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Articles 1 - 29 of 29
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Changes In The Zooplankton Community In Barren River Lake (South Central Ky) Between 2008 And 2020, Laurel Philpott
Changes In The Zooplankton Community In Barren River Lake (South Central Ky) Between 2008 And 2020, Laurel Philpott
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Zooplankton are small aquatic animals that serve an important role in transferring energy from phytoplankton to higher trophic levels. The zooplankton community composition in Barren River Lake from 2008 and 2020 was compared. A field study was conducted to not only describe the seasonal population dynamics of zooplankton in Barren River Lake, but also to determine if an invasive zooplankton, Daphnia lumholtzi, was present. While D. lumholtzi was found throughout Barren River Lake in 2008, it was absent from both resampled sites in 2019 and 2020. This, along with erratic patterns of emergence in several other zooplankton species, indicates …
Effects Of Melatonin Implantation On The Activity Levels Of Captive Snow Buntings (Plectrophenax Nivalis), Zoë Ward
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
In vertebrates, melatonin regulates many components of the circadian rhythm; depending on the organism’s location and time of year, the pineal gland will produce melatonin accordingly, controlling the sleep-wake cycle and breeding physiologies. However, locations at the poles in which the sun is above the horizon for multiple days at a time pose unique challenges for the organisms living there. The goal of this study was to examine how the implantation of melatonin in an arctic-breeding songbird affects its activity levels and circadian rhythm. The subject of this study, the snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis), is a small songbird …
Acoustic Communication In The Atlantic Mudskipper, Periopthalmus Barbarus, Seth Hoffman
Acoustic Communication In The Atlantic Mudskipper, Periopthalmus Barbarus, Seth Hoffman
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Mudskippers are intertidal fishes that can survive both in and out of the water. They are territorial and exhibit behaviors to attract mates and defend against competitors. Recently, it has been shown that vibrations are produced and transmitted through the mud during such displays in one species, Periophthalmodon septemradiatus. To see if similar vibrations are produced in other species of mudskippers, I recorded the behavioral interactions of pairs of the mudskipper Periophthalmus barbarus via digital video and acoustic signals via accelerometer. Comparative analysis of fish mass, sex, contest length, and contest outcome coupled with acoustic characteristics within dyadic pairings …
Dung Beetle (Scarabaeinae) Diversity Of The Highest Elevation In West Africa: The Nimba Mountain Range, Jacob Bowen
Dung Beetle (Scarabaeinae) Diversity Of The Highest Elevation In West Africa: The Nimba Mountain Range, Jacob Bowen
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
The Nimba Mountain Range in Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Liberia is within the Upper Guinean Forests, a critical biodiversity hotspot highly threatened by various human activities. The region is home to many endemic species including the viviparous Nimba toad, Nimba otter-shrew, and the discrete Bossou chimpanzee population. Dung beetles can act as a focal taxon from which extrapolation to the diversity of other taxa and ecosystem health can be made. Elevational trends in dung beetle diversity were investigated on the Nimba Mountain Range and in the nearby Bossou Chimpanzee reserve in Guinea. Dung beetle species diversity surveys aimed to document …
Morphological Correlates Of Auditory Sensitivity In The Inner Ear Of Two Species Of Invasive Carp, Tyler Patty
Morphological Correlates Of Auditory Sensitivity In The Inner Ear Of Two Species Of Invasive Carp, Tyler Patty
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Silver (Hypopthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead (H. nobilis) carp, are invasive species that have negative impacts upon ecosystems. H. molitrix is known to jump completely out of the water in response to broadband sounds, however, this is not observed in H. nobilis. Preliminary experiments reveal that sounds can be used to modify the behavior of carps. Thus, understanding the hearing abilities of these species is important in order to design appropriate acoustical deterrents. Fish heads were preserved in 4% paraformaldehyde and the inner ears dissected and photographed under a light microscope in order to describe the …
An Investigation On The Cover Preference Of The Mountain Madtom (Noturus Eleutherus), Mariah Slaughter
An Investigation On The Cover Preference Of The Mountain Madtom (Noturus Eleutherus), Mariah Slaughter
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Madtom catfish, members of the genus Noturus, are common in the waters of the Southeastern US. A previous study observed that madtoms in the Green River, Kentucky, preferred to shelter within old mussel shells compared to under or next to rocks. A laboratory study on the Carolina Madtom (Noturus furiosus), found that they did not utilize mussel shells and preferred rocks as cover. I conducted a similar laboratory study to determine which cover options the Mountain Madtoms (Noturus eleutherus) prefer. Cover preference was determined by offering the madtoms shelter options (rocks or mussel shells) in …
Effects Of Supplemental Whole Cottonseed On Weaned Calf Production, Zachary Debord
Effects Of Supplemental Whole Cottonseed On Weaned Calf Production, Zachary Debord
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
This study compared the effect of supplemental whole cottonseed in a weaned calf ration on cattle productivity. Feed is the main cost for livestock production. Whole cottonseed supplementation may increase production and reduce the cost of gain for the ration. During the study, 18 beef calves were weaned and split into two groups and fed, with and without WCS, for 50 days to determine the effect of supplemental whole cottonseed. Productivity was determined by measuring average daily gains for each group and comparing cost of gain for each ration. It was determined that WCS did increase productivity of weaned calves …
Substrate-Borne Communication In Chameleons: Do Vibrations Induce Behavioral Changes?, Emily J. Hamilton
Substrate-Borne Communication In Chameleons: Do Vibrations Induce Behavioral Changes?, Emily J. Hamilton
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Understanding the modes of communication used by a species is essential to understanding their ecology, behavior, and evolution. Substrate-borne vibrations have been reported to be produced by the veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus), possibly implemented by use of a gular pouch. We found that veiled chameleons produced vibrations under dominance and mating behavioral contexts. We tested the sensitivity of veiled chameleons to vibrations by placing chameleons, one at a time, on a wooden dowel attached to a permanent magnetic shaker and recording each chameleon’s behavior before, during, and after a three-pulse vibrational stimulus of 25, 50, 150, 300, or 600 Hz. …
Finding A Link Between Circadian Rhythms And The Immune System Of Captive Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia Guttata), Amber Bishop
Finding A Link Between Circadian Rhythms And The Immune System Of Captive Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia Guttata), Amber Bishop
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Circadian rhythms are commonplace in organisms and are normally controlled by a master clock. More recent evidence suggests that autonomous clocks operate in various systems in the body, including the immune system. This study looks for such a connection between the circadian rhythm and the immune system. In this study, captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) were exposed to different light and dark cycles and blood samples were taken every six hours. Birds were exposed to 12 hours of light and then 12 hours of darkness (LD), 24 hours of darkness (DD), or 48 hours of DD. After collecting …
Evaluating The Social Behavior And Activity Patterns Of Clouded Leopards (Neofelis Nebulosa) At The Nashville Zoo: Research And Literature Review, Meghan Ryckeley
Evaluating The Social Behavior And Activity Patterns Of Clouded Leopards (Neofelis Nebulosa) At The Nashville Zoo: Research And Literature Review, Meghan Ryckeley
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
The behavior of the elusive clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is not well understood. In captivity, they are prone to exhibit stress-related behaviors and are often aggressive to conspecifics when paired. The present study built on past research by examining clouded leopards at the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere (NZG) to determine their activity patterns and temperament. Twelve leopards were exposed to familiar and unfamiliar objects and people, as well as their reflection in a mirror over nine trials. The males were often more reactive than the females, and the 5-year olds more reactive than their younger counterparts. The mirror …
The Effects Of Drought On Diets Of Apex Predators In The South African Lowveld Inferred By Fecal Hair Analysis, Shelby Wade
The Effects Of Drought On Diets Of Apex Predators In The South African Lowveld Inferred By Fecal Hair Analysis, Shelby Wade
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
To properly manage offtake quotas and conservation efforts, Balule Nature Reserve (South Africa) instituted a study in 2014 to determine prey species selection by megapredators. In 2015, Balule Nature Reserve received about 190 mm less rainfall between the months of January and June than in 2014 (116 mm less than average). This study compares the diets of lions and hyaenas between 2014 and 2015. Prey species consumed were determined by fecal analysis, and results were compared to prey availability. Sixteen, 1 km2 plots were chosen from the 400 km2 Reserve. Between June and August 2015, we walked three, 1 km …
Effects Of An Electronic, Motion-Activated Scarecrow On Foraging Time In Nocturnal Vertebrate Crop Pets In South Africa, Mallory Clouse
Effects Of An Electronic, Motion-Activated Scarecrow On Foraging Time In Nocturnal Vertebrate Crop Pets In South Africa, Mallory Clouse
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
The normal behaviors of animals can disrupt human activities, resulting in human wildlifeconflict. In South Africa, nocturnal crop raiders are a significant source of human wildlifeconflict for farmers. Major nocturnal pest animals are Cape porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis) and bushpig (Potamochoerus larvatus). Although methods of deterring animals from agricultural areas have been explored, nocturnal crop raiding remains difficult to mitigate. Most research studies focus on deterring non-human primates and elephants, but methods that may be successful in deterring such larger mammals are not necessarily effective at discouraging smaller, nocturnal crop raiders. This study examined the efficacy of …
Analysis Of Seed Preference Trials Of Red Veld Rats And Smith's Bush Squirrels And Trap Effectiveness In The Lowveld Of South Africa, Brooke A. Barber
Analysis Of Seed Preference Trials Of Red Veld Rats And Smith's Bush Squirrels And Trap Effectiveness In The Lowveld Of South Africa, Brooke A. Barber
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Large tree species in South Africa face reproductive decline, especially older trees that provide ecosystem connectivity. Management of Balule Nature Reserve, an extensive private nature reserve in South Africa, wanted to investigate the roles rodents play in the recruitment and survival of select tree species. Two large tree species of concern, marula (Sclerocarya birrea) and knobthorn acacia (Acacia nigrescens) are dominant, habitat providers and red bushwillow (Combretum apiculatum) is a smaller and more common, prolific seed producer. I investigated whether rodents, specifically red veld rats and Smith’s bush squirrels, may play a detrimental role …
Seed Preference Trials Of Namaqua Rock Mice And Rodent Density In The Lowveld Savanna Of South Africa, Whitney L. Walker
Seed Preference Trials Of Namaqua Rock Mice And Rodent Density In The Lowveld Savanna Of South Africa, Whitney L. Walker
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Large trees important in the South African savanna are in decline. Initially, climate change and elephants were thought to be the cause. However, all reasons for the decline are unknown. I investigated how Namaqua rock mice potentially affect recruitment of tree seedlings through seed predation in South Africa. I used live traps to capture rodents during the dry season of June-August on Balule Nature Reserve (BNR). I exposed the mice to seed preference trials in enclosures to determine if they would eat seeds of three target tree species; marula (Sclerocarya birrea), knobthorn acacia (Acacia nigrescens), and …
Dietary Overlap Of Native White Bass And Introduced Yellow Bass In Barren River, Micaela L. Montgomery
Dietary Overlap Of Native White Bass And Introduced Yellow Bass In Barren River, Micaela L. Montgomery
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
In the Barren River Lake of south central Kentucky, native white bass, Morone chrysops, has experienced a decline in population after the introduction of yellow bass, Morone mississippiensis. These species are competing for resources due to an overlapping diet, likely contributing to the decline of the white bass. To explore this hypothesis, I examined the stomach contents and otoliths of white and yellow bass caught during their spawning time in spring 2012. There were 40 yellow bass and 128 white bass collected in Barren River upstream of Barren River Lake. Analysis of stomach contents revealed that both white and …
Trypanosoma Cruzi Prevalence In The Domestic Canine Population In Central And Eastern Kentucky, Katelyn Cox
Trypanosoma Cruzi Prevalence In The Domestic Canine Population In Central And Eastern Kentucky, Katelyn Cox
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Domestic canines are regarded as natural sentinelsfor the transmission of vector-borne pathogens since infection in an owner’s dog suggests the presence of the vector in or around the household. In collaboration with the University of Kentucky’s Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Lexington, Kentucky, we have investigated the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi (the causative agent of Chagas disease) in canines from central and eastern Kentucky via a serological test, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and DNA sequencing. In addition, Canine SNAP 4Dx plus tests (Idexx Laboratories, Inc.) were used to determine the prevalence of four other vector-borne pathogens: Ehrlichia canis/ewingii, Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma …
Horses' Responses To Receiving Masterson Method™ Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork™ Treatments, Carla O. Beu
Horses' Responses To Receiving Masterson Method™ Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork™ Treatments, Carla O. Beu
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
This research documents the changes of comfort levels in horses resulting from receiving Masterson Method™ Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork™ treatments. The Masterson Method™ (MM) is a bodywork technique used to identify and release accumulated tension from the equine body. MM focuses on three main anatomical junctions: the poll-atlas junction, neck-shoulder-wither junction, and the sacroiliac junction. Research documentation includes pre and post treatment evaluations, the treatments, owner questionnaires, and cribbing observations. Also, all evaluation and treatment sessions were videotaped with the intent of further analysis for changes in range of motion, flexibility, and comfort level as applicable. Each horse received a …
Landscape Genetics Of The Endangered California Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma Californiense) In The Los Vaqueros Watershed, Ryan Neal Vincent
Landscape Genetics Of The Endangered California Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma Californiense) In The Los Vaqueros Watershed, Ryan Neal Vincent
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Genetic diversity is essential for maintaining healthy biological systems, and dispersal-mediated gene flow increases genetic diversity by introducing new alleles to a gene pool. Populations that frequently experience gene flow will show characteristic similarities in allele frequencies. Measuring genetic diversity among many populations across a landscape has proven to be a powerful approach for assessing the ways that habitat discontinuities may affect patterns of gene flow, and in turn, influence allele frequencies and population dynamics. This study examines the landscape-level population genetic structure of the California tiger salamander, Ambystoma californiense, within the Los Vaqueros Watershed of Contra Costa County, …
Host Specificity Of Ecuadorian Bat Flies (Diptera: Streblidae), Eric Stamper
Host Specificity Of Ecuadorian Bat Flies (Diptera: Streblidae), Eric Stamper
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Diptera: Streblidae are ectoparasites of bat populations found in many locations throughout the world. These ectoparasites are generally known as bat flies. They attach themselves to the wing membranes and bodies of bats to bite and feed on their blood. Using a large sample consisting of over 2,000 bats and 6,000 bat flies, I have conducted a study of the degree of host specificity of these ectoparasites. Host specificity is a measurement of the degree to which a particular parasite is restricted to its host or hosts. Here I find evidence to support more recent findings that bat flies are …
The Effect Of Breeding Herd Parity Structure On Genetic Improvement Of The Sow Herd, Caitlyn E. Abell
The Effect Of Breeding Herd Parity Structure On Genetic Improvement Of The Sow Herd, Caitlyn E. Abell
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
This study focuses on the value of the genetic lag associated with maintaining sows for additional parities in a commercial swine herd. Three traits were included in this study: number born alive (NBA), 21 day litter weight (W21), and days to market (D250). The economic values assigned to these traits were $22.00/pig, $0.70/lb., and $0.17/day, respectively. The genetic improvement per generation made for each trait was assumed to be 0.3 pigs, 3.0 lbs., and 3.0 days, respectively. It was estimated that the value of the genetic lag associated with retaining a sow to P3, P5, and P7 was $24.80, $46.89, …
Isolation Of A 3-Methylindole-Producing Bacterium From A Swine Waste Lagoon, Michelle L. Fusting
Isolation Of A 3-Methylindole-Producing Bacterium From A Swine Waste Lagoon, Michelle L. Fusting
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
With an increase in animal production closer to populated areas, odorants from animal waste are a rapidly rising concern. 3-Methylindole (3-MI) is an odorant produced from the biodegradation of L-tryptophan by bacteria in animal waste. Currently, no 3-MI producing bacterium has been isolated from swine waste, and isolation of such an organism would provide insight into production and regulation of 3-MI. Therefore, an experiment was designed to isolate a 3-MI producer based on previous work which indicates the presence of Fe(III) increases 3-MI levels. An Enterococcus sp. was isolated from WKU's primary swine waste lagoon in rich, anaerobic medium plus …
Curing Nature-Deficit Disorder: How Environmental Education Helps Kids Learn, Jamie Leigh Langley
Curing Nature-Deficit Disorder: How Environmental Education Helps Kids Learn, Jamie Leigh Langley
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Walk into any public school and talk with the children about their experiences in nature and you will begin to see a pattern. Children have made few connections with the world around them. They do not spend much time outdoors and the time they do spend outdoors is not spent interacting directly with nature. Why does this matter? Look at these same kids and you will see another pattern emerging: Attention-Deficit Disorder, depression, obesity, emotional problems, etc. While not all of these problems are directly caused by a lack of interaction with the natural world, current research shows that there …
Where Do They Go When They Die?, Meridith L. Bartley
Where Do They Go When They Die?, Meridith L. Bartley
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Food webs and matrices are vital to understanding feeding relationships and ecology. Adjacency matrices can be employed to present the direct relationships between predators and prey; these binary matrices utilize 0’s to denote no direct link and 1’s to denote a direct link. We analyzed a variety of published food webs ranging from pine forests in the United States to tussock grasslands in New Zealand. The food webs varied in number of distinguishable taxa present, functional diversity, climates and habitats. Consequently, we expect that our results are not specific to a given system. The published food webs lack flows from …
Biomechanical Modeling Of Forelimb Adduction In The Eastern Mole, Scalopusaquaticus, Mark Sandefur
Biomechanical Modeling Of Forelimb Adduction In The Eastern Mole, Scalopusaquaticus, Mark Sandefur
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
The hypertrophied musculoskeletal system driving adduction of Sealopus aquatieus's forelimb supports the locomotion of these burrowing subterranean mammals. Due to the excessive bulk of the major muscles contributing to this action, it was thought that this particular species may represent a rare case of a mammalian species with a greatly enhanced force contribution from each muscle, correlating with a reduction in the potential for the forelimb to adduct at a high velocity. By assessing the lever ratios of five significant muscles contributing to forelimb adduction, combined with vector analyses for the angles of these muscles' insertions, a model was established …
Assessing Wavelength Discrimination Abilities In The Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Using Appetitive Choice Discrimination Learning, Tim Thornberry
Assessing Wavelength Discrimination Abilities In The Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Using Appetitive Choice Discrimination Learning, Tim Thornberry
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
In the past few decades, the zebrafish has become a popular vertebrate model in various fields of research, especially visual neuroscience, where the versatile zebrafish model has been used for anatomical, physiological, genetic, developmental, and behavioral research. Anatomical and physiological studies have shown that the zebrafish has the necessary mechanisms required for color vision. However, to date, there is no evidence that zebrafish behavior is regulated by color vision. This project used an appetitive choice discrimination paradigm to assess the ability of the zebrafish to modify its behavior based exclusively on color cues. Subjects were conditioned to associate a food …
Use Of Lolium Multiflorum For Remediation Of Phosphorus From Poultry-Litter-Contaminated Media, Daniel L Starnes
Use Of Lolium Multiflorum For Remediation Of Phosphorus From Poultry-Litter-Contaminated Media, Daniel L Starnes
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
No abstract provided.
The Effects Of Pool Size On The Microinvertebrate Populations Of Chaney Lake, An Ephemeral Wetland Located In Bowling Green, Kentucky, Shannon Gaines
The Effects Of Pool Size On The Microinvertebrate Populations Of Chaney Lake, An Ephemeral Wetland Located In Bowling Green, Kentucky, Shannon Gaines
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Studies concerning the microinvertebrate communities of differing pool sizes were conducted at Chaney Lake, an ephemeral, karst wetland located in Bowling Green, Kentucky. As the lake begins to dry in the early summer, smaller, isolated ponds begin to form. Several ponds of various sizes were marked for analysis. Microinvertebrate samples and physiochemical readings were taken at each of the sites and were counted in the lab. T-tests were performed on the samples to determine if the microinvertebrate densities differed between ponds that dried later in the season as opposed to those that dried earlier. Ostracoda densities of the late dry …
Circadian Rhythm Of Brain Gaba Levels In The Cockroach, Leucophaea Maderae, Juli Martin Mccay, Jeanette Marie Gibson
Circadian Rhythm Of Brain Gaba Levels In The Cockroach, Leucophaea Maderae, Juli Martin Mccay, Jeanette Marie Gibson
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Brain levels of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were determined at three-hour intervals in roaches acclimated to a 12-hour lightl12-hour dark cycle (light onset 0600 h) at 25 ± 2° C using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorometnc detection GABA levels were found to be highest at noon and lowest at 1800 h. A difference between the high and low levels at these two times remained during the second day under constant dark conditions, indicating that GABA levels do indeed vary on a circadian basis. Brain GABA levels were highest at a time of day that corresponded with …
Can Extra Fat Make Healthier Hogs?, Anne Elise Clark
Can Extra Fat Make Healthier Hogs?, Anne Elise Clark
Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Based on research by Fritsche (1991), Kelley (1988), and Caruso and Jeska (1990), it has been postulated that the addition of omega-3 fatty acids to the diet enhances the immune response of several species. This study was an attempt to ascertain the effects of addition of dietary omega-3 fatty acids in the form of ground flax contained in Omega Gold on the immune response of swine. The goal of this study was twofold: to determine the effects of ground flax on the humoral immunity of young pigs, and to differentiate between effects gained from enhancement of passive and active immunity. …