Digital Commons Network^™

Colony Collapse Disorder And How To Mitigate Losses, Axl Taylor

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

What is Colony Collapse Disorder?

The Role of Varroa destructor in CCD

Viruses and Their Role in CCD

Effects of Nosema in CCD

Habitat Destruction/Nutrition and Its Effect on CCD

Pesticides and their effect on CCD

Mitigating Causes of CCD

Colony Behavior, Social Resilience, and Monitoring

Integrated Management Approaches

Conclusion

Hyalophora Cecropia: An Educational Guide For Learning About And Raising Hyalophora Cecropia, Deserae Emmett

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Ths is an educational guide for learning about and raising Hyalophora cecropia, also known as the cecropia moth, cecropia silkmoth, or robin moth, classified in the family Saturniidae.

Website: https://deseraeemmett.wixsite.com/ chasing-cecropia

Insect Evoluation Lesson, Melissa Adriano

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

The insect evolution Lesson Plan is a four-day course, to be taught sequentially through a week. All the materials presented are meant to be for ninth to tenth grades. The first day begins with a pre-test and an introduction to insect evolution. The following days will cover divergent evolution, convergent evolution, and co-evolution. Instructions are step-by-step in order to make possible the inquiry process. On the last day a review and a post-test for an overview of the knowledge acquired by the students. All activities and materials are available in the Appendix Section. The insect evolution lesson caters to the …

Targeting Ribosome Biogenesis In Cic-Dux4 Sarcoma Treatment By Using Rna Polymerase 1 Inhibitors, Hema Sri Kambala

Theses

CIC-DUX4 sarcoma (CDS) is a rare, aggressive round-cell tumor that primarily affects children and young adults and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Current treatments borrow from Ewing sarcoma regimens but offer limited benefit, underscoring the need for targeted therapeutic strategies. Transcriptomic analysis of CDS cell lines revealed a striking overrepresentation of ribosome biogenesis genes, indicating that CDS relies heavily on hyperactive RNA Polymerase I (Pol I)–driven rRNA synthesis. To evaluate this vulnerability, the Pol I inhibitors CX-5461 and BMH-21 were tested across multiple functional assays, including rRNA transcription, proliferation, migration, and 3-dimensional spheroid growth. Both inhibitors reduced rRNA synthesis …

Functional Analysis Of R144 In The Flavin Oxidation Mechanism Of A Flavin-Dependent N-Monooxygenase, Reeder Robinson, Korliss Britt, Pablo Sobrado

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Flavin-dependent N-monooxygenases (NMOs) are key enzymes in the biosynthesis of hydroxamate-containing siderophores, which are critical virulence factors in pathogenic microorganisms. SidA, an NMO from Aspergillus fumigatus, catalyzes the NADPH- and O2-dependent hydroxylation of L-ornithine (Orn) via a stable C4a-hydroperoxyflavin (FADOOH) intermediate. This study investigates the role of Arg144 in the catalytic cycle of SidA. Site-directed mutagenesis of Arg144 to alanine (R144A) significantly impaired both oxygen consumption and Orn hydroxylation, resulting in an approximately 60-fold reduction in kcat and a ~300-fold decrease in kcat/KM. The pH dependence, solvent kinetic isotope effects, and rapid-reaction kinetics reveal that R144 influences protonation events crucial …

Ecology Of Eupatorium Altissimum Galls: Extrapolating Timing Of Oviposition Using Plant Growth Curves, Tomofumi Inoue, Dana Dudle, James Benedix

Annual Student Research Poster Session

This study aims to investigate the timing of oviposition by the gall fly Neolassioptera perfoliata on tall boneset (Eupatorium altissimum) populations throughout the DePauw University Nature Park. I initially measured the heights of 176 plants total in 5 different locations, out of which I randomly selected 12-17 plants per location to measure height on a weekly basis. When galls were spotted, their heights were recorded so that they could be compared to the plant heights to produce an estimate for when the egg was laid by the gall fly. I also collected galls from plants that were excluded in the …

K847a Mutation And Anionic Lipid-Presence Modify Opa1 Enzyme Kinetics And Function, J. Rafael Tolentino, Kate Walsh, Andrew D. Kehr

Annual Student Research Poster Session

Opa1 is a dynamin superfamily protein that is responsible for the fusion of the mitochondrial membrane. However, nobody knows the specific chemical mechanisms of how it interacts with lipids. Our research focuses on investigating how Opa1 interacts with lipids. In other words, we want to figure out which amino acids are crucial for Opa1's ability to bind with lipids. In hopes of understanding how Opa1 mutations affect neurodegenerative diseases, such as dominant optic atrophy.

Getting To The Root Of The Problem: A Comparison Of Rhizome Extracts For The Control Of Cogongrass (Imperata Cylindrica), Mia Martin-Fuller, Elizabeth Esser, Ashley Schulz

Annual Student Research Poster Session

Cogongrass is a perennial grass that was introduced to the southeastern United States in 1912 and has since spread aggressively throughout the region. It is very resilient to disturbances as it can propagate through seed and rhizome, which makes it extremely difficult to control. Most efforts to control cogongrass populations have used synthetic herbicides, though burning and tilling have also been explored. A new method applies autotoxic leachates produced by the target plant to the plant for control. Although this method of control has been demonstrated in giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta), researchers have not yet identified the methods to control …

Preliminary Microbial Community Analysis Of Non-Native And Native Plants In The Depauw Nature Park Quarry Bottom, Madeleine Cruz, Dana Dudle

Annual Student Research Poster Session

The DePauw Nature Park Quarry Bottom is a former limestone quarry that was mined for decades and then lay dormant. Through the years, it has developed from being uninhabited to being populated by a diversity of organisms at every scale of life. All organisms in the Quarry Bottom must withstand the changing conditions of the quarry, including the proliferation of invasive plants that are well-adapted to stress. In particular, two invasive wetland grasses, Phragmites and Typha have observed competitive interactions, increased spatial distributions, and possible influence on native species. We have studied these species at our scale of life, but …

Light Stress And Leaf Characteristics In Prairie Fleabane In A Limestone Quarry, Guoqing Evelyn Tuohy

Annual Student Research Poster Session

DePauw’s nature park was an active limestone quarry for 60 years and has been going through primary succession since 1977. This harsh and disturbed environment can make it difficult for plants to survive. In this study, I aimed to investigate the Erigeron strigosus (Prairie Fleabane), a native plant commonly found in open, disturbed areas. I wanted to examine how the amount of light affected leaf traits in Erigeron strigosus because I had observed and hypothesized that in sunny areas, the leaf orientation changed, and the size of the leaves was smaller, and in shady areas, the leaves would be in …

Adipose Tissue Estrogen Receptor-Alpha Overexpression Ameliorates High-Fat Diet–Induced Adipose Tissue Inflammation, Marion C. Hope, Christian A. Unger, M. Chase Kettering, Cassidy E. Socia, Ahmed K. Aladhami, Barton C. Rice, Darya S. Niamira, Ben P. Wiznitzer, Diego Altomare Ph.D., William E. Cotham, Reilly T. Enos

Faculty Publications

Context

We created an innovative mouse model that enables inducible overexpression of estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα), specifically in adipose tissue (Adipo-ERα↑). Objective

We aimed to investigate how elevated Adipo-ERα↑ influences the development of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in both male and female mice. Methods

Male and female Adipo-ERα↑ mice and littermate controls were fed a low-fat diet (LFD) or HFD for 13 weeks. Adipo-ERα↑ was induced at the initiation of dietary treatment. Body morphology and composition, hepatic lipid accumulation, glucose tolerance, fasting insulin concentrations, and adipose tissue mRNA profiling were assessed. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to determine circulating and adipose …

Role Of Growth Factors In The Pathogenesis Of Systemic-Sclerosis-Associated Fibrosis, Fabian A. Mendoza, Sonsoles Piera-Velazquez, Sergio A. Jimenez

Jefferson Institute of Molecular Medicine Papers and Presentations

Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a systemic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology characterized by a severe fibroproliferative vasculopathy and frequently progressive cutaneous and internal organ fibrosis. The small-vessel vasculopathy and the tissue fibrotic alterations are responsible for the most serious clinical and pathological manifestations of the disease and for its high mortality. Despite the high severity and frequent mortality, there are currently no optimal therapeutic approaches for SSc, and its complex pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. Numerous studies have suggested that growth factors and related regulatory macromolecules released from inflammatory and other cells present in the affected tissues play a …

Pentanary And Hexanary Alkali Lanthanide Germanates Grown From Lanthanide Rich Flux Growth Reactions, Gregory Morrison, K. Pilar Zamorano, Virginia G. Jones, Ethan N. Adams, Hans Conrad Zur Loye

Faculty Publications

Single crystals of five compounds of a new structure type, the K3Nd52Ge12O100F7 type, were grown from lanthanide rich reactions using a KF/KCl flux: K3Ln52Ge12O100F7 (Ln = Nd, Eu), K3Ln52Ge12O100+δF7-δ (Ln = Pr, Tb), and K3Ca0.872Nd51.128Ge12O99.128F7.872. The five compounds crystallize in the cubic space group I-43d with lattice parameter 22.0350(2) Å for K3Nd52Ge12O100F7. The structure consists of a 3D checkerboard of LnX8, LnX7, LnX6, and GeO4 polyhedra, where X = O/F, and can be conceptually derived from the fluorite structure. K3Eu52Ge12O100F7 exhibits the fluorescence typical of Eu³⁺.

Economías De Reciprocidad En Un Paisaje Neocolonizado: La Plaza Almirante Brown Como Nodo Socioecológico Repensar La Belleza, La Pertenencia Y Las Plantas Desde La Educación Ambiental Y El Valor Plural Isp Report, Yereni Bruno-Sanchez

Argentina: People, Environment, and Climate Change in Patagonia and Antarctica

This study seeks to understand how ecological imperialism present in urban green spaces affects the optimal functioning of the reciprocal economies that sustain these places, through the case of Plaza Almirante Brown in Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. The perceptions, values, and emotions that visitors attribute to this urban ecosystem are analyzed, as well as the social dynamics that keep it alive. The work acknowledges and respects the sense of place already established, while identifying a gap in the plaza's relational economy linked to the limited presence and public understanding of native flora. It proposes that the incorporation of …

Urban Noisy Miner Populations And Vegetation Composition Hinders Small Bird Communities In Urban Sydney, Australia And Canberra, Australia, Libby Hennes

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Increasing urbanization to prioritize habitats that are eucalypt dominant with poor understory density has resulted in an overabundance of the native honeyeater the Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala). Noisy Miners are incredibly aggressive, especially towards birds that are smaller than them. This is believed to have contributed to declining small bird populations in remnant woodland patches that are dominated by Noisy Miners. This same pattern was discovered in urban greenspaces across Sydney, Australia and Canberra, Australia during November 2025. Small birds were almost completely absent in sites in Sydney and small birds in Canberra had a strong negative correlation with the …

It's Alive! Comparing Wet And Dry Sclerophyll Revegetation In Wollemi National Park Following The 2019-2020 Bushfires, Bethany Hall

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Wollemi National Park is part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Areas and contains many endemic plants and animals. Increasingly severe fires are threatening the area. This study aims to compare how dry and wet sclerophyll sites are recovering after the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires. We surveyed eight wet sites and nine dry sites that were burned early in the bushfires. Diameter at breast height (DBH) and resprouting vigor was measured to determine if and how well trees were recovering. Dry sites experienced higher resprouting vigor compared to wet sites. Wet sites had a higher number of unique trees …

Zero Textbook Cost Syllabus For Env 3070 (Agroecology), Benjamin Iuliano

Open Educational Resources

Our relationships with the food we eat are deeply personal, but also connect us to a wide array of people, plants, animals, and landscapes around the world. Encompassing a diversity of scholarly approaches, the field of agroecology seeks to understand the interactions among these components, draw attention to the consequences of our present industrial food system, and create the conditions for more sustainable and just futures. In this course, students will learn about the science, practice, and social movement of agroecology through lectures, course discussions, field trips, and hands-on activities.

J.A.M: What Epiphyte Load And Frugivore Abundance In Ficus Species Can Tell Us About Disturbance Regimes In Tropical North Queensland, Jordan Trinidad

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

The Wet Tropics Bioregion hosts a startling diversity of species, many of which are endemic and/or endangered. The habitats in which these species are found have been threatened by intensive logging post-European settlement, which has increased the susceptibility of the isolated remnant fragments to cyclone-related disturbances. In this study, we surveyed the visitation rates of frugivores to Ficus species between Cape Tribulation and Yungaburra in Northeast Queensland, Australia, as well as the epiphyte abundance supported by these trees. We found that in upland rainforest, the forces of cyclones and habitat fragmentation act in confluence on epiphyte abundance via the moderation …

Effects Of Provisioning On Two Species Of Rock-Wallaby (Petrogale Mareeba And Petrogale Assimilis) In North Queensland, Australia, Eve Oliker

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Provisioning, the act of providing food, water, or shelter to wild animals, can lead to habituation, resulting in changes in behavior, abundance, and distribution (Newsome & Rodger, 2008). In North Queensland, a colony of Mareeba rock-wallaby (Petrogale mareeba) at Granite Gorge has been provisioned for over 45 years, mainly through direct hand-feeding, while a group of allied rock-wallaby (Petrogale assimilis) in Magnetic Island has experienced shorter and less consistent provisioning. This study investigated whether long-term provisioning causes more severe behavioral changes, higher aggression, and larger aggregation sizes. Approximately one week was spent observing each population. Scan sampling was utilized to …

Habits And Habitats: Activity Budgets Of Platypuses (Ornithorhynchus Anatinus) Across Varying Habitat Types And Environmental Conditions In The Hobart Rivulet, Wyatt Nowacek

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

The habitat preferences and activity budgets of platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) was recorded in the Hobart Rivulet in Hobart, Tasmania. Twenty-three sites were sampled for platypus presence over 21 days for a total of 784 surveys at various times between 6:00 and 20:00 during which current weather and river conditions were recorded. Fifty-eight platypuses were observed, and their behaviors were recorded in 15-minute periods for a total 5.86 hours of behavioral data. During observations the type and duration of their behaviors was recorded. The habitat assessment at the sites included factors that may impact platypus occurrence, behavior, or abundance such as …

Why Antimicrobial Resistance Pipelines Fail On Cyanobacteria: What Custom Databases Reveal Instead, Maeve Musselman

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms (C-HABs) are increasing as climate change and nutrient enrichment create favorable environments for cyanobacteria. Although bloom-forming cyanobacteria can persist in extreme and polluted conditions, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and metal resistance (MR) play significant roles in bloom persistence and response to treatments, both remain understudied. Currently, most AMR detection pipelines use clinical databases developed for human pathogens which routinely fail to detect resistance genes in environmental microbes. This study evaluated AMR and MR profiles in seven freshwater cyanobacteria using both clinical AMR pipelines (CARD, ResFinder, ARG-ANNOT) and a custom environmental resistance database specifically designed to include metal …

What’S On The Menu? An Observational Study Of The Predatory Ecology Of Pseudochromis Fuscus, Navya Mittal

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Understanding the foraging behaviour of small reef predators is important for determining how they influence reef fish and cryptobenthic community structure. This study examined the predatory behaviour of Pseudochromis fuscus, a mesopredatory reef fish known to consume high numbers of juvenile damselfish recruits. In contrast to previous studies, no successful captures of juvenile recruits were observed, despite numerous attempted strikes. Instead, benthic invertebrates appeared to be the primary food source across all three time periods examined (full moon, mass coral spawning, and new moon). Behavioural differences were observed among periods, with significantly higher pursuit attempts during the new moon, likely …

Contradicting Effects Of Three Firefighting Chemicals On Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis Infection, Naomi Meyers

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

The spread of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis around the world has led to the decline of many species; however, Australian amphibian populations are especially vulnerable to the effects of the fungus. The combination of endemism, small geographical ranges, and a climate that supports fungal growth has led to the presumed extinction of 6 endemic species since the disease was first discovered. In addition to this fungus, amphibians are also facing pressure from the increasing prevalence of wildfires. As wildfires become more common and more destructive, scientists are rushing to find chemicals that aid firefighters in slowing down and reducing the intensity of …

Presence And Change Of Fluorescence In Two Broadcast Spawning Hermaphroditic Coral Species Through Development From Egg To Early Settlement, Mollie Kroll

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

The Great Barrier Reef is home to a variety of hermaphroditic broadcast spawning coral species that only release gametes to reproduce once a year. The limited opportunity to collect these gametes to understand a scleractinian coral’s early ontogeny caps the knowledge on their development prior to early settlement on the reef substrate. Corals can produce green fluorescent proteins during their development, but the biological function for this fluorescence is still widely hypothesized. This study aims to track hermaphroditic broadcast spawning species fluorescence, Acropora millepora and Platygyra sp., during their development from egg to early settler. The expression of green fluorescent …

Relating Natural Dispersal And Expansion Of Mangrove Forests To Local Australian Restoration Methods, August Jones

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

The combined vulnerability and importance of mangrove forests have spurred efforts to preserve their remaining natural stage and restore their land area made unsuitable by storms or coastal development. Globally, both private and government organizations have participated in mangrove ecosystem recovery through standard methodology and principles such as replantation and ecosystem rehabilitation. However, research into the costs and outcomes of these programs has ruled that many of them suffer low success rates due to a lack of suitable areas for rehabilitation, citing a poor understanding of the ecosystem typology and lack of long-term measures to avoid eventual degradation. This study …

Way Kambas National Park: The Human-Wildlife Conflict Success Story Still In Need Of Improvement, Eleanor Lefkowicz

Indonesia: Arts, Religion, and Social Change

This paper investigates the negative interactions between humans and animals in Way Kambas National Park of Sumatra, Indonesia, and the prevention and mitigation tactics the community utilizes. The numerous villages surrounding the National Park suffer from elephant activity damaging their farms, while the elephants are frequently harmed by poaching within the park. Participate observations and interviews concluded that the Way Kambas community responds to human-wildlife conflict with a collaborative effort by locals, government park police, and non-governmental organizations to both deter elephant presence outside of the park and poaching activity within the park, as well as to mitigate the negative …

Piping Up: Exploring Body Length And Density Metrics Of Dominant Pipefish Species Urocampus Carinirostris Across Spatially Distinct Sites In Moreton Bay, Qld, Leah Esser

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

The morphologically unique family Syngnathidae faces high levels of anthropogenic pressures in Moreton Bay Marine Park where seagrass beds, habitat to many syngnathid species, are increasingly vulnerable. Among these species, the pipefish Urocampus carinirostris is especially prevalent, making it a strong candidate as an indicator and model species. Threats to seagrass, including pollution and nutrient overload, largely stem from sources on the bay’s western banks. This study aimed to conduct a preliminary investigation of how U. carinirostris size, density, and site-level pipefish diversity compares across locations, with particular attention to differences between eastern and western sites. An exploratory comparison between …

Helping The Natural World Speak For Itself: Art's Role In Communicating Environmental And Sustainability Concepts In Sydney, Australia, Elizabeth Clark

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

Climate change and its broadening scope have made awareness of environmental issues, as well as ways to mitigate them, essential to securing our planet's future. Artistic venues, such as art galleries and even theatres, are becoming increasingly prominent in this conversation due to their ability to engage broad audiences and make scientific concepts more accessible. To understand the effectiveness of artistic efforts in science communication, it is necessary to assess the strategies by which both successful scientific venues, like zoos or natural history museums, and emerging artistic venues in science disseminate information. This project aimed to assess science communication strategies …

Effects And Importance Of Structure And Light On Acropora And Platygyra Corals In A Shallow Reef, Olivia Becker

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

This study examined the niche’s corals had and their locations on the reef. And more closely observed how light availability and structural complexity affect the spatial distribution of different coral species on a shallow reef. By using photogrammetry and putting out HOBO light sensors data was observed to see how much light the corals received and the structural complexity that surrounds them. Surveys were done on Lizard Island in the Great Barrier Reef, and the study site was Horseshoe. Horseshoe is a shallow reef located on the sheltered side making it easy to survey at. During a 3 day span …

Blooming Questions: The Potential Impact Of The Ongoing Harmful Algal Bloom On Pinnipeds On Kangaroo Island, South Australia, Rose Cassidy

Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology

The ongoing harmful algal bloom in South Australia that began in March 2025, which resulted in over 106 marine animal mortalities across 550 taxa, was recently identified as having brevetoxins, which can harm marine mammals and human beings (Murray et al., 2025). This algal bloom is currently affecting Kangaroo Island, South Australia, a key habitat for the endemic Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea), as well as long-nosed fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) (Goldsworthy et al., 2021), (Goldsworthy and Shaughnessy, 1994). Because these pinniped species were observed eating algal bloom affected prey, previous research on other pinnipeds suggests that the subject pinnipeds …