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Effective Strategies For Implementing Artificial Intelligence To Improve Businesses’ Value Chains, Jehan Forsythe Aug 2026

Effective Strategies For Implementing Artificial Intelligence To Improve Businesses’ Value Chains, Jehan Forsythe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational leaders are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to improve business operations; however, leaders of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) continue to face challenges associated with AI adoption. Understanding strategies for effective AI integration may facilitate AI adoption in SMEs, helping to enhance organizational value and improve competitive positioning. Grounded in Porter’s value chain framework, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to identify and explore effective strategies that U.S. SME leaders use to integrate AI into their value chain to increase organizational value and gain a competitive advantage. The participants were six U.S. SME leaders who led …


Prekindergarten Teachers' Perspectives On Coaching Following Professional Development On Early Childhood Programs, Donna Renee Morton Aug 2026

Prekindergarten Teachers' Perspectives On Coaching Following Professional Development On Early Childhood Programs, Donna Renee Morton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Coaching is recommended for prekindergarten (PK) teachers following professional development (PD) to increase implementation of instruction practices with fidelity in early childhood (EC) programs. The problem addressed in this study was PK teachers were challenged to engage in coaching experiences after PD to implement instructional practices with fidelity in a large EC program located in the Mideastern United States. Framed by Knowles’s adult learning theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore PK teachers’ perspectives on coaching experiences after receiving PD to implement instructional practices with fidelity. Semistructured interview data were collected from eight PK teachers who …


Staff Education To Improve Staff Knowledge On Fall Prevention, Nginjoh Presilia Njofang Aug 2026

Staff Education To Improve Staff Knowledge On Fall Prevention, Nginjoh Presilia Njofang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patient safety risks associated with falls are a major issue in adult inpatient medical-surgical environments because nursing inconsistencies with regard to fall risk assessments, individualized fall prevention interventions, and documentation could impede adherence to best practices. To overcome this knowledge gap among RNs in the selected environment, a DNP education project aimed at standardized fall-prevention staff education was initiated. The question for the practice was whether standardized staff education would increase knowledge among nurses regarding fall-risk assessments, preventive measures, and documentation requirements, based on pretest and posttest results. In the course of a one-hour educational session conducted face-to-face, twenty RNs …


The Lived Experiences Of Intimacy And Isolation In Single Mothers During Covid-19: An Eriksonian Perspective, Chante Renee Reeves Aug 2026

The Lived Experiences Of Intimacy And Isolation In Single Mothers During Covid-19: An Eriksonian Perspective, Chante Renee Reeves

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Single mothers were largely absent from the COVID-19 literature, despite being head of household in approximately 80% of single-parent homes. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative research study was to gain insight into the lived experiences of single mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study addressed how this group connected with family, friends, and others in meaningful ways despite government-imposed lockdowns and restrictions. This phenomenon was explored through Erik Erikson’s psychosocial development theory, with a focus on the intimacy versus isolation stage. An Eriksonian perspective on relationship building and maintenance in adulthood can help better understand and address the social …


Completion Outcomes And Predictive Characteristics In Mandated Inpatient Substance Use Treatment, Tina Marie Moyer Aug 2026

Completion Outcomes And Predictive Characteristics In Mandated Inpatient Substance Use Treatment, Tina Marie Moyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Treatment retention, specifically as it pertains to offenders who are mandated to receive substance use treatment rather than serve standard incarceration sentences, is receiving more scholarly attention. Although prior research indicates an association between substance use treatment and reduced criminal behavior, many studies have methodological limitations. The purpose of this quantitative non-experimental, comparative study was to compare treatment completion outcomes for mandated and non-mandated offenders and to examine individual predictors of treatment completion, thereby addressing gaps in the current research. Secondary data from adult offenders receiving treatment at an inpatient substance use rehabilitation facility were analyzed. The risk-needs-responsivity model was …


Licensed Counselors’ Professional Well-Being During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jacqueline Flaherty Aug 2026

Licensed Counselors’ Professional Well-Being During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jacqueline Flaherty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the American Counseling Association (ACA, 2014) Code of Ethics, professional counselors are responsible to monitor their own impairment. Specific interventions to prevent impairment and foster counselor professional well-being (PWB) and resiliency are imperative in a profession in which it is ethically required to continuously provide competent counseling. The purpose of this study was to explore the narratives of licensed counselors’ PWB during the onset of and successively during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The theoretical orientation for this study was Dewey’s theory of experience. Nine counselor participants who were licensed by May 2018 shared detailed accounts of …


Urine Good Care: Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection Prevention At The Bedside, Ruby Yost Aug 2026

Urine Good Care: Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection Prevention At The Bedside, Ruby Yost

Master's Projects and Capstones

Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs) have been associated with increased morbidity, mortality, healthcare costs, and length of stay and is one of the most common healthcare-acquired illnesses accounting for up to 40% of hospital-acquired infections (Rubi et al., 2022). Because 65-70% of CAUTIs are preventable, reducing the incidence has become a focus area for infection control and nursing quality management among hospital organizations (Tang et al. 2025). CAUTIs are urinary tract infections that occur in patients with indwelling urinary catheters and are typically associated with bacterial colonization of the urinary tract. The aim of this QI Project is to increase …


Promoting Safety And Confidence: Standardizing Intimate Partner Violence Screening And Improving Staff Screening Confidence In A Predominantly Latinx Community Health Center, Jordan Jiang Aug 2026

Promoting Safety And Confidence: Standardizing Intimate Partner Violence Screening And Improving Staff Screening Confidence In A Predominantly Latinx Community Health Center, Jordan Jiang

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a prevalent public health problem that is screened far less consistently than comparably common conditions and disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, including low-income, Spanish-speaking, and undocumented individuals. This quality improvement project was conducted in an outpatient community health center serving a primarily Latinx, Spanish-speaking population in San Francisco, where screening across the Adult Health, Women's Health, and Teen Clinics was inconsistent, with a baseline rate of 4.1% in June 2026. Aim: The project aimed to increase overall IPV screening by 10 percentage points, from 4.1% to 14.1%, by July 31, 2026. Methods: Rogers' Diffusion of …


You Haven't Been Forgotten: A Patient-Centered Initiative Restoring Trust Through Intentional Staff Communication In The Emergency Department, Daniel A. Aliakseyeu Aug 2026

You Haven't Been Forgotten: A Patient-Centered Initiative Restoring Trust Through Intentional Staff Communication In The Emergency Department, Daniel A. Aliakseyeu

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: Approximately 70% of patients in this 36-bed emergency department (ED) in Hospital X are not roomed and spend the majority of their visit in the waiting room, where they are susceptible to gaps in communication about their care and wait times. Baseline Press Ganey Scores from May 2026 showed that only 61.4% of patients felt informed about delays. Baseline observation data of 50 nurse-patient communication interactions confirmed these gaps: 24.5% of nurses introduced themselves, 13% provided a timeline of care, and 0% addressed potential delays. Aim: Improve communication-related patient satisfaction scores regarding delays among non-roomed patients in the ED …


Nourish And Flourish: Building Confidence In Healthy Food Selection Among Older Adults In An Independent Living Facility, Emily Nguyen Aug 2026

Nourish And Flourish: Building Confidence In Healthy Food Selection Among Older Adults In An Independent Living Facility, Emily Nguyen

Master's Projects and Capstones

The nutrition education program aims to increase confidence in selecting and maintaining healthier food choices and dietary habits for chronic conditions through weekly workshops. This quality improvement project was conducted in an independent senior living facility in Richmond, CA serving the elderly population ages 65 and up. To address the concern of low confidence levels and management of dietary patterns and chronic health conditions pertaining to nutrition, a comprehensive nutrition education program was developed with pre- and post-intervention assessment surveys to compare baseline confidence levels. The weekly workshops for this nutrition education program aims to increase confidence levels of the …


Standardizing Intimate Partner Violence Screening Among Latinx Patients In A Community Clinic Setting, Peyton O'Callaghan Aug 2026

Standardizing Intimate Partner Violence Screening Among Latinx Patients In A Community Clinic Setting, Peyton O'Callaghan

Master's Projects and Capstones

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health concern that may go unrecognized when screening practices are inconsistent. Objective: To standardize IPV screening practices and improve staff confidence across the Adult Health, Women’s Health, and Teen/Pediatric clinics of a community health center serving a predominantly Latinx, monolingual Spanish-speaking, and underserved population. Aim: To increase the overall IPV screening rate by 10% during a three-week implementation period. Methods: The project team developed and implemented a standardized four-question printed screening tool, medical assistant scripts in English and Spanish, and a staff educational in-service. These interventions addressed low screening rates, limited staff …


Creating Consistency: Standardizing Gestational Diabetes Group Visit Framework In High-Risk Obstetric Care, Danielle Pack Aug 2026

Creating Consistency: Standardizing Gestational Diabetes Group Visit Framework In High-Risk Obstetric Care, Danielle Pack

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) requires timely and consistent education to promote effective self-management and improve maternal and fetal outcomes. Baseline observations at a Santa Clara County high-risk obstetric clinic identified variation in educational materials, educator delivery, referral processes, and workflows between English- and Spanish-language GDM group visits. A review of the literature supported standardized diabetes education and group prenatal care as strategies to improve consistency, efficiency, and patient access. Aim: This quality improvement project aimed to develop and implement a standardized GDM group visit framework for nurse practitioners, registered dietitians, and scheduling staff, with the goal of increasing compliance …


You Haven’T Been Forgotten: Driving Improvements In Trust, Transparency, And Accountability Through A Patient-Centered Communication Initiative In The Emergency Department, Ellie Mead Aug 2026

You Haven’T Been Forgotten: Driving Improvements In Trust, Transparency, And Accountability Through A Patient-Centered Communication Initiative In The Emergency Department, Ellie Mead

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: In Spring 2026, the Emergency Department (ED) at Hospital X identified difficulties securing high levels of patient satisfaction. Over one third of patients did not feel adequately “informed about delays,” and observation of nurse-patient interactions in front-end care areas confirmed these communication gaps: in 87% of interactions, nurses did not explain next steps to the patient, and in none of the 51 interactions observed did nurses proactively inform patients about possible delays. Aim: This quality improvement initiative sought to improve the patient experience in the ED and drive a 10% increase in Press Ganey patient satisfaction survey results relating …


Increasing Internal Teacher Capacity Through Instructional Support And Professional Growth, Kelly Compher Aug 2026

Increasing Internal Teacher Capacity Through Instructional Support And Professional Growth, Kelly Compher

Masters Projects

The state of Michigan has long invested in early literacy by supporting K-2 teachers in professional learning and early literacy coaching. This project focuses on the need to develop upper elementary teachers in grades three through five on their knowledge of the science of reading and foundational skills. Providing professional learning on the science of reading will increase knowledge and self-efficacy, which upper elementary teachers need in order to implement a Tier 1 curriculum as mandated by PA 146 of 2024. This project outlines a series of three professional development sessions that help build content knowledge around the science of …


The Effects Of Using Home Language Vs English In Teaching Safety Skills, Emma Ruiz Aug 2026

The Effects Of Using Home Language Vs English In Teaching Safety Skills, Emma Ruiz

Thesis Projects

Cultural competence and cultural awareness are terms that have started to become more widely used when discussing how therapists impact their clients. The push for cultural competence and awareness has started to create new questions about how a client’s culture can be intertwined with the services that they are receiving. The purpose of this study was to teach a combination of basic safety skills and identify if language impacted behavior. This study utilized one participant who did not acquire the skill to stop in either language. During the experiment, a third language was added to measure control; however, responding remained …


Beyond The Indicators: Community-Defined Sustainability In Bario, Sarawak, Rhonwyn Hagedorn Aug 2026

Beyond The Indicators: Community-Defined Sustainability In Bario, Sarawak, Rhonwyn Hagedorn

Capstone Collection

This study examines how Kelabit community members in Bario, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo define and practice sustainability within community-based tourism (CBT), and how these local understandings align with or diverge from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study used a thematic analysis drawing on fifteen semi-structured interviews with Kelabit community members, supplemented by tourist questionnaires and document analysis of online tourism materials. Four themes emerged: sustainability as collective stewardship; community decision-making and collaboration; cultural identity as the core of tourism; and equity, participation, and the limits of growth. Findings suggest that Kelabit community members hold a holistic, relational, and …


Developing An Object Level Understanding Of Sine And Cosine As Ratios And A Coherent Trigonometry, Jeffrey Peter Nair Aug 2026

Developing An Object Level Understanding Of Sine And Cosine As Ratios And A Coherent Trigonometry, Jeffrey Peter Nair

Theses and Dissertations

Solving right-triangle problems as well as integrating right-triangle and circular trigonometry into a coherent understanding are documented challenges for students. Prior research has deeply investigated students constructing ratio meanings for sine and cosine using a circle-first approach, which then can be extended to right triangles. Also, past work has separately documented distinct meanings that are useful for sine and cosine, in addition to the ratio meaning, including as lengths in a unit circle and coordinate points. This study took these existing ideas and put them together into one possible developmental progression, based on APOS theory, where students can learn length, …


Intrinsic Memory In Digital Snns: Enhancing Performance On The Cart-Pole Task With Fractional-Order Dynamics, Niklas Karl Anderson Aug 2026

Intrinsic Memory In Digital Snns: Enhancing Performance On The Cart-Pole Task With Fractional-Order Dynamics, Niklas Karl Anderson

Dissertations and Theses

Researchers working with Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) are faced with the challenge of identifying useful biologically plausible features for inclusion in neuron models. Prior research indicates that dynamics of fractional-order calculus, which impart a form of intrinsic memory, are a key feature of biological neurons. In this work, we present the development and usage of neural networks with intrinsic memory in application to the cart-pole task, a common benchmark for neural network performance. We found that usage of fractional-order neurons may allow for up to a 37.5% reduction in neural network size as compared to networks using a standard Leaky …


The Influence Of Urban Form On The Distribution Of Air Pollutants, Takin Khosrownia Aug 2026

The Influence Of Urban Form On The Distribution Of Air Pollutants, Takin Khosrownia

Dissertations and Theses

Urban form exerts strong control on how pollution from outside a city is transported through the urban canopy and experienced at street level. This study uses the prognostic microclimate model ENVI-met to simulate an active pollutant released from an upwind rural highway and advected through an urban region represented by ten Local Climate Zone (LCZ) types. The cases share identical inflow and are isothermal, dry, and non-vegetated, so that differences among them are attributable to building morphology alone. PM2.5 is the primary exposure diagnostic. Its transport and ejection are characterized through plan-view contours, vertical plume sections, and spatially averaged streamwise …


The Fate Of Microplastics In The Littoral Zone Of A Whole-Lake Microplastic Addition Experiment, Ren Staggs Aug 2026

The Fate Of Microplastics In The Littoral Zone Of A Whole-Lake Microplastic Addition Experiment, Ren Staggs

Theses

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous across all ecosystems, but the physical fate of MPs within specific littoral compartments in lakes is poorly understood. Here, we describe the fate of MPs across five littoral compartments: water, macrophytes, periphyton, rocks, and sediment, to contribute to a whole-lake MP particle budget as part of the pELAstic project, which has been adding polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) MPs to an entire lake over three years in a whole-ecosystem experiment at the IISD-ELA. We quantified MP abundance across three particle size fractions (>212, 106–212, and 106–53 µm) by sampling each compartment at …


Lost In Translation: Quantifying Political Sociolect Divergence And Testing Llm Reliability As Political Interpreters, Daniel J. Corcoran Aug 2026

Lost In Translation: Quantifying Political Sociolect Divergence And Testing Llm Reliability As Political Interpreters, Daniel J. Corcoran

Theses

In the United States political sphere, growing polarization between Democrats and Republicans, particularly their more ideologically extreme wings, has given rise to distinct English-adjacent languages, shaped by social tendencies and referred to as “sociolects”. These sociolects offer a new avenue to analyze and further quantify growing polarization, and as Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and Large Language Models (LLMs) become increasingly embedded in political and social analysis, understanding their depth of political reasoning, biases, and classification behavior has become imperative. In this study, we sourced comment data from the CNN, Fox, and MSNBC YouTube channels, spanning from 2020 through 2024, trained …


Standardizing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Education To Improve Patient Knowledge And Care Consistency In A Prenatal Clinic Setting, Wynn Zara Aug 2026

Standardizing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Education To Improve Patient Knowledge And Care Consistency In A Prenatal Clinic Setting, Wynn Zara

Master's Projects and Capstones

The gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) group visit framework aims to improve consistency of GDM education by standardizing referral processes, educational materials, staff workflows, and patient communication. Although evidence-based GDM education supports patient self-management and improved maternal-fetal outcomes, variability in education delivery contributed to inconsistent care within the outpatient maternal-fetal medicine setting. This quality improvement project was conducted in an outpatient maternal-fetal medicine clinic in Santa Clara County serving pregnant patients diagnosed with GDM. To address this gap, a standardized GDM group visit framework was developed and implemented using structured educational resources, referral criteria, and communication workflows. The intervention was evaluated …


Actionable Hydrologic Data To Information With National Water Model-Based Derived Dataset, Cutting-Edge Data Services, And Agentic Ai System, Sujan Chandra Mondol Aug 2026

Actionable Hydrologic Data To Information With National Water Model-Based Derived Dataset, Cutting-Edge Data Services, And Agentic Ai System, Sujan Chandra Mondol

Theses and Dissertations

Hydrologic data are the cornerstone of many complex hydrologic research and operational workflows that produce useful hydrologic information for water resources decision-making, flood risk communication, and water availability implications. The National Water Model (NWM) is a valuable source of hydrologic data, particularly for its extended coverage of unmonitored streams and the large-scale continuity of hydrologic processes. Precomputed secondary datasets derived from this simulated data, such as streamflow indices, can improve operational efficiency through thresholding. Disseminating the data through modern technologies, such as application programming interfaces, is required for ready integration into applications. However, if extraction requires an intermediate service, there …


"Tithing Is An Insurance Premium": A Framing Analysis Of Speaker Innovation And Diachronic Trends In Latter-Day Saint Religious Discourse, Reid Empey Aug 2026

"Tithing Is An Insurance Premium": A Framing Analysis Of Speaker Innovation And Diachronic Trends In Latter-Day Saint Religious Discourse, Reid Empey

Theses and Dissertations

Religious language relies on shared metaphor and frames that contextualize religious experience and practice. Current approaches to frame semantics (Fillmore 1982) and cognitive metaphor (Lakoff & Johnson 1980) lend important insight into religious language, particularly in describing the role that figurative language serves in a religious speech community. However, a vital component of many religious speech communities is the presence of and engagement with a scriptural canon, which often contains metaphorical and framing language that religious speakers can directly reference. Yet, past conceptualizations of speech communities have not accounted for this engagement with a shared canon. To illustrate the role …


Synthetic Strategies For Bioactive Peptides: From Aggregation Inhibitors To The Total Synthesis Of Tunicyclin C, Stephanie Graciela Garcia Morin Aug 2026

Synthetic Strategies For Bioactive Peptides: From Aggregation Inhibitors To The Total Synthesis Of Tunicyclin C, Stephanie Graciela Garcia Morin

Theses and Dissertations

In Alzheimer's disease (AD), a brain protein called "tau" abnormally clumps and forms neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), causing damage to brain cells. Ac-PHF6-NH2 is a hexapeptide segment of tau protein that plays a dominant role in tau aggregation and is used as a model to design tau protein aggregation inhibitors. In this research we synthesized four dehydroamino acid (□AA) containing PHF6 analogues with △Abu (derived from L-threonine) and △Val (derived from □-OH-Valine) at position 2 or 3 via dehydrations or azlactone ring-openings as key reactions. We evaluated their proteolytic resistance, ability to inhibit aggregation of PHF6, and impact on the morphology …


Measuring Proteostasis Changes In Apolipoprotein E Mouse Models Using Quantitative And Kinetic Proteomic Methods, Ariel E.A. Denos Aug 2026

Measuring Proteostasis Changes In Apolipoprotein E Mouse Models Using Quantitative And Kinetic Proteomic Methods, Ariel E.A. Denos

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a neurological disorder associated with brain mass loss and cognitive decline. It affects millions of elderly people and is currently uncurable. Since 1906, when the disease was first described, researchers have uncovered many components of AD pathology. However, it is now evident that curing Alzheimer's Disease will require intervention before the pathological onset of amyloid beta plaque deposition, tau neurofibrillary tangles, and associated neuronal loss. Studying AD from the perspective of early intervention requires special attention to small changes that may disrupt the normal processing of cells. Cells undergo a natural cycle of creation and destruction …


Multi-Band Extinction Modeling In Early-Type Galaxies With Circumnuclear Disks, Nonnie Bash Aug 2026

Multi-Band Extinction Modeling In Early-Type Galaxies With Circumnuclear Disks, Nonnie Bash

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, we present a spatially resolved, multi-band dust-attenuation method for correcting the stellar luminosity models used in dynamical supermassive black hole (BH) mass measurements. If uncorrected, dust extinction effects may dominate over other systematic uncertainties when determining the BH mass ($M_\mathrm{BH}$). We expand on a simple dust-attenuation method that treats the circumnuclear disk as a thin dust layer embedded in the galaxy midplane. Using a Multi-Gaussian Expansion, we create a three-dimensional stellar luminosity model to calculate the fractions of stellar light originating in front of and behind the disk along each line of sight. We infer the pixel-by-pixel …


The Gut-Bladder Axis: How Symbiont Microbes Alter Urinary Tract Infections, Benjamin S. Olson Aug 2026

The Gut-Bladder Axis: How Symbiont Microbes Alter Urinary Tract Infections, Benjamin S. Olson

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide. Consequently, they are one of the leading indications for antibiotic prescription. Despite the typically successful treatment of an acute UTI, recurrent infections are exceedingly common, particularly among women. Nearly a quarter of otherwise healthy women will suffer recurrent UTIs (rUTI) after a primary UTI; why these select individuals are continually afflicted is unkown. There are no successful therapeutics to treat rUTI representing a gap not just in the medical toolkit but in our understanding of why rUTI is so prevalent. There are many hypotheses for the risk factors …


Temperature And Hydrologic Context Influence Methane Variability In A Low-Salinity Marsh, Zoie Brauser Aug 2026

Temperature And Hydrologic Context Influence Methane Variability In A Low-Salinity Marsh, Zoie Brauser

Dissertations and Theses

Coastal wetlands are biogeochemical hotspots that capture and transform carbon and nutrients. Wetland restoration is increasingly used as a climate mitigation strategy because of wetlands' capacity to sequester large amounts of carbon. However, low-salinity tidal marshes exhibit high variability in methane (CH4) emissions, which could partially offset carbon sequestration under certain conditions. Understanding the drivers of CH4 variability is crucial for restoration and conservation work. This project uses an observational research approach to assess the relationships between environmental factors and carbon dioxide (CO2) and CH4 soil gas fluxes in a restored low-salinity tidal marsh …


Integrative Evidence For Cryptic Diversity In The Thomomys Mazama Species Complex: Phylogenetics, Cranial Morphometrics, And Ecological Niche Modeling, Jessica Kate St. Michael Aug 2026

Integrative Evidence For Cryptic Diversity In The Thomomys Mazama Species Complex: Phylogenetics, Cranial Morphometrics, And Ecological Niche Modeling, Jessica Kate St. Michael

Dissertations and Theses

The population genetic structure and geographic distribution of the pocket gopher genus Thomomys Wied-Neuwied, 1839, lends itself to speciation events. Conserved morphology, ecological specialization, and high rates of molecular evolution may increase the probability of allopatric speciation, thereby contributing to the presence of morphologically cryptic taxa. In light of these patterns of evolution, we assessed genetic divergence and phylogenetic relationships, cranial morphometric differentiation, and ecological divergence among taxa in the Thomomys mazama species complex to test the hypothesis that T. mazama is a single species. Species delimitation analysis using Bayesian Poisson Tree Processes (bPTP) and data from the mitochondrial cytochrome …