Biology Commons^™

Editorial Board

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

No abstract provided.

Reconstructing Energy Flow Through Modern And Historical Marine Communities: Insights From Amino Acid Isotope Analysis, Emma A. Elliott Smith

Biology ETDs

The fundamental currency of life is energy. Organisms need energy to grow, to survive and to reproduce. Understanding the acquisition of energy by consumers is thus a foundational aspect of biological research. This is especially important in the modern era, as impacts of ongoing anthropogenic effects will be mediated or amplified through food webs. Here, I explore how isotopic analysis of individual amino acids – a technique new to ecological studies – can be used to trace energy flow through animal communities in modern and ancient time periods. In particular, I focus on kelp forest food webs, which are nearshore …

A Male-Female Genotype-By-Genotype Interaction Mediates The Effect Of Mating On Female Immunity In Decorated Crickets, Kylie J. Hampton

Theses and Dissertations

Sexually antagonistic coevolution should lead to the rapid divergence of male and female genotypes related to the effects of ejaculatory substances on female physiology. Hence, the outcome of mating should depend on an interaction between male and female genotypes. Although mating has been shown to influence female immune responses in diverse insect taxa, a male-female genotype-by-genotype effect on female immunity post-mating remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigate both the effects of mating on female immunity and the potential for a male-by-female genotype interaction on the form and magnitude of this response in decorated crickets. Females from three distinct genotypic backgrounds …

Variations In Tetrodotoxin Levels In Populations Of Taricha Granulosa Are Expressed In The Morphology Of Their Cutaneous Glands, Pedro Luiz Mailho-Fontana, Carlos Jared, Marta Maria Antoniazzi, Juliana Mozer Sciani, Daniel Carvalho Pimenta, James P. Strange, Taran Grant, Edmund D. Brodie Jr., Edmund D. Brodie Jr.

Biology Faculty Publications

Tetrodotoxin (TTX), one of the most toxic substances in nature, is present in bacteria, invertebrates, fishes, and amphibians. Marine organisms seem to bioaccumulate TTX from their food or acquire it from symbiotic bacteria, but its origin in amphibians is unclear. Taricha granulosa can exhibit high TTX levels, presumably concentrated in skin poison glands, acting as an agent of selection upon predatory garter snakes (Thamnophis). This co-evolutionary arms race induces variation in T. granulosa TTX levels, from very high to undetectable. Using morphology and biochemistry, we investigated differences in toxin localization and quality between two populations at the extremes …

Pharmacological Or Genetic Targeting Of Transient Receptor Potential (Trp) Channels Can Disrupt The Planarian Escape Response, Ziad Sabry , '21, A. Ho, Danielle Ireland, Christina Rabeler, O. Cochet-Escartin, Eva-Maria S. Collins

Biology Faculty Works

In response to noxious stimuli, planarians cease their typical ciliary gliding and exhibit an oscillatory type of locomotion called scrunching. We have previously characterized the biomechanics of scrunching and shown that it is induced by specific stimuli, such as amputation, noxious heat, and extreme pH. Because these specific inducers are known to activate Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels in other systems, we hypothesized that TRP channels control scrunching. We found that chemicals known to activate TRPA1 (allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) and hydrogen peroxide) and TRPV (capsaicin and anandamide) in other systems induce scrunching in the planarian species Dugesia japonica and, except …

A Multivariate Ecological Approach To Delineate Unionid Freshwater Mussel Species, Ava M. Laszlo

Biology Theses

Freshwater mussels represent one of the most imperiled faunal groups on the planet and are critical to freshwater ecosystems. If mussel species are not carefully defined, our conservation plans may miss differences in the habitat needs of different species and the conservation strategies may not be as successful. Because ecological niche models can be used to provide evidence to support similar or dissimilar ecological niches and habitat requirements, I used modelling to forecast suitable habitat for Fusconaia askewi and F. lananensis, two purported threatened Texas species. The modeling results indicated that these species are not ecologically different. Based upon …

Biology Of Sharks And Their Relatives Bio 422, Joanna Burkhardt

Library Impact Statements

No abstract provided.

Trematodes And Neorickettsia: Diversity Of Digeneans And Their Bacterial Endosymbionts (Neorickettsia) In Mollusk First Intermediate Hosts From Eastern Mongolia, Morgan Gallahue

Honors College Theses

This study focused on the survey of 34 freshwater snail samples collected from NE Mongolia for larval flatworm parasites in the class Trematoda. 32 of the snail samples were infected, and the parasites were identified based on morphology and DNA sequences. Nine of the identified parasite samples were screened for the presence of bacterial endosymbionts in the genus Neorickettsia in the family Anaplasmataceae. All of the samples screened for Neorickettsia were negative for the bacterium. Species of Neorickettsia are known to cause several diseases such as Sennetsu Fever (in humans) and Potomac Horse Fever. There have been relatively few reliable …

The Macroevolution Of Diadromous And Non-Diadromous Clupeiformes., Lindsey Dehaan

Honors Theses

Migration is a common life history strategy across the animal tree of life. This behavior is energetically demanding and may trigger strong selection for the evolution of an optimal ecomorphology to lessen energetic costs, yet the ecomorphology of migratory aquatic species remains poorly understood. Previous studies have demonstrated that migratory fishes exhibit predictable phenotypic patterns in body size evolution in response to evolving migration: migratory fishes are larger than non-migratory fishes. Migratory fishes may also have functional traits (e.g. fin shape) associated with locomotion that have experienced similar selective forces and exhibit predictable evolutionary patterns, resulting in migratory lineages sharing …

The Effects Of Eating Unprocessed Foods, Gwen Peters, Meghan Sheridan, Caitlin Clack

Student Work

Some studies have shown that processed foods are “getting safer and the technologies used to produce them are only getting better.” Although this is a good claim, unprocessed foods still provide better social, environmental and economical resources to communities.

Mangrove Cuckoo, Coccyzus Minor, Neurocranium, Lola R. Mildren, David Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

No abstract provided.

Is Natural Selection Shaping Florida Manatees? : An Investigation Into The Body Shapes Between The Subspecies Of The West Indian Manatee, Juliane Johnson

Honors Theses

The West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) is currently divided into two subspecies: the Antillean (T. m. manatus) and Florida manatee (T. m. latirostris). Florida manatees are found at the northern extreme of the species range, primarily inhabiting the waters around the Florida peninsula, while the Antillean manatee inhabits the remaining range from the Caribbean islands to eastern Brazil. Only in the range of the Florida manatee does water temperature drop below 20°C during the winter, and these manatees have to seek warm water refuge for thermal regulation. Allen's rule predicts that in colder climates animals will adapt to have smaller …

Bone Mineral Density Of The Common Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops Truncatus: A Proposed Model For Monitoring Osteological And Ecosystem Health, James Wright Burrus Powell

Dissertations and Theses

Bone mineral density (BMD) in the pectoral flipper of the common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, was examined to address the need to define a comprehensive target site for clinical osteodensitometric assessment and to establish ranges of observed bone density values for this species. Radii were analyzed using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), the accepted standard in human medical studies. Multiple loci within the radius were identified and assessed for their correlation to BMD of the entire bone. Radii BMD were also examined for differences based on sex, age, total body length, handedness, geographical affinity, and nutritional status at time …

Differential Analysis Of Individual Centruroides Vittatus Venom

Symposium of Student Scholars

Scorpions are well known, venomous arthropods (Class: Arachnida, Order: Scorpiones). Their venom is composed of neurotoxins, proteases and cytotoxic peptides which plays a major role in toxic components such as inflammatory, antimicrobial and hemolytic activity. Venom is key for the survival of scorpions as it is involved in defense against prey and in feeding on predators. Centruroides vittatus (bark scorpion) is commonly found in North America, with habitat ranges from Nebraska to southern Texas. For this study, scorpions were harvested from Laredo, Texas (27˚57’ N, 99˚43’ W), held in captivity for 4 months and fed a consistent diet of Acheta …

Importance Of Refractory Ligands And Their Photodegradation For Iron Oceanic Inventories And Cycling, Christel Hassler, Damien Cabanes, Sonia Blanco-Ameijeiras, Sylvia G. Sander, Ronald Benner

Faculty Publications

Iron is an essential micronutrient that limits primary production in up to 40% of the surface ocean and influences carbon dioxide uptake and climate change. Dissolved iron is mostly associated with loosely characterised organic molecules, called ligands, which define key aspects of the iron cycle such as its residence time, distribution and bioavailability to plankton. Models based on in situ ligand distributions and the behaviour of purified compounds include long-lived ligands in the deep ocean, bioreactive ligands in the surface ocean and photochemical processes as important components of the iron cycle. Herein, we further characterise biologically refractory ligands in dissolved …

Toward A Metabolic Theory Of Life History, Joseph Robert Burger, Chen Hou, James H. Brown

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

The life histories of animals reflect the allocation of metabolic energy to traits that determine fitness and the pace of living. Here, we extend metabolic theories to address how demography and mass-energy balance constrain allocation of biomass to survival, growth, and reproduction over a life cycle of one generation. We first present data for diverse kinds of animals showing empirical patterns of variation in life-history traits. These patterns are predicted by theory that highlights the effects of 2 fundamental biophysical constraints: demography on number and mortality of offspring; and mass-energy balance on allocation of energy to growth and reproduction. These …

Evolution - #0: Advanced Biological Systems, Jessica Amacher, Sowmya Anjur, Donald Dosch, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll, Crystal Randall

Unit 1: Evolution

The first unit of Advanced Biological Systems is focused on the theory of evolution, the mechanisms of evolutionary change, and discussions of the biological species concept. We discuss briefly how biodiversity stabilizes ecosystems. A study of biological evolution is placed first in the sequence of our curriculum to establish a foundation that explains the diversity of organisms, as well as biochemical processes, and the ongoing change process we witness today. These concepts will later be utilized in our curriculum to highlight cellular and metabolic diversity, the development of cancers, the interactions of bacteria with the ecosystem of the human host, …

Evolution - #8: Ecosystem Disrupted, Jessica Amacher, Sowmya Anjur, Donald Dosch, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll, Crystal Randall

Unit 1: Evolution

This is the culminating activity for the evolution unit. For this assignment, students must research into the impact human industry has on a small part of our world. Students have had a brief introduction to the history of the planet and the role that carbon dioxide concentration play in climate change. The role of climate and weather patterns is important in a discussion of a chosen place on the planet. Students have spent a large amount of effort in understanding evolutionary theory and mechanisms and seen it in practice as they read about speciation. With this assignment, students can synthesize …

Evolution - #3: Evolution On The Web, Jessica Amacher, Sowmya Anjur, Donald Dosch, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll, Crystal Randall

Unit 1: Evolution

This lesson is a companion piece the previous one: Evolutionary Evidences and Inferences. It is completed supported by readings at an online site hosted by The University of California at Berkeley. The site is linked here:

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/0_0_0/evo_14

Evolution - #2: Evolutionary Evidence And Inferences, Jessica Amacher, Sowmya Anjur, Donald Dosch, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll, Crystal Randall

Unit 1: Evolution

The theory of evolution articulates elegantly a series of inferences from a vast collection of observations and evidence. We present some of those evidences here to stimulate in our students the sorts of scientific reasoning necessary to understand the presence and origin of diversity of life on the planet.

Evolution - #1: History Of Life, Jessica Amacher, Sowmya Anjur, Donald Dosch, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll, Crystal Randall

Unit 1: Evolution

From the perspective of a biologist, the history of life on the Earth is a recurring story. Although details may be different, what happens today has precedence in the occurrences of the past. Two underlying ideas are vital for students to understand a modern conception of the theory of evolution. First, over long periods of time, and due to natural events, the environment of the Earth has changed, sometimes dramatically. Second, each environmental change has created more favorable conditions for some species to live and reproduce, while producing less favorable conditions for others. This first lesson in our unit on …

Evolution - #4: Genetic Drift And Founder Effect, Jessica Amacher, Sowmya Anjur, Donald Dosch, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll, Crystal Randall

Unit 1: Evolution

Genetic drift is a term used to describe chance fluctuations in the allelic frequencies in a population over time. The effects of genetic drift tend to be very minor in large populations, but they can be quite significant in small populations. Alleles are different functional forms in which a gene might exist. Humans have two alleles, sometimes the same but sometimes different, of most of their genes. In any population, it is possible to determine the frequency of all alleles. If these alleles get passed on to the next generation at random, then we should expect to see approximately the …

Evolution - #6: Selection Simulation, Jessica Amacher, Sowmya Anjur, Donald Dosch, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll, Crystal Randall

Unit 1: Evolution

A modern understanding of the theory of evolution revolves around the selection of certain types within a population that over long time periods eventually leads to change of the species. This descent with modification is modeled with this activity, and leads to a subsequent lesson that has students reading about research into examples of speciation.

Evolution - #5: Globin Gene Evolution, Jessica Amacher, Sowmya Anjur, Donald Dosch, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll, Crystal Randall

Unit 1: Evolution

For this lesson, students are guided through the steps necessary to compare nucleotide and amino acid sequences available at the National Center for Biotechnology Information that is maintained by the National Institutes of Health. The lesson starts with an examination of the alpha-globin gene. Alpha-globin is one of the proteins that constitutes hemoglobin. Student look at the various sequences of this gene that have been deposited at NCBI with a goal of determining alternative forms of the gene. The lesson then broadens the scope of comparison to include members of the globin protein family. Students create a phylogenetic tree that …

Soil Characteristics Drive Ficaria Verna Abundance And Reproductive Output, Justin P. Kermack, Emily Rauschert

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna Huds.), an invasive plant from Europe, is becoming widespread in river valleys throughout the northeastern United States and the Pacific Northwest. Its high rate of asexual bulbil and tuber production creates dense infestations threatening native spring ephemerals. Ficaria verna abundance and reproductive output (seeds, bulbils, and tubers) were examined in invaded transects spanning a disturbance gradient away from a river. Site characteristics (photosynthetically active radiation [PAR], soil pH, moisture, texture, and nutrients) were quantified to examine their roles in plant abundance and reproduction. A larger-scale study examined random transects not specifically chosen based on F. …

Gmr36a08, Anuradha Venkatakrishnan Chimata, Oorvashi Roy Puli, Amit Singh

DVE Enhancer Sequences Utilized in GMR Line

dve enhancer 49927

• ID - GMR36A08
• Location - 2R: 18120673, 18124576
• Base pairs - 3903

Gmr40e08, Anuradha Venkatakrishnan Chimata, Oorvashi Roy Puli, Amit Singh

DVE Enhancer Sequences Utilized in GMR Line

dve enhancer 41238

• ID - GMR40E08
• Location - 2R: 18162090, 18165058
• Base pairs - 2968

Gmr36a10, Anuradha Venkatakrishnan Chimata, Oorvashi Roy Puli, Amit Singh

DVE Enhancer Sequences Utilized in GMR Line

dve enhancer 49373

• ID - GMR36A10
• Location - 2R: 18116788, 18120701
• Base pairs - 3913

Gmr39h01, Anuradha Venkatakrishnan Chimata, Oorvashi Roy Puli, Amit Singh

DVE Enhancer Sequences Utilized in GMR Line

dve enhancer 50066

• ID - GMR39H01
• Location - 2R: 18153797, 18156108
• Base pairs - 2311

Gmr42e10, Anuradha Venkatakrishnan Chimata, Oorvashi Roy Puli, Amit Singh

DVE Enhancer Sequences Utilized in GMR Line

dve enhancer

• ID - GMR42E10
• Location - 2R: 18133506, 18137474
• Base pairs - 3968