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Ocean Acidification And Predator-Prey Relations: Correlating Disruption Of Predator Avoidance With Chemosensory Deficits, Alexandra Fw Sidun, William G. Wright

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

One of the most destructive effects of global climate change is the increased carbon sequestering and consequential acidification of our world’s oceans. The impacts of ocean acidification on marine organisms are still relatively unknown, especially effects on behavioral ecology. Avoiding predation has emerged from recent behavioral ecology literature as a critical feature in the life history of a wide array of animal species; experiments on marine fishes suggest acidic water compromises their predator-avoidance abilities. Recent assays in our lab suggest predator-induced behavior is reduced by weakly acidic water. These experiments do not address the potential factor of generalized malaise caused …

Connecting The Physiological And Behavioral Response To Heat Stress On A Warming Planet, Anastasia Kalyta

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Intertidal communities are considered good models of the biological effects of climate change on ecosystems, as their resident organisms are subjected to heat spells during daytime low tides. The increasing heat exposure can elicit behavioral as well as physiological responses in intertidal organisms. We studied the relationship between these responses to heat stress in the blue-banded hermit crab, Pagurus samuelis, by inducing a “heat shock” with elevated water temperature of 29 °C for 2.5 h. The behavioral effect of heat-shock was quantified using a 30-minute feeding assay, measuring the mass of a standard squid pellet consumed by individual hermit crabs. …

Population Projection And Habitat Preference Modeling Of The Endangered James Spinymussel (Pleurobema Collina), Marisa Draper

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

The James Spinymussel (Pleurobema collina) is an endangered mussel species at the top of Virginia’s conservation list. The James Spinymussel plays a critical role in the environment by filtering and cleaning stream water while providing shelter and food for macroinvertebrates; however, conservation efforts are complicated by the mussels’ burrowing behavior, camouflage, and complex life cycle. The goals of the research conducted were to estimate detection probabilities that could be used to predict species presence and facilitate field work, and to track individually marked mussels to test for habitat preferences. Using existing literature and mark-recapture field data, these goals were accomplished …

Escape Strategy Of The Cockroach (Gromphadorhina Portentosa) To Heat And Looming Stimuli, Jiangda Ou

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Escape responses to aversive stimuli have been observed in insects, including species of cricket, fly, locust, and cockroach. The goal of this study was to investigate the escape strategy of the Madagascar cockroach, Gromphadorhina portentosa. In regard to this species, Erickson and colleagues (2015) showed that electrical stimulation of both cerci and antennae together could generate an escape response. However, in other reports (Olsen and Triblehorn, 2014), it was observed that wind could not elicit the escape response. In this study, G. portentosa was stimulated by looming and heat stimuli. A 2.5’’ black ball approaching at 1 m/s was used …

Beyond The Urban Stream Syndrome: Organic Matter Budget For Diagnostics And Restoration Of An Impaired Urban River, Dave M. Epstein, Julia E. Kelso, Michelle A. Baker

Biology Faculty Publications

In response to water quality standard violations linked to excessive organic matter (OM) and a lack of sampling data informing the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), an organic matter budget was created to quantify and identify sources of OM in the lower Jordan River (Salt Lake City, UT). By sampling dissolved, fine and coarse particulate OM, as well as measuring ecosystem metabolism at seven different sites, the researchers aimed to identify the origin of excess OM, and understand pathways by which different size classes of the OM pool are generated. The dissolved fraction (DOM; 94 %) was found to be …

Temperature Variability And Multiple Environmental Stressors: How Will Tadpole Performance Change With Our Climate?, Diana C. Macklem, Tracy A. G. Rittenhouse, Ashley M. Helton, Jason H. O'Connor, Jaron T. Kolek

University Scholar Projects

This project seeks to analyze how predicted changes in climate and its interactions with other environmental factors will influence tadpole growth and development. Our first study examined how the frequency and magnitude of temperature variability affect wood frog and gray tree frog tadpole performance. We found that performance responses to repeatedly fluctuating treatments did not differ significantly from constant temperatures held at the same mean for wood frog tadpoles. However, elevated mean temperatures of 26 degrees Celsius caused tadpoles to metamorphose early, suggesting a potential developmental threshold. We found that gray tree frog performance was affected by fluctuating temperature treatments, …

The Effect Of Soil Ph On The Integument Of Western Tiger Salamanders, Aaron Devine, Dennis M. Ferraro

UCARE: Research Products

This study was done in an effort to better understand the multifaceted issues in amphibian decline, specifically within the eastern regions of Nebraska, to determine whether or not human-induced acid rain contributed to the decline. This is a heavily important topic of research as amphibians worldwide are declining related to many issues that stem from climate change and several other environmental issues of that nature. This study looked to use acidic pH within soil from western Nebraska to determine the reactionary impacts (primarily lesions) the western tiger salamander had after being subjected to it. It was found that pH did …

Next-Generation Sequencing Of A Multi-Drug Resistance Plasmid Captured From Stream Sediment, Kevin G. Libuit

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Plasmids in agriculturally-impacted bodies of water may play a significant role in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. Previously, Erika Gehr, as part of her M.S. thesis work in our laboratory, captured environmental plasmids without cultivation of host bacteria from stream sediment into Escherichia coli. Individual plasmids were capable of conferring resistance to a surprising array of antibiotics including aminoglycosides and extended-spectrum β-lactams. In this study, we developed a method to sequence multi-drug resistance plasmids using both Oxford Nanopore MinION and Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine sequencers. Plasmid pEG1-1 was sequenced on both platforms and a hybrid assembly utilizing data …

Photosynthetic Characterization Of Invasive Plant Diversity In Los Angeles County From 1830-2010, Lauren E. Pangburn, Erich Eberts, Victor Carmona-Galindo

Honors Thesis

The increase in atmospheric CO₂ levels due to climate change may greatly impact invasive plant species, which are non-native organisms that spread unchecked in space and negatively impact native organisms. The success of these invasives may be related to specific traits, such as their photosynthetic pathway. We acquired the specimen information for invasive species registered in the Consortium for California Herbaria of the University of California Berkeley to evaluate the community dynamics of 1,000 invasive species in Los Angeles County. We found that both diversity and richness of invasive plant species has increased over a period of 180 years. …

Plastic Pollution And The Global Throwaway Culture: Environmental Injustices Of Single-Use Plastic, Kristin L. Mcdermott

ENV 434 Environmental Justice

The global throwaway culture has created a cross-ecosystem plastic pollution injustice. The first to suffer this injustice will be the most vulnerable. Our oceans have become our dumpsters. The throwaway culture has created a disrespect of material goods that has turned the earth’s resources into rubbish after a single use. Eighty percent of the yearly 8 million tons of plastic that enter the ocean is single use plastic, such as plastic bottles, plastic shopping bags, or cigarette lighters.[1] Plastic has destroyed ecosystems, robbing impoverished communities of natural resources and of a healthy and safe living environment. First to suffer …

A New Species Of Dinonigidius De Lisle From Sri Lanka (Coleoptera: Lucanidae), M. J. Paulsen

Insecta Mundi

Dinonigidius bartolozzii Paulsen, new species, (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) is described from Sri Lanka, and compared with the only other species of the genus, D. ahenobarbus de Lisle from India.

The Influence Of Beached Harmful Algal Blooms On Terrestrial Arthropods On The Shore Of Lake Erie, Nadejda Mirochnitchenko, Kevin E. Mccluney

Honors Projects

Marine primary inputs, such as sea wrack and algae, offer a great niche for insects and other animals to exploit. The existence of a similar niche on the coast of lakes has received less attention. To complicate matters, many freshwater systems are seeing increases in proliferation of toxic and non-toxic cyanobacteria blooms. This study examined patterns in lake shore terrestrial arthropod abundance, diversity, and community composition across gradients of beached algae, with varying toxicity. We detected water microcystin effects on arthropod richness in survey three, beached material effects on Shannon’s Diversity in survey two, and water microcystin effects on the …

An Industrial Chemical Used In Coal-Washing Influences Plankton Communities In Freshwater Microcosms, Danielle Turner

Honors College Theses

In 2014, 4-methylcyclohexane methanol (MCHM), an industrial chemical used to wash coal, contaminated drinking water in 300,000 homes in West Virginia, USA and raised concerns about toxicity to humans and freshwater ecosystems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined that a concentration of 1 ppm was safe for human exposure. Despite the concern for human consumption, it is important to determine if MCHM has negative effects on aquatic organisms in contaminated water, particularly plankton communities that comprise the base of freshwater food webs. I exposed freshwater plankton communities in microcosms to 0, 0.5, 1 or 3 ppm MCHM under …

Social Bonds And Recovery: An Analysis Of Hurricane Sandy In The First Year After Landfall, Patricia M. Clay, Lisa L. Colburn, Tarsila Seara

Biology and Environmental Science Faculty Publications

Hurricane Sandy was one of the most devastating hurricanes to hit US shores. The brunt of the impact was felt in New York and New Jersey, especially among coastal towns such as fishing communities. A survey of these two states assessed social and economic impacts to 958 commercial and recreational fishermen and fishing-related business owners 12 months post-storm. Many businesses and communities were still struggling, due to heavy infrastructure damages and revenue losses with low insurance coverage, but also to disrupted fishing patterns for some species. Social bonds were credited by many as a key aid to recovery. Social bonds …

Investigation Of The Enviromental Factors Associated With The Temporal Abundance Of Lutzomyia Anthophora On A Ranch Near Poth, Texas, Maha Alshhrany

Theses & Dissertations

Leishmaniasis is caused by infection with protozoan parasites within the genus Leismania transmitted by the bites of female sand flies within the genus Lutzomyia in the New World. This study investigated the seasonal abundance of sand flies and evaluated the correlation of temperature with abundance data. Sand flies were collected at the Garrison ranch near Poth, Texas (28° 57’ 10” N; 98° 7’ 28” W) from May in 2014 through October, 2015. Recorded highest abundance of sand flies in 2014 was in October, 2 females Lu.anthophora and 5 males Lu.anthophora were captured producing 0.58 sand flies /trap night, while, mean …

Brain Morphology Of Madtom Catfishes (Noturus) Reflects Their Ecology, Autumn Goble, David J. Eisenhour

Celebration of Student Scholarship Poster Sessions Archive

No abstract provided.

Changes In Floristic Composition In The State Forests In Worcester County (Massachusetts) Over 34 Years, Flor A. Monroe

Sustainability and Social Justice

ABSTRACT

CHANGES IN FOREST DIVERSITY OF STATE FOREST IN WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS, OVER 34 YEARS PERIOD

The forest in Massachusetts has changed since the earliest colonial settlement and today the floristic composition is more homogeneous. This study investigates the potential change in the floristic composition over thirty years in Worcester County State Forests. Shannon, richness and evenness indices for two periods were compared, and Jaccard index was used to analyze similarity in composition between the periods. The possible influence of severe weather events was also analyzed.

It was found Changes in the floristic composition, but the magnitude of the changes …

Efficiency Of The Male Effect With Photostimulated Bucks Does Not Depend On Their Familiarity With Goats, A. L. Muñoz, M. Bedos, R. M. Aroña, J. A. Flores, H. Hernández, C. Moussu, Elodie F. Briefer, P. Chemineau, M. Keller, J. A. Delgadillo

Reproductive Behavior Collection

In ewes, the ovulatory response of females exposed to familiar rams is lower than the response of those exposed to novel ones. In goats, males rendered sexually active by exposure to long days are more efficient to induce ovulation in seasonal anestrous females than untreated males. Two experiments were conducted to determine 1) whether male goats remain familiar to females after 45 days of separation; and 2) whether photostimulated males are able to stimulate the sexual activity of females, independently of their familiarity with them. In Experiment 1, three groups of goats (n = 10 goats per group) were put …

Perceived Adaptive Capacity And Natural Disasters: A Fisheries Case Study, Tarsila Seara, Patricia M. Clay, Lisa L. Colburn

Biology and Environmental Science Faculty Publications

Fishermen may be increasingly impacted by natural disasters, given sea level rise and the likely increased frequency and severity of storms associated with climate change. Planning for resiliency in the face of these disasters requires understanding the factors that influence fishermen’s capacity to adapt. The paper examines perceptions of adaptive capacity of New York and New Jersey commercial and for-hire fishermen one year after Hurricane Sandy. Subjective adaptive capacity to changes in the fishery in general and those caused by natural disasters was assessed. A comparison between commercial and for-hire fishermen revealed important differences and similarities with regard to attributes …

Evaluation Of Alternative Strategies To Prevent Leopard Predation On Livestock Around Yala National Park, Sri Lanka, Sanjiv Fernando

Sustainability and Social Justice

In recent years, many livestock herders living near Yala National Park, Sri Lanka have reported livestock losses due to predation by leopards (Panthera pardus kotiya). Despite herders’ attempts to safeguard their cattle, livestock depredation remains an issue, sometimes causing herders to kill leopards in retaliation. In an effort to mitigate the human-leopard conflict, protective cattle enclosures made from steel pipes and mesh wire were introduced to prevent leopard attacks on cattle. This study aims to assess the severity of leopard predation on livestock, understand the methods used in retaliatory killings, examine the effectiveness of existing livestock protection methods, …

The End-Cretaceous Mass Extinction And The Deccan Traps Eruptions, Rebecca Teed

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

This handout focuses on the evidence for the theory that a series of flood-basalt eruptions in northern India caused the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period. The dinosaurs and about 75% of all marine invertebrate species and many other organisms died abruptly at this time. This is one of a set of four articles on possible causes of the Permian and Cretaceous mass extinctions that can be used to organize classroom debates or to have students compare and contrast the events and their causes.

Through Genera And Generations:A Systematic Study Of Elasmobranch-Hosted Cestodes Of The Indo-Pacific, With Comments On Phylogenetic Relationships, Alison Koontz

University Scholar Projects

Collection of new material from the bamboosharks Chiloscyllium indicum Gmelin, 1789 and Chiloscyllium hasseltii Bleeker, 1852 from Indonesian and Malaysian Borneo prompted reevaluation of the identity and host associations of the cestode genus Carpobothrium Shipley & Hornell, 1906. Light microscopical examination of whole mounts, histological sections, and egg preparations, in combination with scanning electron microscopy of scoleces, led to redescription of the type species Carpobothrium chiloscyllii Shipley and Hornell, 1906 from C. indicum, as well as description of a new species from C. hasseltii. Examination of some of Southwell’s material identified as C. chiloscyllii from the batoid hosts …

The Role Of A Beaver In Shaping Stream Channel Complexity And Thermal Heterogeneity In A Central Oregon Stream, Florence Consolati Machen

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

North American beaver (Castor canadensis) alter stream channel morphology, hydrologic processes, and instream temperature regimes, yet there are few data driven studies that investigate the effect of beaver on stream channel complexity and stream temperature regimes across multiple spatial and temporal scales. The use of beaver as a restoration tool is a method at the forefront of watershed restoration, however little is known about the implications of this restoration technique, particularly with regard to its ability to alter stream channel complexity and stream temperature. This thesis addresses two knowledge gaps with the following objectives: to quantify the role …

Nocturnal Foraging Enhanced By Enlarged Secondary Eyes In A Net-Casting Spider, Jay A. Stafstrom, Eileen A. Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

Animals that possess extreme sensory structures are predicted to have a related extreme behavioral function. This study focuses on one such extreme sensory structure—the posterior median eyes of the net-casting spider Deinopis spinosa. Although past research has implicated the importance of vision in the nocturnal foraging habits of Deinopis, no direct link between vision in the enlarged eyes and nocturnal foraging has yet been made. To directly test the hypothesis that the enlarged posterior median eyes facilitate visually based nocturnal prey capture, we conducted repeated-measures, visual occlusion trials in both natural and laboratory settings. Our results indicate that D. …

Relationships Between Nutrients, Periphyton Abundance, And Benthic Macroinvertebrate Scrapers In Ozark Highland Streams, Harrison Smith

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

We collected samples from seven Arkansas streams during the months of August 2014 and February 2015 with the objective of determining possible relationships between nutrients, periphyton abundance and benthic macroinvertebrates. We hypothesized that periphyton would be positively associated with nutrients, and that increases in periphyton biomass would increase the abundance and diversity of benthic scraper families. Samples were collected from three transects at each site. The periphyton was analyzed for carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and ash free dry mass and Chl-a content. Macroinvertebrates families belonging to the feeding group of grazers/scrapers were compared with water column and periphyton nutrient concentrations, as …

Insights Into The Introduction Histories And Population Genetic Dynamics Of The Nile Monitor (Varanus Niloticus) And Argentine Black And White Tegu (Salvator Merianae) In Florida., Jared Price Wood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the population genetic dynamics of two Florida invasives: the Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) and Argentine black and white tegu (Salvator merianae). I also provide insights into the introduction histories of both species. This study was developed as part of a collaborative effort with the Florida Wildlife Commission to expand our knowledge of these highly detrimental, invasive lizards. All research activities involving animals and animal tissues were approved by the University of Louisville’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC Proposal #: 12024). I start with a brief introduction into what makes invasive species …

Woody Plant Communities Of Three Urban Wetlands And The Success Of An Invasive Shrub (Lonicera Maackii) Over Natural And Experimental Flooding Gradients., Meghan Rhea Langley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Globally, wetlands are known for providing important ecosystem services that enhance the quality of human life and regulating global biogeochemical cycles. Despite the wide recognition of their value, temperate forested wetlands are the least protected type of ecosystem world-wide, and are threatened by human activities such as logging and development. The ecology of forested wetlands remaining in urbanized areas is impacted by a multitude of anthropogenic threats, including fragmentation (which decreases the amount of interior habitat and increases edge habitat), hydrologic modification (ditching and draining of wetlands) and the incursion of invasive species (which are frequently introduced by human activities). …

Assessment Of American White Pelican Predation And Reproductive Success Of Walleye In The Tamarac River, Mn, Jake Graham

Biology Graduate Theses

The Tamarac River is a major tributary of the Red Lakes MN, which provides an economically important multispecies fishery. The river experiences spring spawning migrations of northern pike, walleye, and white suckers. However, limited data exists related to reproductive success of fishes in the river. Furthermore, in the previous decade large congregations of American white pelicans (AWPE) have been observed using the Tamarac River as a foraging ground each spring. Assessing reproductive success of fishes in the Tamarac River provides a more holistic understanding of fish ecology in the river and the importance of the Tamarac River to the Red …

The End-Cretaceous Mass Extinction And The Chicxulub Impact, Rebecca Teed

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

This handout focuses on the evidence for the theory that a massive meteor impact off the coast of Mexico caused the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period. The dinosaurs and about 75% of all marine invertebrate species and many other organisms died abruptly at this time. It is part of a set of four articles on possible causes of the Permian and Cretaceous mass extinctions that can be used to organize classroom debates or to have students compare and contrast the events and their causes.

The End-Permian Mass Extinction And A Possible Massive Impact, Rebecca Teed

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

This handout examines the evidence for the theory that a massive meteor impact caused the mass extinction at the end of the Permian Period. This is the worst mass extinction known to geologists, and 90% or more of all species on Earth were wiped out. It is part of a set of four articles on possible causes of the Permian and Cretaceous mass extinctions that can be used to organize classroom debates or to have students compare and contrast the events and their causes.