhabit various geographic and climatic ranges tend to diverge in their life history tactics. When development time is constrained by unfavorable seasons, often an organism must trade-off the investment of resource allocation between somatic and reproductive growth. The variation in reproductive tactics and juvenile hormone titers were studied among three populations of Romalea microptera from Athens, GA, Jacksonville, FL, and Miami, FL, all of which exist on a latitudinal cline. The Athens population was significantly younger at oviposition and gained significantly less body mass than both the Jacksonville and Miami populations, which did not differ from each …

Chemical Defenses: From Compounds To Communities, Valerie J. Paul, Koty H. Sharp

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Marine natural products play critical roles in the chemical defense of many marine organisms and in some cases can influence the community structure of entire ecosystems. Although many marine natural products have been studied for biomedical activity, yielding important information about their biochemical effects and mechanisms of action, much less is known about ecological functions. The way in which marine consumers perceive chemical defenses can influence their health and survival and determine whether some natural products persist through a food chain. This article focuses on selected marine natural products, including okadaic acid, brevetoxins, lyngbyatoxin A, caulerpenyne, bryostatins, and isocyano terpenes, …

Flagellar Motility And Structure In The Hyperthermoacidophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus Solfataricus, Zalán Szabó, Musa Sani, Maarten Groeneveld, Benham Zolghadr, James Schelert, Sonja-Verena Albers, Paul H. Blum, Egbert J. Boekema, Arnold J.M. Driessen

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Flagellation in archaea is widespread and is involved in swimming motility. Here, we demonstrate that the

structural flagellin gene from the crenarchaeaon Sulfolobus solfataricus is highly expressed in stationary-phasegrown

cells and under unfavorable nutritional conditions. A mutant in a flagellar auxiliary gene, flaJ, was

found to be nonmotile. Electron microscopic imaging of the flagellum indicates that the filaments are composed

of right-handed helices.

Effects Of Food Deprivation, Body Size, And Egg Load On The Mating Behavior Of Female Japanese Beetles, Popillia Japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), Natasha Tigreros

Masters Theses

Female condition may play an important role in the mating frequency of species that mate at foraging areas. For example, in species where feeding females are more easily encountered or less resistant to mating than females that are performing other activities, low energy levels could increase mating activity. We studied the relationship between female condition and mating activity in the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in a laboratory study. We altered condition by depriving some females of food for one day and comparing their mating behavior to well-fed females. Our results showed that the effect of condition on mating …

Stabel Isotope Turnover Rates And Diet-Tissue Discrimination In The Skin Of West Indian Manatees: Implcations For Evaluating Their Feeding Ecology And Habitat Use, Christy Alves

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) is an herbivorous marine mammal that occupies freshwater, estuarine, and marine habitats. Despite being considered endangered, relatively little is known about the feeding ecology of either of the two recognized subspecies, the Florida manatee (T.m. latirostris) and Caribbean or Antillean manatee (T.m. manatus). A better understanding of their respective feeding preferences and habitat use is essential to establish criteria on which conservation plans can be based. The present study expands on previous work on manatee feeding ecology by both assessing the application of stable isotope analysis to manatee tissue and providing critical baseline parameters …

Assessment Of The Status Of Lates Stappersii (Centropomidae) Stock In Lift-Net Fishery In Lake Tanganyika, Kigoma, Tanzania, I. A. Kimirei, Y. D. Mgaya

Tanzania Journal of Science

An assessment of the status of Lates stappersii (Boulenger, 1914) stock in the lift-net fishery in Lake Tanganyika, Kigoma area, was carried out from January to December 2003. Results indicated that breeding is seasonal with peaks in February, July-August and December, and so was catch composition, with peaks in March, May and July–August that followed the abundance of its prey, Stolothrissa tanganicae. Catch per unit effort was similar between wet and dry seasons and peaked synchronously at all study sites probably as an indication of its abundance during those months; but also it could mean that the fishes were caught …

Pro-Inflammatory Properties Of Flavobacterium Columnare Cells And Products On Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus) Neutrophils, Shannon Billings

All Theses

Flavobacterium columnare and Edwardsiella ictaluri are the leading causes for losses in the aquaculture industry. The losses from the diseases caused by these pathogens total $2.5 million for catfish and $100 million for total aquaculture. F. columnare's infection rates and stressors associated with outbreaks have been well-characterized, but the specific inflammatory responses of catfish neutrophils to the bacteria have not been studied. The objective, therefore, was to investigate the pro-inflammatory effects of the outer membrane proteins, extracellular products, and whole live bacteria, heat-killed (HK), and formalin-killed (FK) F. columnare and E. ictaluri to determine the effects on channel catfish phagocyte …

Central Dysregulation Of The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis In Neuron-Specific Proopiomelanocortin-Deficient Mice, James L. Smart, Virgine Tolle, Veronica Otero-Corchon, Malcolm J. Low

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

No abstract provided.

Environmental Rearing Conditions Produce Forebrain Differences In Wild Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha, R. L. Kihslinger, Sean C. Lema, G. A. Nevitt

Biological Sciences

Recent studies suggest that hatchery-reared fish can have smaller brain-to-body size ratios than wild fish. It is unclear, however, whether these differences are due to artificial selection or instead reflect differences in rearing environment during development. Here we explore how rearing conditions influence the development of two forebrain structures, the olfactory bulb and the telencephalon, in juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) spawned from wild-caught adults. First, we compared the sizes of the olfactory bulb and telencephalon between salmon reared in a wild stream vs. a conventional hatchery. We next compared the sizes of forebrain structures between fish reared …

Quantitative Profiling Of Arabidopsis Polar Glycerolipids In Response To Phosphorus Starvation. Roles Of Phospholipases Dζ1 And Dζ2 In Phosphatidylcholine Hydrolysis And Digalactosyldiacylglycerol Accumulation In Phosphorus-Starved Plants, Xuemin Wang, Maoyin Li, Ruth Welti

Biology Department Faculty Works

Phosphorus is an essential macronutrient that often limits plant growth and development. Under phosphorus-limited conditions, plants undergo substantial alterations in membrane lipid composition to cope with phosphorus deficiency. To characterize the changes in lipid species and to identify enzymes involved in plant response to phosphorus starvation, 140 molecular species of polar glycerolipids were quantitatively profiled in rosettes and roots of wild-type Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and phospholipase D knockout mutants pldζ1, pldζ2, and pldζ1pldζ2. In response to phosphorus starvation, the concentration of phospholipids was decreased and that of galactolipids was increased. Phospholipid lost in phosphorus-starved Arabidopsis rosettes was replaced by an …

Frequent Fire Alters Nitrogen Transformations In Ponderosa Pine Stands Of The Inland Northwest, Thomas H. Gremer, Anna Sala

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Recurrent, low-severity fire in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)linterior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) forests is thought to have directly influenced nitrogen (N) cycling and availability. However, no studies to date have investigated the influence of natural fire intervals on soil processes in undisturbed forests, thereby limiting our ability to understand ecological processes and successional dynamics in this important ecosystem of the Rocky Mountain West. Here, we tested the standing hypothesis that recurrent fire in ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir forests of the Inland Northwest decreases total soil N, but increases N turnover and nutrient availability. We compared soils in stands unburned over the …

Invasion Through Quantitative Effects: Intense Shade Drives Native Decline And Invasive Success, Kurt O. Reinhart, Julie Gurnee, Reyes Tirado, Ragan M. Callaway

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The effects of invasive nonnative species on community composition are well documented. However, few studies have determined the mechanisms by which invaders drive these changes. The literature indicates that many nonnative plant species alter light availability differently than natives in a given community, suggesting that shading may be such a mechanism. We compared light quantity (photosynthetically active radiation, PAR) and quality (red : far-red ratio, R:Fr) in riparian reaches heavily invaded by a nonnative tree (Acer platanoides) to that in an uninvaded forest and experimentally tested the effects of our measured differences in PAR and R:Fr on the …

Testing An Ecophysiological Mechanism Of Morphological Plasticity In Pupfish And Its Relevance To Conservation Efforts For Endangered Devils Hole Pupfish, Sean C. Lema, Gabrielle A. Nevitt

Biological Sciences

Imperiled species that have been translocated or established in captivity can show rapid alterations in morphology and behavior, but the proximate mechanisms of such phenotypic changes are rarely known. Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) are endemic to a single desert pool and are characterized by a small body, large head and eyes, and lack of pelvic fins. To lessen the risk of extinction, additional populations of C. diabolis were established in artificial refuges. Yet, pupfish in these refuges rapidly shifted to a larger body, smaller head and eyes, and greater body depth. Here we examined how food availability …

Interaction Of Ice Storms And Management Practices On Current Carbon Sequestration In Forests With Potential Mitigation Under Future Co2 Atmosphere, Heather R. Mccarthy, Ram Oren, Hyun-Seok Kim, Kurt H. Johnsen, Chris Maier, Seth G. Pritchard, Micheal Davis

Faculty Publications

[1] Ice storms are disturbance events with potential impacts on carbon sequestration. Common forest management practices, such as fertilization and thinning, can change wood and stand properties and thus may change vulnerability to ice storm damage. At the same time, increasing atmospheric CO₂ levels may also influence ice storm vulnerability. Here we show that a nonintensively managed pine plantation experienced a ∼250 g C m⁻² reduction in living biomass during a single storm, equivalent to ∼30% of the annual net ecosystem carbon exchange of this ecosystem. Drawing on weather and damage survey data from the entire storm cell, …

Integration Of Hybridization-Based Markers (Overgos) Into Physical Maps For Comparative And Evolutionary Explorations In The Genus Oryza And In Sorghum, Barbara L. Hass-Jacobus, Montona Futrell-Griggs, Brian Abernathy, Rick Westerman, Jose-Luis Goicoechea, Joshua Stein, Patricia Klein, Bonnie Hurwitz, Bin Zhou, Fariborz Rakhshan, Abhijit Sanyal, Navdeep Gill, Jer-Young Lin, Jason G. Walling, Mei Zhong Luo, Jetty Siva S Ammiraju, Dave Kudrna, Hye Ran Kim, Doreen Ware, Rod A. Wing, Phillip San Miguel, Scott A. Jackson

Biology Faculty Articles

Background: With the completion of the genome sequence for rice (Oryza sativa L.), the focus of rice genomics research has shifted to the comparison of the rice genome with genomes of other species for gene cloning, breeding, and evolutionary studies. The genus Oryza includes 23 species that shared a common ancestor 8–10 million years ago making this an ideal model for investigations into the processes underlying domestication, as many of the Oryza species are still undergoing domestication. This study integrates high-throughput, hybridization-based markers with BAC end sequence and fingerprint data to construct physical maps of rice chromosome 1 orthologues in …

Soil Microbial Community Composition As Affected By Restoration Practices In California Grassland, Rebecca E. Drenovsky, Martin Pothoff, Kerri L. Steenwerth, Louise E. Jackson, Rainer G. Joergensen, Kate M. Scow

Biology

Agricultural practices have strong impacts on soil microbes including both the indices related to biomass and activity as well as those related to community composition. In a grassland restoration project in California, where native perennial bunchgrasses were introduced into non-native annual grassland after a period of intensive tillage, weeding, and herbicide use to reduce the annual seed bank, microbial community composition was investigated. Three treatments were compared: annual grassland, bare soil fallow, and restored perennial grassland. Soil profiles down to 80cm in depth were investigated in four separate layers (0–15, 15–30, 30–60, and 60–80cm) using both phospholipid ester-linked fatty acid …

Environmental Signals Generate A Differential And Coordinated Expression Of The Heme Receptor Gene Family Of Bartonella Quintana, James M. Battisti, Kate N. Sappington, Laura S, Smitherman, Nermi L. Parrow, Michael F. Minnick

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Of all bacteria, Bartonella quintana has the highest reported in vitro hemin requirement, yet an explanation for this remains elusive. To produce diseases such as trench fever, endocarditis, and bacillary angiomatosis, B. quintana must survive and replicate in the disparate environments of the Pediculus humanus corporis (body louse) gut and the human vasculature. We previously identified a five-member family of hemin binding proteins (Hbps) synthesized by B. quintana that bind hemin on the outer surface but share no similarity to known bacterial heme receptors. In the present study, we examine the transcription, regulation, and synthesis of this virulence factor family …

Avian Affairs: A Study Of The Occurrence And Benefits Of Extra-Pair Breeding Behavior In Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus Tyrannus), Amy Catherine Dolan

Dissertations and Theses

Over three consecutive breeding seasons I examined the breeding system of Eastern Kingbirds in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in SE, Oregon. To assess genetic paternity, I optimized seven microsatellite markers and determined that extra pair paternity was common. Extra-pair young were present in approximately 60% of nests, representing 47% of young. I examined implications of extra-pair paternity from three perspectives.

First, I examined the impact of extra-pair paternity on the opportunity for sexual selection within a socially monogamous system and identified correlates of male reproductive success. Some males were successful at the expense of others, and 24% of males did …

The Environmental Impact Of Dietary Choice And Agriculture In California, Harold J. Marlow Jr.

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Food demand influences agricultural production. Modern agricultural practices have resulted in polluted soil, air and water, eroded soil, dependence on imported oil, and loss of biodiversity. The goal of this research is to investigate the environmental impact of pesticide and fertilizer application, water consumption, and energy used to produce commodities for a vegetarian and non vegetarian diet in California. The working assumption is that greater number and amount of inputs are associated with greater environmental impact. The literature supports this notion. To accomplish this goal, dietary preferences were quantified using the Adventist Health Study and state agricultural data were collected …