Life Sciences Commons^™

Temporal Patterns Of Nectar And Pollen Production In Aralia Hispida: Implications For Reproductive Success, James D. Thomas, Mary A. Mckenna, Mitchell B. Cruzan

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Large plants of Aralia hispida present their pollen and nectar in hundreds of small flowers than open sequentially over 2—3 wk in a pattern of synchronized protandry that alternates male and female phases. The primary pollinators, bumble bees, are able to discover individual plants with elevated levels of either nectar or pollen, and to return to them more often than to less rewarding plants. Both pollen and nectar are presented gradually over time in such a way as to favor traplining behavior by the bees, with many, frequent visits. In controlled environments, lifetime sugar production per flower varies among plants, …

Analysis Of Mitochondrial Dna Restriction Fragment Patterns In Killer Whales, Orcinus Orca, Tracy Alison Stevens

Dissertations and Theses

The mitochondrial DNA restriction fragment patterns of killer whales (Orcinus orca) were investigated in order to determine the level of genetic differentiation that exists between killer whales from various geographic locations. Twenty one killer whales were examined, seventeen of which were captive killer whales that originated from the North Atlantic and Northeast Pacific Oceans. Two were captive-born animals and two were killer whales that stranded along the Northeast Pacific coast.

DNA was extracted from blood and/or tissue samples, cleaved with a variety of restriction endonucleases and the DNA fragments were separated by horizontal agarose gel electrophoresis. The DNA …

Nitrogen And Iron Interactions In Filamentous Cyanobacteria, David Allen Hutchins

Dissertations and Theses

The investigations described in this paper are an attempt to further define and quantify the interrelationship of nitrogen fixation and iron nutritional physiology in these two species. Chapter II will present and compare data on nutritional ratios of field collected Trichodesmium colonies and laboratory Anabaena cultures, with the intent of examining possible correlations between observed iron levels and protein nitrogen and chlorophyll concentrations, as well as nitrogen fixation rates. Chapter Ill is an examination of nitrogen fixation and siderophore production in Anabaena with emphasis on the possible implications of hypothesized synergistic effects of these two physiological capabilities on cyanobacterial dominance …

Seasonal Trailing Behavior And Corticosterone Levels In Male Red-Sided Garter Snakes (Thamnophis Sirtalis Parietalis), Pamela Kay Thinesen

Dissertations and Theses

Mechanisms of how red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) travel up to 18 km from summer feeding sites to hibernation dens are not understood. In this study, monthly and seasonal trailing behavior were investigated to determine whether red-sided garter snakes prefer to follow trails of snakes from the same den (den-mates) versus trails made by other conspecifics (non-den-mates). Snakes from five different hibernacula in Manitoba, Canada, were involved in the study. Eighteen were adults and 15 were subadults. Subadult red-sided garter snakes do not return to hibernacula until their second year of life, so their trailing behavior was of interest …