Animal Sciences Commons^™

Median Fin Patterning In Bony Fish: Caspase-3 Role In Fin Fold Reabsorption, Kaitlyn Ann Hammock

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fish larvae develop a fin fold that will later be replaced by the median fins. I hypothesize that fin fold reabsorption is part of the initial patterning of the median fins, and that caspase-3, an apoptosis marker, will be expressed in the fin fold during reabsorption. I analyzed time series of larvae in the first 20-days post hatch (dph) to determine timing of median fin development in a basal bony fish - sturgeon- and in zebrafish, a derived bony fish. I am expecting the general activation pathway to be conserved in both fishes but, the timing and location of cell …

Effects Of 17Β Estradiol In The Metabolism And Morphology Of Bluegill Sunfish (Lepomis Macrochirus), Neeta Parajulee Karki

Masters Theses

Fish natural habitats are increasingly contaminated with various estrogenic compounds, including 17β estradiol (E2). This compound causes adverse effects on the reproductive system of male fish; however, the effects of E2 on other aspects of fish metabolism, morphology and histopathological changes in internal organs are not well known. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of E2 exposure on the basal and stressed metabolic rate, morphological changes in body shapes, and histological changes in the liver tissues of sunfish species. Fish were held individually in ten gallon tanks under two treatments of 40 and 80 ng/L and …

The North American River Otter (Lontra Canadensis) On The Department Of Energy's Savannah River Site, Emily B. Mccallen

Masters Theses

The Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) faces a legacy of radionuclide and metal contamination from industrial processes that occurred within the site. The risks posed to ecosystems on the site from contaminants are quantified using the ecological risk assessment process, which often uses the health of a particular species as an ecological endpoint. Northern river otters (Lontra canadensis) are appropriate receptors for studying the effects of long-term, low-level contamination because they are long-lived, higher trophic level organisms likely to accumulate high levels of pollutants. However, little information about river otters on the SRS is known; …

Assessment Of The Efficacy Of The Hose-Bridge As A Road-Crossing Structure For Dekay's Brownsnake (Storeria Dekayi), Sarah Elizabeth Manka

Masters Theses

Various structures have been integrated into roadways to ensure the road does not impede wildlife movements between adjacent habitats. Where traffic volume is low, the costs of installing and maintaining such structures is typically prohibitive. I tested the efficacy of a hose-bridge deployed temporarily on a State Park road in Illinois that allowed the passage of cars over it and small wildlife species to cross through it. I predicted that, during the 4.5 -week period of peak migratory movement, road-based mortality of Dekay's Brownsnakes (Storeria dekayi) would be less at the site having the hose-bridge, when compared to a similar …

Effects Of Habitat Alteration On Ecomorphology Of Fish Communities In A Restored Stream, Carl Anthony Favata

Masters Theses

Decades of anthropogenic pressure have devastated lotic ecosystems across the riverscapes of North America, resulting in degradation of critical habitat and contributing to sharp declines in biotic integrity. In response, local stream restoration projects have increased in frequency. However, little effort has been allocated to monitoring and project success has been limited. In addition, restoration projects typically focus on ecological effects above the population-level, while relationships with physiological processes are seldom assessed. Lessons from the long-term restoration and ecological monitoring of Kickapoo Creek highlight some of the complex dynamics driving reach-scale restoration projects. Following instream restoration, I predicted that alterations …

Sampling Efficiency, Population Characteristics, And Potential Impacts Of Harvest Regulations On Three Riverine Species Of Catfish, Zachary Adam Mitchell

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Genetic Structure And Diversity Of Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus) In Three Large Midwestern Rivers, Vaclav Alexei Sotola

Masters Theses

Little information is available regarding the genetic structure and diversity of sportfishes in large rivers, which can be vital to continuing the sustainable exploitation of these fisheries. Additionally, impoundments often have vast impacts on riverine systems. These impacts include altering the flow regime, changing the nutrient load, and preventing migratory fish from reaching their spawning grounds. If fishes are prevented from reaching their spawning grounds, their genetic diversity and structuring could begin to change relative to historic measures, potentially decreasing their fitness and ability to survive. I screened microsatellite loci to assess the genetic population structure and diversity of channel …

Effects Of Turbidity On The Vision And Behavior Of Longear Sunfish, Lindsey Denea Caudle

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fish are known to use vision in many essential behaviors, including foraging, intraspecific communication and predator avoidance. Turbidity is one of the many environmental factors potentially affecting vision quality. I examined the behavior of interacting conspecific fish in varying levels of turbidity to determine how this environmental variable affects vision and behavior. Experiments were designed to observe how longear sunfish, Lepomis megalotis, reacted to visual cues - in this case a conspecific fish in a glass jar - in the presence or absence of turbidity. My hypothesis is that sunfish will display territorial behavior when introduced to another fish …

Demographics And Parasites Of Spotted Bass In The Wabash River, Evan C. Boone

Masters Theses

Spotted Bass Micropterus punctulatus Rafinesque are a popular sport fish primarily found in the streams and reservoirs of the south. The Wabash River, a large tributary of the Ohio River, contains a naturally reproducing population on the northern boundary of their range. Currently, the lower Wabash River is monitored using two different sampling designs, the Long Term Electrofishing Program monitors community assemblages using stratified random sampling whereas the Illinois Department of Natural Resources uses a fixed sampling design. Due to the wide distribution but low abundance of Spotted Bass throughout this drainage, captures from each design were compared to assess …

Diel And Seasonal Patterns Of Channel Catfish Movement And Habitat Use In The Lower Wabash River, Hanna Gibbs Kruckman

Masters Theses

Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus are commonly found throughout the Mississippi River basin and support commercial and recreational fisheries in many large river systems. Understanding population demographics as well as movement patterns and habitat usage can provide a more holistic approach to species management and conservation. Within a 16-km stretch of the lower Wabash River, 27 channel catfish were implanted with acoustic transmitters to monitor fine scale movement and habitat use from September 2014 through April 2016. Channel catfish were located using active tracking during two types of tracking events. Site tracking occurred only during daylight hours and diel tracking monitored …

Stopover Ecology Of Neotropical Migratory Songbirds In The Northern Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, Lauren E. Solomon

Masters Theses

Chapter I. Full-service hotels, convenience stores or fire escapes? Evaluating function of stopover sites for Neotropical migrants in the northern Yucatan Peninsula

Nearctic-Neotropical migratory songbirds incur the highest mortality rates during their annual migrations. Migratory songbirds use a network of stopover sites to rest, refuel, or seek refuge during times of poor weather conditions; and the time and energy expended at these sites exceeds that of migratory flight. In order to conserve stopover sites with the highest value to Neotropical migrants, a conceptual framework was developed to classify stop over sites into three functional categories based on their function for …

Quantifying Bat Detection Survey Methods And Activity Patterns, Tara C. Hohoff

Masters Theses

Bats have an astonishing diversity and provide vital ecosystem services in an array of different niches. In North America, most species of bats are insectivores and tend to be frequently overlooked for their important ecosystem role providing insect control. As bat populations have declined in recent years, farmers, land managers, conservationists, and bat enthusiasts have wondered what we can do to protect our local bat populations. As a first step, we need to develop methods that more effectively survey for rare species of bats. By performing inefficient surveys, we are doing a disservice to our funding agencies providing misinformation that …

Daily Activity Patterns In Three Migratory Bird Species At A Stopover Site On The Northern Coast Of The Gulf Of Mexico, Lynn Schofield

Masters Theses

CHAPTER I: A Comparison of Diel Movement Patterns in Three Bird Species at a Stopover Site on the Northern Coast of the Gulf of Mexico

During migration, birds require stopover habitats where they stop en route to rest, refuel, and prepare for the next stage of their migration. For songbirds, many short movements made within a stopover habitat are known to be costlier than a single long migratory flight, as it takes a considerable amount of energy to initiate flight. This indicates that migrating birds should strive to balance the energy expenditure made in movement during stopover and energy gains …

Asian Carp Population Status And Reproductive Potential In Illinois River Tributaries, Clinton Wesley Morgeson

Masters Theses

Large floodplain rivers are among the most complex natural systems characterized by exchange between the river and its floodplain. Information regarding fishes in main channel habitats is abundant, however much less understanding extends into their tributaries. Tributaries of large rivers provide critical habitats for main channel fishes, important for foraging, spawning, and refuge. In addition to native diversity, large rivers are host to multiple exotic species invasions, threatening biodiversity, ecosystem function, and habitat quality. Two notorious invaders are Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and Bighead Carp (H. nobilis), collectively Asian Carp, presenting an imminent threat of invasion …

Adaptive Significance Of Aberrant Chickadee Song In Illinois, Evan Andrew Glynn

Masters Theses

I studied the behavioral responses of Black-capped (Poecile atricapilus) and Carolina (P. carolinensis) chickadees to playback of Black-capped, Carolina, and aberrant chickadee songs throughout the state of Illinois. These two species are parapatrically distributed throughout the eastern United States, including Illinois. Some areas exist where the ranges of the two species overlap. Individuals in these contact zones often sing aberrant vocalizations. This study focused on the two parental vocalizations (i.e., Black-capped and Carolina song), and two of the most common aberrant vocalizations (the 'Greenville' and 'Vandalia' aberrant dialects), in an attempt to understand the adaptive significance of these aberrant songs. …

Metagenomic Analysis Of The Lacrimal Caruncle Region Of Canis Lupus Familiaris Using Miseq Technology, Seun A. Ikugbayigbe

Masters Theses

The identification of ocular microbiota may allow early diagnosis and treatment strategies against eye diseases and disorders with canines. However, clinical microbial identification has been limited to cloning and conventional culture-based studies, which typically underestimate community diversity. In this report, lllumina MiSeq analysis of the 16S rRNA gene was used to examine the microbiome of the lacrimal caruncle region from five healthy dogs. The breeds sampled were a Golden Retriever (Dog A), a Weimaraner (Dog B), a Shih Tzu mix (Dog C), a Yorkie mix (Dog D), and a Dachshund (Dog E). MiSeq analysis revealed a total of 370 operational …

Trophic Interactions In A Semiaquatic Snake Community: Insights Into The Structure Of A Floodplain Food Web, Cynthia M. Carter

Masters Theses

Food webs provide a useful conceptual framework for evaluating the relationships that exist within ecological systems. Characterizing the interactions within these webs can improve our understanding of how communities are structured and what mechanisms stabilize them. Untangling these interactions can be an intractable problem in complex systems and insights gained from conventional methods are often accompanied by inherent sources of bias. This study used stable isotope analysis, an alternative to traditional methods, to investigate the roles and relative contributions of consumers at the top of a food web to community structure and stability. I compared the niche parameters of five …

Demographics And Seasonal Diet Composition Of Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus Platorynchus Rafinesque) In Wabash River, Vaskar Nepal

Masters Theses

Shovelnose sturgeon Schaphirhynchus platorynchus Rafinesque, one of the only sturgeon species that support a sustainable commercial harvest, are fished in a substantial caviar fishery in the lower Wabash River. However, ecological information on the population is sparse. In this thesis, I present information on the status and seasonal diet characteristics of the population. A 14-year long shovelnose sturgeon monitoring survey conducted by Illinois Department of Natural Resources shows that the population is in relatively good condition, faces low mortality rates, and has a high potential for recruitment. Study of the seasonal composition of diet suggests that shovelnose sturgeon generally get …

Aspects Of The Trophic Ecology Of An Invertivorous Snake Community, Meagan Amanda Thomas

Masters Theses

Understanding the significance of trophic links has been of interest to ecologists for decades, likely because food web studies have the potential to reveal a considerable amount of information in the fields of ecosystem and community ecology. Despite the intrinsic benefits that come from elucidating food web structures, doing so is often problematic because of the complex and dynamic nature of ecological communities. The dietary ecology of small-bodied invertivorous snakes remains relatively understudied compared to other snake species. Many of these species are abundant throughout their range, making them ideal organisms for studying community-level questions. I employed a combination of …

Assessment Of Range, Habitat Use, And Diel Movement Of Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis Olivaris) In The Wabash River Using Ultrasonic Telemetry, Sarah Mary Huck

Masters Theses

Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) are one of the most targeted species for recreational and commercial fishing within the Mississippi River Basin. With heavy harvest pressure placed on many populations, proper management is crucial; however, the species range, habitat requirements, and diel movement patterns have rarely been investigated in free flowing rivers. Therefore, I used ultrasonic telemetry with active tracking to monitor movement and habitat use of 44 Flathead Catfish from August 2012 to December 2013 in the lower 280 km of the Wabash River. This system is ideal to evaluate broad and fine scale movement of Flathead Catfish …

Taking The Road Most Travelled: Understanding Patterns Of Snake (Colubridae; Storeria) Movement And Road Mortality In A State Park, Iwo P. Gross

Undergraduate Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Taking The Road Most Travelled: Understanding Patterns Of Snake (Colubridae; Storeria) Movement And Road Mortality In A State Park, Iwo P. Gross

Student Honors Theses

Roadways negatively affect their surrounding ecosystems through the contamination of air, water, and soil resources, the dissection of populations and habitat areas, and the direct mortality of several fauna. My study assessed the significance of a number of variables that might influence the temporal and spatial patterns of road mortality in a population of Midland Brownsnakes (Storeria dekayi wrightorum). I utilized passive sampling techniques and roadwalking surveys to collect individual snakes from a road during their biannual migrations from lowland activity areas to upland forests where they hibernate. I discovered that sexually biased behavioral and natural history traits impacted an …

Mechanisms Of Freeze Avoidance In Eggs Of The Antarctic Naked Dragonfish (Gymnodraco Acuticeps) And Atlantic Tomcod (Microgadus Tomcod), Jeremy M. Carlson

Student Honors Theses

A remarkable number of marine teleosts belonging to the perciform suborder Notothenioidei and the paracanthopterygian suborder Gadoidei (cods and their allies) have evolved biophysical and physiological adaptations that promote freeze avoidance to temperatures as low as 1oC below the equilibrium freezing point of their body fluids (Cheng et al. 2003; Costanzo et al. 1995; Howes 1991; Raymond and DeVries 1977). Among the Notothenioids endemic to the Antarctic Ocean, the naked dragonfish (Gymnodraco acuticeps, Figure 1) inhabits the ice-laden waters near McMurdo Sound where the annual water temperature remains stable at -1.87 ± 0.1oC (Komatsu et al. 1970; Bargelloni et al. …

Dietary Ecology Of An Actively-Foraging Snake Species: Coluber Constrictor Foxii, Corissa Pauline Lennon

Masters Theses

The trophic niche width of a species varies depending on the foraging strategy employed by the individuals within a population. Among reptiles, the niche breadth of many species of snakes is relatively understudied. Within this clade, the genus Coluber includes wide-ranging, actively foraging snakes that have been historically labeled as dietary generalists. The dietary information on Blue Racers (Coluber constrictor foxii) is limited, and little is known about ontogenetic or seasonal differences in the prey species consumed. Additionally, this information is available from gut and fecal content only. In addition to obtaining gut and fecal contents, I employed stable isotope …

Short-Term Responses Of Fish Assemblages To Habitat Restoration In A Small Midwestern Stream, John Leon West

Masters Theses

Recent efforts to restore stream habitat have become a common practice, yet evaluations of biotic responses to these practices are not as common. I evaluated fish assemblage response to restoration in a reach of Kickapoo Creek, a fourth order stream southwest of Charleston, Illinois. Restoration included 446 meters of bank stabilization, pool scouring keys, and the creation of two artificial riffles. To have a representation of pre-restoration fish assemblages, I sampled four stream reaches of Kickapoo Creek twice before construction of habitat restoration: two control reaches (upstream and downstream) and two restored reaches within a 0.5 km restoration stretch (upstream …

Demographics Of A Commercially Exploited Population Of Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis Olivaris) In The Wabash River, Cassi Jo Moody-Carpenter

Masters Theses

Flathead catfish, Pylodictis olivaris, are a popular game and commercial fish in the Midwestern United States. In the lower 322 km of the Wabash River, flathead catfish are commercially and recreationally harvested by Illinois and Indiana fishers. Current management regulations are different between the two states; Illinois and Indiana have minimum length limits of 381 and 254 mm, respectively. Indiana has proposed changing their minimum length limit to 381 mm and allowing only one fish> 889 mm to be harvested per day. My study examined the current status of flathead catfish in the Wabash River to determine a standardized …

Intracellular Expression Of An Ice Nucleation Protein Reduces Cryoinjury In Insect Cells, Avril M. Harder

Student Honors Theses

Exposure of insect cells to subzero temperatures typically leads to cell membrane disruption and lethal intracellular ice formation. This study seeks to examine the cryoprotective value of trangenically expressing a bacterial ice nucleation protein (INP) in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf-21) cells. The bacterium Pseudomonas syringae naturally produces a membrane-bound INP (inaZ), capable of structuring water and initiating ice formation at temperatures as high as -2 °C. I hypothesized that intracellular expression of an altered form of inaZ (PsINP) in Sf-21 cells will mediate highly regulated ice nucleation when cells are cooled to -80 °C in a slow, controlled manner, …

Demographics Of A Geographically-Isolated Population Of Threatened Salamander (Caudata: Ambystomatidae) In Central Illinois, Stephen J. Mullin, Sarabeth Klueh

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Amphibian populations that use small isolated wetlands are often small in size, susceptible to stochastic extinction processes, and have little to no contact with other populations. One can ascertain the persistence of such populations only by obtaining data that allow the prediction of future changes in population’s size, and propensity to achieve a sustainable number of individuals. The number of metamorphosing larvae leaving a pond predicts the viability of a salamander population, and thus, the number recruited into the terrestrial adult population. The Jefferson Salamander, Ambystoma jeffersonianum, is a listed threatened species in Illinois, occurring at fewer than 15 ponds …

Behavioral Explanations Underlying The Lack Of Trap Effectiveness For Small-Scale Management Of Japanese Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), Paul V. Switzer, Patrick C. Enstrom, Carissa A. Schoenick

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Traps containing a combination floral and synthetic pheromone lure are used to monitor and manage Japanese beetles, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). One key factor limiting trap effectiveness for beetle control is the "trap spillover" phenomenon, in which the trap attracts beetles without capturing them, resulting in increased damage to surrounding host plants. We investigated the mechanisms underlying trap spillover by conducting two studies in a soybean field in east central Illinois. In the first study, we set up trap stations for 1 d and compared the sex, size, and egg load (for females) of beetles caught in the traps …

Behavioral Explanations Underlying The Lack Of Trap Effectiveness For Small-Scale Management Of Japanese Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), Paul Switzer, Patrick Enstrom, Carissa Schoenick

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Traps containing a combination floral and synthetic pheromone lure are used to monitor and manage Japanese beetles, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). One key factor limiting trap effectiveness for beetle control is the "trap spillover" phenomenon, in which the trap attracts beetles without capturing them, resulting in increased damage to surrounding host plants. We investigated the mechanisms underlying trap spillover by conducting two studies in a soybean field in east central Illinois. In the first study, we set up trap stations for 1 d and compared the sex, size, and egg load (for females) of beetles caught in the traps …