Biology Commons^™

Investigating The Nectar Preferences Of Bumblebees While Foraging: Are Total Responses A Good Metric?, Alexander Entwistle, Becky Hansis-O'Neill, Aimee Dunlap Dr

Undergraduate Research Symposium

The declining population of bumblebees worldwide poses an unmistakable threat to ecological systems and biodiversity. Therefore, a deep understanding of the factors at play when bees are foraging is crucial to conservation efforts. This research aims to explore the energy that foraging bumblebees are willing to expend at a known food source after the food has stopped, and if these responses reveal sugar concentration preferences. In this experiment a novel approach was used, adapted from psychology research on addiction, to measure bee’s preferences for different concentration of sugar-water (nectar). First, how many rewards the bees earned if they were given …

Does A Bumblebee’S Size Influence Foraging Behavior?, Alametta Thompson-Hinton, Becky Hansis-O'Neill, Aimee Dunlap Dr

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Current studies of Bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) have shown that they prefer plants that have a higher concentration of sugar over those that are of a lower concentration. However, there is little research analyzing the impact of the size difference amongst bumblebee foragers. During our experiment, we tested if larger bumblebees demonstrate a propensity to pursue nectar rewards more frequently compared to smaller bees. We hypothesized that the smaller bumblebees would forage less than the larger ones under a fixed ratio and three different sugar concentrations. We found that our hypothesis was partly correct: smaller bees initially earned fewer rewards, …

Amongst The Trails: Analysis Of A Small Predator Location Survey, Jesse Laseter

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Small predators, despite their size, play pivotal roles in ecosystem balance. Primarily, through their predation of herbivores, they indirectly benefit native plant communities. By reducing the damage from herbivory, herbaceous plants have a higher likelihood to thrive and proliferate. This is crucial in the restoration of Missouri glades. However, for small predators to achieve this, they rely heavily on their ability to navigate through their environment. One factor that may influence their ability to traverse their environment is recreational trails. Trails can cause habitat fragmentation by disconnecting one larger area into two. Trails also have significantly different microclimate than the …

Extracting And Analyzing Body Pitch Frequency To Test For Mimetic Convergence In Ithomiine Butterflies, Lauren Kim, Angela Robles, Victoria Valenzuela

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Speyeria Beyond The Bay Area: Utility Of Dna Barcode In A Region Known For Mixed Phenotypes, Lorraine S. Lee, Alan H. Lin, Karine T. Nguyen, Jiwon Woo

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Oak Apple Gall Natural History And Elementary Citizen Science, Christina Flores

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Exploration Of Spider Silk Assembly, Natalie Naseib, Joshua Navarro, Nadia Duong, Seohyun Lee, Daniel Kim, Danbir Somal, Sevak Manucharyan, Josephine Kim, Seha Park, Alice Lan, Karen Kwong, Mason Tri

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Study Of The Assembly Trigger For Spider Silk Proteins, Katina Zhu, Amanda Lee, Megan Lau, Sungkyung Lee, Kaden Chen, Katherine Yoo, David Eum, Daniel Eum, Austin Cho, Jiho Choi

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Eardrum Tuning Of The Túngara Frog, Robert A. Wong, Mary Paduano, Justine Tang, Betty Lee, Trisha Vo, Mark Morozumi, Marcos Gridi-Papp

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Variability Of Color Patterns In The Ventral Skin Of The Túngara Frog, Emily Yuxin Sun

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

The Vocal Response Of The Male Túngara Frog As A Function Of Stimulus Intensity, Kristine Sheu, Marcos Gridi-Papp

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Age And Size On The Mating Call Of Male Túngara Frogs, Sonia Mathur, Dr. Marcos Gridi-Papp

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Changes In Call Rate In Response To Competition In Male Túngara Frogs, Alison S. Kim, Marcos Gridi-Papp

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Mechanical Properties And Morphological Alterations In Fiber-Based Scaffolds Affecting Tissue Engineering Outcomes, James Dolgin, Samerender Nagam Hanumantharao, Stephen Farias, Carl G. Simon, Smitha Rao

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Electrospinning is a versatile tool used to produce highly customizable nonwoven nanofiber mats of various fiber diameters, pore sizes, and alignment. It is possible to create electrospun mats from synthetic polymers, biobased polymers, and combinations thereof. The post-processing of the end products can occur in many ways, such as cross-linking, enzyme linking, and thermal curing, to achieve enhanced chemical and physical properties. Such multi-factor tunability is very promising in applications such as tissue engineering, 3D organs/organoids, and cell differentiation. While the established methods involve the use of soluble small molecules, growth factors, stereolithography, and micro-patterning, electrospinning involves an inexpensive, labor …

Gonads Without Glp-1: Silencing Glp-1 In The Male Somatic Gonad In Caenorhabditis Elegans, Matthew Titus

Undergraduate Theses

In C. elegans, the gene glp-1 encodes for a Notch receptor called GLP-1, one of two found in C. elegans’ genome. The gene has been previously implicated in the development of the hermaphroditic germline as well as playing a role in the mitosis/meiosis decision. Genetic screening has further identified it as potentially playing a role in the development of the male somatic gonad, making it an ideal candidate for a reverse genetic. We did this by silencing glp-1 and observing if any alterations to the gonad’s phenotype occur.

Normally this could be done by performing a gene knockout. …

Understanding The Expression And Role Of Pros-1 In The Male Gonad Of C. Elegans, Jack Bozik

Undergraduate Theses

The gene pros-1 is a transcription factor that is highly expressed within neuronal sheath cells, glial cells, and excretory canal cells. pros-1 plays a role in cell determination of those cell types in the nematode C. elegans, which promotes organismal development. But the degree to which pros-1 presence is important is still not fully understood, because there are many genes involved in development that when mutated or damaged can result in unexpected phenotypes or even total loss of function to a certain developmental mechanism. What makes pros-1 valuable to research is that it is a functional homologue to a …

Using Crispr To Genetically Engineer Two Genes Involved In Gonadogenesis In The Model Organism C. Elegans, Peyton Young

Undergraduate Theses

C. elegans is a nematode model organism commonly used in research because of its small size and similarity to humans. Of the known protein sequences of C. elegans, 40%-80% have human homologous genes, making C. elegans an ideal organism for study of human proteins (Lai et al. 2000). Additionally, there are two sexes of C. elegans, male and hermaphrodite. Of the two sexes, this research focuses on the males, especially the development of the gonad and the genes involved in this process. Two genes were chosen for study, C10E2.6 and pig-1, based on essentiality and mRNA expression …

Physiological, Temporal, And Environmental Determinants Of Forage Fish Caloric Content In The Gulf Of Mexico, Rebecca R. Walsh

Honors Theses

Within the Gulf of Mexico, forage fish species serve as an important link between lower trophic levels and higher trophic levels, supporting economically valuable predator fish, birds, and mammals. Despite the key ecological role of forage fish, fisheries management efforts are often directed elsewhere; as a result, input data for fisheries models is unavailable for many forage fish species. To fill this knowledge gap, we sought to produce species-specific caloric content values for four forage fish species in the Gulf of Mexico: Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus), white trout (Cynoscion arenarius), bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli), …

Microplastics’ Effects On Painted Lady Butterfly Survivorship, Migratory Behavior, And Fecundity, Kaelin Ferland

Biology Student Scholarship

Kaelin Ferland ’23
Major: Environmental Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rachael Bonoan, Biology

Human activity is affecting our planet at a microscopic level. In 2021, scientists first discovered microplastics in honeybees. Subsequent research has found that honeybee gut bacteria concentrations decrease because of microplastic ingestion, decreasing honeybee survivorship. The same might be true for other insect pollinators including butterflies. When butterflies visit flowers to feed, they simultaneously collect pollen on their wings. Due to the similar particulate structure of pollen and microplastics, it’s possible that butterflies collect microplastics in addition to food. We used painted lady butterflies to investigate if microplastics …

The Predation Resistance Of Squashed E. Coli, Kathryn Mulvey, Caroline Zielinski

Biology Student Scholarship

Kathryn Mulvey ’23, Major: Biology

Caroline Zielinski ’23, Major: Biology

Faculty Mentor, Dr. Laura Williams, Biology

Predatory bacteria hunt and kill other bacteria, including pathogens that cause disease in humans, which makes them a promising alternative for treating antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Currently, it is unknown whether and how pathogens evolve resistance to predation. To investigate this, we are studying interactions between E. coli, which is a model organism for pathogenic bacteria, and predatory Bdellovibrio. When we co-cultured E. coli with a particular strain of predatory Bdellovibrio, we observed the emergence of predation-resistant E. coli that had reduced susceptibility to killing …

See You Later Alligator: Forelimb And Wrist Of Alligators Walking The Treadmill, Erin Trammell, Inthavha Singharaj, Sasha Rudich

Biology Student Scholarship

Erin Trammell ’23, Major: Biology

Inthavha Singharaj ’23, Major: Biology

Sasha Rudich ’23, Major: Biology, Minors: Women and Gender Studies

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Daivd Baier, Biology

We used XROMM, which combines biplanar X-ray video and digital bone models, to measure how the alligator skeleton moves during high walks on a treadmill. The crocodilian high walk and wrist structure are unique compared to other reptiles who walk with a sprawled limb posture. Here, we describe how bones of the forearm, wrist, and hand coordinate during alligator strides. We find that elbow is more than just a simple hinge, the forearm bones …

The Evolution Of Pollution Resistance In The Atlantic Killifish, Matthew Rock

Biology Student Scholarship

Matthew Rock ’23
Major: Environmental Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jeffrey Markert, Biology

We examined genetic variation in Atlantic Killifish populations to better understand their ability to persist in Superfund sites like New Bedford Harbor, which is polluted with a mix of organic toxicants and heavy metals. As predicted, loci associated with the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR) Detoxification Pathway show large differences in allele frequencies between polluted and non-polluted sites.

Genetic Disruption Of Metabolic Balance In Mouse Cerebellar Neurons Causes Deficits In The Postnatal Development Of Their Dendritic Tree And Mouse Motor Skills, Hayden Lens, Mary Boghos

Biology Student Scholarship

Hayden Lens ’23, Major: Biology

Mary Boghos ’23, Major: Biology

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ileana Soto Reyes, Biology

The Npc1nmf164 mutant mouse is an animal model for the human disease Niemann-Pick type C (NPC). NPC is a lysosomal storage disease that is acquired by autosomal recessive inheritance. It is mostly caused by mutations in NPC1, a protein that transports cholesterol out of the lysosomes, therefore abnormal accumulation of cholesterol in lysosomes is a hallmark of NPC. Cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) are severely affected by NPC, in fact, PCs degenerate first and to a larger extent at childhood stages. Therefore, we have …

Circadian Rhythm Effects Of Social Jetlag And Exercise On Stress Levels And Weight Change Of Fischer Rats, Brian Schwalm

Biology Student Scholarship

Brian Schwalm ’23
Major: Biology
Minor: Economics
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pamela Snodgrass, Biology

Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus Amphibius) Aggressive Behaviors In The Retima Hippo Pool, Orangi River, Tanzania, Lydia Hoffman, Connor Veldman

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius) are known to forage on land during the night and spend the daytime in shallow pools to thermoregulate and to protect their skin from UV radiation. Daily use of pools may lead to competition for space and facilitate aggressive interactions between hippopotamuses. In this study, we looked at the difference in occurrence of aggressive behavior in the morning and evening hours between hippopotamuses (hippos). Our hypothesis was that hippos will be more aggressive at different times of the day, and we predicted that the higher aggressive activity will be in the morning hours, as hippos …

The Effect Of Light Availability On Planktonic Communities Under The Ice In Stumpf Lake, Samantha Schug

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Ice cover is a part of the yearly cycle in bodies of water that are exposed to temperatures below the freezing point. Though the body of water is completely covered, many communities under the ice are still present and active during this time. I hypothesized that as the area cleared of snow increased, the increased light availability under the ice will cause a decrease in zooplankton abundance, as they avoid light and increase the chlorophyll concentration. Three different light availabilities were imposed on the ice by clearing three different sized areas of snow on the ice (0m, 1m and 2m). …

Analysis Of Wild Rodent Gut Microbiota As A Function Of Exposure To Ticks And Tick-Borne Pathogens, Joshua Pandian

Honors Theses

Due to advances in high-throughput parallel sequencing, researchers have conducted novel studies exploring relationships between microbiome compositions and different aspects of organism health. Some of these studies have shown that the gut microbiome of rodent models has effects on organism health and behavior and that infection with pathogens and the composition of the skin microbiome are linked to changes in gut microbiome composition. While previous studies have shown how vector microbiota impact vector behavior and pathogen transmission, the effect vectors have on reservoir species microbiomes has been a less prominent focus. We were interested in the relationships between tick parasitism, …

Function And Regulation Of Virulence-Associated Siderophores In Uropathogenic Enterobacterales, James Robert Heffernan

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Siderophores are small molecules created by fungi and bacterial cells to help obtain iron. This may extend to cells in iron-limiting environments within host organisms. Certain siderophores are associated with increased virulence in urinary tract infections (UTIs). Siderophore system activity is typically regulated by feedback inhibition via ferric uptake regulator (Fur) which, in the presence of cytosolic iron, binds to a ~19 base pair inverted DNA repeat (9-1-9) called a Fur box. Once bound to this motif, the iron-Fur complex suppresses siderophore expression when adequate bacterial iron status is achieved. Many organisms produce more than one siderophore, and in the …

Mapping The Functional Interactions At The Tumor-Immune Checkpoint Interface, Behnaz Bozorgui, Elisabeth K Kong, Augustin Luna, Anil Korkut

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The interactions between tumor intrinsic processes and immune checkpoints can mediate immune evasion by cancer cells and responses to immunotherapy. It is, however, challenging to identify functional interactions due to the prohibitively complex molecular landscape of the tumor-immune interfaces. We address this challenge with a statistical analysis framework, immuno-oncology gene interaction maps (ImogiMap). ImogiMap quantifies and statistically validates tumor-immune checkpoint interactions based on their co-associations with immune-associated phenotypes. The outcome is a catalog of tumor-immune checkpoint interaction maps for diverse immune-associated phenotypes. Applications of ImogiMap recapitulate the interaction of SERPINB9 and immune checkpoints with interferon gamma (IFNγ) expression. Our analyses …

Diversity Of Bees In Trees On Urban College Campus, Aidan Castricone, Courtney Caccamo

Biology Student Scholarship

Aidan Castricone ’24, Major: Environmental Biology

Courtney Caccamo ’23 Majors: Environmental Biology and Psychology

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rachael Bonoan, Biology

It is well known that insect pollinator populations are declining and a lack of nutrients (i.e flowering plants) may be contributing to this decline. Insect pollinators forage for pollen and nectar, which provides proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, from flowering plants. Current research on pollinator foraging behavior focuses on pollinators that forage on the ground thus overlooking those that forage in trees. Trees such as Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) and crabapple (Malus sp.) bloom in early Spring, even before …