Digital Commons Network^™

Vegetation And Flora Of American Beech Woods Nature Preserve, Clark County, Illinois, Bob Edgin, Gordon C. Tucker, John E. Ebinger

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Temporal Patterns In Fall Migrant Communities In Yucatan, Mexico, Jill L. Deppe, John T. Rotenberry

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

We quantified temporal turnover in the composition of fall migrant landbird communities along the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula using Detrended Correspondence Analysis. The presence of winter residents of many migrant species at the site prevented turnover from being complete. However, early and late season transient communities shared few, if any, species in common. Point-count surveys showed greater compositional change than net surveys that included winter residents. The rate of species turnover was generally slow until the middle of the season, when it reached a maximum, and decreased again toward the end of the season as species composition began …

Morphological Divergence Of Native And Recently Established Populations Of White Sands Pupfish (Cyprinodon Tularosa), Michael L. Collyer, James M. Novak, Craig A. Stockwell

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

We used landmark-based geometric morphometric methods to describe patterns of body shape variation and shape covariation with size among populations of the threatened White Sands Pupfish (Cyprinodon tularosa), a species that occurs in dissimilar aquatic habitats. White Sands Pupfish populations include two genetically distinct, native populations that have been historically isolated in Salt Creek, a saline river, and Malpais Spring, a brackish spring. In addition, two populations were established approximately 30 years before this study by translocation of fish from Salt Creek to Lost River (a saline river) and Mound Spring (a brackish spring). We found significant body shape variation …

Social Organization Of The Eastern Rock Elephant-Shrew (Elephantulus Myurus): The Evidence For Mate Guarding, David O. Ribble, M. R. Perrin

Biology Faculty Research

Understanding the costs and benefits of defending solitary females, or mate guarding, may be the key to understanding the evolution of monogamy in most mammals. Elephant-shrews, or sengis, are a unique clade of small mammals that are particularly attractive for studies of mate guarding. We studied the spatial organization of Eastern Rock Sengis (Elephantulus myurus) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, from August – December 2000. Our objectives were to describe the home ranges of males and females using radiotelemetry, noting the sizes and overlap of adjacent ranges and how the spatial organization changes through time. Males and females were …

Gambelia Wislizenii (Long-Nosed Leopard Lizard). Arboreal Behavior., Stephen C. Adolph, Sean P. Fogarty '06

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

In the North American southwest, leopard lizards (genus Gambelia) are characteristically ground dwelling (Stebbins 2003. A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians, 3rd ed., Houghton-Mifflin, New York. 533 pp.; Smith 1946. Handbook of Lizards, Comstock Publishing Co., Ithaca, New York. 557 pp.). In G. wislizenii, climbing is not mentioned in several substantive ecological studies of this species (Parker and Pianka 1976. Herpetologica 32:95-114; Tanner and Krogh 1974. Herpetologica 30:63-72), and to our knowledge, only a few seconds exist of climbing in this species. Clark (1974. Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci. 77:68) observed a G. wislizenii perched 30 cm …

Enterotoxigenic Staphylococcus Aureus In Raw Milk In The North Of Palestine, Ghaleb Mohammad Adwan, Bassam Abu-Shanab, Kamel Adwan

Turkish Journal of Biology

Enterotoxin genes (sea-see) in Staphylococcus aureus isolates recovered from milk of clinically healthy sheep and cows in the north of Palestine were determined using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Thirty-seven (37%) out of 100 S. aureus isolates were toxin gene positive. Four strains (10.8%) were sea-positive, 20 (54.1%) were seb-positive, 4 (10.8%) were sec-positive, 6 (16.2%) were sed-positive and 3 (8.1%) were see-positive. None of these enterotoxigenic isolates carried more than one toxin gene. This study indicates that the presence of enterotoxigenic S. aureus in raw milk can contribute to the sources of staphylococcal food poisoning in Palestine.

Two Purified Domains Of Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase Reconstitute Sequence-Specific Interactions With Rna, C. M. O'Connor, Cary K. Lai, Kathleen Collins

Biology Faculty Publications

Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and telomerase RNA (TER) function together to create a uniquely specialized polymerase. Here we have described for the first time domains of bacterially expressed Tetrahymena TERT that interacted directly with TER in the absence of assembly chaperones. We used quantitative binding assays to define TER sequence requirements for recognition by the high affinity RNA binding domain and an independent N-terminal RNA interaction domain. The TERT RNA binding domain and N-terminal RNA interaction domain had distinct, nonoverlapping requirements for TER sequence and structure that together accounted for all of the sites of TER contact inferred for full-length …

Relationship Between Habitat Distribution, Growth Rate, And Plasticity In Congeneric Larval Dragonflies, S. J. Mccauley

Biological Sciences

The relationship between habitat distribution, growth rate, and plasticity was examined in the larvae of three species of dragonfly in the genus Libellula L., 1758. Growth rates were compared under three conditions: in the absence of predation risk, in the presence of sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque, 1819; Pisciformes: Centrachidae), and in the presence of invertebrate predators. I assessed how the habitat distributions of the three species of dragonfly, specifically how commonly they occur with fish, were related to growth rates and to the level of growth plasticity under different levels of perceived predation risk. There was a negative relationship …

The Bell Family Legacies, William D. Stansfield

Biological Sciences

No abstract provided.

Use Of Cover And Response To Cover Type Edges By Female Sierra Nevada Red Foxes In Winter, John F. Benson, John D. Perrine, Richard T. Golightly Jr., Reginald H. Barrett

Biological Sciences

Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) use a variety of habitats across their range, including semiarid deserts, tundra, boreal forests, farmland, and urban areas (Larivière and Pasitschniak-Arts 1996). Within these habitats there is much variation in the use of different cover types among populations of red foxes (Jones and Theberge 1982, Halpin and Bissonette 1988, Theberge and Wedeles 1989, St-Georges et al. 1995). In Maine, red foxes used coniferous stands and open areas more than expected (Halpin and Bissonette 1988). In British Columbia, red foxes used shrub communities more than expected and open areas less than expected (Jones and Theberge 1982). In …

A Multiple-Objective Decision Analysis Of Stakeholder Values To Identify Watershed Improvement Needs, Jason R. W. Merrick, Gregory S. Parnell, Jamison Barnett, Margot Garcia

Statistical Sciences and Operations Research Publications

The paper describes the use of multiple objective decision analysis to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the quality of an endangered watershed and guide future efforts to improve the quality of the watershed. The Upham Brook watershed is an urban watershed that lies at the interface of declining inner city Richmond, Virginia and growth-oriented Henrico County. A section of stream within the watershed has been identified as so dangerously polluted that it threatens the health of the residents who live within the watershed boundaries. With funding provided by the National Science Foundation, the Upham Brook watershed project committee was formed to …

Decline In Avoidance Of Predator Chemical Cues: Habituation Or Biorhythm Shift?, Aaron M. Sullivan, John C. Maerz, Dale M. Madison

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

No abstract provided.

Abejas Altoandinas De Colombia: Guía De Campo, Victor H. Gonzalez, Monica Ospina, Daniel J. Bennett

Faculty Publications

This guide is a contribution to the knowledge and conservation of bees, a group of very interesting and unknown to Colombia insects. Alrededor de 70 especies, agrupadas en 25 géneros habitan los Andes colombianos por encima de los 2.500 msnm. About 70 species, grouped in 25 genera inhabit the Colombian Andes above 2,500 meters. De éstas, por lo menos 15, son especies nuevas para la ciencia o están en proceso de descripción. Of these, at least 15 are new to science or are in the process of describing species. Igualmente, la guía busca incrementar la conciencia sobre la importancia de …

Antifungal Activity Of Camptothecin, Trifolin, And Hyperoside Isolated From Camptotheca Acuminata, Shiyou Li, Zhizhen Zhang, Abigail Cain, Bo Wang, Melissa Long, Josephine Taylor

Faculty Publications

Leaf spots and root rots are major fungal diseases in Camptotheca acuminata that limit cultivation of the plant for camptothecin (CPT), a promising anticancer and antiviral alkaloid. Bioassays showed that pure CPT and flavonoids (trifolin and hyperoside) isolated from Camptotheca effectively control fungal pathogens in vitro, including Alternaria alternata, Epicoccum nigrum, Pestalotia guepinii, Drechslera sp., and Fusarium avenaceum, although antifungal activity of these compounds in the plant is limited. CPT inhibited mycelial growth by approximately 50% (EC₅₀) at 10−30 μg/mL and fully inhibited growth at 75−125 μg/mL. The flavonoids were less effective than CPT …

A Survey Of Anuran Breeding Activity In Illinois, 1986-1989, Justin Florey, Stephen J. Mullin

Faculty Publications

tAmphibian populations have been declining worldwide, with several documented specie extinctions in the past two decades. Although monitoring population health can presen challenges, surveys of breeding choruses are relatively effective methods for assessing populations and population trends of many frog and toad species. We analyzed data from breeding chorus surveys conducted throughout Illinois from 1986 to 1989. Of the 20 species native to Illinois, 9 were stable or increasing during the survey period whereas the trends for other species were either inconsistent or indicated a decline in population size. To better assess population trends for Illinois frogs, we advocate re …

Evaluation Of A New Method For Measuring Salamanders, Leroy J. Walston, Stephen J. Mullin

Faculty Publications

Collection of morphometric data is essential to many field studies of amphibian populations. One of the most common measurements obtained from salamanders is snout-to-vent length (SVL), a parameter useful in studies of sexual dimorphism (Bovero et al. 2003), demography (Semlitsch 1985), and systematics (Carlin 1997). Measuring salamander lengths in the field is challenging because of their small size, slimy texture, and propensity to maintain a nonlinear body position. Time expenditure is another concern, especially when researchers process large numbers of salamanders. Different measurement techniques vary in accuracy and precision, limiting the reliability of the data so that comparisons cannot be …

Allometry, Sexual Size Dimorphism, And Niche Partitioning In The Mediterranean Gecko (Hemidactylus Turcicus), James B. Johnson, Lance D. Mcbrayer, Daniel Saenz

Faculty Publications

Hemidactylus tucrius is a small gekkonid lizard native to the Middle East and Asia that is known to exhibit sexual dimorphism in head size. Several potential explanations exist for the evolution and maintenance of sexual dimorphism in lizards. We tested 2 of these competing hypotheses concerning diet partitioning and differential growth. We found no differences in Average meal size (volume) or in any single dimension of prey size for similarly sized males and females. allometric patterns of increases in head size also were measured in males and females. We found that males exhibited a mixture of isometric and positively allometric …

The Malagasy Endemic Dendroportulaca (Portulacaceae) Is Referable To Deeringia (Amaranthaceae): Molecular And Morphological Evidence [Abstract], Wendy L. Applequist, Donald B. Pratt

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Spatially Explicit Model Of The Wild Hog For Ecological Risk Assessment Activities At The Department Of Energy's Savannah River Site, Karen F. Gaines, Dwayne E. Porter, Tracy Punshon, I. Lehr Brisbin Jr.

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

In North America, wild hogs (Sus scrofa) are both sought after as prime game and despised due to their detrimental impacts to the environment from their digging and rooting behavior. They are also a potentially useful indicator species for environmental health for both ecological- and human-based risk assessments. An inductive approach was used to develop probabilistic resource selection models using logistic regression to quantify the likelihood of hogs being in any area of the Department of Energy’s 805 km2 Savannah River Site (SRS) in west-central South Carolina. These models were derived by using available SRS hog hunt data from 1993–2000 …

The Development Of A Spatially Explicit Model To Estimate, Karen F. Gaines, C. Shane Boring, Dwayne E. Porter

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

A spatially explicit model of raccoon (Procyon lotor) distribution for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) in west-central South Carolina was developed using data from a raccoon radio-telemetry study and visualized within a Geographic Information System (GIS). An inductive approach was employed to develop three sub-models using the ecological requirements of raccoons studied in the following habitats: (1) man-made reservoirs, (2) bottomland hardwood/ riverine systems, and (3) isolated wetland systems. Logistic regression was used to derive probabilistic resource selection functions using habitat compositional data and landscape metrics. The final distribution model provides a spatially explicit probability …

Rodents As Receptor Species At A Tritium, Angel Kelsey-Wall, John C. Seaman, Charles H. Jegoe, Cham E. Dallas, Karen F. Gaines

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

New methods are being employed on the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site to deal with the disposal of tritium, including the irrigation of a hardwood/pine forest with tritiated water from an intercepted contaminant plume to reduce concentrations of tritium outcropping into Fourmile Branch, a tributary of the Savannah River. The use of this system has proven to be an effective means of tritium disposal. To evaluate the impact of this activity on terrestrial biota, rodent species were captured on the tritium disposal site and a control site during two trapping seasons in order to assess tritium exposure resulting from …

Influence Of Stem Cutting And Glyphosate Treatment Of Lonicera Maackii, An Exotic And Invasive Species, On Stem Regrowth And Native Species Richness, Henry R. Owen, A. L. Mcdonnell, A. M. Mounteer, B. L. Todd

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Herder (Caprifoliaceae), Amur honeysuckle, is an exotic and invasive species in the United States that has quickly overtaken disturbed habitats in the eastern and midwestern United States, as well as in Ontario, Canada. A reduction of light due to its dense canopy, extended growing season compared to native species, and production of numerous basal sprouts allow L. maackii to outcompete its native counterparts. Eradication of this species can be difficult and time-consuming. This research was undertaken to identify how L. maackii influences species diversity and species re-establishment and to determine an efficient and effective eradication method. A …

The Relationship Between Community Diversity And Exotic Plants: Cause Or Consequence Of Invasion?, Scott Meiners, Mary Cadenasso

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Invasion ecology has suffered from the artificial separation of invasibility and impact processes in understanding the ationship between diversity and plant invasion. By studying these independently functioning stages of invasion in concert, we can gain great insight into the biological causes and consequences of invasions, and develop crucial information for the generation of adequate management strategies. Our conceptual framework provides a structure to synthesize the current body of research, suggests research needed to fill the gaps in understanding and to organize results from future research. The framework is a powerful tool to guide ecological understanding of the relationship between invasion …

The Social Environment Affects Mate Guarding Behavior In Japanese Beetles, Popillia Japonica, Yoriko Saeki, Kipp Kruse, Paul Switzer

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The effect of the social environment on post-copulatory mate guarding duration in Japanese beetles, (Popillia japonica Newman), was examined in a laboratory experiment. The mate guarding durations of beetles in different sex ratios and densities were observed for 10 hours. Guarding duration was longer when females were larger, suggesting the presence of ‘cryptic’ male mate choice. Densities, but not sex ratio, affected the duration of guarding bouts, with males guarding for longer at higher densities. This result implies that males increase their guarding duration under conditions in which their female may be likely to be encountered by other males. The …

Correct Author Citation For Cirsium Eatonii Var. Eriocephalum (Asteraceae: Cardueae), David J. Keil

Biological Sciences

No abstract provided.

Integration Of Flowering Signals In Winter-Annual Arabidopsis, Scott D. Michaels, Edward Himelblau, Sang Yeol Kim, Fritz M. Schomburg, Richard M. Amasino

Biological Sciences

Photoperiod is the primary environmental factor affecting flowering time in rapid-cycling accessions of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Winter-annual Arabidopsis, in contrast, have both a photoperiod and a vernalization requirement for rapid flowering. In winter annuals, high levels of the floral inhibitor FLC (FLOWERING LOCUS C) suppress flowering prior to vernalization. FLC acts to delay flowering, in part, by suppressing expression of the floral promoter SOC1 (SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS1). Vernalization leads to a permanent epigenetic suppression of FLC. To investigate how winter-annual accessions integrate signals from the photoperiod and vernalization pathways, we have …

The Effects Of Resource Availability On Alternative Mating Tactics In Guppies (Poecilia Reticulata), Gita R. Kolluru, Gregory F. Grether

Biological Sciences

Food availability can influence the optimal allocation of time and energy among alternative behaviors such as foraging, courting, and competing for mates. If populations differ consistently in food availability, selection may cause geographic divergence in allocation strategies. At the opposite extreme, a norm of reaction may evolve such that food intake influences the allocation strategy of individuals in the same way in all populations. Between these two extremes, food intake reaction norms may diverge genetically among populations. For example, at sites where food is scarce, selection may strengthen the effect of food intake on behavior, whereas at sites with abundant …

The Large Genome Constraint Hypothesis: Evolution, Ecology And Phenotype, Charles A. Knight, Nicole A. Molinari, Dmitri A. Petrov

Biological Sciences

• Background and Aims If large genomes are truly saturated with unnecessary ‘junk’ DNA, it would seem natural that there would be costs associated with accumulation and replication of this excess DNA. Here we examine the available evidence to support this hypothesis, which we term the ‘large genome constraint’. We examine the large genome constraint at three scales: evolution, ecology, and the plant phenotype.

• Scope In evolution, we tested the hypothesis that plant lineages with large genomes are diversifying more slowly. We found that genera with large genomes are less likely to be highly specious – suggesting a large …

Does Intracellular Metabolite Diffusion Limit Post-Contractile Recovery In Burst Locomotor Muscle?, Stephen T. Kinsey, Pragyansri Pathi, Kristin M. Hardy, Amanda Jordan, Bruce R. Locke

Biological Sciences

Post-metamorphic growth in the blue crab entails an increase in body mass that spans several orders of magnitude. The muscles that power burst swimming in these animals grow hypertrophically, such that small crabs have fiber diameters that are typical of most cells (600μm). Thus, as the animals grow, their muscle fibers cross and greatly exceed the surface area to volume ratio (SA:V) and intracellular diffusion distance threshold that is adhered to by most cells. Large fiber size should not impact burst contractile function, but post-contractile recovery may be limited by low SA:V and excessive intracellular diffusion distances. A number of …

The Effect Of Changing Environmental Stimuli On Betta Splendens Behavior, Jessica Kingsley

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors program.