Biology Commons^™

Economic Costs Of Biological Invasions In The United States, Jean E. Fantle-Lepczyk, Phillip J. Haubrock, Andrew M. Kramer, Ross N. Cuthbert, Anna J. Turbelin, Robert Crystal-Ornelas, Christophe Diagne, Franck Courchamp

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

The United States has thousands of invasive species, representing a sizable, but unknown burden to the national economy. Given the potential economic repercussions of invasive species, quantifying these costs is of paramount importance both for national economies and invasion management. Here, we used a novel global database of invasion costs (InvaCost) to quantify the overall costs of invasive species in the United States across spatiotemporal, taxonomic, and socioeconomic scales. From 1960 to 2020, reported invasion costs totaled $4.52 trillion (USD 2017). Considering only observed, highly reliable costs, this total cost reached $1.22 trillion with an average annual cost of …

Knowledge Gaps In Economic Costs Of Invasive Alien Fish Worldwide, Phillip J. Haubrock, Camille Bernery, Ross N. Cuthbert, Chunlong Liu, Melina Kourantidou, Boris Leroy, Anna J. Turbelin, Andrew M. Kramer, Laura N.H. Verbrugge, Christophe Diagne, Franck Courchamp, Rodolphe E. Gozlan

Integrative Biology Faculty and Staff Publications

Invasive alien fishes have had pernicious ecological and economic impacts on both aquatic ecosystems and human societies. However, a comprehensive and collective assessment of their monetary costs is still lacking. In this study, we collected and reviewed reported data on the economic impacts of invasive alien fishes using InvaCost, the most comprehensive global database of invasion costs. We analysed how total (i.e. both observed and potential/predicted) and observed (i.e. empirically incurred only) costs of fish invasions are distributed geographically and temporally and assessed which socioeconomic sectors are most affected. Fish invasions have potentially caused the economic loss of at least …

Multiomic Hypotheses Underlying Behavioral Manipulation Of Camponotus Floridanus Ants By Ophiocordyceps Camponoti-Floridani Fungi, Ian Will

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Parasitic manipulation of host behavior lies at the intersection of disease, animal behavior, and coevolutionary processes. In many of these interactions, the underpinning biology is brought into sharp focus as they are obligate relationships, under strong selection to bring about specific changes in host behavior that determine if the parasite will transmit or die. However, experimental and molecular techniques to understand these interactions are still developing and identification of the mechanisms of manipulation is a primary goal in the field. As such, we investigated host-parasite interactions between Camponotus floridanus (Florida carpenter ant) and Ophiocordyceps camponoti-floridani (Florida zombie ant fungus) from …

Effect Of Metal-Containing Nanoparticles On Bacterial Biofilms And On The Microbiome Of Girardia Tigrina, Azar Saikali

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Anthropogenically-produced nanoparticles are a form of nanotechnology being used in industries including food and textiles. Humans and livestock are frequently exposed to metal-containing nanoparticles (MCNPs), that have been washed into streams and rivers, have been deliberately used in food packaging as antimicrobials, preservatives or for supplementation. The animal microbiome, which consists of a diverse community of microorganisms, provides a number of benefits to the host in terms of nutrition availability, immune support, and can influence behavior. Biofilms of diverse microbes may cause detrimental effects, for instance by causing dental diseases in humans. However, the scientific community has not reached consensus …

Modeling Jadera Haematoloma’S Phenotypic Variation In The Context Of Its Developmental Plasticity, Michael C. Yorsz

Honors Theses

Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of an organism to integrate information from environmental cues to inform the development of its phenotype and remains understudied in biology. Models of plasticity are needed because evolution in the presence of plasticity is poorly understood. Jadera haematoloma, a hemimetabolous true bug, is an excellent animal model of plasticity, exhibiting a non-linear plastic response to juvenile nutrition that biases adult development into groups with differences in flight capability, wing shape, and fecundity. However, there is a lack of literature consensus regarding the range of developmental outcomes in the species. Some publications report the presence …

Developmental Validation Of A Bacterial Signature-Based Identification Method Of Forensically Relevant Human Biological Samples, Denise M. Wohlfahrt

Theses and Dissertations

The confirmatory identification of body fluids is one of the most critical steps in criminal investigations, as it provides not only information on the source of the DNA, but it can corroborate evidence, aid in the reconstruction of a crime, and associate evidence with a person of interest. Current serological methods utilize biochemistry and immunology to identify biological evidence; however, these serological tests are mostly presumptive while only testing for one fluid at a time, potentially wasting precious evidence. More recently, forensic investigators have suggested the use of molecular methods such as mRNA, miRNA, or DNA methylation. While each of …

Immunohistochemistry Of The Zebrafish Retina, Alison Ruf

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The retina is made up of many different essential parts that work together to allow for vision of many different species. Some of these crucial cells and proteins include ganglion cells, bipolar cells, photoreceptors, synaptic markers, such as VGLUT, and receptors that bind glutamate. The basis of this project is to use immunohistochemistry to identify these important aspects of the retina in zebrafish via monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. The goal being to compare specific cells in a control group retina to an experimental group of zebrafish.

Understanding The Effects Of Embryonic Hyperglycemia On Retinal Development And Maintenance, Kayla Titialii-Torres

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Hundreds of millions of people are affected by diabetes worldwide. Whether they are diagnosed with prediabetes or Type I or II diabetes, there are a variety of mechanisms in the pathogenesis of diabetes. Diabetes is a disease which consists of recurring states of hyperglycemia that can be difficult to manage due to either lack of insulin production or improper utilization of insulin. While these mechanisms of action differ, complications induced by diabetes occur in both poorly regulated Type I and II. Common complications of diabetes include nerve damage, kidney damage, and eye damage. Eye damage specifically is called diabetic retinopathy …

Arctic Stream Characteristics And Diet Analysis Choice Impact Condition And Diet Estimates Of Ninespine Stickleback (Pungitius Pungitius), Adam Kuhrt

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) are ubiquitous in circumpolar freshwaters, but their ecological role is not well understood. Little research has been conducted on the influence of environmental variables on ninespine stickleback in stream environments, and while they are understood to be generalist feeders, their diet in stream environments is equally understudied. Determining diet is difficult due to biases inherent in all standard diet analysis methods. Morphological gut-content analysis (M-GCA), DNA metabarcoding of gut contents (D-GCA), and stable isotope analysis (SIA) are currently three of the most frequently conducted diet analyses; and while combinations of these methods are commonly …

Effects Of 17Α-Ethinylestradiol (Ee2) On Gonadal Development And Gene Expression In Larval Mummichog (Fundulus Heteroclitus), Carly Sing-Judge

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) is a small-bodied estuarine fish that inhabits the North American east coast and is often used as a model adult saltwater fish in environmental bioassays. This study aimed to describe gonadal development and gene expression levels in five-week-old mummichog under control conditions and following 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE₂) treatment in order to better understand the susceptibility of sex determination (SD) and gonadal differentiation (GD) processes following contaminant exposure. In the first experiment, eggs were fertilized, collected and incubated in the laboratory for three weeks, then yolk-sac larvae were grown out for five weeks and …

Toxicity Of The Technology Critical Elements Germanium And Yttrium To Daphnia Magna And Hyalella Azteca And The Influence Of Toxicity Modifying Factors, Rashid Shah

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Technology critical elements (TCEs) are increasingly used in high and green technologies but there is little aquatic toxicity data for TCEs, particularly in fresh water. The objective of this study was to investigate the toxicity of two TCEs, Ge and Y, to Daphnia magna and Hyalella azteca and to understand the role of natural organic matter and cations on toxicity modification. Testing followed standard methods. The 48 h EC50 for D. magna was 11.6 (95% CI of 9.64-13.8) mg Ge/L based on measured dissolved concentrations at test end. The addition of NOM at 10 mg DOC/L resulted in a significant …

Histological Comparison Of Shark Dermis Across Various Ecomorphologies, Olivia Schuitema

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The integument plays essential roles in the structural support, protection, and hydrodynamic capability among fishes. Most shark skin research has been done on the external epidermal layer containing the dermal denticles, while the larger dermis layer has been mostly ignored. The dermis layer in sharks is composed of two layers, the upper stratum laxum and the lower stratum compactum, holding supportive collagen and elastin fibers. There may be morphological and compositional differences in the dermis layers across various species of sharks, although the extent of such is unknown. These potential differences may be represented by various dermal thicknesses and different …

Impacts Of Changing Permafrost Conditions On Vegetation Productivity In The Northern Boreal Forest, Emily Ogden

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Vegetation productivity across the boreal forest has increased over the past several decades. However, at a regional scale there is large variation from increased (greening) to decreased (browning) productivity and large areas with no measured change. Some of this variation can be explained by disturbances, such as wildfire, or by increased climate variability. In northern regions underlain by permafrost, the interactions between climate, disturbance, and vegetation productivity may be more complex. For my thesis, I used a time-series of ground thermal data from permafrost monitoring sites established by the Geological Survey of Canada along a latitudinal transect of the Northwest …

Impact Of Orthophosphate As A Corrosion Inhibitor And Chloramine Disinfectant On Drinking Water Biofilm Communities, Mitchell Cooke

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

A drinking water distribution system (DWDS) must maintain conditions within quality standards which assure the effective and safe transport of finished drinking water from treatment plants to the household tap. Although safe to drink, finished water is not sterile, and may contain hundreds of microorganisms in a single milliliter. These microorganisms are present from the source waters, such as lakes, rivers and aquifers, and have passed through early treatment steps. Final treatment steps, such as the maintenance of disinfectant residuals, are used to further minimize viable cells present and focus on the reduction of harmful organisms. Microbial cells entering the …

Design And Validation Of Artificial Feeders To Study Feeding Preferences And Growth Of Hematophagous Juvenile Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon Marinus), Gracie Li-Ting-Wai

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The parasitic and invasive land-locked sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus populations contributed to the collapse of the Great Lakes fisheries in the mid-1900s, while native anadromous populations are currently under threat and require conservation efforts for protection. Despite the increasing concern for both populations of this species, the juvenile stage of the sea lamprey’s life cycle has not been well studied. This is due, in part, to ethical concerns raised around holding live host fish with juveniles and the lack of an alternative feeding method to maintain these juveniles in the laboratory. The feeder should be designed to minimize fouling of …

Activity Patterns Of The Del Norte Salamander (Plethodon Elongatus): Monitoring Plethodontid Behavior Using Pit Tag Surveys, Sabrina Horrack

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Semi-fossorial plethodontid salamanders exhibit behavioral plasticity to avoid desiccation, retreating underground to shelter from adverse conditions such as low precipitation and high temperatures. In this study, I used passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag surveys to monitor this behavior in the Del Norte salamander (Plethodon elongatus), a small plethodontid native to northwestern California and southwestern Oregon. Within its range, a climatic gradient exists in which coastal areas experience milder temperatures and high precipitation, while inland areas tend to have colder winters, hotter summers, and lower precipitation. By monitoring the activity patterns of this species in inland and coastal areas, …

Development Of A Muc16-Targeted Near-Infrared Antibody Probe For Fluorescence-Guided Surgery Of Pancreatic Cancer, Madeline T. Olson

Theses & Dissertations

Pancreatic cancer (PDAC) is an extremely lethal disease with an overall survival rate of 10%. Surgery remains the only potentially curative treatment option, but resections are complicated by infiltrative disease, proximity of critical vasculature, peritumoral inflammation, and dense stroma. Surgeons are limited to tactile and visual cues to differentiate cancerous tissue from normal tissue. Furthermore, translating preoperative images to the intraoperative setting poses additional challenges for tumor detection, and can result in undetected and unresected lesions. Thus, PDAC has high rates of incomplete resections, and subsequently, disease recurrence. Fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) has emerged as a method to improve intraoperative detection …

Exploring The Biofilm Of Candida Auris As It Relates To Persistence In Clinical Setting And Susceptibility To Antimicrobials, Bethany Butts

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

The rapid rise of drug-resistant pathogens is a global health concern. Known pathogens are acquiring resistance to many commonly used drugs, while new drug-resistant pathogens are emerging. These resistant pathogens are responsible for many healthcare-associated infections (HAI) [1, 2]. Candida auris is among these emerging drug-resistant pathogens, first described in 2009. The CDC labels C. auris at the highest level of global public health threat [3,4]. Effective methods of decolonization and control of the organisms have yet to be established, as it is resistant to many agents used for microbial control. Recent research has found that C. auris has the …

A Dystrophin Exon‐52 Deleted Miniature Pig Model Of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy And Evaluation Of Exon Skipping, Yusuke Echigoya, Nhu Trieu, William Duddy, Hong M. Moulton, Haifang Yin, Terence A. Partridge, Eric P. Hoffman, Joe N. Kornegay, Frank A. Rohret, Christopher S. Rogers, Toshifumi Yokota

Genomics and Precision Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Computational And Biochemical Characterizations Of Anhydrobiosis-Related Intrinsically Disordered Proteins., Brett R. Janis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anhydrobiosis is the remarkable phenomenon of “life without water”. It is a common technique found in plant seeds, and a rare technique utilized by some animals to temporarily stop the clock of life and enter a stasis for up to several millennia by removing all of their cellular water. If this phenomenon can be replicated, then biological and medical materials could be stored at ambient temperatures for centuries, which would address research challenges as well as enhance the availability of medicine in areas of the world where refrigeration, freezing, and cold-chain infrastructure are not developed or infeasible. Furthermore, modifying crop …

Co-Option Of The Yolkless Oocyte Receptor For Crispr/Cas9 May Induce Transient Sterility In Female Drosophila Grimshawi Flies, Bronwyn Miller

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Evolutionary developmental biology has historically used generalist model organisms like Drosophila melanogaster. The Hawaiian Drosophilidae radiation, which occurred just 25 million years ago, is an ideal lineage for work in Evo-Devo. Hawaiian flies make up 25% of the world’s Drosophila species and extreme diversity is seen throughout the group. D. grimshawi is a generalist Hawaiian picture-wing fly that has served as a model for the Hawaiian Drosophilidae radiation. However, D. grimshawi’s power and use as a model organism is constrained by our lack of ability to manipulate its genome. In this work, I attempted to edit the genome of …

The Evolutionary Origins Of Autism Associated Genes And Their Role In Great Ape Socio-Communicative Behavior, Azeeza Abdulrauf

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a set of neurological disorders characterized by reduced social interactions and deficits in verbal and nonverbal communication. Although there are no clear genetic markers for ASD, studies have found associations between gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and patients diagnosed with ASD. For this study, the focus is on OXTR, AVPR1A, and FOXP2. OXTR is reported to regulate empathy and stress reactivity while AVPR1A is reported to regulate stress management and territorial aggression, as well as social bonding and recognition. FOXP2 is one of the first genes to be associated with both speech and language recognition …

Mapping Fetch And Diel Movements Of Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys Molitrix Within Kentucky Lake And Lake Barkley With Gis, Levi Umland

Scholars Week

Title: Mapping Silver Carp movements, relative exposure, and fetch within inland reservoirs using Geographic Information Systems.

Author: Levi G Umland

Invasive species across our country have continued to threaten our native species, compete for habitat via interspecific competition, and have caused economic impacts. Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), commonly referred to as Asian Carp, have remained in the invasive species spotlight throughout the southern and mid-western states as they have continued to spread. Silver Carp have successfully spread through our rivers and reservoirs, but little is known about Silver Carp movement rates/behavior within reservoirs due to their lower abundance within …

Image-Based Microbiome Profiling Differentiates Gut Microbial Metabolic States, Sarwesh Rauniyar

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Between The Effects Of Empirical And Theoretical Knockouts On The Structure Of Social Networks, Karina Marie Morales, Christopher Stieha

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

How Within-Host Priority Effects Between Specialist And Generalist Pathogens Affect Disease Risk, Jing Jiao, Michael H. Cortez

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Cetacean Acousticwelfare In Wild And Managed-Care Settings: Gaps And Opportunities, Paige E. Stevens, Heather Hill, Jason N. Bruck

Faculty Publications

Cetaceans are potentially at risk of poor welfare due to the animals’ natural reliance on sound and the persistent nature of anthropogenic noise, especially in the wild. Industrial, commercial, and recreational human activity has expanded across the seas, resulting in a propagation of sound with varying frequency characteristics. In many countries, current regulations are based on the potential to induce hearing loss; however, a more nuanced approach is needed when shaping regulations, due to other non-hearing loss effects including activation of the stress response, acoustic masking, frequency shifts, alterations in behavior, and decreased foraging. Cetaceans in managedcare settings share the …

Plastic-Eating Microbes: A New Potential Solution To Waste Mitigation?, Megan Forbes

University Honors Theses

Plastic waste is problematic for marine and terrestrial ecosystems due to the mass production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) single use plastics. What is unclear is a well-thought-out solution to solve pollution problems that will not further damage the environment. Throughout this literature review, I will investigate the role microbes play in plastic degradation, and if plastic eating microbes are an effective solution to the plastic pollution problem. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the chemical name for polyester. It is a clear, strong, and lightweight plastic that is typically used for food and beverage packaging, and other single-use purposes. The most well …

Assessment Of Non-Saccharomyces Yeast Species As Secondary Fermenters In Beer, Paul J. Clark

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Secondary fermentation of beer is traditionally used to condition and refine the sensory profile of a beer. During methods such as barrel aging or lagering, the yeast continues to produce flavor-active compounds. Some methods include the intentional inoculation of microorganisms or the utilization of natural consortia associated with a barrel, fruit, or additive for the generation of desired sensory profiles. As unique products increase in popularity, brewers have begun to experiment with secondary fermentation using alternative yeast species as bioflavorants. To assess the viability of an organism’s application to brewing, the physiochemical properties of beer and their impact on the …

The Structural And Functional Role Of Photosensing In Rgs-Lov Proteins, Zaynab Jaber

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Light provides organisms with energy and spatiotemporal information. To survive and adapt, organisms have developed the ability to sense light to drive biochemical effects that underlie vision, entrainment of circadian rhythm, stress response, virulence, and many other important molecularly driven responses. Blue-light sensing Light-Oxygen-Voltage (LOV) domains are ubiquitous across multiple kingdoms of life and modulate various physiological events via diverse effector domains. Using a small molecule flavin chromophore, the LOV domain undergoes light-dependent structural changes leading to activation or repression of these catalytic and non-catalytic effectors. In silico analyses of high-throughput genomic sequencing data has led to the marked expansion …