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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Genomic Data Reveal A Loss Of Diversity In Two Species Of Tuco-Tucos (Genus Ctenomys) Following A Volcanic Eruption, Jeremy L. Hsu, Jeremy Chase Crawford, Mauro N. Tammone, Uma Ramakrishnan, Eileen A. Lacey, Elizabeth A. Hadly Nov 2017

Genomic Data Reveal A Loss Of Diversity In Two Species Of Tuco-Tucos (Genus Ctenomys) Following A Volcanic Eruption, Jeremy L. Hsu, Jeremy Chase Crawford, Mauro N. Tammone, Uma Ramakrishnan, Eileen A. Lacey, Elizabeth A. Hadly

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Marked reductions in population size can trigger corresponding declines in genetic variation. Understanding the precise genetic consequences of such reductions, however, is often challenging due to the absence of robust pre- and post-reduction datasets. Here, we use heterochronous genomic data from samples obtained before and immediately after the 2011 eruption of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex in Patagonia to explore the genetic impacts of this event on two parapatric species of rodents, the colonial tuco-tuco (Ctenomys sociabilis) and the Patagonian tuco-tuco (C. haigi). Previous analyses using microsatellites revealed no post-eruption changes in genetic variation in C. …


Evaluation Of Dna Barcoding Methodologies For The Identification Of Fish Species In Cooked Products, Sophia J. Pollack, Michael D. Kawalek, Donna M. Williams-Hill, Rosalee S. Hellberg Aug 2017

Evaluation Of Dna Barcoding Methodologies For The Identification Of Fish Species In Cooked Products, Sophia J. Pollack, Michael D. Kawalek, Donna M. Williams-Hill, Rosalee S. Hellberg

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

DNA barcoding is a powerful sequencing-based tool for the detection of fish species substitution. However, various cooking methods have the potential to reduce the quality and success of DNA sequencing. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of common cooking methods on DNA sequencing results with both full-length (655 bp) and mini-barcodes (208–226 bp), and to determine the optimal methodology to use for species identification of various fish products. Six types of fish (salmon, tuna, scad, pollock, swai and tilapia) were prepared in triplicate using the following methods: uncooked, baked, fried, broiled, acid-cooked, smoked and canned. DNA …


Investment In Territorial Defence Relates To Recent Reproductive Success In Common Loons (Gavia Immer), Jeremy A. Spool, Lauren V. Riters, Walter H. Piper Jun 2017

Investment In Territorial Defence Relates To Recent Reproductive Success In Common Loons (Gavia Immer), Jeremy A. Spool, Lauren V. Riters, Walter H. Piper

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

As the value of a limited resource such as a territory increases, animals should invest more in the defence of that resource. Because reproductive success often depends on the quality of a breeding territory, reproductive success or failure may alter the perceived value of territory and affect an animal's investment in territorial defence. We used common loons (Gavia immer) to test the hypothesis that animals with recent breeding success would show stronger territorial defence than those with no recent breeding success. Surprisingly, successful loons responded less, not more, to a simulated intrusion. However, birds with success in the …


Breeding Stage And Parentage Affect Tameness In Common Loons, Mina Ibrahim May 2017

Breeding Stage And Parentage Affect Tameness In Common Loons, Mina Ibrahim

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Tameness is a measure of tolerance towards human disturbance. As human disturbance and recreational activity are increasing, it is becoming more and more important to understand responses of species to this disturbance. Tameness has been shown to be influenced by an individuals characteristics and life history. Two possible determinants of tameness are breeding stage and parentage. We studied tameness in common loons (Gavia immer) specifically looking at the effects of breeding stage and parentage. Tameness was measured by flight initiation distance (FID), the distance at which a loon dove from an approaching human observer in a canoe. Loons …


Identification Of Meat And Poultry Species In Food Products Using Dna Barcoding, Rosalee S. Hellberg, Brenda C. Hernandez, Eduardo L. Hernandez Apr 2017

Identification Of Meat And Poultry Species In Food Products Using Dna Barcoding, Rosalee S. Hellberg, Brenda C. Hernandez, Eduardo L. Hernandez

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

DNA barcoding is a promising method for the sequencing-based identification of meat and poultry species in food products. However, DNA degradation during processing may limit recovery of the full-length DNA barcode from these foods. The objective of this study was to investigate the ability of DNA barcoding to identify species in meat and poultry products and to compare the results of full-length barcoding (658 bp) and mini-barcoding (127 bp). Sixty meat and poultry products were collected for this study, including deli meats, ground meats, dried meats, and canned meats. Each sample underwent full and mini-barcoding of the cytochrome c oxidase …


The Long Shadow Of Senescence: Age Impacts Survival And Territory Defense In Loons, Walter H. Piper, Kristin M. Brunk, Joel A. Flory, Michael W. Meyer Mar 2017

The Long Shadow Of Senescence: Age Impacts Survival And Territory Defense In Loons, Walter H. Piper, Kristin M. Brunk, Joel A. Flory, Michael W. Meyer

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Senescence, increased mortality that occurs among animals of advanced age, impacts behavior and ecology in many avian species. We investigated actuarial, reproductive, and behavioral senescence using capture, marking, and resighting data from a 26-year study of common loons (Gavia immer). Territorial residents of both sexes exhibited high annual survival (0.94) until their mid 20s, at which point survival fell to 0.76 and 0.77 in males and females, respectively. Sexual symmetry in actuarial senescence is somewhat surprising in this species, because males make a substantially greater investment in territory defense and chick-rearing and because males engage in lethal contests for territory …


Rapid Increase In Genetic Diversity In An Endemic Patagonian Tuco-Tuco Following A Recent Volcanic Eruption, Jeremy L. Hsu, Sharon Kam, Mauro N. Tammone, Eileen A. Lacey, Elizabeth A. Hadly Feb 2017

Rapid Increase In Genetic Diversity In An Endemic Patagonian Tuco-Tuco Following A Recent Volcanic Eruption, Jeremy L. Hsu, Sharon Kam, Mauro N. Tammone, Eileen A. Lacey, Elizabeth A. Hadly

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Catastrophic natural events can have profound impacts on patterns of genetic diversity. Due to the typically unpredictable nature of such phenomena, however, few studies have been able to directly compare patterns of diversity before and after natural catastrophic events. Here, we examine the impacts of a recent volcanic eruption in southern Chile on genetic variation in the colonial tuco-tuco (Ctenomys sociabilis), a subterranean species of rodent endemic to the area most affected by the June 2011 eruption of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex. To provide a comparative context for interpreting changes in genetic variation in this species, we …


Loon Project Database, Walter H. Piper Jan 2017

Loon Project Database, Walter H. Piper

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Data Sets

Data collected since 1993 in Oneida County, Wisconsin, on the breeding and territorial behavior of the common loon, Gavia immer. This study population is marked with USGS metal bands and colored leg bands for individual identification. It includes many individuals banded as chicks, whose life histories are known thoroughly. Data are collected from April through August of most years on this migratory species.


Skeletal Stiffening In An Amphibious Fish Out Of Water Is A Response To Increased Body Weight, Andy J. Turko, Dietmar KüLtz, Douglas S. Fudge, Roger P. Croll, Frank M. Smith, Matthew R. Stoyek, Patricia A. Wright Jan 2017

Skeletal Stiffening In An Amphibious Fish Out Of Water Is A Response To Increased Body Weight, Andy J. Turko, Dietmar KüLtz, Douglas S. Fudge, Roger P. Croll, Frank M. Smith, Matthew R. Stoyek, Patricia A. Wright

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Terrestrial animals must support their bodies against gravity, while aquatic animals are effectively weightless because of buoyant support from water. Given this evolutionary history of minimal gravitational loading of fishes in water, it has been hypothesized that weight-responsive musculoskeletal systems evolved during the tetrapod invasion of land and are thus absent in fishes. Amphibious fishes, however, experience increased effective weight when out of water – are these fishes responsive to gravitational loading? Contrary to the tetrapod-origin hypothesis, we found that terrestrial acclimation reversibly increased gill arch stiffness (∼60% increase) in the amphibious fish Kryptolebias marmoratus when loaded normally by gravity, …