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Bryophyte (Sl) Growth And Environmental Factors Along An Altitudinal Gradient On Cerro Gaital, El Valle, Coclé, Panamá, Julian Grace-Martin

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research on bryophytes (SL) in the tropics has been lacking compared with the high number of species found there and the potential benefit of bryophytes (SL) as indicators of pollutants and other forms of human disturbance. This study investigated whether or not bryophyte (SL) growth patterns showed relation when compared with environmental factors on the mountain Cerro Gaital in El Valley, Panamá. Whether or not bryophytes (SL) are present, extent of the area covered by their growth, and height of their growth are all aspects of bryophyte (SL) growth that were used. In this study, these three aspects are compared …

Water Quality Of Madari Khal Tributary Of The Halda River, Chattogram, Bangladesh, Md. Shafiqul Islam, M.A. Azadi

Journal of Bioresource Management

Tidal canal Madari-Khal is one of the important tributaries of the river Halda, through which nearby hill stream water, agricultural washings, and effluents (treated or untreated) of Chattogram Asian paper Mill are drained to the Halda River. In this paper water quality and pollution level of Madari Khal are presented. A one-year study was conducted to ascertain the water quality and pollution level by using different physicochemical parameters i.e. Air temperature, Water temperature, Transparency, EC (Electrical Conductivity), TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), pH, DO (Dissolved Oxygen), freeCO₂, Ca⁺⁺ (Calcium), TH (Total Hardness), TA (Total Alkalinity), and Biological Oxygen …

Estimation Of Individual Growth Of The Violet Oyster Chama Coralloides (Bivalvia: Chamidae) Using Schnute Model Cases., Alma Rubí Castrejón Ríos, Carmina Torreblanca Ramirez, Rafael Flores-Garza, Pedro Flores Rodríguez, Juan Carlos Cerros Cornelio, Jesús Guadalupe Padilla Serrato

Turkish Journal of Zoology

No abstract provided.

Identifying Sources Of Antibiotic Resistance Genes In The Environment Using The Microbial Find, Inform, And Test Framework, Corinne Wiesner-Friedman, Rachelle E. Beattie, Jill R. Stewart, Krassimira R. Hristova, Marc L. Serre

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing public health concern for humans, animals, and the environment. However, the contributions of spatially distributed sources of AMR in the environment are not well defined.

Methods: To identify the sources of environmental AMR, the novel microbial Find, Inform, and Test (FIT) model was applied to a panel of five antibiotic resistance-associated genes (ARGs), namely, erm(B), tet(W), qnrA, sul1, and intI1, quantified from riverbed sediment and surface water from a mixed-use region.

Results: A one standard deviation increase in the modeled contributions of elevated AMR from bovine sources or land-applied waste sources [land application …

Factors Affecting California Grassland Biodiversity: Two Case Studies, Nora Bales

Master's Theses

Biodiversity loss over the last century has been significant and is projected to increase. Biodiversity loss is accelerating due to climate change and habitat loss and degradation. Biodiversity supports key ecosystem services including pollination services, climate regulation, and water filtration. Biodiversity conservation is a top priority for land managers and researchers, however many ecological studies with practical applications lack a thorough understanding of the soil environment in their study system. We conducted two case studies integrating soil and plant data to answer management questions. The first case study investigated the relationship between a threatened plant, Hooveria purpurea var. purpurea and …

Past And Ongoing Field-Based Studies Of Myxomycetes, Steven L. Stephenson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Evidence from molecular studies indicates that myxomycetes (also called myxogastrids or plasmodial slime molds) have a long evolutionary history, and the oldest known fossil is from the mid-Cretaceous. However, they were not “discovered” until 1654, when a brief description and a woodcut depicting what is almost certainly the common species Lycogala epidendrum was published. First thought to be fungi, myxomycetes were not universally recognized as completely distinct until well into the twentieth century. Biodiversity surveys for the group being carried out over several years are relatively recent, with what is apparently the first example being carried out in the 1930s. …

Roost Selection By Synanthropic Bats In Rural Kenya: Implications For Human-Wildlife Conflict And Zoonotic Pathogen Spillover, Reilly T. Jackson, Paul W. Webala, Joseph G. Ogola, Tamika J. Lunn, Kristian M. Forbes

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Many wildlife species are synanthropic and use structures built by humans, creating a high-risk interface for human–wildlife conflict and zoonotic pathogen spillover. However, studies that investigate features of urbanizing areas that attract or repel wildlife are currently lacking. We surveyed 85 buildings used by bats and 172 neighbouring buildings unused by bats (controls) in southeastern Kenya during 2021 and 2022 and evaluated the role of microclimate and structural attributes in building selection. We identified eight bat species using buildings, with over 25% of building roosts used concurrently by multiple species. Bats selected taller cement-walled buildings with higher water vapour pressure …

Bison Alter The Northern Yellowstone Ecosystem By Breaking Aspen Saplings, Luke E. Painter, Robert L. Beschta, William J. Ripple

Aspen Bibliography

The American bison (Bison bison) is a species that strongly interacts with its environment, yet the effects of this large herbivore on quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) have received little study. We documented bison breaking the stems of aspen saplings (young aspen > 2 m tall and ≤ 5 cm in diameter at breast height) and examined the extent of this effect in northern Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Low densities of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus canadensis) after about 2004 created conditions conducive for new aspen recruitment in YNP's northern ungulate winter range (northern range). We sampled …

The Far-Reaching Effects Of Genetic Process In A Keystone Predator Species, Grey Wolves, Sarah Hoy, Philip W. Hedrick, Rolf O. Peterson, Leah Vucetich, Kristin Brzeski, John A. Vucetich

Michigan Tech Publications

Although detrimental genetic processes are known to adversely affect the viability of populations, little is known about how detrimental genetic processes in a keystone species can affect the functioning of ecosystems. Here, we assessed how changes in the genetic characteristics of a keystone predator, grey wolves, affected the ecosystem of Isle Royale National Park over two decades. Changes in the genetic characteristic of the wolf population associated with a genetic rescue event, followed by high levels of inbreeding, led to a rise and then fall in predation rates on moose, the primary prey of wolves and dominant mammalian herbivore in …

Utility Of Body And Otolith Morphometry To Discriminate Cryptic Juveniles Of Two Sympatric Red Snappers (Perciformes: Lutjanidae), Miwa Takahashi, Corey B. Wakefield, Stephen J. Newman, Kyle B. Hillcoat, Benjamin J. Saunders, Euan S. Harvey

Fisheries Research Articles

The sympatric red snappers, Lutjanus erythropterus and Lutjanus malabaricus, are highly valued by commercial and recreational fishers along the tropical northern coasts of Australia and throughout their distribution. Studies on the life history and ecology of these congeners are confounded by difficulties in distinguishing the cryptic juveniles of each species (i.e., < 200 mm total length). This study aimed to validate a robust and cost-effective method to discriminate these juveniles using body and/or otolith morphometric data in a multivariate analysis. Juvenile samples were collected from the northwest (n = 71) and northeast (n = 19) coasts of Australia, and species identification was confirmed using DNA barcoding. The most parsimonious multivariate models achieved accurate species prediction rates of 98.8%, which consisted of just three body variables (dorsal fin length, the distance from the snout to the anterior edge of the eye, and either jaw length or distance from the snout to the preoperculum). The high level of discrimination for these cryptic juveniles highlights the robustness of this morphometric approach. The slightly lower rate of discrimination using otolith morphology (84.9%) was associated with greater regional variation in L. malabaricus between the northwest and northeast coasts. Slight variations in otolith shape are typically used to determine stock structure, which highlights the potential need to collect samples over a broader area of a species geographic range when using an otolith morphometric discrimination model. The method outlined in this study could be applied to distinguish other cryptic congeneric fish species, including from archived otolith collections. Moreover, this method has the potential to be utilized in assessing species compositions using body measurements from in situ stereo-video.

Scaled Ecology: A Framework For Evaluating Conservation Of Wildlife Ecological Processes, Johanna A. Hodge

Biology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Ecological processes are scaled in time and space, including those associated with wildlife. Understanding the ecological processes of wildlife species and their contributions to ecosystems is crucial for effective conservation. This study focuses on American bison (Bison bison) as a case-study species to explore the holistic scaling of wildlife ecology. A PRISMA-style literature review was conducted to gather and map the scaled ecology of bison. An AIC best-fit analysis was conducted to assess the scaling of total bison ecology considering 7 different models. The results rejected the null model and identified the best-fit model as a combination between fencing and …

The Effect Of Water Flow Rates On The Survival And Growth Rates Of Three Caribbean Bouldering Coral Species Juveniles In An Indoor Versus Outdoor Environment, Ian Michael Johnson

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Coral reefs are vital ecosystems for the world’s oceans and humanity; however, they are threatened by climate change, disease, and local anthropogenic stressors, and need assistance to recover. Traditional reef restoration efforts (fragmentation and outplanting are helping but are limited in effectiveness by not increasing genetic diversity. Ex situ sexual propagation for corals provides new, genetically different coral recruits. However, this process is laborious, expensive and time consuming, especially at the scale required to effectively contribute to the widespread recovery. To lower costs, two key parameters that require optimization to hasten the growth of coral recruits are water flow and …

Variation Of Ldmc And Sla Relationship Between Growth Forms In Natural Grasslands, J. Viégas, P. Cruz, J. P. Theau, C. Jouany, P. Ansquer, R. Al Haj Khaled, O. Therond, M. Duru

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In agro-ecological studies, there is a growing interest in measuring both leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and specific leaf area (SLA). This interest lies on the fact that leaf traits are linked to gradients of environmental factors and ecosystem functions. Working with three contrasting wild species, Garnier et al. (2001) proposed a model linking these two traits. The model shows a relatively simple non linear and negative correlation between LDMC and SLA. Nevertheless, none of the species used to build the model were grasses (GRA) or forb rosettes (ROS = i.e. dicotyledonous with large entire leaves and absence of …

Drivers And Dynamics Of Phytoplankton Communities And Harmful Algal Blooms In Mountain Lakes, Lara Stephanie Jansen

Dissertations and Theses

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms (cyanoHABs) are a complex and widespread disturbance in freshwater water bodies, impacting water quality for wildlife and human populations. While cyanobacteria often bloom in warm lakes impacted by human development like agriculture, blooms are increasingly reported in cooler waters with limited development in the surrounding watershed. As much of cyanoHAB research has focused on lakes in highly developed watersheds, the understanding of factors leading to cyanobacteria dominance and blooms in the absence of major development remains limited. Mountain lakes can serve as ideal systems to study bloom-forming cyanobacteria in watersheds with minimal development. In addition, mountain lakes …

Insects Are Attracted To White Wind Turbine Bases: Evidence From Turbine Mimics, Madison S. Crawford, Delina E. Dority, Michael E. Dillon, Lusha M. Tronstad

Western North American Naturalist

Wind power is one of the fastest growing forms of renewable energy, but the interactions between wind turbines and insects are largely unknown beyond the observation that the accumulation of dead insects on turbine blades drastically reduces the power produced. Insects may be attracted to wind energy facilities because of topography, the heat that turbines produce, the lighting, or the visual cue of the turbine itself. Turbines can present a striking visual contrast relative to the surrounding landscape, particularly when they are painted bright white and reflect ultraviolet wavelengths. To test the hypothesis that wind turbine color attracts insects, we …

Securing Rice Safety Through Innovative Radiative Heat Treatment And Proper Storage, Faith Achieng Ouma

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Securing the microbial safety of rice is a rising priority within the food industry, especially when used as an ingredient to manufacture ready-to-eat, minimally-processed products. Mold contamination is typically the most problematic for rice because certain species of Aspergillus produce toxic secondary metabolites known as aflatoxins, rendering the grain unfit for human and animal consumption. The objectives of this study are to: (1) investigate the effectiveness of using high-power (915 MHz frequency), short-duration microwaves (MWs) to inactivate microbes on rough rice; (2) use a three-level screening design to determine which storage factors, such as temperature, relative humidity (RH), storage duration, …

Reactive Oxygen Species And Weak Magnetic Fields: Unraveling The Mechanisms Of Planarian Regeneration And Tissue Growth, Luke James Kinsey

Dissertations

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a critical role in basic cellular behaviors such as apoptosis, proliferation, and differentiation. These molecules once thought to be harmful byproducts of metabolism, are also required for many complex and ubiquitous processes like wound healing, development, and regeneration. This study investigates the influence of ROS on planarian regeneration, with a particular focus on ROS dynamics in stem cell-mediated tissue growth. Data reveal that modulation of ROS levels leads to changes in cellular behaviors and tissue growth outcomes. Inhibition of ROS accumulation blocks stem cell proliferation and tissue growth, preventing planarian regeneration, while partial ROS accumulation …

Functional Morphology Of The Platyrrhine Humerus And Talus: Implications For Inferring Locomotor Behavior In Extinct Primates, Liam Michael Zachary

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Platyrrhines are a diverse radiation of primates that exhibit a range of locomotor adaptations. The relationships between extant primate locomotor behavior and variation in postcranial morphology are often used to make functional interpretations of skeletal anatomy in extinct primates. However, a comparative baseline of form-function relationships in the extant platyrrhine postcranium is lacking compared to other primates, which limits understanding of platyrrhine locomotor evolution. The humerus and talus are two of the best represented skeletal elements in the platyrrhine fossil record and are informative of locomotor behavior. Therefore, quantification of morphological variation in extant platyrrhine tali and humeri can provide …

Multispecies Genomic Sex Identification Using Ddx3 Gene Polymorphisms, Jessica Felts

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

PCR sex determination assays must be reliable and cost effective due to the frequent and integral use of these assays in biological research and the animal production industry. Thus, the design of proof of a primer pair with a built-in control is warranted to not only bypass the extra cost of a multiplex reaction, but also to prevent anomalous results that have been documented with other primer pairs.

The objective of this study was to design primer pairs with built in PCR amplification control to identify sex in Equus caballus (domestic horse), Homo sapiens (humans), Macaca mulatta (rhesus macaque), and …

Not All Cities Are The Same: Variation In Animal Phenotypes Across Cities Within Urban Ecology Studies, Javier Delbarco-Trillo, Breanna J. Putman

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

The sustained expansion of urban environments has been paralleled by an increase in the number of studies investigating the phenotypic changes of animals driven by urbanization. Most of these studies have been confined to only one urban center. However, as the types and strength of anthropogenic stressors differ across cities, a generalizable understanding of the effects of urbanization on urban-dwelling species can only be reached by comparing the responses of urban populations from the same species across more than one city. We conducted phylogenetic meta-analyses on data for animal species (including both invertebrates and vertebrates) for which measures about any …

Sulfur Cycling Connects Microbiomes And Biogeochemistry In Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Plumes, Zhichao Zhou, Patricia Q. Tran, Alyssa M. Adams, Kristopher Kieft, John A. Breier, Caroline S. Fortunato, Cody S. Sheik, Julie A. Huber, Meng Li, Gregory J. Dick, Karthik Anantharaman

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

In globally distributed deep-sea hydrothermal vent plumes, microbiomes are shaped by the redox energy landscapes created by reduced hydrothermal vent fluids mixing with oxidized seawater. Plumes can disperse over thousands of kilometers and their characteristics are determined by geochemical sources from vents, e.g., hydrothermal inputs, nutrients, and trace metals. However, the impacts of plume biogeochemistry on the oceans are poorly constrained due to a lack of integrated understanding of microbiomes, population genetics, and geochemistry. Here, we use microbial genomes to understand links between biogeography, evolution, and metabolic connectivity, and elucidate their impacts on biogeochemical cycling in the deep sea. Using …

Vascular Plants Of The Caribou-Targhee National Forest And Curlew National Grassland In Southeastern Idaho, Western Wyoming, And Northern Utah, Michael Daines

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Due to a historical paucity of collections from and the absence of a comprehensive floristic treatment for parts of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and Curlew National Grassland, an updated inventory for the area was needed. I present an annotated checklist of the vascular plants documented from the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and Curlew National Grassland. A total of new 3189 voucher specimens were collected for this project in 2021 and 2022. To compile the annotated checklist, I consulted both newly collected specimens and specimen data from online botanical databases. A total of 1557 taxa (species, subspecies, varieties, and hybrids), 1423 species …

Fun Azores: A Functional Trait Database For The Meio-, Macro-, And Megafauna From The Azores Marine Park (Mid-Atlantic Ridge), Neus Campanyà-Llovet, Amanda E. Bates, Daphne Cuvelier, Eva Giacomello, Diana Catarino, Andrew J. Gooday, Björn Berning, Blanca Figuerola, Manuel A. E. Malaquias, Carlos J. Moura, Joana R. Xavier, Tracey Sutton, Laurence Fauconnet, Sofia P. Ramalho, Bárbara De Moura Neves, Gui M. Machado, Tammy Horton, Andrey V. Gebruk, Kirill Minin, Joël Bried, Tina Molodtsova, Mónica A. Silva, Anna Dilman, Antonina Kremenetskaia, Eudriano F. S. Costa, Jameson Clarke, Helen R. Martins, Christopher K. Pham, Marina Carreiro-Silva, Ana Colaço

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Trait-based approaches that complement taxonomy-based studies have increased in popularity among the scientific community over the last decades. The collection of biological and ecological characteristics of species (i.e., traits) provides insight into species and ecosystem vulnerability to environmental and anthropogenic changes, as well as ecosystem functioning. Here, we present the FUN Azores trait database, describe our approach, evaluate its scope, compare it to other marine trait databases, and explore the spatial distribution of its traits with “functional maps.” While most of the available trait databases to date contain essential information to understand the functional diversity of a taxonomic or functional …

Assessing Ecological Relationships Among Late Triassic Vertebrates In Petrified Forest National Park, Alexandra Davis Apgar

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

The complex vertebrate ecosystem of the Late Triassic has not yet been fully understood, largely due to oversimplification of hypothesized trophic hierarchies and limited preservation of direct evidence of faunal interaction. Paleocommunity reconstruction attempts can also fall victim to taphonomic biases, time-averaging inaccuracies, and non-analogue paleoecologies. Utilizing a combination of PAIRS analysis and NMDS ordination, we highlight vertebrate faunal relationships within the Adamanian and Revueltian faunachrons of Petrified Forest National Park, assess the likelihood that these patterns have ecological rather than preservational drivers, and examine how these potential interactions may have been impacted by the Adamanian-Revueltian turnover event. We are …

An Observed Increase In Cardiovascular And Respiratory-Disease Related Hospitalizations And Mortality In An Area Surrounding A Hazardous Waste Thermal Treatment Plant, Liana Isabelle Dela Torre Baconguis

LSU Master's Theses

Particulate matter (PM) pollution is highly correlated with respiratory and cardiovascular disease incidence. The generation of oxidative stress is a major way by which PM can damage the body. Environmentally persistent free radical-containing PM are generated by combustion processes and are capable of exerting increased damage on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems due to their ability to remain stable and regenerate reactive oxygen species for up to five years. Clean Harbors, LLC operates a thermal treatment plant near the city of Colfax, LA in Central Louisiana. Its regular open burning of explosives causes disturbances to the community, such as loud …

Circadian Disruption And Colorectal Cancer Incidence In Black Women, Lauren E Barber, Trang Vopham, Laura F White, Hemant K Roy, Julie R Palmer, Kimberly A Bertrand

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: Animal and experimental studies suggest circadian disruption increases colorectal cancer risk, but evidence in humans is limited. We examined night shift work, chronotype, and residential position within a time zone, proxies for circadian disruption, in relation to colorectal cancer risk.

METHODS: Participants in the Black Women's Health Study, a prospective cohort of 59,000 Black American women established in 1995, reported history of night shift work and chronotype on follow-up questionnaires. Residential position within a time zone was estimated using participant addresses at each questionnaire cycle. Number of colorectal cancer cases and follow-up duration varied by analysis depending on timing …

Growing South Dakota (Summer 2023), College Of Agriculture, Food And Environmental Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

3 SDSU Little International Celebrates 100 years of Tradition
7 2023 CAFES Celebration of Faculty Excellence
11 South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station Locations and Research Initiatives
15 Every Acre Counts
16 Undergraduate Research
19 Tanner Sloan: South Dakota State Wrestler & Animal Science Student Takes Home NCAA Division I & U23 World Silver Medals
21 2023 CAFES Outstanding Seniors
23 Robert Streeter: International Advocate for Wildlife Conservation
25 Collegiate Cattlemen's Club
27 Jim and Melody Mielke: Lifelong Donors Contribute to Agriculture in More Ways than One
29 Jackrabbits Now and Then

Feeding Habits And Diet Composition Of The African Sacred Ibis In Selected Water-Logged Sites In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Jared S. Bakuza, Joyce Ndinadyo

Tanzania Journal of Science

The African Sacred Ibises Threskiornis aethiopicus are generalist birds that feed on many invertebrates and some vertebrates. However, the diet composition of local T. aethiopicus populations in wetland areas in Dar es Salaam Tanzania was unknown. Sacred Ibises from eight water-logged areas in Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania were studied to determine their feeding habits and diet composition using direct observations and molecular analysis of faecal samples. Snails species identified from sites frequented by T. aethiopicus included Lymnaea natalensis (61.62%), Melanoides tuberculatus (20.64%), Bulinus sp. (17.66%) and Anisus sp. (0.08%), while molecular analysis of the birds’ diet revealed presence of …

Nutrient-Rich Submarine Groundwater Discharge Increases Algal Carbon Uptake In A Tropical Reef Ecosystem, Florybeth Flores La Valle, Julian M. Jacobs, Florence I. Thomas, Craig E. Nelson

All Faculty Open Access Publications

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in high volcanic islands can be an important source of freshwater and nutrients to coral reefs. High inorganic nutrient content is generally thought to augment primary production in coastal systems but when this is delivered via a freshwater vector as is the case with SGD in this study, the effects on productivity are unclear. In the current literature, there is limited evidence for a direct association between SGD and primary productivity of reefs. To elucidate the response of primary productivity to SGD, we conducted spatially and temporally explicit in situ benthic chamber experiments on a reef …

A Study In Cuba Of The Biology, Ecology And Agroecological Management Of Heteropsylla Cubana Crawford In Leucaena Leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit, N. Valenciaga, M. Felicia Díaz, T. E. Ruíz, M. Fernández, C. Mora

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

As a consequence of the increase in Leucaena leucocephala areas to counter the shortage of feed in Cuban cattle production, there is a risk of the development of Heteropsylla cubana Crawford (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) as a pest in silvopastoral systems with this legume. This psyllid is known to be the main phytophagous pest (Valenciaga, 2003), which produces damage in 95% of the apical region of branches. Since information on the identification and biology of a pest species is a necessary prerequisite for its management, a taxonomic, biological and ecological study was conducted to define Heteropsylla behaviour in Cuban conditions and elaborate …