Biology Commons^™

The Bees Of Two Sites In The Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas, With A Consideration Of The Effects Of A Rare Flooding Event, Archie Ray Sauls Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Native bees are an important part of terrestrial ecosystems due to their coevolution with flowering plants. This study catalogued the bee fauna of two sandyland sites in the Big Thicket National Preserve and assessed whether a community was impacted by a historic hurricane-induced flooding event. It was hypothesized that a change in diversity metrics would be evident following the flood. Datasets were analyzed for differences in species richness, abundance, evenness, and Shannon’s diversity. Similarities between datasets were also assessed using the multivariate tests analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) and similarity of percentages (SIMPER). At two sites over two years of sampling …

Greater Sage-Grouse And Community Responses To Strategies To Mitigate Environmental Resistance In An Anthropogenic Altered Sagebrush Landscape, Justin R. Small

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems are diverse habitats found throughout western North America. Anthropogenic disturbances has resulted in the loss of over half of the sagebrush ecosystems impacting sagebrush obligate species such as sage-grouse (Centrocercus spp.). Federal, state, and private land managers have implemented landscape scale mechanical pinyon (Pinus spp.) and juniper (Juniperus spp.; conifer) removal projects in an effort to restore functioning sagebrush communities to benefit sage-grouse. However, few studies have investigated the potential for using large-scale conifer treatments to mitigate factors impeding sage-grouse seasonal movements and space-use in anthropogenic altered landscapes.

To address this management need, I …

Is The Dewlap An Honest Signal Of Fighting Ability In The Male Green Anole (Anolis Carolinensis)?, Alexia Hughes

Graduate Theses

Signals are morphological or behavioral traits that an individual uses to influence the behavior or actions of another. These signals can be used in male-male competition, in which male secondary sexual traits act as a signal of his fighting ability. Animal signals are considered honest when the signal reliably indicates a specific trait or condition of the individual. The genus Anolis, comprised of over 400 species that occupy the tropics and the southeastern United States, utilize aggressive signaling prior to physical combat. Research on several tropical species of anole indicates that the size of their dewlap can act as an …

Role Of Secretory Leukocyte Protease Inhibitor In Urinary Tract Infection, Anne Rosen

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect 150 million people per year worldwide and can be difficult to diagnose and treat leaving room for other biomarkers to be used to define an infection. Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), an antimicrobial protein also with antiprotease and anti-inflammatory properties, may be involved in host response to UTI. Here we use an established UPEC-UTI model to infect female Slpi knockout and wild type mice to show SLPI plays a role in microbial ecology of the bladder. Bacterial abundance is altered in urinary tracts and is positively correlated with SLPI in urine of wild type mice. …

Linking Extreme High Air Temperature Events To Wildfire And Environmental Variation To Water Balance Partitioning In The Western Us, Neil Savage

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Chapter 1

Wildfire activity has increased across the western United States in recent decades, causing significant damage to ecosystem services and human communities. The Sierra Nevada region, in particular, has experienced substantial increases in the ignition frequency, severity, and extent of large wildfires. To partly disentangle the complex processes underlying wildfire risk, I developed a simple approach to link natural wildfire ignition patterns to changing seasonal temperatures and extreme high and low air temperature events across the Sierra Nevada region from 1992—2015. Extreme event analyses focused on the association between the magnitude and frequency of occurrence of extreme temperature events …

Differential Gene Expression In Starvation Selected Drosophila Melanogaster, Katherine Schultz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Fruit flies that have been selected for starvation resistance can be used in experimental studies to study physiological processes. Both their genomes and their phenotypes, especially metabolism, change significantly as a result of artificial selection. Starvation selected flies develop slower and are larger due to higher lipid content as adults. We used RNAseq to study gene expression in third instar larval fat body tissue from selected and control lines at the same chronological time point, when the fed control (“FC”) lines were wandering, and the starvation selected (“SS”) lines were in the third larval instar but not yet wandering due …

Distributions And Habitat Associations Of Blue Point Pyrgulopsis And Blue Point Tryonia, Chenoa Janine Wilcox

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Springsnails and other crenophilic species are often of conservation concern due to endemism, narrow habitat requirements, and susceptibility to habitat degradation. Because there is a distinct lack of natural history information for many of these organisms, management of species that are of concern is often based on data from non-target species related to the species of interest. In this thesis, I provide background information regarding springsnails in western North America (Chapter 1), describe a study investigating the distribution and habitat associations of two springsnails endemic to a single spring (Chapter 2), and provide supplemental information on habitat characteristics associated with …

Effects Of Plant Secondary Metabolites And Host Specificity On Growth, Development, And Oviposition Of Lepidopteran Herbivores, Sukhman Singh

Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 1: This chapter provides a review of recent and critical literature on the role of polyphenols in mediating plant-insect interactions. I particularly focused on plant defense induction and mode of action of polyphenols, defense fitness trade-offs, and storage of polyphenols for future defense responses.

Chapter 2: This chapter is about the effects of polyphenol rich purple corn pericarp extract on the growth and development of generalist caterpillar i.e., fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda). This study shows that purple corn pericarp extract rich in polyphenols negatively effects the growth and development of S. frugiperda.

Chapter 3: This chapter …

An Assessment On Microplastic Pollution In The Resacas Of The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, Wesley D. Franklin

Theses and Dissertations

Microplastic pollution is a serious issue that impacts most aquatic environments. Microplastics have the potential to cause numerous detriments to the fitness and reproductive capability of many organisms. The resacas of the Lower Rio Grande are an understudied area that could be sinks for large congregations of microplastics. We analyze microplastic pollution in two species of fish as well as the sediment and water of eleven different pools from four resaca systems. We find that microplastics are present in every pool sampled.

Altogether 218 microplastic pieces are found from the water, sediment and fish samples. We find that microplastics are …

Fabrication Of Forcespinning® Nanofibers Incorporating Nopal Extract, Cristobal Rodriguez, Victoria Padilla, Karen Lozano, J. Andrew Mcdonald, Luis Materon, Alejandra Chapa, Fariha Ahmad, Carlos Trevino De Leon, Robert Gilkerson

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

In this study, nanofibers composed of Opuntia cochenillifera nopal mucilage (N) extract combined with chitosan (CH) and pullulan (PL) (N/CH/PL) were produced via Forcespinning®. The developed nonwoven composite membranes are comprised of long, continuous, and homogenous fibers with fiber average diameter varying between 251±77 nm and 406±127 nm depending on the concentration of N. After crosslinking, the developed membranes were highly stable in water. The water absorption capacity of the N/CH/PL composite nanofiber membranes was shown to be 65% higher when compared to the CH/PL nanofiber membranes. Nopal dipcoated membranes show inhibition of gram-negative Escherichia coli, indicating antibacterial properties. These …

Understanding Water And Energy Fluxes In The Amazonia: Lessons From An Observation-Model Intercomparison, Natalia Restrepo-Coupe, Loren P. Albert, Marcos Longo, Ian Baker, Naomi M. Levine, Lina M. Mercado, Alessandro C. Da Araujo, Bradley O. Christoffersen, Marcos H. Costa, David R. Fitzjarrald

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

Tropical forests are an important part of global water and energy cycles, but the mechanisms that drive seasonality of their land-atmosphere exchanges have proven challenging to capture in models. Here, we (1) report the seasonality of fluxes of latent heat (LE), sensible heat (H), and outgoing short and longwave radiation at four diverse tropical forest sites across Amazonia—along the equator from the Caxiuanã and Tapajós National Forests in the eastern Amazon to a forest near Manaus, and from the equatorial zone to the southern forest in Reserva Jaru; (2) investigate how vegetation and climate influence these fluxes; and …

Effects Of Inducible Camp Early Repressor (Icer) On Herpes Simplex Virus -1 (Hsv-1) Replication, Rosalina Caba

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

While inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER) is known for many roles, including inhibition of anti-apoptosis transcription and regulation of hormone signaling in human / animals, little is known of the role of ICER when interacting with viral cAMP responsive elements (CREs). Prior to this study, CRE sites were found in a variety of human viruses, in locations relating to DNA binding, DNA replication, and latency. A gel shift assay confirmed that ICER can bind to viral CRE sequences, and a reporter gene assay demonstrated that the presence of ICER on a viral promoter upregulates viral expression.

In an attempt to …

Utilizing Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (Egfp) As A Reporter Gene To Study The Nuclear/Cytoplasmic Localization Of The Transcriptional Repressor Icer, Melissa Cabral

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Cell division is a highly regulated, multi-complex system requiring an abundance of proteins working in conjunction with one another. This unity is what ensures proper development of the cell before entering a new phase in the cell cycle. Cells that infringe multiple cycle stages can become malignant, proliferating at an untamable rate. The transcriptional suppressor protein, Inducible cAMP Early Repressor (ICER), is present in some, but not all, cancer cells. ICER functions as a transcriptional repressor of the cAMP Response Element (CRE) gene in aberrant cells which could effectively prevent them from bypassing cell cycle checkpoints and proliferating unchecked. Downstream …

Climate-Driven Impacts On Himalayan Aquatic Biodiversity: A Case Study Involving Snowtrout (Cyprinidae: Schizothorax), Riri Wiyanti Retnaningtyas

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Monitoring biodiversity, to include its relative dispersal and contraction, has become a conservation task of great importance, particularly given the catastrophic and ongoing loss of habitat due to climate change. However, the timing, direction, and magnitude of these rates vary across taxa and ecosystems. Predicting specific impacts of climate change can thus be difficult and this, in turn, hampers management action. Metrics are needed to not only quantify contemporary requirements of species, but also predict potential distributions that fluctuate in lockstep with climate.

Montane ecosystems in the Himalayas are highly impacted by climate change, yet remain largely understudied due to …

Effects Of Heavy Metal Pollution On The Antipredator Behavior Of Orangethroat Darters (Etheostoma Spectabile), Caleb S. O'Neal

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Heavy metal pollution can have numerous negative impacts on stream fishes, including both lethal and sublethal effects. Because of the sensitivity of fishes to toxins, they are excellent environmental indicators of stream and watershed health. The Tri-State Mining District is a Superfund site located in parts of Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma that offers a good opportunity to study sublethal effects of heavy metal pollutants on fish behavior. I observed the antipredator behavior of Orangethroat Darters (Etheostoma spectabile) from 3 streams that varied in the abundance of heavy metal pollutants. In the lab, darters from the most polluted site …

Evaluation Of The Cytotoxyc Effects Of Lmdf5-7 On A Human T-Cell Leukemia Cell Line, Andrea F. Ibarra Chacon

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

According to World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, with 9.6 million deaths in 2018 . In the United States, an estimated 434,982 people were living with cancer during 2017 . Leukemia is the most common blood cancer in children from birth to 14 years old . In particular, Hispanic children in the United States experience a higher incidence rate of leukemia . Therefore, the discovery of novel cancer therapies is necessary to help those affected survive the disease. A new compound, LMDF5-7 was investigated and found to have anticancer properties that can help …

Chanism Of G-Βγ-Dependent Regulation Of Neuronal Differentiation And Neurodegeneration, Diana Olivas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Neurodegeneration is a pathological condition associated with a progressive loss of neurons, and occurs in many neurological disorders including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS). It is the most common cause of dementia among people 65 and older. With the increasing of life expectancy, the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases is also increasing rapidly. However, the cause of this disorder is largely unknown, and no effective drugs are available to treat the disease process. Therefore, it is crucial to identify new target(s) and strategies for therapeutic interventions. Cytoskeletal defects followed by dysfunction is a major characteristic …

The Hybridizing Ions Treatment (Hit) Method Development And Computational Study On Sars-Cov-2 E Protein., Shengjie Sun

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Fast and accurate calculations of the electrostatic features for highly charged biomolecules such as DNA, RNA, highly charged proteins, are crucial but challenging tasks. Traditional implicit solvent methods calculate the electrostatic features fast, but they are not able to balance the high net charges in the biomolecules effectively. Explicit solvent methods add unbalanced ions to neutralize the highly charged biomolecules in molecular dynamic simulations, which require more expensive computing resources. Here we developed a novel method, the Hybridizing Ions Treatment (HIT) method, which hybridizes the implicit solvent method with the explicit method to realistically calculate the electrostatic potential for highly …

Strike-Induced Chemosensory Searching, Kleptoparasitism, And The Possibility Of Chemical Crypsis In Rattlesnakes, Mark Scott Teshera

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Predator-prey interactions shape the natural histories of both species as each tries to adapt and counter-adapt to the tactics of the other. This important evolutionary dynamic is crucial for ecosystem formation and stability. Predation is a fundamental aspect of life for most organisms, and many venomous reptiles, particularly ambush-foraging viperids, have evolved a prey-acquisition strategy that is highly effective in immobilizing prey, while minimizing possible counterattacks. Best studied in rattlesnakes, this remarkable behavioral sequence is known as strike-induced chemosensory searching (SICS). Throughout decades of research, the body of SICS literature on venomous reptiles has become fairly robust, particularly in rattlesnakes. …

Pyronaridine, A Good Candidate For A Repurposed Anticancer Drug, Paulina Villanueva

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The antimalarial drug pyronaridine (PND) was tested for its potential as an anticancer drug. After exposing cancerous (17) and non-cancerous (2) cell lines to PND, PND was found to exhibit consistent and potent cytotoxic activity at low micromolar (μM) concentrations. PND elicited phosphatidylserine externalization, mitochondrial depolarization, and DNA fragmentation in both the triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer and HL-60 leukemia cell lines. In addition, PND treatment altered cell cycle progression in both cancer cells. Subsequent DNA mobility-shift assays, UV-Visible spectroscopic titrations, and circular dichroism (CD) experiments revealed that PND intercalates with DNA. Furthermore, transcriptome signatures findings suggested that PND might act …

Mitochondrial Replacement And Mitonuclear Interactions In The Broadstripe Topminnow (Fundulus Euryzonus), Auburn Ansley

Honors Theses

When species hybridize, mitochondrial and nuclear introgression can take place. This is commonly observed in freshwater fish species, such as the Fundulus notatus complex, which is composed of F. notatus, F. olivaceus, and F. euryzonus. The broadstripe topminnow, F. euryzonus, is only found in the Amite and Tangipahoa Rivers in the Lake Pontchartrain drainage, where it overlaps in distribution with F. olivaceus. Previous studies determined that F. euryzonus in the Tangipahoa River system possesses mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from F. olivaceus as a result of hybridization between the two species. The goal of this thesis was …

Infectious Diseases In A Warming World: Using A Modified Sir Model To Investigate The Incidence Rates Of Lyme Disease In The New England Area, Carly Sullivan

Honors Projects in Science and Technology

The effects of climate change are global and unprecedented in scale. Public health is likely to suffer as a result of the warming climate, and one particular risk is the increase in the occurrence of vector-borne diseases (VBDs) in different regions across the world. The purpose of this project is to investigate the impact of rising temperatures on the incidence rates of Lyme disease in the New England area. Following a review of the existing literature relating to the impact of climate factors on VBDs, an SIR model modified for temperature conditions will be utilized to produce several simulated scenarios. …

Effects Of Environmentally Relevant Concentrations Of 4-Methyl-1- Cyclohexanemethanol (Mchm) On General Esterase And Glutathione-S-Transferase Activity In Fathead Minnows (Pimephales Promela), Emily De Wind

Research in Biology

Abstract

In 2014, several thousand gallons of coal-processing chemicals, which included 4-methyl-1- cyclohexanemethanol (MCHM), spilled into the Elk River in West Virginia. The location of this spill in West Virginia’s chemical valley is historically significant in defining the exploitations of people residing in this area. The concentration of crude MCHM in the river was approximated at 0.15 µg/L. Although some initial studies did consider the effects of MCHM exposure on humans, little attention has been given to aquatic wildlife. In this project, I will expose fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, an environmentally relevant species, to concentrations of MCHM between zero …

Bioremediation: Breaking Down The Regulations Of Genetically Modified Microorganisms, Lora Katharine Naismith

Texas A&M Law Review

Environmental bioremediation is the use of biological activity to reduce the concentration or toxicity of a pollutant. A rapidly increasing population leads to a consequential increase in industrial waste and pollution, and innovators are researching numerous techniques to degrade these pollutants and prevent their spread into the environment. These techniques are expensive and often result in secondary pollutants, which limits their widespread application. Bioremediation, however, presents a cost-friendly and more efficient way to degrade pollutants with little or no secondary pollutants. This Article explores how scientists can use genetically modified microorganisms (“GMMs”) to target specific hazardous wastes that are otherwise …

Changes In Gene Sequence That Cause Discordances Involving Disease In Monozygotic Twins, Kacie Jacques

Thinking Matters Symposium

Identical twins or, monozygotic twins, occur when the egg in a mother is fertilized, but one zygote divides into two separate embryos. Monozygotic twins are considered to be genetically identical, but most twins often display discordances, some involving diseases or disorders. Some of these differences are due to environmental factors. For example, one twin may have diabetes due to diet. Recent literature has shown that some differences in monozygotic twins may be due to changes in gene sequence, as opposed to random, environmental or epigenetic factors. Identical twins from pedigrees with familial disease often show discordances. When looking at schizophrenia …

Effect Of Temperature On Questing Activity Of Ixodes Scapularis In A Laboratory Setting, Molly Meagher

Thinking Matters Symposium

Understanding deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) behavior is increasingly important due to the species’ northerly range expansion, and consequently, increased human contact. Deer ticks are a major public health concern, as they are the primary vector of Lyme disease and other serious diseases. Differences in questing behavior are of considerable interest as fluctuating weather due to climate change effect the species’ range expansion and time spent questing. Although previous research has examined temperature preferences of tick behavior, there are conflicting reports about direct effects on questing activity. Therefore, I addressed the relationship between temperature and questing behavior of adult deer ticks. …

Effects On The Human Microbiome: Antibiotics And Other Chemicals, Katherine Moulton

Thinking Matters Symposium

With skin being the largest organ of the human body, there is a very large surface area for a microbiome to form and live. The human microbiome is composed of different types of bacteria, fungi, and archaea, in different locations of the body. This layer can be greatly affected by daily practices including, hygiene habits, exercise, and antibiotic uses. The major objective of this study is to identify species of the human microbiome from various body sites and test their resistance to major chemicals. To achieve this objective, the mouth, ear, axillary area, hand, belly button, and foot of several …

The Genetic Links Between Archaic And Modern Humans, Maria J. Orellana Rosales

Thinking Matters Symposium

Our modern physiology is the mixture of many archaic humans that once roamed our planet. The evidence of these archaic humans is still present in our DNA. This poster reviews how our understanding of ancient human genetics has drastically changed due to advances in molecular genetics. Neanderthal and Denisovan remains have been sequenced for nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Neanderthal and Denisovan genetic ancestry have been identified by genomic studies in modern human populations across Eurasia and Pacific Island regions. Studies have shown a gene flow of 4±1% from Neanderthals to present-day Eurasians. Whereas, Papuan and Melanesian individuals share 4±0.7% more …

Genetically Modified Organisms Are Important But Also Controversial, Masen Pelletier

Thinking Matters Symposium

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are organisms containing a set or multiple sets of genes that have been introduced into the organism using laboratory techniques. In the instance of agriculture, the genes introduced provide advantages for the farmer and consumer by yielding plants that produce greater yields, longer growing seasons, longer shelf lives, greater concentrations of vitamins or add additional vitamins that are novel to the plant. There are two general ways that GM (genetically modified) crops are produced: the addition or removal of genes. This review focuses on an example of each strategy. An example of the latter is GM …

Effects Of Ibuprofen On Duration Of Fear Responses In Red Claw Crabs, Ryan Shaffer

Thinking Matters Symposium

Pharmaceutical pollution is a growing environmental issue. Chemicals engineered to affect humans persist in the water system and may have unintended effects on animal behavior. Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory drug shown to reduce predator avoidance in fish. I chose to examine the effects of ibuprofen on the foraging behavior of red clawed crab (Perisesarma bidens) by measuring time spent in the open. Crabs typically spend most of their time hiding and only expose themselves to danger in order to forage for food. I predicted that crabs treated with the high dose of ibuprofen will spend less time hiding compared to …