Life Sciences Commons^™

Spatial And Temporal Patterns In Irruptive Fringillid Movements, Paul J. Dougherty

Honors Theses

Historic Christmas Bird Count and eBird data indicate that during winter invasions, North American irruptive fringillid species occur in relatively even numbers across latitudes east of the Rocky Mountains. Most boreal breeding species show large southward invasions every other winter, with this pattern typically being strongest across the northern and mid United States. eBird data confirms that many northern fringillids irrupt synchronously, and both datasets also show positive correlations between the winter movements of southern breeding species in many areas. Winter abundance records show negative correlations between northern breeding species and southern breeding species in nearly all monitored areas of …

Environmental Contingency Of Seed-Fungi Interactions In Coexisting Invasive Purple Loosestrife And Native Cattail, Shayla R. Williams

Honors Theses

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is a highly invasive species able to quickly take over entire wetlands, especially after disturbances. Bountiful seed production and a persistent and prolific seed bank play a key role in loosestrife’s ability to invade. However, some competing native species, such as cattails (Typha spp.) have comparable seed production rates but less abundant seed banks, suggesting that there may be a difference in belowground seed survival. I investigated the abundance of loosestrife and cattail seeds in soils at roadside sites relative to above-ground stem densities. Given the importance of fungal pathogens to seed …

The Impact Of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals On Wildlife Conservation, Eda Reed

Honors Theses

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as those from plastics and pesticides, have been hypothesized to affect wildlife populations. According to the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, EDCs ‘are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife.’ A growing number of studies suggest wildlife are being exposed to EDCs, but how EDCs affect wildlife health and wildlife conservation is less well-understood. Through scientific literature analysis and a survey of wildlife conservationists and practitioners, this study aims to determine the current state of knowledge and data …

Ecological Predictors And Consequences Of Non-Native Earthworms In Kennebec County, Maine, Julia Rogers

Honors Theses

Non-native earthworms are found throughout much of the United States and southern Canada in areas that were glaciated during the most recent glaciation. These earthworms are changing nutrient cycling, modifying soil structure, and influencing diversity in forests throughout the Northern United States, and their invasion northward is facilitated by human activities. Although worms are present in compost piles and gardens of all Maine counties, there are no comprehensive studies of earthworms distributions in forested areas of Maine. I documented the presence and absence of earthworms in forested recreation areas in Kennebec County, Maine, and investigated ecological and landscape level variables …

Using Choice Experiment Valuation Methods To Measure Public Preference For A New National Park In Maine, Alexander G. Wilsterman

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

With global population increasing faster than ever, the need to protect land from development is at an all-time high. This paper seeks the measure the public preference for a new national park located in northern Maine. A national park will both protect the land and inject a much-needed economic stimulus to the surrounding communities. The study uses the choice experiment valuation method to quantify its results. Through this revealed preference we can quantify which characteristics are most important to the public so that these characteristics may be considered if the project is ever approved.

Golf Courses In Maine: Land Type Valuation Versus A Hedonic Pricing Analysis, Gregory Ladd, Jason Buco

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

Many studies have been conducted analyzing the economic impact of golf courses on the local communities. These studies examine economic impacts of tournaments, endorsements, and vacation expenses of the major golf courses in the United States. However, there is little research conducted on the environmental impact of Golf courses, specifically in Maine. This paper performs a hedonic pricing analysis using housing prices in proximity to golf courses and compares it to the valuation of various land types in Maine. Housing prices were collected in the towns of Auburn, and North Yarmouth both near and distant from the local golf course. …

Converting Croplands To Grassland: A Spatial Analysis Of The Economic Feasibility Of Soil Greenhouse Gas Mitigation In Midwest, United States, Paco C. Defrancis

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

The global agriculture sector is responsible for close 20% of the aggregate anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions emitted since the start of the industrial age. Much of these emissions are attributed to the degradation of soils due to land use change when native ecosystems were converted to agricultural fields. Soil organic carbon (SOC) has been found to decrease in temperate soils when the native (such as a forest or grassland) ecosystem is replace by croplands. The aggregate amount of organic carbon stored in soils globally is estimated be 3.3x the size of the atmospheric carbon pool. Further soil degradation and …

Cost Benefit Analysis Of Café Standards Compared To The Alternative Fuel/Carbon Tax, Brian Levinson

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

The Cafe Standards were introduced in 1975 following the Oil Embargo. The goals of this program were simple. To reduce co2 emissions in vehicles by increasing a mandatory average mpg level for car manufacturers in the United States. Recently, in 2012, the Obama Administration set new Cafe Standard requirements for car manufacturers. By 2025, all new cars on the road in the United States must average 54.5 miles per gallon, which would double the current 27 mpg average in place right now. While the intentions of this policy are to reduce co2 emissions while at the same time increasing savings …

The Economics Of The Audubon Society's Sanctuary Program For Golf Courses, Dan Hyszczak

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

Millions of people play golf every year, and in 2011 Golf Courses gained $22 billion dollars in revenue. This statistic combined with golf’s inherent place in the natural environment lead to questions of value and development for golf course owners. In 1991, The Audubon Society created their Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses (ACSP) to promote environmentally sustainable practices for golf courses and to recognize the courses that are the most environmentally in both the United States and around the world.

This paper builds off of prior research that connects golf course beauty with revenue by examining the effects of …

Preferences For Coral Reef And Fishery Management In Okinawa, Japan, Nils Carlson

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

This study is an example of how a nonmarket valuation method – a choice experiment – can be used to influence and guide ecosystem conservation efforts. Using a choice experiment survey, this study estimates the willingness to pay (WTP) for certain hypothetical attributes of a restored and conserved coral reef in Okinawa, Japan. I find that an increase in the amount of fish available to catch in ten years as well as an increase in the extent and health of the coral reefs and the number of marine biodiversity found in the Okinawan waters after ten-years, both positively affect respondent’s …

An Exploratory Statistical Analysis Of The External And Internal Effects Of Art Museums In The United States, John Eder

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

An Exploratory Statistical Analysis of the External and Internal Effects of Art Museums in the United States

The Effects Of Land Conservation On Productivity, Robert Mccormick, Carolyn Fuwa

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

In this research the relationship between productivity of land conservation is analyzed using panel data of the GDP and acres conserved of all 50 U.S. states from 1998-2005. Two main theories of the conservation productivity relationship exist. The first maintains that conservation impedes productivity because it does not allow land cultivation. Conversely, the second theory maintains that land conservation has a positive effect on GDP due to the recreation and tourism it creates. Through the use of fixed effects and random effects regressions, the amount of land conserved per state is not a significant predictor of state GDP The GDP …

A Survey On Climate Change: How Beliefs Shape Responsibility, Connor P. Clancy, Sarah Beth Solomon

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

This paper examines the lack of awareness and feelings of personal responsibility for climate change. Previous literature suggests that while part of the United States population may be aware of climate change, they do not feel personally responsible for causing it despite feeling climate change’s effects just like everyone else. Furthermore, studies suggest that individuals also do not believe climate change will affect them now, but rather it is an issue for future generations. Using a survey, we examine which demographics and personal factors are most important in eliciting awareness for climate change, and furthermore, personal responsibility for its effects. …

Invited Introduction To Jerec, Noelwah Netusil

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

No abstract provided.

Welcome By The Editor, Sahan T. M. Dissanayake

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

No abstract provided.

World-Class Research: Biomedical Science Beyond Experimentation

Colby Magazine

Faculty and relationships with Maine’s big-three research labs propel Colby’s opportunities in biomedical science

Could childhood nutrition set late-life brain function?

Hitting the lab running

Ahmad wins grant for study of neurodegenerative disease

A Comparison Between Mri Findings And Post Operative Reports Of Labral Tears In The Shoulder, Breanna Davis

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

This experiment investigates the effectiveness of MR arthrography in 28 patients seen at Maine General Orthopedics over the last three years. All 28 patients had an arthroscopic surgery on the shoulders labrum by Dr. Anthony Mancini. I hypothesize the MR arthrography is accurate in diagnosing tears, but not accurate in describing the size and location of the tears. The results found portray the accuracy between MR arthrography findings and the post-operative reports. The study focuses not only on the ability of the MR arthrography to detect a labral tear, but also its effectiveness of finding the location (superior, posterior, inferior, …

Arboretum Pavilion, Jessica Lunde

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Colbys Arboretum is one of the most aesthetically appealing parts of the campus as well as one of the best educational tools we have. However, it is, unfortunately, underutilized by students and by the public. Theres so much to learn from this environment in terms of scientific study of the environment, but also in terms of self-reflection. The arboretum has been described as a place where one can think without pressure and the structure is guided by this idea of escape.

Regeneration After Destruction: An Investigation About Deforestation For Fruit Boxes In The Provinces Of Tungurahua And Pastaza, Ecuador, Julia Rogers

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

The extraction of wood for use as boxes for fruit in the region between Baos and Puyo in the provinces of Tungurahua and Pastaza in Ecuador is a large source of deforestation in the area. The purpose of the study is to examine the effect of this deforestation on the insects, birds, and seedlings to better understand the effects of small scale deforestation in the cloud forest of Ecuador. Six different sites were studied; 2 sites were cut within 2014, 1 site in 2012, 1 site is a forest of 4 to 8 years, and 2 sites are mature forest. …

Demographic Survey Of The Sohisika (Schizolaena Tampoketsana), James Lucas

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

The sohisika (Schizolaena tampoketsana; family Sarcolaenaceae) is a little-known, highly threatened angiosperm endemic to the forest fragments and savanna of the Hauts Plateaux region at Ankafobe Commune, Madagascar. Through targeted surveillance of sohisika at Ankafobe, this study aimed primarily to characterize the demography of the sohisika via GPS mapping of latitude, longitude, and altitude, through dendrometric measures such as height and diameter at breast height (DBH), and through calculation of distribution patterns via Morisitas index. Secondary goals aimed to describe the ecology of the sohisika within its environment and hoped to identify patterns between age class, aspect, habitat, and surrounding …

Demonstration Of Adaptive Optics In A Laboratory Setting, Jianing Yang

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

We constructed a simple adaptive optics system to demonstrate how a laser guide star coupled with a deformable mirror and wavefront sensor can be used to correct for distortions caused by turbulence in the Earths atmosphere. Adaptive optics (AO) systems are currently implemented at a number of national astronomical observatories, including the W. M. Keck Observatory, Gemini, and Subaru, and is a key design component for the next generation of very large (30-meter-class) ground-based telescopes. Adaptive optics is crucial for improving spatial resolution of ground-based imaging in astronomy. Using AO, we are able to achieve better image quality with the …

An Investigation Of Bag3 Knockdown And Its Effects On The Cytotoxicity Of Laromustine, Colin Sheehan

Honors Theses

Laromustine is a sulfonylhydrazine anticancer prodrug whose main cytotoxic arises from its ability to interfere with DNA replication of dividing cells. Multiple studies have suggested that Laromustine induces a form of cell death known as apoptosis. In a previous study investigating the mechanism of apoptosis, bcl2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) demonstrated significant upregulation in the presence of Laromustine. Given its anticancer ability, we selected BAG3 as a target for further investigation. BAG3 knockdown through transient shRNA transfections was performed in U138 glioblastoma multiforme cells and verified using qRT-PCR analysis. Finally, cell death assays were used to assess Laromustine’s cytotoxic effect on …

School Gardens: Cultivating A Child’S Nutritional Habits, Environmental Knowledge, And Sustainability Practices, Jeffrey Meltzer

Honors Theses

School gardens have existed since the late nineteenth century and today are becoming increasingly popular in many parts of the world, including where I studied in Maine and Australia (AUS). Multiple organizations support school gardens in Maine, including the Maine School Garden Network, which has over 125 registered school gardens. In AUS, the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation primarily supports the school garden movement and has over 800 registered school gardens. While many researchers have studied school gardens, few have compared two countries, focused on environmental sustainability, or investigated Maine in particular. This thesis combines information from literature reviews, and …

Mathematical Modeling Of Emiliania Huxleyi And A Host-Specific Virus, Julia Middleton

Honors Theses

The world’s oceans provide the basis for life on the planet. One microscopic algae, the coccolithophores, and Emiliania huxleyi in particular, is a major source of carbon drawdown in the context of the global carbon cycle and account for a significant amount of the primary production in oceanic ecosystems. We know that the oceans are packed with marine viruses and they have an important role in the rise and fall of plankton populations but current mathematical models do not accurately account for virus-host interactions when predicting plankton blooms. Therefore I am using model optimization and comparison techniques to evaluate current …

Nsf Bets Big On David Angelini, Gerry Boyle

Colby Magazine

Something has been bugging Colby geneticist David Angelini.

How, Angelini wonders, can a single species (in this case the soapberry bug) produce two distinctly different forms, one with long wings and one with short, that are not linked to sex? What is the genetic mechanism that causes the wings to develop differently?

"Why does it not overshoot the long form? he asked. "Why doesn't it undershoot the short form? Why doesn't it end up somewhere in the middle? That's an open question."

And a question that the National Science Foundation wants him to answer.

Modeling Maine’S Rockweed Harvest, Meagan Hennessey

Journal of Environmental and Resource Economics at Colby

Currently, Maine is in a political struggle over the best way to manage the harvesting of Rockweed, or Ascophyllum nodosum. As the dominant macro algae along the state’s rocky intertidal zone it supports over 150 different species, meaning its loss could impact food web stability, protection of endangered species, and support of economically viable harvests. This work takes parameters found in the literature to create a Stella model, which is then manipulated to explore the relative impact of possible management strategies. It is found that a strictly accurate model is not possible to create given the current biological knowledge and …

The Hot Zone And The Cold War, Peter Nichols

Colby Magazine

It was a time when, in the nation's schools, drills for nuclear war were as frequent as fire drills- when Americans and their Soviet counterparts lived with a constant fear of imminent worldwide destruction. "You had a cultural mindset that was apocalyptic," said Robert S. Weisbrot, Christian A. Johnson Distinguished Teaching Professor of History at Colby, "that believed you could not guarantee that your wonderful suburban home and family and community...would survive ten more seconds."

"It was not simply a matter of two countries that are adversaries building up weapons," said Weisbrot. "Each saw the other as the incarnation of …

The Birdman Of Colby: Eagle-Eyed Professor Herb Wilson Is Winging His Way Into The Hearts Of Students And Birders Alike, Robert Gillespie

Colby Magazine

Professor Herb Wilson's passion for ornithology is contagious- at Colby and in the community.

Getting In Deep, Earl Smith

Colby Magazine

Cleaning up Johnson Pond required wading through a quagmire of regulations- and produced some surprising revelations.

Analysis Of Current Clinical Antiviral Treatment Approaches And Medications And Related Suggestions For Future Research, Daniel Sunderland

CLAS: Colby Liberal Arts Symposium

Viral pathogens present researchers, physicians, and public health workers with the challenges of developing new treatments in an every-changing landscape of antiviral drug resistance. This paper outlines the basis of current knowledge in virology, how that knowledge is applied when developing treatments such as integrase and protease inhibitors, neuraminidase inhibitors, nucleotide analogs, and others, and considers the rates of resistance of the target viruses to those treatments. There is also some consideration of immunomodulatory treatments and the potential of viral vectors as a means of understanding different immune responses to viruses and the direct effects that viruses can have on …