Biology Commons^™

Tick Ecdysteroid Hormone, Global Microbiota/Rickettsia Signaling In The Ovary Versus Carcass During Vitellogenesis In Part-Fed (Virgin) American Dog Ticks, Dermacentor Variabilis, Loganathan Ponnusamy, Haley Sutton, Robert D. Mitchell Iii, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Charles S. Apperson, Richard Michael Roe

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The transovarial transmission of tick-borne bacterial pathogens is an important mechanism for their maintenance in natural populations and transmission, causing disease in humans and animals. The mechanism for this transmission and the possible role of tick hormones facilitating this process have never been studied. Injections of physiological levels of the tick hormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), into part-fed (virgin) adult females of the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis, attached to the host caused a reduction in density of Rickettsia montanensis in the carcass and an increase in the ovaries compared to buffer-injected controls. This injection initiates yolk protein synthesis and uptake …

Patterns Of Genetic Divergence Across Geographically Variable Populations Of Xanthisma Gracile (Asteraceae), Lavanya Challagundla, Lisa E. Wallace

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Premise of research. Numerous biotic and abiotic factors can contribute to local selection and lead to geographic structure and genetic divergence between populations. The southwestern United States contains many distinctive plant communities, ranging from woodlands to desert scrub, that are shaped by species adapting to local variation in elevation, precipitation, seasonality, and soils. Given this variation, species occurring across diverse habitats are expected to harbor high genetic diversity and exhibit significant genetic differences associated with environmental variation.

Methodology. Here, we studied the genetic divergence of populations of Xanthisma gracile (Asteraceae) across Arizona using amplified fragment length polymorphisms and evaluated associations …

Effects Of Weather On Foraging Success And Hunting Frequency In Winter-Irruptive Snowy Owls (Bubo Scandiacus) In Upstate New York, Russell E. Winter, William M. Shields

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The effects of weather on an individual can often alter the population dynamics of a species. Knowledge of how weather influences individual behavior is therefore essential in understanding its full impact in the context of population ecology. Snowy Owls (Bubo scandiacus) exhibit expensive long-distance migrations in winters following population irruptions. During irruptive movements, many owls migrate past the southernmost extent of their traditional wintering grounds, the mechanism for which is still debated. We propose and test the “milder climate” hypothesis; Snowy Owls wintering in lower latitudes are better able to meet their metabolic demands due to higher temperatures …

Fire And Herbivory Shape Soil Arthropod Communities Through Habitat Heterogeneity And Nutrient Cycling In Savannas, Joshua Thoresen, Marie Liesse Vermeire, Zander Venter, Graeme Wolfaard, Jennifer Adams Krumins, Michael Cramer, Heidi Jayne Hawkins

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Soil arthropods are important components of savannas, contributing to nutrient cycling and thus primary productivity. To investigate how fire and mammalian herbivores influence arthropod food webs, we used two long term herbivore exclosures (ca. 20 y) and burning trials (ca. 5-y return) located along rivers in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Herbivory and fire will usually have negative effects on soil arthropods although this can be variable, and dependent on multiple aspects of habitat structure and nutrient cycling. We hypothesised that in our sites, the more chronic herbivory disturbance would have stronger and more effects than fire, and that both …

Laser-Scribed Graphene Electrodes As Inflammatory Biosensors (Laserflame), Pei Shee Tan

Theses

Laser-scribed graphene electrodes (LSGE) are a low cost, portable, flexible and ideal electrochemical platform approach as point of care biosensors. It is anticipated that integrating the detection of immune cell inflammatory cytokines with LSGEs may present a useful diagnostic platform for managing the risk of inflammatory diseases as early detection of inflammatory molecules could significantly improve the treatment and outcome of diseases induced by protracted inflammation, such as cancer, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. This study proposed LSGE first time novel use in the detection of an inflammatory cytokine released by immune cells (monocyte THP-1 cell line), with high sensitivity and …

An Investigation Into Historical And Contemporary Breeding Occurrence Of The Ferruginous Hawk In Kansas, Erica Clark

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) is the largest Buteo species occurring in grasslands, nesting along bluffs, buttes and isolated trees. In Kansas, the Ferruginous Hawk is listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need, Tier II. A previous study on Ferruginous Hawks nesting in Kansas during the years of 1979 to 1987, with sporadic visits from the 1990s to 2000, revealed that the most productive nesting territories were inaccessible to predators, placed on rocky ledges and the surrounding landscape was over 50% rangeland. I revisited 82 of the 111 historic nest territories in the summers of 2019 and …

Microbial Community Responses To Salinification: Applications In Climate Change And Extreme Environments, Eric Weingarten

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sediment microbial community responses to elevated salinity are important in predicting the effects of sea level rise as well as in understanding those communities that can thrive in extreme environments. In this dissertation, I use natural and field experiments to investigate how salinity influences microbiome structure in coastal wetlands. Through the use of amplicon sequencing, I demonstrate that there are compositional differences between the microbiota of four wetland salinity classes: limnetic, oligohaline, mesohaline, and polyhaline. These results were reciprocated in a microcosm study exposing freshwater sediment to meso- and polyhaline conditions, showing that communities shifted proportionally to the magnitude of …

Diatoms Of The Northeastern Gulf Of Mexico: Light And Electron Microscope Observations Of Sulcatonitzschia, A New Genus Of Nitzschioid Diatoms (Bacillariales: Bacillariaceae) With A Transverse Sulcus, James A. Nienow, Akshinthala K. S. K. Prasad

Gulf and Caribbean Research

During a systematic investigation of phytoplankton assemblages in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon blowout we encountered a population of diatoms morphologically similar to Nitzschia ossiformis (Taylor) Simonsen located about 75 km offshore and concentrated at a depth of 60—120 meters. The density of individuals in the population was sufficient to make detailed observations using light and electron microscopy. Our specimens were frequently united into short ribbon—like colonies. This, plus features of the fine structure of valve (biseriate striae, raphe canal without pores and flush with the valve surface) suggest the GOM population …

Trends And Opportunities In Tick-Borne Disease Geography, Catherine A. Lippi, Sadie J. Ryan, Alexis L. White, Holly D. Gaff, Colin J. Carlson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Tick-borne diseases are a growing problem in many parts of the world, and their surveillance and control touch on challenging issues in medical entomology, agricultural health, veterinary medicine, and biosecurity. Spatial approaches can be used to synthesize the data generated by integrative One Health surveillance systems, and help stakeholders, managers, and medical geographers understand the current and future distribution of risk. Here, we performed a systematic review of over 8,000 studies and identified a total of 303 scientific publications that map tick-borne diseases using data on vectors, pathogens, and hosts (including wildlife, livestock, and human cases). We find that the …

Fast And Pervasive Transcriptomic Resilience And Acclimation Of Extremely Heat-Tolerant Coral Holobionts From The Northern Red Sea, Romain Savary, Daniel J. Barshis, Christian R. Voolstra, Anny Cárdenas, Nicolas R. Evensen, Guilhem Banc-Prandi, Maoz Fine, Anders Meiborn

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Corals from the northern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba exhibit extreme thermal tolerance. To examine the underlying gene expression dynamics, we exposed Stylophora pistillata from the Gulf of Aqaba to short-term (hours) and long-term (weeks) heat stress with peak seawater temperatures ranging from their maximum monthly mean of 27 °C (baseline) to 29.5 °C, 32 °C, and 34.5 °C. Corals were sampled at the end of the heat stress as well as after a recovery period at baseline temperature. Changes in coral host and symbiotic algal gene expression were determined via RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq). Shifts in coral microbiome composition were …

Antibodies Against Egf-Like Domains In Ixodes Scapularis Bm86 Orthologs Impact Tick Feeding And Survival Of Borrelia Burgdorferi, Juraj Koči, Sandhya Bista, Payal Chirania, Xiuli Yang, Chrysoula Kitsou, Vipin Singh Rana, Ozlem Buyuktanir Yas, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Utpal Pal

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Ixodes scapularis ticks transmit multiple pathogens, including Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, and encode many proteins harboring epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domains. We show that I. scapularis produces multiple orthologs for Bm86, a widely studied tick gut protein considered as a target of an anti-tick vaccine, herein termed as Is86. We show that Is86 antigens feature at least three identifiable regions harboring EGF-like domains (termed as EGF-1, EGF-2, and EGF-3) and are differentially upregulated during B. burgdorferi infection. Although the RNA interference-mediated knockdown of Is86 genes did not show any influences on tick engorgement or B. burgdorferi sensu stricto persistence, the …

Lepidopteran Granivory Reduces Seed Counts In A Rare Species Of Riparian Scour Prairies, Cheyenne Moore, Angela J. Mcdonnell, Scott Schuette, Christopher T. Martine

Faculty Journal Articles

In Pennsylvania Baptisia australis var. australis is found along only four waterways: the Allegheny River, Youghiogheny River, Clarion River, and Red Bank Creek. Because of its limited distribution and small number of extant populations, the species is considered state-threatened in Pennsylvania. In addition, the riparian prairie habitat that Pennsylvania Baptisia australis var. australis is restricted to is also in decline and considered vulnerable. Because of these conservation concerns, insights into the natural history of the taxon in the state is valuable and will inform conservation efforts. Field surveys and fruit collections along the Allegheny River and herbarium collections were used …

Lessons From Four Decades Of Monitoring Vegetation And Fire: Maintaining Diversity And Resilience In Florida’S Uplands, Warren G. Abrahamson Ii, Christy R. Abrahamson, Matthew A. Keller

Faculty Journal Articles

Worldwide, humans are altering the fire regimes (fire-return intervals, severity, seasonality) of fire-prone ecosystems, fragmenting natural landscapes, and altering climates. Efforts to restore fire regimes in natural areas are usually guided by fire management plans (FMP) that rely on prescribed burning. Despite the common use of FMPs, limited efforts have gone to assessing vegetative and faunal responses. While some insights into responses to fire from short-term studies are available, there is less knowledge about FMP outcomes applied over multiple decades. Peninsular Florida hosts many fire-prone communities including globally threatened Florida scrub. We repeatedly sampled species composition and abundance during a …

Multiple Complementary Studies Clarify Which Co-Occurring Congener Presents The Greatest Hybridization Threat To A Rare Texas Endemic Wildflower (Hibiscus Dasycalyx: Malvaceae), Melody P. Sain, Julia Norrell-Tober, Katherine Barthel, Megan Seawright, Alyssa Blanton, Kate L. Hertweck, John S. Placyk, Jr., Randall Small, Lance R. Williams, Marsha G. Williams, Joshua A. Banta

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Neches River Rose Mallow (Hibiscus dasycalyx) is a rare wildflower endemic to Texas that is federally protected in the U.S.A. While previous work suggests that H. dasycalyx may be hybridizing with its widespread congeners, the Halberd-leaved Rose Mallow (H. laevis) and the Woolly Rose Mallow (H. moscheutos), this has not been studied in detail. We evaluated the relative threats to H. dasycalyx posed by hybridization with H. laevis and H. moscheutos by 1) examining their relatedness to one another via modern phylogenomic methods, 2) examining their ecological (dis)similarities to one another using ecological niche modeling, and 3) looking for …

Double Anus In An Ixodes Scapularis Nymph, A Medically Important Tick Vector, Vikas Taank, Frank A. Lattanzio, Hameeda Sultana, Girish Neelakanta

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Ixodes scapularis ticks are medically important arthropod vectors that transmit several pathogens to humans. The observations of morphological abnormalities, including nanism, missing leg, extra leg, and gynandromorphism, have been reported in these ticks. In this study, we report the presence of two anuses in a laboratory-reared I. scapularis nymph.

Results: Larval ticks were allowed to feed on mice and to molt to nymphs. Two anuses were observed in one of the freshly molted nymphs. Stereo and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the presence of two anuses in one nymph within a single anal groove.

Conclusions: This report confirms the rare …

Phototransduction Components In The Visual System Of Hard-Bodied Ticks, Arimar J. López Limas

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Ticks are terrestrial invertebrate parasites that attach to their hosts to feed on their blood. Ticks are composed of three families: Ixodidae, Argasidae, and Nuttalliellidae. Ixodid ticks include members of the genera Amblyomma, Ixodes, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, Dermacentor, and Rhipicephalus. Ticks can transmit diseases to animals and humans, making them an important organism to study. Current tick-bite mitigation strategies include acaricides (harmful if misused), and CO₂ traps (effective in decreasing tick abundance, but costly to use). Since the visual system of ticks has not been studied extensively, I expect that by studying their visual system, alternative tick-bite mitigation …

Differential Diagnosis Of Abnormal Muscle Gross Anatomy Of A Male Cadaver, Audrey V. Broffman, Carley R. Carpenter

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The ability of healthcare providers to carefully consider all presentations of illness and injury, draw upon research and knowledge to develop a list of potential diagnoses, and further investigate systems expected to be impacted by these diagnoses, is crucial for accurate identification of a condition and subsequent treatment plans to improve the welfare of patients. In order to determine a possible cause for unusual anatomic changes in multiple regions of the male cadaver used in the University of Montana’s Anatomy and Physiology lab, we performed a differential diagnosis.This research is exempt from IRB approval because the individual is no longer …

An Interview With Michael Barresi, Michael J.F. Barresi, Alex Eve

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Michael Barresi is Professor of Biological Sciences at Smith College, Northampton, MA, USA, where he uses the zebrafish to understand central nervous system development. Michael is also Program Director of the ‘Student Scientists’ outreach project and has made significant contributions to teaching developmental biology, including being co-author and illustrator of the textbook Developmental Biology, producing developmental documentaries and starting the Online Developmental Teaching Forums. He was awarded the 2021 Viktor Hamburger Outstanding Educator Prize from the Society of Developmental Biology (SDB). We caught up with Michael over Teams to hear more about his career and love of learning.

Culex Quinquefasciatus: Status As A Threat To Island Avifauna And Options For Genetic Control, Tim Harvey-Samuel, Thomas Ant, Jolene Sutton, Chris Niebuhr, Samoa Asigau, Patricia Parker, Steven Sinkins, Luke Alphey

Biology Department Faculty Works

The avifauna endemic to islands is particularly susceptible to population declines and extinctions resulting from the introduction of non-native pathogens. Three pathogens of concern are the avian malaria parasites, the avian poxviruses, and West Nile virus—each of which can be transmitted by Culex quinquefasciatus, a highly adaptive and invasive mosquito. Culex quinquefasciatus has dramatically expanded its range in recent centuries and is now established throughout much of the tropics and sub-tropics, including on many islands that are remote from mainland landmasses and where this geographic separation historically protected island species from mosquito-borne diseases. The potential for ecological disruption by Cx. …

Morphology And Genetics Concur That Anoura Carishina Is A Synonym Of Anoura Latidens (Chiroptera, Glossophaginae), Camilo Calderón-Acevedo, Miguel Rodríguez-Posada, Nathan Muchhala

Biology Department Faculty Works

Anoura carishina was described based on cranial and dental morphology, but the original analyses did not include Anoura latidens, a similar species of Anoura. We used morphological, morphometric, and genetic analyses to evaluate the taxonomic identity of A. carishina. We performed a principal components analysis to evaluate the correspondence between morphological and taxonomic groups for 260 specimens of large-bodied Anoura (A. carishina, Anoura geoffroyi, A. latidens, and Anoura peruana), and statistically analyzed traits diagnostic for A. latidens, including (1) morphology of the third upper premolar (P4), (2) size of the second (P3) and third (P4) upper premolars, and (3) angle …

Impact Of Short Meditation On Attentional Performance, Lauren E. Guerriero

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Meditation describes a large variety of traditions that all include the conscious focus of attention. By maintaining attention, meditators experience both acute and long-term changes in physiology, anatomy, and cognitive performance. The type of performance benefit is believed to depend, at least in part, on the specific type of mental training. What is much less clear in the literature is the impact of a single session of meditation on the brain and how the acute changes could impact performance. Studies in advanced meditators show an increase in neuronal coordination and slowing of neuronal firing across many regions in the brain, …

Seedling Growth And Soil Chemistry In A Chronosequence Of Forest Restoration From Agriculture, Michaela J. Woods, Sarah J. Frankenberg, Joseph R. Juodvalkis, Mary C. Lloyd, Meredith Cobb, Ryan Mcewan

Five Rivers MetroParks Collaboration Data Archive

Soils were collected from forest restorations that were 0, 7, 10, 50 and 100 years old and assessed for soil nutrients, chemistry, and enzymatic activity. Quercus macrocarpa seedlings were planted in each soil type, after 5 months of growth seedlings were destructively harvested. Seedling mass and the colonization rate of their roots by ectomycorrhizal fungi are reported.

The photo accompanying this data collection is of the researchers' germinating Quercus macrocarpa seeds.

Viropana (Vna) 3, Abijeet Singh Mehta, Panagiotis A. Tsonis, Amit Singh

Components of a Regeneration Toolkit: Notophthalmus viridescens

Viropana (vna) 3

• ID – vna 3
• Details – Gene from a novel protein family belonging to the regeneration toolkit of Notophthalmus viridescens
• Base pairs – 426

Invasive Bullfrogs Maintain High Levels Of Immune Gene Diversity Despite Elevated Bd Infection Relative To Native Populations, Jacob Lafond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Maintenance of genetic diversity at ecologically-relevant loci may be important for allowing invasive populations to become established despite decreases in genomic diversity due to founder effects. To evaluate this prediction, we compared genetic diversity at an expressed MHC class IIß gene fragment to a 909 bp region of the neutral cytochrome b (cytb) locus from 20 populations of the American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) across its North American invasive and native ranges and quantified the presence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a pathogen, for which R. catesbeiana is a vector species. We recovered 28 unique MHC alleles and found that invasive populations …

Black Grouper (Mycteroperca Bonaci) Neurocranium, Celeste Jaworski, David W. Kerstetter

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

Neurocranium from 7.5 cm total length. Black Grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci), collected from Denny's Seafood Market on 15/10/2021 by Celeste Jaworski.

Gafftopsail Catfish Neurocranium, Allison J. Soucier

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

Gafftopsail Catfish (Bagre marinus), neurocranium length: 11.5 cm, collected from Keewaydin Island in Marco Florida on 15/9/2021 by Allison Soucier.

Evaluation Of Methods For The Restoration Of Native Grasslands On Abandoned Center Pivots In The Sandsage Prairies Of Southwestern Kansas, Alonso Barragan-Martinez

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Throughout southwestern Kansas thousands of acres of native grassland have been converted to cropland for agricultural use, reducing native prairie by over 60% in the sandsage prairie. Due to low precipitation and arid conditions, much of these croplands are irrigated by center pivot irrigation systems fed by the Ogallala Aquifer. These fields are abandoned when the aquifers dry up, resulting in erosion of the unused farmland. Conservation programs such as the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) were established to address this problem but have been unsuccessful in restoring native grasslands in abandoned croplands in southwestern Kansas. We hypothesized that insect …

Bio-Inspired Materials For Electrochemical Sensors, Matthew Joseph Hummel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Electrochemical biosensors are a rapidly growing research area that has greatly improved its specificity, accuracy, and precision in the detection of biomolecules in contemporary literature and industry alike. Typically, these systems exist in a three-electrode conformation with a working electrode functioning as the anode, a counter electrode functioning as the cathode, and a reference electrode allowing for the control of potential in the system. The method by which these sensors work is through the sharing of electrons via redox reactions with the target molecule and the working electrode or modifications on its surface. By exploiting the function of biomaterials that …

How About That Extension? Biomechanical Roles Of Spines In Crustacean Nauplii, Emily N. Branam , '21

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

Marine plankton possess elongated body structures, such as spines and horns, that increase drag on the body. While these extensions are often considered an anti-predation mechanism, the biomechanical implications of these structures are less studied. Using the barnacle nauplii Octolasmis spp., I explore the role of one such body extension, the dorsal thoracic spine, through amputation. Motion analysis revealed slower swimming and more erratic trajectories in dorsal thoracic spine amputees than those in control. Limb kinematic adjustments such as a larger beat amplitude, increased phase lag, and reduced contralateral symmetry were observed in amputees. While these changes may act …

The Promising Effects Of Bmp2 Transfected Mesenchymal Stem Cells On Humanosteosarcoma, Ahmet Si̇nan Sari, Emre Demi̇rçay, Ahmet Öztürk, Ayşen Terzi̇, Erdal Karaöz

Turkish Journal of Biology

Selective targeting of transfected mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) carrying specific antioncogenes to the tumor was suggested as a treatment option. Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) was shown to inhibit the proliferation and aggressiveness of osteosarcoma (OS) cells. Here, we aimed to assess the homing efficiency of intraperitoneally administered hMSCs transfected with BMP2 to the tumoral site and their effects on OS using an orthotopic xenograft murine model. Orthotopic xenograft murine model of OS in sixweek- old female NOD/SCID mice using 143B cells was established. hMSCs transfected with BMP2 (BMP2+hMSC) were used. In vivo experiments performed on four groups of mice that …