Biology Commons^™

Intra- And Interspecific Diversity In A Tropical Plant Clade Alter Herbivory And Ecosystem Resilience, Ari Grele, Tara J. Massad, Kathryn A. Uckele, Lee A. Dyer, Yasmine Antonini, Laura Braga, Matthew L. Forister, Lidia Sulca, Massuo Kato, Humberto G. Lopez, André R. Nascimento, Thomas Parchman, Wilmer R. Simbaña, Angela M. Smilanich, John O. Stireman, Eric J. Tepe, Thomas Walla, Lora A. Richards

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Declines in biodiversity generated by anthropogenic stressors at both species and population levels can alter emergent processes instrumental to ecosystem function and resilience. As such, understanding the role of biodiversity in ecosystem function and its response to climate perturbation is increasingly important, especially in tropical systems where responses to changes in biodiversity are less predictable and more challenging to assess experimentally. Using large-scale transplant experiments conducted at five neotropical sites, we documented the impacts of changes in intraspecific and interspecific plant richness in the genus Piper on insect herbivory, insect richness, and ecosystem resilience to perturbations in water availability. We …

Biological Significances Of Environmental Pollution In The New Calabar River, Southern Nigeria: A Case Study In Zooplankton Composition, Ibienebo Davies Imachrist, Francis David Sikoki, Philomina Kika, Davies Ibienebo Chris

Journal of Bioresource Management

The study was conducted for three months (May to July 2020), focusing on the physicochemical parameters and zooplankton composition in the Ogbogoro region of the New Calabar River in Nigeria. This investigation was carried out at three distinct monitoring stations. The physicochemical parameters were determined using standard ecological analytic procedures. PAST and SPSS were used for the statistical analysis. The temperature ranged between 26.5 to 33 ºC, salinity (1.23 to 1.86 %), pH (7.4 to 9.62), Total Dissolved Solids (2419 to 5,817 mg/L), conductivity (223.83 to 7,328 μS/cm), turbidity (3.415 to 15.05 NTU) and Dissolved Oxygen (3.8 to 6.8 mg/L). …

The Influence Of Abiotic Stress And Cultivar Variation On Plant Defenses And Resistance To Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus Planipennis) In Cultivated Olive (Olea Spp), Idris B. Elesin

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis, is an invasive pest that significantly impacts olive trees (Olea europaea). This study aimed to assess the role of abiotic stress factors such as drought and salinity in influencing plant defenses and resistance to EAB, while also examining cultivar variation in resistance. The study specifically aimed to address: (1) What effects do varying degrees of abiotic stress (drought, salinity) have on olive trees' antioxidant and peroxidase activity in olive tree? (2) Do distinct olive cultivars exhibit varying levels of resistance to EAB under various stressors? We used a controlled experimental design with two stress …

What A Waste: Nitrogen Runoff And Rates In The Maumee River (Ohio, Usa), Ryanne Antonette Cimatu

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Excess anthropogenic nitrogen (N), primarily from agricultural field fertilization, causes nutrient runoff that stimulates harmful algal blooms (HABs) in western Lake Erie. As a critical tributary to Lake Erie, nutrient loading from the Maumee River drives the intensity of the annual summer HABs in the western basin. Knowledge gaps around rates of N transformations in the Maumee River currently hinder the calibration of in-river parameters in Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) models for the Maumee watershed. To address these gaps, this research quantified rates of ammonium uptake, ammonium remineralization, nitrification, and bacterial respiration alongside physicochemical parameters of the river. …

Investigating Calcium Levels During Excitation-Contraction Coupling In Model Huntington's Disease Skeletal Muscle, Pooneh Hajmirza Mohammadi Kamalabadi

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

One of the less studied aspects of Huntington’s disease (HD) is its impact on skeletal muscle function. Recent studies have suggested that HD patients exhibit altered muscle function and reduced muscle strength, which may be related to defects in Ca2+ handling during excitation-contraction coupling (ECC). However, the underlying mechanisms of these alterations remain poorly understood. This study aims to determine if the myoplasmic Ca2+ during ECC is reduced in late-stage R6/2 (mouse model of HD) muscle fibers compared to age-matched controls during twitch or tetanic stimulation. Such a decrease would help explain weakness or fatigue in the model HD muscle. …

Investigating The Effects Of Human Astroviruses On Aquaporins And Tight Junction Proteins In Vitro, Makalia T. Robinson

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Human Astroviruses (HAstV) are positive sense non-enveloped single stranded RNA viruses. HAstV is divided into classical (serotype 1-8) and non-classical (HAstVMLB 1-3 and HAstV-VA1-5) astroviruses. Classical HAstV is known to cause diarrhea in children, elderly, and immunocompromised patients. Additionally, the etiology of nonclassical HAstV remains unknown. However, recent studies have implicated non-classical HAstV closely associated with immunocompromised patients diagnosed neurological diseases like acute encephalitis. The mechanisms by which HAstV cause diarrhea is currently unknown. Aquaporins (AQPs) are integral membrane proteins that regulate the movement of water and small uncharged molecules across the cell membrane in response to osmotic gradients. Tight …

A Scoping Review Of Wrist-Worn Wearables In Education, Noah L. Schroeder, William L. Romine, Sidney E. Kemp

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Within the past ten years, the public's use of wearables, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, has greatly increased. Recently, researchers have published systematic reviews to examine how wearables are used in educational settings. However, not all wearables are alike. Head-mounted wearables and exoskeletons may be viewed as invasive, whereas smartwatches and wristbands are commonly worn by the public. In this scoping review, we systematically review the literature around wrist-worn wearables (WWs) in educational settings. Our systematic search revealed 1,932 unique research items, of which 46 met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Our findings reveal the trends in the …

Send-Off Meditation, Audrey E. Mcgowin

Runkle Woods Symposia

Audrey McGowin wraps up the 6th Annual Wright State Runkle Woods Symposium with some warm words followed by a meditation video. The video is of a Ginko tree's leaf fall with only the ambient noise of the leaves during their descent and gentle impact with the ground.

Building Community Through Nature, Mikusa, Wright State University Nature Club

Runkle Woods Symposia

Undergraduate student Mikusa introduces and speaks about the Wright State University Nature Lovers Club, of which she is the creator and president.

National Wildlife Federation Habitat Certification: A Collaboration With Fairborn?, Alexis Knick, Amanda Taylor

Runkle Woods Symposia

Mandy Taylor and Alexis Knick from the Fairborn Environmental Advisory Board discuss their mission to draft environmental sustainability and resilience plans and how Wright State can help contribute and partner with their mission.

Keynote Address: Seasonal Changes In The Avian Community Of The Wright State Woods, Jeffrey L. Peters

Runkle Woods Symposia

Dr. Jeffrey Peters is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Wright State University. He earned his B.S. in Biology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. For his M.S. in Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology at Frostburg State University in Maryland, Dr. Peters used DNA analyses to examine mating strategies in a species of duck, the Gadwall. Continuing his genetics research, he studied geographic variation in ducks for his Ph.D. in Biology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Dr. Peters continued this work at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, as a post-doctoral researcher, and at Wright State University. During his career, …

The Insult Of Road Salt, Rebecca N. Tuttle, Benson Sparkman, Landon Shackleford, Audrey E. Mcgowin

Runkle Woods Symposia

Wright State students Abby Tuttle, Benson Sparkman, and Landon Shackleford present their undergraduate research on the high chloride levels in the Wright State Woods, it's soil and water, caused by the use of winter road salt.

Pawpaws: Ohio’S State Fruit, Don Cipollini

Runkle Woods Symposia

Dr. Don Cipollini presents his episode on Pawpaws from his show The Naturalist followed by a Q&A.

Dr. Cipollini takes us on a walk through the Wright State University Woods and his own backyard to talk about Ohio's state fruit, the Pawpaw and the trees that grow it. He discusses how to grow pawpaw, the biology of the tree, and how you can use and eat the fruit it produces.

Economics Of Conservation And The Application To The Runkle Woods, Indigenous American Cultural Student Association, Brad Kerry, Eliza Hendrix, Mateo Bush, Ryan Diza

Runkle Woods Symposia

Student Eliza Hendrix presents a brief history of local Native American culture to give context to Adjunct Professor Brad Kerry's portion of the presentation focusing on conservation through an economic lens.

Welcome, Audrey E. Mcgowin

Runkle Woods Symposia

The introduction to the 6th Annual Runkle Woods Symposium given by Audrey McGowin.

Woods Symposium 2023 Program, Wright State University

Runkle Woods Symposia

The program for the 6th annual Wright State University Runkle Woods Symposium that took place on November 17, 2023

The Persistence Of Blue Ash In The Aftermath Of Emerald Ash Borer May Be Due To Adult Oviposition Preferences And Reduced Larval Performance, Don Cipollini, Emily Morton

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

1. We examined the health of mature blue ash, Fraxinus quadrangulata, in two forests in southwestern Ohio in relation to that of mature white ash, F. americana, and examined the potential importance of oviposition preferences and larval resistance in the persistence of blue ash.
2. Both blue ash and white ash were largely unaffected by emerald ash borer in 2012. By 2018, nearly 90% of the blue ash trees observed in these forests had full or nearly full canopies, as opposed to less than 20% of the white ash encountered in our studies. In 2021, blue ash maintained a …

Water Quality Of Madari Khal Tributary Of The Halda River, Chattogram, Bangladesh, Md. Shafiqul Islam, M.A. Azadi

Journal of Bioresource Management

Tidal canal Madari-Khal is one of the important tributaries of the river Halda, through which nearby hill stream water, agricultural washings, and effluents (treated or untreated) of Chattogram Asian paper Mill are drained to the Halda River. In this paper water quality and pollution level of Madari Khal are presented. A one-year study was conducted to ascertain the water quality and pollution level by using different physicochemical parameters i.e. Air temperature, Water temperature, Transparency, EC (Electrical Conductivity), TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), pH, DO (Dissolved Oxygen), freeCO₂, Ca⁺⁺ (Calcium), TH (Total Hardness), TA (Total Alkalinity), and Biological Oxygen …

Homeostatic Synaptic Plasticity Of Miniature Excitatory Postsynaptic Currents In Mouse Cortical Cultures Requires Neuronal Rab3a, Andrew G. Koesters, Mark M. Rich, Kathrin L. Engisch

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Following prolonged activity blockade, amplitudes of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) increase, a form of homeostatic plasticity termed “synaptic scaling.” We previously showed that a presynaptic protein, the small GTPase Rab3A, is required for full expression of the increase in miniature endplate current amplitudes following prolonged blockade of action potential activity at the mouse neuromuscular junction in vivo (Wang et al., 2011), but it is unknown whether this form of Rab3A-dependent homeostatic plasticity shares any characteristics with central synapses. We show here that synaptic scaling of mEPSCs is impaired in mouse cortical neuron cultures prepared from Rab3A-/- and Rab3A Earlybird …

Phylogenetic Relationships Of The Woodlouse Flies (Diptera: Rhinophorinae) And The Cluster Flies (Diptera: Polleniidae), Silvia Gisondi, Eliana Buenaventura, Arn Rytter Jensen, John O. Stireman, Silvio S. Nihei, Thomas Pape, Pierfilippo Cerretti

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Phylogenetic relationships within the oestroid subclades Rhinophorinae (Calliphoridae) and Polleniidae were reconstructed for the first time, applying a Sanger sequencing approach using the two protein-coding nuclear markers CAD (carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 2, aspartate transcarbamylase, and dihydroorotase; 1794 bp) and MCS (molybdenum cofactor sulfurase; 2078 bp). Three genera of Polleniidae and nineteen genera of Rhinophorinae were analyzed together with a selection of taxa representing the major lineages of Oestroidea (non-rhinophorine Calliphoridae, Oestridae, Sarcophagidae, Tachinidae). The selected markers provide good resolution and moderate to strong support of the distal branches, but weak support for several deeper nodes. Polleniidae (cluster flies) emerge as monophyletic …

Morphometric Analysis And Biochemical Estimation Of Wild Shrimps (Family: Penaeidae) Found In Coastal Waters Of Pakistan, Noor Us Saher, Syeda Hadiqa Noor

Journal of Bioresource Management

The world recognition of Seafood nutritional value for human consumption remain consistent throughout the time. Different informations and aspects have been studied and considered and generated various data sets but limited informations found about the biochemical concentration of various fishery species caught in the Pakistan. Therefore, the recent study design to evaluate the proximate levels of components in the edible component (flesh) of commercial shrimp species were studied. Four shrimp species; Fenneropenaeus indicus, Metapenaeopsis stridulans, Metapenaeus stebbingi, and Parapenaeopsis stylifera were selected for the assessment of proximate composition. The selected shrimp species were collected from the fishery catch of Korangi …

Long-Term Spring Through Fall Capture Data Of Eptesicus Fuscus In The Eastern Usa Before And After White-Nose Syndrome, Molly Simonis, Lynn K. Hartzler, Joshua Campbell, Timothy C. Carter, Lisa Noelle Cooper, Katelin Cross, Katherine Etchison, Traci, R. Andrew King, Richard J. Reynolds, Yasmeen Samar, Michael Yasmeen, Sarah Stankavich, Gregory G. Turner, Megan A. Rúa

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Emerging infectious diseases threaten wildlife populations. Without well monitored wildlife systems, it is challenging to determine accurate population and ecosystem losses following disease emergence. North American temperate bats present a unique opportunity for studying the broad impacts of wildlife disease emergence, as their federal monitoring programs were prioritized in the USA throughout the 20 th century and they are currently threatened by the invasive fungal pathogen, Pseudogymnoascus destructans ( Pd ), which causes white-nose syndrome. Here we provide a long-term dataset for capture records of Eptesicus fuscus (big brown bat) across the eastern USA, spanning 16 years before and 14 …

Gabaergic Synaptic Scaling Is Triggered By Changes In Spiking Activity Rather Than Transmitter Receptor Activation, Carlos Gonzalez-Islas, Zahraa Sabra, Ming-Fai Fong, Pernille Bülow, Nicholas Au Yong, Kathrin Engisch, Peter Wenner

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Homeostatic plasticity represents a set of mechanisms that are thought to recover some aspect of neural function. One such mechanism called AMPAergic scaling was thought to be a likely candidate to homeostatically control spiking activity. However, recent findings have forced us to reconsider this idea as several studies suggest AMPAergic scaling is not directly triggered by changes in spiking. Moreover, studies examining homeostatic perturbations in vivo have suggested that GABAergic synapses may be more critical in terms of spiking homeostasis. Here we show results that GABAergic scaling can act to homeostatically control spiking levels. We find that increased or decreased …

Cover Crop Application On Dredged Sediments Increases Corn Yield Through Microorganism-Associated Enzyme-Driven Nutrient Mineralization, Ashley N. Julian, Louise M. Stevenson, Megan A. Rúa

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background & Aims

Common strategies to mitigate soil degradation of agricultural soils include cover crop application and soil amendment addition. Applying dredged sediments as a soil amendment is gaining popularity since they often provide benefits other amendments lack; however, their use with cover crops is largely unexplored. To understand how cover crop use changes the restorative properties of dredged sediments, we assessed soil physical and chemical properties, enzymatic activities, and corn yield for plots of dredged sediments with and without a cover crop.

Methods

We assessed soil texture, bulk density, water content, pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, cation exchange capacity, calcium, magnesium, …

Developmental Exposure To Corn Grown On Lake Erie Dredged Material: A Preliminary Analysis, Kaylyn A. S. Flanigan, Madelyn I. Czuba, Victoria R. Riesgo, Megan A. Rúa, Louise M. Stevenson, Jari Willing

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

While corn is considered to be a healthy food option, common agricultural practices, such as the application of soil amendments, might be introducing contaminants of concern (COC) into corn plants. The use of dredged material, which contain contaminants such as heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as a soil amendment is increasing. Contaminants from these amendments can accumulate in corn kernels harvested from plants grown on these sediments and potentially biomagnify in organisms that consume them. The extent to which secondary exposure to such contaminants in corn affect the mammalian central nervous system has been virtually …

The Impact Of Study Strategies On Knowledge Growth And Summative Exam Performance In The First Year Of Medical School, Markia Black, William L. Romine, Molly Simonis, Jeffrey L. Peters, Volker Bahn, Amber Todd

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Although the distinction between deep and surface processing strategies, their potential to differentially impact learning, and data supporting the superiority of deep processing strategies on summative exam scores are well supported by the literature, more work is needed to understand: (1) how medical students combine study strategies into learning practices, and (2) the effectiveness of these learning practices in facilitating knowledge gains as measured by standardized test scores.

Linking Science And Literacy Through Multimodal Text Sets: Student Perspectives, Heba Abdelnaby, William L. Romine, Delinda Van Garderen, Tracey Milarsky, Ankita Agarwal, Qingli Lei, Cassandra Smith, Amy Lannin, William Folk, Rachel Juergensen

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

We present findings of a mixed methods study examining the perceptions of students’ (with and without disabilities) understanding and engagement with multimodal STEM text sets. Exit slip and survey data were used to identify areas for improvement in the development of the multimodal STEM text sets for middle school students. Data were collected from 434 middle school students, 86 of whom had a disability, from six teachers’ classrooms in Spring 2021. Significant differences in perceptions of understanding of argumentation were reported between students with and without disabilities. However, ratings of the lessons and the quality of learning, as well as …

Measuring Claim-Evidence-Reasoning Using Scenario-Based Assessments Grounded In Real-World Issues, William L. Romine, Amy Lannin, Ankita Agarwal, Maha Kareem, Emily Burwell

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Improving students’ use of argumentation is front and center in the increasing emphasis on scientific practice in K-12 Science and STEM programs. We explore the construct validity of scenario-based assessments of claim-evidence-reasoning (CER) and the structure of the CER construct with respect to a learning progression framework. We also seek to understand how middle school students progress. Establishing the purpose of an argument is a competency that a majority of middle school students meet, whereas quantitative reasoning is the most difficult, and the Rasch model indicates that the competencies form a unidimensional hierarchy of skills. We also find no evidence …

The Effects Of Chronic Hypercarbia On Morphological And Ventilatory Development In Crayfish, Cassandra Poeppelman, Josh Hivner, Lynn K. Hartzler

Festival of Research

Instances of abnormally high CO2 levels are becoming increasingly common in freshwater ecosystems undergoing eutrophication. Chronic hypercarbia (long-term elevation of the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (Pco2)) is pervasive in these eutrophic ecosystems. Elevated Pco2 increases the ventilation and metabolism of some tadpoles and aquatic frogs and hinders their morphological development23. We expect that chronic hypercarbia will affect most aquatic organisms in the same way, but it remains to be verified that chronic hypercarbic conditions also alter aquatic organisms similarly to intermittent and acute hypercarbic challenges.

Dredged Sediments Contain Potentially Beneficial Microorganisms For Agriculture And Little Harmful Cyanobacteria, Megan A. Rúa, Ashley N. Julian, Louise Stevenson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Abstract Introduction Soils worldwide are degrading, raising concerns about our ability to feed the growing global population. Soil amendments that can alleviate degradation are gaining attention. The application of sediments dredged from waterways to agricultural fields has increasing promise as a means for improving degraded soils. However, herbaceous plant species may have difficulty establishing on dredged material because of low nutrient availability, inhibitory levels of toxins, unsuitable moisture conditions and lack of microorganisms capable of ameliorating these characteristics. To counteract these issues, we sought to understand if the use of a cover crop would increase the abundance, diversity and function …