Biology Commons^™

Recovery Of Soil Microbial Diversity And Functions Along A Tropical Montane Forest Disturbance Gradient, Renee Sniegocki, Jessica B. Moon, Abigail L. Rutrough, Jude Gireneus, Jaya Seelan Sathiya Seelan, Michael C. Farmer, David C. Weindorf, Kusum Naithani

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Logging and forest conversion are occurring at alarming rates in tropical forests. These disturbances alter soil microbial community structure and functions. While direct links between changes in soil properties, such as pH and microbial community structure are well established, the indirect effects of logging and forest conversion on soil microbial community structure and functions are poorly understood. We used a space-for-time substitution to investigate the changes in soil microbial diversity and functions across a forest recovery gradient in the tropical montane forests of northern Borneo. We used surface (top 5 cm) soil to assess soil physicochemical and microbial (next-generation DNA …

Low Soil Nitrogen And Moisture Limit The Expansion Of The Invasive Grass, Megathyrsus Maximus (Guinea Grass) In Semi-Arid Soils, E. Penelope Holland, Vanessa Thomas, Pushpa G. Soti

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

The goal of this study was to predict the range expansion potential of an invasive forage grass, Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus). We collected rhizosphere soil samples of M. maximus and coexisting species from 150 different locations and analysed them for soil properties. We estimated the probability of M. maximus presence as a function of soil moisture, organic matter, pH, salinity, total N, and CN ratio using logistic regression. Presence of M. maximus was associated with higher soil moisture, higher organic matter, pH, and nitrogen, but lower salinity and CN ratio. Soil nitrogen and moisture …

Climate Warming Amplifies The Frequency Of Fish Mass Mortality Events Across North Temperate Lakes, Simon P. Tye, Adam M. Siepielski, Andrew Bray, Andrew L. Rypel, Nicholas B.D. Phelps, Samuel B. Fey

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Recent increases of animal mass mortality events have coincided with substantial changes in global climate. Yet, tractable approaches that predict how climate change will accentuate occurrences of these ecological catastrophes remain nascent. We compiled one of the most comprehensive datasets of lentic fish mortality events, thermal tolerances of affected families, and 1.2 million air and water temperature profiles across 8891 north temperate lakes in North America. Temperature extremes within and across lakes were strongly associated with the three most frequent cause types (infectious agents, summerkills, winterkills). Thermal tolerances mediated the lethality of direct thermal stress, but mortalities of warm- and …

Computational Study On The Effectiveness Of Flavonoids From Marsilea Crenata C. Presl As Potent Sirt1 Activators And Nfκb Inhibitors, Sri Rahayu, Sasangka Prasetyawan, Sri Widyarti, Mochammad Fitri Atho’Illah, Gatot Ciptadi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Ovarian aging is a natural process in females, and it occurs due to an elevated ROS-induced inflammation caused by oxidative stress. SIRT-1 is a metabolic sensor that tightly regulates oxidative and inflammatory responses. However, this regulative function is antagonized by NFκB. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore the pathways involved in aging and identify the flavonoid compounds from Marsilea crenata that might be useful as SIRT1 activators and NFκB inhibitors. The screening began with exploring the protein-protein interaction in the experimental process using BioGrid, and the role of the flavonoid was evaluated using STITCH. The interaction between …

Molecular Characterization Of Esbls And Ampc Β-Lactamases In Bacteria Isolated From Currency Notes Circulating In Mosul City, Iraq, Mahmood Zeki Al-Hasso, Shakir Ghazi Gergees, Zahraa Khairialdeen Mohialdeen

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The Iraqi currency notes circulating in Mosul city were evaluated for the occurrence of ESBLs and AmpC b-lactamaseproducing bacteria. Four hundred and twenty-two Gram-positive and negative bacterial isolates with different antimicrobial resistance profiles were recovered from 250 samples collected during the period from April to July 2021, among which 150 isolates (35.5%) were multi-drug resistant (MDR). The study found that 16.4% and 14.8% of Gram negative isolates were positive for ESBLs and AmpC phenotypic detection tests, respectively. Interestingly, 6.6% of the isolates were simultaneously positive for both tests. Molecular characterization was carried out using PCR technique to determine the prevalent …

Molecular Docking And Dynamics Simulation Studies To Predict Multiple Medicinal Plants’ Bioactive Compounds Interaction And Its Behavior On The Surface Of Denv-2 E Protein, Arief Hidayatullah, Wira Eka Putra, Muhaimin Rifa’I, Sustiprijatno Sustiprijatno, Diana Widiastuti, Muhammad Fikri Heikal, Hendra Susanto, Wa Ode Salma, Hilal Mulyadi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The envelope protein (E) is a fusion class II protein that is essential for DENV fusion. We use two active compounds derived from commonly used plants in Indonesia: galangin and kaempferide. We ran a docking and 1000 ps molecular dynamic analysis with normal physiological parameters. During the simulation, galangin and kaempferide binding sites fluctuated. But chloroquine has lesser ligand mobility, hence keeping contact with fusion loops, whereas both drugs lose contact with hydrophobic pockets. However, the two active compounds have a more stable ligand configuration. Less than 2 Å alterations were seen in the RMSF simulation of the protein E …

Machine Learning And Scalable Informatics Methods To Predict Disease Status From Multimodal Biomedical Data, Hossein Mohammadian Foroushani

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Biological understanding of complex diseases such as stroke and obesity is critical for the advancement of medicine. Further knowledge discovery can provide effective biomarkers to improve disease diagnosis and prognosis, identify driver mutations, predict individual genetic susceptibility for early prevention and effective disease management, and facilitate development of personalized drugs. Stroke is the second leading cause of death and long-term disability in the world. Thus, stroke management is a time-sensitive emergency. The initial hours after stroke onset map the trajectory of subsequent neurologic complications. Cerebral edema develops hours to days after acute ischemic stroke and may result in midline shift …

Tfa Inference: Using Mathematical Modeling Of Gene Expression Data To Infer The Activity Of Transcription Factors, Cynthia Ma

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Transcription factors (TFs) are a set of proteins that play a key role in the information processing system that enables a cell to respond to changes in internal and external state. By binding near a gene in a cell’s DNA, a TF can influence that gene’s expression level, triggering the appropriate increase or decrease in production levels of proteins that are needed to handle stressors like a change in nutrient availability or damage to the cell’s internal structures. Transcription factor activity (TFA) is a measure of how much effect a TF has on its target genes in a given sample …

Purifications Of Iraqi Petroleum Using Ceramic Ball Nano Cobalt Nickel Ferrite Filter, Huda Jabbar, Enas Muhi, Tahseen Hussien

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Iraqi petroleum, especially from the Al-Ahdab, has a big problem resulting from its high percentage of heavy metals. In this paper, heavy metals were reduced or removed from Iraqi petroleum using a Ceramic Ball Nano Cobalt Nickel Ferrite Filter (BCNF), synthesized by combining kaolin and palm frond in a 30% ratio with Co0.8Ni0.2Fe2O4 nanoparticles in a various ratios (5, 10, 15, and 20%). The sol-gel technique prepared Co0.8Ni0.2Fe2O4 nanoparticles. The structure and magnetic properties of the material are described using X-RD, FT-IR, and VSM techniques. In addition, the water ab-sorption ratio and apparent porosity were assessed. The results show that …

Studying The Physical And Biological Characteristics Of Denture Base Resin Pmma Reinforced With Zro2 And Tio2 Nanoparticles, Fatin A. Asim, Entessar H.A. Al-Mosaweb, Wafaa A. Hussain

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) suffers from poor mechanical properties that limit its application in the bio-medical field. In this study, PMMA was reinforced with zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanopar-ticles; subsequently, the hardness, porosity, biocompatibility, bacterial adhesion, and colonization of the reinforced PMMA with various oxide nanoparticles were characterized. The results of this study indicated that reinforced material inhibits bacterial growth and decreases bacterial adhesion by decreasing porosity and increasing PMMA hardness. Based on the findings, 3 wt% PMMA-ZrO2 and 3 wt% PMMA-ZrO2 -TiO2 composites significantly inhibited bacterial growth and adherence while maintaining hemolysis PT and INR and enhancing …

Skin Lesion Segmentation Based On U-Shaped Network, Muna Khalaf, Ban N. Dhannoon

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Skin lesion segmentation is an essential step toward accurate skin lesion diagnosis. The need to automate Skin lesion segmentation on the one hand, and the challenges it faces, on the other hand, have made it a growing area of research and focus. Automation of skin lesion segmentation helps reduce the effort and time needed for diagnosis and treatment and helps make better utilization of available data and shared experiences. The challenges faced by the automation of skin lesion segmentation can be broadly defined by (but not limited to); variations in texture, shape, and size for skin lesions and the low …

C60 Hydrofullerene Induced Autophagy And Ameliorated Gfap In H2o2 Treated Human Malignant Glioblastoma U-373 Cell Line, Aryan M. Faraj, Can A. Agca, Victor S. Nedzvetsky, Artem A. Tykhomyrov

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Glioblastoma is one of the most combative astrocytoma that is resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This resistance makes it very difficult to treat. However, researches have shown that nanoparticles especially C60 hydrofullerene have antioxidant and anticancer activity. The effect of C60 hydrofullerene in cancer has been extensively studied; however, the potential regulation of autophagy and modulation of the Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) gene has not been addressed in glioblastomas. Glioblastoma U-373 cell was treated with 0.5 µM of C60 hydrofullerene and/or 1 mM of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for 24 hours. This study demonstrated that C60 hydrofullerene and H2O2 significantly …

Improving Prediction Of Arabic Fake News Using Fuzzy Logic And Modified Random Forest Model, Tahseen A. Wotaifi, Ban N. Dhannoon

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Throughout the last few years, the world is witnessing the so-called age of social media, as there is a complete dependence on these sites for following up on events and activities. The problem is that the misinformation or fake news is always released at the appropriate time, so this false news spreads quickly and takes a very wide resonance. Although several studies are performed to determine English fake news, the identification of Arabic misinformation remains underdeveloped. This study aims to build an improved learning model for detecting fake news in the Arabic language. Unlike previous studies that depended on analyzing …

Synthesized Zinc Nanoparticles Via Pulsed Laser Ablation: Characterization And Antibacterial Activity, Sahar Naji Rashid, Kadhim A. Aadim, Awatif Sabir Jasim, Arshad Mahdi Hamad

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The pulsed laser ablation of a metallic target in the liquid (PLAL) is a modern and good method for creating a variety of nanomaterials that have piqued the interest of researchers in the last decade. It is used in this work to prepare zinc na-noparticles and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnPNs and ZnO NPs) using Nd: YAG laser with the two wavelengths (532 nm) and (355 nm) using the energies (600 mJ) and (500 mJ) respectively, and the number of the pulse (500, 600, 700, 800, and 900 Pulses); for each wavelength used in this work. The properties of the prepared …

A Successful Elimination Of Indonesian Sars-Cov-2 Variants And Airborne Transmission Prevention By Cold Plasma In Fighting Covid-19 Pandemic: A Preliminary Study, Muhammad Nur, Chairul A. Nidom, Setyarina Indrasari, Arif N. M. Ansori, Mohamad Y. Alamudi, Astria N. Nidom, Sumariyah Sumariyah, Eva Sasmita, Eko Yulianto, Andi W. Kinandana, Anwar Usman, Muhammad K. J. Kusala, Irine Normalina, Reviany V. Nidom

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Global infection and mortality rates have soared to millions due to SARS-CoV-2 human-to-human transmission from via droplets which then declared as pandemic. This study examined the created cold plasma equipment (CPE) effectiveness in reducing COVID-19 transmission in a confined space. CPE sucked air using a fan in a test chamber then pushed it into a cold plasma reactor. The results indicated that it was able to terminate all SARS-CoV-2 variants along with bacteria and fungi indoors by keeping it turned on for 30 minutes’ minimum. CPE was proven as safe and effective to hinder virus transmission with the acceptable ozone …

Green Approach For Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesis: Application In Antimicrobial And Anticancer- An Updated Review, Norul Aini Zakariya, Wan Hafizah W. Jusof, Shahnaz Majeed

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Cancer and microbial infections create numerous challenges nowadays. Chemotherapy agents cause severe side effects, while microbial infections, especially multidrug-resistant bacterial strains hard to treat with available antibiotics. Therefore, this review provides an overview of the green synthesis of Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) with their physicochemical properties and mechanism of action . The IONPs causes cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity by causing oxidative distress through the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). The IONPs as an anticancer and antimicrobial agent may help to overcome the limitation of conventional treatments but needs toxicity evaluation before usage in clinical applications.

A High Yield Method For Protoplast Isolation And Ease Detection Of Rol B And C Genes In The Hairy Roots Of Cauliflower (Brassica Oleracea L.) Inoculated With Agrobacterium Rhizogenes, Qutaiba Shuaib Al-Nema, Ghazwan Qasim Hasan, Omar Abdulazeez Alhamd

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Protoplasts represent a unique experimental system for the circulation and formation of genetically modified plants. Here, protoplasts were isolated from genetically modified hairy root tissues of Brassica oleracea L. induced by the Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain (ATCC13332). The concentration of enzyme solutions utilized for protoplast isolation was 1.5 % Cellulase YC and 0.1 % Pectolyase Y23 in 13% mannitol solution, which resulted in high efficiency of isolation within 8 hours, in which the protoplast yield was 2 × 104 cells ml-1 and the percentage of viability was 72%. Each protoplast has one nucleus with a nucleation of 48%. A polymerase chain …

Relationships Of Magnetic Properties And Heavy Metals Content Of Guano In Bat Cave, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Muhammad Arsyad, Vistarani Arini Tiwow, Meytij Jeanne Rampe, Henny Lieke Rampe

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Bat Cave is one of the caves with guano deposits in the Rammang-Rammang karst area, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The guano deposits can indicate environmental changes in the cave. This study aims to analyze the magnetic properties and correlation between magnetic susceptibility and heavy metal content in guano. Sampling was carried out in Bat Cave, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, and magnetic susceptibility, XRD (mineralogy analysis), and XRF (heavy metal content analysis) were measured. The results showed that the guano sample contained superparamagnetic grains and stable single domain (SP-SSD) measuring -8m³/kg. The location of caves in karst areas and climate change …

Tapioca Starch In The Sol-Gel Synthesis Of Cobalt Ferrites With Divalent Cation Substitutions, Anuchit Hunyek, Chitnarong Sirisathitkul, Krit Koyvanich

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

An aqueous solution of tapioca starch was successfully used as a chelating agent in the sol-gel synthesis of Co0.7Me0.3Fe2O4, where Me denotes Co, Mn, Cu, Ni, or Zn. The hysteresis loops of all sintered ferrites revealed ferrimagnetic properties. The saturation magnetization was reduced in Co0.7Cu0.3Fe2O4 and Co0.7Ni0.3Fe2O4 because of the ion substitutions with smaller magnetic moments. Interestingly, Co0.7Cu0.3Fe2O4 exhibited the highest saturation magnetization and the lowest coercive field. This result demonstrates the value addition of local agricultural products in controlling nanoparticle formation during sol-gel synthesis.

Investigating The Nuclear Properties Of 162-172 Er Isotopes Using Ibm-1, Sef, And Nee, Amal M. Al-Nuaimi, R.B. Alkhayat, Mushtaq Abed Al-Jubbori

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The energy levels of the ground state band (GSB), , and γ-bands for 162-172Er isotopes are calculated in this work by adopting the Interacting Boson Model (IBM-1), the Semi-Empirical Formula (SEF) and the New Empirical Equation (NEE). The GSB, , and γ-bands results revealed that IBM-1, SEF, NEE, and the available experimental data are all in agreement with certain variations. The NEE is more compatible with the experimental data than the IBM-1 and SEF calculations. This study demonstrates that the SEF and NEE equations are able to describe the energy spectra of Er isotopes in comparison to IBM-1. The Er …

Antimicrobial And Cytotoxic Properties Of Extracts From Over-Seasoned Worm-Casts Of The Earthworm Hyperiodrilus Africanus Beddard, 1891, Stephen Olugbemiga Owa, David Adeiza Otohinoyi, Theresa Ibibia Edewor-Ikupoyi, Adeolu Adeola Taiwo, Jenifer Akhere Okosun, Yvonne Oluchi Akujobi, Damilola Grace Oyewale, Tomilola Debby Olaolu, Damilare Emmanuel Rotimi, Osarenkhoe Omorefosa Osemwegie, Oluyomi Stephen Adeyemi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

⦁ Background: Despite the continuous interest in the search for therapeutic agents, little attention has been given to the medicinal relevance of earthworm casts, with even less interest in over-seasoned worm-casts. Therefore, this study determined the phytochemical, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic properties of over-seasoned worm-casts of the earthworm Hyperiodrilus africanus (Eudrilidae). Methods: The earthworm casts were extracted with n-hexane, ethanol, and water and the crude extracts were evaluated for the presence of chemical constituents and antimicrobial properties. Cytotoxicity was inferred from the antimitotic effects of the extracts on the radicles of germinating seeds of Sorghum bicolor. Results: The chemical constituent determinations …

A Review On The Ethnobotanical, Phytochemistry, And Pharmacological Activities Of Aristolochia Longa L., Oluwafemi Adeleke Ojo, Matthew Iyobhebhe, Bukola Atunwa, Adebola Busola Ojo

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Aristolochia longa L. is a plant native to Algeria and Morocco that has been used by the locals to combat different arrays of infections and diseases found among them. This particular plant is well-known for its therapeutic qualities that could be traced back to the presence of many effective phytochemicals that have been extrapolated from the different parts of the plant, like the leaves and roots: flavonoids, saponins, tannins, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, β-carotenes, limonenes, and palmitic acids. This plant has been identified in different research articles to be able to manage diseases effectively because it possesses some pharmacological attributes such as; …

Applicability Limits Of The End Face Fiber-Optic Gas Concentration Sensor, Based On Fabry-Perot Interferometer, S.M.R.H. Hussein, A.Zh. Sakhabutdinov, O.G. Morozov, V.I. Anfinogentov, J.A. Tunakova, A.R. Shagidullin, A.A. Kuznetsov, K.A. Lipatnikov, A.R. Nasybullin

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The mathematical model of the fiber-optic sensor for gas concentration analysis is under study. The sensor is imple-mented as Fabry-Perot interferometer at the end face of the optical fiber by applying a thin polymer film, which permit-tivity depends on the tested gas concentration. It is shown, that a change in the properties of the optical fiber or the at-mosphere permittivity leads mainly to the spectrum contrast changing and does not change the period and the wave-length shift of its comb. The influence of the polymer film thickness, the environment temperature and humidity on the Fabry-Perot spectrum is analyzed. The necessity …

Molecular Docking Reveals Phytoconstituents Of The Methanol Extract From Muntingia Calabura As Promising Α-Glucosidase Inhibitors, Nurlena Andalia, Muhammad N. Salim, Nurdin Saidi, Muhammad Ridhwan, Muhammad Iqhrammullah, Ummu Balqis

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Inhibition of α-glucosidase has been used as a management of type 2 diabetes mellitus, where studies are focused on finding more efficacious and safe drugs. Herein, the research aimed to unveil the potential of phytoconstituents contained in methanol extract of Muntingia calabura leaves in inhibiting α-glucosidase through molecular docking simulation. From a systematic search (Scopus), we found 5 eligible articles and identified 28 phytocompounds. Fisetin, pinostrobin, and rhamnetin identified in M. calabura extract were predicted to have good bioavailability. Finally, fisetin was revealed as the most potential α-glucosidase inhibitor candidate with a binding affinity of -7.5 kcal/mol.

Chromosome Number Evolution, Phylogeography, And The Effects Of Climate Change On Species Distributions In Polyploid Plant Systems, Courtney H. Babin

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Polyploidy, a term used to describe organisms with cells having more than two paired sets of chromosomes, is a significant driver of diversification among land plants. Over a century of research has advanced our understanding of polyploidization in some taxa, but polyploid organisms remain understudied. In this dissertation, I investigate chromosome number evolution, phylogeographic structure, genetic differentiation, and the effects of climate change on ploidy level distribution using polyploid plant systems. In the first chapter, I inferred a molecular phylogeny of Allium, an economically important genus that includes cultivated crops and ornamentals, to investigate evolutionary transitions in chromosome number …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, July & August 2022, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 3, Issue 5

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards & Recognition
Page 3 Resources for Student Success
Page 4 Welcome to New Faculty & Staff
Page 5 Summer Activities in CNS
Page 9 Celebrating the lives of those who touched the College
Page 10 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 12 Open PRAIRIE Data
Page 13 Snaps from he start of the semester
Page 14 Science as Art Competition

Chihuahuan Desert Rock Pool Community Assemblages: Patterns Of Taxonomic Diversity, Joseph Lee Mcdaniel

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

As climate change continues to become more prevalent, increasing temperatures and altering precipitation patterns will disrupt the environmental balance of ecosystems and spark the imminent threat of a 6th mass extinction event. Many researchers believe this has already begun, as losses for numerous taxonomic clades have been well documented; however, the loss of invertebrates is still unknown and may be much more severe than those of other animal clades. A significant factor contributing to the shortfall of invertebrate biodiversity loss is rooted in the lack of understanding of the diversity and distribution of these animals. There is still much to …

Exploring New Methods For Quantifying Soil Reduction, Redox Potential, And Iron Reducing Bacteria Using The Iris Method In Wetland Soils., Jessica Everett

Biology Theses

The presence of hydric soils is one of the key factors used to identify and delineate wetlands as specified by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The Indicator of Reduction in Soil (IRIS) Method, accepted by the National Technical Committee for Hydric Soils (NTCHS) can indicate iron reduction in soil which can identify hydric soil for wetland delineation efforts. This thesis was conducted to see if the IRIS method had potential for other uses such as quantifying relative measurements of iron reducing bacteria and to see if a colorimetric scale could be curated to bring less subjection to …

Bbt Acoustic Alternative Top Bracing Cadd Data Set-Norev-2022jun28, Bill Hemphill

STEM Guitar Project’s BBT Acoustic Kit

This electronic document file set consists of an overview presentation (PDF-formatted) file and companion video (MP4) and CADD files (DWG & DXF) for laser cutting the ETSU-developed alternate top bracing designs and marking templates for the STEM Guitar Project’s BBT (OM-sized) standard acoustic guitar kit. The three (3) alternative BBT top bracing designs in this release are
(a) a one-piece base for the standard kit's (Martin-style) bracing,
(b) 277 Ladder-style bracing, and
(c) an X-braced fan-style bracing similar to traditional European or so-called 'classical' acoustic guitars.

The CADD data set for each of the three (3) top bracing designs includes …

Orthotrichum Lyellii As An Active Moss Biomonitor: Examining The Interplay Between Ambient Pm10, Bulk Deposition And Heavy Metals In An Urban Environment, Scott Bradley Kiel

Dissertations and Theses

The importance of monitoring and preventing pollution in the environment is a globally recognized issue. Of the criteria pollutants outlined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, particulate matter is among these least understood in relation to toxicity and most wide-spread. Many governments have employed continuous air quality monitoring networks to track ambient levels of particulate matter, but are often too widespread to capture the heterogeneity of the urban environment, especially for heavy metal deposition. In Portland, OR, the epiphytic moss Orthotrichum lyellii was successfully used as a low-cost passive biomonitor to increase the spatial resolution of pollution around the …