Biology Commons^™

Retrotransposition Efficiency Of Non-Autonomous Mobile Dna, Erin Radloff

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Nearly half of the human genome consists of transposable element (TE) DNA sequences. Most of these sequences were derived from the process of retrotransposition. This term refers to a gene being transcribed into RNA, converted back to DNA and the copy integrated elsewhere in the genome. Short interspersed DNA elements (SINEs) from various rodent species were isolated, using PCR, with the intent of being incorporated into a plasmid construct and analyzed for retrotransposition efficiency. SINE copy numbers vary among rodents; therefore, efficiency can be determined by contrasting copy numbers in respective genomes in different rodents. In future studies, a novel …

Differential Habituation Of Male Betta Splendens To Qualitatively Different Stimuli, Lauren Baard

Undergraduate Research Symposium (UGRS)

Habituation is a learning mechanism that functions to decrease the amount of energy and attention focused on a certain stimuli. Male Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta splendens, are territorial animals that defend their territories using a number of aggressive displays. Male Bettas have previously shown the ability to habituate to the presence of a conspecific male when visually exposed to each other. Due to the costly nature of many of the male Betta’s displays, I hypothesized that male Bettas should differentially habituate to qualitatively different stimuli. I presented each of three groups of male Betta splendens with a different stimulus, each …

The Isolation And Characterization Of Multiply Antibiotic Resistant Strains Of Fish Pathogenic Flavobacterium Species, Sarah E. Clark, Jaehee Yun, Justin Guay

Undergraduate Research Symposium (UGRS)

Since the development of the first antibiotics in the 1940’s, there has been widespread overuse in both clinical and agricultural applications. Antibiotic resistance has become a significant problem as a result of subsequent dissemination of antibiotics into the environment, and multiply-resistant strains of bacteria are now a major pathogenic threat. In this study eight separate strains of Flavobacterium responsible for recent disease outbreaks in fish hatcheries throughout Maine were collected and analyzed. All eight strains were found to be resistant to high levels of a number of different antibiotics, including those used for aquaculture as well as human chemotherapeutic applications. …

"Taxonomy And Biogeography Of The Freshwater Crabs Of Tanzania, East Africa" , Sadie K. Reed, Neil Cumberlidge

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Fast-Swimming Hydromedusae Exploit Velar Kinematics To Form An Optimal Vortex Wake, John O. Dabiri, Sean Colin, John H. Costello

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Fast-swimming hydromedusan jellyfish possess a characteristic funnel-shaped velum at the exit of their oral cavity that interacts with the pulsed jets of water ejected during swimming motions. It has been previously assumed that the velum primarily serves to augment swimming thrust by constricting the ejected flow in order to produce higher jet velocities. This paper presents high-speed video and dye-flow visualizations of free-swimming Nemopsis bachei hydromedusae, which instead indicate that the time-dependent velar kinematics observed during the swimming cycle primarily serve to optimize vortices formed by the ejected water rather than to affect the speed of the ejected flow. Optimal …

Rdna Gene Region (18s-Its1-5.8s-Its2-28s) Of Biomphalaria Glabrata, Coen Adema

Biomphalaria Genome Initiative

No abstract provided.

Intra-Guild Compensation Regulates Species Richness In Desert Rodents: Reply, J. R. Goheen, Ethan P. White, S.K. Morgan Ernest, J. H. Brown

Biology Faculty Publications

Null models have had a long and contentious history in community ecology (Connor and Simberloff 1979, Harvey et al. 1983, Gotelli and Graves 1996, Graves and Rahbek 2005). Much of this debate has arisen because multiple strategies for null models can be used to address a particular question of interest, and the present exchange is no exception. To assess constancy in species richness through time in a desert rodent community, Nichols et al. (2006) have proposed a Markov Chain model as an alternative to the random-walk model we developed (Goheen et al. 2005). While both null models simulate stochastic local …

A Comparison Of The Species-Time Relationship Across Ecosystems And Taxonomic Groups, Ethan P. White, P. B. Adler, W. K. Lauenroth, R. A. Gill, D. Greenberg, D. M. Kaufman, A. Rassweiler, J. A. Rusak, M. D. Smith, J. R. Steinbeck, R. B. Waide, J. Yao

Biology Faculty Publications

The species-time relationship (STR) describes how the species richness of a community increases with the time span over which the community is observed. This pattern has numerous implications for both theory and conservation in much the same way as the speciesarea relationship (SAR). However, the STR has received much less attention and to date only a handful of papers have been published on the pattern. Here we gather together 984 community time-series, representing 15 study areas and 9 taxonomic groups, and evaluate their STRs in order to assess the generality of the STR, its consistency across ecosystems and taxonomic groups, …

Roles Of Intra-Fruit Oxygen And Carbon Dioxide In Controlling Pepper (Capsicum Annuum L.) Seed Development And Storage Reserve Deposition, J. Blasiak, Anxiu Kuang, Chakavak S. Farghangi, M. E. Musgrave

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Seeds developing within a locular space inside hollow fruit experience chronic exposure to a unique gaseous environment. Using two pepper cultivars, `Triton' (sweet) and `PI 140367' (hot), we investigated how the development of seeds is affected by the gases surrounding them. The atmospheric composition of the seed environment was characterized during development by analysis of samples withdrawn from the fruit locule with a gas-tight syringe. As seed weight plateaued during development, the seed environment reached its lowest O2 concentration (19%) and highest CO2 concentration (3%). We experimentally manipulated the seed environment by passing different humidified gas mixtures through the fruit …

Leptodactylus Fragilis, Mirriiam Muedeking Heyer, W. Ronald Heyer, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Leptodactylus fragilis (Brocchi) White-lipped thin-toed frogs are characteristically defined according to their habitation and age. There is a diagnosis of different species group within Leptodactylus. It is furthermore described from different perspectives and discoveries such as its eggs and karyotype. The distribution of the frog is considered to be prominent occurring form Southernmost Teaxs throughout Mexico and Middle America expanding to Venezuela. The fossil fuel records and literature on Leptodactylus are slighly viewed before studying its nomenclatural history and rarity.

The Amphibian Tree Of Life, Darrel R. Frost, Taran Grant, Julián Faivovich, Raoul H. Bain, Alexander Haas, Célio F.B. Haddad, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

The evidentiary basis of the currently accepted classification of living amphibians is discussed and shown not to warrant the degree of authority conferred on it by use and tradition. A new taxonomy of living amphibians is proposed to correct the deficiencies of the old one. This new taxonomy is based on the largest phylogenetic analysis of living Amphibia so far accomplished. We combined the comparative anatomical character evidence of Haas (2003) with DNA sequences from the mitochondrial transcription unit H1 (12S and 16S ribosomal RNA and tRNAValine genes, ø 2,400 bp of mitochondrial sequences) and the nuclear genes histone H3, …

Leptodactylus Fragilis (Brocchi): White-Lipped Thin-Toed Frog, Miriam M. Heyer, W. Ronald Heyer, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Adult Leptodactylus fragilis are small. The head is longer than wide, and the hind limbs are moderately long (Table 1; Heyer and Thompson 2000 provided definitions of adult size and leg length categories for Leptodactylus). Male vocal sacs are laterally expanded and range from lightly gray speckled to darkly pigmented. Male snout is spatulate; female snout is rounded. Male forearms are not hypertrophied and males lack asperities on the thumbs and chest. The dorsum is spotted or blotched with dark markings, which are often chevron-shaped and sometimes confluent. The supratympanic fold is dark brown. A pair of dorsolateral folds …

Growth And Population Assessment Of Spotted Bass (Micropterus Punctulatus) In Beaver, Table Rock, And Bull Shoals Lakes, Northern Arkansas-Southern Missouri, Jeremy Troy Risley

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Little research has been conducted on spotted bass, Micropterus punctulatus, even though it is a popular recreational fish. Most previous research was on young-of-the-year fish and interactions among other species in reservoirs, with little research on adult spotted base in the Ozarks region or other regions of the United States. The objective of this study was to compare the growth and population characteristics of spotted bass within and among Beaver, Bull Shoals and Table Rock Lacks. Growth, abundance, and conditions within and among reservoirs were similar. However, spotted bass in Beaver Lake did not reach as great lengths as those …

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

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

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) …

Biomonitoring Organochlorine And Cholinesterase Inhibiting Insecticide In Eastern Iowa Streams, Matthew Thomas Fisher

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The four chapters in this thesis provide results from five separate investigations. Chapter One describes Isonychia bicolor acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in Northeast Iowa rivers. During 2002 and 2003 insects were collected from 10 sites during May, July and September, three sites on the Volga River were sampled weekly during May and June and one Cedar River site was sampled monthly. Also, in 2003, three sites on the Upper Iowa were sampled weekly in May and June. Sampling often sites yielded few discernable trends, however decreasing AChE activity from upstream to downstream sites was apparent on several occasions on the Volga …

Proceedings Of The Western Australian Dhufish Workshop 2004, Mark Pagano, Terry Fuller

Fisheries Occasional Publications

The Western Australian Dhufish Workshop 2004 was a joint project between Recfishwest and the Western Australian Department of Fisheries.

The workshop incorporated presentations from the Department of Fisheries, Recfishwest, the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council, Murdoch University and Challenger TAFE to showcase current knowledge relating to the iconic dhufish in Western Australia. The perspectives of a recreational fisher, a commercial wetline operator and a metropolitan charter boat operator were also presented.

Through information sharing and discussion the workshop provided a platform to better understand the fundamental issues that underpin current and future management arrangements for this valuable resource. Both commercial …

A Broad-Spectrum Mer Operon In A Multi-Drug Resistant Strain Of The Fish Pathogen, Aeromonas Salmonicida, Erin Parry

Honors Theses

Aeromonas salmonicida AS03, a potential fish pathogen, was isolated from Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, in 2003. This strain was found to be resistant to ≥1000 mM HgCl2 and ≥32 mM phenylmercuric acetate as well as multiple antimicrobials. Mercury (Hg) and antibiotic resistance genes are often located on the same mobile genetic elements, so the genetic determinants of both resistances and the possibility of horizontal gene transfer were examined. Specific PCR primers were used to amplify and sequence distinctive regions of the mer operon. A. salmonicida AS03 was found to have a pDU1358-like broad-spectrum mer operon, containing merB as well as …

Resistance Of Forest Community Types To Structural And Compositional Change Following Beech Bark Disease Infestation, Sarah Ann Hoskinson

Honors Theses

Pathogens change forest composition and structure by selectively eliminating susceptible individuals and species. Caused by a complex between an exotic scale insect and fungi, beech bark disease has infected mature American beech (Fagus grandifolia) trees through most of the species range. Before succumbing to the disease, infected trees generate root sprouts, transforming beech from a dominant canopy species into an abundant subcanopy species. Root sprouting can create dense beech thickets that interfere with the regeneration of other species. Exclusion of species from the understory has ecological and economic implications. This study compared forest community types for their resistance to compositional …

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 …

Biodiversity Loss And The Taxonomic Bottleneck: Emerging Biodiversity Science, Ke Chung Kim, Loren B. Byrne

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Human domination of the Earth has resulted in dramatic changes to global and local patterns of biodiversity. Biodiversity is critical to human sustainability because it drives the ecosystem services that provide the core of our life-support system. As we, the human species, are the primary factor leading to the decline in biodiversity, we need detailed information about the biodiversity and species composition of specific locations in order to understand how different species contribute to ecosystem services and how humans can sustainably conserve and manage biodiversity. Taxonomy and ecology, two fundamental sciences that generate the knowledge about biodiversity, are associated with …

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 …

Fisheries Occasional Publication No. 33 - Department Of Fisheries Community Survey 2005, Tara Baharthah

Fisheries Occasional Publications

A telephone survey of the Western Australian public was conducted to assess the level of success of programs implemented by the Department of Fisheries. The sample comprised of 700 interviews, 422 in the metropolitan area and 278 in regional areas throughout the State.

This community survey was used to determine the level of recall and awareness of the Department of Fisheries, the understanding and support of the community for the Department of Fisheries' management strategies and to examine key aspects of community participation in recreational fishing.

It is estimated that the overall participation rate for recreational fishing in Western Australia …

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius Ludovicianus L) Foraging Patch And Perch Selection, Miles Becker

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Loggerhead shrikes have disappeared across much of their former range, most likely due to habitat loss. I studied the habitat shrikes prefer for foraging. Shrikes forage from a perch on prey that they see in the surrounding vegetation. When I mowed the vegetation on one side of selected perches, shrikes strongly preferred to forage on the mowed side even though prey biomass was far lower on this side. These results suggest that access to prey is important to shrikes rather than simply the total amount of prey in a habitat. Within territories, shrikes chose to perch on dead or partially …

Trans-Atlantic Correlation Of Upper Cretaceous Marine Sediments, Marcus R. Ross, David E. Fastovsky

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Upper Cretaceous marine deposits from the Mid-Atlantic region of North America (Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey) and the Maastricht area (southern Netherlands, and nearby Belgium and Gennany) are correlated across the Atlantic using a variety of macro invertebrates, nannofossils, and sequence stratigraphy. Four late Cretaceous Mid-Atlantic sequences, the Marshalltown, Englishtown, Merchantville, and Navesink, span the upper Santonian to lowennost Danian, and have direct correlatives in the Maastricht area. Correlations between the Mid-Atlantic and the Maastricht regions (respectively) are as follows: the upper Santonian to lower Campanian Merchantville and Matawan formations with the Achen and lower Vaals fonnations; the middle Campanian …

A Taxonomy Of Teleology: Phillip Johnson, The Intelligent Design Community, And Young-Earth Creationism, Marcus R. Ross, P. A. Nelson

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Mechanism Of Potential Shifts Of Activated Carbon Due To Adsorption Of Organic Compounds, Mikhail M. Goldin, Vladimir Avramenko, Alexander G. Volkov, Mark Goldin

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Varying The Timing Of Inputs On A Neural Oscillator, Christina Ambrosio-Mouser, Farzan Nadim, Amitabha Bose

Publications and Research

The gastric mill network of the stomatogastric ganglion of the crab Cancer borealis is comprised of a set of neurons that require modulatory input from outside the stomatogastric ganglion and input from the pyloric network of the animal in order to oscillate. Here we study how the frequency of the gastric mill network is determined when it receives rhythmic input from two different sources but where the timing of these inputs may differ. We find that over a certain range of the time difference one of the two rhythmic inputs plays no role what so ever in determining the network …

Food Restriction Affects Locomotor Activity In Mongolian Gerbils (Meriones Unguiculatus), Alper Karakaş, Erdi̇nç Seri̇n, Bülent Gündüz

Turkish Journal of Biology

The circadian rhythm of the locomotor activity is regulated by at least 2 external pacemakers, environmental photoperiod and food availability. In the present study, the effects of short-term (2 weeks) food restriction on locomotor activity rhythm in adult male and female Mongolian gerbils were investigated. Animals were fed ad libitum with no restriction during the first week of the experiment and their daily ad libitum food consumptions were determined. Then the food was restricted 40% of ad libitum for the next 2 weeks. At constant temperature, locomotor activity was monitored by running wheel in animals exposed to a long photoperiod …