Biology Commons^™

Understanding Sediment Biogeochemistry And The Role Of Juvenile Oysters On Recently Restored Eastern Oyster Reefs, Bryan Locher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent decades, goals for the restoration of eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) populations along the eastern coast of the United States have shifted from increasing harvestable oyster fisheries to enhancing the range of ecosystem services provided by oyster reefs. By filtering large volumes of water and releasing nutrient-rich feces and pseudofeces, oysters can locally enhance sediment biogeochemical cycling compared to that of unstructured benthic environments. An ongoing restoration program in Mosquito Lagoon, FL was leveraged to assess the immediate impacts ( < 1 year) of restoration on sediment biogeochemical properties of oyster reefs. The first study measured both short-term and long-term pools of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus on dead, natural and restored reefs periodically over one year. The second study investigated one of the contributions to sediment nutrient pools by comparing feeding and feces/pseudofeces nutrient content of juvenile and older oysters. Results show that inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus pools can change within weeks after restoration and total nutrient pools by 6 months post-restoration. Restored reefs experienced a 136 % increase in ammonium, 78 % increase in total nitrogen, 46 % increase in total phosphorus, and 75 % increase in organic matter concentrations after 12 months of restoration. These nutrient increases were all positively correlated with oyster density, shell length and reef height measured on each reef. When standardized to grams of dry tissue weight, juvenile oysters showed significantly higher rates of chlorophyll-a removal, release of ammonium, and biodeposits with higher concentrations of dissolved organic carbon, nitrite + nitrate, and ammonium. The short-term changes to biogeochemical cycling on eastern oyster reefs within the first year of restoration are important to managers seeking to monitor ecosystem service recovery and overall coastal ecosystem health.

Exploring Multi-Scale Variation Of Fish Community Diversity In A Dynamic Coastal Estuary, Brittany Troast

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Examining diversity over multiple spatial and temporal scales affords the opportunity to develop a mechanistic understanding of the factors influencing community diversity dynamics, and how these may shift in a changing world. This thesis first examines multi-decadal fish community diversity metrics across a coastal biogeographic transition zone to quantify changes in species assemblages, assess relationships between fish community diversity and the abiotic environment, and capture potential shifts in the location of a putative biogeographic break. Results of this chapter indicate not only a change in fish community composition, but also a shift in the location of the biogeographic transition zone. …

Variation In Prospecting Behavior And Drivers Of Post-Fire Habitat Preference Among Juvenile Florida Scrub-Jays, David Sherer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Florida Scrub-Jays (Aphelocoma coerulescens, FLSJ; federally Threatened) are cooperatively breeding birds endemic to Florida and dependent on fire-maintained xeric oak scrub. FLSJs are year-round residents, highly territorial, and rarely disperse far from their natal territory. Lifetime reproductive success is highest among individuals breeding in early-successional habitat, usually less than 9 to 10 years post-fire. However, because scrub burns infrequently such early-successional, high-quality habitat is extremely limited and competition for it as breeding space is likely intense. Because some birds live long enough to experience habitat succession, FLSJs also occupy later-successional overgrown scrub, even though both survival and fecundity decline. Although …

Ribbeting Results: Emergent Infectious Diseases In Wetland Systems, Ariel Horner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

North American amphibians have recently been impacted by two major emerging pathogens, the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and iridoviruses in the genus Ranavirus (Rv). Environmental, seasonal and host factors may play important roles in disease dynamics, but few studies incorporate these components into their analyses. Here, we investigated the role of environmental, seasonal, genetic and location effects on driving Bd and Rv infection prevalence and severity in a biodiversity hot spot, the southeastern United States. We used quantitative PCR to characterize Bd and Rv dynamics in natural populations of three amphibian species: Notophthalmus perstriatus, Hyla squirella and Pseudacris ornata and …

Laboratory Evaluation Of Molecular Xenomonitoring Using Mosquito And Tsetse Fly Excreta/Feces To Amplify Plasmodium, Brugia, And Trypanosoma Dna, Nils Pilotte, Darren A.N. Cook, Joseph Pryce, Michael F. Zulch, Corrado Minetti, Lisa J. Reimer, Steven A. Williams

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Results from an increasing number of studies suggest that mosquito excreta/feces (E/F) testing has considerable potential to serve as a supplement for traditional molecular xenomonitoring techniques. However, as the catalogue of possible use-cases for this methodology expands, and the list of amenable pathogens grows, a number of fundamental methods-based questions remain. Answering these questions is critical to maximizing the utility of this approach and to facilitating its successful implementation as an effective tool for molecular xenomonitoring. Methods: Utilizing E/F produced by mosquitoes or tsetse flies experimentally exposed to Brugia malayi, Plasmodium falciparum, or Trypanosoma brucei brucei, factors such as …

Cognitive Processes That Indirectly Affect Olfactory Dysfunction In Parkinson's Disease, Attakias T. Mertens, Jonathan B. Santo, Katerina Markopoulou, Bruce A. Chase

Biology Faculty Publications

Introduction
Accurate early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease is hampered by its long prodromal period and the variable manifestations of its motor symptoms. While olfactory dysfunction can occur before motor-symptom onset and serve as a non-disease-specific diagnostic aid, its underlying causes are incompletely understood.

Methods
Correlation analyses, univariate density estimates, ANOVA and regression evaluated relationships between scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test and those on the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test in 1280 Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative subjects placed into five diagnostic categories. Structural equation modeling identified cognitive measures having significant indirect effects on olfactory-function-test …

Bulldozing The Stem Silos In Omaha: While Engaging P-12 Teachers And Building Campus Stem Excellence, Neal Grandgenett, Christine Cutucache, William Tapprich, Brian Dorn

Biology Faculty Publications

It has been said that all universities “do STEM these days”, but what exactly does it take to “do STEM” well? Questions commonly heard on a university campus these days include: “What is the STEM context for inquiry?”, “Should P-16 STEM be a campus priority?”, “How can a campus break down departmental silos for interdisciplinary workforce development?” In many ways STEM represents, at its core, an interdisciplinary approach and workforce development context to learning, that rigorously engages the core concepts of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (Tsupros, N., Kohler, R. and Hallinen, J., 2009; National Science and Technology Council, 2018). …

Unintended Consequences Of Dna Analysis Delays In North Carolina, Pamela Cook Woodard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The processing of DNA recovered from felony crime scenes often causes delays in trials of up to 3 years, calling into question defendants' rights to a speedy trial. Using Lewin's force field analysis as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this quantitative, comparative study was to compare the processing and reporting of results related to DNA testing in 4 states. Survey data were collected from state bar members (n=137), members of a professional law organization (n=149), and members of a state DNA laboratory (n=20). The purpose of this quantitative, comparative study was to determine whether these variables (interagency communications, staff …

Differential Tolerance To Increasing Heterospecific Pollen Deposition In Two Sympatric Species Of Burmeistera (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae), Juan Moreira-Hernández, Nicholas Terzich, Ricardo Zambrano-Cevallos, Nora Oleas, Nathan Muchhala

Biology Department Faculty Works

Premise of research. Heterospecific pollen deposition on stigmas can impact plant reproduction by decreasing seed set or inducing fruit abortion. Pollinating bats often carry pollen from many species on their fur, and thus bat-pollinated flowers may exhibit tolerance to heterospecific pollen deposition, but to our knowledge this has never been studied. We investigated the relative impact of increasing heterospecific pollen deposition on female reproduction of two sympatric species of Burmeistera that experience pollen transfer between them by their shared bat pollinators.Methodology. We simulated heterospecific pollen deposition by applying pollen mixtures that differed in the ratio of heterospecific to conspecific flowers …

Environmental Determinants Of Recruitment Success Of Subalpine Fir (Abies Lasiocarpa) In A Mixed-Conifer Forest, Elizah Z. Stephens, Christopher P. Murar, Daniel B. Tinker, Paige E. Copenhaver-Parry

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

Understanding the processes that underlie forest resilience is of increasing importance as climate change and shifting disturbance regimes continue to impact western forests. Forest research and management efforts within the low-diversity conifer forests of the U.S. Rocky Mountains have typically focused on relatively monotypic stands dominated by a single cohort, but mixed-conifer stands, such as those codominated by Abies lasiocarpa and Pinus contorta have been less widely studied. The presence of A. lasiocarpa may enhance resilience to fire- and mountain pine beetle–induced mortality and depends on successful A. lasiocarpa recruitment under a range of environmental conditions. The purpose of this …

Bioinformatic And Experimental Analyses Of Axolotl Regeneration, Nour W. Al Haj Baddar

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Salamanders have an extraordinary ability to regenerate appendages after loss or amputation, irrespective of age. My dissertation research explored the possibility that regenerative ability is associated with the evolution of novel, salamander-specific genes. I utilized transcriptional and genomic databases for the axolotl to discover previously unidentified genes, to the exclusion of other vertebrate taxa. Among the genes identified were multiple mmps (Matrix metalloproteases) and a jnk1/mapk8 (c-jun-N-terminal kinase) paralog. MMPs function in extracellular matrix remodeling (ECM) and tissue histolysis, processes that are essential for successful regeneration. Jjnk1/mapk8 plays a pivotal role in regulating transcription in response to cellular stress stimuli, …

Tgf-Β, Wnt, And Fgf Signaling Pathways During Axolotl Tail Regeneration And Forelimb Bud Development, Qingchao Qiu

Theses and Dissertations--Neuroscience

Tgf-β, Wnt, and Fgf signaling pathways are required for many developmental processes. Here, I investigated the requirement of these signaling pathways during tail regeneration and limb development in the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum).

Using small chemical inhibitors during tail regeneration, I found that the Tgf-β signaling pathway was required from 0-24 and 48-72 hours post tail amputation (hpa), the Wnt signaling pathway was required from 0-120 hpa, and the Fgf signaling pathway was required from 0-12hpa. Tgf-β1 was upregulated after amputation and thus may mediate Tgf-β signaling pathway during tail regeneration. Both Smad-mediated and non-Smad mediated Tgf-β signaling …

Quantifying White-Tailed Deer Density And Its Impacts On Agricultural Systems, Jonathan A. Matthews

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) commonly consume row crops, with yield losses often attributed to their browsing. Deer density and field morphology may predict yield losses within local areas. We sought to 1) determine the effects of deer browsing on corn and soybean yields and investigate if deer density or field morphology correlated to yield loss in western Kentucky, and 2) compare pellet-based distance sampling to game camera surveys to determine if a distance sampling technique could accurately estimate deer density during the growing season. Overall, deer reduced corn and soybean yields on one-half of surveyed properties. Deer density …

Healthy Skepticism: The Relationship Between Funding Source And Conclusion In Nutrition-Related Scientific Articles On Saturated Fat, Lili Muskal

CMC Senior Theses

Recently published scientific articles have led to mixed nutritional advice on dietary saturated fatty acids. Lesser et. al (2007) identified that mixed conclusions in scientific articles on sweetened beverages might be attributed industry funding, as articles funded by the beverage industry are four to eight times more likely to report conclusions in favor of the sponsor’s products. This thesis applies Lesser’s methods to determine whether industry funding influences the inconsistent conclusions on saturated fatty acids. This thesis analyzes 100 articles on foods high in dietary saturated fatty acids. While studies with food industry funding are more likely to produce favorable …

The Involvement Of Progesterone In Glial Cell Viability, Tracee L. Guthrie

Theses and Dissertations

We studied the effects of ethynodiol diacetate on the viability of hydrogen peroxide stressed glial cells. We wanted to determine the extent in which varying concentration of ethynodiol diacetate affect cell viability of cultured glial cells from hydrogen peroxide toxicity. Based on previous studies, we predicted that the viability of hydrogen peroxide-stressed cells will increase with the presence of the progesterone, ethynodiol diacetate, and that cell viability will increase with increasing concentration of ethynodiol diacetate. Glial cells of 1x10° cells/well were introduced into a 96-well plate and allowed to grow for 24 hours in an incubator at 37°C and 5% …

A Dietary Analysis On Panamanian Bat Species, John C. Waller

Theses and Dissertations

Bats are found all over the world, and they are the most diverse group of mammals in the tropics. They are a key component in all ecosystems as predators, pollinators, or seed dispersers. As a conservation tool, dietary studies show what different bat species need to survive. Through metabarcoding, the diet can be accurately assessed. This method involves the DNA extraction of material from the feces of the individual being studied. PCR is used to amplify the DNA and next generation sequencing is used to identify, separate, and align the DNA that was extracted. By comparing the results from different …

The Effects Of Ethynodiol Diacetate On Epinephrine-Treated Glial-Derived Cells, Jesse D. Hunt

Theses and Dissertations

Neuroprotective agents, including specific hormones, may play a role in preventing cellular damage following an ischemic event or brain injury. Astrocytes are specialized glial cells within the central nervous system that play roles in synapse development, blood flow regulation, extracellular homeostasis, synapse function, energy and metabolism (Sofroniew and Vinters, 2009). Research using astrocytes in cell viability studies can be beneficial in deepening our understanding of specific neuroprotective effects of various steroid hormones including progesterone. Progesterone has been shown to have neuroprotective capabilities in the central nervous system (Scarpin et ah, 2009). Although progesterone shows great therapeutic potential, effects of the …

The Role Of Mtdna Mutation And Mitochondrial Dysfunction On The Aging Process, Starr Pericles

Honors College Theses

No abstract provided.

Microplastic Prevalence In Two Fish Species In Two U.S. Reservoirs, William Perry, Catherine M. O'Reilly, Raven Hurt

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

No abstract provided.

Periphytic Algae Decouple Fungal Activity From Leaf Litter Decomposition Via Negative Priming, Halvor M. Halvorson, Jacob R. Barry, Matthew B. Lodato, Robert H. Findlay, Steven N. Francoeur, Kevin A. Kuehn

Faculty Publications

1. Well‐documented in terrestrial settings, priming effects describe stimulated heterotrophic microbial activity and decomposition of recalcitrant carbon by additions of labile carbon. In aquatic settings, algae produce labile exudates which may elicit priming during organic matter decomposition, yet the directions and mechanisms of aquatic priming effects remain poorly tested.

2. We tested algal‐induced priming during decomposition of two leaf species of contrasting recalcitrance, Liriodendron tulipifera and Quercus nigra, in experimental streams under light or dark conditions. We measured litter‐associated algal, bacterial, and fungal biomass and activity, stoichiometry, and litter decomposition rates over 43 days.

3. Light increased algal biomass and …

A U-Net Deep Learning Framework For High Performance Vessel Segmentation In Patients With Cerebrovascular Disease, Michelle Livne, Jana Rieger, Orhun Utku Aydin, Abdel Aziz Taha, Ela Marie Akay, Tabea Kossen, Jan Sobesky, John D. Kelleher, Kristian Hildebrand, Dietmar Frey, Vince I. Madai

Articles

Brain vessel status is a promising biomarker for better prevention and treatment in cerebrovascular disease. However, classic rule-based vessel segmentation algorithms need to be hand-crafted and are insufficiently validated. A specialized deep learning method—the U-net—is a promising alternative. Using labeled data from 66 patients with cerebrovascular disease, the U-net framework was optimized and evaluated with three metrics: Dice coefficient, 95% Hausdorff distance (95HD) and average Hausdorff distance (AVD). The model performance was compared with the traditional segmentation method of graph-cuts. Training and reconstruction was performed using 2D patches. A full and a reduced architecture with less parameters were trained. We …

Tree Peony Species Are A Novel Resource For Production Of Α-Linolenic Acid, Aruna Kilaru, Lihang H. Xie, Qingyu Zhang, Yanlong Zhang

ETSU Faculty Works

Tree peony is known worldwide for its excellent ornamental and medical values, but recent reports that their seeds contain over 40% α-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential fatty acid for humans drew additional interest of biochemists. To understand the key factors that contribute to this rich accumulation of ALA, we carried out a comprehensive study of oil accumulation in developing seeds of nine wild tree peony species. The fatty acid content and composition was highly variable among the nine species; however, we selected a high- (P. rockii) and low-oil (P. lutea) accumulating species for a comparative transcriptome analysis. Similar to other …

Relations Among Maternal And Paternal Behavior And Children's Stress Biology, S.K. Jiaming Lin, Stacey N. Doan, John Milton

Scripps Senior Theses

Parenting behavior has been shown to have a wide range of effects, influencing children’s psychological and biological stress outcomes. Most research focuses on maternal parenting behaviors, with few studies observing the effects of paternal behaviors or the influence of both parents on their children. In this study, the relationship between maternal and paternal parenting behaviors was examined in its association to predict children’s cortisol levels. Cultural differences in parenting styles was also observed. American (N=86) and Chinese (N=97) families participated in the study, with parents reporting their behaviors. Children’s cortisol was collected during a stressor task and correlational analysis was …

Assessment Of Sex-Related Differences Of The Osteocyte Lacunar-Canalicular Network Across The Human Lifespan Using Synchrotron Micro-Computed Tomography, Linda Muakkassa

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Osteocytes, the most ubiquitous bone cell type, are responsible for bone maintenance and communication as well as mechanotransduction. Osteocytes reside in spaces within the bone matrix called lacunae, which are used as a proxy for the cells themselves in X-ray imaging. Previous studies have revealed that lacunar volume was reduced in females with increasing age, thus likely contributing to bone frailty and diseases such as osteoporosis. The implications of diseases caused by changes in the bone osteocyte lacunar-canalicular network are not yet fully understood. Since much of the past research revolved around gross bone morphology, this study investigated age and …

Plant Hormone Lab Module: Assessing Different Factors To Create The Most Effective Lab, Ahmed El-Kulak

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The research project focused on evaluating 3 different factors in creating a plant hormone lab module for Principles of Biology II lab. The main hormone of focus was brassinosteroid. In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, brassinosteroids promote cell elongation, cell division, root growth, and seed germination. Three goals were established to create the most efficient lab module possible. First, mutant (bes1,bri1) root length was assessed without addition of brassinolide (BL), a synthetic brassinosteroid. Then, ½ MS and ½ MS + 20% sucrose plates were compared to see which media produced the greatest difference in root growth between the mutant lines. …

The Biomechanics Of Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma Tigrinum) Underwater Walking On Smooth And Rough Substrates, Megan Lee, Henry Astley Dr.

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In nature, salamanders adapted to terrestrial and aquatic environments as well as varying substrate conditions in their habitats. Discovering more about the effects of substrate types on the kinematic measurements of underwater walking can offer us with more information regarding biological principles and limb evolution. A previous study conducted on the same salamander subjects led us to believe that a rough substrate such as gravel will provide the salamander with better traction and grip to thrust forward for walking underwater compared to a smooth substrate. Therefore, a rougher substrate is expected to have resulting kinematics that will differ significantly from …

Lifelines Winter 2019, Southern Adventist University

Lifelines - Biology Department Newsletter

The Winter 2019 issue of Lifelines contains articles on student missions in Micronesia, an alumni spotlight, and a pictorial directory of the 2019 biology and allied health graduates.

Linking Petal Cell Shape To Pollinator Mode In Mimulus, Emma Bekele

Scripps Senior Theses

Reproduction is essential for all organisms. In plants, reproduction relies on pollination. In addition to large-scale traits such as shape and color, flowers may use traits imperceptible to the naked eye in order to attract pollinators. One such trait may be conical cell shape of petal cells. Previous work has identified conical petal cells as providing a foothold for foraging bees, suggesting that conical cell shape is an adaptation to bee pollination. However, this hypothesis has not been fully tested and requires development of a rigorous methodology for quantifying cell shape. Here, we utilize natural variation in pollinator mode in …

Neural Processing Of Communication Signals: The Extent Of Sender–Receiver Matching Varies Across Species Of Apteronotus, Kathryne M. Allen, Gary Marsat

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

As communication signal properties change, through genetic drift or selective pressure, the sensory systems that receive these signals must also adapt to maintain sensitivity and adaptability in an array of contexts. Shedding light on this process helps us to understand how sensory codes are tailored to specific tasks. In a species of weakly electric fish, Apteronotus albifrons, we examined the unique neurophysiological properties that support the encoding of electrosensory communication signals that the animal encounters in social exchanges. We compare our findings to the known coding properties of the closely related species Apteronotus leptorhynchus to establish how these animals …

Biology News 2019, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Biology.

Biology News

Contents:

--Greetings from the Department of Biology
--Upcoming event: Prairie Rendezvous in Celebration of Dr. Daryl Smith
--Staff and faculty news
--May 2019 Study Abroad trips
--Staff and Faculty Transitions
--The Difference He Made-Quotes on Dr. Wiens
--Outreach and Alumni
--Purple and Gold Award Recipient