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Biological Status Of Leatherside Chub: A Framework For Conservation Of Western Freshwater Fishes, Mark C. Belk, Jerald B. Johnson

Faculty Publications

Outside of anadromous salmonids and a few endangered species, biology of native freshwater fishes of western North America is poorly known. What do we need to know to effectively manage native species and avoid decline and extinction? A recent analysis of the role of science in the Pacific salmon controversy outlines a clear framework for biological evaluation and management of native species. This framework has three components: (1) determine status of populations based on genetic and ecological variation, (2) identify and quantify threats to populations, and (3) determine actions to alleviate threats and promote conservation of populations. We use our …

The Use Of Aflp To Create A Genetic Linkage Map For Fusarium Graminearum, Eric Von Berns

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat and barley has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. FHB in the United States is mainly caused by Fusarium graminearum within the Fusarium species complex. Current methods such as crop rotation and the use of fungicides to control outbreaks have been poor at best. Knowledge of the organism's genome could focus and further research for new methods to control this pathogenic fungus. This study seeks to create a genetic linkage map from an intraspecific cross of the isolates Z-3939 and Z-4243, both isolated from the fields of Kansas. Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLP) …

Quantifying Granivory In A Reconstructed Prairie: Affects Of Season, Species, Seed Predators, Sacrificial Food, And The Chemical Deterrent Capsaicin, Craig M. Hemsath

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Floral diversity of reconstructed prairies is often low compared to remnant prairies. Studies have demonstrated it is feasible to increase forb diversity in these prairies through overseeding and mowing, but overall rates of seedling establishment range from 0.1% to 1% of sown pure live seed. One explanation may be the ubiquitous populations of granivorous animals eating much of the seed . In this thesis I measured the amount of granivory occurring in a reconstructed prairie. I also tested how season, seed species, seed predator, sacrificial food, and chemical deterrents affect granivory in the reconstructed prairie. I hypothesized that granivores remove …

Nest Reuse By Eastern Kingbirds: Adaptive Behavior Or Ecological Constraint?, Lucas J. Redmond, Michael T. Murphy, Amy C. Dolan

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The reuse of old nests by open-cup nesting passerines is a seemingly rare but potentially adaptive behavior if, as a consequence, females begin to breed earlier, lay larger clutches, or fledge more young. We report an unusually high rate of nest reuse (~10% of 341 nests) for Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus) breeding at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon. We found no difference in availability of nesting habitat or food abundance in territories in which nests were and were not reused. We also found no support for the hypotheses that kingbirds benefited from nest reuse by breeding earlier, laying …

Representando El Objeto De La Controversia. El Caso Del Reloj Molecular, Michael Dietrich

Dartmouth Scholarship

This collection of specially commissioned essays puts top scholars head to head to debate the central issues in the lively and fast growing field of philosophy of biology.

Representing The Object Of Controversy: The Case Of The Molecular Clock, Michael Dietrich

Dartmouth Scholarship

Through a case study of the controversies surrounding the molecular clock, this paper examines the role of visual representation in the dynamics of scientific controversies. Representations of the molecular clock themselves became objects of controversy and so were not a means for closure. Instead visual representations of the molecular clock became tools for the further articulation of an ongoing controversy.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (Aids), David Fleischmann

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a fatal syndrome that affects normally healthy individuals who have acquired an immune system deficiency. AIDS is acquired via a viral agent that attacks the immune system of healthy individuals and eventually erodes it, leading to the onset of a collection of deadly diseases. There are many diseases associated with AIDS, although many of them occur only when an individual has full-blown AIDS. Until then, an infected individual faces several different stages of disease.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Sara Miriam Flaum

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Is the use of alcohol in the present time common and socially accepted? In society at large, bars are widespread and frequently visited by the populace. Social clubs, arenas where young people gather on weekends and meet new friends, are usually centered around the presence of alcohol. Business deals cemented over lunch or dinner are commonly accompanied by alcoholic beverages. Advertisements, whether on radio, television, or billboards, give testimony as to how the consumption of a particular alcoholic beverage with a meal would enhance the meal. There is no Super Bowl Game that is not associated with multiple prominent beer …

Use Of Intracoronary Stents In The Treatment Of Coronary Heart Disease, Rachel Musheyeva

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for about one-third of all deaths in subjects over age 35. This rate is higher in men than in women and blacks compared to whites. Prior to age 35, men have a three times higher rate of incidence of CHD than women. Coronary mortality among the Hispanic population is not as high as among blacks and whites.

The Shedding Of Deciduous Teeth, Asher Diamond

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Humans are diphyodont. They develop two sets of teeth during their lives. The deciduous (baby) teeth begin to emerge when a baby is approximately six or seven months old. At about the age of six these teeth begin to fall out, or undergo shedding. They are replaced by the permanent successors. This process of shedding of the deciduous teeth and replacement by the permanent teeth is called exfoliation. Certain teeth are shed earlier than others. How this process happens has been the focus of many studies.

The Bioaccumulation Of Persistent Organic Pollutants In Marine Species From Irish And Surrounding Waters, Brendan Mchugh

Doctoral

The presence of anthropogenic pollutants throughout all compartments of the marine environment have been of international concern for a number of decades. While a great number of datasets documenting “absolute” concentrations of persistent organic pollutants in a variety of marine biota are available, bioaccumulation, biomagnification and the fate of these compounds in the marine food web or marine ecosystem is often not possible. This thesis reports various analytical methodologies employed to determine levels of a wide scope of persistent organic pollutants in marine biota and traces the flow of carbon and nitrogen isotopes through the marine food web, ultimately applying …

Species Richness And Abundance Estimates Of Small Mammals In Zaraninge Coastal Forest In Tanzania, H. Y. D. Kiwia

Tanzania Journal of Science

A study on small mammals (<2 kg) was conducted in Zaraninge Forest, Coast Region, Tanzania, in the dry and wet seasons from 1994 to1996. The forest was found to harbour 11 small mammal species from 11 genera and seven families. There was high similarity in the number of species caught during the two seasons (Sørensen Coefficient (CCs)=0.92), implying there to be minimal migration of the species in the area. A total of 159 individuals were caught during the dry season, rodents accounting for 89.3% of the total catch and insectivores 10.7%. The most common species were Cricetomys gambianus and Grammomys dolichurus that had trap successes of 2.83 and 1.11 respectively. During the wet season 185 animals were caught, rodents accounting for 92.4% of the total catch and insectivores 7.6%. Cricetomys gambianus was significantly more abundant during the dry season. Graphiurus murinus was not caught in this season and no trend in abundance was detected for the other species. Forest specialist species included Paraxerus palliatus and Petrodromus petersi. No species was endemic to the forest, near-endemic species that occur in coastal and Eastern Arc forests included P. petersi and Beamys hindei. B. hindei also occurs in a few other East African forests. Threatened species are B. hindei and P. palliatus that are vulnerable and P. petersi that is endangered. Lepus capensis is in Appendix I of CITES list and Hystrix cristata and Mellivora capensis in Appendix III. The forest, though small is in good health and fairly well protected, therefore the species are not in danger of being locally extinct in the near future.

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 …

Species Richness And Abundance Of Large Mammals In Zaraninge Forest, Coast Region, Tanzania, H. Y. D. Kiwia

Tanzania Journal of Science

A study on the large mammals of Zaraninge Forest was conducted using the line transect method between 1995 and 2001. They comprised 16 species from 7 families, including Bovidae (5), Canidae (1), Cercopithecidae (4), Felidae (1), Galagonidae (2), Orycteropodidae (1) and Suidae (2). Only nine species of primates and antelopes were encountered frequently enough for densities to be estimated. A total of 404 sightings from 40 counts were recorded, the majority being for blue monkey (34.9%) and Angolan colobus (26.0%). For galagos, 210 sightings from 58 counts were recorded, the majority being for Rondo galago (62.2%). Absolute density (individuals km-2) …

Recent Advances In Basic Neurosciences And Brain Disease: From Synapses To Behavior, Guo-Qiang Bi, Vadim Bolshakov, Guojun Bu, Catherine M. Cahill, Zhou-Feng Chen, Graham L. Collingridge, Robin L. Cooper, Jens R. Coorssen, Alaa El-Husseini, Vasco Galhardo, Wen-Biao Gan, Jianguo Gu, Kazuhide Inoue, John Isaac, Koichi Iwata, Zhengping Jia, Bong-Kiun Kaang, Mikito Kawamata, Satoshi Kida, Eric Klann, Tatsuro Kohno, Min Li, Xiao-Jiang Li, John F. Macdonald, Karim Nader, Peter V. Nguyen, Uhtaek Oh, Ke Ren, John C. Roder, Michael W. Salter, Weihong Song, Shuzo Sugita, Shao-Jun Tang, Yuanxiang Tao, Yu Tian Wang, Newton Woo, Melanie A. Woodin, Zhen Yan, Megumu Yoshimura, Ming Xu, Zao C. Xu, Xia Zhang, Mei Zhen, Min Zhuo

Biology Faculty Publications

Understanding basic neuronal mechanisms hold the hope for future treatment of brain disease. The 1st international conference on synapse, memory, drug addiction and pain was held in beautiful downtown Toronto, Canada on August 21-23, 2006. Unlike other traditional conferences, this new meeting focused on three major aims: (1) to promote new and cutting edge research in neuroscience; (2) to encourage international information exchange and scientific collaborations; and (3) to provide a platform for active scientists to discuss new findings. Up to 64 investigators presented their recent discoveries, from basic synaptic mechanisms to genes related to human brain disease. This meeting …

The Plant Structure Ontology, A Unified Vocabulary Of Anatomy And Morphology Of A Flowering Plant, Katica Ilic, Elizabeth Kellogg, Pankaj Jaiswal, Felipe Zapata, Peter Stevens, Leszek Vincent, Shulamit Avraham, Leonore Reiser, Anuradha Pujar, Martin Sachs, Noah Whitman, Susan Mccouch, Mary Schaeffer, Doreen Ware, Lincoln Stein, Seung Rhee

Biology Department Faculty Works

Formal description of plant phenotypes and standardized annotation of gene expression and protein localization data require uniform terminology that accurately describes plant anatomy and morphology. This facilitates cross species comparative studies and quantitative comparison of phenotypes and expression patterns. A major drawback is variable terminology that is used to describe plant anatomy and morphology in publications and genomic databases for different species. The same terms are sometimes applied to different plant structures in different taxonomic groups. Conversely, similar structures are named by their species-specific terms. To address this problem, we created the Plant Structure Ontology (PSO), the first generic ontological …

Spatial Variation In The Chemical Composition Of Natal Otholiths From A Reef Fish In The Galápagos Islands, Benjamin I. Ruttenberg, Robert R. Warner

Biological Sciences

Over the past decade, researchers have used variation in the chemical composition of fish otoliths (earstones) to address a number of ecological questions, such as stock assessment and assessing rates of movement of individuals among habitats or life-history stages. However, these methods have yet to be applied successfully to the study of larval connectivity, a major unanswered question in marine ecology. Accomplishing this task requires a reference collection of pre-pelagic natal otoliths and accurate measurement of the chemical signatures of otoliths cores of recruits. We analyzed the chemical composition of natal otoliths from near-term benthic eggs of a damselfish (Stegastes …

Caenorhabditis Briggsae Methods, Scott Everet Baird, Helen M. Chamberlin

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Caenorhabditis briggsae is being developed in parallel to C. elegans as a model system, primarily for the study of evolution. Like C. elegans, C. briggsae is a protandrous hermaphrodite and like C. elegans, its genome has been sequenced. From this point, these two model systems diverge. The development, behavior, and physiology of C. elegans have been characterized through tens of thousands of genetic and molecular studies. Genetic and molecular characterizations of C. briggsae are relatively few. Experimental resources in C. elegans include a high density recombination map that is well integrated with the genome sequence. The C. briggsae …

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 …

Amyloid-Β-Induced Pathological Behaviors Are Suppressed By Ginkgo Biloba Extract Egb 761 And Ginkgolides In Transgenic Caenorhabditis Elegans, Yanjue Wu, Zhixin Wu, Peter Butko, Yves Christen, Mary P. Lambert, William L. Klein, Christopher D. Link, Yuan Luo

Faculty Publications

Amyloid-β (Aβ) toxicity has been postulated to initiate synaptic loss and subsequent neuronal degeneration seen in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We previously demonstrated that the standardized Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761, commonly used to enhance memory and by AD patients for dementia, inhibits Aβ-induced apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells. In this study, we use EGb 761 and its single constituents to associate Aβ species with Aβ-induced pathological behaviors in a model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans. We report that EGb 761 and one of its components, ginkgolide A, alleviates Aβ-induced pathological behaviors, including paralysis, and reduces chemotaxis behavior and 5-HT hypersensitivity in a transgenic …

Standard-Level Herbivory In An Old-Growth Conifer Forest Canopy, David C. Shaw, Kristina A. Ernest, H. Bruce Rinker, Margaret D. Lowman

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Herbivory is an important ecological process in forest canopies but is difficult to measure, especially for whole stands. We used the Wind River Canopy Crane in Washington State to access 101 randomly-located sample points throughout the forest canopy. This provided a relatively quick and convenient way to estimate herbivory for a whole stand. The overall level of herbivory was estimated at 1.6% of leaf area. The distribution was strongly skewed to the lower canopy where broad-leafed species experienced higher levels of herbivory. Herbivory averaged 0.3% in conifers and 13.5% in broad-leafed species. Fully half of the sample points had no …

Evolution In Neotropical Herpetofauna: Species Boundaries In High Andean Frogs And Evolutionary Genetics In The Lava Lizard Genus Microlophus (Squamata: Tropiduridae): A History Of Colonization And Dispersal, Edgar Benavides

Theses and Dissertations

In this collection of papers I have summarized my investigations into the field of evolutionary genetics and more specifically into patterns of biodiversity and evolutionary processes. The lizards (and frogs) studied here share common features in that they are largely present in unique environments, which are also regions that are biologically understudied. Most of these taxa show high degrees of endemism, interesting natural history characteristics, and each group manifests distinctive adaptations of general evolutionary interest. My work in the genus Telmatobius has been a progressive approach that began in my MS program, and it first focused on alpha taxonomy, morphological …

Molecular Screening Of Azoreductase Gene And Its Activity In Human Intestinal Bacteria, Syndia S. Todd

McCabe Thesis Collection

The intestinal microflora are capable of performing a wide variety of metabolic transformations. "The intestinal bacteria can enhance the function of the entire gastrointestinal tract, protect against pathogenic, maintain the vital chemical balance of the gastrointestinal system, and produce needed vitamins and hormones" (http;//www.upwardquest.com/crit2.html). Some of the products of this metabolism have been associated with carcinogenic processes, such as cancer, tumor formation, gastrointestinal disease, and infections. The ability of human intestinal microbes to interact with metabolites directly or after recirculation may contribute toward different toxicological disorders and disease.

The purpose of this study is to characterize and isolate the azoreductase …

Signaling Through The Trail Receptor Dr5/Fadd Pathway Plays A Role In The Apoptosis Associated With Skeletal Myoblast Differentiation, J. O'Flaherty, Y. Mei, M. Freer, C. M. Weyman

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Apoptosis rather than differentiation is a physiological process during myogenesis and muscle regeneration. When cultured myoblasts were induced to differentiate, we detected an increase in caspase 8 activity. Pharmacological inhibition of caspase 8 activity decreased apoptosis. Expression of a dominant-negative mutant of the adapter protein FADD also abrogated apoptosis, implicating a death ligand pathway. Treatment with TRAIL, but not Fas, induced apoptosis in these myoblasts. Accordingly, treatment with a soluble TRAIL decoy receptor or expression of a dominant-negative mutant of the TRAIL receptor DR5 abrogated apoptosis. While TRAIL expression levels remained unaltered in apoptotic myoblasts, DR5 expression levels increased. Finally, …

Improved Monitoring Of Habs Using Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (Auv), Ian C. Robbins, G. J. Kirkpatrick, Shelley M. Blackwell, J. Hillier, Charles A. Knight, Mark A. Moline

Biological Sciences

Blooms of toxic algae are increasing in magnitude and frequency around the globe, causing extensive economic and environmental impacts. On the west coast of Florida, blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate Karenia brevis (Davis) have been documented annually for the last 30 years causing respiratory irritation in humans, fish kills, and toxin bioaccumulation in shellfish beds. As a result, methods need to be established to monitor and predict bloom formation and transport to mitigate their harmful effects on the surrounding ecosystems and local communities. In the past, monitoring and mitigation efforts have relied on visual confirmation of water discoloration, fish kills, …

Outcomes Of The Wetline Review. The Minister For Fisheries Proposed Decision For The Future Management Of The West Coast And Gascoyne Commercial 'Wetline' Fisheries, Department Of Fisheries Western Australia.

Fisheries Management Papers

This document details my proposed decisions regarding the new management arrangements for the West Coast and Gascoyne commercial “wetline” fisheries. Before finalising my position on the new management arrangements for these fisheries I invite any final comments on the proposed arrangements set out in this document. Although specific issues have been identified, your views are sought on any or all of the matters in the document of significance to you and/or your group.

Desulfosporosinus Lacus Sp. Nov., A Sulfate-Reducing Bacterium Isolated From Pristine Freshwater Lake Sediments, S. Ramamoorthy, H. Sass, H. Langner, P. Schumann, R. M. Kroppenstedt, S. Spring, J. Overmann, R. Frank Rosenzweig

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

A novel sulfate-reducing bacterium was isolated from pristine sediments of Lake Stechlin, Germany. This strain, STP12 , was found to contain predominantly c-type cytochromes and to reduce sulfate, sulfite and thiosulfate using lactate as an electron donor. Although STP12 could not utilize elemental sulfur as an electron acceptor, it could support growth by dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction. In a comparison of 16S rRNA gene sequences, STP12 was 96.7 % similar to Desulfosporosinus auripigmenti DSM 13351 , 96.5 % similar to Desulfosporosinus meridiei DSM 13257 and 96.4 % similar to Desulfosporosinus orientis DSM 765 . DNA-DNA hybridization experiments revealed that strain STP12 …

Spring Ephemeral Plant Diversity As It Relates To Gap Dynamics In Vigo County, Indiana, Jodi K. Farrell Sparks

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During the course of 25 years, plant specimens from several local locations have been collected and deposited into the Indiana State University (ISU) Herbarium by plant taxonomy students. The locations of some of these plots were reestablished in the spring of 2004. In each plot, all woody and spring herbaceous plants were collected from 26 February 2004 to 12 May 2004. These specimens were identified and compared to previous collections to examine species change in the context of gap dynamics. I compiled a species list for each plot and each preserve. Objectives for this thesis were to document plant diversity …

Review Of "Plant Exploration For Longwood Gardens" By T. Aniśko, Nicholas J. Kaplinsky

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Patric: The Vbi Pathosystems Resource Integration Center, Gongxin Yu

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The PathoSystems Resource Integration Center (PATRIC) is one of eight Bioinformatics Resource Centers (BRCs) funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infection Diseases (NIAID) to create a data and analysis resource for selected NIAID priority pathogens, specifically proteobacteria of the genera Brucella, Rickettsia and Coxiella, and corona-, caliciand lyssaviruses and viruses associated with hepatitis A and E. The goal of the project is to provide a comprehensive bioinformatics resource for these pathogens, including consistently annotated genome, proteome and metabolic pathway data to facilitate research into counter-measures, including drugs, vaccines and diagnostics. The project’s curation strategy has three …