Biology Commons^™

Pollination And Seed Production Of Lavandula Angustifolia Mill. (Lamiaceae), Sam S. Ingram, Tyler M. Wilson, Joseph S. Wilson, Emma A. Ziebarth, Makenna C. Johnson, Jacob G. Young, Richard E. Carlson

Biology Faculty Publications

Lavandula angustifolia Mill., lavender, is an aromatic plant in the Lamiaceae family. Lavender is an important economic plant that is cultivated throughout the world. Previous studies have shown that the primary pollinators of lavender in Europe and North Africa are bee species, specifically Bombus spp. However, similar studies have not been previously performed in North America. The current study, on cultivated population lavender (grown from seed) in Utah (USA), found a diverse community of bees visiting lavender over a 4-week sequential and successive blooming period. The observed and identified bees were distinguished across 8 genera and 12 species, of which …

Evolution Repeats Itself In Replicate Long-Term Studies In The Wild, Patrik Nosil, Clarissa F. De Carvalho, Romain Villoutreix, Laura S. Zamorano, Marion Sinclair-Waters, Nicholas P. Planidin, Thomas L. Parchman, Jeffrey Feder, Zach Gompert

Biology Faculty Publications

The extent to which evolution is repeatable remains debated. Here, we study changes over time in the frequency of cryptic color-pattern morphs in 10 replicate long-term field studies of a stick insect, each spanning at least a decade (across 30 years of total data). We find predictable “up-and-down” fluctuations in stripe frequency in all populations, representing repeatable evolutionary dynamics based on standing genetic variation. A field experiment demonstrates that these fluctuations involve negative frequency-dependent natural selection (NFDS). These fluctuations rely on demographic and selective variability that pushes populations away from equilibrium, such that they can reliably move back toward it …

Assessing The Effects Of Cold Storage Regimes Of North American Bombus Gynes, Thuy Tien T. Lindsay, Marcia M. Hagen, Joyce N. Knoblett, Joseph P. Rinehart, Karen M. Kapheim, James P. Strange

Biology Faculty Publications

Bumble bees are the primary commercial pollinators for greenhouse-grown crops and managing them requires insight into the Bombus life cycle. However, some aspects of the life cycle are not fully understood. Once mated, adult Bombus gynes can be stored for a short term at a constant low temperature (CLT). However, survival rates for some species are low during CLT, particularly when storage periods exceed a month. To address this, we tested the hypothesis that Bombus gynes stored in a fluctuating thermal regime (FTR) have increased survival compared to gynes stored in CLT. Specifically, the FTR had a baseline temperature of …

The Evaluation Of Compound X In A Mouse Model In Chikv Disease, Kaitlyn Blotter

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an infectious alphavirus spread by Aedes aegypti and Aedes alpopictus mosquitoes. Recently, there have been various outbreaks in the Americas, the Caribbean, and across Asia and Africa (Bettis et al., 2022). Although mortality rates of Chikungunya disease are relatively low, the disease has been shown to have high morbidity and chronic effects. Currently, there are no approved antivirals for treatment of CHIKV infection. The goal of this study was to identify whether Compound X is an effective treatment in a mouse model of CHIKV infection. Compound X was active in cell culture models of CHIKV infection, …

Effects Of Humidity On Native And Non-Native Cavity Nesting Solitary Bees, Elleke Grace Kofford Manwill

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Invasive species are defined as those that are not native to an ecosystem but may cause harm to the environment or to human health. Osmia cornifrons, a species introduced to the United States, and Osmia lignaria, a native species, are cavity-nesting solitary bees. Although not officially classified as invasive, O. cornifrons presents competition for the niche that O. lignaria inhabits. O. cornifrons has established populations throughout the East Coast and the Pacific Northwest, while O. lignaria is found all throughout the contiguous United States. This interspecies difference in geographical range exists despite their similar temperature ranges. To determine …

An Analysis Of Targeted Physical Therapy Against Medial Epicondylitis, Rylie Howe

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Medial epicondylitis, more commonly known as "golfer's elbow", is a musculoskeletal condition involving the common flexor tendon in the forearm at the attachment point of the medial epicondyle of the humerus bone. The repeated use of this tendon causes inflammation, swelling, as well as other types of straining that results in minute damage that accumulates to the overall strain and complications that come with medial epicondylitis. Targeted physical therapy is the overall recommended treatment for this condition. However, there is limited consensus to the most effective interventions. Mixed methods were used to investigate the possibility of the success of certain …

Chemical-Mediated Mate Attraction In Clover Root Curculio (Sitona Hispidulus F.), A Belowground Pest Of Forage Crops, Kristin Leutgeb

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Curculionid beetles are well known for their production of semiochemicals, including contact (e.g. cuticular hydrocarbons) and volatile pheromones that mediate conspecific attraction and mating. Clover root curculio (CRC; Sitona hispidulus) in particular is an emergent, soil-borne pest of significant concern to producers of alfalfa and other leguminous crops in the United States. Producers have few control options for CRC and a greater understanding of chemical-mediated attraction in this species can potentially improve the sustainability of its management. To examine which chemical cues are important for affecting the behavior of CRC and whether there are sex-based differences in response, I …

Spatial Ecology Of Mule Deer Migrations From Grand Teton National Park And The Teton Range, Justin K. Schwabedissen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem hosts several of the longest, fully intact ungulate migrations remaining in the continental United States. However, expanding development and an increasing human footprint continue to truncate migratory routes. While the endpoints are often a seasonal range on protected lands, these migration corridors frequently cross other jurisdictional boundaries, including large tracts of private or multiple-use lands, with varying levels of protection. Thus, it is critical resource managers understand the dynamics of migratory movements to define population-level corridors and prioritize appropriate conservation strategies. Mule deer in Wyoming have been documented traveling long distances between summer and winter ranges; …

Enhancement Of Favipiravir With Compound X In A Hamster Model Of Yellow Fever Virus Infection, Hunter Stanger

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Yellow fever virus (YFV) has long been a worldwide health concern, and recent outbreaks in South America and Africa have resulted in significant mortality. There is currently an effective vaccine to prevent infection, but there are no currently developed antiviral drugs to treat patients that have already contracted the disease. Because of this, an effective antiviral is needed to combat unanticipated cases or emergence in areas that have previously been unaffected by this virus. A drug called favipiravir has shown promising results previously. This compound acts as a nucleoside analog to halt the replication of the virus and stop infection. …

Chemical-Mediated Mate Attraction In Clover Root Curculio; Sitona Hispidulus (F.), A Below Ground Pest, Kristin Leutgeb

Student Research Symposium

Few control options

• Registration of broad-spectrum soil fumigant insecticides discontinued
• Effective monitoring is time- and resource-intensive

Crop damage from feeding on root nodules by soil-dwelling CRC larvae

• Nodules are a symbiotic relationship between the plant and rhizobia, which provide nitrogen to the plant host
• Curculionid beetles can sense the nodules

Mating by pheromones. CRC produces contact and volatile chemicals for mating and egg laying (oviposition).

• Utilize pheromone during active mating above ground

Survival And Growth Of Early Stages Of Solanum Spp. After Insect Herbivory, Aj Hammond

Student Research Symposium

• Early survival and performance are key life-history traits that account for the variation in individual fitness and shapes population dynamics (Fig 1).
• The early stages of a plant’s life cycle (Fig 2a) are usually the most critical, being vulnerable to pressures such as herbivores and parasites more than later stages.
• Questions: How do natural enemies impact early survival and regrowth of plants?

The Effect Of Medical Interpreters On Patient Outcomes Through Overcoming Linguistic Barriers, Klaire Dilworth, Annie Heaton, Allison Orton

Student Research Symposium

Many patients feel overwhelmed by the excess of information and emotional stress of the health problems they are experiencing. This can be especially stressful in situations where there is a language barrier. This can cause a substantial discrepancy in the healthcare that different ethnic populations receive. It can be difficult for patients to communicate what they are feeling, understand what the providers are telling them. It can also be a disadvantage to medical providers, as they might be unable to understand the experiences and needs of the patient. Medical interpreters hold the responsibility to help patients navigate these stressful times, …

Cyp2d6, Autism, And Oxytocin Receptors, Ethan Dayley

Student Research Symposium

Who cares? Differences in oxytocin receptor density have been observed in two brain regions in autism. CNVs of the CYP2D6 gene appear associated with these differences. The CYP2D6 gene has been previously associated with

Repeatability Of Fecal Egg Counts In Wild Horses, Jaron Dixon

Student Research Symposium

- Fecal floats are one of the most commonly used methods of quantifying parasite infections.

- Despite being used for over a century, each variation of the method differs in accuracy and precision.

- In this study, we quantified parasite egg counts in wild horses using a centrifugal technique and Sheather’s sucrose solution.

- Our aim was to confirm the repeatability of the technique so it may be used in additional studies.

Size Variation In Bumble Bees, Mj Cantwell

Student Research Symposium

Typically, a size distinction exists between queens and workers in eusocial bee species¹ (Fig. 1).

Body size of workers varies throughout the season depending on time of emergence and resource availability² (Fig. 2).

Information regarding how time of emergence impacts Bombus fervidus body size is lacking.

Hazara University's Monocot Specimen Data In Openherbarium.Org On 20 December 2023, Mary Barkworth, Liaqat Ullah, Abdul Majid, Ghulam Mujtaba Shah, Jan Alam

Browse all Datasets

Northern Pakistan is interpreted here as including three administrative regions: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. It is dominated by multiple mountain ranges whose valleys drain, directly or indirectly, into the Indus River. Hazara University, which is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was started in 2002 and its herbarium (HUP) in 2005. Digitization of the herbarium's vascular plants began in 2021 with its records being shared in OpenHerbarium and GBIF. Its online presence is now growing more rapidly than any other Pakistani herbarium. This paper summarizes the taxonomic diversity and geographic origin of its monocot holdings in 2023. In 2023, …

Computer Models Can Help Us Learn More About How Eye Diseases Progress, Cassandra Corry

Research on Capitol Hill

Eye diseases are difficult to study because taking samples from living eyes can be challenging and uncomfortable. We need a model that mimics the human eye; running computer simulations seems like a promising way to conduct this research.

Snake Translocation Policies And Practices Within The United States, Robin E. Bedard, Megan Rottenborn, Emily Taylor

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Human–wildlife conflict with nuisance snakes (Serpentes) is rapidly increasing with human population growth and development rates. Translocation of nuisance snakes has become a widespread practice, aided by social media pages connecting people to volunteer and for-profit snake translocators. However, translocators often struggle to find information and resources from wildlife agencies about the policies required, and some may unintentionally use translocation procedures that disregard the health and survival of the snakes. The goals of this study were to (1) obtain data on policies, permitting, and training required for translocating nuisance snakes in each U.S. state that has snakes and (2) compare …

How Do Daily Survival Rates Of Nests Change During The Incubation Period For Ducks Nesting On Great Salt Lake Marshes?, Mark E. Bell, Michael R. Conover

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We examined how daily survival rates (DSRs) of duck nests change over the course of the incubation period using cinnamon teal (Spatula cyanoptera), mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), and gadwalls (Mareca strepera) nesting in the marshes around Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA. Cameras observed 138 nests, allowing us to know the exact day when chicks hatched or nests were depredated. We measured the course of the incubation period based on 3 different time scales: (1) days since we first located the nest, (2) embryo age, and (3) ordinal day. We tested 3 hypotheses about the relationship …

The Mojave Poppy Bee (Perdita Meconis) And A Primary Plant Host, The Las Vegas Bear Poppy (Arctomecon Californica): Status And Interactions, Sarit Chanprame

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The Mojave Desert is one of the most biodiverse places in North America. A harsh environment with many species results in complex relationships between animals and plants. This study focuses on one bee-plant relationship, the Mojave poppy bee, and the Las Vegas Bear Poppy.

The Mojave poppy bee is rare and has only been collected from Las Vegas Bear Poppy, Dwarf Bear Poppy, and a few species of prickly poppies. A 1995 report suggested the bee was a major contributor of pollination for the Las Vegas Bear Poppy in Clark County, Nevada. More recently (2019), their local extinction in southwestern …

Linking Microbial Community Assembly In Flowers With Function Under Diverse Environmental Conditions: A Case Study Involving Erwinia Amylovora, Christopher Skylar Mcdaniel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Fire blight, a devastating disease of pome fruit trees caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, can cause millions of dollars in losses for producers each year around the globe. Management approaches that involve use of antibiotics, such as streptomycin, can be effective; although concerns exist over pollinator and crop health when using them regularly. Recently, there have been developments that allow for biological agents such as microbes to curtail fire blight infection. These agents work by competing with Erwinia for resources or space, producing antibacterial compounds, or even killing Erwinia cells on contact. Unfortunately, these agents do not yet …

Geographic Variation In Blue Orchard Bee (Osmia Lignaria) Development And Performance As A Managed Pollinator In The Western United States, Morgan B. Scalici

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Most flowering plants, including many cultivated food crops, will only produce well-developed fruits and seeds if pollen is transferred from one flower to another with the help of an animal pollinator. Honey bees are the most well-known and ubiquitous but are poor pollinators of some commercially important crops, or are in poor supply during crop bloom. In such cases, farmers will employ other managed pollinators such as bumble bees or solitary bees like mason and leafcutting bees. The blue orchard bee is North America's most agriculturally important native mason bee as effective pollinators of spring-blooming fruit crops. Differences in developmental …

The Impacts Of Maturation And Experience On Volumetric Neuroplasticity In Solitary And Social Bees, Mallory A. Hagadorn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Some animals are incredibly social, living and working together as one cohesive group. Alternatively, many animals are solitary, never living with and rarely interacting with others. A large body of biological research has focused on understanding the role that brains play in promoting these behavioral differences across species. Even so, it remains unclear why some brains facilitate social behavior while others do not. My dissertation aims to advance our understanding of this concept by characterizing bees’ brains and how they change over a lifetime. Bees are beneficial for investigating relationships between the brain and social behavior because some species are …

Phenology Of The Invasive Balsam Woolly Adelgid, Adelges Piceae (Ratz.) (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), On Subalpine Fir In Northern Utah, Elizabeth L. Rideout

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Balsam woolly adelgid (BWA) is an invasive true fir pest in North America. Native to Europe, BWA was first discovered in Utah attacking subalpine fir in 2017. Recent BWA-caused subalpine fir mortality in northern Utah has prompted the need for baseline biological research to support pest management. Small-bodied and blending easily with its environment, BWA is a challenging pest to detect and study. Phenology, or the timing and characteristics of life stages through the year, of BWA varies depending on elevation and climate and is unstudied in Utah. This research focuses on defining aspects of BWA’s phenology, including the number …

Changes In Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites In Captive Coyotes (Canis Latrans): Influence Of Gender, Time, And Reproductive Status, Eric M. Gese, Patricia A. Terletzky, Cole A. Bleke, Erika T. Stevenson, Susannah S. French

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Reproduction is considered an energetically and physiologically demanding time in the life of an animal. Changes in physiological stress are partly reflected in changes in glucocorticoid metabolites and can be measured from fecal samples. We examined levels of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) in 24 captive coyotes (Canis latrans) to investigate responses to the demands of reproduction. Using 12 pairs of coyotes (five pairs produced pups, seven pairs did not), we analyzed 633 fecal samples covering 11 biological periods (e.g., breeding, gestation, and lactation). Levels of fGCMs showed high individual variability, with females having higher fGCM levels than males. …

Physiological Consequences Of Adrenal Enlargement And Implications For Toxin Resistance In North American Snakes, Megen E. Kepas

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The long observed relationship between enlarged adrenal glands and toad-eating in snakes has remained a mystery in physiological ecology and herpetology. It has been predicted that large adrenal glands may be capable of producing higher amounts of key hormones, and that higher plasma hormone levels may lend some behavioral or physiological benefits after a toxic toad has been eaten. I address questions surrounding adrenal enlargement and its potential benefits to toad eaters in four research chapters. In my second chapter, I quantify adrenal hormone output at different embryonic stages in the toad-generalist snake Thamnophis elegans and examine the ability of …

Antimicrobial Peptides In Transgenic Silkworm Silk, David Jaden Turner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Overview: People in India and China have produced silk textiles for thousands of years. Silk is a biodegradable, biocompatible compound used in the production of clothing, bedding, furniture, industrial materials, and medical applications. Over the last 30 years, research has increasingly investigated silk’s antimicrobial effects and how to augment its natural abilities. Antimicrobial peptides, or AMPs, are also an area of increasing interest as the rise of antibiotic resistance reduces the efficacy of current treatments. This project plans to systematically synthesize a fusion protein that incorporates the beneficial properties of each constituent into commercial silkworms.

Innovation: This project seeks to …

Population Physiology, Demography, And Genetics Of Side-Blotched Lizards (Uta Stansburiana) Residing In Urban And Natural Environments, Spencer B. Hudson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wildlife populations across the globe are poised to lose their natural habitat to urbanization, yet there is limited information on how different species handle living in cities. Animals in urban environments are often susceptible to novel stressors, which can threaten their individual health and population viability. The physiological characteristics of animals, such as those related to metabolic hormones, oxidative stress, and immunity, are expected to be important for survival in this context. If so, animals persisting in urban areas may demonstrate physiological differences from their natural counterparts, perhaps due to evolutionary change. These potential outcomes have been documented in birds …

Characterization Of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps In Naked Mole-Rats: A Step Towards Cancer Resistance, Thomas Abraham Smith

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease. One of every five deaths in the United States is due to cancer. A growing area of research involves the analysis of cancer resistant traits in other species to understand their biological mechanisms and eventually make translations to human cancer research and clinical treatment. Because of their remarkable cancer resistance, the naked mole-rat (NMR) is a prime subject for this research, and various studies have already suggested that the immune mechanisms of the NMR might be harnessed for human cancer therapies^1-4,7. …

Protein Nutrition And Immunity In Male Bumblebees (Bombus Impatiens), Carson Stoker

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Male bumble bees play a vital but understudied role in their colonies. They are essential to colony reproduction and success, despite not emerging until the end of the colony's life cycle. Even so, the biology of male bumble bees is not well understood, which leaves our understanding of colony health incomplete. This knowledge gap is important because bumblebee populations are declining, which threatens the ecosystems and industries which rely on them for pollination. This study aimed to understand how two understudied factors of bumble bee health—diet and immunity—are related in males. Pollen, a bee’s main source of protein, has been …