Life Sciences Commons^™

Salmonella In The Environment: A Review On Ecology, Antimicrobial Resistance, Seafood Contaminations, And Human Health Implications, Mohammad Maruf Billah, Md Saydur Rahman

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Salmonella is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria that is responsible for numerous food poisoning outbreaks worldwide. With 93.8 million food-borne illnesses and 155,000 fatalities annually, it has emerged as a significant global public health issue. There are currently more than 2,500 distinct Salmonella serotypes, and more than half of them are associated with Salmonella enterica. An increasing global public health concern for humans and animals is antimicrobial resistance by Salmonella species worldwide. Salmonella infections can be lethal; conditioned with an increased prevalence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains in the future. The emergence of MDR Salmonella serotypes is considerably …

Local Habitat Composition And Complexity Outweigh Seascape Effects On Fish Distributions Across A Tropical Seascape, Molly Moustaka, Richard D. Evans, Gary A. Kendrick, Glenn A. Hyndes, Michael V. W. Cuttler, Tahlia J. Bassett, Michael J. O’Leary, Shaun K. Wilson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Context: The distribution of animals is influenced by a complex interplay of landscape, environmental, habitat, and anthropogenic factors. While the effects of each of these forces on fish assemblages have been studied in isolation, the implications of their combined influence within a seascape remain equivocal. Objectives: We assessed the importance of local habitat composition, seascape configuration, and environmental conditions for determining the abundance, diversity, and functional composition of fish assemblages across a tropical seascape. Methods: We quantified fish abundance in coral, macroalgal, mangrove, and sand habitats throughout the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. A full-subsets modelling approach was used that incorporated …

Effect Of Enrichment On Gamete Production, Gamete Quality, And Spawning Coloration In Hormonally Induced Redside Dace Clinostomus Elongatus, Ashley M. Watt, Ali I. Mokdad, Trevor E. Pitcher

Integrative Biology Publications

Due to the alarming rates of freshwater fish extinctions, urgent action is needed to develop captive breeding programs for imperiled species and enhance existing practices to improve reproductive outcomes. Here, we investigated the effects of enrichment on gamete production, quality, and spawning coloration following hormone injection (i.e. carp pituitary, gonadotropin) in the endangered redside dace Clinostomus elongatus, a sexually dimorphic, presumably obligate nest parasite. C. elongatus were reared in either a non-enriched environment (i.e. barren) or an enriched environment (i.e. substrate, plants, and spawning nest-building hosts) for 1 yr prior to hormone induction. We found no differences in the proportion …

The Impact Of Fish Intake (Primarily The Omega-3 Fatty Acid Concentration) On Cognitive Decline: A Systematic Review, Emma Martin

2024 Awards for Excellence in Student Research and Creative Activity - Documents

The purpose of this systematic review is to explore the effect of fish intake on cognitive decline. Previous studies on fish intake and cognitive decline have produced both supportive results and results that yield ineffectiveness. This review focuses primarily on omega 3 concentration from fish intake and its influence on mild cognitive impairment. Using several search engines, studies were selected by searching “fish intake and cognitive decline”. Inclusion criteria consisted of individuals diagnosed with MCI, intervention of fish intake, and omega 3 fatty acid concentration and cognitive function exams conducted at baseline and throughout the study. Nine out of the …

A Year Of Wins For Farmed Animals, Lewis Bollard

General – Farm Animal Issues

Although the European Union shelved its ambitious farmed animal welfare reforms, there were other “wins” for farmed animals in 2023. There were 130 new corporate pledges to eliminate cages for laying hens and the worst abuses of broiler chickens. So far, over 1,000 corporate pledges have been fully implemented, and 39% of American hens, 60% of European hens, and 80% of British hens are cage-free, up from 6%, 41%, and 48%, respectively, a decade ago. The US Supreme Court upheld California’s Proposition 12, which bans the sale of eggs, pork, and veal from caged animals and their offspring in California. …

South Coast Offshore Crustacean Resource Of Western Australia Harvest Strategy, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries management papers

Harvest strategies for aquatic resources in Western Australia (WA) that are managed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD, the Department) are formal documents that ensures decision-making processes are consistent with the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD; Fletcher 2002) and Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM; Fletcher et al. 2012). The objectives of ESD are reflected in the objects of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (FRMA) and the Aquatic Resources Management Act 2016 (ARMA), which is anticipated replace the FRMA once enacted. At this point, the Fish Resources Management Regulations 1995 (FRMR) is also anticipated to …

Effects Of Short-Term Exposure To A Pesticide Mixture On Free-Swimming Behavior In Goldfish, Carassius Auratus, Esmirna Cantu, Michelle Rivera, Brittney Lacy, Md Saydur Rahman

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Highlights

• We observed effects of pesticides exposure on free-swimming behaviors in goldfish.

• Pesticides profoundly impacting natural swimming patterns.

• Behavioral analysis showed a dose- and time-dependent, decrease in distance swam.

• Vertical/horizontal spatial behavioral use both affected under exposure conditions.

Abstract

The prevalence of pesticides in the aquatic environment continues to increase due to anthropogenic activities and poses a threat to aquatic organisms. Notably, the intensive use of pesticides can cause detrimental effects (i.e., chemical stressors) on animal behavior. The aim of this study was to determine the short-term exposure effects (5-day) of an environmentally relevant pesticide mixture (low- and high-dose: metolachlor …

Microbiological Safety And Quality Of Ceviche, Poke, And Sushi Dishes Sold At Retail Outlets In Orange County, Ca, Grace E. Marquis, Samantha M. Covaia, Amanda M. Tabb, Courtney J. Kitch, Rosalee S. Hellberg

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Raw, ready-to-eat (RTE) seafood products, such as ceviche, poke, and sushi, have experienced growing demand globally; however, these products have the potential to be contaminated with foodborne pathogens. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Escherichiacoli/coliforms, Salmonella, and Listeria in ceviche, poke, and sushi dishes sold at the retail level in Orange County, CA, USA. Additional organisms detected during testing were also considered in the results. A total of 105 raw, RTE samples of ceviche, poke, and sushi were collected from restaurants and grocery stores in Orange County, CA. Samples were tested for Salmonella …

A Review Of The Neural Basis Underlying The Acoustic Startle Response With A Focus On Recent Developments In Mammals, Alice Zheng, Susanne Schmid

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

The startle response consists of whole-body muscle contractions, eye-blink, accelerated heart rate, and freezing in response to a strong, sudden stimulus. It is evolutionarily preserved and can be observed in any animal that can perceive sensory signals, indicating the important protective function of startle. Startle response measurements and its alterations have become a valuable tool for exploring sensorimotor processes and sensory gating, especially in the context of pathologies of psychiatric disorders. The last reviews on the neural substrates underlying acoustic startle were published around 20 years ago. Advancements in methods and techniques have since allowed new insights into acoustic startle …

The Role Of Salinity In Recovery Of White Sturgeon (Acipenser Transmontanus) From Stimulated Angling Stress, Ryan B. Shartau, Jacelyn Shu, Daniel W. Baker

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) in the Lower Fraser River are the focus of a catch-and-release angling fishery in British Columbia, Canada. However, the lower region of the catch area includes areas where tidal waters invade, and the consequence of salinity levels on recovery from an angling challenge are not characterized in sturgeon, despite theoretical implications of its import. We acclimated white sturgeon to various salinities (0, 10 and 20 (parts per thousand)) to investigate the effects of acclimation on recovery from stimulated angling stress that was induced through manual chasing. This challenge elicited the traditional physiological responses such as ion …

Fitting Time Series Models To Fisheries Data To Ascertain Age, Kathleen S. Kirch, Norou Diawara, Cynthia M. Jones

OES Faculty Publications

The ability of government agencies to assign accurate ages of fish is important to fisheries management. Accurate ageing allows for most reliable age-based models to be used to support sustainability and maximize economic benefit. Assigning age relies on validating putative annual marks by evaluating accretional material laid down in patterns in fish ear bones, typically by marginal increment analysis. These patterns often take the shape of a sawtooth wave with an abrupt drop in accretion yearly to form an annual band and are typically validated qualitatively. Researchers have shown key interest in modeling marginal increments to verify the marks do, …

Multiple Interacting Stressors Influence Development, Growth, And Morphology Of Pacific Chorus Frog (Pseudacris Regilla) Larvae, Abby Dalke, Allie M. Erickson, Bailey R. Tasker, Skylar Riley, Paul Hurst, Sarah Cooney, Scott A. Griffith, Betsy A. Bancroft

Biology Faculty Scholarship

Freshwater ecosystems are threatened by climate change and invasive species. Amphibians are important members of freshwater communities and are susceptible to negative effects of climate change and invasion. Furthermore, both climate change and invasion can influence density of amphibian larvae at the microhabitat scale because of larval clustering. To understand the effects of climate change and invasion on Pacific Chorus Frog Pseudacris regilla (Baird and Girard, 1852) larvae, a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment was carried out with a climate treatment (future/historical; simulated as changes in both temperature and hydroperiod), indirect exposure to the invasive Brook Stickleback Culaea …

Scamp Grouper, (Mycteroperca Phenax) Neurocranium, Liam L. Wilcox, David William Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Neurocranium from 5.40 cm; total length unknown. Scamp Grouper, (Mycteroperca phenax)

Specimen received from Kerstetter's lab

Growth Performance And Activities Of Some Liver Enzymes In Clarias Gariepinus Burchell 1822 Juveniles Cultured In A Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia Crassipes [Mart] Solms-Laubach) Infested Media, Phebian Temitope Odufuwa

Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior

A 12-week exposure study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance and activities of some liver enzymes of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) juveniles cultured in water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) infested concrete and plastic culture media. 152 fish juveniles were introduced into two large concrete tanks (6.0 m × 5.0 m × 1.2 m) for the outdoor experiment. A tank was infested with E. crassipes plant at a density of 12.30 plants/m², while the other tank, which served as the control, contained no water hyacinth plant. For the laboratory experiment, 50 fish juveniles were stocked in duplicate into five …

Consumption Of Healthy And Unhealthy Foods By The African Poor: Evidence From Nigeria, Tanzania, And Uganda, Michael Dolislager, Lenis Saweda Liverpool-Tasie, Nicole Mason, Thomas Reardon, David Tschirley

Business Educator Scholarship

We use national Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) datasets from Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda to examine consumption by the rural and urban poor of “unhealthy foods” (including ultra-processed foods such as sweets and sugary beverages) versus “healthy foods” beyond starchy staples (such as vegetables, beans, animal products, and fruits). Consumption of processed foods and nonstaples is often associated in policy discussion in Africa with middle-class urban consumers rather than the poor. We analyzed household food consumption expenditure with Locally Weighted Scatterplot Smoothing (LOWESS) curves and augmented Engel regressions. We found that substantial shares of the consumption expenditure of the poor, …

Larval Fish Abundance In The Benthic And Surface Drift Of The Missouri River, Ryan L. Ruskamp

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

Knowledge of the larval fish community of the Missouri River is one of the biggest gaps in fisheries research. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has sampled the drift of the Missouri River for many years (1983-2015), but these data have not been compiled into a unified assessment. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to: 1) quantify temporal and spatial aspects of larval fish community composition (richness) and structure (abundance) of the surface drift, 2) quantify associations of larval fish communities of the drift to different discharges of the Missouri River, 3) quantify the larval benthic drift community, and …

The Effect Of Polyunsaturated Aldehydes On Zebrafish Larvae Heart Rate And Mortality, Soraya Jessa

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This research provides insight on the effects that polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs) have on model species zebrafish heart rate and mortality. Zebrafish were used as an analog for forage fish, which are of both ecological and economic importance. Forage fish often interact with diatoms, some species of which have been known to emit allelopathic chemicals, PUAs. These chemicals can have a deleterious effect on invertebrates that cohabitate with or consume diatoms, but their effects on vertebrates was unknown. In the lab, zebrafish eggs were exposed to three different concentrations of PUAs plus two controls and observed to determine any effects on …

Fish Sound Production: The Swim Bladder, Michael L. Fine, Eric Parmentier

Biology Publications

Analogous to the syrinx in birds and larynx in mammals, the swim bladder is a major sound-producing organ in fishes. It also functions in hearing and is responsible for most returns from sonar. Historically, the swim bladder has been modeled as an underwater resonant bubble, whereas we provide evidence for a forced-response model in which viscous damping of the bladder wall inhibits resonance of the internal bubble. Further experimental work on the shape, wall structure, and mechanical behavior of the swim bladder is required.

Connectivity Shapes Functional Diversity And Maintains Complementarity In Surf Zones On Exposed Coasts, Christopher J. Henderson, Ben L. Gilby, Andrew D. Olds, Jesse Mosman, Rod M. Connolly, Glenn Hyndes, Brendan Kelaher, Brooke Maslo, Alan Williams, Thomas A. Schlacher

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Habitat complexity and connectivity can influence the number of species and their diversity across a landscape. For the surf zones of ocean-exposed beaches, globally one of the longest habitat interfaces, the assumed low structural complexity, and apparent homogeneity, of the sandy seafloor habitats predicts low taxonomic and functional diversity. Here, we assessed how the configuration of the seascape and the context of different beach structure functional diversity and functional niche space of fish assemblages in surf zones. We expected that beaches that were well connected with highly productive and complex estuarine and reef habitats would support a greater level of …

Law Library Blog (December 2021): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

Ecoacoustic Monitoring Of Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser Fulvescens) Spawning And Its Relation To Anthropogenic Noise, Dennis M. Higgs, Riley K. Beach

Integrative Biology Publications

Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) are endangered in the Laurentian Great Lakes with increasing binational efforts to establish spawning grounds to aid restoration. While SCUBA surveys can document spawning activity, these are labour-intensive and may disrupt spawning. We used passive acoustic monitoring to quantify spawning sounds of lake sturgeon as a first step to developing remote sensing of sturgeon spawning grounds. Acipenser sp. are known to make a variety of sounds including, “thunders” (aka drums), which have been documented in A. fulvescens during spawning. We quantified drums from a known spawning bed. We recorded 5 different potential sturgeon sounds but only …

Otoliths Of South-Western Australian Fish: A Photographic Catalogue, Chris Dowling, Kim Smith, Elain Lek, Joshua Brown

Fisheries research reports

Due to the species-specific nature of otoliths and given they are often the only part of the fish preserved when fish die, otolith catalogues can be used in numerous applications, such as diet studies in fish eating animals, including pinnipeds, fish and sea birds; archaeological purposes such as reconstructing indigenous people’s diets from otoliths found in middens or evolutionary history of fish species by comparing fossilized otoliths. Given the unique mixture of subtropical and temperate fish, including many endemic species that occur off the southwest corner of WA having a catalogue for this area is extremely important for people working …

Molecular Characterization And Expression Of Cytochrome P450 Aromatase In Atlantic Croaker Brain: Regulation By Antioxidant Status And Nitric Oxide Synthase During Hypoxia Stress, Md Saydur Rahman, Peter Thomas

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

We have previously shown that nitric oxide synthase (NOS, an enzyme) is significantly increased during hypoxic stress in Atlantic croaker brains and modulated by an antioxidant (AOX). However, the influence of NOS and AOX on cytochrome P450 aromatase (AROM, CYP19a1, an enzyme) activity on vertebrate brains during hypoxic stress is largely unknown. In this study, we characterized brain AROM (bAROM, CYP19a1b) cDNA in croaker and examined the interactive effects of hypoxia and a NOS-inhibitor or AOX on AROM activity. The amino acid sequence of croaker bAROM cDNA is highly homologous (76–80%) to other marine teleost bAROM cDNAs. Both real-time PCR …

Low Impact Of Different Snp Panels From Two Building-Loci Pipelines On Rad-Seq Population Genomic Metrics: Case Study On Five Diverse Aquatic Species, Adrian Casanova, Francesco Maroso, (...), Ana Verissimo, Et Al

VIMS Articles

The irruption of Next-generation sequencing (NGS) and restriction site-associated DNA sequencing(RAD-seq) in the last decade has led to the identification of thousands of molecular markers and their genotyping for refined genomic screening. This approach has been especially useful for non-model organisms with limited genomic resources. Many building-loci pipelines have been developed to obtain robust single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) genotyping datasets using a de novo RAD-seq approach, i.e. without reference genomes.Here, the performances of two building-loci pipelines, STACKS 2 and Meyer’s 2b-RAD v2.1 pipeline, were compared using a diverse set of aquatic species representing different genomic and/or population structure scenarios. Two …

Using Principles Of Seascape Ecology To Consider Relationships Between Spatial Patterning And Mobile Marine Vertebrates In A Seagrass-Mangrove Ecotone In Bimini, Bahamas, Sarah Rebecca Taylor Driscoll

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Seagrass meadows and mangrove forests are ecologically and economically important systems that are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activity. This study used a non-invasive method, baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS), to observe mobile marine vertebrates in the seagrass-mangrove ecotone in North and South Bimini, the only area where mangroves remain in the northwestern Bahamas. An extensive area of mangroves and seagrass was removed for coastal development in North Bimini, where a marine protected area, the North Bimini Marine Reserve (NBMR), has been under consideration for decades. This research applied principles of seascape ecology to assess species abundance, diversity, and richness …

Blood Parasites Of Fish Of The Baikal Basin, T. R. Khamnueva, Darima R. Baldanova

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Eight species of trypanosomes were found in nine species of fish in the Lake Baikal: Trypanosoma percae, T. amurensis, T. schulmani, T. dogieli, T. magna, T. sp.1, T. sp.2. Five species of trypanoplasms were detected in the blood of 13 species of Baikal fish: Trypanoplasma lomakini, T. littoralis, T. cotti, T. zaikai, T. sp. In the erythrocytes of the sand sculpin, Leocottus kesslerii were observed haemogregarins.

A Guide To Freshwater Aquariums, Noah Savastano

Senior Honors Projects

The objective of this project was to create a complete guide, useful for someone of any aquarium expertise level, describing how to set up and care for an aquarium. This guide explains the science behind processes involved in setting up and maintaining an aquarium. It also educates the reader on how to properly prioritize the safety of the fish. A full text was first created including all relevant information gathered from scholarly texts and online sources. Original photographs were incorporated as a supplement to the text. Fish and aquatic plants were drawn to further illustrate the concepts that were described …

Dna Barcoding Of Fish Eggs Collected Aboard R/V Weatherbird Ii Cruise Wb1731 Across The Florida Straits And Off Of Northwestern Cuba From 2017-05-13 To 2017-05-25, Makenzie Kerr, Mya Breitbart, Steven Murawski, Ernst B. Peebles, Maickel Armenteros, Jeremy Browning, Eva-Maria Bønnelycke, Chuanmin Hu, Yingjun Zhang

C-IMAGE data

This dataset contains DNA barcoding results of fish eggs collected along the northwestern coast of Cuba and across the Florida Straits from 2017-05-13 to 2017-05-25 using bongo plankton nets. The dataset also includes cruise data from twenty-three different stations collected during R/V Weatherbird II cruise WB1731. Individual eggs were DNA barcoded to identify species of fish spawning in the area. This dataset supports the publication: Kerr, M., Browning, J., Bønnelycke, E.M., Zhang, Y., Hu, C., Armenteros, M., Murawski, S., Peebles, E. and Breitbart, M. (2020). DNA barcoding of fish eggs collected off northwestern Cuba and across the Florida Straits demonstrates …

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 …

Impacts Of Eutrophication On Benthic Invertebrates & Fish Prey Of Birds In Farmington And Bear River Bays Of Great Salt Lake, Trip Armstrong, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Farmington Bay’s watershed is primarily in the heavily populated metropolitan Salt Lake City, and consequently, it receives approximately 50% of its inflow from nutrient‐ rich wastewater releases. The high nutrient loads make it eutrophic and reducing the loading has been suggested to reduce blooms of toxic cyanobacteria. However, the bay also supports thousands of wading birds and waterfowl, and there is concern that reducing nutrient inflows might reduce the production of bottom‐dwelling insects and other invertebrates that the birds rely upon.