Biology Commons^™

Liana Host Preference And Implications For Deciduous Forest Regeneration, Laura Ladwig, Scott Meiners

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Lianas have the potential to shape forest communities and alter forest regeneration. However, impacts of lianas on forest regeneration, particularly in temperate forests, are largely unstudied. To understand potential liana impacts on the community we need to first know the location and intensity of liana burdens on host trees. We examined liana-tree host references within a series of young regenerating deciduous forests in the Piedmont region of New Jersey, USA. Established trees ($ 5 cm dbh) and the lianas associated with each tree were surveyed in 2008. The five most abundant liana species were Celastrus orbiculatus, Lonicera japonica, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, …

The Seasonality Of Parasites In Illinois House Sparrows (Passer Domesticus): Effect Of Stress On Infection Parameters, Tiffany C.M. Gibson

Masters Theses

Parasitism often shows seasonal variation in their hosts and has been associated with host densities, host stress levels or transmission strategies (Moller et al 2003, Andersen and May 1982 ). This study was designed to evaluate the role of direct versus indirect life cycle transmission strategies, using Isospora and haemosporidians; and the impact of proposed ecological (winter) and physiological (breeding) stresses on parasitism levels. Coccidia have direct life cycles and infect gut tissues and are passed by fecal-oral transmission. Haemosporidians are blood parasites with an indirect life cycle that requires blood-feeding insects for transmission. If parasitemias are influenced by host …

Multiple Endpoints Of Endocrine Disruption In Gravid Watersnakes (Colubridae:Nerodia) As A Function Of Ingestion Of A Common Herbicide, Lorin Anne Neuman-Lee

Masters Theses

Ecotoxicological studies that focus on a single endpoint might not accurately represent the true ecological effects of a contaminant. Exposure to atrazine, a widelyused herbicide, disrupts endocrine function and sexual development in amphibians, but studies involving reptilian species are lacking. This study examines several effects of atrazine ingestion on gravid females and neonates exposed in utero of the Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon). Twenty-five gravid N. sipedon were collected and kept in the lab for the entirety of their gestation period. Each snake received one of four doses of atrazine: control, 2, 20, or 200 ppb. Blood samples were drawn each …

A Spatially Explicit Model To Predict Radiocesium Body Burdens In White-Tailed Deer On The Department Of Energy's Savannah River Site, Christopher W. Bobryk

Masters Theses

A spatially explicit exposure model was developed to interpolate and predict radiocesium (137Cs) body burdens found in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS) in west-central South Carolina. Since 1965 hunting has been allowed from permanent stands as a mechanism to manage the herd and all animals have been monitored in the field for gross beta/gamma activity levels providing a long-term spatially explicit dataset. Until now no study has attempted to model deer 137Cs at the hunt-stand level, but rather at the compartment level (1,000 - 5,200 ha). The models described here use …

The Spatial Distribution Of Japanese Beetles, Popillia Japonica, In Soybean Fields, Stacey A. Sara

Masters Theses

The Japanese beetle, Popilliajaponica Newman, is a serious pest of many agricultural and horticultural plants. Little is known about the distributions of Japanese beetles in agricultural fields which makes pest managyment more difficult. We studied the spatial distribution of Japanese be~tles in soybean fields. In particular, we examined how distance from an edge, edge direction, and edge type affected the distribution and abundance of beetles. Twenty-five soybean fields were transected parallel with the field edges at varying distances from the field edges and sampled for beetles. An edge effect for density was discovered; beetle numbers decreased significantly with increasing distance …

Prey Preference As A Function Of Feeding Experience And Prey Type In Neonate Gartersnakes (Colubridae: Thamnophis), Kathryn B. Hale

Masters Theses

Several species of potential prey have been introduced into the geographic range of the Two-striped Gartersnake, Thamnophis hammondii. Some of these prey species possess defenses that present novel challenges to the snake predator. Despite novel predator defense mechanisms (including secretions from skin glands), adult T. hammondii ingest several of these prey species without adverse effects. Although ~dult T hammondii are dietary generalists, almost nothing is known about prey preferences in newborn individuals that lack feeding experience. My study determined whether or not T. hammondii innately exhibits a preference among native and introduced prey types. Furthermore, I compared the degree of …

A Model Cost Analysis Comparing Solar, Wind And Geothermal Energies, Including Alternatives To Changing Energy Sources, Using Texas Households And Weather, Kimberly Speed

Masters Theses

The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of2008 (P.L. 110-343) provides several incentives and tax credits for Americans interested in investing in alternative energy resources. Solar, wind, and. geothermal systems receive the most tax credits due to their low carbon output, but a determination must be made as to which resource is the most accessible and economically feasible. The State of Texas was used as a model for comparing the three renewable energy resources through analysis of weather variables, geological features, resource availability, amount of energy harvested in relation to equipment, and installation and maintenance costs.

All three energy systems have positive …

Does Evolutionary Exposure Mediate Allelopathic Effects?, Nikki Leigh Pisula

Masters Theses

Allelopathy most commonly refers to chemically mediated plant interference, though the effects may range from beneficial to inhibitory. Allelopathy has been suggested as a potential mechanism for invasion success because invasive species may produce allelochemicals that are evolutionarily novel to recipient communities. To test for evolutionary mediation of allelopathy, six target species were grown in a factorial experiment with and without activated carbon or a native allelopathic species, Solidago canadensis (Canada goldenrod). I used activated carbon to remove allelochemicals to separate allelopathic effects from resource competition. The species represented pairs of evolutionary experienced (native - N) and evolutionarily na'ive (non-native …

Effects Of Forest Edges On Population Dynamics In A Successional System, Kimberly Anne Lang

Masters Theses

Abandoned agricultural land is often bound by remnant woodlands which may locally influence successional dynamics. The primary objective of this study was to examine the effect of an old-growth forest edge on plant population dynamics within a successional system. Data from the Buell-Small Succession Study (BSS) in New Jersey were used to analyze population dynamics in relation to the forest edge during the first 50 years of succession following agriculture. It was hypothesized that edge responses would be driven by either differential colonization (dispersal and establishment) or differential performance (increase within plots).

By looking at individual species' edge responses, I …

Soil Variability And Its Influence On Plant Performance, Jeremy R. Klass

Masters Theses

During recorded history, nearly all temperate deciduous forests in eastern North America have seen extensive agricultural land-use conversions. Persistent influences of agricultural disturbance continue to shape the diversity and composition of the plant community long after agriculture has ceased. While some measures of ecosystem functioning may recover relatively quickly from agricultural disturbance, other characteristics such as levels of organic matter, carbon, and phosphorus, may remain different from primary forests for much longer periods. The alteration of the original ecosystem due to agriculture practices has far reaching impacts on biotic and nutrient dynamics along with causing significant shifts in community composition …

Population Ecotoxicology Of The Common Snapping Turtle In Agriculturally Impacted Lotic Ecosystems, Derrick L. Douros

Masters Theses

Anthropogenic impacts on lotic systems, including pollutants, have had both direct and indirect negative effects on the aquatic habitats of the world. Goals of this study are: (1) Quantify atrazine, the atrazine metabolite diaminochlorotriazine (DACT), and glyphosate burdens in common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) tissue from individuals collected within the Embarras River in Coles County, Illinois. (2) Quantify the atrazine, DACT, and glyphosate loads in water from the aquatic habitats in which common snapping turtles reside. (3) Quantify the relative abundance of all turtle species and movement patterns of common snapping turtles in this lotic ecosystem. Hoop nets and modified …

Influence Of Reproductive And Environmental Factors On Population Size .. Of Wild Hyacinth [Camassia Angusta (Engelm.· And A. Gray) Blank. (Liliaceae)], An Illinois Endangered Species, Kevin Franken, Janice Coons, Henry Owen, Eric Smith, John Ebinger

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Wild hyacinth (Camassia angusta) is a perennial species native to mesic prairies of the midwestern and south-central United States. In Illinois, the only extant population of this state-endangered species is in a small section of degraded black-soil prairie along a railroad track right-of-way south of Elwin, Macon County. The objectives of this study were to determine the population status, seed production, and effects of scarification and stratification on germination of C. angusta. The population was surveyed from 1990 to 2007. A survey of other plant species present was conducted in 1999. The site consisted of approximately 75% native and 25% …

Influence Of Reproductive And Environmental Factors On Population Size .. Of Wild Hyacinth [Camassia Angusta (Engelm.· And A. Gray) Blank. (Liliaceae)], An Illinois Endangered Species, Kevin M. Franken, Janice M. Coons, Henry R. Owen, Eric L. Smith, John E. Ebinger

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Wild hyacinth (Camassia angusta) is a perennial species native to mesic prairies of the midwestern and south-central United States. In Illinois, the only extant population of this state-endangered species is in a small section of degraded black-soil prairie along a railroad track right-of-way south of Elwin, Macon County. The objectives of this study were to determine the population status, seed production, and effects of scarification and stratification on germination of C. angusta. The population was surveyed from 1990 to 2007. A survey of other plant species present was conducted in 1999. The site consisted of approximately 75% native and 25% …

Comparative Vegetative Anatomy And Systematics Of Laeliinae (Orchidaceae), William Stern, Barbara Carlsward

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Laeliinae are one of the most prominent orchid subtribes, with c. 40 genera and nearly 1500 species, and contain a disparate group of taxa with widely varying morphological features. There does not appear to be a complex of characters to which one can refer in order to delineate the subtribe as a whole. Thus, it was thought that vegetative anatomy might provide clues to the monophyly of the group. The microscopic structure of the leaves, stems and roots of representatives of most of the genera was studied. It was concluded that the anatomy lacks overall uniformity and that vegetative characters …

Comparative Vegetative Anatomy And Systematics Of Laeliinae (Orchidaceae), William Louis Stern, Barbara S. Carlsward

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Laeliinae are one of the most prominent orchid subtribes, with c. 40 genera and nearly 1500 species, and contain a disparate group of taxa with widely varying morphological features. There does not appear to be a complex of characters to which one can refer in order to delineate the subtribe as a whole. Thus, it was thought that vegetative anatomy might provide clues to the monophyly of the group. The microscopic structure of the leaves, stems and roots of representatives of most of the genera was studied. It was concluded that the anatomy lacks overall uniformity and that vegetative characters …

Thermodynamics Of Effector Binding To Hemocyanin: Influence Of Temperature, Ariane Pott, Michael A. Menze, Manfred K. Grieshaber

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Hemocyanins are allosterically regulated oxygen carriers freely dissolved in the blood of many crustaceans. The natural modulator urate accumulates under hypoxic conditions in the hemolymph of Homarus vulgaris, and increases the oxygen affinity of the respiratory pigment. Other non-physiological effectors such as caffeine, dimethylxanthines and methylxanthines are also known to modulate the oxygen-binding properties of hemocyanin. In order to gain insight into the thermodynamic driving forces of these interactions we analyzed the binding of several urate analogs to dodecameric hemocyanin at different temperatures by employing isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). All investigated non-physiological effectors including caffeine, dimethylxanthines and methylxanthines bind exothermically …

Botany At Eastern Illinois University, Marissa C. Jernegan, Nancy E. Coutant, Janice M. Coons

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Eastern Illinois University was established in 1899, and from its beginning the importance of the botanical sciences was recognized. Two terms of botany were required for the four year program. Dr. Otis W. Caldwell, a botanist, was one of the original faculty members. He taught all of the biology courses and initiated the acquisition of a greenhouse. Caldwell was the first in a series of talented and dedicated botany professors including Edgar N. Transeau, Ernest L. Stover, Hiram F. Thut and John E. Ebinger. These and many other professors incorporated a field component into almost all classes. This dedication to …

Natural History Notes: Rhinocheilus Lecontei Tesselatus (Longevity), Stephen J. Mullin

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

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 …

Thermoregulation Of Male Elaphe Spiloides In An Agriculturally-Fragmented Forest In Illinois, C. Drew Foster, Sarabeth Kleuh, Stephen J. Mullin

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Anthropogenic forest fragmentation increases the amount of edge habitat. Although edges are harsh environments for many native species, ratsnakes often prefer this habitat. We examined thermoregulatory effectiveness of Central Ratsnakes (Elaphe spiloides) using forest edges preferentially to determine if edge preference is driven by increased thermoregulatory efficiencies. Six male subjects were located every 1-2 days using radio-telemetry and temperature sensitive transmitters. Subjects did not thermoregulate more efficiently in edges than in forest. Snakes were thermoconformers in both habitat types suggesting edge preference might be driven by other factors.

Vegetative Anatomy And Systematics Of Triphorinae (Orchidaceae), Barbara S. Carlsward, William Louis Stern

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Triphorinae represents a group of three anatomically simple genera, the structural features of which are unspecialized. The anomocytic stomatal pattern occurs in all genera; it predominates in Triphora . A foliar hypodermis, sclerenchyma, fibre bundles and stegmata are absent. The mesophyll is homogeneous. The exodermal and endodermal cells in the roots are entirely thin-walled and tilosomes are absent. However, there are anatomical modifications that appear to be unique: root hairs in Monophyllorchis are borne on velamenal buttresses and, in Psilochilus , they arise endogenously. In the root vascular system of Psilochilus , the metaxylem occurs as a circumferential band. The …

Sucrose Phosphate Synthase Expression Influences Poplar Phenology, Thomas Canam, Ji-Young Park, Kyu-Young Kang, Faride Unda, Shawn Mansfield

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The objective of this study was to manipulate the intracellular pools of sucrose, and investigate its role in regulating plant growth, phenology (leaf senescence and bud break) and fibre development. This objective was achieved by differentially expressing an Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana L. Heynh.) sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) gene in hybrid poplar (Populus alba · Populus grandidentata Michx.), a model system for tree biology with substantial industrial relevance in the context of short rotation forestry and a target bioenergy crop. Phenotypic differences were evident in the transgenic trees, as both the timing of bud flush and leaf senescence were altered compared …

Botany At Eastern Illinois University, Marissa Jernegan, Nancy Coutant, Janice Coons

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Eastern Illinois University was established in 1899, and from its beginning the importance of the botanical sciences was recognized. Two terms of botany were required for the four year program. Dr. Otis W. Caldwell, a botanist, was one of the original faculty members. He taught all of the biology courses and initiated the acquisition of a greenhouse. Caldwell was the first in a series of talented and dedicated botany professors including Edgar N. Transeau, Ernest L. Stover, Hiram F. Thut and John E. Ebinger. These and many other professors incorporated a field component into almost all classes. This dedication to …

How Do Animal Mitochondria Tolerate Water Stress?, Michael A. Menze, Steven C. Hand

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The vast majority of animal species do not tolerate severe water stress, but the encysted embryo of the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana is an exceptionally useful organism to investigate physiological mechanisms for enduring extreme environmental insults. Any substantial reduction in cellular water poses a threat to survival. Nevertheless anhydrobiotic animals survive virtually complete loss of cellular water. The mechanisms that govern “life without water” (anhydrobiosis) are still not well understood. With certain exceptions, it seems that a recurring strategy for tolerating severe water loss involves the accumulation of both low molecular weight solutes (e.g. trehalose or other polyol) and highly …

Investigation Of Insect Visits To Flowers Of Stylisma Pickeringii (Patterson Bindweed), An Endangered Plant Of Illinois Sand Prairies, A. E. Claerbout, H. R. Owen, Janice M. Coons, B. L. Todd

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Little is known about the reproductive biology of Stylisma pickeringii var. pattersonii, an endangered plant in Illinois occurring in only three counties (Cass, Henderson, and Mason). The objective of this study was to estimate flower densities and temporal (time of day and seasonal) differences in insect visitation to flowers of S. pickeringii in 2002 for native populations in Henderson and Mason Counties. A 50 m transect was located where S. pickeringii was most abundant and quadrats (0.25 m2) were placed on alternate sides of the tape measure at every meter at random distances from the transect. The number of flowers …

Sucrose Phosphate Synthase Expression Influences Poplar Phenology, Thomas Canam, Ji-Young Park, Kyu-Young Kang, Faride Unda, Shawn D. Mansfield

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The objective of this study was to manipulate the intracellular pools of sucrose, and investigate its role in regulating plant growth, phenology (leaf senescence and bud break) and fibre development. This objective was achieved by differentially expressing an Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana L. Heynh.) sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) gene in hybrid poplar (Populus alba · Populus grandidentata Michx.), a model system for tree biology with substantial industrial relevance in the context of short rotation forestry and a target bioenergy crop. Phenotypic differences were evident in the transgenic trees, as both the timing of bud flush and leaf senescence were altered compared …

Investigation Of Insect Visits To Flowers Of Stylisma Pickeringii (Patterson Bindweed), An Endangered Plant Of Illinois Sand Prairies, A. Claerbout, H. Owen, Janice Coons, B. Todd

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Little is known about the reproductive biology of Stylisma pickeringii var. pattersonii, an endangered plant in Illinois occurring in only three counties (Cass, Henderson, and Mason). The objective of this study was to estimate flower densities and temporal (time of day and seasonal) differences in insect visitation to flowers of S. pickeringii in 2002 for native populations in Henderson and Mason Counties. A 50 m transect was located where S. pickeringii was most abundant and quadrats (0.25 m2) were placed on alternate sides of the tape measure at every meter at random distances from the transect. The number of flowers …

Vegetative Anatomy And Systematics Of Triphorinae (Orchidaceae), Barbara Carlsward, William Stern

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Triphorinae represents a group of three anatomically simple genera, the structural features of which are unspecialized. The anomocytic stomatal pattern occurs in all genera; it predominates in Triphora . A foliar hypodermis, sclerenchyma, fibre bundles and stegmata are absent. The mesophyll is homogeneous. The exodermal and endodermal cells in the roots are entirely thin-walled and tilosomes are absent. However, there are anatomical modifications that appear to be unique: root hairs in Monophyllorchis are borne on velamenal buttresses and, in Psilochilus , they arise endogenously. In the root vascular system of Psilochilus , the metaxylem occurs as a circumferential band. The …

The Effect Of Coalmine Effluent On The Parasite Assemblages Of Lepomis Spp. In The Saline River Basin, Andrew Claxton

Masters Theses

To determine the efficacy of using parasite assemblages as bioindicators of coalmine effluent, a survey of gastro-intestinal helminths from the gut of sunfish, Lepomis spp, was performed. Five species of Lepomis, L. cyanellus, L. nwcrochirus, L. megalotis, L. microlophus, and L. gulosus, were collected from six locations near the Palzo mine, an abandoned coalmine that actively discharges into the lower reach of Sugar Creek. Sunfish were collected from three sites which did not receive effluent from the Palzo mine (Sugar Creek (37° 37'/ 88° 50'), South Fork(37° 41 '/ 88° 52'), and the Little Saline River (37° 38'/ 88° 38')) …

Feathers As Bioindicators Of Pcb Exposure In Clapper Rails, Jay W. Summers

Masters Theses

In this study we used feathers as a biomonitor for exposure to the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) Aroclor 1268. Clapper rails have been used as an indicator species of environmental damage for the LCP superfund site located in Brunswick, GA USA. LCP is contaminated with Aroclor 1268, which has been used in limited amounts elsewhere and therefore can be used as a contaminant marker. Aroclor 1268, including congener profiles, were quantified using gas chromatography (GC). Concurrently each sample was quantified for total Aroclor 1268 using an enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and compared to the GC results to determine if ELISA was …