Biology Commons^™

Urea Concentration And Hsp70 Expression In The Kidney Of Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrels During Diuresis And Antidiuresis, Ryan M. O'Gara

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

During bouts of torpor hibernating animals have greatly reduced metabolic rates leading to profound decreases in body temperature and blood pressure. As a result of these conditions, kidney filtration and the ability to concentrate urine cease. Once a week, however, hibernators rewarm to euthermic body temperatures and regain kidney function. This is associated with rapid changes in extracellular osmotic gradients within the kidney, a remarkable feat but one that is potentially damaging to kidney cells. While hibernators deal with this stress by up-regulating expression of heat shock proteins (HSP’s) and protective organic osmolytes, little research has been done to see …

The Induced Heart Rate Response To Fish Kairomones In Daphnia Pulex, Michael J. Culshaw-Maurer

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Daphnia pulex have been shown to respond to kairomones emitted by predatory Chaoborus and planktivorous fish, though these two groups of predators differ significantly in their predation styles. The effects of predation vary across Daphnia size range, and heart rate response to Chaoborus kairomones has been shown to vary across size. I found that heart rate of individuals in the small size class in a clonal population of Daphnia pulex respond more strongly to bluegill (Lepomismacrochirus) kairomones than heart rate of medium or large size classes. The two largest classes showed no difference in heart rate between …

Comparison Of Bacterial Flora In Fish Mucus And Lake Water, Robert W. Thomas

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Although commonly known for their ability to cause deadly infectious diseases, there are populations of bacteria (identified as normal flora) that symbiotically live on and amongst larger host organisms and positively impact survival of the host. In previous research, culturing methods suggest that freshwater fish (i.e. bluegill and northern pike) maintain a normal flora population and that this flora aids in protection and the health of the fish. Our study used Ion torrent PGM sequencing to identify a larger, more complete population of normal flora in 2 different lake samples from three different species of fish. Identifying and comparing the …

Fatigue Resistibility And Stimulus Strength Using Intraspinal Microstimulation Vs. Intramuscular Stimulation In A Rat Model: Case Study, John Dube

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Spinal Cord Injury is a devastating injury that has drastic effects on an individual’s daily living activities. The current devices and methods of direct muscle, peripheral nerve cuff, and epidural stimulation are bulky, easily fatigable, require large stimulation parameters, and/ or difficult to use. Intraspinal Micro stimulation (ISMS) suggests a more fatigue resistant method at lower stimulation parameters that will help restore locomotion, bladder control, and sexual function in an individual. The research conducted herein shows ISMS evokes a linear positive relationship between stimulus strength and muscle contraction force that is comparable to clinically used methods of Intramuscular stimulation. Research …

Occurrence Of Multiple Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria In Aquatic Environments In Central Minnesota, Megan Bollin

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Antibiotic resistance among bacteria has been a topic of concern for many years. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of antibiotic resistance among bacteria found in aquatic environments such as the lakes on the campus of Saint John’s University along with the Sauk River in Cold Spring and St. Joseph, Minnesota. By analyzing samples from different aquatic environments, this data can be used to better identify patterns of resistance within different genera of bacteria. A total of 125 isolates were captured from these different areas and isolated into pure cultures. The isolated cultures were grown on …

The Control Of Crawling Movement By Interneuron Circuits Of The Drosophila Larva, Mary Sweet

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

The organization of the human brain is extremely complex. Therefore, scientists have relied upon model organisms like the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster for nervous system studies, because these organisms are less complex and can be experimentally manipulated with genetic tools. In this study, we focus on fruit fly larval crawling behavior and how it can be altered by the manipulation of subsets of neurons that may be involved in generating crawling behavior. Eight subsets were tested and all of them were found to limit normal larval crawling behavior to some degree. The elucidation of these subsets will help us to …

Evaluation Of Fish Population Estimation By Removal Sampling In King's Creek, Kansas, Hope Phillips

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Population estimation is an integral part of fisheries science. Using electrofishing to conduct a multiple-pass depletion-removal method to estimate population parameters is common. However, this method is time consuming and labor intensive. Recent research suggests that, under certain circumstances, reliable population estimates from a single-pass electrofishing event can be obtained. The objectives of this study were 1) to determine if fish density and catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) from a single-pass electrofishing event is correlated with population density estimates obtained from the depletion-removal method and 2) to describe relationships among habitat variables and probability of capture from electrofishing. The study was conducted on …

Aeromycological Spore Loads At A Newly Activated Compost Facility, Steven R. Mcgreevy

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Composting facilities, because of the processes that occur there, may be associated with increased fungal spore loads in the air. We monitored the spore loads present at a newly activated composting facility (Mississippi Topsoils, Inc.; Cold Spring, MN) before and after its activation during October and November of 1999. Petri dishes were arrayed on the downwind side of the compost site and exposed for a range of time periods. The exposed petri dishes were incubated for 48 hours and the number of yeast-like, filamentous, and total fungal colonyforming-units (CFUs) was recorded. The spore load data were also compared to weather …

Enhanced Dna Repair Of Serratia Marcescens, S. Typhimurium, And Saccharomyces Cerevisiae By Evening Primrose (Oenothera Spp.) Oil, Amanda Lynn Rahe

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Evening Primrose oil (EPO) is a suspected anticarcinogen, however, little is known about its method of stopping and/or slowing tumor growth. The present research used S. marcescens, S. typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Staphlyococcus aureus, and S. cerevisiae as cellular models to investigate the antimutagenic properties of EPO. Ultraviolet radiation was used as a mutagen. Each organism was screened for mutations at various lengths of UV light exposure and plated on appropriate media. One period of UV exposure that represented 10% population kill was chosen for each organism, and the organism was once again exposed to UV light …

Comparisons Of Plant Species Richness, Relative Abundance, And Diversity In Two Prairie Restorations And Two Remnant Prairie Preserves In Stearns County, Minnesota, Christopher J. Thompson

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Prairies once covered vast areas of the Midwestern United States. In Minnesota, less than one percent of the state's original eighteen million acres of prairie remains. Restoration of prairie vegetation has become a popular means of augmenting preservation efforts and increasing the area of this rare native habitat. In this study I used species-area and rank abundance relationships to compare the species richness and diversity of restored prairies at St. John's University and Sand Prairie to remnant prairie preserves at Roscoe and Sand Prairie (all in Stearns County, Minnesota). I visually estimated relative abundance at each site using randomly placed …

The Use Of The Dna Comet Assay To Detect Genetic Damage In Rana Pipiens Taken From Affected Versus Non-Affected Sites, Lisa Marie Hood

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Deformed frogs have been appearing frequently in Minnesota and throughout the United States. One hypothesis for the cause of deformities is genetic damage as a result of pesticides. This project will use the DNA Comet Assay to determine the extent of genetic damage in affected sites (sites with a greater number of deformities) versus non-affected sites (sites with fewer deformities). The DNA Comet Assay involves electrophoresis of cells in which the membranes have been solubilized and the DNA uncoiled. Electrophoresis spreads the genetic material. The length of the spread indicates the amount of genetic damage in the form of single …

The Components Of Feeeding Behavior In The Rotifer Asplanchna Herricki: Attack, Capture, Consumption, Selectivity, And Trophi Morphology, Tony Baumert

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

The rotifer Asplanchna herricki (A. herricki) is an integral predatory species impacting rotifer and algae populations of fresh water lake habitats. In order to determine the feeding behavior and mechanism of A. herricki, stomach content analysis was performed and predator/prey interactions were observed. A. herricki encountered prey randomly, only attacking after physical contact of the prey with the corona. It was found that A. herricki prefers small rotifer prey as opposed to algae. Algae such as Volvox and Pediastrum appeared to deter ingestion due to size or shape. Rotifers such as Keratella cochlearis, Brachionus patulus, …

The Effect Of Temperature On Post Feeding Metabolism In House Finches (Carpodacus Mexicanus), Shana L. Vifian

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

In this study I measured resting metabolic rate (RMR), costs of thermoregulation, and specific dynamic action (SDA) in House Finches and I tested the hypothesis that SDA heat substitutes for costs of thermoregulation at low temperatures in House Finches. Oxygen consumption of both bed and fasted birds was measured at three different temperatures (5 C, 15 C, and 30 C) using an open flow metabolism system and converted to metabolic rate (kJ/hr) using caloric equivalents. RMR, obtained from the fasted metabolic rate within the thermoneutral zone (30 C) was 1.65+.10 kJ/hr. Costs of thermoregulation at 15 C and 5 C …

Circadian Rhythms Of Body Temperature And Metabolic Rate In The House Sparrow (Passer Domesticus), Pericles P. Regas

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Birds maintain a fairly high body temperature (Tb) compared to most mammals. In order to maintain a high Tb birds must have a high metabolic rate. High daytime energy expenditures are decreased during the night by lowering Tb. In this experiment daily Tb in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) were determined by telemetry methods. Tb (n=6) showed a decrease of 3.00 C from daytime to night time. The average daytime Tb was 42.7 C and night time was 39.7 C. Oxygen consumption (VO₂) was measured in an open flow metabolism system. Metabolic rate had a …

The Effects Of Pesticides On The Common Leopard Frog, Rana Pipiens: A Hematological Study, Jennifer L. Loos

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Deformed frogs are appearing frequently in the wild. Speculations of the cause of deformities are pesticides, chemicals, viruses, parasites, and ultra-violet light. I am examining the blood for chromosome fragments, micronuclei, which result in a loss of genetic material during replication and could produce deformities. Some studies on amphibians show that organisms exposed to various chemicals have a higher incidence of micronuclei than organisms without chemical exposure. By studying the blood of the common leopard frog tadpoles, Rana pipiens, exposed to the herbicide atrazine I attempted to discover if atrazine significantly alters the number of micronuclei in the red blood …

Bumblebee Pollination Ecology In A Restored Prairie Ecosystem: Foraging Rates, Pollen Sources, And Resource Partitioning, Mary Margaret Price

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

A major factor in evaluating the success of prairie, and other, ecosystem restoration projects is a determination of the extent to which pollinator communities have been reestablished along with the flora. I studied bumblebee pollination ecology of a prairie restoration project in central Minnesota to determine the extent to which the several bumblebee species were interacting with the reestablished native prairie flora and with each other to reestablish a viable pollinator community. This was accomplished by determining if the bumblebees are majoring, if they are majoring on the native prairie plant species conservation efforts are attempting to restore, and if …

A Study Of Morphological Character Displacement In The Social Wasp, Polistes Fuscatus, Noah K. Whiteman

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

According to competition theory, when a population lives sympatrically with competitor populations, the variation in morphological characteristics within each population should be reduced. In allopatric populations, the variation in these characteristics should increase. I examined morphological character displacement in Polistes fuscatus populations in a north-south latitudinal gradient across the United States. P. fuscatus is sympatric with at least five other congeneric species in U.S. Gulf Coastal areas. As latitude increases, the number of species is reduced, and only P. fuscatus is found in Minnesota. Therefore, body size variation of P. fuscatus in Minnesota was predicted to be broader than the …

Serotonin Production And Neuron Proliferation In Drosophila Melanogaster In Two Environments, Cynthia Forsman-Earl

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

No abstract provided.

Schizophrenia: An Integrative Study Of Biological Liabilities And Neurological Causes, Daniel J. Knoblach

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Society has become increasingly aware of the frustrating and confusing disorders that can result when the brain loses control of its intricate mechanisms. One such disorder that continues to baffle experts is schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a serious thought disorder characterized by a broad spectrum of cognitive and emotional dysfunctions that disrupts a person's perception of the world into one of tormenting psychotic experience. Schizophrenia results from a variety of complex causes with each possibly contributing something to the disorder. A multifactorial threshold model explains causation by demonstrating that a sum of biological liabilities (genetics and prenatal developmental problems) may take …

The Ability Of Cladophora To Adapt To Nutrient Changes In The Watab Watershed, Julie Schanilec

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Over the past several years, excessive algal growth has occurred in the lakes associated with Saint John's University campus. To assess the causes of this growth, the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of Lower Stumpf Lake were monitored for approximately four months. Environmental parameters of temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and nutrients were assessed to determine which parameter influenced growth of the green alga Cladophora. Based on these results, controlled laboratory culture experiments were conducted to determine the nitrate and phosphate requirement and uptake for Cladophora. This alga grew well in nutrient rich Lower Stumpf Lake. However, in culture, …

The Culture Of Dermal Replacements, Kristine Peterson

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Collagen-based wound dressings have been used to prevent excessive fluid loss and infection in individuals with severe skin damage, as well as to promote the re-growth and healing of the patient's own skin. In this study, problems encountered with cryopreservation of collagen-based wound dressings were researched.

A fibroblast cell-line was expanded in culture and seeded onto collagen sponges. The sponges were then cultured for varying lengths of time before freezing them at -80 degrees C. The sponges were analyzed to assess the total number of cells as a function of time in culture.

Toxicity tests were performed using varying concentrations …

Genetic Algorithms: A Visual Search, Paul W. Jones

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Genetic algorithms apply the biological principles of selection, mutation, and crossover to a population set containing individuals representing target solutions to a given problem. Using these principles genetic algorithms attempt to create a migration of the individuals in subsequent generations toward the optimal solution.

This project is an attempt to visually represent the progress of a genetic algorithm. The coordinate fitness program attempts to find the maximum or minimum value of a given function. It visually represents the progress of the algorithm by providing a plot of each individual in each generation in time. It is then possible to view …

Sex And Extinction, Jennifer M. Eckman

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Sexual reproduction, the process of generating offspring through genetic recombination, is viewed as evolutionarily advantageous to a population by enabling it to respond more readily to environmental change. Support of this hypothesis comes from the observation that the majority of species employ some mode of sexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction is relatively rare, suggesting that these species reduce their chances of survival. This project examines some of the parameters that relate to a population's ability to respond to its environment. Using a program coded in FORTRAN, a Monte Carlo model has been developed to test the role of recombination on population …

The Effects Of Nutrient Loading On Plant And Algae Population: A Comparison Study Of East Gemini Lake And Lower Stumpf Lake, Nick Leonard

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Eutrophication of lakes has become an increasing problem for many bodies of water. By analyzing the nutrients available and the phytoplankton and macrophyte populations, evaluation and differentiation of East Gemini Lake and Stumpf Lake were made concerning their trophic state. This determination allowed for the further understanding of the effect the trophic state has on the flora of an aquatic system. It was determined that East Gemini Lake was eutrophic based on its available nutrients and phytoplankton populations. In contrast, Stumpf Lake was determined to be mesotrophic having lower available nutrients and less phytoplankton population density with fewer major phytoplnakton …

The Influence Of A Bamboo Diet On The Evolutionary Adaptations Of The Giant Panda, Beth A. Pettitt

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) of China is, anatomically, a carnivore trying to get by on an herbivorous diet (Dolnick, 1989). While it is a member of the order Carnivora, ninety-nine percent of the panda's feedstuff is bamboo. The giant panda has survived on a bamboo diet for millions of years and throughout its history has evolved numerous adaptations for obtaining and processing this plant efficiently. Various characteristics of bamboo are considered, including: anatomy, strength, cyanogenic capabilities, reproductive cycle, nutrition and abundance. Following these characteristics, specific adaptations that appear to correspond with these properties of bamboo are examined. …

Small Mammals Of Quarry Park Stearns County, Mn, David Winecoff

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

This wilderness quarry area is in the process of being converted for public use by Stearns Co., and is an ideal area for ecological surveys. I assessed the small mammal distributions in the variety of habitat types within the park, from June to August 1994. The habitats included: grasslands, Oak, Aspen, and Red Pine forests, wetlands, rock tailing piles, natural rock outcroppings, and water-filled quarries. I conducted this survey using Sherman Live traps, scat boards, and pit traps. The grassland consisted exclusively of Microtus pennsylvanicus, except for a single Sorex cinereus. Peromyscus leucopis dominated in the forests within …

Pre- And Post-Zygotic Isolation Between Sibling Species Of Drosophila, Heidi Skundberg

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Speciation, the process by which new species arise, is not well understood. Even less is known about the underlying genetics of this process. This study examines the level of reproductive isolation between two closely related species, Drosophila melanogaster and D. simulans. All combinations of intra- and inter-specific single-pair matings were set up in a total of 288 crosses. In all cases, intra- specific crosses (controls) were more successful than inter-specific crosses (PD. melanogaster) is the most discriminating (PD. melanogaster, but not when it is D. simulans.

Regulating Factors Of Ovarian Development In Paper Wasps Of The Genus Polistes, Jean Mengelkoch

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

Wasps of the genus Polistes were used to determine the effects of larval nutrition, position within the nest, and parasitism on ovarian development. Polistes nests were collected from Iowa, Minnesota, and Utah during the summer of 1994. The wasps were reared out, dissected, and their ovaries examined. The total number of oocytes and the size of the largest oocyte were used as measurements of ovarian development. Due to difficulties hand feeding the larvae, no data was obtained concerning the effect of larval nutrition on ovarian development. Data from first emergence nests of Minnesota were inconclusive. However, data from the second …

Transmittance Electron Microscopy: A Comparison Of The Rotifers Asplanchna Herricki And Asplanchna Brightwelli, Nichole M. Hecimovich

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

The rotifers, A. brightwelli and A. herricki were surveyed under SEM and TEM. The overall external features were compared under SEM to determine significant differences in morphology. The widths of the coronal surface and midsection were larger in A. herricki than that of A. brightwelli. A. herricki was prepared for view under E M , and integument was compared to A. brightwelli. The integument of A. brightwelli was substantially thicker than that of A. herricki, which disagreed with the hypothesis. Further studies must be conducted to determine the nature of this difference.

The Effects Of An Early Season Clipping On Several Grassland Species, Bradley J. Matuska

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

In one year, the Proposed 100-Acres Quarry Park, Stearns County, Minnesota, USA, will be undergoing development. One aspect of the development is the management (i.e. burning, seeding, clipping) of an old grassland within the park. I studied clipping as a management scheme and expected the species richness (number of species) to increase after clipping and the prostrate species to respond better than the erect species. I used the Daubenmire Canopy-Coverage Method to measure my results. The species richness showed no significant change in response to clipping mainly due to the timing of the clipping. However, individual species responded differently to …