Digital Commons Network^™

Developing An Algal Biofilm Filtration System For The Remediation Of Nutrient Pollution In Freshwater Ponds, Danielle Delp

Theses

Anthropogenic nutrient pollution is one of the most serious threats facing aquatic systems in modern times. Pollution with compounds containing nitrogen and phosphorous encourages rapid development of autotrophic biomass, or blooms, that severely degrade the quality of an aquatic system both as a habitat for organisms and as a water resource for human use. In freshwater ponds, the widespread need for treatment of nutrient pollution and resulting blooms has resulted in the growth of a large industry dedicated to pond management and maintenance. These companies utilize a variety of chemical and non-chemical treatments to prevent the growth of blooms or …

Monitoring Cloud-Prone Complex Landscapes At Multiple Spatial Scales Using Medium And High Resolution Optical Data: A Case Study In Central Africa, Bikash Basnet

Theses

Tracking land surface dynamics over cloud-prone areas with complex mountainous terrain and a landscape that is heterogeneous at a scale of approximately 10 m, is an important challenge in the remote sensing of tropical regions in developing nations, due to the small plot sizes. Persistent monitoring of natural resources in these regions at multiple spatial scales requires development of tools to identify emerging land cover transformation due to anthropogenic causes, such as agricultural expansion and climate change. Along with the cloud cover and obstructions by topographic distortions due to steep terrain, there are limitations to the accuracy of monitoring change …

Environmental And Density-Dependent Modulation Of Type Iii Secretion System Genes In Pseudomonas Syringae Pv. Tomato Dc3000, Jennifer Louise Stauber

Theses

Pseudomonas syringae pathovar tomato strain DC3000 is a model bacterial plant-pathogen that utilizes a dedicated protein export apparatus, the type III secretion system (T3SS), to translocate virulence proteins called effectors directly into host cells. Because effectors suppress plant immune responses, activation of the T3SS is critical upon entry into the host. The P. syringae T3SS is controlled by the hrpRS-hrpL regulatory cascade, and is activated quickly by specific conditions. Different environmental stimuli have been reported to modulate T3SS gene expression in culture, however it is unclear how each signal affects hrpRS or hrpL. My objective was to identify how environmental …

Ubiquitin Goes Green, Zhihua Hua, Richard D. Vierstra

Biology Faculty Research

Chloroplasts depend on the nucleus for much of their proteome. Consequently, strong transcriptional coordination exists between the genomes, which is attuned to the developmental and physiological needs of the organelle. Recent studies highlight that the post-translational modifier ubiquitin adds another layer to plastid homeostasis and even helps eliminate damaged chloroplasts.

Linkages Between Protein Ubiquitination, Proteasome Activity And The Expression Of Oxygen-Binding Proteins In Antarctic Notothenioid Fishes, Corey A. Oldham

Biological Sciences

Antarctic icefishes lack hemoglobin (Hb), and some species lack cardiac myoglobin (Mb). As iron-centered proteins, Hb and Mb can promote the formation of reactive oxygen species that may damage biological macromolecules. Consistent with this, we find higher levels of oxidized proteins in some tissues of red-blooded notothenioids than in icefishes. Oxidized proteins are marked for degradation by the conjugation of the protein ubiquitin. I hypothesized that levels of ubiquitinated proteins and 20S proteasome activity (which degrades oxidized proteins) would be higher in +Hb and +Mb notothenioids than icefishes lacking the proteins. Levels of ubiquitinated proteins and rates of proteasome activity …

Trophic Pathways Supporting Juvenile Chinook And Coho Salmon In The Glacial Susitna River, Alaska: Patterns Of Freshwater, Terrestrial, And Marine Resource Use Across A Seasonally Dynamic Habitat Mosaic, Kristin M. Rine

Biological Sciences

In large, seasonally dynamic and spatially complex watersheds, the availability and relative importance of various food resources for stream fishes can be expected to vary substantially. While numerous studies have attempted to uncover the trophic linkages that support stream salmonids, much of these efforts have occurred at small scales that disregard variability of food resources inherent in lotic systems. This study aimed to determine large-scale patterns in the contributions of freshwater, terrestrial, and marine-derived food resources to juvenile Chinook and Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and O. kisutch) in the large, glacially influenced Susitna River, Alaska. I quantified diet patterns both …

Non-Invasive Methods For Obtaining Occupancy Probabilities And Density Estimates Of Interior Alaska's Mesocarnivore Populations, Casey Pozzanghera

Biological Sciences

Mesocarnivore species worldwide have been shown to be significant drivers of ecological communities. Changes in their abundance and distributions are known to cause cascading effects throughout ecosystems, and changes to the landscape and climate will likely lead to shifts in mesocarnivore population sizes and distributions. However, the current status of these species in some of the world's most susceptible landscapes is not known. I assessed the impacts of abiotic factors on the distributional patterns and abundance of boreal mesocarnivores and evaluated methods commonly used to estimate density and occupancy. I conducted non-invasive winter surveys of coyotes (Canis latrans), red foxes …

Direct And Indirect Effects Of Wolves On Interior Alaska's Mesopredator Community, Kelly J. Sivy

Biological Sciences

Large carnivores may indirectly benefit small predators by suppressing competitively dominant mesopredators. However, our current understanding of interactions within the carnivore guild does not account for carrion subsidies provided by large carnivores, which could facilitate mesopredators during times of prey scarcity. This could be particularly relevant in northern ecosystems characterized by long harsh winters and decadal prey cycling. In Alaska, state-sponsored wolf (Canis lupus) control programs reduce wolf populations by as much as 50-80% across 8 game management units that collectively total over 165,000 km2, yet the impact of this practice on the Alaska's diverse mesopredator community remains unknown. We …

The Joy Of Food Play - An Exploration Of The Continued Intersectionalities Of Gender And Class In Men's Auto/Biographical Accounts Of Everyday Foodways., Jm Parsons

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

Despite a contemporary milieu that emphasises fluidities across gender boundaries and shifting roles, the 75 respondents in the study that informs this paper presented their food auto/biographies as a type of transformation narrative heavily influenced by the continued intersectionalities of gender and class. Respondents utilised ‘common vocabularies’ (Mills 1959) and conformed to cultural scripts of what might be considered appropriate middle class and highly gendered foodways when developing a taste for ‘good’ food. The focus of this paper centres on the notion of food ‘play’ rather than food ‘work’ as significant in the performance of a gendered cultural habitus, whereby …

Using A Scaffolded Multi-Component Intervention To Support The Reading And Writing Development Of English Learners, Susan King Fullerton, Heather Mccrea-Andrews, Kimberly Robson

i.e.: inquiry in education

Growing numbers of English learners (National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition, 2010) suggest the critical need for effective research-based interventions to support them. Interventions that are designed to help English learners make reading-writing connections are more likely to capitalize on the reciprocal nature of both reading and writing (Tierney & Pearson, 1983) and accelerate literacy development (Clay, 1998). Our teacher research investigation suggests that instructional models that strengthen language and literacy processes through scaffolding and mediational approaches such as read-alouds, shared reading and writing, interactive writing, and individual guided writing show promise in supporting the literacy progress of young English …

Growing Pains: Reflections At The Intersection(S) Of Pedagogy And Self-Study In Whiteness Research In Education, Jane S. Joyner, Zachary A. Casey

i.e.: inquiry in education

In this paper we work to place personal reflections of ourselves as researchers in conversation with interview data generated from white practicing teachers. Our work seeks to engage what the praxis of pedagogical qualitative analysis, coupled with self-study, can offer other researchers. This paper thus has two primary aims: to investigate our research findings from the interview data and the teachers who participated in the professional development seminar, and to explore what such work makes available to us as white researcher/practitioners. We move back and forth between both in the pages that follow, as we hope to showcase what becomes …

First Report On Hottentotta Tamulus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Sri Lanka, And Its Medical Importance, Kithsiri B. Ranawana, Nandana P. Dinamithra, Sivapalan Sivansuthan, Ironie I. Nagasena, František Kovařík, Senanayake A.M. Kularatne

Euscorpius

A scorpion species proved to be lethal to humans was recently recorded from Jaffna Peninsula (9°40'0''N 80°0'0''E, mean annual temperature 26.2°C), in the northern dry zone of Sri Lanka. This species is morphologically different from all other known scorpions in Sri Lanka. The species was identified as Hottentotta tamulus (Scorpiones: Buthidae), which is commonly found in Maharashtra, India, the closest mainland to Sri Lanka. Small children and housewives were most of the victims. Soon after sting, the patient develops intense pain at the site of sting followed by numbed sensation. Dominant clinical effects include excessive sweating, agitation and palpitation. Blood …

Another New Sub-Fossil Species Of Scorpion Of The Genus Palaeogrosphus Lourenço, 2000 From Malagasy Copal (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Wilson R. Lourenço, Hans Henderickx

Euscorpius

Palaeogrosphus jacquesi sp. n., the third known sub-fossil scorpion from Malagasy copal, is described. This is the fourth record of a sub-fossil scorpion in copal. The copal specimen was collected in the mines of the region of Sambava, Province of Antsiranana in the northeast of Madagascar. It belongs to the genus Palaeogrosphus Lourenço, 2000, described from Madagascar, and now represented by two sub-fossil species.

Review Of The Genus Neobuthus Hirst, 1911 With Description Of A New Species From Ethiopia (Scorpiones: Buthidae), František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe

Euscorpius

We define key characters distinguishing between the genera Neobuthus Hirst, 1911 and Butheolus Simon, 1882. Butheolus ferrugineus Kraepelin, 1898 is transferred to the genus Neobuthus which includes only African species, in contrast to the genus Butheolus which now includes only species inhabiting the Arabian Peninsula. Neobuthus awashensis sp. n. from Ethiopia is described and compared with two closely related species, Neobuthus ferrugineus (Kraepelin, 1898) comb. n. and Neobuthus berberensis Hirst, 1911. Recent collection of 78 specimens enabled direct comparisons of all three closely related species from their respective localities and discovery of characters hitherto not apparent from discolored specimens preserved …

Scorpions Of Iran (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part Viii. Fars Province, Shahrokh Navidpour, Victor Fet, František Kovařík, Michael E. Soleglad

Euscorpius

18 species of scorpions belonging to three families are reported from the Fars Province of Iran. Of these, four species are recorded from the province for the first time: Compsobuthus persicus Navidpour, Soleglad, Fet et Kovařík, 2008, Mesobuthus eupeus persicus (Pocock, 1899), Odontobuthus bidentatus Lourenço et Pézier, 2002, and Scorpio maurus townsendi (Pocock, 1900). Also presented is a key to all species of scorpions found in the province.

A Novel Thermal Gradient Design For Small-Bodied Ectotherms, Michael M. Webber, Robert W. Bryson Jr.

Euscorpius

For ectothermic organisms, environmental temperatures can influence a variety of life history traits. Experimental thermal gradients created in the laboratory are useful tools to examine the thermoregulatory behaviors of these organisms. Here, we provide details on the construction of a novel, cost-effective thermal gradient to study thermoregulatory behaviors in small-bodied nocturnal ectotherms.

Euscorpiops Thaomischi Sp. N. From Vietnam And A Key To Species Of The Genus (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae: Scorpiopinae), František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Euscorpiops thaomischi sp. n. from Vietnam is described and compared with other species of the genus Euscorpiops Vachon, 1980. A key to the species of Euscorpiops is provided. In Euscorpiops thaomischi sp. n. external trichobothria on the patella number 18 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 4 est, 5 et) and ventral trichobothria on the patella number 11 or 12. Pedipalp fingers of both sexes are flexed without sexual dimorphism.

Mesobuthus Caucasicus (Nordmann, 1840) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) In Turkey, Ayşegül Karataş

Euscorpius

Although Mesobuthus caucasicus was listed from Turkey in the literature, information about this species was confused and needed confirmation. Distribution of M. caucasicus is studied and new geographical records are given. As a result of field studies, M. caucasicus is confirmed from three certain localities in Turkey. In addition, some bioecological information is provided.

The Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Of Sint Eustatius, Lesser Antilles, Rolando Teruel, Hannah Madden

Euscorpius

In the present note, we revise the scorpion fauna of the small island of Sint Eustatius, in the Lesser Antilles. A total of two families, three genera and three species are confirmed to occur there: the buthids Centruroides barbudensis (Pocock, 1898) and Isometrus maculatus (DeGeer, 1778), and the scorpionid Oiclus purvesii (Becker, 1880). These include the first record of the occurrence in Sint Eustatius of the family Scorpionidae and the genus Oiclus Simon, 1880, as well as the first published findings of I. maculatus since 1942. A key to the easy identification of all three species is provided.

Ontogenetic Shifts In Microhabitat Use, Foraging And Temporal Activity For The Striped Bark Scorpion Centruroides Vittatus (Scorpiones: Buthidae), C. Neal Mcreynolds

Euscorpius

Ontogenetic shifts in activity and habitat use by the scorpion Centruroides vittatus in Laredo, Texas can occur with shifts in microhabitat use, the height of the scorpion in vegetation and seasonal and lunar activity among different sizes of C. vittatus but not taxa of prey in the diet. The microhabitat use by the different size classes was significantly different with significant associations among the cacti with a high frequency of larger scorpions on prickly pear cactus and strawberry cactus and between grass and other vegetation with a high frequency of smaller scorpions on grass. A comparison of the mean height …

A New Scorpion Genus (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) From Mexico, Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet

Euscorpius

A new vaejovid genus from Mexico, Franckeus, gen. nov., is described based on unique neobothriotaxy. Species placed in this genus are from the Vaejovis “nigrescens” group (previously called the “nitidulus” group). Six species comprise this new genus, distributed throughout Mexico (mainland as well as Baja California Sur): Franckeus nitidulus, F. rubrimanus, F. platnicki, F. minckleyi, F. kochi and F. peninsularis. A new species of the Vaejovis “nigrescens” group, Vaejovis davidi, sp. nov., is also described.

Further Considerations On Scorpions Found In Baltic Amber, With A Description Of A New Species (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Wilson R. Lourenço

Euscorpius

A new species of Baltic fossil scorpion, Palaeolychas weitschati sp. n. is described based on a specimen found in amber from the Samland Peninsula in Baltic coast. The new species is the second one described for the genus Palaeolychas Lourenço et Weitschat, and thus belongs to the same lineage as the majority of other scorpions known from Baltic amber, which is clearly associated with the extant scorpion fauna of tropical regions in America, Asia and Africa. This new find attests, however, to a considerable degree of diversity in the Baltic amber-producing forests.

A New Trichobothrial Character For The High-Level Systematics Of Buthoidea (Scorpiones: Buthida), Victor Fet, Soleglad E. Michael, Graeme Lowe

Euscorpius

The high-level systematics and phylogeny of the scorpion superfamily Buthoidea are unresolved. A new, formerly undetected character is reported here: the relative alignment of d₃ trichobothrium and DM_c carina on the pedipalp patella. This and other characters are discussed in the context of possible high-level divisions of Buthoidea. Based on this analysis, we suggest a breakdown of Buthoidea into six proposed tentative phylogenetic groups: Buthus group, Ananteris group, Isometrus group, Charmus group, Uroplectes group, and Tityus group.

On The Type Locality Of Mesobuthus Vesiculatus (Pocock, 1899) (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Ayşegül Karataş, Victor Fet, Muhammed M. Gharkheloo

Euscorpius

The type locality for Mesobuthus vesiculatus (Pocock, 1899) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) is identified as Astarqān, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran, at 38°32'03"N, 46°12' 36"E.

Redescription Of The Mexican Scorpion Centruroides Hoffmanni Armas, 1996 (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Eliézer Martín-Frías, Luis F. De Armas, Jorge F. Paniagua-Solís

Euscorpius

The Mexican scorpion Centruroides hoffmanni Armas, 1996 is redescribed, based on adults of both sexes. It is readily diagnosed by its medium size, dark brown two-banded tergites and brown marbling on carapace, appendages and metasoma, pectinal tooth counts, the shape of the female basal plate of the pectines, development of metasomal carinae, and shape of the telson and subaculear tubercle. The geographical distribution of this species ranges from southeastern Oaxaca to southwestern Chiapas, Mexico. It was originally compared with Centruroides thorelli (Kraepelin, 1891), but actually it seems to be closely related to C. infamatus (C. L. Koch, 1845) and C. …

Aerial Insects Avoid Fluorescing Scorpions, Carl T. Kloock

Euscorpius

The ecological function of scorpion fluorescence under ultraviolet light is unknown. In fact, no response of any organism to scorpion fluorescence has been documented. To determine whether or not some potential prey, specifically aerial insects, respond to scorpion fluorescence, I compared the number of aerial insects captured on sticky traps containing fluorescent scorpions to the number captured on traps containing non-fluorescent scorpions during both full and new moons. The results show that aerial insects avoid fluorescing scorpions during the full moon, when fluorescence is at its peak, but not during the new moon when it is weakest. Avoidance of fluorescing …

A New Scorpion Species Of The Genus Buthus Leach, 1815 (Scorpiones, Buthidae) From Morocco, Wilson R. Lourenço, Philippe Geniez

Euscorpius

A new species belonging to the genus Buthus Leach (Scorpiones, Buthidae) is described from northeast of Tarfaya in the extreme southwest of Morocco. The new species does not belong to the “Buthus occitanus species complex”, but is rather associated with Buthus atlantis Pocock, species also known from the southern of Morocco. With the description of Buthus bonito sp. n., t Morocco is raised to 12. A checklist of these species is provided.

Development And Application Of Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy For The Monitoring Of Δ13co2 At Carbon Capture Utilization And Storage Sites, Benjamin Tyler Galfond

Open Access Dissertations

Economic growth since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution has been unprecedented and improved the lives of billions, though not without a cost. Anthropogenic CO2 emissions have perturbed the global carbon cycle, driving rapid climate change that is forecasted to be economically devastating to many regions while exterminating delicate ecosystems and countless species. Despite the unappealing political and economic impacts of halting fossil fuel consumption, an immediate answer is truly needed. To stave off these disastrous outcomes requires a rapid response to greenhouse gas emissions that future technologies, no matter how promising, are not yet ready to engage. Carbon capture, …

Utilizing The Agarophyte (Gracilaria Tikvahiae) As A Biofilter For The Bioremediation Of Cobia (Rachycentron Canadum) Nitrogenous Effluents In Flow-Through Aquaculture Systems, Neal Asthana

Open Access Theses

The biological and technological feasibility of using the agarophyte Gracilaria tikvahiae as a biofilter for the bioremediation of nitrogenous effluents resulting from juvenile cobia culture was examined. Using a thorough literature review of the most relevant published research, optimal parameters are identified and discussed within the context of juvenile cobia culture, while factors maximizing biofiltration and growth of Gracilaria within a biofilter system are outlined. The study attempts to match cobia nitrogen excretion rates with rates of algal nutrient uptake to size the initial biomass of algae needed in a filter for the culture of 10,000 juvenile (<30g) cobia. The culture of 10,000 juvenile cobia, 28-70 days post hatch (DPH), produces a maximum of roughly 300g of nitrogen daily which in turn can support roughly 12-27kg of algae (wet weight) per day, depending on uptake rate. The supportable algae biomass is then used to size the initial stocking density of the algae filter. Optimal system components are identified and management considerations are discussed with respect to optimizing growth as a means to maximize biofiltration and nutrient extraction capacity over time.

Tactile Learning: Touch And Touch Self-Efficacy In College Dance Instruction, Alyson J. Cartagena

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to (a) identify the level of touch self-efficacy (TSE) of college-level dance faculty as measured by the Touch Self-Efficacy (TSE) Scale, (b) explore the factors that influence the use of touch in dance instruction, and (c) describe the perceived benefits as reported by college-level dance faculty.

Methodology: In this mixed-methods approach, a sequential explanatory design was conducted in 2 separate phases of research. The first phase provided an opportunity to quantitatively investigate the levels of TSE in college-level dance faculty. The second phase qualitatively explored the factors influencing the use of touch in …