Biology Commons^™

Survey Of The Illinois Endangered Kankakee Mallow, Iliamna Remota, In Kankakee County, April L. Mcdonnell, Henry R. Owen, Sean C. Jones, Vincent P. Gutowski, John E. Ebinger

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Iliamna remota Greene (Malvaceae), endemic only to Langham Island in the Kankakee River, Kankakee County, Illinois, is a state endangered species. During the present study, the size of the population was determined, the habitat structure in and around the individual colonies analyzed, and management recommendation made to potentially increase the size of the population. During the summer of 2005, the I remota population consisted of 1,074 stems in 12 colonies, located along the northwest side of the island. In late June, flowering appeared to be prolific, where means and standard deviations of floral buds and open flowers were 1.6 :t …

Effect Of In Ovo Exposure To Pcbs And Hg On Clapper Rail Bone Mineral Chemistry From A Contaminated Salt Marsh In Coastal Georgia, Alejandro Rodriquez-Navarro, Christopher S. Romanek, Pedro Alvarez-Lloret, Karen F. Gaines

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The effect of Hg and PCBs (Aroclor 1268) on bone characteristics was investigated in a population of Clapper Rails (Rallus longirostris) inhabiting contaminated and unimpacted estuarine marsh systems in coastal Georgia. Exposure to contaminants did not affect the length or weight of leg bones, but it significantly altered the chemical composition of the bone. Specifically, bone in the contaminated site had a higher Ca to P, and lower carbonate and acid phosphate content. These characteristics are typical of more mature bone mineral and indicate that toxicants have accelerated bone maturation. FTIR spectroscopy data revealed a dose dependent change in the …

Trehalose Uptake Through P2x7 Purinergic Channels Provides Dehydration Protection, Gloria D. Elliott, Jennifer L. Cusick, Xiang-Hong Liu, Michael A. Menze, Trudy Witt, Steven C. Hand, Mehmet Toner

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The tetra-anionic form of ATP (ATP4-) is known to induce monovalent and divalent ion fluxes in cells that express purinergic P2X7 receptors (Steinberg et al., 1987; Sung et al., 1985), and with sustained application of ATP it has been shown that dyes as large as 831 daltons can permeate the cell membrane (Steinberg et al, 1987). The current study explores the kinetics of loading α,α-trehalose (342 daltons) into ATP stimulated J774.A1 cells, which are known to express the purinergic P2X7 receptor (Steinberg et al., 1987). Cells that were incubated at 37 ̊C in a 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) …

Flora And Vegetation Of Coneflower Glacial Drift Hill Prairie Natural Area, Moultrie County, Illinois, Gordon C. Tucker, Nicholas L. Owens, John E. Ebinger

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The vascular flora of Coneflower Glacial Drift Hill Prairie Natural Area in Moultrie County, east-central Illinois, was studied during the growing seasons of 2002 and 2003. The prairie is located on a steep SW-facing hillside of the Cerro Gordo Glacial Moraine, overlooking the Kaskaskia River Valley and Lake Shelbyville. The flora was documented by general reconnaissance, and the structure of the vegetation was sampled in September 2003 using 0.25 m2 plots placed along two transects. The site supported 164 vascular plant species (including one named hybrid). The native grasses with the highest importance values were Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) and …

Additions To The Flora Of Rhode Island, Gordon C. Tucker

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The recent checklist of Rhode Island plants (Gould et al. 1998) provides an excellent documentation of the state's vascular flora. Although geographically distant, I have continued to maintain an interest in the flora of my home state since my first publication on the subject (Tucker 1978). Over the past several years, I have made a few collections that are new records for the state flora. Most are non-native species, and are enumerated below by family.

Sequence Analysis Of Nuclear Rdna Of Anastrepha Suspensa, Ann H. Fritz

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Fungal Spore Dispersal By The Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene Carolina Carolina), S. C. Jones, W. J. Jordan, Scott J. Meiners, A. N. Miller, A. S. Methven

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Although spores from most macrofungi are wind- or water-dispersed, dispersal may also occur via biotic vectors. The Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a facultative mycovore that may play an important role in fungal spore dispersal although, to date, no information exists on fungi occurring in fecal samples of box turtles or on the ecological significance of box turtles as spore dispersal vectors. Consequently, a study of the potential for Eastern box turtles to act as vectors for spore dispersal was initiated by capturing wild turtles and collecting fecal samples. Serial dilutions from fecal samples were made to enumerate …

Eastern Bluebirds Eject Brown-Headed Cowbird Eggs, Brian Peer, Lyndon Hawkins, Edwin Steinke, Patricia Bollinger, Eric Bollinger

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The relationship between the Brownheaded Cowbird (Molothrus ater) and its cavitynesting hosts has received little attention because of the assumption that cowbirds rarely parasitize these hosts. We tested the Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), a host that is sometimes heavily parasitized by cowbirds, for egg ejection behavior. Bluebirds ejected 65% of experimentally added cowbird eggs (n = 20), but ejected no experimentally added conspecific eggs (n = 66). This suggests that cowbird parasitism, not conspecific brood parasitism, is the selective pressure responsible for egg ejection in this species. This level of rejection may be conservative because bluebirds nest in dark cavities, …

Comparative Vegetative Anatomy And Systematics Of The Angraecoids (Vandeae, Orchidaceae) With An Emphasis On The Leafless Habit, Barbara Carlsward, William Stern, Benny Bytebier

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The vegetative anatomy and morphology of 142 species of the angraecoid orchids (Angraecinae + Aerangidinae) and 18 species of Aeridinae were examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. Leafless members of Vandeae were of particular interest because of their unique growth habit. Leafy and leafless members of Angraecinae and Aerangidinae were examined and compared with specimens of Aeridinae. Vandeae were homogeneous in both leaf and root anatomy. A foliar hypodermis and fibre bundles were generally absent. Stegmata with spherical silica bodies were found associated with sclerenchyma and restricted to leaves in almost all specimens examined. Distinct inner tangential wall thickenings …

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

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Subtribe Oncidiinae comprises a vegetatively heterogeneous assemblage of species that has persistently been incapable of organization. Anatomy was considered to be a possible means to resolve the perplexity of relationships amongst the constituent taxa. The consistent occurrence of a foliar hypodermis, homogeneous mesophyll, conical silica bodies in stegmata, and ubiquitous fibre bundles in leaves provides a matrix for linking the taxa, as do the parenchymatous pith and O-thickened endodermal cell walls in roots. However, the strict consensus of the 40 genera studied was completely unresolved, suggesting that vegetative characters alone are insufficient to assess the relationships amongst these taxa, a …

Flora And Vegetation Of Coneflower Glacial Drift Hill Prairie Natural Area, Moultrie County, Illinois, Gordon Tucker, Nicholas Owens, John Ebinger

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The vascular flora of Coneflower Glacial Drift Hill Prairie Natural Area in Moultrie County, east-central Illinois, was studied during the growing seasons of 2002 and 2003. The prairie is located on a steep SW-facing hillside of the Cerro Gordo Glacial Moraine, overlooking the Kaskaskia River Valley and Lake Shelbyville. The flora was documented by general reconnaissance, and the structure of the vegetation was sampled in September 2003 using 0.25 m2 plots placed along two transects. The site supported 164 vascular plant species (including one named hybrid). The native grasses with the highest importance values were Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) and …

Fungal Spore Dispersal By The Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene Carolina Carolina), S. Jones, W. Jordan, Scott Meiners, A. Miller, A. Methven

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Although spores from most macrofungi are wind- or water-dispersed, dispersal may also occur via biotic vectors. The Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a facultative mycovore that may play an important role in fungal spore dispersal although, to date, no information exists on fungi occurring in fecal samples of box turtles or on the ecological significance of box turtles as spore dispersal vectors. Consequently, a study of the potential for Eastern box turtles to act as vectors for spore dispersal was initiated by capturing wild turtles and collecting fecal samples. Serial dilutions from fecal samples were made to enumerate …

Eastern Bluebirds Eject Brown-Headed Cowbird Eggs, Brian D. Peer, Lyndon R. Hawkins, Edwin P. Steinke, Patricia Blair Bollinger, Eric K. Bollinger

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The relationship between the Brownheaded Cowbird (Molothrus ater) and its cavitynesting hosts has received little attention because of the assumption that cowbirds rarely parasitize these hosts. We tested the Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), a host that is sometimes heavily parasitized by cowbirds, for egg ejection behavior. Bluebirds ejected 65% of experimentally added cowbird eggs (n = 20), but ejected no experimentally added conspecific eggs (n = 66). This suggests that cowbird parasitism, not conspecific brood parasitism, is the selective pressure responsible for egg ejection in this species. This level of rejection may be conservative because bluebirds nest in dark cavities, …

Quantifying Impacts Of White-Tailed Deer On Woodland Plant Communities, Brent E. Wachholder

Masters Theses

High population densities of white-tailed deer are changing woodland plant communities in the eastern United States. Deer populations subjectively characterized as overabundant are widely perceived as a threat to forest succession and conservation of rare plant species. I conducted a survey of 11 deer exclosures located at 7 sites through the state of Illinois in order to 1) determine the broad effects of deer at various densities on community attributes and 2) attempt to quantify the population density at which deer are overabundant, i.e., have negative effects on a) community attributes such as richness and diversity and b) survival of …

The Response Of Macroinvertebrate Communities To Habitat Fragmentation, Ross W. Widinski

Masters Theses

Aquatic fragmentation may be characterized as a lack of connectivity between upstream and downstream populations or sites (Page et al. 1997). Fragmentation in stream ecosystems occurs when changes in the surrounding landscape (loss/modification of riparian zone vegetation) render the in-stream habitats unsuitable for aquatic organisms. Additionally, Page et al. (1997) suggest that organisms also can be impacted or fragmented by in-stream modifications (dams, bridges) that further eliminate usable aquatic habitat and prevent movement through the aquatic system.

Intact riparian zones are of utmost importance in maintaining a healthy aquatic environment. Riparian zones with abundant vegetative cover serve to shade the …

Characterization Of Putative In Vitro Hybrids Within The Genus Flammulina, Sean C. Jones

Masters Theses

The genus Flammulina (Basidiomycetes, Agaricales, Tricholomataceae) includes a group of saprobic mushrooms that grow in the wild and are also cultivated and sold commercially throughout the world under the name "enoki" or "enoki-take". Until the 1960s, the genus Flammulina was believed to consist of a single species with a pan-Northern Hemisphere distribution. Flammulina velutipes (Curt.: Fr.) Singer was more or less applied to all collections in the genus whether naturally or commercially produced (Buchanan 1993) until the mid 1960s. In the interim, 14 additional taxa have been described in Flammulina. Knowledge of hybridization within the Flammulina velutipes group is crucial …

Changes In The Diet Of Lake Trout (Salvelinus Namaycush) In Near-Shore Lake Michigan With The Invasion Of The Round Goby (Neogobius Melanostomus): 1995-2005, Marybeth Kathryn Brey

Masters Theses

The predator-prey base of the Great Lakes has been altered since the early 1900's, with the majority of these changes occurring due to invasive species such as the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), alewife (Alosa pseudoharangus), and rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax). These changes have forced large piscivorous fish to find alternate prey species. One predator, the lake trout (Salvelinus namaychush) has experienced a series of diet shifts in the last century, due to a changing prey base. In recent years the Great Lakes, particularly Lake Michigan has experience a new invader, the round goby (Neogobius melanostomus), which has colonized the …

Movements And Habitat Selection Of Raccoons In A Rural Illinois Landscape, Erin E. Barding

Masters Theses

Conversion of native plant communities for purposes such as urban development, agriculture and industry reduces the amount of intact wildlife habitat and fragments that which remains. Much of the natural habitat in the Midwestern U.S. has been converted to agricultural use. Population declines of many avian species have been attributed to high rates of predation in fragmented landscapes. Furthermore, edge-related increases in nest predation are one of the main factors in reducing reproductive success. Studies throughout Illinois have suggested that the entire state may be a population sink for several species of birds. Mesocarnivores, particularly raccoons (Procyon lotor) and skunks …

Urea: A Natural Cryoprotectant In The Freeze-Tolerant Wood Frog (Rana Sylvatica), Elizabeth A. Fincel

Masters Theses

The wood frog (Rana sylvatica) is one of only a few vertebrates that are able to withstand freezing of their body fluids. Various organic osmolytes play a central role in physiological adaptation to freezing and other osmotic stresses in diverse taxa, but in R. sylvatica only one cryoprotectant, glucose, has been identified. The objective of this study was to determine whether urea, an osmolyte that naturally accumulates in the tissues of overwintering R. sylvatica, also functions to limit freeze/thaw injury. Secondly, it was investigated whether hyperuremia is associated with increased osmolyte concentration to counteract any negative effect of urea.

Using …

Seedling Development N Stylisma Pickeringii Var. Pattersonii (Convolvulaceae), An Endangered Illinois Species, Jason B. Cunningham

Masters Theses

Stylisma pickeringii (Torr.) Gray var. pattersonii (Fern. & Schub.) Myint (Convolvulaceae) is listed as an endangered plant species in Illinois and is commonly known as Patterson bindweed or Patterson dawnflower. It is a prostrate vine that occurs in well-drained sand prairies and sandy open woods. High temperature, low moisture holding ability and blowing sand in these prairies create a harsh environment for seedling establishment.

Seedlings of Stylisma pickeringii show a unique pattern of development, which may enhance their ability to become established. Following radicle and cotyledon emergence, an enlarged ring encircling the radicle, referred to as the transition zone, develops. …

Spatial And Temporal Differences In Fish Assemblages In The Sangamon River, Illinois: Methods For Community Comparisons And Documentation Of Species' Range Expansion, Mark J. Fincel

Masters Theses

Anthropogenic disturbance has been recognized as having adverse effects on native flora and fauna in an environment. One such disturbance that has received increasing attention in recent years is the effects of water altering structures such as reservoirs, dams, dykes, and levees. For the past 6 years, Eastern Illinois University has conducted an intensive sampling program in an effort to document spatial and temporal heterogeneity of an 8.5 km reach of the Sangamon River beginning just below Lake Decatur Dam in Decatur, Illinois. My objective has been to characterize stream habitat and to assess differences in stream fish assemblages above …

Role Of Apoe In Regeneration, Maturation And Synaptogenesis Of Olfactory Receptor Neurons In Mice, Salina Gairhe

Masters Theses

Previous studies have shown that apolipoprotein E (apoE), a lipid transporting protein, is involved in the growth and regeneration of injured neurons. apoE is a key molecule involved in lipid transport system associated with compensatory sprouting and synaptic remodeling after neuronal injury. Also, transport of cholesterol and phospholipids in brain is regulated by the coordinated expression of apoE and its main Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) receptors during the different phases of the neuronal reinnervation processes. The discovery of apolipoprotein E4 genotype, a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), is suggestive of involvement of dysfunctional apoE lipid transport system in …

Defining Edge Gradients Using Plant Species Composition In Oak-Hickory Forest Patches, Elise M. Tulloss

Masters Theses

Forest conservation is greatly enhanced with an increased understanding of the transitional nature of edges. Edge characteristics control ecological flows into the forest that may influence its structure and composition. Most forests in east-central Illinois exist as small patches, making the region an ideal location for studying edge effects. The objectives of this study were to identify the mechanisms and processes that determine gradients of plant composition and to develop a predictive model of edge effects using plant species composition as an indicator of edge influence. A data set was gathered to relate understory forest species composition to several environmental …

Expression Of Apoe In The Mouse Olfactory System During Development And Post Injury, Sreenivas Nannapaneni

Masters Theses

Apolipoprotein E (apoE), a prominent player in transporting cholesterol and metabolizing plasma lipoproteins, has emerged as a major risk factor in causing Alzheimer's disease (AD). ApoE, extensively expressed in the primary olfactory pathway, binds to its low-density lipoprotein receptor and related receptors to play a role both in development and in control of the immune system. Previous studies have shown that apoE is expressed at high concentrations in the olfactory nerve (ON) and around the glomeruli of the olfactory bulb (OB) and that the apoE levels in these regions increase substantially following lesioning of the olfactory epithelium (OE). Studies from …

The Effects Of Apoe On Olfactory Neuron Plasticity In Mice, Ikemefuna T. Nwosu

Masters Theses

Apolipoprotein E (apoE), a lipid transporting protein, is a major risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies have shown that apoE is expressed at high concentrations in the olfactory nerve (ON) and around the glomeruli of the olfactory bulb (OB) and that the apoE levels in these regions increase substantially following lesioning of the source of the olfactory nerves, the olfactory epithelium (OE). However, the mechanism(s) underlying the contribution of apoE to neuronal functioning and developing AD are not clearly understood. To investigate and better clarify the role of apoE in nerve regeneration, I examined the presence and …

The Effects Of Remnant Seed Source Size On Plant Performance In A Prairie Restoration, William L. Stewart

Masters Theses

Tallgrass prairies have been drastically reduced to a few remnant areas that are both small and isolated. As a result, species within these areas may be exposed to a significant level of inbreeding depression and loss in genetic diversity, which can cause an overall loss of fitness in the population, increasing the chance of local extinction. In many cases, prairie restorations rely on seed collections from these small, isolated populations, which may lead to many of the same problems in the restored areas. This study specifically addressed the question: Does the dependence on seed collections from small, isolated remnants lead …

Beaver Home Ranges And Movement Patterns On The Embarras River Watershed In East Central Illinois, Randall P. Havens

Masters Theses

The beaver (Castor canadensis) is an ecologically and economically important species that has been much studied and exploited during its long association with humans (Bradt 1938, Hodgdon 1978, Novak 1987, Muller-Schwartze and Schulte 1999). Beavers have been described as ecosystem engineers and a keystone species because of their ability to physically modify, maintain, or create wetlands thereby controlling resources used by other organisms and altering the physical state of the environment (Jones et al. 1994). They are capable of impacting the local environment through dam construction, selective tree harvest, and den construction. For example, beaver dams impact stream hydrology, nutrient …

A Survey And Developmental Biology Of Iliamna Remota Greene (Malvaceae), An Endangered Species In Illinois, April Lyn Mcdonnell

Masters Theses

Iliamna remota Greene (Malvaceae), or Kankakee mallow, is an endangered species in Illinois that is limited to Langham Island in the Kankakee River, Kankakee County. Plants are herbaceous and perennial with a racemose inflorescence consisting of showy, slightly fragrant flowers ranging in color from almost white to lavender. Leaves are alternate and shallowly palmately lobed and stems and leaves are coarsely pubescent.

Seed And Seedling Ecology Of Acer Saccharum And Acer Platanoides: A Contrast Between Native And Exotic Congeners, Scott J. Meiners

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The exotic tree, Acer platanoides, is increasing in forests of northeastern North America, largely within the range of its native congener, Acer saccharum. A combination of field and controlled experiments was used on seeds and seedlings of these congeners to determine species characteristics that may be contributing to these floristic changes. Acer platanoides experienced lower rates of seed predation than A. saccharum in field experiments. Differences in the dispersal and allocation characteristics of the two species were small and not likely to explain the relative success of A. platanoides. Greenhouse- grown seedlings of A. platanoides were much larger than those …

The Social Environment Affects Mate Guarding Behavior In Japanese Beetles, Popillia Japonica, Yoriko Saeki, Kipp C. Kruse, Paul Switzer

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The effect of the social environment on post-copulatory mate guarding duration in Japanese beetles, (Popillia japonica Newman), was examined in a laboratory experiment. The mate guarding durations of beetles in different sex ratios and densities were observed for 10 hours. Guarding duration was longer when females were larger, suggesting the presence of ‘cryptic’ male mate choice. Densities, but not sex ratio, affected the duration of guarding bouts, with males guarding for longer at higher densities. This result implies that males increase their guarding duration under conditions in which their female may be likely to be encountered by other males. The …