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Analyzing Head Morphology Trends With Increasing Population Density In A Jamaican Lizard Species, Lillian Durand

2024 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

Anolis lizards are model organisms for studying natural selection and evolutionary processes. One trait that is hypothesized to be advantageous for males is head size, as larger heads lead to stronger bite forces and increased likelihood in outcompeting other males for mates. To better understand how linked head size and intraspecific competition are, the head morphology of male A. lineatopus was analyzed among Jamaican populations with varying levels of population density. Population densities were determined using standardized plot surveys and mark resight models. Head dimensions and body condition for individual lizards were measured at each site. My study found that …

Evaluating The Current State Of Evolution Acceptance Instruments: A Research Coordination Network Meeting Report, M. Elizabeth Barnes, Rahmi Q. Aini, James P. Collins, Ryan D.P. Dunk, Emily A. Holt, Jamie Jensen, Joanna R. Klein, Taya Misheva, Louis S. Nadelson, Michael J. Reiss, William L. Romine, Andrew Shtulman, Amanda L. Townley, Jason R. Wiles, Yi Zheng, Sara E. Brownell

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Hundreds of studies have explored student evolution acceptance because evolution is a core concept of biology that many undergraduate biology students struggle to accept. However, this construct of “evolution acceptance” has been defined and measured in various ways, which has led to inconsistencies across studies and difficulties in comparing results from different studies. Many studies and essays have offered evaluations and perspectives of evolution acceptance instruments, but publications with a focus on consensus building across research teams is still needed. Further, little attention has been paid to how evolution acceptance instruments may be interpreted differently by students with varied religious …

Interspecific Selection In A Diverse Mycorrhizal Symbiosis, Megan A. Rúa, Jason D. Hoeksema

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Coevolution describes evolutionary change in which two or more interacting species reciprocally drive each other’s evolution, potentially resulting in trait diversification and ecological speciation. Much progress has been made in analysis of its dynamics and consequences, but relatively little is understood about how coevolution works in multispecies interactions, i.e., those with diverse suites of species on one or both sides of an interaction. Interactions among plant hosts and their mutualistic ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM) may provide an ecologically unique arena to examine the nature of selection in multispecies interactions. Using native genotypes of Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), we performed a common …

Transcription Factor Expression Landscape In Drosophila Embryonic Cell Lines, Robert A. Drewell, Daniel Klonaros, Jacqueline Dresch

Biology

Background: Transcription factor (TF) proteins are a key component of the gene regulatory networks that control cellular fates and function. TFs bind DNA regulatory elements in a sequence-specific manner and modulate target gene expression through combinatorial interactions with each other, cofactors, and chromatin-modifying proteins. Large-scale studies over the last two decades have helped shed light on the complex network of TFs that regulate development in Drosophila melanogaster. Results: Here, we present a detailed characterization of expression of all known and predicted Drosophila TFs in two well-established embryonic cell lines, Kc167 and S2 cells. Using deep coverage RNA sequencing approaches we …

The Mayfly Newsletter, Donna Giberson

The Mayfly Newsletter

The Mayfly Newsletter is the official newsletter of the Permanent Committee of the International Conferences on Ephemeroptera.

A Multiplex Metabolomic Approach For Quality Control Of Spirulina Supplement And Its Allied Microalgae (Amphora & Chlorella) Assisted By Chemometrics And Molecular Networking, Nesrine Hegazi, Amira R. Khattab, Hamada H. Saad, Bishoy Abib, Mohamed A. Farag

Faculty Journal Articles

Microalgae species are of economic importance regarded as “green gold” being rich in bioactive compounds. Spirulina and Chlorella are the most popular microalgal species and are marketed as healthy food supplements. At the same time, Amphora holds potential as a source of healthy lipids and essential fatty acids. Yet, there are considerable variations in their reported chemical composition, and less is known about their compositional differences. A multiplexed metabolomic approach was adopted for the quality control (QC) of Spirulina supplements and to compare its constitutive metabolome to Chlorella and Amphora. The adopted protocol comprised gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS), ultra-high performance …

Evaluating Corn, Tall Fescue And Canola Growth On Sediments Dredged From The Lorain Harbor, Maureen E. Roddy, Emily Kalhert, Corry T. Platt, Ashley N. Julian, Megan A. Rúa

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Soil degradation is a worldwide problem, causing the declining performance of many plant species. Recently, the application of sediments dredged from aquatic waterways has received attention for their potential as an organic amendment to revive degraded agricultural soils. In Ohio, dredged sediment research has largely focused on the success of corn (Zea mays) or soybean (Glycine max) following the application of dredged sediments from the Toledo Harbor, neglecting the potential for dredged sediments from the other eight harbors and waterways to change plant performance as well as failing to quantify benefits for other commonly grown crops in the region. In …

Analysis Of Microbiome In Various Human Medical Conditions Using Next-Generation Sequencing Of The 16s Rrna Gene, Pallavi Sharma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Studies of human microbiomics, spanning diverse anatomical sites, offer a unique perspective into the complex microbial communities within the body. Influenced by age, gender, and disease, it mirrors broader microbial ecosystems. This study specifically delves into the ocular and gastrointestinal tract microbiome, comparing its composition in 43 healthy and diseased patients using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We identified a rich microbial landscape, identifying over 338 bacterial taxa. Notably, Acinetobacter, Cutibacterium, Acidovorax and Herbaspirillum were prevalent in the ocular samples and Akkermansia, Faecalibacterium, and Anaerostipes were mostly prevalent in gut samples. Moreover, dry eye disease conditions were characterized by …

Evaluating The Success Of A Relocated Mussel Community In The Lower Sulphur River, Texas, Rachel M. Leicher

Biology Theses

Conservation efforts to preserve freshwater mussel communities have become more common as these animals become increasingly threatened by their changing habitats. As humans continue to shape and change the world around them, aquatic species living in modified and disturbed water systems can be negatively impacted leading to decline of the ecosystem. During disturbance events involving a stream, river, or pond, the relocation of affected mussel beds is becoming more widespread. Although there are few of these studies, many of those that have been conducted are seen as successful in relocating and conserving their mussel communities. This study focuses on detection …

Integrating Responsible And Ethical Conduct Of Research Into Cures: A Longitudinal Study Observing Professional Development Of Fellows Within The Ethics Network For Course-Based Opportunities In Undergraduate Research, Aimee Angelica Hernandez-Gaytan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Novel Autoantibody Panel For Prostate Cancer Detection Based On Immunoproteomic Profiling And Cancer Driver Genes, Cuipeng Qiu

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most frequent cancer in males with 1.47 million new cases and 396,700 deaths worldwide in 2022. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among males in the United States with over 35,000 estimated deaths in 2024. PCa is a type of indolent cancer that can progress to an advanced metastatic castration-resistant (mCRPC) stage if not detected and treated early. Screening precancerous lesions or early tumor detection is an effective strategy to reduce the mortality of cancer. Despite the development of effective screening methods, such as the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, the specificity …

Effect Of Integrated Crop–Livestock Systems On Soil Properties And Microbial Diversity In Soybean Production, Namita Sinha, Brett R. Rushing, Aniruddha Acharya, Shankar Gaapathi Shanmugam

Faculty Publications - Biological Sciences

Integrated crop and livestock systems (ICLSs) have been considered an important management-based decision to improve soil health by carbon sequestration. A two-year study (2019–2021) at CPBES in Newton, MS, was conducted to evaluate the effect of an ICLS on soil microbial diversity in the southeastern region of the USA, representing agroclimatic conditions that are warm and humid. Amplicons targeting bacterial 16S rRNA genes and fungal ITS2 regions were sequenced. Taxonomic assignment and characterization of microbial diversity were performed using QIIME2®. Soil fungal diversity pattern showed significant difference (alpha diversity, p = 0.031 in 2020 and beta diversity, p = 0.037 …

Evaluating The Roles Of Pollinators In Shaping The Floral Color Variation Of Phacelia Dubia, Katherine Riddle

All Theses

Floral color variation within a species is a common occurrence and its maintenance has been a long-standing question in evolutionary biology. Differences in flower color between populations can be shaped by pollinator-mediated selection. Pollinators can exhibit innate and learned preferences for color that may influence floral color variation. These preferences may be molded by the visual environment in which pollinators forage. Most current understanding of how pollinators shape floral color variation involves dramatic differences in dominant pollinators between populations (e.g., hawkmoth vs. bee) and most behavioral work utilized model pollinators like honeybee and bumble bee. However, less is known about …

Use Of Hatchery-Raised Fish In Validation Of Daily Age Estimates For Juvenile Common Snook, Philip W. Stevens, Kyle L. Williams, Meredith B. Pfennig, Ryan W. Schloesser, Alexis A. Trotter, Derek P. Crane

Biology

Objective: We investigated the validity of daily age estimates for juvenile Common Snook Centropomus undecimalis by using sectioned and sanded sagittal otoliths. Methods: Common Snook have a protracted spawning season, which is problematic for validation of daily ages because a hatch date—needed to calculate age—cannot be reasonably assigned like it can for species with a short spawning period (<30 days). To help overcome this, two readers independently counted presumed daily increments in otoliths collected from hatchery-reared Common Snook of known age (100–240 days; n = 91). Result: Differences between known ages and those estimated from otoliths were small (mean absolute difference = 3.4 days) for individuals aged 100 days, but these differences increased after 100 days, mainly due to the crowding of increments along the otolith margin. Underestimation of ages was 8% at 120 days, 29% at 180 days, and 36% at 240 days. Conclusion: Ideally, analyses based on counts of daily increments in Common Snook otoliths should be limited to fish with an age of 100 days or younger.

A Practical Guide To Avoiding Biased Communication In Reproductive Biology, Zoe Baker, Virginia Hayssen

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

When cultural biases pervade communication, whether visual or text-based, objectivity is impaired. Anthropocentrism (human-centered bias) and androcentrism (male-centered bias) in particular distort perspectives in mammalian reproductive biology. This paper provides a resource for professionals who understand how cultural biases can be reinforced with language, visuals, and conceptual framing. After brief explanations, we present neutral alternatives to biased terminology as well as ways to avoid bias in illustrations. Since this paper is animal-centric, we hope to inspire the creation of similar resources across a more diverse biota and, thus, move towards a more neutral perspective across reproductive biology.

An Extensive Exploration Of Generalist Microbotryum Species Through Host Interactions., Emilee Walters

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

The Microbotryum species complex is a group of fungi, commonly known as anther smuts. Anther smuts are plant parasites that must invade a host plant in order to fulfill their life cycle. As the Microbotryum fungus grows, it sterilizes the host plant, such that infected plants produce fungal teliospores instead of pollen on the male reproductive organs and female reproductive structures do not mature. Microbotryum usually exists as a specialist species, however, there is evidence that several species of anther smuts can exist as generalist species. Comparisons of the infection process and the resulting response of both parasite and host …

Survival Of The Smartest? The Evolutionary Ecology Of Cognition In Anolis Lizards, Mahaut V. Sorlin

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive processes such as learning, memory, and decision-making are integral to an organism’s fitness, allowing to integrate cues from its environment and adjust its behavior accordingly. Historically, cognitive abilities were thought to have evolved according to a Scala Naturae design—an idea that has since been disproven—which suggested that complex cognitive abilities were exclusive to “higher” taxa. This perspective has created significant phylogenetic gaps in our understanding of cognitive evolution. In this dissertation I aimed to address this issue by investigating the evolution of cognition in reptiles, focusing on the green (Anolis carolinensis) and the brown anole (Anolis …

Genetic Aspects Of Resilience In The Foundational Seagrass Halodule Wrightii: The Role Of Genetic Variation And Gene Expression In Maintaining Primary Production, Anastasia M. Konefal

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Seagrasses are coastal foundation species which significantly contribute to the primary production of shallow water ecosystems and provide several services. However, seagrasses, like other coastal foundation species, are threatened by myriad anthropogenic stressors. Conservation is difficult in ecosystems under multiple threats where the factors that contribute to production are not easily elucidated. Genetic diversity and gene expression may be related to the function and stability of populations but are rarely considered in management plans. High genetic diversity and the associated trait variation within a population are known to contribute to higher function and stability of a population. Additionally, individual-level changes …

Integrated Transcriptomics And Proteomics Study Of Starvation Selected Drosophila Melanogaster, Aavash Adhikari

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Drosophila melanogaster, selected for starvation resistance exhibits phenotypic traits such as increased body size, slower development, reduced fecundity and obesity like characteristics including higher lipid reserves and cardiac dysfunction. While prior studies have explored the metabolic and biochemical changes in these flies, the underlying genetic and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the gene expression and protein abundance in starvation-selected Drosophila through RNAseq, proteomics, and integrating both datasets using the MixOmics package in R. I found differential gene expression in the fat body at the third instar larval stage, particularly in pathways related to lipid metabolism, calcium …

Physiology And Genomics At The Bottom Of The World: Genome To Phenome, Amy Christine Klink

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Mammals are exposed to a suite of physiological challenges based on the environment in which they inhabit. Animal individuals can overcome challenges associated with the dynamic nature of their habitat through variation in phenotypic traits. The plasticity of a phenotype relies on an individual’s genome and the transcription factors that act on regulatory elements. Species living in Antarctica display physiological specializations to withstand harsh conditions, such as severe cold temperatures, shifts in available ice habitat, and annual fluctuations in daylight. To explore the connections between an individual’s genome and its phenotype, we investigated two physiologies of the Antarctic Weddell seal …

Immune Variation Across Different Contexts In Non-Model Systems, Kwanho Claudia Ki

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The immune system is important to an animal’s survival against disease-causing agents and physical injuries. Accordingly, many resources are required to maintain and activate the immune system (such as energy). However, as these resources also need to be shared with other important systems of the body, the portion of resources that can be allotted to the immune system is variable. Thus, many different factors may alter how well the immune system operates. My dissertation sought to understand what sorts of factors can lead to changes in the immune system. Reptiles are known to have a very robust immune system. Therefore, …

Soil Organic Matter Processes From The Treetops To The Clay Particle: The Role Of Climate, Minerals, And Organic Matter Chemistry In Soil Carbon Accumulation And Stability, Jessica G. Murray

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Soils store more carbon than plants and the atmosphere, yet release ten times more carbon dioxide (CO₂) to the atmosphere than human activities each year. Small shifts in the balance of soil carbon storage and soil carbon emissions could make climate change less severe, by acting as a sink for the carbon plants pull from the atmosphere, or make climate change worse, by releasing even more planet-warming greenhouse gases. The processes governing whether soils store or release carbon depend on tiny soil microorganisms which convert plant carbon to soil organic matter, releasing CO₂ in the process. In …

Analysis Of An Outdoor Pilot-Scale Rotating Algae Biofilm Reactor For Power Optimization, Ash-Enhanced Productivity, And Nutrient Uptake, Peter F. Jeppesen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Outdoor testing of a rotating algae biofilm reactor (RABR) was performed to see how well it could remove nutrients from water and produce algae. By adjusting the operation settings, we found the lowest power needed to remove nitrogen and phosphorus. The lowest power values needed were 1.36 kWh per kilogram of nitrogen and 20.1 kWh per kilogram of phosphorus. The algae production rate reached a maximum of 7.09 grams per square meter per day. Detailed analysis showed that the reactor worked like a continuous flow system, and the performance was influenced by factors including light and temperature. The results also …

Multidecadal Data Demonstrate The Role Of Climate And Natural History Traits In Shaping Butterfly Phenology, Gbolahan Anthony Reis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Climate change is transforming the natural world, altering the timing of key events in the lives of plants and animals, such as when flowers bloom or when butterflies take flight. These timing changes, known as phenology shifts, can disrupt ecosystems and species interactions, creating ripple effects through food webs and biodiversity. While scientists have studied these shifts for decades, much of the focus has been on simple metrics, like the first or last day a butterfly is seen flying each year. However, these measures do not tell the whole story of how climate change is impacting the entire flight season …

Quantitative Analysis Of Protective Effect Of Resveratrol Against Nanoplastic-Induced Oxidative Stress, Bryan Gustafson

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Nanoplastics and microplastics are a growing ecological and health concern due to their widespread prevalence. The effects of these microscopic particles in biological systems primarily relate to their potential to produce reactive oxygen species and interactive effects with other cytotoxic agents. Of particular interest in this work is the effect on mammalian intestinal cells, due to the regular unintentional ingestion of micro- and nanoplastics in the normal western diet. In this study, Caco-2 cells were cultured and exposed to polystyrene particles in vitro as a simple model of the human digestive endothelium.

Resveratrol, a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound, has been …

Socio-Ecological Drivers Of Anthropogenic Marine Debris Effects On Coral Reef Communities In The Florida Keys, Usa, Tokea Payton

All Dissertations

The Florida Keys reef tract has rapidly shifted from a structurally complex, hard coral-dominated reef to a less rugose, soft coral-dominated reef. Persistent anthropogenic stressors facilitate ecological transitions by including recreational and commercial fishing and increased anthropogenic marine debris. These artificial structures are becoming habitats for small marine taxa known as cryptofauna. Cryptofauna are among the most essential yet understudied reef taxa where little is known about their fate considering degrading coral reefs and increasing anthropogenic disturbance. With increased anthropogenic stressors on the marine environment, the SCUBA diving community has initiated extensive marine debris removal efforts to assist in cleaning …

Short-Term Soil Fungal Community Dynamics Following Fire In Mediterranean Climate-Type Banksia Woodlands, Aaron J. Brace, Katinka X. Ruthrof, Ben P. Miller, Joseph B. Fontaine, Anna J.M. Hopkins

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Fire is a dominant ecosystem process in many Mediterranean climate type ecosystems, and is predicted to increase in severity and frequency, shifting away from previous regimes in many regions. Responses of flora and fauna to fire are relatively well studied, but less is known about the responses of belowground microbiota. We quantified soil fungal dynamics over the first 12–15 months after fire, focusing on attributes of the fire regime (season, interval, severity). Soil samples were collected from three sites in a threatened woodland ecosystem in southwestern Australia, a Mediterranean-type climate region. Fungal taxa were identified via high throughput sequencing of …

How Many Tiny Snails? Circumscription Of Three Species Of Pyrgulopsis (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae)In Nevada Mountain Springs, Trenton Meadows

Theses and Dissertations

The springsnail genus Pyrgulopsis is one of the most diverse groups of freshwater gastropods in North America (Hershler, 2014), with many species displaying high levels of endemism (Hurt, 2003). This study attempts to circumscribe three putative species of springsnails: Pyrgulopsis serrata, Pyrgulopsis marcida, and a newly identified clade, referred to as Lineage C, from the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada, USA and nearby springs. Using an integrative taxonomic approach, we combined morphological, anatomical, and molecular data to examine species boundaries and evolutionary relationships.

Many lines of evidence were considered to determine species boundaries. Phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial …

Draft Assembly And Annotation Of The Cuban Crocodile (Crocodylus Rhombifer) Genome, Robert W. Meredith, Yoamel Milián-García, John Gatesy, Michael A. Russello, George Amato

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Objectives: The new data provide an important genomic resource for the Critically Endangered Cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer). Cuban crocodiles are restricted to the Zapata Swamp in southern Matanzas Province, Cuba, and readily hybridize with the widespread American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) in areas of sympatry. The reported de novo assembly will contribute to studies of crocodylian evolutionary history and provide a resource for informing Cuban crocodile conservation. Data description: The final 2.2 Gb draft genome for C. rhombifer consists of 41,387 scaffolds (contigs: N50 = 104.67 Kb; scaffold: N50-518.55 Kb). Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) identified 92.3% of the 3,354 genes …

Understanding The Interactions Between Pollen-Borne Ilarviruses And Pollinators In Peach Orchards, Mandeep Tayal

All Dissertations

Pollen-mediated virus transmission is a common problem in fruit crops. Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) and prune dwarf virus (PDV) are pollen-borne ilarviruses endemic to the southeastern U.S. and cause substantial losses in peach production. PNRSV and PDV are primarily transmitted through vegetative propagation (grafting) as well as via pollen and seed. However, the role of pollinators in transmission dynamics of these viruses is not well understood. First, I documented the bee diversity and abundance during peach bloom in South Carolina, identifying Bombus and Apis as the most dominant genera, followed by Eucera, Andrena and Habropoda. Bee community composition …