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Spatial Variation In Sexual Size Dimorphism And Mating Associations In The Color Polymorphic Eastern Red-Backed Salamander (Plethodon Cinereus), Maggie M. Hantak, Olivia L. Brooks, Kyle M. Brooks, Carl D. Anthony, Cari-Ann M. Hickerson, Kelly A. Williams, Shawn R. Kuchta

2025 Faculty Bibliography

Sexual selection due to mate preference for certain traits can maintain phenotypic diversity within populations and species. In taxa with discrete phenotypes, such as color polymorphic species, assortative mating may lead to disruptive selection and sympatric divergence, yet how such interactions vary over species' ranges remains poorly understood. To address this shortcoming, we examined spatial patterns of sexual size dimorphism and presumptive male–female mating pairs based on body size and coloration in the color polymorphic Eastern Red-backed Salamander, Plethodon cinereus. This species exhibits two common color morphs, striped and unstriped, that also differ in other elements of their biology, including …

Functional Trait Responses Of Emergent And Free-Floating Alternanthera Philoxeroides To Increasing Salinity With Sea Level Rise: Stress Tolerance, Avoidance, And Escape Strategies, Brenda J. Grewell, Blanca Gallego-Tevar, Jesus M. Castillo, Caryn J. Futrell, Rebecca E. Drenovsky, Nathan E. Harms, Paul D. Pratt

2025 Faculty Bibliography

ea level rise is having major impacts on estuaries due to salinity intrusion. These changes in stress profiles have ripple effects in ecosystems, including altering the invasibility of these wetlands depending on the salt tolerance of the invading species. Alternanthera philoxeroides Mart. (Griseb.) (alligator weed), native to South America and long recognized as one of the world’s worst freshwater aquatic weeds, recently invaded tidal wetlands in California’s San Francisco Bay–Delta Estuary. Generally considered a freshwater-limited glycophyte, observations suggested this invasive macrophyte may have some degree of salinity tolerance, though its degree of tolerance and capacity to spread with increased salinity …

Effects Of Single-Cell Dietary Protein Sources On Feeding, Growth, And Resource Allocation In The Juvenile Sea Urchin Lytechinus Variegatus, Darrien Jamila De Jesus

All ETDs from UAB

An understanding of nutrition can improve culture of sea urchins, whether as a research model or in the production of seafood products. Macronutrients, including dietary protein sources, can affect growth and reproductive profiles and alter resource allocation to somatic and gametic tissues. Although sea urchins in culture can be fed natural products, diet formulations using various ingredients can be developed to reliably produce desired outcomes. Single-cell protein sources represent a potential alternative to current industry standards of animal-derived protein sources such as fish and squid meal, which are becoming increasingly overfished and expensive. In the present study, we evaluated the …

Endothelial Cell Cd36 In Alzheimer’S Disease And Breast Cancer Progression, Atul Kumar

All ETDs from UAB

Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) are increasingly recognized as a distinct class of innate immune cells, with CD36, an innate immunity receptor, playing a pivotal role in regulating immune function and its regulation, angiogenesis, cancer progression, brain related disorder as well as the exchange of nutrients and waste. To investigate this further, we developed EC-specific CD36 knockout mice using the translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) technique. By isolating ribosome-bound mRNA directly from vascular endothelial cells in vivo in these knockout and control mice, we conducted deep RNA sequencing and transcriptional profiling. Our findings revealed that CD36 deficiency in brain endothelia led …

The Prize Biter Of Modernity? Investigating Killer Whale Bite Mechanics, Daniel Hong

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

Although the killer whale (Orcinus orca) is a cosmopolitan apex predator, very little work has been done on its feeding biomechanics. Here I use finite element analysis to investigate the mandibular stiffness of a juvenile male Bigg’s killer whale, and compare it to that of the false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) and the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). Full mandibles and left and right halves of mandibles are simulated under FEA. I also estimate the total jaw muscle force produced by the Bigg’s killer whale using the dry skull method. The killer whale lacks an …

Variation In Maternal Alkaloid Provisioning And Its Effects On Antimicrobial Defense In Tadpoles Of The Poison Frog Oophaga Pumilio, Erica Berent

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Genetic Influences On Individual Variability In Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla) Social Behavior, Hadley Mueller-Hill

Master's Theses

While primates are considered highly social animals, the evolutionary origins and mechanisms underlying their social behaviors remain unclear. Not only do they exhibit an extensive range of behaviors, but individuals within the same species can also vary widely in their social interactions. Genetics play a significant role in shaping these individual variations in behavior; multiple genetic variants have been associated with differences in social behavior in mammals. Examples of these include MAOA and OXTR genes, which influence the expression of behaviors associated with antisocial and prosocial temperaments. Genetic polymorphisms affect primate interactions, impacting an individual’s ability to maintain its status …

Community And Decomposition Dynamics Along A Saltwater Intrusion Gradient On Sapelo Island, Georgia, Zach Gordon

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Saltwater intrusion, the movement of ocean water into freshwater, is a significant global threat to coastal freshwater ecosystems linked to both climate change and anthropogenic influences. Alterations to coastal landscapes can increase intrusion. Sapelo Island has an extensive history of agricultural landscape alteration, but freshwater flow decline increased the movement of saltwater inland by tides. Intrusion is expected to increase in frequency and magnitude due to rising sea levels and storms. Salinization puts inland habitats and the humans relying on them at risk. As saltwater is denser than freshwater, more pressure is placed on benthic organisms (i.e., macroinvertebrates) that will …

Urban Heat Island Effects On Arthropod Populations And Communities In Jacksonville, Fl, Eleanor G. Cronin

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The urban heat island (UHI) effect makes urban areas hotter than rural areas. Urban areas, and the extreme heat that comes with them, are becoming more common worldwide. If UHIs lead to changes in arthropod community diversity, then ecosystem structure and services could be disrupted. Previous UHI studies have investigated heat impacts on arthropod ecology, but many focus on one species while studies that consider thermal diversity within a single urban area have been limited. In Jacksonville, Florida, areas that are 12°C hotter than the coolest areas are considered local UHIs. The goal of this research is to investigate how …

Analysis Of Mapt On Alzheimer’S Disease, Elaine Vanterpool, Marc Morgan Jr.

Student Posters

Alzheimer’s is the 7 th most common cause for death in humans and unfortunately has no cure. Coincidentally the gene MAPT (microtubule-associated protein tau) increases chances of obtaining Alzheimer's. The purpose of this study is to discover the mutation that resides within this gene. A website database called Simple Clinvar was used to generate information concerning Alzheimer’s disease and the different genetic variants associated with the disease. The SIFT algorithm was used to show whether the changes in amino acid sequences of the MAPT gene can affect protein function. PolyPhen was another prediction algorithm used to predict the influence that …

Exploring The Ecological Relevance Of Biotic And Abiotic Stressors In Structuring Legume Microbial Communities, Cian Dotson

Dissertations

Heavy metal hyperaccumulation is prevalent throughout plant evolution, particularly in the legume family (Fabaceae), and acts as a presumed chemical defense against herbivory. However, heavy metal hyperaccumulation can have non-target impacts on other biological interactors including plant-microbe interactions. This information is important given the interest in utilizing hyperaccumulating plants for phytoremediation of anthropogenically contaminated soils. Here we employ a greenhouse experiment manipulating selenium level along with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing methods to explore the effect of selenium on the prokaryotic microbiome of the selenium hyperaccumulator Astragalus crotalariae and non-accumulator Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus. Regardless of hyperaccumulator status, both plant …

Evaluation Of Bacteriophage Infection Of Enterococcus Faecalis In A Monolayer, Alexandria Osborn

Dissertations

Enterococcus faecalis is one of the first colonizers of the human gastrointestinal tract, and it plays a role in the intestinal immune development at the very early stages of life. However, it is also an opportunistic pathogen, capable of translocating across the mucosal barrier to cause systemic infections. E. faecalis is also linked to infections including endocarditis, recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs), bacteremia, wound infections, meningitis, root canal infections, intra-abdominal and pelvic infections, and septicemia. Persistent enterococcal opportunistic infections have been associated with the production of virulence factors and sharing of antibiotic resistance genes, thus making E. faecalis difficult to …

Effects Of Nitrogen, Phosphorus And The Fungicide Azoxystrobin Additions On Larval And Post-Metamorphic Fitness Of American Toads (Anaxyrus Americanus), Michael Vosburgh

Dissertations

Since European settlement, vast areas of U.S. land have been modified by humans. In the Midwest, an estimated 99% of native grasslands have been replaced by agriculture and urban development. Such alternations have replaced native habitat, redefined hydrology and introduced a wide array of chemicals into aquatic ecosystems. Modern agricultural practices utilize fertilizers and pesticides to maximize crop production. These chemicals frequently runoff into surrounding waters, potentially effecting aquatic organisms. One group of organism thought to be susceptible to agricultural contaminants are amphibians. Amphibians are vulnerable to pollution due, in part, to their permeable skin and biphasic life history. Global …

Food Finding Ability Does Not Predict Annual Survival In Winter Resident Birds, Aidan Hand

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Small non-migratory birds in temperate locations face many challenges to survive the winter. They must be able to find enough food, which is in decreased supply, to fuel the energetic demands of staying warm. Prior work has demonstrated that birds show individual variation in their foraging behaviors that could contribute to the discovery of new foraging patches, such as novel environment exploration. A better ability to discover new food sources could increase a bird’s chance of surviving the winter by increasing its access to new food patches. To test this hypothesis, we used radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled bird feeders to …

Addressing The Productivity-Susceptibility Analysis In Data-Limited Fisheries For Understudied Fish In The Marine Aquarium Trade, Alice Wynn, Jemelyn Baldisimo, Gabrielle Baillargeon, Michael Tlusty, Andrew Rhyne

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The marine aquarium trade (MAT) harvests millions of coral reef fishes from the wild yearly. While the MAT supports fishers, hobbyists and marine education, harvested fishes are crucial in maintaining coral reef health and balanced marine cycles within their native habitats. Understanding the impact of the MAT on fish populations is critical for sustaining the trade in the long-term. Productivity-susceptibility analyses (PSAs) offer semiquantitative methods of analyzing the productive capacity of each fish stock, as well as its susceptibility to overfishing. The present study revises and expands upon a PSA conducted by Baillargeon et al. (2020) that focused on 32 …

Squid Paralarvae Turn With High Agility Using Jets Near The Reynolds Number Threshold For Viscous Domination, Ian K. Bartol, Alissa M. Ganley, Paul S. Krueger, Joseph T. Thompson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Turning is critical for survival in the ocean, as marine animals need to maneuver to capture prey, elude predators, and navigate complex environments. While prior research has focused on turning performance of adult swimmers, less is known about early ontogenetic stages that locomote within lower Reynolds number (Re) regimes, especially young jetters. To evaluate squid paralarval turning proficiency and the role of the pulsed jet in maneuvers, recently hatched longfin squid Doryteuthis pealeii swimming in a viewing chamber were studied using digital particle image velocimetry and kinematic motion analyses. Paralarvae exhibited a wide repertoire of turning behaviors, including those performed …

Genome-Wide Snp Analyses Reveal High Gene Flow Of Endemic Smallscale Croaker (Boesemania Microlepsis) In The Lower Mekong Basin, Quyen Dang Ha Vu, Christopher E. Bird, Oanh Thi Truong, Sang Quang Tran, Ellen E. Biesack, Amanda S. Ackiss, Kent E. Carpenter, Binh Truy Dang

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The Smallscale Croaker, Boesemania microlepis, is a valuable fishery resource in the Mekong River basin that lacks clear biological data to understand its basic ecology and conservation management priorities. This species is common in the southernmost floodplain of the Mekong which extends from Tonlé Sap in Cambodia to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. This floodplain is of particular biodiversity conservation concern because of the many upstream dams that restrict water flow in an ecology that relies heavily on a flood-pulse cycle. The literature regarding the biology B. microlepis in this region contains conflicting ideas that populations are both highly …

Intraspecific Variation In Plant–Fungal Interactions Across Tidal Elevation In A Salt Marsh, Torrie Hanley, Catherine Gehring, Ron Deckert, Behzad Mortazavi, Christina Richards, A. Randall Hughes

Biology Faculty Publications

Interspecific interactions vary depending on environmental and genetic factors, with intraspecific variation potentially altering these relationships. Specifically, intraspecific variation within host plants and their endosymbionts may affect above- and belowground interactions depending on environmental conditions. We examined how intraspecific variation within the salt marsh foundation species Spartina alterniflora and a common fungal root endosymbiont (Lulworthia sp.) affected their interactions. We conducted a glasshouse experiment comparing interactions between Spartina growth forms (tall-form from low marsh and short-form from high marsh) and Lulworthia isolates from different marsh locations, and a laboratory experiment exposing Lulworthia isolates from both endpoints of a tidal elevation …

Comparing The Development And Viability Of Horseshoe Crab Eggs Laid In Beach And Salt Marsh Habitats, Daniel A. Sasson, Christopher C. Chabot, Jo-Marie Kasinak, Jennifer Mattei Ph.D., Elizabeth U. Scott, Fletcher K. Hall, Michael R. Kendrick

Biology Faculty Publications

The horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, has recently been found to spawn regularly in salt marshes, despite the long-held assumption that salt marsh sediments are not conducive for embryonic development. Here, we tested the prediction that eggs laid in the salt marsh would develop more slowly and be less viable than eggs laid on beaches. We flagged the nests of spawning horseshoe crabs in the marshes and beaches of three states—South Carolina, Connecticut, and New Hampshire—and then excavated those nests one or three weeks later. We staged the excavated embryos to compare developmental progress between marshes and beaches. We found …

Spectral Divergence Prioritizes Key Classes, Genes, And Pathways Shared Between Substance Use Disorders And Cardiovascular Disease, Everest Castaneda, Elissa Chesler, Erich J. Baker

Funded Scholarship

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are heterogeneous diseases with 

overlapping biological mechanisms and often present with co-occurring disease, 

such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Gene networks associated with SUDs 

also implicate additional biological pathways and may be used to stratify 

disease subtypes. Node and edge arrangements within gene networks impact 

comparisons between classes of disease, and connectivity metrics, such as 

those focused on degrees, betweenness, and centrality, do not yield sufficient 

discernment of disease network classification. Comparatively, the graph 

spectrum’s use of comprehensive information facilitates hypothesis testing 

and inter-disease clustering by using a larger range of graph characteristics. 

By adding a connectivity-based …

Anthropocene Genetic Diversity Loss In The Marine Tropics, René D. Clark, Brendan N. Reid, Eric Garcia, Marial Malabag, Robin S. Waples, Rene A. Abesamis, Jemelyn Grace P. Baldisimo, Abner A. Bucol, Kyra S. Fitz, Sharon F. Magnuson, Richard N. Muallil, Cleto L. Nanola Jr., Roy Roberts, John C. Whalen, Christopher E. Bird, Kent E. Carpenter, Malin L. Pinsky

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Genetic diversity is a crucial component of biodiversity, and as such, its maintenance and preservation is of high conservation concern. Tropical environments are undergoing intense rates of environmental change, and these changes may be driving large declines in genetic diversity. However, data on genetic diversity are highly skewed towards temperate regions. The degree to which diversity loss has occurred in tropical species, particularly marine species, remains an open and important question. Here, we directly compare genomic data from modern and museum collections of two commercially-harvested nearshore marine fishes (Equulites laterofenestra and Gazza minuta) gathered from a single location …

Preservation Of Genetic Diversity And Selection Over A Century In A Coral Reef Fish (Taeniamia Zosterophora) In The Philippines, Kyra S. Fitz, Rene A. Abesamis, Jemelyn Grace P. Baldisimo, Abner A. Bucol, René D. Clark, Eric Garcia, Ivan R. Lopez, Sharon F. Magnuson, Marial J. Malabag, Richard N. Muallil, Lynne R. Parenti, Brendan R. Reid, Mudjekeewis D. Santos, Christopher E. Bird, Kent E. Carpenter, Malin L. Pinsky

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Evaluating the evolutionary impacts of anthropogenic activity on populations is key to understanding species resiliency and to designing effective conservation strategies. Sequencing DNA from historical specimens provides the opportunity to establish a historical baseline and empirically assess changes in genetic diversity, changes in effective population size, and selection over time. Here, we sequenced historical and contemporary samples of the cardinalfish Taeniamia zosterophora collected in 1908 and in 2021-2022 across two sites with differing human impact in the Philippines. At both sites, genetic diversity increased over time, with contemporary samples having significantly higher Watterson's Θ than historical samples. This diversity increase …

Symbiodiniaceae Shifts Over The Last Decade On The Hottest Coral Reefs On Earth, Anna Fiesinger, Rachel Alderdice, Luigi Colin, Hannah Manns, Gabriela Perna, Kathryn H. Stankiewicz, Jacob J. Valenzuela, Line K. Bay, Daniel J. Barshis, Nitin S. Baliga, Iliana B. Baums, John A. Burt, Christian R. Voolstra

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Corals in the Persian/Arabian Gulf (PAG) are resilient to various stressors, whose levels exceed those of coral reefs globally. These corals thereby offer insight into mechanisms underlying thermal resilience, e.g., regarding the role of endosymbiotic microalgae in the family Symbiodiniaceae. Previous studies have identified the thermotolerant species Cladocopium thermophilum as broadly associated with corals in the southern PAG. However, algal-host specificity at the within-species level and the temporal stability of these associations are not well understood. Here we sampled two dominant stony corals (Porites harrisoni, n = 119 and Platygyra daedalea, n = 79) at three sites …

Description Of All Stages Of A New Tick Species From California Haemaphysalis Vespertina (Acari: Ixodidae), With Redescription Of H. Leporispalustris Packard, 1869 Adults And Phylogenetic Relationships Among Related U.S. Taxa, Andrea Egizi, Santiago Nava, Angie Nakano, Megan E. M. Saunders, Lauren P. Maestas, Autumn D. Angelus, Bruce Noden, Robyn M. Nadolny, Waheed I. Bajwa, Charles Lubelcyzk, Chanakya R. Bhosale, Susan Paskewitz, Holly D. Gaff, Lorenza Beati

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

All active stages of Haemaphysalis vespertina sp. nov. (Acari: Ixodidae), a tick previously identified as H. leporispalustris Packard, 1869, are described from specimens collected on the vegetation and from leporids in California and Oregon. The adults of H. leporispalustris Packard, 1969 are redescribed based on type material. Adults of the two species can be distinguished by their overall size, the dorsal shape of palpal segment II, the number and shape of dorsal and ventral setae on palpal segment II, the number of spurs on coxae II, the length of setae on scutum, legs and coxae, and the pattern of scutal …

The Role Of Floodplain Complexity In Wood Turtle Habitat Use, Laura S. Deming

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Wood turtles occupy cold, low-gradient riverine habitat throughout the northeastern United State and southeastern Canada. Stream alterations, such as dams, channel straightening, and floodplain development have diminished the natural hydrologic and sedimentation regimes that result in complex channel and floodplain geomorphology. Studies throughout the species’ range have quantified many aspects of their habitat, but none have quantified components of geomorphology of wood turtle sites. The goal of this study was to explore the role of stream channel and floodplain geomorphology in wood turtle habitat use, with specific objectives to (1) quantify components of stream channel and floodplain geomorphic complexity, (2) …

Mechanisms Leading To Cell Survival Through Membrane Repair In Pyroptosis, Prafulla Shrestha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Evaluation And Identification Of Novel Viruses In Wild Fishes Using Varied Molecular Biology Techniques, Clayton Douglas Raines

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Viruses are among the most abundant biological entities on Earth, yet their diversity and ecological roles in aquatic vertebrates, particularly fishes, remain poorly characterized. This dissertation advances fish virology through integrative approaches that combine historical context, molecular diagnostics, and genomic discovery. A novel hepadnavirus (ApHBV) was identified in asymptomatic Alosa pseudoharengus, emphasizing the prevalence of subclinical infections in migratory forage species. In Catostomus commersonii, transcriptomic profiling revealed sexually dimorphic immune responses to hepatitis B and C-like viruses, highlighting complex host-pathogen dynamics. In Micropterus nigricans, next-generation sequencing uncovered a novel nackednavirus and multiple adomaviruses within hyperpigmented lesions, expanding …

The Effect Of Sars-Cov-2 On Bacterial Diversity And Abundance In Community Wastewater, Joshua Lambert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) enters human respiratory cells through binding of its spike (S) protein to the ACE-2 receptor, which is highly expressed in lung cells, but is also found in over 150 other cell types encompassing major organs including GI enterocytes. SARS-CoV-2 causes gut dysbiosis in infected individuals and patients with COVID-19 and also coincides with lower alpha diversity of the individual’s gut microbiome. Certain gut microbiome-associated genera are lower in abundance in COVID-19 patients including Lachnospira, Prevetolla, Roseburia, Bifidobacterium, and Faecalibacterium while genera such as Bacteroides, Enterococcus and Proteobacteria are increased during a SARS-CoV-2 …

Loss Of Endogenous Circadian Clock Function In Mice Alters Respiratory Cycle Timing In A Time Of Day- And Sex-Specific Manner, Aaron A. Jones, Deanna M. Arble

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Resting breathing and ventilatory chemoreflexes are regulated in a 24-hr manner by the endogenous circadian clock. However, it is unclear how circadian biology influences different phases of the breath-to-breath respiratory cycle which are predominantly controlled by pontomedullary regions of the brainstem. Here, we performed whole-body plethysmography during quiet wakefulness in young adult male and female mice lacking the core clock gene Brain and Muscle Arnt-like 1 (BMAL1) to determine the extent to which the molecular clock affects respiratory cycle timing and ventilatory airflow mechanics. Breath waveform analysis revealed that male BMAL1 knockout (KO) mice exhibit time of day-specific differences in …

Long-Term Increases In Wing Length Occur Independently Of Changes In Climate And Climate-Driven Shifts In Body Size, Tiffany Dias, Nathan P. Lemoine, Scott W. Yanco, Marketa Zimova, Rachael A. Bay, Brian C. Weeks

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Recent widespread reductions in body size across species have been linked to increasing temperatures; simultaneous increases in wing length relative to body size have been broadly observed but remain unexplained. Size and shape may change independently of one another, or these morphological shifts may be linked, with body size mediating or directly driving the degree to which shape changes. Using hierarchical Bayesian models and a morphological time series of 27 366 specimens from five North American migratory passerine bird species, we tested the roles that climate and body size have played in shifting wing length allometry over four decades. We …