Biology Commons^™

Phytoremediation Of Nonpoint Source Pollution, Tylor Cheatham

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Stormwater can bring high concentrations of nutrients into urban ponds resulting in eutrophic conditions and subsequent algal blooms. These 91 blooms can lead to hypoxic water that will ultimately cause fish deaths and loss of recreation. Often, the majority of urban stormwater flows into local ponds through an inlet, which provides a target area for nutrient removal methods. One method being explored by researchers is the use of floating treatment wetlands (FTWs). FTWs are floating mats with plants anchored to them, allowing the roots to be suspended in the water column for nutrient removal. Our previous research focused on optimizing …

Modality's Effect On Aesthetic Ratings Of Poetry, Jessica Frame

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Previous research has shown that vividness of evoked imagery is the strongest contributor to aesthetic pleasure for poetry. However, it is 114 unknown whether modality of the poem has an effect on the relationship between vividness and aesthetic appeal, as past work has only used written poems. In this study we want to evaluate rating of vividness, valence, arousal, and aesthetic appeal based on the modality in which poems are presented (listening only, reading only, or combined). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three modalities: text-only (N=81 ), audio-only (N=74), or combined audio/text (N=78). Our results showed that …

Competition Or Prey: C. Elegans Populations In The Presence Of P. Pacificus, Charles Greene, Elena Zobel, Andrea Scharf

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

The predatory and territorial behaviors of the model organism P. pacificus provides a useful opportunity to study territorial defensive behaviors and optional predatory behaviors in relation to availability of preferred food sources. P. pacificus will be grown with C. elegans in shared cultures, in which E. coli will be placed and used to feed both species of worm. The number of predation events and territory defense events by P. pacificus against C. elegans will be recorded and tracked at differing levels of food concentrations. One potential issue is the different mouth morphs found in P. pacificus, with the stenostomatous (in …

Microbial Matrix: Genetic And Chemical Aspects Of Cell-Cell Communication, Amelia Markwell, Sophia Nicolette Militante

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

This research project focuses on looking at different quorum-sensing positive strains in bradyrhizobium japonicum, a species of legume-root bacteria found in soybean plants across the Midwest. Soybean plants are a high-yield crop produced here in the midwest, bringing in more than 8 billion dollars in monetary output for our state, making it Missouri's economic engine. Our objective, is to use different chemical testing methods to distinguish genetic differences between negative strains. This can be done through polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, and gene editing. Our goal has been to PCR amplify a fine-tuned promoter then clone it into the gene. …

Simulating Inter-Species Competition In C. Elegans, Kevin Lai

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

In biological research, understanding the life cycles of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is pivotal for insights into developmental biology, genetics, and population dynamics. Our project builds on Worm-Pop, a Python-based multi-agent simulation of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) , to enhance its capabilities in simulating survival strategies, reproductive success, and genetic drift. The current model simulates a uniform population without inter-agent interactions. I plan to introduce multiple species of worms into the simulation to study competitive dynamics and determine which variants are most successful under various conditions. Pheromones significantly influence C. elegans behavior, affecting mating, foraging, and social interactions. To address …

Cytokinesis And Dbf2, Katharine Gray, Katie Shannon

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

During cell division, the cytoplasm must be divided between the parent and daughter cell. The Mitotic Exit Network (MEN) is a signaling pathway that allows a dividing cell to exit mitosis and complete cytokinesis. Obf2 is a MEN protein kinase in yeast, which provides a simplified model for studying this conserved pathway. By regulating Dbf2s' activity through phosphorylation mutants, its effect on cytokinesis can be studied. Cells were viewed under a microscope, to visualize division errors. Yeast cells that fail to complete cytokinesis will form chains, as the budding daughter cells fail to separate from their parents. Chains of 3 …

Insect Collection Methods At Fort Leonard Wood, Sage Wood, Miranda Ragland, Robin M. Verble

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

This project is part of a larger survey examining the terrestrial insect diversity at Fort Leonard Wood in summers 2021 and 2022. The data analyzed in this poster includes specimens collected during the 2022 collection period. This project attempts to elucidate the most effective method of insect collection at Fort Leonard Wood, as well as any hotspots of insect presence or diversity on the base. Specimens were collected using hand and net collection, Lindgren funnel trapping, leaf litter sampling, and three colors of pan trapping (blue, yellow, white). Specimens were processed in the lab, pinned, sorted, and identified. Preliminary analysis …

Effect Of Morphology As A Function Of The K-Index On The Drug Loading And Release Profiles In Polyurea And Poly(Isocyanurate-Urethane) Aerogels, Kamden J. George, Stephen Y. Owusu, Chariklia Sotiriou-Leventis

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

This study explores the potential to predict the drug loading and release profiles of aerogels based on their morphologies: a milestone in drug delivery research which can help save time and cost invested in formulating new aerogel drug carriers and cut-down evaluation of the drug delivery capabilities of aerogels to a few experimental runs. Polyurea (PUA) and poly (isocyanurate-urethane) (PIR-PUR) aerogels were used as model systems while 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and paracetamol (PM) were used as model drugs. These model systems were chosen because they can be synthesized into different morphologies identified by the so-called K-index (contact angle:porosity). The model drugs …

Evaluation Of Phosphorus Uptake Within Aquatic Plants For The Use Of Nutrient Removal, Grace Willbanks

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Stormwater runoff from urban areas can lead to excess nutrients, such as phosphorus or nitrogen, in our waterways. These waste nutrients can lead to overgrowth of algae and plants, deoxygenation of ponds and streams, and death of the aquatic life in these important ecosystems. Currently, floating treatment wetlands are being used to combat these excess nutrients, combining a floating element with an absorptive media, either man-made or natural aquatic plants, into a model to float on an impacted lake. In this research project, multiple small-scale microcosm level experiments were run with different native aquatic plants to test their uptake ability …

Are Pheromones Necessary To Survive?, Galayna Baur

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Caenorhabditis elegans (C.elegans) is a species of nematodes widely found on rotting plant material due to the presence of their primary food source, bacteria. These animals utilize pheromones for communication to signal larval stages to enter the dauer phase-a survival strategy enabling them to withstand periods of minimal to no food availability, thereby regulating their population size. This study investigates the role of pheromone signaling in population dynamics and survival strategies of C. elegans using a population dynamics experiment. We employ two strains: N2, a laboratory strain with intact pheromone signaling, and a mutant strain lacking the ability to signal …

Wild Worms Vs. Lab Worms In A Laboratory Ecosystem, Alexis Winner

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

The model organism Caenorhabditis elegans lives artificially in labs since the 1970s. The question at hand is how well adapted the so-called wild-type strain is to these lab conditions. We developed a laboratory ecosystem based on wild type C. elegans and E. coli as food resource to investigate the impact of mutations that affect life history traits. In this project, we explore whether the observed population dynamics reflect wild C. elegans populations. In more detail, we compare the population dynamics of wild type worms and worms collected recently in different parts of the world.

Mathematical Analysis Of C Elegans Population Dynamics, Erik Bergstrom

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Understanding how populations fluctuate is important for understanding how evolutionary pressures have shaped the life histories of species, such as reproductive patterns and aging. A laboratory ecosystem consisting of Caenorhabditis elegans and Escherichia coli and wormPOP, a simulation of this laboratory ecosystem, developed by Scharf and colleagues (Scharf et al., 2022) provides an opportunity to better understand population dynamics by tracking individual simulated worms and computing the emergent population dynamics. However, the output data consist of curves with peaks and troughs that are challenging to analyze and that were hypothesized to fit the mathematical definition of chaotic behavior. This project …

Stream Fungal Biodiversity And Leaf Decomposition, Vale Miller

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

CURRENTLY ONGOING PROJECT We are investigating the possible impact of aquatic fungi biodiversity on leaf litter decomposition and respiration. Four different species of aquatic fungi were placed into flasks with leaf cores (A, B, C, and D), one with no fungi as a control, and one with all four species in equal amounts (ABCD). So far, there seems to be little to no effect on respiration between the species and similar results in the flasks with all four species. Based on this information, biodiversity has yet to show a significant impact in leaf respiration and little to no effect on …

Xenobiotic-Lnduced Developmental Neuropathology, Lindsay Schneider

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

As new drugs and pollutants are introduced, a larger subset of people are exposed. The question that arises is whether exposure of a pregnant woman to drugs/pollutants will have negative effects on the neurobiology of her unborn child. We are establishing a screen to test the effects of drugs and pollutants on the developmental neuropathology of the model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans. The roundworm has 302 neurons that are structurally similar to human neurons, and defects in single neurons can be detected by impairment in their neural behaviors such as chemotaxis towards an attractant. Using a chemotaxis assay, we can investigate …

Dynamics Of Laboratory Nematode Populations, Erik Bergstrom, Andrea Scharf

Undergraduate Research Conference at Missouri S&T

Understanding how populations fluctuate is important for understanding how evolutionary pressures have shaped the life histories of species, such as reproductive patterns and aging. A laboratory ecosystem consisting of Caenorhabditis elegans and Escherichia coli and wormPOP, a simulation of this laboratory ecosystem, developed by Scharf and colleagues (Scharf et al., 2022) provides an opportunity to better understand population dynamics by tracking individual simulated worms and computing the emergent population dynamics. However, the output data consist of curves with peaks and troughs that are challenging to analyze and that were hypothesized to fit the mathematical definition of chaotic behavior. This project …

Ordinal-Level Biomass Of Insects Collected On And Off Prairie Dog Colonies, Colby Cook, Chad Zerr, Lorelei E. Patrick

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

Ordinal-level Biomass of Insects Collected On and Off Prairie Dog Colonies

Colby Cook, Chad Zerr, and Lorelei Patrick

Recent work has shown that bats in Colorado and Kansas are more active over prairie dog colonies. It is hypothesized that the reason for this is increased abundance and richness of insects found on colonies versus off colonies. Sampling from 2022 indicated that insect biomass was not different between location types, but suggested that the relative abundance of insect orders may differ. Additional insect sampling was conducted in 2023. Light traps were deployed on the same nights, one on a prairie dog …

Pilot Project: Plant Hormones And Soil Bacterial Populations In Plant Growth Enhancement, Ada Sardana Sambola

2024 Student Academic Showcase

The way microorganisms affect plant health, through the contribution of nitrogen or phosphorus fixation by bacteria to the growing plants, has been thoroughly studied. Commonly referred to as Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria (PGPBs), these organisms play a key role in enhancing plant growth by assisting in the production of indole acetic acid (IAA), facilitating the uptake of nutrients via mechanisms like phosphorus solubilization, and producing inhibitory substances that protect plants from pathogens. However, the reverse of this phenomenon has not been studied as deeply. This study will focus on how the addition of plant hormones, more specifically, gibberellins, affects the …

Research Proposal: Examination Of Bacterial Communities In Soil Beneath Decaying Organic Matter And The Effect Of Insect Succession, Olivia Fotiadis

2024 Student Academic Showcase

Bacterial species of the Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Bacteroidetes phyla are key components in decomposing organic matter by secreting specialized enzymes into decaying material, facilitating its breakdown and nutrient release. Diverse microbial communities in areas of decomposition are known for their efficiency in decomposition and nutrient cycling. Less is understood about the effect of insects introducing unique microbes alongside initial soil bacteria, like Bacillus subtilis, in the decomposition process. Studying the decomposition of pork samples as a human analog will explore variations in bacterial populations in soil before and after the introduction of insect-mediated microbes and provide information on the efficiency …

The Changes In Oral Flora After Oral Hygiene, Brooklyn Bumbales

2024 Student Academic Showcase

The goal of this project is to study the changes in the oral flora of an individual's mouth pre-cleaning and post-cleaning due to everyday brushing. The oral flora comprises many microorganisms such as Staphylococcus and Lactobacillus that are constantly changing. In previous studies, the diversity and abundance of these microorganisms in the oral cavity are subject to change in the times following pre-cleaning and post-cleaning. This study will examine saliva samples from consenting individuals, will be collected pre-cleaning (brushing) and post-cleaning of the oral cavity. The samples will then be tested for the population size and diversity of different microorganisms …

Gibberellic Acid Influence On Mutant Millets: An Exploration Of Effects, Fokam Felix Thierry Foading, Kennedy Femmer, Blake Reiger, Matthew Turray

2024 Student Academic Showcase

Setaria viridis, commonly known as green foxtail millets, exhibits diverse physical traits, including instances of dwarfism. Our study investigated the effect of gibberellic acid on millets, focusing on growth responses in normal and mutant plants, including dwarf variants. Gibberellic acid plays a vital role in stem elongation, and its deficiency may lead to hindered growth. We conducted experiments applying a gibberellic acid concentration of 0.5g/L to determine its impact on plant height. Two mutant types, Setaria Viridis 11970 Mutant 4 and Setaria viridis 03054 Mutant 6, were studied alongside the normal millet type Setaria Viridis A10.1 wild type. Results showed …

Anything But Another Essay: Understanding Undergraduate Stem Student Perceptions Of Creative, Project-Based Learning, Emily M. Redding, Lorelei E. Patrick

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

The training of innovative and diverse scientists starts with creative teaching practices. Much of the pedagogy literature on incorporating nontraditional teaching practices in college STEM courses focuses on the use of in-class active learning activities. Less study has been devoted to creative, project-based assignments, such as “UnEssays”. The “UnEssay” is a semester-long assignment that challenges students to complete a library research project on a topic of their choosing and present it using anything but an essay. Although gaining popularity, few studies have assessed STEM student's perceptions of the assignments. To do so, Zoology students were asked to complete pre- and …

Screening Environmental Soil Samples For Antibiotic Production, Paige Mattick

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

Antibiotic resistance is a detrimental worldwide challenge, producing bacterial infections that are progressively more difficult to treat and cure. To attempt to help alleviate this issue, we screened soil samples for the presence of antibiotic-producing microorganisms. Soil samples were collected and diluted to 1:100 and 1:1000 ratios of soil and distilled water. These soil mixtures were then streaked onto tryptic soy agar (TSA) plates and incubated at 30℃ until colonies developed. These colonies were then selected and plated on a lawn of Serratia marcescens, which was utilized as the target organism.

Serratia marcescens was selected due to its known resistance …

Presence Of Porcine Endogenous Retrovirus C In Domestic Pigs In Kansas, Avery Welton, Eric T. Gillock

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

There is currently a shortage of organs available to perform allotransplants in humans, prompting the exploration of xenotransplantation as an alternative. Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of living tissues between different species, with porcine tissues being a promising option. However, concerns arise regarding cross-species transmission, particularly in relation to Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses (PERVs). PERVs are retroviruses that are integrated into the germ-line cells of pigs and are permanently embedded in the host cell’s DNA, allowing for vertical transmission. Of significant concern is the infectious nature of two PERV subtypes, A and B, to humans, which can potentially recombine with the third …

The Effects Of Ocean Acidification On Sea Urchin Larval Survivorship And Development In Lytechinus Variegatus And Arbacia Punctulata, Emily Pace, Kacie Miller*, Nancy Dalman, Margaret (Meg) Smith

Georgia Journal of Science

Accumulated carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is one of the driving factors in ocean acidification as oceanic absorption of carbon dioxide alters ocean chemistry. Lower concentrations of carbonate ions and higher concentrations of hydrogen ions in the water adversely affect marine organisms, including sea urchin larvae, that use calcium carbonate in their skeletal structures. While there is a wide body of literature demonstrating an impact of lowered pH on sea urchin larval development and survival, it is unclear if the method of pH manipulation and the species being studied influences the results. To address this, we compared two commonly employed …

Examination Of Greenhouse Conditions That Influence Scale Infestation Rates On Begonia, Madeline M. Cusick

Honors College Theses

Scale insects are common pests within greenhouse and agricultural settings. I quantified scale infestation on Begonia x Richmondensis, also known as the Dragon Wing begonia, within the Armstrong Campus Greenhouse from March to November of 2023. Six different treatments accounted for variations in sunlight, humidity, and temperature within the greenhouse with the goal of determining the insect’s preferred environmental conditions. Morphological comparisons were also made between host plant Dragon Wing begonia and other begonias present within the greenhouse. Analysis indicated a significant difference in scale presence on replicate plants by zone and sunlight treatments, with more plants hosting at least …

Continuous Mowing Differentially Affects Floral Defenses In The Noxious And Invasive Weed Solanum Elaeagnifolium In Its Native Range, Alejandro Vasquez, Alexa Alaniz, Robert K. Dearth, Rupesh R. Kariyat

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

In weeds, disturbance has been found to affect life history traits and mediate trophic interactions. In urban landscapes, mowing is an important disturbance, and we previously showed that continuous mowing leads to enhanced fitness and defense traits in Solanum elaeagnifolium, Silverleaf Nightshade (SLN). However, most studies have been focused on foliar defenses, ignoring floral defenses. In this study we examined whether continuous mowing affected floral defenses in SLN using mowed and unmowed populations in South Texas, their native range. We found flowers of mowed SLN plants larger but lighter than unmowed plants. Additionally, flowers on plants that were mowed …

Teaching Evolutionary Principles With Ai Image Generators, Jacqueline Garnett

Generative AI Teaching Activities

The purpose of this assignment is for students to practice constructing phylogenies using the principle of parsimony. In this activity, students will use an AI Image Generator to create a grid of images of the same organism and identify a series of traits that vary to build a possible phylogenetic tree.

Using Mitochondrial Dna (Mtdna) To Investigate The Genetic Population Structure Of Harbor Seals (Phoca Vitulina) In Washington State, Maya Mijares

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are the most abundant marine mammal in Washington State waters and consume many species of fish that hold significant cultural, economic, and ecological importance for humans. Hence, the management of harbor seal populations is of interest to many diverse communities throughout the state. Here, we describe the genetic population structure of harbor seals using mtDNA gathered from subsamples of male and female stranded harbor seals across varying ages and geographic locations. We employ Sanger Sequencing of the mtDNA D-loop to gather maternal genetic information and have found evidence of detectable genetic diversity in the mitochondrial genome …

Ashes To Algae: Phytoplankton Communities In Early Successional Ponds At The Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Lillie Tomlinson

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Freshwater biodiversity is declining worldwide, and ponds have been found to be incredibly biodiverse freshwater habitats that provide important ecosystem services and create critical terrestrial-aquatic linkages. Phytoplankton are fundamental components of aquatic communities and provide ecosystems with oxygen, send energy throughout the food web, and are an important food source for organisms like zooplankton. The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens led to the formation of over 100 diverse ponds in the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. This study aims to shed light on phytoplankton community dynamics and assemblages as well as regional differences in community dynamics in previously …

Shmoomics!, Winter Yi, Dan Pollard

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

Science Communication is the practice of science which aims to connect public audiences to scientific knowledge. There has been an ongoing dialogue concerning the inaccessibility of such knowledge due to barriers such as paywalls and a lack in contextual knowledge. In order to explore this discussion and present an input, this project aimed to create weekly comic strips that briefly discuss one scientific paper a week as well as display each comic to the general public. What, if anything, must be sacrificed in order to convey an accurate retelling of information? How much of the original paper can be changed …