Biology Commons^™

Helminths Of Thomomys Species (Rodentia: Geomyidae) Of Oregon, Malorri Rene Hughes

Dissertations and Theses

Although often viewed as inconsequential, parasites have significant ecological and evolutionary importance, and studying them can generate knowledge regarding their environments and their hosts. Helminths (intestinal parasites) infecting Western pocket gophers (Thomomys species) in Oregon had been documented based only on morphology prior to this study. Basing parasite identification solely on morphology is problematic because the characteristics used to identify species can be vague or similar, leading to misidentification or obscuring the true biodiversity present. Using molecular markers to verify species present not only is more reliable but also can be informative in terms of the host-parasite association. To …

Temperature-Induced Multi-Species Cohort Effects In Sympatric Snakes, Richard B. King

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

In reptiles, reproductive maturity is often determined by size rather than age. Consequently, growth early in life may influence population dynamics through effects on generation time and survival to reproduction. Because reproductive phenology and pre- and post-natal growth are temperature dependent, environmental conditions may induce multi-species cohort effects on body size in sympatric reptiles. I present evidence of this using 10 years of neonatal size data for three sympatric viviparous snakes, Dekay's Brown snakes (Storeria dekayi), Red-bellied Snakes (S. occipitomaculata), and Common Garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis). End-of-season neonatal size varied in parallel across species such that snout–vent length was 36%–61% …

To Better Engage Students, Instructors Should Create Lab Exercises With Real-World Examples., Autumn Kelsch

Research on Capitol Hill

USU senior Autumn studies biology here in Logan and led and funded this project herself through a student grant. ‘Elementary Microbiology’ is a required course for many medical fields, and traditionally relies on several pre-determined research projects in class. However, educators suggest that students gain more from open-ended projects where the answer is unknown and the students’ findings contribute to our knowledge on the subject. When Autumn was hired as a teaching assistant for this course at USU, she developed and created a project where students look for bacteria in soil samples that may help fight infections. She now hopes …

Understanding The Decline In Successful Cattle Pregnancies, Andre Tu Nguyen

Research on Capitol Hill

USU junior Andre, a local Loganer, studies computer science and biology.He has been working in an animal science lab. Over time, we have seen a decline in successful dairy cattle pregnancies. This is a huge cause for concern for Utah, with milk sales at an estimated value of $405 million in 2020. Andre’s work has been in studying a certain protein in pregnant cattle; now that he has determined there is a decrease in this protein over the course of the pregnancy, he hopes to see whether that might impact its viability. Andre got involved in research in a high …

Using Low-Fix Rate Gps Telemetry To Expand Estimates Of Ungulate Reproductive Success, Nathan D. Hooven, Kathleen E. Williams, John T. Hast, Joseph R. Mcdermott, R. Daniel Crank, Gabe Jenkins, Matthew T. Springer, John J. Cox

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Background

Population parameters such as reproductive success are critical for sustainably managing ungulate populations, however obtaining these data is often difficult, expensive, and invasive. Movement-based methods that leverage Global Positioning System (GPS) relocation data to identify parturition offer an alternative to more invasive techniques such as vaginal implant transmitters, but thus far have only been applied to relocation data with a relatively fine (one fix every  < 8 h) temporal resolution. We employed a machine learning method to classify parturition/calf survival in cow elk in southeastern Kentucky, USA, using 13-h GPS relocation data and three simple movement metrics, training a random forest on cows that successfully reared their calf to a week old.

Results

We developed a decision rule based upon a predicted probability threshold across individual cow time series, accurately classifying 89.5% (51/57) of cows with a known reproductive status. When used to infer status of …

Poster Session, Emma Beeler, Maddison Caldwell, Mackenzie Paul, Shirli Salihaj, Sara Lynn Sligh, Stephen Trest

Mississippi Undergraduate Honors Conference

Video provided is of MacKenzie Paul's presentation.

Abstracts

Humanities

Emma Beeler, Mississippi University for Women

Adultery and Fidelity in the Lais of Marie de France

Using both literary and historical analysis, I will examine contrasting depictions of adultery and fidelity within the lais written by 12th-century poet Marie de France. A lai is a type of narrative poem, ranging in length from 118 to 1184 lines. Many of Marie de France’s lais follow the literary trope known as courtly love; however, the reader is encouraged to sympathize with different characters depending on the lai. In some lais, the reader …

Oral Presentations: Stem, Zithlaly Amezquita

Mississippi Undergraduate Honors Conference

Each oral presentation of 15 minutes is followed by Q&A.

Hypoxia-Induced Predation Refuge For Northern Quahogs (Mercenaria Mercenaria) In A Temperate Estuary, Bryan P. Galligan S.J., Yoel E. Stuart, M. Conor Mcmanus, Heather E. Stoffel

Biology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

Oxygen depletion in estuaries and coastal waters is often associated with reduced biodiversity, coastal dead zones, and the loss of important ecosystem services. However, some species can benefit from low oxygen conditions due to the indirect effects these conditions have on trophic relationships. In Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, U.S.A., northern quahogs (Mercenaria mercenaria) reach their highest densities in the areas of the Bay most prone to oxygen depletion. One line of evidence suggests that suboxic events (hypoxia and anoxia) can aid quahogs by excluding predators. Here, we analyze data from long-term surveys of water quality and quahog abundances to test …

Interactions Between Strains Govern The Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics Of Microbial Communities, Akshit Goyal, Leonora S. Bittleston, Gabriel E. Leventhal, Lu Lu, Otto X. Cordero

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Genomic data has revealed that genotypic variants of the same species, that is, strains, coexist and are abundant in natural microbial communities. However, it is not clear if strains are ecologically equivalent, and at what characteristic genetic distance they might exhibit distinct interactions and dynamics. Here, we address this problem by tracking 10 taxonomically diverse microbial communities from the pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea in the laboratory for more than 300 generations. Using metagenomic sequencing, we reconstruct their dynamics over time and across scales, from distant phyla to closely related genotypes. We find that most strains are not ecologically equivalent and …

New Opportunities And Untapped Scientific Potential In The Abyssal Ocean, Jeffrey J. Marlowe, Rika E. Anderson, Anna-Louise Reysenbach, Jeffrey S. Seewald, Timothy M. Shank, Andreas P. Teske, V. Dorsey Wanless, S. Adam Soule

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The abyssal ocean covers more than half of the Earth’s surface, yet remains understudied and underappreciated. In this Perspectives article, we mark the occasion of the Deep Submergence Vehicle Alvin’s increased depth range (from 4500 to 6500 m) to highlight the scientific potential of the abyssal seafloor. From a geologic perspective, ultra-slow spreading mid-ocean ridges, Petit Spot volcanism, transform faults, and subduction zones put the full life cycle of oceanic crust on display in the abyss, revealing constructive and destructive forces over wide ranges in time and space. Geochemically, the abyssal pressure regime influences the solubility of constituents such as …

Ranking The Biases: The Choice Of Otus Vs. Asvs In 16s Rrna Amplicon Data Analysis Has Stronger Effects On Diversity Measures Than Rarefaction And Otu Identity Threshold, Marlène Chiarello, Mark Mccauley, Sébastien Villéger, Colin R. Jackson

Faculty and Student Publications

Advances in the analysis of amplicon sequence datasets have introduced a methodological shift in how research teams investigate microbial biodiversity, away from sequence identity-based clustering (producing Operational Taxonomic Units, OTUs) to denoising methods (producing amplicon sequence variants, ASVs). While denoising methods have several inherent properties that make them desirable compared to clustering-based methods, questions remain as to the influence that these pipelines have on the ecological patterns being assessed, especially when compared to other methodological choices made when processing data (e.g. rarefaction) and computing diversity indices. We compared the respective influences of two widely used methods, namely DADA2 (a denoising …

Assessment Of Two Novel Host-Derived Beauveria Bassiana (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) Isolates Against The Citrus Pest, Diaphorina Citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae), Jonathan Cisneros, Justin Wendel, Stefan Jaronski, Christopher Vitek, Matthew Ciomperlik, Daniel Flores

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

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), vectors ‘Candidatus Liberibacter spp.’, the causative agent of Citrus Greening Disease (CGD) or Huanglongbing (HLB). Managing populations of psyllids in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV), TX, United States is imperative given a continuous increase in HLB-positive trees. A component of integrated pest management (IPM) program is the use of strains of entomopathogenic fungi for the biological control of D. citri. In an attempt to find endemic strains of entomopathogenic fungi that grow favorably under LRGV environmental conditions and naturally infect D. citri, psyllids were collected from …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, February 2022, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 3, Issue 2

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards & Recognition
Page 3-4 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 5- 6 Local Boy Scouts Earn Their Chemistry Merit Badges
Page 7-8 Mount Vernon Teacher Wins 2022 South Dakota Outstanding Physical Science Teacher Award
Page 9 Middle Schoolers Visit SDSU
Page 10 Microbiology Club Tours POET
Page 11 53rd Geography Convention
Page 12 Open PRAIRIE Data

Mule Deer Do More With Less: Comparing Their Nutritional Requirements And Tolerances With White-Tailed Deer, Anna R. Staudenmaier, Lisa A. Shipley, Meghan J. Camp, Jennifer S. Forbey, Ann E. Hagerman, Abigail E. Brandt, Daniel H. Thornton

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Congeneric species often share ecological niche space resulting in competitive interactions that either limit co-occurrence or lead to niche partitioning. Differences in fundamental nutritional niches mediated through character displacement or isolation during evolution are potential mechanisms that could explain overlapping distribution patterns of congenerics. We directly compared nutritional requirements and tolerances that influence the fundamental niche of mule (Odocoileus hemionus) and white-tailed deer (O. virginianus), which occur in allopatry and sympatry in similar realized ecological niches across their ranges in North America. Digestible energy and protein requirements and tolerances for plant fiber and plant secondary …

Dna Ligase Iv Mutations Confer Shorter Lifespan And Increased Sensitivity To Nutrient Stress In Drosophila Melanogaster, Rashmi Joshi, Surya Jyoti Banerjee, Jennifer Curtiss, Amanda K. Ashley

Faculty Publications - Biological Sciences

The nonhomologous end-joining pathway is a primary DNA double-strand break repair pathway in eukaryotes. DNA ligase IV (Lig4) catalyzes the final step of DNA end ligation in this pathway. Partial loss of Lig4 in mammals causes Lig4 syndrome, while complete loss is embryonically lethal. DNA ligase 4 (DNAlig4) null Drosophila melanogaster is viable, but sensitive to ionizing radiation during early development. We proposed to explore if DNAlig4 loss induced other long-term sensitivities and defects in D. melanogaster. We demonstrated that DNAlig4 mutant strains had decreased lifespan and lower resistance to nutrient deprivation, indicating Lig4 is required for maintaining health and …

Similarities In Virulence And Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Gene Profiles Among Cefotaxime-Resistant Escherichia Coli Wastewater And Clinical Isolates, Elizabeth Liedhegner, Brandon Bojar, Rachelle E. Beattie, Caitlin Cahak, Krassimira R. Hristova, Troy Skwor

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The World Health Organization has identified antibiotic resistance as one of the largest threats to human health and food security. In this study, we compared antibiotic resistance patterns between ESBL-producing Escherichia coli from human clinical diseases and cefotaxime-resistant environmental strains, as well as their potential to be pathogenic. Antibiotic susceptibility was tested amongst clinical isolates (n = 11), hospital wastewater (n = 22), and urban wastewater (n = 36, both influent and treated effluents). Multi-drug resistance predominated (>70%) among hospitalwastewater and urban wastewater influent isolates. Interestingly, isolates from clinical and urban treated effluents showed similar multi-drug …

Examining The Relationship Between The Testate Amoeba Hyalosphenia Papilio (Arcellinida, Amoebozoa) And Its Associated Intracellular Microalgae Using Molecular And Microscopic Methods, Agnes K.M. Weiner, Billie Cullison, Shailesh V. Date, Tomáš Tyml, Jean Marie Volland, Tanja Woyke, Laura A. Katz, Robin S. Sleith

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Symbiotic relationships between heterotrophic and phototrophic partners are common in microbial eukaryotes. Among Arcellinida (Amoebozoa) several species are associated with microalgae of the genus Chlorella (Archaeplastida). So far, these symbioses were assumed to be stable and mutualistic, yet details of the interactions are limited. Here, we analyzed 22 single-cell transcriptomes and 36 partially-sequenced genomes of the Arcellinida morphospecies Hyalosphenia papilio, which contains Chlorella algae, to shed light on the amoeba-algae association. By characterizing the genetic diversity of associated Chlorella, we detected two distinct clades that can be linked to host genetic diversity, yet at the same time show a biogeographic …

Lianas Significantly Reduce Aboveground And Belowground Carbon Storage: A Virtual Removal Experiment, Sergio Estrada-Villegas, Sara Sofia Pedraza Navaez, Adriana Sanchez, Stefan A. Schnitzer

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Lianas are a quintessential tropical plant growth-form; they are speciose and abundant in tropical forests worldwide. Lianas compete intensely with trees, reducing nearly all aspects of tree performance. However, the negative effects of lianas on trees have never been combined and quantified for multiple tropical forests. Here, we present the first comprehensive standardized quantification of the effect of lianas on trees across tropical forests worldwide. We used data from 50 liana removal experiments and quantified the effect size of lianas on tree growth, biomass accretion, reproduction, mortality, leaf water potential, sap flow velocity, and leaf area index (LAI) across different …

Culturable Fungal Endophyte Communities Of Primary Successional Plants On Mount St. Helens, Wa, Usa, Emily R. Wolfe, Robyn Dove, Cassandra Webster, Daniel J. Ballhorn

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: While a considerable amount of research has explored plant community composition in primary successional systems, little is known about the microbial communities inhabiting these pioneer plant species. Fungal endophytes are ubiquitous within plants, and may play major roles in early successional ecosystems. Specifically, endophytes have been shown to affect successional processes, as well as alter host stress tolerance and litter decomposition dynamics—both of which are important components in harsh environments where soil organic matter is still scarce.

Results: To determine possible contributions of fungal endophytes to plant colonization patterns, we surveyed six of the most common woody …

Sex-Specific Aging In Animals: Perspective And Future Directions, Anne M. Bronikowski, Richard P. Meisel, Peggy R. Biga, James R. Walters, Judith E. Mank, Erica Larschan, Gerald S. Wilkinson, Nicole Valenzuela, Ashley Mae Conard, João Pedro De Magalhães, Jingyue (Ellie) Duan, Amy E. Elias, Tony Gamble, Rita M. Graze, Kristin E. Gribble, Jill A. Kreiling, Nicole C. Riddle

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Sex differences in aging occur in many animal species, and they include sex differences in lifespan, in the onset and progression of age-associated decline, and in physiological and molecular markers of aging. Sex differences in aging vary greatly across the animal kingdom. For example, there are species with longer-lived females, species where males live longer, and species lacking sex differences in lifespan. The underlying causes of sex differences in aging remain mostly unknown. Currently, we do not understand the molecular drivers of sex differences in aging, or whether they are related to the accepted hallmarks or pillars of aging or …

Understanding Species Interactions And Their Impacts In Restored Communities, Jennifer Zhu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Species interactions may mediate the ability of organisms to survive in a community and provide valued services but are rarely fully considered in restoration planning. To address this, I considered how service provisioning will change as restored marsh communities mature and the value of incorporating antipredator training into captive-rearing programs.

For chapter 1, I explored how a facultative mutualism between Atlantic ribbed mussels Geukensia demissa and cordgrass Spartina alterniflora may enhance marsh growth and nitrogen cycling in a eutrophic setting. I created experimental plots in Jamaica Bay, NY, that contained live mussels, mussel shells, or no mussels (control) and measured …

Novel Strategies For Glutamate Clearance In The Glia-Deprived Synaptic Hub Of C. Elegans, Joyce Chan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

As the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain, Glutamate (Glu) is critical for normal neuronal physiology. Disruption in Glu clearance results in hyper-stimulation of glutamatergic circuits, potentially leading to excitotoxic neurodegeneration. The canonical model of brain connectivity describes glutamatergic synapses as well insulated and enveloped by glia. These glia express Glu Transporters (GluTs) which work to clear Glu following synaptic activity. However, critical areas of the brain such as the mammalian hippocampus display poor synaptic isolation, which may result in Glu spillover between adjacent synapses and subsequent loss of circuit specificity. How accurate signal transmission is achieved in these …

Molecular Mechanisms Of Microrna-1205 In Aggressive Prostate Cancer, Michelle K. Naidoo

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers among men in the United States. High mortality rates of PCa are associated with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) due to the maintenance of androgen receptor (AR) signaling despite androgen deprivation therapies (ADTs). Resistance to second generation ADTs leads to the progression of AR-independent treatment related-neuroendocrine PCa (t-NEPC), which is observed in nearly 1 in 5 men with mCRPC and is associated with very poor outcomes. The 8q24 chromosomal locus is a region of very high PCa susceptibility that carries genetic variants associated with PCa aggressiveness. Located at this …

Climate Change Awareness In The United Arab Emirates, Mariam Matar Abdulla Mohammed Almheiri

Theses

Climate change has focused public attention in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the role of society in environmental protection. The objective of this study was to determine the level of public awareness of climate change in the seven emirates of the UAE. The study also aimed to determine the spatial and geographical distribution and gender differences, as well as to investigate the possible influence of human activities on climate change impacts. In a cross-sectional survey, the researcher used a questionnaire to collect data from a sample of 4000 participants to answer the research questions. The drop-off pick-up (DOPU) method …

Tracking Cryptic Sars-Cov-2 Lineages Detected In Nyc Wastewater, Davida S. Smyth, Monica Trujillo, Devon A. Gregory, Marc C. Johnson, John J. Dennehy, Et Al.

Biology Faculty Publications (Archived)

Tracking SARS-CoV-2 genetic diversity is strongly indicated because diversifying selection may lead to the emergence of novel variants resistant to naturally acquired or vaccine-induced immunity. To monitor New York City (NYC) for the presence of novel variants, we deep sequence most of the receptor binding domain coding sequence of the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 isolated from the New York City wastewater. Here we report detecting increasing frequencies of novel cryptic SARS-CoV-2 lineages not recognized in GISAID’s EpiCoV database. These lineages contain mutations that had been rarely observed in clinical samples, including Q493K, Q498Y, E484A, and T572N and share many mutations …

Review Of The Invasive Forage Grass, Guinea Grass (Megathyrsus Maximus): Ecology And Potential Impacts In Arid And Semi-Arid Regions, Pushpa Soti, Vanessa Thomas

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

Several introduced African grasses are known to present recurring patterns of invasiveness and cause a severe impact on the diversity and functioning of ecosystems worldwide. Megathyrsus maximus (Guinea grass), a forage grass species native to South Africa, is reported to be highly invasive and pose a serious threat to native biodiversity in the introduced range. Despite the severe ecological threats posed by M. maximus worldwide, there is a dearth of information on the ecological and agroecological impact of M. maximus when growing in unintended areas. In this review, we present general information on M. maximus, its distribution and ecological …

Imidazole Derivative Improves Antioxidant Status And Causes Differential Alteration Of Redox-Status In Drosophila Melanogaster, Elizabeth Temidayo Oluwayemi, Oluwakemi Josephine Awakan, Abiodun Omokehinde Eseola, Winfried Plass, Oluyomi Stephen Adeyemi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

This study investigated the toxicity of a new imidazole compound, 1-(1,4,5-triphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-naphthalen-2-ol, through the evaluation of selected oxidative stress markers and antioxidants. Both male and female D. melanogaster (3–5 days old) were fed a diet containing the imidazole derivative (20, 50, and 100 mg IMZ/kg diet) for five days. After cessation of imidazole treatment, half the population of the imidazole-exposed flies was homogenized for biochemical assays, while the other half of the flies was allowed to have a normal diet for an additional five days to see if any induced effect would be resolved. Imidazole derivatives did not significantly …

Glcms Based Multi-Inputs 1d Cnn Deep Learning Neural Network For Covid-19 Texture Feature Extraction And Classification, Elaf Ali Abbood, Tawfiq A. Al-Assadi

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

Coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that appeared because of the newest version of discovered coronavirus. The advent and rapid spread of this disease over the world necessitated a concerted effort to contain and eradicate it. Computer Tomography (CT) imaging and X-Ray images are considered as one of the important medical examinations used for disease diagnosis. To speed up and confirm the correctness of the medical diagnosis, many artificial intelligence techniques and machine learning methods are proposed. In this paper, a new and efficient proposed system is introduced to extract appropriate and meaningful features for CT scans …

A Convenient Green Method To Synthesize Β-Carotene From Edible Carrot And Nanoparticle Formation, Baker A. Joda, Zena M. Abed Al-Kadhim, Hussian J. Ahmed, Alaa K. H. Al-Khalaf

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

A simple green chemistry approach was used to synthesize β-carotene from edible carrot without using solvent and heat. In this study, beta-carotene was extracted from edible carrots through a natural extraction method with several physical technical steps. The extracted sample was isolated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A β-carotene peak was detected from HPLC with an absorbance maximum (2.135 mAU). The absorption of UV-Visible spectrum indicated that beta-carotene absorbs most strongly between 230-300 and 400-500 nm. The functional groups, namely, C=C (1649 cm^-1), =C-H (900-900 cm^-1) vibrations of antisymmetric deformation of CH₃ groups and CH …

Machine Learning-Based Soft Computing Regression Analysis Approach For Crime Data Prediction, Rabia Musheer Aziz, Aftab Hussain, Prajwal Sharma, Pavan Kumar

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

The crime rate in India is considerably increasing day by day. Consequently, the data associated with crime is also increasing, opening doors for data-driven approaches to these data to extract insightful knowledge, which can help police and other law enforcement organizations of the country in crime control and prevention. Crime prediction using machine learning algorithms on crime data can predict region-wise crime counts. In this paper, a machine learning-based soft computing regression analysis approach for Indian Crime Data Analysis (ICDA) is proposed. Different regression algorithms, namely, Simple Linear Regression (SLR), Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Decision Tree Regression (DTR), Support Vector …