Life Sciences Commons^™

Bloom: A Microbial Self-Portrait, Emily Lauren Mulvaney

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

A Tale Of Two Working Landscapes, Sage C. Sutcliffe

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Movement-Based Interventions To Support Executive Function And Emotional Regulation In Autism Through The Potential Molecular Induction Of Neuroplasticity: A Systematic Review, Julie Dalmolen

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Autism Spectrum Disorder is associated with cognitive challenges that can hinder Executive Function. Disruptions in ER tend to create the largest barriers to social interactions with peers and can lead to disengagement from social activities and increased isolation which can impede learning and increase sedentary behaviors. Exercise interventions have been extensively studied in the autism population. While research suggests a variety of movement-based practices are effective in supporting metabolism, motor skills, stereotypical behaviors, and executive function, the impacts on emotional regulation are less clear, as are the types of exercise interventions that have the greatest effects. This systematic review aimed …

Bird Predation On Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch) In Humboldt Bay, Colton J. Dixon

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) populations along the west coast of the United States are declining. In Humboldt County, located in northwestern California, Coho Salmon have been in decline since their federal listing as threatened in 1997, primarily due to habitat loss from logging, agriculture, and urban development. Although these anthropogenic factors caused salmon populations to decline, bird predation may also be hindering population recovery, as evidenced by the recovery of Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags, originally implanted in Coho Salmon, from bird colonies in Humboldt Bay. This study examines predation by Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), Caspian …

Examining The Drivers Of Nocturnal Behavior Of Pikas At Lower Elevations In Lassen National Forest, California, Evan Burnett

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The American pika (Ochotona princeps) is a charismatic mammal species adapted to occupy rockslides and boulder fields in western North America. Historically monitored due to their climate sensitivity, pikas have experienced extirpations along their lower range margins—driven by chronic and acute temperature stress—prompting increased concern and monitoring over the risks posed by anthropogenic climate change. Traditionally considered an alpine species, pikas occupy a wide range of elevations, with those at lower elevations exhibiting higher rates of nocturnality than their counterparts at higher elevations. Temperature is hypothesized to be the driver, but this has yet to be confirmed. Pikas …

Microbes: Key Constituent Of Predator Risk Cues?, Jake R. Vargas

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Chemical cues emanating from predators can play a key role in aquatic predator-prey interactions and food webs. Understanding how prey respond to these risk cues is therefore critical for understanding the direct effects of predators on prey populations and their indirect effects on communities. To respond adaptively, prey must accurately assess the risk of predation associated with perceived chemical cues, an oft-documented phenomenon. However, little is known about how cues disperse, persist, and degrade, all of which could limit the adaptive responses of prey. Using laboratory-based observations of a well-studied predator cue-induced antipredator behavior by the marine gastropod Tegula funebralis …

Fire Severity Mediates Marten And Fisher Occurrence: Impacts Of The Dixie Fire On A Carnivore Community, Christopher James Collier

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The consumption of an astounding one million acres resulted from California’s largest single fire to date, the 2021 Dixie Fire. The social and economic losses associated with the fire were immediately apparent, but the effects on wildlife remained unknown. While previous research has suggested mixed or low severity fire may be beneficial to certain wildlife species, the responses to megafires are poorly understood for many carnivores. To better understand these responses to severe fire, I used a random sampling design stratified by burn severity to survey in and around the Dixie Fire footprint using baited camera stations. This allowed me …

Longevity Of Prescribed Fire Effectiveness In Mixed-Evergreen Forests Of The Klamath Mountains, Kaily M. Fineran

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Prescribed fire is a common management tool used across the western United States to create wildfire-resilient ecosystems and communities. The Klamath Mountains of northern California, USA has experienced numerous, large wildfires in recent years. This is due in part to a combination of highly flammable fuels, uncharacteristic weather events, and high fuel accumulations as a result of fire exclusion and forest management practices. Within the last decade, local land management organizations and the Karuk Tribe have begun re-introducing prescribed fire in low elevation, mixed evergreen forests. While the long-term effects of fuel treatments are not well-known, these efforts provided a …

Pond Characteristics That Influence Oviposition Site Selection By Two Pond-Breeding Amphibians, Northern Red-Legged Frog (Rana Aurora) And Northwestern Salamander (Ambystoma Gracile), Jessica Jones

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Pond-breeding amphibians connect aquatic and terrestrial habitats through their biphasic life cycle, and understanding pond characteristics that support oviposition sites for multiple species is important for amphibian conservation. Two common amphibians in the Pacific Northwest, Northern red-legged frog (Rana aurora) and Northwestern salamander (Ambystoma gracile) often oviposit in the same pond; however, prior studies have focused on pond use by one species or the other, but not both together. I surveyed pond and oviposition site characteristics of 26 ponds in Humboldt County, CA, 10 of which were used only by R. aurora and 16 of which …

Characterizing The Habitat Use Of Pacific Coast Feeding Group Gray Whales (Eschrichtius Robustus) And The Spatial And Temporal Variability Of Their Benthic And Planktonic Invertebrate Prey In Northern California, Robyn E. Norman

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

As opportunistic foragers, the Eastern North Pacific population (~20,000) of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) feed on diverse benthic and planktonic invertebrates in northern Alaska foraging grounds before they undertake one of the largest yearly migrations of any mammal to breed in Baja California, Mexico. While most of the population travels to the summer foraging grounds in Alaska, a sub-group of whales (~230) called the Pacific Coast Feeding Group (PCFG) summer between British Columbia, Canada, and northern California. The diet of PCFG whales typically includes high-density and/or high-caloric prey items like mysids and diverse species of amphipods, yet a …

Accelerations And Emg Differences Between Isocaloric High-Incline Walking And Level Grade Jogging, Taj Krieger

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Purpose: To examine muscle activation and biomechanical differences between high-incline walking (HIW) at 20% grade and level-grade jogging (LGJ) at isocaloric intensity on a treadmill. Methods: Physically inactive men and women between 18-31 completed the study. Participants (n=19) completed two isocaloric exercise trials (HIW and LGJ), each ten minutes in duration. EMG data was obtained from the Bicep Femoris (BF), Gluteus Maximus (GM), Lateral Gastrocnemius (LG), Tibialis Anterior (TA), Vastus Lateralis (VL), Anterior Deltoid (AD), Erector Spinae (ES) and Soleus (SOL). Resultant accelerations on the foot and sacrum were measured by IMU.

Results: When subjects were matched at isocaloric intensities …

Building Detailed And Accurate Whole-Plant Concepts: A Morphometrics-Informed Reconstruction Of A Zosterophyll From The Lower Devonian Of Wyoming, Samar R. El-Abdallah

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The fragmentary state of plant fossils and the modular organization of plants make whole-plant reconstructions of fossil species desirable and feasible. Such reconstructions are key for integrating fossil species in systematic studies. The ca. 410 Ma Beartooth Butte Formation of Wyoming (USA) hosts the only rich Early Devonian plant assemblages in western North America, which fills a major gap in the phytogeography of this interval. I construct a whole-plant concept for a new zosterophyll from the Beartooth Butte Formation based on a detailed morphometric study. More than 600 fragments of the new zosterophyll were observed and 200 of those were …

Post-Fire Vegetation And Pyrodiversity Influence Breeding Abundances Of Lewis's Woodpeckers In The Eastern Cascades, Oregon, Brittany Welch

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Lewis’s woodpeckers (Melanerpes lewis) are described as "burn specialists" due to their preference for breeding in recently burned pine forests in the western US. However, despite increasing fire activity, this species experienced a 48% range-wide decline between 1968 and 2019, which raises questions about their adaptability to altered fire regimes in the region. We partnered with the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife to investigate how Lewis’s woodpeckers in the eastern Cascades, Oregon were influenced by post-fire habitat characteristics such as snag size, snag density, and burn severity across five wildfires that varied in fire age, size, and …

The Effects Of Native Perennial Cover On Physiological Indicators Of Habitat Quality For Sparrows In California Coastal Prairie Rangelands, Madeleine A. Ybarra

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Prescribed grazing management can have myriad effects on wildlife, with low to moderate grazing being associated with an increased abundance of some grassland birds. Specifically, Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) and Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) abundance have been shown to be positively associated with both grazing and a higher percentage of native plant cover. However, measures of abundance provide an incomplete assessment of habitat quality for birds. Physiological and morphological measurements can help indicate environmental stress in individual birds, which reveals more information about habitat quality. We measured body condition and heterophil:lymphocyte ratios to gauge avian stress …

A Few Lessons From Venezuela: Introducing A New Path Of Appropriate Farming And Appropriate Renewable Energy, Victor Christianto, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

In development economics literatures, there is a known term for developing countries which tend to mismanage natural resources, that term is called natural resources curse. And two examples which have been discussed quite often is Venezuela and Norway. Here we also discuss other countries as well, including Argentina and a few lessons for Indonesia in choosing the next course of development path, especially with appropriate farming and appropriate renewable energy.

A Computerized Mastitis Classification Aid Using A Dairy Herd-Based Records: Multi-Layer Perceptron (Mlp) Neural Network With Backpropagation Approach, Ahmed M. Gad Prof, Dina Faris De, Sherif Ramadan Prof, Ghada Afifi Dr, Eman Manaa Prof, Mahmoud El-Tarabany Prof

Business Administration

The main objective of this study is to develop an efficient machine learning-based model for the early prediction of clinical mastitis in Holstein Friesian dairy cattle where automatic milking system (AMS) data is used. The model aims to offer a costless opportunity for mastitis control and reduce its negative impact on livestock production. Different forward multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural networks with backpropagation (BP) learning algorithms using various numbers of hidden neurons and epochs have been introduced. The results of the established models are evaluated based on different metrics such as the accuracy, the F1 core, the precision, the recall, and …

Protein Turnover Rate And Life History As An Explanation Of The Extreme Difference In Cost Of Biosynthesis In Cockroach Nymphs And Painted Lady Butterfly Larva, Kyara Nicole Holloway

Masters Theses

The cost of biosynthesis in painted lady caterpillars is far lower than that of a red runner cockroach. A promising explanation for this phenomenon is the protein turnover rate for the animal during biosynthesis and tissue maintenance. Previous research has shown that, per gram of body weight, the painted lady butterfly can synthesize a biomass using up to 15x less energy and resources than the cockroach, even under similar conditions. The resulting ratios, especially in respect to growth rate, show a wide disparity between species in such a manner that does support a protein synthesis and degradation rates as a …

Mangrove Sediments-Associated Bacterium (Bacillus Sp. Sw7) With Multiple Plant Growth-Promoting Traits Promotes The Growth Of Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum), Mahideen Afridi, Balamurugan Sadaiappan, Amna Saood Nassar, Henda Mahmoudi, Munawwar Ali Khan, Sunil Mundra

All Works

Global food production intensification presents a major hurdle to ensuring food security amidst a growing world population. Widespread use of chemical fertilizers in recent decades has risked soil fertility, compounded by the challenges posed by climate change, particularly in arid regions. To address these issues, adopting plant growth-promoting (PGP) bacteria stands out as a promising solution, offering multifaceted benefits to arid agroecosystems. We isolated a bacterial strain, SW7, from mangrove sediment, characterised the entire genome followed by phylogenetic analyses, and evaluated its in-vitro PGP activity. Subsequently, we examined its impact on tomato seed germination and plant growth. The strain SW7 …

Potato Leaf Disease Detection Approach Based On Transfer Learning With Spatial Attention, Rima Grati, Emna Abdallah, Khouloud Boukadi, Ahmed Smaoui

All Works

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Human-Driven Land Use Change On American Alligator (Alligator Mississippiensis) Nesting Patterns, Madison Wallwork

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) have received little scientific attention in the context of human-driven land use change. The goal of my study is to investigate how land use change may be affecting the spatial ecology of alligator nesting in Florida. Areas directly impacted by humans are growing rapidly in Florida, yet the impacts of this land use change on alligator populations and reproduction are largely unknown. Alligators are ecosystem engineers and apex predators, and their nests often double as nests for other reptilian species. Therefore, it is imperative that we understand how human-driven land use change may be impacting …

Functional Investigation Of Shaggy, An Inhibitor Of Canonical Wnt Signaling, In The Tardigrade Hypsibius Exemplaris, Raul A. Chavarria

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Tardigrades have a highly simplified anteroposterior (AP) axis. The mechanisms that regulate the development of this secondarily simplified AP axis are not known. In many animals, the canonical Wnt (cWnt) signaling pathway regulates primary axis establishment through antagonistic interactions with inhibitors of cWnt signaling. This study investigated the roles of shaggy, an inhibitor of cWnt signaling, in regulating development in the tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris. Gene expression patterns of shaggy and other components of the cWnt signaling pathway were analyzed alongside markers of anterior and posterior identity using Hybridization Chain Reaction in situ in H. exemplaris. RNA interference …

Endophytic Fungi Associated With Galls And Host Plants Of Asphondylia Borrichiae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), Shannon Lynn Sharpe

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Asphondylia borrichiae, like other gall-forming gnats, are obligate symbionts to the endophytic fungi (EF) they deposit when laying eggs. Asphondylia spp. and EF are important biocontrol agents, yet details surrounding their diversity, life cycles, and host interactions remain poorly understood. Galls and leaf-stem tissues from two host plants were surveyed to identify and compare EF diversity between the host tissues and species of A. borrichiae. Identification of 114 isolates was carried out by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS 1/4 primers). Pairwise alignments in multiple genetic databases were bolstered by phylogenetic analyses using maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood …

High-Quality Dietary Protein (Essential Amino Acids Matched To Reproductive Needs) Partially Breaks The Lifespan And Reproduction Trade-Off In Lubber Grasshoppers, Emma Kordek

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Finding interventions to break the trade-off between reproduction and lifespan can provide insight into physiological limitations of animals. Effects of dietary protein quality on the trade-off are currently unclear, but clarity could lead to better designed diets that match animal needs. Dietary amino acid blends matching yolk proteins support reproduction and extend lifespan in fruit flies. To test if this is conserved across species, we matched dietary amino acids to vitellogenin to test reproduction and lifespan in adult females of the lubber grasshopper. Specifically, we compared varying degrees of protein quality by manipulating dietary essential amino acids. We identified a …

Exploring The Welfare Of A Captive Population Of Cownose Rays (Rhinoptera Bonasus) Through Social And Resource Interactions, Kendal N. Rogers

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Zoos and aquariums utilize research-based management to ensure animals remain in a positive welfare standing. While vital, this research is taxa-biased towards mammals, with few studies observing other species that are frequently observed in captivity, such as elasmobranchs, or sharks and rays. Often maintained in exhibits that allow direct guest interaction, or touch pools, elasmobranchs have been shown to respond to these exposures through behavior changes in activity and social interactions. While this may indicate a potential for compromised welfare, the literature is conflicting and sparse, leaving uncertainty in the overall welfare condition of animals maintained in this popular exhibit …

Assessing Unoccupied Aircraft And Ground-Based Methods For Detecting Differences In Intertidal Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica) Reef Structure, Alyah Bennett

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) reefs provide critical ecosystem services, including shoreline stabilization, water filtration, and habitat for diverse marine species. However, these reef habitats are declining globally due to overharvesting, disease, and environmental change. This study evaluated the effectiveness of in-situ vs drone-based methods for detecting differences in oyster reef structure focusing on percent live cover and rugosity as key indicators. We also compared these methods in terms of cost, effort, and variability. Using data collected from Northeast Florida on a variety of reef types exposed to various disturbances, we developed generalized linear models to evaluate for differences …

Evaluating The Use Of Baited Remote Underwater Video (Bruv) In Assessing Shark And Fish Populations In A Low Visibility Estuarine System, The Tolomato River, Fl, Usa, Sarah Worthington

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recently, there has been increasing use of baited remote underwater video (BRUV) surveys for assessing shark and fish populations in marine ecosystems. This approach can be useful because it may provide a non-destructive, non-extractive, and cost-effective alternative to traditional fishing-based methods. However, to date, most studies using BRUVs have focused on their use in high-visibility ecosystems, such as tropical reefs. Furthermore, few studies have compared results from BRUV surveys with those obtained using traditional methods to evaluate the efficacy of this approach. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using BRUV surveys to assess shark …

Using A Reverse Visually Guided Reaching Task To Distinguish Between Healthy Aging And Early Alzheimer’S Disease, Brandon Woolman

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Changes in motor behavior may function as a proxy for cognitive decline. While Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with impairments in learning and memory, recent studies suggest that subtle changes in motor task performance may reflect early cognitive changes. For example, the visuomotor rotation task that manipulates visual feedback about hand position during reaching movements, can be used to examine cognitive changes in aging populations. The current study used the reverse visually guided reaching task (rVGR) which rotates visual feedback of participant’s hand position 180⁰ relative to the actual hand position. We sought to expand on previous literature by recruiting …

Exploring The Molecular Pathways Of Cell Death Induced By Pde3 Modulators, Aqsa Ahsan

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Metabolic dysregulation, a critical hallmark of cancer, predisposes potential vulnerabilities for the development of targeted therapy. LKB1, a pivotal metabolic regulator and tumor suppressor, is often lost in many cancers. Our laboratory has unveiled that LKB1 suppresses phosphodiesterases (PDEs), and PDE3 modulators can selectively eradicate LKB1-deficient tumor cells. Through metabolic gene sgRNA library screening, Sarcolipin, an inhibitor of Sarcoendoplasmic Reticulum Calcium ATPase (SERCA), emerged as essential for cell death in this context. However, the precise molecular mechanisms by which PDE3 modulators exert their effects remain elusive. This study aims to uncover these mechanisms via RNA-Seq profiling and differential gene analysis, …

Exploring Usability In Exercise Interventions: From Conceptualization To Measurement And Application, Anne Inger Mørtvedt

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Exercise interventions hold promise for preventing and treating numerous conditions, diseases, and injuries. However, these interventions will only be effective if they are being used. Unfortunately, uptake and adherence to prescribed exercise and physical activity guidelines are insufficient. Some reasons for this include lack of knowledge, resources, flexibility, and enjoyment. Exercise program developers need to not only consider the effectiveness of the program during the development phase, but also involve end-users and receive feedback on program usability to determine likelihood of uptake and adoption. Usability testing can be used to detect barriers to use and implementation likelihood but has not …

Chemical Synthesis Of Sensitive Dna, Komal Chillar

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Over the past decades, researchers have tried various chemical methods to synthesize modified oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs, i.e. short segments of DNAs). Traditional ODN synthesis methods require strong basic, and nucleophilic conditions for the deprotection and cleavage of the ODN from the solid support. However, the sensitive ODNs containing labile functionalities are vulnerable to such harsh conditions. Sensitive ODNs have a wide range of applications in research and pharmaceuticals. To synthesize sensitive ODNs, researchers devised different strategies but no practical methods have been developed. To overcome these challenges, we developed alkyl Dim alkyl Dmoc technology. This innovative technology uses weakly basic and …