Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of Thermotherapy On Potato Tubers To Control Tuber-Borne Nematodes, Meloidogyne Spp, Wawan Kurniawan, Supramana, Abdul Munif, Giyanto

Jurnal Kultivasi

Root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are significant plant-parasitic nematodes frequently transmitted through potato tubers and are a major factor contributing to the decline in both crop quality and yield. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of thermotherapy for eliminating Meloidogyne spp. from potato tubers and its impact on sprouting viability. Thermotherapy was conducted by immersing potato tubers and second-stage juveniles (J2) of Meloidogyne spp. in water at temperatures of 50 °C, 52.5 °C, 55 °C, and 60 °C for durations ranging from 5 to 75 minutes, depending on the treatment. Parameters observed included the mortality rate of Meloidogyne spp. …

Heterologous Expression Of Maize-Derived Antimicrobial Peptide Zmes4 In Escherichia Coli For Potential Plant Pathogen Control, Suseno Amien, Dadi Nurdiana, Noor Istifadah, Noladhi Wicaksana, Haifanisa Salsabila

Jurnal Kultivasi

ZmES4 is a plant-derived antimicrobial peptide (AMP) from maize that shows promise as a biocontrol agent against plant pathogenic organisms. In the context of growing challenges in sustainable agriculture, AMPs like ZmES4 represent innovative alternatives to chemical pesticides. This study focuses on the structural characterization and heterologous expression of the ZmES4 peptide in Escherichia coli (E. coli). The gene encoding ZmES4 was obtained from the maize female gametophyte (NCBI Reference Sequence: NM_001112150.3) and cloned into the pET24d(+) expression vector using NcoI and XhoI restriction sites. Transformation into E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells enabled recombinant expression upon induction with isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside …

The Effect Of Soil Conditioner And Growth Booster On The Agronomic Characters And Number Of Nodules Of Black Soybean, Tien Turmuktini, I Putu Rahmat Santoso, Lia Amalia, Nunung Sondari, Elly Roosma Ria, Yenny Muliani, Endang Kantikowati, Tualar Simarmata

Jurnal Kultivasi

Soil Conditioner & Growth Booster (SCGB) is a potion that was made to be used as a soil conditioner and plant growth promoter. SCGB is made from organic matter, biological fertilizers, soil ameliorants, and microelements. This research aims to determine the best dosage of SCGB on the agronomic characters, effective nodules, and black soybean variety ‘Detam-1’ yield. This research was conducted in the experimental field of the Faculty of Agriculture, Winaya Mukti University, Sumedang, Indonesia. This experiment used a simple randomized block design (RBD) with six treatments (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 kg/ha) and repeated 4 times. The observation …

The Effect Of Topping And Various Cytokinin-Based Plant Growth Regulators Applications On Immature Liberica Coffee Growth, Yudithia Maxiselly, Joshua Samuel, Cucu Suherman

Jurnal Kultivasi

The growth of Liberica coffee in the 2-year immature plant phase can be improved by applying cytokinin-based plant growth regulators (PGRs) and topping. Toppings applied to plants can inhibit apical dominance, while cytokinin PGRs such as 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) and coconut water can stimulate plant shoot growth. This research aims to determine the effect of topping and PGR application on the vegetative growth of Liberica coffee plants. This experiment was carried out at the Ciparanje experimental field, Universitas Padjadjaran, West Java, with an elevation of ± 750 meters above sea level from March to June 2024. The experimental design used a …

The Fractography Of Bone: Impact Of Flat Bone And The Story It Tells, Abigail Hoffmeister, Chase Freeman, Brandon Mendoza, Nathaniel Fitch, Annie Markarian, Jack Tran, Joshua Lau, Nicholas Tran

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Fractography as a method for fracture analysis has been applied widely to materials that range from glass to ceramics and polymers of varying compositions. Very limited research has been done, however, to apply this knowledge of fractography and fracture patterns to bone. With the goal of telling the story of how a bone was broken, this research focuses on observing known patterns of fracture in polymers, and applying these patterns to bone. For the purposes of this research, porcine scapulae were acquired, dissected from surrounding tissue, and broken using a standardized weight drop at varying heights. The fractured bone was …

Genome Analysis Of Aeromonas Hydrophila Strain S14-452, Zarin Tasnim Raya

Undergraduate Research Conference

The Aeromonas hydrophila are gram-negative, opportunistic bacteria that can infect many groups of organisms, mainly fish and amphibians. In channel catfish, A. hydrophila causes fatal bacterial septicemia, leading to massive economic losses for catfish farmers. Therefore, an understanding of its genome will aid in identifying its virulence factors, metabolic pathways and survival mechanisms within the host. This study details the draft genome sequence of A. hydrophila strain S14-452, isolated from channel catfish exhibiting bacterial septicemia during a disease outbreak at a catfish farm.

A. hydrophila strain S14-452 was sequenced using the Illumina iSeq 100 System. Assembly was performed with SPAdes, …

Psilocybin Impairs The Extinction Of Contextual Fear In Adult Female, But Not Male, Rats, Lillianna P. Puppel, Aleece K. Al-Olimat, Kylie M. King, Marisa J. Savini, Claire E. Miller, Colin R. Del Valle, Heather R. Sparkman, Brooke E. Bramlage, Phillip R. Zoladz

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Fear-related disorders are often treated with exposure therapy, a technique based on the concept of extinction. However, this type of therapy is ineffective for many individuals, so finding a pharmacological adjunct that augments the extinction of fear could lead to better treatment outcomes. In recent preclinical work, investigators have shown that psychedelics can accelerate the extinction of fear, potentially through their impact on neurotrophic signaling. We previously found that psilocybin exerted sex-dependent effects on the extinction of conditioned fear to an isolated cue (i.e., a tone). Specifically, psilocybin enhanced the extinction of cue fear in male rats but impaired it …

The Role Of Urbanization And Corticosterone In Auditory Sensory Processing In House Sparrows (Passer Domesticus), Brooke Fox, Ashley Lauraine, Hannah Peterson

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

Urban habitat expansion will introduce new anthropogenic challenges for wildlife populations, including habitat fragmentation, novel predators, and pollution. These challenges may hinder animal communication and contribute to increased stress levels. This study will investigate the physiological consequences of stressors on the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). Specifically, we will examine how urbanization affects stress hormone (i.e., corticosterone, CORT) levels and its relationship to auditory processing. It is predicted that urbanization may impose novel stressors on animals, leading to differences in this hormone across urban and rural birds. We seek to understand if differences in CORT levels could impact animals' …

Interactions Among Nutrients Govern The Global Grassland Biomass–Precipitation Relationship, Philip A. Fay, Laureano A. Gherardi, Laura Yahdjian, Peter B. Adler, Jonathan D. Bakker, Siddharth Bharath, Elizabeth T. Borer, W. Stanley Harpole, Erika Hersch-Green, Travis E. Huxman, Andrew S. Macdougall, Anita C. Risch, Eric W. Seabloom, Sumanta Bagchi, Isabel C. Barrio, Lori Biederman, Yvonne M. Buckley, Miguel N. Bugalho, Maria C. Caldeira, Jane A. Catford, Qingqing Chen, Elsa E. Cleland, Scott L. Collins, Pedro Daleo, Chris R. Dickman, Ian Donohue, Mary Ellyn Dupre, Nico Eisenhauer, Anu Eskelinen, Nicole Hagenah, Yann Hautier, Robert W. Heckman, Ingibjörg S. Jónsdóttir, Johannes M. H. Knops, Ramesh Laungani, Jason P. Martina, Rebecca L. Mcculley, John W. Morgan, Harry Olde Venterink, Pablo L. Peri, Sally A. Power, Xavier Raynaud, Zhengwei Ren, Christiane Roscher, Melinda D. Smith, Marie Spohn, Carly J. Stevens, Michelle Tedder, Risto Virtanen, Glenda M. Wardle, George R. Wheeler

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Ecosystems are experiencing changing global patterns of mean annual precipitation (MAP) and enrichment with multiple nutrients that potentially colimit plant biomass production. In grasslands, mean aboveground plant biomass is closely related to MAP, but how this relationship changes after enrichment with multiple nutrients remains unclear. We hypothesized the global biomass–MAP relationship becomes steeper with an increasing number of added nutrients, with increases in steepness corresponding to the form of interaction among added nutrients and with increased mediation by changes in plant community diversity. We measured aboveground plant biomass production and species diversity in 71 grasslands on six continents representing the …

The Impact Of Consuming An Electrolyte Drink Pre Vs Post-Workout On Recovery As Measured Through Urinary Indicators In Collegiate Cross-Country Runners, Laura Taylor, Aidan Becher, Madelynn Struck, Momodou Colley

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

BACKGROUND: Hydration is crucial in sports, as dehydration can decrease strength, endurance, and power. Drinking electrolytes before and after intense exercise can promote hydration. Few studies have compared the difference in consuming electrolytes pre/post-workout. The impact of consuming electrolyte drinks can be assessed by comparing pre/post-workout urinary biomarkers (UB). PURPOSE: To determine if drinking electrolytes before/after a workout improves post-workout recovery as measured by heart rate (HR) and UB in collegiate Cross Country (CC) runners. METHODS: 21 CC runners (43% men, 20±3 years) were divided into four groups. For four weeks (Sep-Oct 2024), participants consumed Liquid IV (LIV) or a …

Foraging Efficiency Of Rural And Urban House Sparrows, Passer Domesticus, Among Natural And Unnatural Obstacles, Annie Waldron, Katie Kowalyk, Mara Gutierrez

24th Annual A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2025)

Urbanization may lead to food displacement for many animals. Urban birds are exposed to man-made objects that can result in variable food locations, unlike rural birds who inhabit areas where food locations are typically consistent. The introduction of unnatural obstacles may affect a sparrow's ability to find and reach food sources. Scientific studies have yet to find a significant increase in problem-solving skills related to foraging in urban versus rural birds. Our research seeks to determine the foraging efficiency of rural and urban house sparrows when exposed to obstructed food sources. Novel objects near a food source may scare birds …

Analysis Of Psychoactive Compounds In The Web-Building Behavior Of Mangora Maculata, Diane R. Castner

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

The arachnid central nervous system (CNS) functions in an analogous way to the human CNS, despite spiders not having a central brain. Previous studies on spider behavior and web formation have investigated the impacts of stimulants, depressants, sedatives, and hallucinogens, but the impacts of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as fluoxetine are unknown. This study examined the impacts of caffeine, nicotine, ethanol, and fluoxetine on the web building behavior of Mangora maculata. Webs were characterized by 9 metrics: web entirety, size of web, radial angles, cell length, number of large holes, frequency of forking of spiral threads, radial angle consistency, …

The Role Of Cholinergic Ventral Pallidum Cells In Effortful Motivation, Elizabeth A. Bien

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Maladaptive reward-seeking behavior can be driven by one of several different components including excessive craving elicited by cues that predict rewards, failing to effortfully pursue rewards when it is beneficial to do so, and compulsively seeking rewards when it is no longer advantageous to do so. This thesis includes experiments focusing on these three different components of reward-seeking behavior to better understand how reward-seeking can become maladaptive. First, we wanted to examine the role that sex plays in the acquisition and compulsiveness of sign-tracking behavior in the Long Evans rat, a strain that is commonly used as the background for …

Characterization Of Long-Noncoding Rnas In Prostate And Pancreatic Cancer Through Single Cell Transcriptomics, Debanjan Saha

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is a subtype of prostate cancer that develops after metastasis and resistance to hormone therapy, thereby carrying a poor prognosis. Likewise, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal malignancies due to its propensity to present at advanced, unresectable stages in patients. Recent genomic studies have identified molecular features of mCRPC and PDAC, such as the existence of mutations in key driver genes, the extensive transcriptomic intra-tumoral heterogeneity, the role of regulatory elements in dictating driver gene expression, mechanisms of treatment resistance, and the interactions with the immunosuppressive and stromal tumor- microenvironment …

Natural Killer Cells’ Functional Impairment Drives The Immune Escape Of Pre-Malignant Clones In Early-Stage Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Juan Jose Rodriguez-Sevilla, Irene Ganan-Gomez, Bijender Kumar, Natthakan Thongon, Feiyang Ma, Kelly S Chien, Yi J Kim, Hui Yang, Sanam Loghavi, Roselyn Tan, Vera Adema, Zongrui Li, Tomoyuki Tanaka, Hidetaka Uryu, Rashmi Kanagal-Shamanna, Gheath Al-Atrash, Rafael Bejar, Pinaki Prosad Banerjee, Sophia Lynn Cha, Guillermo Montalban-Bravo, Max Dougherty, Maria Claudina Fernandez Laurita, Noelle Wheeler, Baosen Jia, Eirini P Papapetrou, Franco Izzo, Daniela E Dueñas, Salome Mcallen, Yiqian Gu, Gabriele Todisco, Francesca Ficara, Matteo Giovanni Della Porta, Abhinav Jain, Koichi Takahashi, Karen Clise-Dwyer, Stephanie Halene, Maria Teresa Sabrina Bertilaccio, Guillermo Garcia-Manero, May Daher, Simona Colla

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Dissecting the preneoplastic disease states' biological mechanisms that precede tumorigenesis can lead to interventions that can slow down disease progression and/or mitigate disease-related comorbidities. Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) cannot be cured by currently available pharmacological therapies, which fail to eradicate aberrant hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), most of which are mutated by the time of diagnosis. Here, we sought to elucidate how MDS HSCs evade immune surveillance and expand in patients with clonal cytopenias of undetermined significance (CCUS), the pre-malignant stage of MDS. We used multi-omic single-cell approaches and functional in vitro studies to show that immune escape at disease initiation is …

Local Nutrient Addition Drives Plant Diversity Losses But Not Biotic Homogenization In Global Grasslands, Qingqing Chen, Shane A. Blowes, W. Stanley Harpole, Emma Ladouceur, Elizabeth T. Borer, Andrew Macdougall, Erika Hersch-Green, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

Nutrient enrichment typically causes local plant diversity declines. A common but untested expectation is that nutrient enrichment also reduces variation in nutrient conditions among localities and selects for a smaller pool of species, causing greater diversity declines at larger than local scales and thus biotic homogenization. Here we apply a framework that links changes in species richness across scales to changes in the numbers of spatially restricted and widespread species for a standardized nutrient addition experiment across 72 grasslands on six continents. Overall, we find proportionally similar species loss at local and larger scales, suggesting similar declines of spatially restricted …

Interactions Among Nutrients Govern The Global Grassland Biomass–Precipitation Relationship, Philip A. Fay, Laureano A. Gherardi, Laura Yahdjian, Peter B. Adler, Jonathan D. Bakker, Siddharth Bharath, Elizabeth T. Borer, W. Stanley Harpole, Erika Hersch-Green, George R. Wheeler

Michigan Tech Publications

Ecosystems are experiencing changing global patterns of mean annual precipitation (MAP) and enrichment with multiple nutrients that potentially colimit plant biomass production. In grasslands, mean aboveground plant biomass is closely related to MAP, but how this relationship changes after enrichment with multiple nutrients remains unclear. We hypothesized the global biomass–MAP relationship becomes steeper with an increasing number of added nutrients, with increases in steepness corresponding to the form of interaction among added nutrients and with increased mediation by changes in plant community diversity. We measured aboveground plant biomass production and species diversity in 71 grasslands on six continents representing the …

Impacts Of Riverine Heatwaves On Rates Of Ecosystem Metabolism In The United States, Spencer J. Tassone, Michelle Kelly, Olivia N. Beidler, Michael L. Pace, Amy Marcarelli

Michigan Tech Publications

Rivers produce and decompose large amounts of carbon globally due, in part, to high rates of gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER), collectively known as ecosystem metabolism. Water temperature is a major driver of ecosystem metabolism, and in-stream temperatures are increasing globally, including extreme temperature events called heatwaves. This study used published estimates of daily GPP and ER from 48 stream and river locations in the United States to examine how ecosystem metabolism responds to riverine heatwaves. During low-severity heatwaves, GPP and ER increase proportionally, resulting in no net difference. However, during severe and extreme heatwaves, GPP declined …

Determination Of The Effects Of Biogenic Metal Nanoparticles Concentrations On Soil Properties, Vicia Faba Growth And The Toxicity On Black Aphid, Ayoub Sabir Karim, Halala Rahman Qadr, Sakar Abdulqadr Saeed, Nashmeel Saeed Khudhur

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The development of nanomaterials could support more extensive agricultural uses, including nano-pesticides. Current study was conducted to observe the effects of different concentrations (25, 50, 75, 100, 150 and 200 ppm) of biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and aluminum oxide nanoparticles (Al₂O₃ NPs) on soil, faba bean and toxicity on black aphid (Aphis fabae). The synthesized ZnO NPs from Musa paradisiaca L. characterized by ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Transmission electron microscopy. Al₂O₃ NPs was prepared by calcination of Iraqi kaolin via evaporation process. Highest pH …

Modified Interferon-Gamma (Ifn-G) Receptors (Ifngr) To Enhance Cell-Based Immunotherapy, Eric Tran, Myungkyu Jang

Technology Transfer - Patents

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Diet-Induced Obesity On Cerebrovasculature Structure And Function, Riley M. Feagle

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Adequate cerebral perfusion is necessary to help the brain maintain a constant and steady state of nutrient delivery. Since the brain is highly metabolic, changes in the vasculature structure can impact perfusion levels and, therefore, reduce the ability of the brain to receive the support necessary for full functionality. Vascular dysfunction is a common comorbidity among obese individuals. Given the strong association between obesity and cognitive dysfunction, understanding the correlation between reduced cerebral perfusion and altered cerebrovascular structure is crucial. The overall hypothesis of this thesis originated after ample preliminary data, and states that diet-induced obesity reduces cerebral perfusion and …

Hierarchical Lineage Tracing To Unravel Mechanisms Of Cancer Treatment Resistance, Rachel Danielle Saxe

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Cancer cells adapt to treatment, leading to the emergence of clones that are more aggressive and resistant to anti-cancer therapies. We have a limited understanding of the development of treatment resistance as we lack technologies to map the evolution of cancer under the selective pressure of treatment. To address this, we developed a hierarchical, dynamic lineage tracing method called FLARE (Following Lineage Adaptation and Resistance Evolution). We use this technique to track the progression of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines through exposure to Cytarabine (AraC), a front-line treatment in AML, in vitro and in vivo. We map distinct cellular …

Her2-Selective Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor, Zongertinib (Bi 1810631), In Patients With Advanced/Metastatic Solid Tumors With Her2 Alterations: A Phase Ia Dose-Escalation Study, John V Heymach, Frans Opdam, Minal Barve, Hai-Yan Tu, Yi-Long Wu, David Berz, Lukas Schröter, Yanick Botilde, Behbood Sadrolhefazi, Josep Serra, Kiyotaka Yoh, Noboru Yamamoto

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) alterations occur in many solid cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Beamion LUNG-1 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04886804) is assessing the safety/efficacy of zongertinib (BI 1810631), a novel HER2-selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor that spares epidermal growth factor receptor, in patients with HER2-altered solid tumors.

Materials and methods: Beamion LUNG-1 is an ongoing multicenter, multicohort phase Ia/Ib trial. Phase Ia assessed zongertinib administered twice a day (15-150 mg) or once daily (60-360 mg) in pretreated patients with various tumors, including NSCLC. Primary end points were maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs); …

The Zbtb24-Cdca7-Hells Axis Suppresses The Totipotent 2c-Like Reprogramming By Maintaining Dux Methylation And Repression, Dan Guo, Zeling Du, Youqi Liu, Meiqi Lin, Yue Lu, Swanand Hardikar, Yanna Xue, Jinghong Zhang, Taiping Chen, Jiameng Dan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Two-cell-like cells (2CLCs), a rare population (∼0.5%) in mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) cultures, are in a transient totipotent-like state resembling that of 2C-stage embryos, and their discovery and characterization have greatly facilitated the study of early developmental events, such as zygotic genome activation. However, the molecular determinants governing 2C-like reprogramming remain to be elucidated. Here, we show that ZBTB24, CDCA7, and HELLS, components of a molecular pathway that is involved in the pathogenesis of immunodeficiency, centromeric instability, and facial anomalies (ICF) syndrome, function as negative regulators of 2C-like reprogramming by maintaining DNA methylation of the Dux cluster, a master …

Allosteric Targeted Drug Delivery For Enhanced Blood-Brain Barrier Penetration Via Mimicking Transmembrane Domain Interactions, Kaicheng Tang, Zhongjie Tang, Miaomiao Niu, Zuyin Kuang, Weiwei Xue, Xinyu Wang, Xinlong Liu, Yang Yu, Seongdong Jeong, Yifan Ma, Annette Wu, Betty Y S Kim, Wen Jiang, Zhaogang Yang, Chong Li

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Current strategies for active targeting in the brain are entirely based on the effective interaction of the ligand with the orthosteric sites of specific receptors on the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is highly susceptible to various pathophysiological factors and limits the efficacy of drug delivery. Here, we propose an allosteric targeted drug delivery strategy that targets classical BBB transmembrane receptors by designing peptide ligands that specifically bind to their transmembrane domains. This strategy prevents competitive interference from endogenous ligands and antibodies by using the insulin receptor and integrin α

Cognitive Correlates Of Borderline Personality Disorder Features In Youth With Bipolar Spectrum Disorders And Bipolar Offspring, Alessio Simonetti, Sherin Kurian, Evelina Bernardi, Antonio Restaino, Francesca Bardi, Claudia Calderoni, Gabriele Sani, Jair C Soares, Kirti Saxena

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) share common cognitive impairments. These deficits are also shared by bipolar offspring (BD-OFF). Nevertheless, little is known regarding the association between cognitive impairments and BPD features in youth with BD and BD-OFF. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between BPD features and cognitive impairments in youth with BD and BD-OFF.

Methods: Thirty-nine participants (7-17 years) with BD, 18 BD-OFF, and 50 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. BPD features were assessed using the Borderline Personality Features Scale for Children (BPFS-C). Deficits in executive functions and affective processing were assessed using …

Crop Advisor Approaches To Soil Health Advising And Opportunities For Improvement, Peggy Petrzelka, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, Matt Yost, Jenae Dean, Earl Creech, Linda Schott, Tony Richards, Kristy Davis

All Current Publications

In this report, we use data from a 2023 online survey of crop advisors in Utah and Idaho to examine how they are working with their clients on soil health and where opportunities for improvement exist.

Ethical Concerns And Implications Of Expanded Carrier Screening, Emily Andres

Student Research Symposium

The rapid evolution in the field of genetics is often met with uncertainty and skepticism. With the advancements in genetic technologies, expanded carrier screening (ECS) has emerged as a powerful tool in reproductive medicine. While ECS provides prospective parents with insight into their genetic risk, it also raises serious ethical questions for many.

Impacts Of Reef Fish Length On Foraging Radius: Exploring Behavioral Patterns Within A Patch Reef Ecosystem, Kilia Brawand

Student Research Symposium

Introduction

Coral reefs support high levels of marine biodiversity

• Patch reefs serve as vital refuges for small fish.
• Predation risk shapes how far fish stray from their reef, creating a “foraging radius”— the maximum distance traveled before retreating.

Absolute swimming speed in fish increases with body size (1).

• Therefore, larger fish may travel farther away from their refuge to forage over greater areas

This study tested the following question: Does a reef fish’s length influence how far it travels from its patch reef refuge?

Investigation Of Immune/Performance Trade-Offs In Neonate Children's Pythons, Ellie Hartman

Student Research Symposium

Introduction

Energetic trade-offs are a key consideration when understanding an organism’s life history. One of these tradeoffs occurs between investment in immunity and performance.

• Individuals that invest more energy into immunity may be less equipped to avoid predation or find food, while those prioritizing performance may be more susceptible to infection
• Hypothesis: In response to a novel antigen, neonate snakes will have an immune response we can measure by counting immune cells. Additionally, we predict that strike frequency, swim speed, and endurance will be reduced in snakes undergoing an immune response and that with greater immune response we will see …