Life Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of Diet On Hydrogen Sulfide Tolerance Of Extremophile Fishes, Kyliyah Walker, Michael Tobler, Bethany Williams

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Poecilia mexicana are a species of live-bearing fish that have adapted to surviving in hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) abundant waters. Sites that are high in toxic H₂S are also characterized by low levels of oxygen, making any organism that inhabits these tough conditions to be deemed extremophiles. Tolerance of these multiple stressors is impacted by numerous external environmental factors. The question being addressed in this study is if diet affects how well these fish tolerate H₂S. I used 80 laboratory-bred female P. mexicana originating from two sulfidic and non-sulfidic population. Half of the fish from …

Measuring Welfare Of Wild Tarantulas During Field Surveys Using Heart Rate, Tim Angelo Artiaga Lopez, Becky Hansis-O'Neill, Aimee Dunlap Phd

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Tarantulas (Theraposidae) are predatory arachnids that can help control populations of herbivorous arthropods. We have been monitoring populations of the Missouri brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) in Missouri glades for three seasons and have questions about their welfare during these surveys. Unlike mammals, arthropods are not extensively researched and there are only a few known facts about measuring their welfare. Managing stress for wild animals during field surveys is important for reducing the potential negative impacts of research. In mammals, increased heart rate is positively correlated with negative stress and eustress. Using the same logic, we hypothesized that heart rate could …

Habitat Disturbance And Biodiversity In Glade Habitats, Maddie Smith, Becky Hansis-O'Neill, Aimee Dunlap Phd

Undergraduate Research Symposium

The Ozark glades are home to a variety of reptiles, amphibians, rodents, and invertebrates such as tarantulas and scorpions. Glade inhabitants face challenges like habitat fragmentation and degradation, but they could be facing even bigger challenges as outdoor recreation becomes more popular. People looking for wildlife to photograph or collect often look under rocks without leaving them how they were found. This study focused on monitoring rock disturbance at two protected glades- Shaw Nature Preserve and a more accessible undisclosed glade in Jefferson County. Disturbing the glade habitat to look for wildlife is prohibited at both sites. Twenty rocks at …

Caffeinated Bees: Investigating The Impact On Foraging Behavior, Taylor Boaz, Becky Hansis-O'Neil, Aimee Dunlap Phd

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Caffeine, a naturally occurring stimulant found in the nectar of some flowering plants (e.g., coffee, citrus), has been shown to affect insect behavior, including learning and memory in bumblebees. The presence of this compound in floral resources suggests a potential role in shaping pollinator foraging strategies. This study investigated the impact of caffeine exposure on the foraging behavior of bumble bees (Bombus impatiens).

Individually tagged bees were trained to forage on an artificial flower wall to establish a baseline foraging pattern. Following training, the bees were isolated and randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: a control …

Indigenizing Aquaculture: In Pursuit Of An Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture System For Enhanced Self-Sufficiency In Akaroa Harbour, Aotearoa New Zealand, Cali R. Trainor

Capstone Collection

This study assessed the feasibility of integrating two pre-existing aquaculture activities in Akaroa Harbour, Aotearoa New Zealand into an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system. The cultivation of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) presents an opportunity to improve the sustainability of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) farming by introducing alternative food sources for salmon, which can be used to produce fish feed locally, enhancing the self-sufficiency of the community and boosting the holistic efficiency of the system. Macroinvertebrates residing in giant kelp wrack were collected, identified, and quantified to determine if any of the Macrocystis-associated specimens could serve as …

The Role Of Attention And Design In The Effectiveness Of Eco-Feedback Systems, Lyndsey Bentzoni

Best Integrated Writing

This paper examines the role of eco-feedback systems in promoting pro-environmental behaviors by providing users with easily accessible information about their resource consumption. While these systems have shown potential to reduce consumption, they can face difficulties in maintaining user engagement and achieving long-term behavior change. There are several key factors related to the design of feedback interfaces that influence the effectiveness of eco-feedback systems. Gamification has been proposed as an effective way to enhance user engagement but requires careful design to connect behaviors from the digital to the real space for learning transfer. Research on the long-term usage of these …

Preliminary Survey Of Subtidal Crustaceans On Southeast Sapelo Island, Georgia, Elise C. Mirabella, Kali Holierhoek, Kristine N. White Ph.D.

Georgia Journal of Science

The subtidal zone is the area below the low tide line that supports a wide variety of organisms, including subtidal crustaceans, which are understudied on Sapelo Island, GA. To investigate the impact of wave action on biodiversity and develop baseline data, the biodiversity of subtidal crustaceans from two beaches was compared. It was hypothesized that the beach protected from wave action would have higher biodiversity than the beach exposed to wave action. To collect the crustaceans, three different sampling methods were used on each beach: D-net, beam trawl, and Yabbi pump. The beach exposed to wave action yielded higher biodiversity …

Clerodendrum Kelli (Lamiaceae), A New Species From Carranglan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines, And Lectotypification Of Clerodendrum Mindorense, David Justin R. Ples, Jacek Patykowski, John Charles A. Altomonte, Adriene B. Tobias, Rene Alfred Anton Bustamante

Biology Faculty Publications

Clerodendrum kelli (Lamiaceae), a new species from the montane forests of Carranglan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines, is described and illustrated. The species shares morphological features with Clerodendrum quadriloculare and C. mindorense, but differs in inflorescence structure, corolla tube length, and calyx shape and color. A lectotype for C. mindorense is also designated. Preliminary conservation assessment places C. kelli in the Critically Endangered category (CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)). This study contributes to Philippine plant biodiversity knowledge and informs conservation strategies.

Modeling The Mojave: A Multiphase, Mixed Methods Phenomenological Investigation Of Novice Understanding Of A Complex Ecological System, Nicole Juliana Thomas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This research explores early college science majors’ conceptions of the Mojave Desert ecosystem as a complex system. A multi-level, explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed to study college science majors’ understanding of the Mojave Desert ecosystem to better inform science pedagogy. The first level, the quantitative phase of the study, consisted of developing a mathematical representation of twelve ecosystem variables present within the Mojave Desert. The second level, the qualitative phase of the study, consisted of phenomenological semi-structured interviews with 23 early college science majors. The findings of this research suggest that the Mojave Desert operates as a complex, …

Enviromental Dna (Edna) Tools For Invasive Mosquitofish (Gambusia Affinis) Surveillance At The Shoshone Pupfish (Cyprinidon Nevadensis Shoshone) Refugium, Yusuf Olamilekan Umar

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Spring-fed aquatic ecosystems of the North American Southwest and U.S. Great Basin hosts a plethora of endemic fish species due to the effects of hydrologic fragmentation that resulted from Pleistocene aridification. Threats to endemic fishes worldwide include human intentional or unintentional release of exotic species into their habitats. Early detection of invasive species, while corrective actions are still possible, is critical for management, yet traditional survey methods are often disruptive to sensitive ecosystems, costly, and limited in sensitivity. The recent development of environmental DNA (eDNA) approaches offers powerful alternatives for invasive species monitoring in aquatic systems. In this study, a …

Efficacy Of Oil And Gas Production Site Remediation In U.S. Arid/Semi-Arid Regions, Skye Ontiveros

Architecture and Planning ETDs

Oil and gas production (OGP) is expanding, paralleled by its polluting leaks and spills (LS), and outpaced by its waste. This raises the question: Does remediation of LS occur effectively when needed to protect the environment and public, particularly in major producing regions like arid/semi-arid regions (ASAR), which account for approximately 72% of US oil and 42% of gas production? To answer, a review of the eight largest national remedial laws, sourced from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), identified 14 OGP exemptions for remedial determinants (RDs): factors affecting remedial frequency and efficacy (e.g. LS monitoring and chemical disclosure). An …

A New Subspecies Of Celastrina Lucia (W. Kirby) (Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae) In The Central Appalachian Mountain Region, Harry Pavulaan

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

The Celastrina (“Azure”) populations of the central Appalachian Mountain region have traditionally been identified as Celastrina ladon (Cramer) by numerous authors. However, the discovery of elongated dorsal wing scales in males of C. ladon (Wright & Pavulaan, 1999; Ômura et al., 2015) established that this diagnostic trait is limited to C. ladon, C. nigra (W. Forbes), and subsequently C. iryna (Pavulaan). Microscopic examination of male “Spring Azure” specimens from higher elevations in the Appalachian Mountains revealed a complete absence of these elongated scales in the resident populations, despite their outward resemblance to C. ladon …

Variation In Nectar Rewards Under Water Limitation Across Flowering Species, Madeline Isabelle Gregor

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Drought is becoming an increasingly dominant force shaping plant–pollinator interactions, yet we still know little about how nectar rewards respond to water limitation across species commonly used to support pollinators. We examined nectar volume and sucrose content in six flowering species relevant to California’s Mediterranean climate and quantified how drought alters these traits for four of those species. Under well-watered conditions, species differed in their nectar production, spanning more than two orders of magnitude. Perennial species such as Epilobium canum and Scrophularia californica produced the highest nectar volumes and sucrose amounts, suggesting that they contribute substantial carbohydrate resources when moisture …

Current Threat To The Native Endemic Muckalee Crayfish (Procambarus Gibbus) From An Invasive Crayfish (Faxonius Palmeri Creolanus) And Tests Of Cold Tolerance As A Limiting Factor, Alexandria L. Exum, Nickeya Wynn, William Ellerbee, Madaline Toth, Otto T. Lorenz

Georgia Journal of Science

Surveys for native and invasive crayfish were conducted in Muckalee creek in 2015 and 2021. Both surveys used passive minnow traps and examined upstream and downstream sites, including at the mouth of the creek where it connects with the Flint River. The Flint River has been overrun with an invasive crayfish species, Faxonius palmeri creolanus (Creole Painted Crayfish) and its range has spread rapidly throughout southwest Georgia. In Muckalee Creek there were only a few F. p. creolanus found during each survey and both times they were only found at the mouth of the creek. One hypothesis on why they …

Update To: New Butterfly Taxa And Findings From Genomic Analyses, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Nick V. Grishin

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

Due to the United States government shutdown, GenBank services were unavailable, and accession numbers could not be obtained for the sequences reported in the original publication. This update provides the GenBank accession numbers for these sequences, together with additional taxonomic findings accumulated since the initial study. One genus, 16 species and four subspecies are proposed as new (type species or localities in parentheses): Madaga Grishin, gen. n. (Artitropa alaotrana Oberthür, 1916), Udranomia eurianus Grishin, sp. n. (Ecuador: Napo), Entheus dalina Grishin, sp. n. (Brazil: Pará), Entheus ambo Grishin, sp. n. (Colombia: Cauca), Entheus pico Grishin, sp. n. (Colombia: Valle …

An Updated Annotated Checklist Of The Mammals Of The Crane Trust, Hall County, Nebraska, Bethany L. Ostrom, Amanda H. Medaries, Andrew J. Caven, Jenna M. Malzahn, Alexa Rojas, Matthew R. Schaaf, David M. Baasch, Thomas E. Labedz, Greg D. Wright

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

The Crane Trust is a regional nonprofit conservation organization that has protected land in the biologically important Central Platte River Valley for over four decades. A mammal inventory was conducted on the Crane Trust’s main habitat complex in 1980. Since, a variety of environmental conditions have shifted locally, regionally, and globally. An analysis of the mammal community was conducted using past and recent data to determine how species composition and relative abundance have shifted categorically from 1980 to 2021. We used all available data to categorize relative abundance during two distinct time periods per a modified “DAFOR” scale including 7 …

Molecularly Imprinted Polymer For The Removal Of Nutrients From Water: Synthesis, Application, Performance And Limitation, Emmanuella Anang, Abolade Busari

Faculty Publications

Nutrient contamination is a major contributor to eutrophication and water quality degradation worldwide. Conventional treatment technologies often lack selectivity and efficiency in complex aquatic environments, highlighting the need for advanced materials with tailored recognition capabilities. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have emerged as promising adsorbents for nutrient remediation due to their high selectivity, stability and reusability. This review synthesizes recent progress on the synthesis strategies of MIPs. Applications of MIPs in removing phosphate, nitrate and ammonia from water are critically examined, with particular attention to adsorption performance under varying environmental conditions. The limitations of current systems, including modest adsorption capacities, incomplete …

The Nebraska Bird Review (December 2025) 93(4), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Changes to The Nebraska Bird Review, by Janis Paseka

Fall Field Report, August–November 2025, by W. Ross Silcock

First definitive records of Hermit Thrush and Wilson’s Warbler subspecies for Nebraska, by Stephen J. Brenner and Joel G. Jorgensen

Ogallala Fall Field Days, Sept. 26–28, 2025

Index to Volume 93

Subscription and Organization Information

Index To Volume 93

Nebraska Bird Review

Adams, Morgan
Aguiar: Maritza, Stephanie
Albright, Don
Alexander: Jeff, Jan
Aliferis, Taylor
Allard, Savannah
Allen, Edward
Allison, Betty
Altman, Dakota
Alvarado, A. H.
Ammon, E. M.
Anandan, Sampath Kumar
Andersen, Brett
Anderson: Ann, Chris, Will
Andrews, Ryan
Anhinga
Ani, Groove-billed
Annunziata, Laura
Armstrong, Nancy
Augustine, Jackie
Aurilio, James
Avocet, American

. . .

Zagst: Fred, Kay
Zeillemaker, Fred
Zemaitis, William
Zicafoose, Kirby
Zonotrichia leucophrys: gambelii, leucophrys, oriantha

First Definitive Records Of Hermit Thrush And Wilson’S Warbler Subspecies For Nebraska, Stephen J. Brenner, Joel G. Jorgensen

Nebraska Bird Review

During the fall of 2025, we initiated a pilot migratory bird-banding project in the Nebraska Panhandle. While the project’s goals included examining species composition, volume, and body condition of migratory birds at the western edge of the state compared to the eastern edge of the state, we also used this project to document the occurrence of subspecies and species which are very challenging or impossible to identify through field observation. Here, we report on the first definitive records of two subspecies in Nebraska.

On 16 September 2025, SJB banded an adult male Wilson’s Warbler (Cardellina pusilla) that was …

Fall Field Report, August–November 2025, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

As in previous fall seasons, by far the most modifications to BONO came from late departure dates; around 87 species were included, no fewer than 13 of these setting record late dates, notably Eastern Whip-poor-will, Mountain Plover, Brown Thrasher (north), Henslow’s Sparrow (flight call only), and Orchard Oriole.

Although this is a Fall Seasonal Report, noted or suggested breeding activity is of interest. Exciting were the 2nd and 3rd presumed breeding records of Black-chinned Hummingbird and, in Dodge Co, the 5th record of breeding by Black-bellied Whistling-Duck. Perhaps the strangest west to east occurrence was a Golden Eagle adventure in …

Changes To The Nebraska Bird Review, Janis Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

As of this issue, The Nebraska Bird Review has been in existence for 93 years, looking very much now as it did when it began in 1933. However, due to the increasing costs of printing and postage, there will be some changes in its future. Our newsletter, The Burrowing Owl, is already provided online to our members, in a user-friendly and informative form. Future issues of The Nebraska Bird Review will also utilize a digital format to offer a more timely and colorful publication.

This is the final issue for which Ross Silcock will be compiler of the seasonal …

Birds In Changing Landscapes: Community Diversity And Breeding Phenology, Lindsay Peria

Master's Theses

Humans are altering the environment in varied and widespread ways. Increasing urban and agricultural development causes changes to habitat and resource availability as well as changes to the sensory environment via light and noise pollution. Climate change also causes more extreme temperature anomalies, storms, and droughts that challenge birds in a multitude of ways. In this thesis, we assessed these impacts of these changes on a local and continental scale. In the first chapter, we assessed the impact of natural, anthropic, and structural characteristics of viticultural land on both taxonomic and structural avian diversity. Loss of habitat from agriculture is …

Impacts Of Nutrient Addition And Disturbance On Coastal Dune Arthropod Communities And Trophic Interactions, Kayla Beitzel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Coastal dune ecosystems face ongoing threats from human-mediated disturbance and altered resource availability. Because these dunes provide critical habitat for many organisms, including shorebirds, beach mice, and arthropods, changes in disturbance regimes or resource availability can impact plant communities and higher trophic levels by altering plant richness and productivity, which in turn influence arthropod abundance and diversity. To examine how disturbance and nutrient addition affect arthropod communities, we established twenty 5×5 m plots on Dauphin Island, crossing mechanical disturbance with a 10 g m⁻² addition of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, replicated across five experimental blocks. Arthropods were sampled using three …

Flower Color Variation And Its Maintenance: Experimental Ecology Of Serpentine-Adapted Leptosiphon Parviflorus Benth. (Polemoniaceae), Magdalene S. Lo

Master's Theses

Environmental heterogeneity can impose fluctuating selection pressures on species across space and time. If variations of a trait provide fitness benefits in certain environmental conditions but not others, these fitness tradeoffs under fluctuating selection could be a means of maintaining intraspecific variation. A common type of intraspecific variation is the production of anthocyanins, pigments responsible for red, pink, and blue colors in plants and that can also provide protection from abiotic stressors, such as water limitation and heavy metals. Leptosiphon parviflorus Benth. (Polemoniaceae, variable linanthus) is an annual wildflower whose individuals produce either pink or white flowers, and both flower …

Bricks, Bushes, And Bones: Urbanization Influence On Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus Occidentalis) Morphology And Performance, Daisy P. Xiong

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

With increasing urbanization due to rising human populations, organisms may be forced to adapt rapidly to changing environments. Urbanization is replacing natural surfaces with more impervious substrates which can result in morphological changes affecting organismal locomotion, then also impact fitness. This study compares urban and natural habitat impact on Western Fence Lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) and their adaptations in such settings. We captured lizards from three locations in inland Southern California with both urbanized and natural habitats in order to compare the morphological differences between lizards, and then measured their performance to determine the possible impacts from their morphology. …

Why The Long Face? The Distribution And Niche Of The Imperiled Narrow-Faced Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys Venustus), Garrett L. Gimbel

Master's Theses

Distribution models provide a practical use case of connecting ecological niche theory with species’ occurrence and assemblages. By explicitly linking Hutchinson’s “niche space” with geographic space researchers can gain valuable information on a species’ niche characteristics and interactions, thereby informing conservation and management practices. The narrow-faced kangaroo rat (Dipodomys venustus) is a highly understudied kangaroo rat species endemic to the central coast of California and is an ideal species to explore niche theory in distribution modeling. Three subspecies are currently recognized: The Santa Cruz kangaroo rat (D. v. venustus), the elephant-eared kangaroo rat (D. v. …

Shifting Grounds: Knowledge, Power, And Place In Changing Western Rangelands, Molly C. Levy

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Public rangelands in the American West are sites of enduring contestation, where ecological change, competing values, and institutional complexity converge. Long-standing debates over livestock grazing, wildlife conservation, and land stewardship highlight fundamental questions of whose knowledge counts, whose authority is legitimate, and how resource use should adapt under shifting social and ecological conditions. This dissertation examines the intersections of knowledge, power, and land use in collaborative governance of contested landscapes. Using the Thunder Basin ecoregion (TBER) in northeastern Wyoming as a case study, I adopt a mixed-methods approach that integrates qualitative interviews, participant observation, archival research, and quantitative analysis of …

Arthropod Communities Associated With Endangered Physaria Thamnophila (Zapata Bladderpod) And Its Nurse Plants, Cesar Adrian Hinojosa

Theses and Dissertations

Physaria thamnophila is a federally endangered plant whose associated arthropods are understudied and poorly understood. This study surveyed environmental conditions and the arthropod community within the Arroyo Ramirez Tract of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, assessed which environmental factors influenced the arthropod community, and sought arthropod taxa statistically associated with Physaria thamnophila. Sticky cards and pitfall traps were deployed for a 7 day period, and vacuum samplings occurred quarterly over the span of a year to collect arthropods that were identified to order and family level for Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera. Biotic and abiotic surveys were performed …

Determination Of An Effective Natural Boxelder Bug (Boisea Trivittata) Repellent, Reyna Chavez

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the use of ecofriendly repellant alternatives to pest management to control boxelder bugs (Boisea trivittata). This bug gathers by the thousands on warm surfaces of exterior suburban homes during early fall and late spring. I determined bug repellency to turmeric oil (Curcuma longa), catnip (Nepeta cataria), citronella (Cymbopogon nardus), and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). The treatments consisted of essential oils containing 20% methanol. All treatments demonstrated repellency of Boxelder bugs. Citronella was the most effective and had the highest level of repellency range of 90-99%. Catnip was the least effective with a repellency range of 63-82%.