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Diets And Coexistence Of The Sea Urchins Lytechinus Variegatus And Arbacia Punctulata (Echinodermata) Along The Central Florida Gulf Coast, Janessa Cobb, John M. Lawrence

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

The basis for coexistence of similar species is fundamental in community ecology. One mechanism for coexistence is differentiation of diets. Lytechinus variegatus and Arbacia punctulata coexist in different microhabitats along the Florida gulf coast. Their great difference in morphology might affect their choice of microhabitats and diet. We analyzed diets of both species at 1 offshore and 1 nearshore site where both occurred in relatively equal numbers, an offshore site dominated by A. punctulata and an offshore site dominated by L. variegatus. Gut contents were analyzed to determine the diet. A. punctulata prim. consumed sessile invertebrates except on dates …

The Weekly Challenger, June 23, 2005, The Weekly Challenger, Et Al

Weekly Challenger Newspaper Collection

The June 23, 2005, issue of The Weekly Challenger.

The Weekly Challenger, June 2, 2005, The Weekly Challenger, Et Al

Weekly Challenger Newspaper Collection

The June 2, 2005, issue of The Weekly Challenger.

The Weekly Challenger, May 19, 2005, The Weekly Challenger, Et Al

Weekly Challenger Newspaper Collection

The May 19, 2005, issue of The Weekly Challenger.

Effects Of Detritus Abundance And Diversity On The Composition Of Detritivore Communities Within Tank Bromeliads, May 2005, Callie Brown

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Detritivores are important in the cycling of nutrients within bromeliads as they help release nutrients from detritus, making them available to the plant. This study set out to explore how the amount and diversity of detritus influenced the detritivore community structure within bromeliads. Results indicated that a greater amount of detritus supported a greater number of detritivore individuals and by some indices, a richer detritivore community. However, detritus diversity appeared to have no significant effect on the richness or abundance of detritivores. This could indicate that detritus is in fact a homogeneous resource and resource partitioning is not occurring among …

Functional Differences Among Color Morphs Of Impatiens Walleriana (Balsaminaceae), May 2005, Anne B. Morris

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Functional differences between color morphs of Impatiens walleriana were studied in Monteverde, Costa Rica to see if they influenced the fitness of the color morphs. Nectar removal rates, nectar quantity, nectar quality, length of pollen availability, flower longevity, and seed set were compared between magenta, salmon, pink, and white color morphs. Red, purple, magenta, pink, salmon, and white cultivated Impatiens and magenta, salmon, pink, and peach I. walleriana were observed in the Monteverde Butterfly Garden to see if color preferences occur among butterflies. In addition, magenta color morphs were studied along an altitudinal gradient to see if altitude caused functional …

Trail Width And Epiphyllous Coverage Of Chamaedorea Spp, May 2005, Jamie Hallen

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Epiphylls are bryophytes and lichens that grow on the leaves of other trees. These plants are dependent on water for survival and reproduction. Lichens are often used as bioindicators of climate change and pollution. The purpose of this study was to find out if trail width sufficiently changed the microclimate and altered epiphyll cover on trailside leaves. I hypothesized that epiphylls could be used as bioindicators of changing microclimate by trails from a control area. Liverwort and lichen cover were measured on leaves of Chamaedorea spp. (Arecaceae) in the Monteverde Biological Cloud Forest Preserve on five different trail types. Wider …

Herbivore-Induced Defenses In Passiflora Biflora, May 2005, Melissa Morris

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Herbivore-induced defenses in plants save energy in the absence of herbivory (Karban et al. 1997). Despite this, Passiflora biflora has not been shown to have short-term induced defenses in past studies (Baptiste 2002). P. biflora might have a slower reaction to chronic herbivory either through greater leaf toughness or greater cyanide concentrations. To test this, leaves from three sites were assessed for herbivory defense. The first two sites were butterfly gardens with high and low populations of butterflies from the genus Heliconius, for whom Passiflora vines are the host plant. Defense levels were compared with nearby plants outside the garden …

Foliar Changes In Saurauia Montana Along An Altitudinal And Soil Fertility Gradient, May 2005, Miles T. Gray

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Despite high productivity, tropical forests are found on soils with low soil fertility. The creation of new biomass requires nutrients, so trees on these soils are more efficient at using and cycling nutrients. Tropical soils have been found to show soil fertility gradients in relation to annual precipitation, seasonality, age, and altitude. While tropical ecosystems and single temperate trees have been shown to respond to soil fertility gradients, similar studies of tropical trees are sparse. Here, I study a single species of tropical tree, Saurauia montana, from 1530 to 1785 m, to find changes in leaf toughness, specific leaf area, …

Establishing A Farmers Market For A Low-Income Latino Community, Ann L. Bretnall

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For the past decade, Florida’s Latino population has significantly increased and is now the third largest in the United States. The same trend has also occurred in Hillsborough County. Social and economic disparities are significant as Latinos earn less than non-Hispanic whites and many live in poverty. A major concern of this population is the lack of access to inexpensive fresh fruits and vegetables. Findings from prior research show that the diet of immigrants often change quickly upon their arrival to the United States, with an increased emphasis on fast food and soft drinks and a reduction in the consumption …

Crow's Nest, April 8, 2005, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The April 8, 2005, issue of the Crow's Nest.

“They Say That This Clinic Is For Migrants”: Cultural Sensitivity In A Rural Health Center, Nadine I. Ohlinger

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The growing number of minority populations living in the United States makes it mandatory that all health care organizations seek to be culturally sensitive. There is no consensus on the definition of the term cultural sensitivity. The goal of this thesis is to define what cultural sensitivity means in a rural health center, from the perspective of the staff as well as the Hispanic patient. Anthropological methods, such as participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and archival data analysis, show that the qualities that Hispanic patients value in a clinic are 1) attention, 2) availability of Spanish language, 3) financial assistance, 4) …

Association Between Area Socioeconomic Status And Hospital Admissions For Childhood And Adult Asthma, Tomas Tamulis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite an improved understanding of the disease, the prevalence of asthma and asthma-related morbidity continue to rise, particularly among minority and inner-city populations. Despite the growing epidemic of asthma, the surveillance of disease at the state or even local levels is very limited. Such information is very important to identify high-risk population groups and to design more effective community-based preventive interventions or risk management programs that may modify these trends.

The study provided important information about spatial differences by the geographical area of residence and changes in asthma hospital admissions over time in the selected area. Environmental exposure to ambient …

More Than Man’S Best Friend: A Look At Attachment Between Humans And Their Canine Companions, Samantha E. Kennedy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, there are currently more than 60 million pet dogs in the United States. This is an increase of nearly eighteen percent since 1991, coinciding with a growing area of research on human’s relationships with companion animals and companion animals’ place in society.

For years dogs have been thought of as “man’s best friend” because of their loyalty and faithfulness. The increasing popularity of activities such as canine daycare and puppy school suggests that dogs have become more than a best friend to some and even an integral part of the American family unit. …

Comparison Of Hatching Failure In A Wildland And Suburban Population Of The Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma Coerulescens), Sonya Christine Leclair

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Egg hatchability has been correlated with many factors, including clutch size, presence of helpers, timing of breeding and predation risk. Hatching failure is higher in a suburban population of Florida Scrub-Jays than in a wildland population, but the reasons for this pattern are unclear. An analysis of long-term demographic data on scrub-jays in both habitats revealed the factors that best explained variation in hatching failure, and an experiment tested whether two potential site factors, ambient temperature and predation risk, could increase hatching failure in the suburbs.

Although a global model was best supported by the data for occurrence of partial …

Lysogeny: Practical Applications And New Discoveries., Lauren Mcdaniel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Part 1:

Prophage induction has been demonstrated to be a sensitive indicator for a wide variety of toxic and mutagenic compounds and, as a consequence, has been utilized for biologically based carcinogen screenings. Fourteen marine bacterial isolates were screened for development into the Marine Prophage Induction Assay (MPIA), for marine samples. The selected isolate (P99-4S3) was identified by 16S rDNA sequencing as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This isolate demonstrated a log-linear response to increasing dose of mutagens, and sensitivity to known environmental contaminants. Field-testing of the assay over two years demonstrated the MPIA would be a useful screening tool for environmental …

Generation Of Carbon Dioxide And Mobilization Of Antimony Trioxide By Fungal Decomposition Of Building Materials, John D. Krause

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Fungal contamination of buildings poses numerous challenges to researchers, building owners and occupants. Public health agencies promote prevention and remediation of mold and water damage, but lack sensitive methods to detect hidden mold growth and a complete understanding of the biological mechanisms that make occupying moldy buildings a hazard. The wide spread use of the fire retardant antimony trioxide (Sb₂O₃) on building materials and furnishings makes it inevitable that mold growth on treated materials will occur in some buildings with water damage. Several authors have speculation that microbial growth on materials treated with antimony trioxide could …

Effect Of Chromium Vi On The Production And Behavior Of Lytechinus Variegatus (Echinodermata: Echiniodea), Jennifer Rhora

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Small amounts of chromium (VI) are carcinogenic in mammals. Concentrations of Cr in marine algae and seagrasses range from 0.06-7.17 /g DW and 0.1-30.6 g/g DW respectively. To test for an effect of these concentrations, production (change in organic material), righting response, feeding rates, absorption efficiency and fecal production were measured in Lytechinus variegatus from Sarasota fed prepared diets containing 0, 4.1, and 32g Cr/ g DW and individuals from Ft. DeSoto fed diets containing 0, 41 and 82g Cr/ g DW. The urchins were fed for 4-5 weeks, with weekly measurements of their feeding rates, absorption efficiency and fecal …

Bottom-Up And Top-Down Effects On Insects Herbivores Along A Natural Salinity Gradient In A Florida Salt Marsh, Maria Teresa Albarracin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I compared the strength of bottom- up and top-down effects on insect herbivores along a natural salinity gradient in salt marsh communities in West - Central, Florida. I used a 2x2 factorial design with plots divided into four different treatments: 1) fertilizer applied to increase plant quality 2) sticky traps added to remove natural enemies (parasitoids) 3) fertilizer applied and sticky traps added and 4) control plots. These plots were placed on 7 different sites containing the salt marsh plant Borrichia frutescens along a natural stress salinity gradient. In each plot I determined the abundance of the sap sucker Pissonotus …

The Weekly Challenger, March 10, 2005, The Weekly Challenger, Et Al

Weekly Challenger Newspaper Collection

The March 10, 2005, issue of The Weekly Challenger.

Mandating Supplemental Intervention Services: Is New York State Doing Enough To Help All Students Succeed?, Kieran M. Killeen, John W. Sipple

Education Policy Analysis Archives (EPAA)

As states have become more active in establishing curriculum content standards and related assessments disappointingly little attention has been paid to policy efforts that create learning opportunities for students to meet the new standards. This study examines one state policy designed to bolster the opportunity to learn by mandating additional instruction for students not currently achieving proficiency in the state standards. ...

Education Policy Analysis Archives 13/19 , Arizona State University, University Of South Florida

College of Education Publications

Mandating supplemental intervention services : is New York State doing enough to help all students succeed? / Kieran M. Killeen [and] John W. Sipple.

Crow's Nest, March 4, 2005, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The March 4, 2005, issue of the Crow's Nest.

Vagrancy Of Painted Bunting (Passerina Ciris) In The United States, Canada, And Bermuda, Steven G. Mlodinow, Robert A. Hamilton

North American Birds

No abstract provided.

School-Based Mental Health Services Delivered By School Psychologists, Emily Luis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study involved analyses of an existing database conducted for the purposes of identifying and understanding factors that are associated with the delivery of school-based mental health services by school psychologists. The study examined the average number of hours per week in which school psychologists engage in mental health services and the types of mental health services in which they engage. Factors such as training, desire to deliver mental health services, time available and support for mental health services were investigated. The database that served as the basis for these analyses had been created by mailing a survey to 1000 …

The Weekly Challenger, February 17, 2005, The Weekly Challenger, Et Al

Weekly Challenger Newspaper Collection

The February 17, 2005, issue of The Weekly Challenger.

Crow's Nest, February 11, 2005, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The February 11, 2005, issue of the Crow's Nest.

Gloucose-Regulated Mrna Instability Element, Denise R. Cooper, Niketa A. Patel

USF Patents

The subject invention pertains to nucleic acid constructs for post-transcriptional control of expression of a ploynucleotide encoding a protein in a eukaryotic cell, wherein the constructs include a metabolite responsive instability element such as the glucose-regulated mRNA instability element. The subject invention further pertains to host cells and vectors comprising the nucleic acid constructs of the invention, as well as probes, methods, and kits for detecting metabolite responsive instability elements or mutations thereof.

Crow's Nest, February 4, 2005, Crow's Nest Staff

Crow's Nest

The February 4, 2005, issue of the Crow's Nest.

The Weekly Challenger, January 6, 2005, The Weekly Challenger, Et Al

Weekly Challenger Newspaper Collection

The January 6, 2005, issue of The Weekly Challenger.