Biology Commons^™

A Holistic Approach To Mima Mound Prairie Restoration, Kristin R. Anicito

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"Invasive winter annual grass (IWAGs) abundance has increased throughout much of the western United States, with serious consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem function. While a variety of tools have been used to control IWAGS, they often fail to achieve the goal of creating a self-sustaining native plant community. Therefore, a major goal of my thesis has been to explore and test restoration approaches that might help realize such plant communities. These approaches include ecologically based invasive plant management (EBIPM) and assisted succession. EBIPM is a holistic approach that aims to restore ecological functions damaged by IWAGs with a combination of …

Genomics Of A Metamorphic Timing Qt:: Met1 Maps To A Unique Genomic Position And Regulates Morph And Species-Specific Patterns Of Brain Transcription, Robert B. Page, M. A. Borley, D. K. Kump, S. R. Voss

Biology Faculty Publications (Archived)

Very little is known about genetic factors that regulate life history transitions during ontogeny. Closely related tiger salamanders (Ambystoma species complex) show extreme variation in metamorphic timing, with some species foregoing metamorphosis altogether, an adaptive trait called paedomorphosis. Previous studies identified a major effect quantitative trait locus (met1) for metamorphic timing and expression of paedomorphosis in hybrid crosses between the biphasic Eastern tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum) and the paedomorphic Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum).We used existing hybrid mapping panels and a newly created hybrid cross to map the met1 genomic region and determine the effect of met1 on larval growth, …

Population Genetics Of Thomomydoecus Minor: Ectoparasitic Chewing Lice On Thomomys Bottae Pocket Gophers Of The Rio Grande Valley In New Mexico, Sheree Elizabeth Harper

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Thomomydoecus minor is an ectoparasitic chewing louse that lives in intimate association with the pocket gopher Thomomys bottae. Chewing lice are wingless, obligate, host specific parasites that spend their entire life cycle on the fur of their host. Pocket gophers are fossorial and asocial, cut off for most of their lives even from members of their own species. Thus, the life histories of both chewing lice and pocket gophers have been predicted to limit transmission of lice from host to host, thus limiting gene flow among louse infrapopulations found on different hosts and increasing the effect of louse population …

Phylogeography Of Notropis Nubilus (Ozark Minnow), Jason F. Dugan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Periodic glacial cycles beginning 2.6 million years ago to 10,000 years ago forced the repeated contraction, fragmentation, and expansion of the North American biota. In the upper Mississippi River basin three very different areas characterize the topography left by glaciations and still and influence the flora and fauna: Driftless Area, Paleozoic Plateau, and Iowan Surface. The Paleozoic Plateau is located in the northern part of the upper Mississippi River basin, and it is a unique geographical region situated in an area that straddles northeast Iowa, southeastern Minnesota, southwest Wisconsin, and northwest Illinois. This region was bypassed by the last glacial …

Worms, Nematoda, Scott Lyell Gardner

Scott L. Gardner Publications

Nematodes are the most speciose phylum of metazoa on earth. Not only do they occur in huge numbers as parasites of all known animal groups, but also they are found in the soils, as parasites of plants, and in large numbers in the most extreme environments, from the Antarctic dry valleys to the benthos of the ocean. They are extremely variable in their morphological characteristics, with each group showing morphological adapta­tions to the environment that they inhabit. Soil-dwelling forms are extremely small; many marine species have long and complex setae; and parasitic species man­ifest amazingly great reproductive potential and large …

Solid-Phase Organic Matter Reduction Regulates Anaerobic Decomposition In Bog Soil, Jason K. Keller, Kimberly K. Takagi

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Peatlands store globally significant amounts of carbon and are important sources of the greenhouse gas methane (CH4) to the atmosphere. However, for reasons which are not well understood, many peatland soils produce smaller amounts of CH4 than theoretically predicted, and carbon dioxide (CO2) produced during anaerobic decomposition in peatland soils cannot be accounted for by commonly measured microbial processes. Here we show that the reduction of solid-phase organic matter (i.e., humic substances) suppresses CH4 production in a bog soil and can be responsible for 33–61% of the total carbon mineralization in this soil. These results demonstrate that the reduction of …

The Conservation Status Of The World’S Reptiles, Tony Gamble

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Effective and targeted conservation action requires detailed information about species, their distribution, systematics and ecology as well as the distribution of threat processes which affect them. Knowledge of reptilian diversity remains surprisingly disparate, and innovative means of gaining rapid insight into the status of reptiles are needed in order to highlight urgent conservation cases and inform environmental policy with appropriate biodiversity information in a timely manner. We present the first ever global analysis of extinction risk in reptiles, based on a random representative sample of 1500 species (16% of all currently known species). To our knowledge, our results provide the …

A Transgenic Minipig Model Of Huntington's Disease, Monika Baxa, Marian Hruska-Plochan, Stefan Juhas, Petr Vodicka, Antonin Pavlok, Jana Juhasova, Atsushi Miyanohara, Tetsuya Nejime, Jiri Klima, Monika Macakova, Silvia Marsala, Andreas Weiss, Svatava Kubickova, Petra Musilova, Radek Vrtel, Emily M. Sontag, Leslie Thompson, Jan Schier, Hana Hansikova, David S. Howland, Elena Cattaneo, Marian Difiglia, Martin Marsala, Jan Motlik

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Some promising treatments for Huntington's disease (HD) may require pre-clinical testing in large animals. Minipig is a suitable species because of its large gyrencephalic brain and long lifespan. Objective: To generate HD transgenic (TgHD) minipigs encoding huntingtin (HTT)1–548 under the control of human HTT promoter. Methods: Transgenesis was achieved by lentiviral infection of porcine embryos. PCR assessment of gene transfer, observations of behavior, and postmortem biochemical and immunohistochemical studies were conducted. Results: One copy of the human HTT transgene encoding 124 glutamines integrated into chromosome 1 q24-q25 and successful germ line transmission occurred through successive generations (F0, F1, F2 …

Factors Shaping The Ontogeny Of Vocal Signals In A Wild Parrot, Karl S. Berg, Steven R. Beissinger, Jack W. Bradbury

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

Parrots rely heavily on vocal signals to maintain their social and mobile lifestyles. We studied vocal ontogeny in nests of wild green-rumped parrotlets (Forpus passerinus) in Venezuela. We identified three successive phases of vocal signaling that corresponded closely to three independently derived phases of physiological development. For each ontogenetic phase, we characterized the relative importance of anatomical constraints, motor skills necessary for responding to specific contexts of the immediate environment, and the learning of signals that are necessary for adult forms of communication. We observed shifts in the relative importance of these three factors as individuals progressed from …

Opportunistic Pathogenic Bacteria Colonize Thorns Of Native Rio Grande Valley Plants, Felicia A. Charles, Sergio Cepeda, J. Andrew Mcdonald, Kristine L. Lowe

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

Thorns serve as mechanical defenses of plants against herbivory. However, plant thorns harbor microorganisms that are potentially pathogenic. These pathogens may be transferred to herbivores and other animals and provide an additional defense for the plants. Thorns from 5 plant species native to the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas were collected and used to isolate bacteria colonizing the thorn surface. Thorns, leaves and stems of plants were visualized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to observe any bacteria on the plant surface. Isolated bacteria were tested for their ability to grow in aerobic versus anaerobic environments, to produce hemolysis, carbon …

Arthropod Abundance And Diversity In Street Trees Of South Texas, Usa, Alexis Racelis, Ann T. Vacek, Carol Goolsby, John Brush, John A. Goolsby

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

In urban areas, street trees provide a variety of ecological services, including biodiversity conservation. In this study we examined arthropod diversity on native and non-native street trees sampled during the fall of 2010 and spring of 2011 in McAllen, Texas, one of the most rapidly growing urban areas in the country. Eighty-eight street trees were sampled by removing arthropods from the lower canopy foliage using a hand held vacuum. Arthropods were collected into nylon bags, identified to order, and counted by morphospecies. Overall, street trees supported a significant and diverse population of arthropods: a total of 1,971 arthropods were collected, …

Mitigating Predatory Ants Promotes Establishment Of Biological Control Of Arundo By Arundo Scale In The Cattle Fever Tick Quarantine Zone, A. Velez-Bonner, W. L. A. Osbrink, D. W. Thomas, Kenneth R. Summy, A. T. Showler, A. Perez De Leon, John A. Goolsby

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

Ant collection, identification, and control experiments were conducted to improve the establishment of the arundo scale, Rhizaspidiotus donacis, a biological control agent of Arundo donax, an invasive weed in the riparian habitats along the Rio Grande in Texas. Observational studies indicated R. donacis immatures are preyed upon by a variety of predator insects, especially ants. A survey of the principle ant species was made at sites along the Rio Grande with Arundo donax to help direct biological control strategies. We conclude that uses of ant baits can effectively control the common ant species found in these habitats and improve the …

Exploring The Sulfide Tolerance Of Ectosymbiotic Niphargus Amphipods From The Frasassi Caves, Central Italy, Jan Bauermeister, Karoline Assig, Sharmishtha Dattagupta

International Journal of Speleology

Two species of the crustacean amphipod genus Niphargus inhabit the sulfidic groundwaters of the Frasassi caves in central Italy, and both harbor filamentous, sulfide-oxidizing Thiothrix ectosymbionts. As sulfide is toxic to most aerobic organisms, it appeared possible that the ectosymbionts could help their Niphargus hosts with detoxification processes. In this study, mortality due to sulfide was compared between Niphargus individuals with ectosymbionts and individuals whose ectosymbionts had been killed by antibiotic treatment. Both Frasassi-dwelling Niphargus species revealed exceptionally high tolerances to sulfide compared to other amphipod species studied so far. Niphargus individuals without viable ectosymbionts tolerated sulfide levels exceeding those …

The Effect Of Visual Wulst Lesions And Trigeminal Nerve Sectioning On The Discrimination Of Magnetic Inclination In The Homing Pigeon (Columba Livia), Merissa Acerbi

Honors Projects

The ability of homing pigeons to return to their loft from unknown places has fascinated scientists for centuries. It is well established that homing pigeons, like migratory birds, posses an innate magnetic inclination compass to determine direction by measuring the angle between the magnetic field vector and the Earth's surface. Recent work has indicated that the avian magnetic compass is light mediated and appears to mediate magnetic information to the brain. This occurs via a visual pathway with processing in the visual Wulst area of the forebrain. There is, however, also evidence from other avian species that magnetic direction may …

Membrane And Dna Damaging/Protective Effects Of Eugenol, Eucalyptol, Terpinen-4-Ol, And Camphor At Various Concentrations On Parental And Drug-Resistant H1299 Cells, Aysun Özkan, Ayşe Erdoğan

Turkish Journal of Biology

Eugenol, eucalyptol, terpinen-4-ol, and camphor, used as flavor agents in cosmetic and food products, have both prooxidant and antioxidant activities. To clarify the mechanisms of their cytotoxic effect and the factors affecting their antioxidant/prooxidant activities, we investigated cell membrane and DNA damage/protective effects induced by eugenol, eucalyptol, terpinen-4-ol, and camphor in parental and drug-resistant human lung cancer cell lines. The parental cells were found approximately 3, 6, and 8 times more sensitive to camphor cytotoxicity than drug-resistant cells at 24, 48, and 72 h respectively. The cytotoxic activity for both cell types was found to be in the order of …

Proteomic Evidence For The Plasticity Of Cultured Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells, Ahmet Tarik Baykal, Betül Baykal, Müge Serhatli, Zelal Adigüzel, Mehmet Altuğ Tunçer, Ömer Kaçar, Kemal Baysal, Ceyda Açilan Ayhan

Turkish Journal of Biology

Morphological, functional, and gene expression studies have established the phenotypic plasticity of smooth muscle cells (SMCs). These cells have been shown to respond to environmental stimulants such as extracellular matrix and growth factors. Cellular changes can vary between extremes defined as the contractile and synthetic states. Various growth factors have been shown to have profound effects on the phenotype of these cells. In this study, we intended to investigate the effects of growth factor-rich medium on the protein expression of vascular SMCs in culture. Interestingly, transiently changing the type of medium did not result in any apparent morphological differences, yet …

Transcriptional Profiling Of Transferrin Gene From Egyptian Cotton Leaf Worm, Spodoptera Littoralis, Nurper Güz, Asli Dağeri̇, Tuğba Erdoğan, Mouzhgan Mousavi, Şeri̇fe Bayram, Mehmet Oktay Gürkan

Turkish Journal of Biology

Iron is an essential nutrient for almost all organisms, but it is also a potent toxin because it can catalyze oxidative reactions that are destructive to cells. Transferrin is an essential protein involved in iron metabolism, immunity, and vitellogenesis in insects. We have characterized a cDNA encoding a putative iron-binding transferrin (SpliTrf) in Egyptian cotton leaf worm, Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), an important pest that causes extensive losses in many vegetable, fodder, and fiber crops. The structure of the putative SpliTrf showed significant homology to other insect transferrins. Gene expression of SpliTrf was examined from different adult tissues including the …

Genetic Diversity Of Golden Root (Rhodiola Rosea L.) In Northern Norway Based On Recently Developed Ssr Markers, Zsuzsanna György, Erling Fjelldal, Anna Szabó, Paul Eric Aspholm, Andrzej Pedryc

Turkish Journal of Biology

Roseroot (Rhodiola rosea L.), an adaptogenic herb, has received increased attention in recent years. The genetic diversity of roseroot was studied with simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, which have not been widely used so far. Plants were collected in Finnmark County, Norway, from 10 habitats. Eight recently developed microsatellite (SSR) markers were used to assess genetic diversity. However, only 4 SSR markers were informative during this study. The primer pairs for these 4 SSR markers produced 20 fragments with an average of 5 putative alleles per locus. Observed heterozygosity was 1.0 at each locus, whereas expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.60 …

A Microfluidic Anti-Factor Xa Assay Device For Point-Of-Care Monitoring Of Anticoagulation Therapy, Leanne F. Harris, Paul Rainey, Vanessa Castro-Lopez, James S. O'Donnell, Anthony J. Killard

Articles

The development of new point-of-care coagulation assay devices is necessary due to the increasing number of patients requiring long-term anticoagulation in addition to the desire for appropriate, targeted anticoagulant therapy and a more rapid response to optimization of treatment. However, the majority of point-of-care devices currently available for hemostasis testing rely on clot-based endpoints which are variable and unreliable and are limited to measuring only certain portions of the coagulation pathway. There is a need for the introduction of point-of-care devices that can execute a broader range of tests; for example, the diagnosis of factor-specific diseases, as well as more …

Desulfotomaculum Dissimilatory Reduction Of Iron (Iii), Jim Elric

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Excess plant nutrient, often from agricultural runoff, can cause uncontrolled algal growth that leads to eutrophic conditions in a water body. Desulfotomaculum sp. reduction of ferric ions to ferrous ions can aid in reduction of excess phosphate in a water body. This bacterium may use iron mine tailings as an inexpensive source of iron ions that can aid in elimination of excess nutrient load such as phosphates. As part of a remediation plan Desulfotomaculum sp. reduction of ferric ions can help restore and maintain a healthy aquatic ecosystem. The biochemical pathway of iron reduction by Desulfotomaculum sp. is unclear and …

Orientocreadium Batrachoides Tubangui, 1931 (Orientocreadiidae): The Only Trematode Parasite Of Clarias Gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) (Clariidae) From The Asi River (Southern Turkey), Tayha Tepe, Mehmet Cemal Oğuz, Mark C. Belk, Remzi Özgen

Faculty Publications

Objective: Some information is available about the parasite fauna and incidence for Clarias gariepinus in Turkey, but digenean parasites have received little attention. The purpose of the study is to contribute to the parasite fauna of Turkey.

Methods: From 2007 to 2008, a total 63 Clarias gariepinus that were caught in the Asi River were purchased from the fish market in Hatay and brought on ice to the Parasitology Research Laboratory at Atatürk University. The fish were dissected. The obtained parasites were fixed with AFA, dyed with Mayer’s Carmalum, and mounted with Canada Balsam.

Results: Forty-eight fish were infected with …

In Vitro And In Silico Characterization Of Solanum Lycopersicum Wound-Inducible Proteinase Inhibitor-Ii Gene, Faiza Munir, Syed Muhammad Saqlan Naqvi, Tariq Mahmood

Turkish Journal of Biology

Plant proteinase inhibitors (PIs) are antimetabolic defensive proteins conferring resistance in plants against a variety of competing organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, attacking nematodes, and insects. In the fields of plant biochemistry and molecular genetics research, tremendous success has been achieved in generating transgenic crops that have defensive approaches against biotic challenges. In this study, in vitro and in silico analysis was carried out for a wound-inducible PI-II gene isolated from 4 selected varieties (Roma, Nagina, Moneymaker, and Rio Grande) of Solanum lycopersicum L. Around 684 bp of PI-II gene was amplified, sequenced, translated, modeled to protein structure, and …

Identification And Molecular Characterization Of A Receptor-Like Protein Kinase Gene From Corchorus Capsularis, Kh. Ambareen Reza, Sazia Sharmin, Mahdi Muhammad Moosa, Niaz Mahmood, Ajit Ghosh, Rifat Ara Begum, Haseena Khan

Turkish Journal of Biology

A leucine-rich repeat-containing protein kinase (LRR-PK) gene has been identified in Corchorus capsularis. This gene, named CcLRR-RLK1, is 3032 bp long and encodes a protein composed of 958 amino acid residues. The deduced peptide contains 3 distinctive domains: a transmembrane domain, 5 leucine-rich repeat-containing motifs, and a serine/threonine protein kinase domain. Expression analysis indicated that the gene is reduced by several environmental stresses including high salt, fungus, and abscisic acid, suggesting its possible involvement in multiple stress response pathways.

Phylogenetic Analysis Of Rhizoctonia Solani Ag-4 Isolates From Common Beans In Black Sea Coastal Region, Turkey, Based On Its-5.8s Rdna, Meli̇ke Çebi̇ Kiliçoğlu, İbrahi̇m Özkoç

Turkish Journal of Biology

In this study, 114 Rhizoctonia solani isolates were obtained from diseased common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plants from the Black Sea coastal region of Turkey. Genetic variation was determined among R. solani anastomosis group 4 (AG-4) subgroups (AG-4 HG-I and AG-4 HG-II). ITS-5.8 rDNA sequences of these isolates were aligned with other known R. solani sequences from GenBank, and distance and parsimony analysis were used to determine phylogenetic relationships. The R. solani AG-4 isolates were placed in 2 main lineages, corresponding to AG-4 HG-I and AG-4 HG-II. Based on phylogenetic analysis, genetic variations were shown in the AG-4 subgroups (especially …

Compositional Studies And Antioxidant Potential Of Albizia Lebbeck (L.) Benth. Pods And Seeds, Muhammad Zia-Ul-Haq, Shakeel Ahmad, Mughal Qayum, Sezai̇ Erci̇şli̇

Turkish Journal of Biology

Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth. is an important medicinal tree found in Pakistan. The present study evaluates the composition and antioxidant potential of various parts of the A. lebbeck plant. Compositional studies indicated carbohydrates as major components while saponin was found as a major antinutrient in both pods and seeds. Potassium was found in the highest amount and copper in the lowest. The amino acid profile indicated that arginine and lysine are present in excessive amounts in seeds while glutamic acid and aspartic acid are present in the highest concentrations in pods. While the linoleic acid was detected as the major …

The Effect Of 3-Methylcholanthrene And Butylated Hydroxytoluene On Glycogen Levels Of Liver, Muscle, Testis, And Tumor Tissues Of Rats, Fi̇kri̇ye Polat, Egemen Dere, Eylem Gül, İzzet Yelkuvan, Öztürk Özdemi̇r, Günsel Bi̇ngöl

Turkish Journal of Biology

This study examined the effects of separate and combined applications of 3-methylcholanthrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and potent carcinogenic agent, and butylated hydroxytoluene, the antioxidant food additive, on the glycogen levels of liver, muscle, testis, and tumor tissues in rats. Adult male Wistar albino rats weighing 100-110 g at 8 weeks of age were used in this study. This study consisted of a control group (n = 9) and 3 different experiment groups in which rats were chronically treated with 3-methylcholanthrene (n = 9) or butylated hydroxytoluene (n = 11) or a combination of these agents (n = 14). Rats …

Purification Of Antioxidant Protein Isolated From Peganum Harmala And Its Protective Effect Against Ccl4 Toxicity In Rats, Hanaa Ahmed, Helal Abu Elzahab, Gamia Alswiai

Turkish Journal of Biology

The present study was conducted to determine the protective effect of the purified protein from seeds of Peganum harmala against carbon tetrachloride (CCl_{4})-induced toxicity in male albino rats. The purification steps included ammonium sulfate fractionation and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, CM-Sepharose, and Superdex 75 columns. The molecular mass of the purified protein was 132 kDa by gel filtration technique; it consisted of 2 subunits with molecular masses of 30.199 kDa and 38.018 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Results of the dose-dependent experiment with purified protein prior to CCl_4 administration were higher at 4 mg/kg body weight. The antioxidant activity of the purified protein …

Salicylic Acid Delays Leaf Rolling By Inducing Antioxidant Enzymes And Modulating Osmoprotectant Content In Ctenanthe Setosa Under Osmotic Stress, Mehmet Demi̇ralay, Aykut Sağlam, Asi̇m Kadioğlu

Turkish Journal of Biology

The effects of salicylic acid (SA) on leaf rolling under osmotic stress in Ctenanthe setosa (Roscoe) Eichler were evaluated. The leaves were pretreated with SA, paclobutrazol (PAC), and antioxidant enzyme inhibitors for 15 h and then kept in polyethylene glycol (PEG) for 4 h to promote osmotic stress. The degree of leaf rolling was measured every hour during the 4-h PEG treatment. Antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and guaiacol peroxidase) and NADPH oxidase (NOX) activities, endogenous SA contents, hydrogen peroxide, proline, and soluble sugar were determined immediately after PEG treatment. SA treatment retarded leaf rolling and induced antioxidant …

Karyotype Traits In Romanian Selections Of Edible Blue Honeysuckle, Elena Truta, Gabriela Vochita, Craita Maria Rosu, Maria Magdalena Zamfirache, Zenovia Olteanu, Lacramioara Oprica

Turkish Journal of Biology

Large morpho-anatomical and biochemical variability was evidenced in all Lonicera caerulea L. provenances. The knowledge of chromosome constitution is of basic importance in this context of elevated phenotype heterogeneity and represents a necessary step in breeding programs. The Romanian selections are tetraploid (2n = 4x = 36). Chromosomes are small-sized (

Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, And Synergistic Properties Of Two Nutraceutical Plants: Terminalia Catappa L. And Colocasia Esculenta L., Sumitra Chanda, Kalpna Rakholiya, Komal Dholakia, Yogesh Baravalia

Turkish Journal of Biology

Antibiotics have been effective in treating infectious diseases, but resistance to these drugs has led to the emergence of new and reemergence of old infectious diseases. Using a combination of plant extracts and antibiotics is one way of combating these multidrug-resistant microorganisms. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of 2 nutraceutical plants: Terminalia catappa and Colocasia esculenta. The antimicrobial activity of the plants was evaluated against 25 microorganisms by agar well diffusion method. C. esculenta did not show any antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi. Therefore, only methanol extract of T. catappa was …