Life Sciences Commons^™

Assessing Threat Of Introduction Of The Parthenogenetic Marbled Crayfish Marmorkrebs Into North American Waters, Stephanie A. Jimenez, Zen Faulkes

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Background/Question/Methods

Marmorkrebs are parthogenetic crayfish in the genus Procambarus. Their provenance is unknown, but they were discovered in hobbyists' aquaria in Germany in the mid 1990s, and have since been introduced into the North American pet trade. Marmorkrebs are a potential invasive pest species. For example, they have already been introduced into Madagascar, where they may threaten endemic crayfish species. We are trying to estimate the risk, and possible consequences, of any accidental introduction of Marmorkrebs into North American waters. First, we conducted an online survey of hobbyists who keep Marmorkrebs as pets to estimate how widely, and how …

Health And Human Performance History: 83 Years And Still Going Strong, Judy Walton

UTB/TSC Archives - Health and Human Performance Department History

Word document chronicling the history of the Department of Health and Human Performance from its 1926 beginnings as one of the first departments in the newly founded Junior College of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, to its latest (2008) incarnation as Health & Human Performance at UTB/TSC.

The department began its history as the Physical Education and Athletics Department, which continued until 1978 when the two entities were separated. The Physical Education Department subsequently underwent several name changes until its current designation as the Department of Health and Human Performance. Along with changes of name, the department also experienced many …

The Influence Of Environmental Factors On The Activity And Movement Of Bufo Nebulifer (Coastal Plain Toad) In A Disturbed Area, Crystal Salinas

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Toads in the family Bufonidae are poorly studied in southern Texas. Bufo nebulifir, a native bufonid, has been studied in its northern and southern range limits (east Texas and northern Mexico). South Texas' sub-tropical climate could impact the length of the activity period for B. nebulifer in yet unrecorded ways. This study resolves whether environmental factors correlate to Bufo nebulifer's activity, presence, and movement, using a mark-recapture method. The study was conducted for one year during February 2008 to March 2009. Environmental factors, especially rainfall and temperature were significantly correlated (PB. nebulifer . The active period of B. …

Genetic And Phenotypic Characterization Of Plant Pathogen Inhibitory Streptomyces Isolates, Uylissa A. Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Streptomyces are Gram-positive, filamentous bacteria that are readily isolated from soil and produce diverse secondary metabolites such as pigments and antibiotics. A survey of indigenous soil microbes from Rio Grande Valley agricultural soils revealed several isolates with broad inhibitory abilities against a range of soil-borne plant pathogens. The goal of this study was to characterize eleven of these potential biocontrol isolates both biochemically and genetically. Nutrient utilization profiles, 16S rDNA sequencing, and the presence of genes involved in antibiotic biosynthesis pathways (strBl, strR, strF, strN, strS and KS) on plasmids or the chromosome were investigated. Nutrient utilization profiling revealed that …

Evaluation Of Streptomycetes For Biological Control Of Gummy Stem Blight Disease Of Cantaloupe, Shima Chaudhary

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Streptomyces isolates for the biological control of gummy stem blight (GSB) in cantaloupes (Cucumis melo var. ‘Primo’) in south Texas. Plants were monitored for seedling emergence, lesions, mortality and plant growth under laboratory, greenhouse and field conditions. Comparison of treatment groups indicated a significant reduction in plant mortality and enhanced growth of infected plants exposed to three Streptomyces isolates (MA1F4#2, WI1B#5, and MA2A4 #2), which appear to be most effective when used in combination. In all three experiments, GSB infection was associated with a significant reduction in reflectance of near-infrared wavelengths (700-1,100 …

Hispanic Youth Physical Activity Participation: A Study Of Psychological And Social Influence, Maria L. Trinidad

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This study seeks to identity barriers that influenced middle school students from engaging in daily physical activity at least 60 minutes outside of their physical education classes in the Rio Grande Valley. Statistical significance of the study will be determined at the 95% level of confidence. The researcher offers the null hypothesis of no difference between the doers and non-doers The participants of this study were 79 middle school students ages 12-15. The participants were given an open-ended questionnaire. Cross tabulation analyses was conducted to determine difference using the Mann-Whitney U Test. Data from the research questions was analyzed by …

Stress Responses To Salinity In A Native Fresh Water Snake (Nerodia Rhombifer), Joana A. Cordoba

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Salinity stress at 0 ppt, 9 ppt, 18 ppt, and 27 ppt was investigated in Nerodia rhombifer, a fresh water snake. The purpose of this study was to establish if exposure to salinity could elicit a hormonal response in the form of corticosterone. Salinity treatment 27 ppt was lethal for 50% of the snakes. Factors such as population and gender differences were not significant, p=0.748 and p=0.135, respectively. Exposure to the different salinities did not significantly affect the overall mass of the animal, p=0.951. A significant increase in circulating corticosterone was noted in salinity treatments 0 ppt and 18 ppt, …

Phenotypic And Genetic Differences In Soil Bacterial Communities Among Successional Stages, Rowena A. G. Hamlet

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The association between soil microbes and plants can influence plant growth and survival as well as alter soil microbial community dynamics. The purpose of this study was to determine how the length of this interaction between plants and bacteria affects the bacterial soil community structure. Soil microbial communities associated with plant communities at different successional stages at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge were investigated. The study sites included three revegetated sites (4 months, 21 months, and 221 months since revegetation) and a control site (native brush, never revegetated). Five soil samples were randomly collected at each site. Soil microbial …

Range Expansions And New Breeding Records Of Birds In Tamaulipas, Mexico, Timothy Brush

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Breeding birds of riparian forests and other habitats in the Ciudad Victoria area were studied, mainly in June 2003 and 2006. Olivaceous woodcreeper (Sittasomus griseicapillus), mangrove swallow (Tachycineta albilinea), and scrub euphonia (Euphonia affinis; nesting) extended their range north to the Ciudad Victoria area. Western kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) nested for the first time in Tamaulipas and occurred south to the Ciudad Victoria area, and European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) nested in south-central Tamaulipas for the first time. Great curassow (Crax rubra) and crested guan (Penelope purpurascens) were rediscovered in the Ciudad Victoria area for the first time since 1909. Distributions of …

Observations Of Flotsam Entrapment In The Northern Diamond-Backed Watersnake (Nerodia R. Rhombifer), Jason Ortega, Frederic Zaidan

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

—Small areas of protected land may act as islands of suitable habitat surrounded by human development. Although these areas receive protection, we have observed one way that the surrounding human population can still endanger the welfare of its inhabitants. During our observations of the Northern Diamond-backed Watersnake (Nerodia r. rhombifer) in a semi-protected nature park surrounded by human development, we encountered 13 individuals entangled with flotsam. Of the 220 juvenile through adult snakes that we captured, 12 were encircled by various types of objects (e.g., finger cots; latex sheaths that cover a single digit, dental elastics, and plastic bottle neck …

Establishment Of A Research Colony Of Marmorkrebs, A Parthenogenetic Crayfish Species, Stephanie A. Jimenez, Zen Faulkes

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Marmorkrebs, or marbled crayfish, are recently discovered parthenogenetic crayfish. Its origins are unknown, but it has been introduced into natural ecosystems and could become a highly invasive pest species. Marmorkrebs have potential as a model organism for research in many biological fields because they are genetically uniform. A key element of most successful model organisms is maintaining self-sustaining breeding colonies. We report on our efforts find the best conditions for establishing and maintaining a Marmorkrebs breeding colony for research. The colony was founded by four adults of unknown age (P generation). These foundresses were housed communally in standard aquaria and …

Spectral Reflectance And Digital Image Relations Among Five Aquatic Weeds, James H. Everitt, Kenneth R. Summy, Chenghai Yang

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

This study reports on the use of an artificial quartz halogen lighting source to facilitate the acquisition of spectral light reflectance measurements and digital imaging of invasive aquatic weeds. Spectral leaf or leaf/stem reflectance measurements were made on five aquatic weeds: Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.), hydrilla [Hydrilla verticillata (L. F.) Royle], parrotfeather [Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vall.), waterhyacinth [Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms], and waterlettuce (Pistia stratiotes L.). Reflectance measurements were studied at five wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum: 450 nm (visible blue), 550 nm (visible green), 650 nm (visible red), 680 nm (visible red edge), and 850 nm (near-infrared). Reflectance values …

Comparison Of Leaf-Clipping And Leaf-Piercing Techniques As Applied To The Seagrass Syringodium Filiforme, Joseph L. Kowalski, Hudson R. Deyoe, Christian P. Krull, Terry C. Allison

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Leaf elongation rates of the seagrass Syringodium filiforme (Kütz., 1860) were assessed at two sites in a subtropical lagoon of Texas on eleven occasions from January 1996 to April 1997 using two methods, clipping and leaf piercing (marking) to estimate leaf growth. Pierced shoots grew at a significantly faster rate than clipped shoots irrespective of site. Clipping underestimated leaf elongation by 30%–38%, although differences at individual sites were as high as 69%–72%. Underestimation of leaf growth rate derived by clipping could be corrected using a site-specific linear regression relationship between leaf growth rates determined by clipping and piercing methods. The …

Tournefortia Hirsutissima (Boraginaceae) New To The Flora Of Texas, Alfred Richardson, Ken King

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Toumefortia hirsutissima (Boraginaceae) is reported for extreme south Texas, a new record for the state of Texas.

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Toumefortia hirsutlssima (Boraginaceae) se cita de! extremo sur de Tejas, es el primer registro para el estado de Tejas.

Great Curassow And Crested Guan Near Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico, Timothy Brush

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Great Curassow (Crax rubra) and Crested Guan (Penelope purpurascens) were rediscovered in the Ciudad Victoria area of southwestern Tamaulipas, Mexico for the first time since 1909. Birds were found in low elevation canyons containing permanent running water, with riparian forest dominated by Montezuma bald-cypress (Taxodium mucronatum) and steep scrub-covered slopes. These records represent the northernmost known points of the ranges of both species. Additional field work will be needed to determine whether these small populations are isolated from the nearest known populations in the El Cielo/Gómez Farías area of southern Tamaulipas.

Production Of Marine Trematode Cercariae: A Potentially Overlooked Path Of Energy Flow In Benthic Systems, David W. Thieltges, Xavier De Montaudouin, Brian L. Fredensborg, K. Thomas Jensen, Janet Koprivnikar, Robert Poulin

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Parasites, in particular trematodes, are unseen but ubiquitous components of marine intertidal ecosystems. Although parasites are known to affect population dynamics and food web structure, their potential function as an unrecognized path of energy flow in these ecosystems is yet to be quantified. We use published data on rates at which trematodes produce free-swimming infective larvae (cercariae) that are released from their gastropod intermediate hosts to investigate patterns in cercarial output as a function of different variables, and to calculate the annual production of cercariae in different marine benthic systems. Across 18 trematode species, cercarial output (no. cercariae shed snail–1 …

Undergraduate Research: A Bridge To Graduate Education In Agricultural Biotechnology For Hispanics, Eliezer S. Louzada, Hilda Sonia De Rio, Allison J. Abell, Gerson Peltz, Michael W. Persans

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Hispanics lag behind all other U.S. ethnic groups in education, and are especially poorly represented in science careers. Undergraduate research is an efficient method to attract undergraduate students to science, and many universities are taking advantage of this; however, much still needs to be done to fully explore its potential. In 2000, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, in collaboration with the University of Texas at Brownsville and the University of Texas Pan-American, initiated a undergraduate research internship program in citrus biotechnology to channel Hispanic undergraduate students into graduate education. To date, 51 internships have been provided, and 20 students have been channeled …

Use Of Pedometers To Promote Physical Activity In Older Mexican American Females, Zasha Romero, Paul Villas, Tom Semper, Layne Jorgensen

Health & Human Performance Faculty Publications

The rates of obesity and related health conditions are rising at an alarming rate, especially among minority populations. Nutrition and physical activity have been particularly linked to the high rates of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This study was to determine if pedometers promoted daily walking exercise reflected by changes on selected physiological measurements in older Mexican American females. Significance in the study was determined at the 95% level of confidence. The participants for this study were 55 Mexican American females ages 60 to 75 randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. An analysis of covariance was used …

Optimization And Validation Of An Enzymatic Method To Quantify Glucose In Potato Tubers, Engil Isadora Pujol Pereira, Tatiana Emanuelli, Dilson Antonio Bisognin, Sergio T. De Freitas

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The processing industry requires potato tubers with low levels of reduced sugars, glucose and fructose, which is responsible for the whiteness of the chip color. The objective of this research was to optimize and validate a simple, inexpensive, and precise enzymatic method to quantify glucose in potato tubers. This method will be useful in breeding programs to select clones for processing purposes with low levels of glucose. The validation procedure followed the recommendations described in INMETRO document DOQ-CGCRE-008 in 2003. The method was linear between 1.25 to 40µg of glucose in the sample. The quantification limit was 0.319mg g-1 of …

Dune And Vegetation Stability At South Padre Island, Texas, United States Of America, Frank W. Judd, Kenneth R. Summy, Robert I. Lonard, Ruben A. Mazariegos

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Padre Island is the longest of five barrier islands occurring along the Texas Gulf Coast. South Padre Island is separated from the northern two-thirds of the island by the Mansfield Channel. The composition and pattern of vegetation on South Padre Island are relatively well known, but data on the interrelationship of dune and vegetation stability are lacking. We hypothesized that (1) there should be an inverse relationship between elevation change and percent cover on transects across the nearshore dunes of South Padre Island; and (2) percent cover, species composition, and species importance should be most stable where elevation change was …

Activity Determinants Among Mexican American Women In A Border Setting, Bobby Guinn, Vern Vincent

Health & Human Performance Faculty Publications

Background: Mexican American women have the highest leisure-time physical inactivity prevalence of any ethnic minority group.

Purpose: This study examined a sample of Mexican American females living near the U.S.-Mexico border to determine whether the variables of age, health status, educational level, marital status, and acculturation distinguished between those who are physically active and those who are physically inactive.

Methods: Participants included 379 women ranging in age from 22 to 58 years. Data was gathered through a self-report survey instrument with discriminant analysis used to test for variable differentiation between active and inactive subjects.

Results: Present …

Complementary Dna Sequencing And Identification Of Mrnas From Venomous Gland Of Agkistrodon Piscivorus Leucostoma, Ying Jia, Bruno A. Cantu, Elda E. Sánchez, John C. Pérez

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

To advance our knowledge on the snake venom composition and transcripts expressed in venom gland at the molecular level, we constructed a cDNA library from venom gland of Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma for the generation of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) database. From the randomly sequenced 2,112 independent clones, we have obtained ESTs for 1,309 (62%) cDNAs which showed significant deduced amino acid sequence similarity (scores > 80) to previously characterized proteins in NCBI database. Ribosomal proteins make up 47 clones (2%) and the remaining 756 (36%) cDNAs represent either unknown identity or show BLASTX sequence identity scores of < 80 with known GenBank accessions. The most highly expressed gene encoding phospholipase A2 (PLA2) accounting for 35% of A. p. leucostoma venom …

Rapid Evolution In Introduced Species, ‘Invasive Traits’ And Recipient Communities: Challenges For Predicting Invasive Potential, Kenneth D. Whitney, Christopher A. Gabler

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The damaging effects of invasive organisms have triggered the development of Invasive Species Predictive Schemes (ISPS). These schemes evaluate biological and historical characteristics of species and prioritize those that should be the focus of exclusion, quarantine, and/or control. However, it is not clear how commonly these schemes take microevolutionary considerations into account. We review the recent literature and find that rapid evolutionary changes are common during invasions. These evolutionary changes include rapid adaptation of invaders to new environments, effects of hybridization, and evolution in recipient communities. Strikingly, we document 38 species in which the specific traits commonly associated with invasive …

Physiological Aging Of Potato Tubers Produced During Fall And Spring Growing Seasons And Stored Under Different Temperatures, Dilson A. Bisognin, Sergio T. De Freitas, Auri Brackmann, Jeronimo Luiz Andriolo, Engil Isadora Pujol Pereira, Douglas Renator Muller, Mauricio Guerra Bandinelli

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Adequate tuber storage is necessary to maintain a good availability of potato tubers in the market and to get seeds with adequate physiological age at planting. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of different storage temperatures on tuber physiological aging of three potato clones produced during fall and spring growing seasons. The experiment was carried out as factorial of three clones (Asterix, SMIJ461-1 and SMINIA793101-3) by four storage temperatures (4, 8, 12 and 25 ºC) and two growing seasons (fall and spring) in a random design with four replications. At 30-day intervals, tubers were evaluated from …

Rapid Evolution In Introduced Species, ‘Invasive Traits’ And Recipient Communities: Challenges For Predicting Invasive Potential, Kenneth D. Whitney, Christopher A. Gabler

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The damaging effects of invasive organisms have triggered the development of Invasive Species Predictive Schemes (ISPS). These schemes evaluate biological and historical characteristics of species and prioritize those that should be the focus of exclusion, quarantine, and/or control. However, it is not clear how commonly these schemes take microevolutionary considerations into account. We review the recent literature and find that rapid evolutionary changes are common during invasions. These evolutionary changes include rapid adaptation of invaders to new environments, effects of hybridization, and evolution in recipient communities. Strikingly, we document 38 species in which the specific traits commonly associated with invasive …

An Analysis Of Demographic Disparities Associated With The Proposed U.S.-Mexico Border Fence In Cameron County, Texas, J. Gaines Wilson, Jude A. Benavides, E. Anthony Reisinger, Joseph Lemen, Zachary Hurwitz, Jessica Spangler, Karen Engle

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction: The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to install a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border by late December 2008. While much attention has been drawn to the environmental, social and political issues surrounding the fence, analysis of demographic data on the populations that will be directly affected has been limited. This paper utilizes geographic information systems (GIS) and U.S. Census Bureau data with the objective of understanding the underlying demographics in areas along the proposed Rio Grande Valley section of the border fence located in Cameron County, Texas.

Data and Methods: Demographic measures of income, education, …

Failure To Replicate Evidence Of Decapod Crustacean Nociception, Sakshi Puri, Zen Faulkes

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Introduction Here, we attempt to replicate their experiments with two other species of decapod crustaceans that bracket P. elegans phylogenetically: white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus) and Louisiana red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). Litopenaeus setiferus have a similar ecology to prawns. Procambarus clarkii is widely used in the study of neurobiology, and would be an excellent candidate for further neurophysiological studies.

Discussion We found no behavioral evidence of nociception in either L. setiferus or P. clarkii. This outcome contrasts sharply with results that indicated P. elegans had nociception (Barr et al. 2007).

Using Color Infrared Imagery To Detect Sooty Mold And Fungal Pathogens Of Glasshouse-Propagated Plants, Kenneth R. Summy, Christopher R. Little

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Fungi are major biotic constraints for optimum production and quality of glasshouse plants. When plants are infested with sooty mold (Capnodium spp.) or infected with pathogens, the reflected wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum are altered. Spectroradiometric measurements and color infrared (CIR) images of control, honeydew- coated, and sooty mold-infested saplings and individual leaves from trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata), sour orange (Citrus aurantium), ‘Valencia’ orange (C. sinensis), and ‘Bo’ tree (Ficus religiosa) were obtained. Grapefruit saplings and individual leaves infected with Mycosphaerella citri (greasy spot) were imaged under glasshouse conditions. Similarly, muskmelon foliage showing low and high levels of powdery mildew …

Neptunia Plena (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae) Rediscovered In Texas, Alfred Richardson, Ken King

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

On October 17, 1938, Robert Runyon collected a specimen of Neptunia plena from a shallow pond south of Armstrong in Kenedy County, Texas. No subsequent collections from Texas have been reported . It was assumed that it was not a permanent member of our flora. On October 27, 2007, a population of N. plena was found near the same locality.

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El 17 de octubre de 1938, Robert Runyon recogió un espécimen de Neptunia plena de una charca somera de Armstrong en el condado de Kenedy, Tejas. No se ha encontrado ninguna colección posterior de Tejas. Fue asumido que no …

Additions To The Breeding Avifauna Of The Lower Rio Grande Valley Of Texas, Timothy Brush

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

The breeding avifauna of the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of Texas has experienced many changes during the 20th century, primarily because of declines in native habitats due to land being converted to agriculture and urban habitats. This paper summarizes changes in breeding avifauna from 2003–2007 in the area. Breeding has been confi rmed for Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii), Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto), and Mangrove Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia oraria) for the fi rst time, and for Gray-crowned Yellowthroat (Geothlypis poliocephala) and Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) after periods of apparent absence. Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus) is a possible breeder, based …