Digital Commons Network^™

Identification Of New Qtls For Seed Mineral, Cysteine, And Methionine Concentrations In Soybean [Glycine Max (L.) Merr.], Raghuprakash Kastoori Ramamurthy, Joseph Jedlicka, George L. Graef, Brian M. Waters

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Increased concentrations of important nutrients in edible parts of plants could result in biofortified foods. Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is a major legume crop and an important source of certain nutrients, including protein and minerals, in human and animal diets. Understanding the underlying genetic basis of seed composition is crucial to improving seed nutrient composition. In this study we used three soybean recombinant inbred line mapping populations derived from the crosses Williams 82 × DSR-173, Williams 82 × NKS19-90 and Williams 82 × Vinton 81, and constructed a joint linkage map from these populations. Forty quantitative trait loci (QTLs) …

Nonsyntenic Genes Drive Highly Dynamic Complementation Of Gene Expression In Maize Hybrids, Anja Paschold, Nick B. Larson, Caroline Marcon, James C. Schnable, Cheng-Ting Yeh, Christa Lanz, Dan Nettleton, Hans-Peter Piepho, Patrick S. Schnable, Frank Hochholdinger

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Maize (Zea mays) displays an exceptional level of structural genomic diversity, which is likely unique among higher eukaryotes. In this study, we surveyed how the genetic divergence of two maize inbred lines affects the transcriptomic landscape in four different primary root tissues of their F1-hybrid progeny. An extreme instance of complementation was frequently observed: genes that were expressed in only one parent but in both reciprocal hybrids. This single-parent expression (SPE) pattern was detected for 2341 genes with up to 1287 SPE patterns per tissue. As a consequence, the number of active genes in hybrids exceeded that of …

Efficient Crispr/Cas9-Mediated Gene Editing In Arabidopsis Thaliana And Inheritance Of Modified Genes In The T2 And T3 Generations, Donald P. Weeks, Bing Yang, Wenzhi Jiang

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

The newly developed CRISPR/Cas9 system for targeted gene knockout or editing has recently been shown to function in plants in both transient expression systems as well as in primary T1 transgenic plants. However, stable transmission of genes modified by the Cas9/single guide RNA (sgRNA) system to the T2 generation and beyond has not been demonstrated. Here we provide extensive data demonstrating the efficiency of Cas9/sgRNA in causing modification of a chromosomally integrated target reporter gene during early development of transgenic Arabidopsis plants and inheritance of the modified gene in T2 and T3 progeny. Efficient conversion of a nonfunctional, out-of-frame GFP …

Plant Acyl-Coa:Lysophosphatidylcholine Acyltransferases (Lpcats) Have Different Specificities In Their Forward And Reverse Reactions, Ida Lager, Jenny Lindberg Yilmaz, Xue-Rong Zhou, Katarzyna Jasieniecka, Michael Kazachkov, Peng Wang, Jitao Zou, Randall Weselake, Mark A. Smith, Shen Bayon, John M. Dyer, Jay Shockey, Ernst Heinz, Allan Green, Antoni Banas, Sten Stymne

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Background: Acyl-CoA:lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (LPCAT) enzymes have central roles in acyl editing of phosphatidylcholine.

Results: Plant LPCATs were expressed in yeast and biochemically characterized.

Conclusion: LPCATs can edit acyl composition of phosphatidylcholine through their combined forward and reverse reactions.

Significance: Plant LPCATs play a role in editing both sn-positions of PC and remove ricinoleic acid with high selectivity from this lipid.

Emerging Regulatory Paradigms In Glutathione Metabolism, Yilin Liu, Annastasia S. Hyde, Melanie A. Simpson, Joseph J. Barycki

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

One of the hallmarks of cancer is the ability to generate and withstand unusual levels of oxidative stress. In part, this property of tumor cells is conferred by elevation of the cellular redox buffer glutathione. Though enzymes of the glutathione synthesis and salvage pathways have been characterized for several decades, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of their independent and coordinate regulatory mechanisms. Recent studies have further revealed that overall central metabolic pathways are frequently altered in various tumor types, resulting in significant increases in biosynthetic capacity, and feeding into glutathione synthesis. In this review, we will discuss the enzymes …

Saturated Free Fatty Acids Induce Cholangiocyte Lipoapoptosis, Sathish Kumar Natarajan, Sally A. Ingham, Ashley M. Mohr, Cody J. Wehrkamp, Anuttoma Ray, Sohini Roy, Sophie C. Cazanave, Mary Anne Phillippi, Justin L. Mott

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Recent studies have identified a cholestatic variant of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with portal inflammation and ductular reaction. Based on reports of biliary damage, as well as increased circulating free fatty acids (FFAs) in NAFLD, we hypothesized the involvement of cholangiocyte lipoapoptosis as a mechanism of cellular injury. Here, we demonstrate that the saturated FFAs palmitate and stearate induced robust and rapid cell death in cholangiocytes. Palmitate and stearate induced cholangiocyte lipoapoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner in multiple cholangiocyte-derived cell lines. The mechanism of lipoapoptosis relied on the activation of caspase 3/7 activity. There was also a significant up-regulation …

Hepatoprotective Role Of Sestrin2 Against Chronic Er Stress, Hwan-Woo Park, Haeli Park, Seung-Hyun Ro, Insook Jang, Ian A. Semple, David N. Kim, Myungjin Kim, Myeongjin Nam, Deqiang Zhang, Lei Yin, Jun Hee Lee

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Upon prolonged endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, cells attenuate protein translation to prevent accumulation of unfolded proteins. Here we show that Sestrin2 is critical for this process. Sestrin2 expression is induced by an ER stress-activated transcription factor CCAATenhancer- binding protein beta (c/EBPβ). Once induced, Sestrin2 halts protein synthesis by inhibiting mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). As Sestrin2-deficient cells continue to translate a large amount of proteins during ER stress, they are highly susceptible to ER stress-associated cell death. Accordingly, dietary or genetically induced obesity, which does not lead to any pathological indication other than simple fat accumulation in the …

Variation In The Local Population Dynamics Of The Short-Lived Opuntia Macrorhiza (Cactaceae), Chirakkal V. Haridas, Kathleen H. Keeler, Brigitte Tenhumberg

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Spatio-temporal variation in demographic rates can have profound effects for population persistence, especially for dispersal-limited species living in fragmented landscapes. Long-term studies of plants in such habitats help with understanding the impacts of fragmentation on population persistence but such studies are rare. In this work we reanalyzed demographic data from seven years of the short-lived cactus Opuntia macrorhiza var. macrorhiza at five plots in Boulder, Colorado. Previous work combining data from all years and all plots predicted a stable population (deterministic log λ ≈ 0). This approach assumed that all five plots were part of a single population. Since the …

The Body-Size Dependence Of Mutual Interference, John P. Delong

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The parameters that drive population dynamics typically show a relationship with body size. By contrast, there is no theoretical or empirical support for a body-size dependence of mutual interference, which links foraging rates to consumer density. Here, I develop a model to predict that interference may be positively or negatively related to body size depending on how resource body size scales with consumer body size. Over a wide range of body sizes, however, the model predicts that interference will be body-size independent. This prediction was supported by a new data set on interference and consumer body size. The stabilizing effect …

Leaky Termination At Premature Stop Codons Antagonizes Nonsense-Mediated Mrna Decay In S. Cerevisiae, Kim M. Keeling, Jessica Lanier, Ming Du, Joe Salas-Marco, Lin Gao, Anisa Kaenjak-Angeletti, David M. Bedwell

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay (NMD) pathway mediates the rapid degradation of mRNAs that contain premature stop mutations in eukaryotic organisms. It was recently shown that mutations in three yeast genes that encode proteins involved in the NMD process, UPF1, UPF2, and UPF3, also reduce the efficiency of translation termination. In the current study, we compared the efficiency of translation termination in a upf∆ strain and a [PSI⁺] strain using a collection of translation termination reporter constructs. The [PSI⁺] state is caused by a prion form of the polypeptide chain release factor eRF3 that limits its availability …

Quorum Sensing Activity And Control Of Yeast-Mycelium Dimorphism In Ophiostoma Floccosum, Alexander Berrocal, Claudia Oviedo, Kenneth W. Nickerson, José Navarrete

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Quorum sensing (QS) activity in Ophiostoma fungi has not been described. We have examined the growth conditions on the control of dimorphism in Ophiostoma floccosum, an attractive biocontrol agent against blue-stain fungi, and its relationship with QS activity. In a defined culture medium with l-proline as the N source, a high inoculum size (10⁷ c.f.u. ml^-1) was the principal factor that promoted yeast-like growth. Inoculum size effect can be explained by the secretion of a QS molecule(s) (QSMs) responsible for inducing yeast morphology. QSM candidates were extracted from spent medium and their structure was determined by GC–MS. …

Effect Of Prey Richness On A Consumer’S Intrinsic Growth Rate, Brian J. Darby, Michael A. Herman

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The intrinsic growth rate of nonselective microbivores increases asymptotically with increasing prey biomass, but we do not know how intrinsic growth rate is affected by prey richness. The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of prey richness on the growth kinetics of nematode predators while grazing on mixed bacterial lawns. We found that the intrinsic growth rate of Caenorhabditis elegans in laboratory culture increased asymptotically with prey richness. The mechanism of this pattern was primarily due to the best available prey species in the mixture: the intrinsic growth rate of the consumer feeding on a mixture of …

Structure And Function Of Human Dnaj Homologue Subfamily A Member 1 (Dnaja1) And Its Relationship To Pancreatic Cancer, Jaime L. Stark, Kamiya Mehla, Nina V. Chaika, Thomas B. Acton, Rong Xiao, Pankaj K. Singh, Gaetano T. Montelione, Robert Powers

Robert Powers Publications

Pancreatic cancer has a dismal 5 year survival rate of 5.5% that has not been improved over the past 25 years despite an enormous amount of effort. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify truly novel yet druggable protein targets for drug discovery. The human protein DnaJ homologue subfamily A member 1 (DNAJA1) was previously shown to be downregulated 5- fold in pancreatic cancer cells and has been targeted as a biomarker for pancreatic cancer, but little is known about the specific biological function for DNAJA1 or the other members of the DnaJ family encoded in the human genome. …

Poor Vitamin D Supplementation In Infants. Cross-Sectional Study Of Maternal Practices And Awareness Of Vitamin D Supplementation In Infants In Al-Ahsa, Eastern Saudi Arabia, Abdullah M. Alramdhan, Ahmed G. El-Zubair

Saudi Medical Journal

OBJECTIVE: To describe the maternal practices and awareness of vitamin D supplementation in infants, and factors affecting these practices in Eastern Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 606 mothers attending community-based primary health centers in Al-Ahsa, Eastern Saudi Arabia between March and April 2012. A 22-item questionnaire was used to assess the socio-demographic data of both infants and mothers, feeding methods, nursing practices including vitamin D supplementation, and mothers9 awareness regarding vitamin D supplementation in infants by face-to-face interview. Chi-squared test was used to assess significant differences among these practices. Significant variables were subjected to multiple logistic …

Gmos And Iprs Are Key Weapons In Fight Against Hunger, Konstantinos Giannakas

CAFIO: Policy Research Group Policy Pagers

The introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the food system and the assignment of intellectual property rights (IPRs) for plant genetic resources are among the most notable features of the increasingly industrialized agri-food marketing system of numerous developed and developing countries around the world. IPRs have provided innovating firms with incentives to aggressively pursue improvements of crop characteristics (such as herbicide tolerance, insect and virus resistance, drought tolerance and increased nutritional value) through gene splicing techniques, and the agronomic benefits associated with the genetically modified (GM) products have resulted in their embrace by a significant number of agricultural producers …

Β-Keto And Β-Hydroxyphosphonate Analogs Of Biotin-5’-Amp Are Inhibitors Of Holocarboxylase Synthetase, Wantanee Sittiwong, Elizabeth Cordonier, Janos Zempleni, Patrick Dussault

Patrick Dussault Publications

Holocarboxylase synthetase (HLCS) catalyzes the covalent attachment of biotin to cytoplasmic and mitochondrial carboxylases, nuclear histones, and over a hundred human proteins. Nonhydrolyzable ketophosphonate (β-ketoP) and hydroxyphosphonate (β-hydroxyP) analogs of biotin-5′-AMP inhibit holocarboxylase synthetase (HLCS) with IC₅₀ values of 39.7 μM and 203.7 μM. By comparison, an IC₅₀ value of 7 μM was observed with the previously reported biotinol-5'-AMP. The K_i values, 3.4 μM and 17.3 μM, respectively, are consistent with the IC50 results, and close to the K_i obtained for biotinol-5'-AMP (7 μM). The β-ketoP and β-hydroxyP molecules are competitive inhibitors of HLCS while biotinol-5'-AMP …

Tree-Ring Stable Isotopes Record The Impact Of A Foliar Fungal Pathogen On Co2 Assimilation And Growth In Douglas-Fir, Brandy J. Saffell, Frederick C. Meinzer, Steven L. Voelker, David C. Shaw, J. Renée Brooks, Barbara Lachenbruch, Jennifer Mckay

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Swiss needle cast (SNC) is a fungal disease of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) that has recently become prevalent in coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest. We used growth measurements and stable isotopes of carbon and oxygen in tree-rings of Douglas-fir and a non-susceptible reference species (western hemlock, Tsuga heterophylla) to evaluate their use as proxies for variation in past SNC infection, particularly in relation to potential explanatory climate factors. We sampled trees from an Oregon site where a fungicide trial took place from 1996 to 2000, which enabled the comparison of stable isotope values between trees with and …

The Longitudinal Impact Of Intimate Partner Aggression And Relationship Status On Women’S Physical Health And Depression Symptoms, Laura E. Watkins, Anna E. Jaffe, Lesa Hoffman, Kim L. Gratz, Terri L. Messman-Moore, David Dilillo

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Intimate partner aggression (IPA) has many detrimental effects, particularly among young women. The present study examined the longitudinal effects of IPA victimization and relationship status on physical health and depression symptoms in a sample of 375 community women between the ages of 18 and 25 years. All variables were assessed at 4 occasions over a 12-month period (i.e., 1 assess-ment every 4 months). Multilevel modeling revealed that IPA victimization had both between- and within-person effects on women’s health outcomes, and relationship status had within-person effects when women did not report current IPA. Although IPA was generally related to greater physical …

The Effect Of Barium On Perceptions Of Taste Intensity And Palatability, Angela M. Dietsch, Nancy Pearl Solomon, Catriona M. Steele, Cathy A. Pelletier

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Barium may affect the perception of taste intensity and palatability. Such differences are important considerations in the selection of dysphagia assessment strategies and interpretation of results. Eighty healthy women grouped by age (younger, older) and genetic taste status (supertaster, nontaster) rated intensity and palatability for seven tastants prepared in deionized water with and without 40 % w/v barium: noncarbonated and carbonated water, diluted ethanol, and high concentrations of citric acid (sour), sodium chloride (salty), caffeine (bitter), and sucrose (sweet). Mixed-model analyses explored the effects of barium, taster status, and age on perceived taste intensity and acceptability of stimuli. Barium was …

Characterization Of Sex-Based Differences In The Mechanical Properties Of Human Finger Glabrous Tissue Using A Fiberoptic Sensor, Lalit Venkatesan, Steven M. Barlow

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

TAC-Cell is a custom-built somatosensory stimulator that delivers pneumatic cutaneous tactile inputs to virtually any skin target on the body and by virtue of its non-ferrous materials is compatible with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) brain scanners. In this study, we describe the method to measure apparent skin displacement induced by TAC-Cell stimulation of the glabrous surface of the distal phalanx of the index finger. Specifically, we studied the effect of four servo controller input voltages (0.4V to 1.0V) on resultant skin displacement among eighteen, neurotypical adult male and female participants. A fiberoptic displacement sensor, commonly used …

Amplitude-Integrated Eeg And Range-Eeg Modulation Associated With Pneumatic Orocutaneous Stimulation In Preterm Infants, Steven M. Barlow, Priya Jegatheesan, Sunshine Weiss, Balaji Govindaswami, Jaehoon Lee, Austin Oder, Dongli Song

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Background—Controlled somatosensory stimulation strategies have demonstrated merit in developing oral feeding skills in premature infants who lack a functional suck, however, the effects of orosensory entrainment stimulation on electrocortical dynamics is unknown.

Objective—To determine the effects of servo-controlled pneumatic orocutaneous stimulation presented during gavage feedings on the modulation of aEEG and rEEG activity.

Methods—Two-channel EEG recordings were collected during 180 sessions that included orocutaneous stimulation and non-stimulation epochs among 22 preterm infants (mean gestational age = 28.56 weeks) who were randomized to treatment and control ‘sham’ conditions. The study was initiated at around 32 weeks post-menstrual age (PMA). The raw …

Treating Myofunctional Disorders: A Multiple-Baseline Study Of A New Treatment Using Electropalatography, Alana Mantie-Kozlowski, Kevin M. Pitt

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study assessed the benefit of using electropalatography (EPG) in treatment aimed at habilitating individuals with nonspeech orofacial myofunctional disorders (NSOMD).

Method: The study used a multiple-baseline design across 3 female participants who were referred for an evaluation and possible treatment of their NSOMD. Treatment sessions were 30 min and provided twice weekly. Participant 1 received 8 treatments, Participant 2 received 6 treatments, and Participant 3 received 4 treatments. The patterns of sensor activation produced when participants’ tongues made contact with the electropalate during saliva swallows were compared with the patterns of age-matched peers. Individualized goals were developed on …

Using Quantitative Disease Dynamics As A Tool For Guiding Response To Avian Influenza In Poultry In The United States Of America, K. M. Pepin, E. Spackman, J. D. Brown, K. L. Pabilonia, Lindsey P. Garber, J. Todd Weaver, D. A. Kennedy, Kelly A. Patyk, K. P. Huyvaert, Ryan S. Miller, Alan B. Franklin, Kerri Pedersen, T. L. Bogich, P. Rohani, Susan A. Shriner, Colleen T. Webb, S. Riley

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wild birds are the primary source of genetic diversity for influenza A viruses that eventually emerge in poultry and humans. Much progress has been made in the descriptive ecology of avian influenza viruses (AIVs), but contributions are less evident from quantitative studies (e.g., those including disease dynamic models). Transmission between host species, individuals and flocks has not been measured with sufficient accuracy to allow robust quantitative evaluation of alternate control protocols. We focused on the United States of America (USA) as a case study for determining the state of our quantitative knowledge of potential AIV emergence processes from wild hosts …

Determination Of Residue Levels Of Alphachloralose In Duck Tissues, David A. Goldade, Randal S. Stahl, John J. Johnston

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Alpha-chloralose (AC) is used to capture nuisance waterfowl so that they can be relocated. Concerns for food safety limit its use prior to or during the waterfowl hunting season. To determine its half-life in tissue, we administered AC to adult male (n = 7) and female (n = 5) mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) via oral gavage. A gel capsule containing 100 μCi of radioactive AC (¹⁴C-AC) and sufficient nonlabeled AC to produce a dose of approximately 30 mg/kg was given to each duck.The ducks were euthanized at 2, 6, 10, and 18 hours postdosing (n = …

Bat Rabies In Guatemala, James E. Ellison, Amy T. Gilbert, Sergio Recuenco, David Moran, Danilo A. Alvarez, Natalia Kuzmina, Daniel L. Garcia, Leonard F. Peruski, Mary T. Mendonca, Kim A. Lindblade, Charles E. Rupprecht

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rabies in bats is considered enzootic throughout the New World, but few comparative data are available for most countries in the region. As part of a larger pathogen detection program, enhanced bat rabies surveillance was conducted in Guatemala, between 2009 and 2011. A total of 672 bats of 31 species were sampled and tested for rabies. The prevalence of rabies virus (RABV) detection among all collected bats was low (0.3%). Viral antigens were detected and infectious virus was isolated from the brains of two common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus). RABV was also isolated from oral swabs, lungs and …

Russian Olive (Elaeagnus Angustifolia) Dispersal By European Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris), Ryan J. Edwards, Larry C. Clark, K. George Beck

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Studies were conducted to document that European starlings consume Russian olive fruits and determine subsequent effects on seed germination. In the first study, avian feeding patterns at Russian olive trees were monitored over a 1-yr period using motion activated digital photography. Starlings fed on Russian olive fruits with highest activity occurring in November and December. In a second study, 20 captive European starlings were fed Russian olive fruits and seed germination rates were determined for three categories: consumed by starlings, hulled fruits (pericarp removed), and whole fruits. Starlings readily consumed Russian olive fruits and most seeds were regurgitated 30 min …

Evaluation Of Techniques To Reduce Deer And Elk Damage To Agricultural Crops, Heather E. Johnson, Justin W. Fischer, Matthew Hammond, Patricia D. Dorsey, W. David Walter, Charles Anderson, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) provide important recreational, ecological, and economic benefits, but can also cause substantial damage to agricultural crops. Cervid damage to agriculture creates challenges for wildlife agencies responsible for minimizing crop depredation while maintaining healthy deer and elk populations. Sunflower producers in southwestern Colorado, USA, have experienced high deer and elk damage and were interested in temporary methods to reduce damage that were cost-effective for rotational crops. To address this challenge, we investigated 3 temporary, non-lethal exclusion and repellent techniques for reducing deer and elk damage to …

Memory-Based Quantity Discrimination In Coyotes (Canis Latrans), Salif Mahamane, Kevin L. Grunig, Joseph Baker, Julie K. Young, Kerry E. Jordan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Previous research has shown that the ratio between competing quantities of food significantly mediates coyotes‘ (Canis latrans) ability to choose the larger of two food options. These previous findings are consistent with predictions made by Weber‘s Law and indicate that coyotes possess quantity discrimination abilities that are similar to other species. Importantly, coyotes‘ discrimination abilities are similar to domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), indicating that quantitative discrimination may remain stable throughout certain species‘ evolution. However, while previously shown in two domestic dogs, it is unknown whether coyotes possess the ability to discriminate visual quantities from memory. …

Effects Of Gonacon Immunocontraceptive Vaccine In Free-Ranging Female Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus Elaphus Nelsoni), Jenny G. Powers, Ryan J. Monello, Margaret A. Wild, Terry R. Spraker, James P. Gionfriddo, Terry M. Nett, Dan L. Baker

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Duration of efficacy and prevalence of side-effects associated with GonaCon Immunocontraceptive Vaccine (GonaCon) in free-ranging female elk (Cervus elaphus) are unknown. In January 2008, we captured 120 mature female elk in Rocky Mountain National Park (CO, USA), determined pregnancy status, and randomly assigned them to treated (n=60; 1.5 mL of GonaCon) or control (n=60; 1.5 mL of saline) groups. During the following 3 winters we recaptured, collected blood for antibody concentrations, and euthanized 10–20 elk in each group. At necropsy, we determined pregnancy and collected tissues from organs associated with the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. We …

Habitat Coupling In A Large Lake System: Delivery Of An Energy Subsidy By An Offshore Planktivore To The Nearshore Zone Of Lake Superior, Jason Stockwell, Daniel Yule, Thomas Hrabik, Michael Sierszen, Edmund Isaac

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

1. We hypothesised that the autumn spawning migration of Lake Superior cisco (Coregonus artedi) provides a resource subsidy, in the form of energy-rich cisco eggs, from the offshore pelagic to the nearshore benthic community over winter, when alternate prey production is likely to be low.

2. We tested this hypothesis using fish and macroinvertebrate surveys, fish population demographics, diet and stable isotope analyses, and bioenergetics modelling.

3. The benthic, congeneric lake whitefish (C. clupeaformis) was a clear beneficiary of cisco spawning. Cisco eggs represented 16% of lake whitefish annual consumption in terms of biomass, but 34% of energy (because of …