Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Bearpaw Reserve Wildlife Monitoring And Mapping With The Wildlands Conservancy, Hope Hansen

Scripps Senior Theses

For my Environmental Analysis Capstone, I worked in a small group to monitor and map the wildlife at Bearpaw Reserve. Bearpaw Reserve, located in Forest Falls, California, is a 600 acre tract of wilderness that is owned by The Wildlands Conservancy. Bearpaw is located about an hour from Claremont, in the San Bernardino Mountains. The Wildlands Conservancy makes management decisions about its reserves while applying conservation research to the real world.

My group’s task was to use trail cameras to gather data on the wildlife at Bearpaw, then visualize this information into a GIS map. We used a combination of …

Effects Of Varying Biochar Concentrations On The Growth Of Lactuca Sativa (Newham Bibb Lettuce), Lauren Holler

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The objective of this research experiment was to investigate the effectiveness of using biochar in potting soil in terms of plant growth and soil quality. This experiment was carried out using varying amounts (0%, 5%, 10%, and 20%) of biochar in the soil to see its effect on seed germination, plant growth, and soil quality such as pH, water retention, and soil temperature. The aim of the experiment was to identify whether biochar can be used in soil to promote healthier and stronger plants. There were four treatments which included 0% (Control), 5% (Treatment 1), 10% (Treatment 2), and 20% …

Sediment Redox-Driven Iron Flux And Phytoplankton Community Responses: Implications For Cyanobacterial Suppression And Functional Stability Across Boreal Lakes, Julia K. Kozak

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Freshwater eutrophication contributes towards the development of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs), but nutrient availability alone does not fully explain variation in phytoplankton community composition or physiological performance. While phosphorus (P) availability has been known to regulate phytoplanktonic biomass, iron (Fe) is an important micronutrient supporting Fe-heavy processes within cyanobacteria (i.e., nitrogen fixation and photosynthetic electron transport). Sediment Fe availability in freshwater ecosystems is regulated by reduction oxidation (redox) conditions at the sediment-water interface (SWI), where nitrate (NO₃^-) has been found to maintain oxidizing conditions and prevent the reduction of Fe(III) to more readily bioavailable soluble Fe(II), …

Sexual Di(Et)Morphism: Using Experimental Evolution To Test Whether Resource Partitioning Promotes Divergence Of The Sexes In Drosophila Melanogaster, Owen A. Jamieson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Sexual dimorphism has been a long-studied phenomenon in the field of evolutionary biology. Usually, these differences in morphology, physiology and/or behaviour between the sexes are studied through the parsimonious lens of sexual selection. However, there are natural history cases where this lens does not seem applicable. Some species show sex specific morphological traits whose presence may not be due to a direct benefit to reproduction, but a difference in how each sex interacts with the environment and differing selective pressures from the environment on either sex. Darwin even brought up examples of this kind of dimorphism and pondered their existence, …

Moose On The Move: Seasonal Movement Ecology And Hunter Accessibility Of Male Moose In Interior Alaska, Forrest Rosenbower

Biological Sciences

Moose (Alces alces) are an important subsistence and sport harvested species in Alaska, yet seasonal patterns of male moose movement and habitat selection remain poorly understood. This knowledge gap limits our ability to anticipate hunter accessibility and effectively manage populations. In this thesis, I evaluated seasonal space use, movement behavior, and habitat selection of 78 GPS-collared adult males across three study areas in Interior Alaska during 2023 and 2024. In Chapter 1, I quantified seasonal overlap in space use and assessed hunter accessibility. We compared space use between the winter survey season 2023 and fall hunting season 2024. Population level …

Leveraging Mammal Mycophagy To Determine Environmental Drivers Of Truffle Diversity, Brittany Hartsock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many mycorrhizal fungi are hypogeous (truffle-forming), producing underground fruiting bodies. Studying truffles is inherently challenging due to their hidden nature. However, mycophagous mammals provide a unique opportunity to study hypogeous fungi because they rely on truffles as a food source. Although several truffle species have recently been described in the southern Appalachian region, their fruiting patterns remain poorly understood. To address this, we quantified truffle richness and spore loads from 670 Peromyscus scat samples collected across 42 sites spanning an environmental gradient during 2024 in the Blue Ridge Mountains of East Tennessee. We found that truffle richness and spore abundance …

Microplastics In Terrestrial Environments: Consequences To Organic Carbon Sequestration?, Khyla Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Soils store more carbon than the atmosphere and all plant life combined, so even small changes in how soils cycle carbon can affect the climate. A new pollutant is accumulating in soils around the world: microplastics, tiny fragments of plastic that arrive through farming practices, litter, wastewater, tire wear, and the air. Adding microplastics to soil often increases the carbon dioxide that soil microbes release, so plastic pollution could reduce the carbon that soils store. While this trend is concerning, its cause remains unclear. Microbes may be consuming the plastic itself, or the plastic may prompt them to break down …

Prioritizing Fuel Treatments To Reduce Post-Fire Debris Flow Risk In Utah, Kipling B. Klimas

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Wildfire is a natural part of many forest ecosystems, but in the western United States, wildfires have become larger, more frequent, and more severe in recent decades. There are serious problems after severe wildfire, including erosion, flooding, and debris flows that threaten water quality, roads, and communities. Because of this, land managers need better ways to decide where fuel treatments, such as prescribed burning or thinning, can most effectively reduce wildfire damage and post-fire risks.

In this dissertation, I studied how fuel treatments might reduce wildfire severity and lower the risk of post-fire debris flows in Utah. First, I built …

It Takes A Village -- An Homage To Florida's Ecosystems And Biodiversity, Noah R. Bastien

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

It Takes a Village is a drawing highlighting the biodiversity of Florida's native wildlife. The included species encompass plants, animals and fungi found in Floridian ecosystems. The swamp panel is an homage to the Florida Highwaymen, and several of the chosen species hold personal symbolism to my upbringing in central Florida and time spent with my grandparents on the Indian River in Brevard County. The species depicted in the drawing are as follows (from left to right, top to bottom): the grey triggerfish (Balistes capriscus), Florida mangroves (Rhizophora mangle), tropical water-clover (Marsilea ancylopoda), Florida …

Intraspecific And Intersexual Variations In Morphometrics And Shell Utilization Of Hermit Crab, Areopaguristes Perspicax (Anomura: Diogenidae), Along Karachi Coast, Pakistan, Altaf Hussain Narejo, Noor Us Saher

Journal of Bioresource Management

The present research aimed to evaluate the distribution, sexual dimorphism, and relative growth of Areopaguristes perspicax (Nobili, 1906) along with host shell relationship and selection along the coast of Karachi, Pakistan. Data of hermit crab and gastropod shells were gathered from the four (Manora, Buleji, Sandspit, and Mubarak) coastal sites of two (rocky and sandy) habitats along the Pakistan coast (2017-2019). For morphometric studies, the crabs were sorted, weighed, and measured for the metric variables: cephalothoracic shield length (CSL), hermit crab total length (HCTL), chela length (CL), chela width (CW), and hermit crab weight (HCW), while for host shell relationship, …

Cycad Health Assessment For Sustainable Collection Management, Lo'ren N. Kyles

Sustainability Conference

Aulacaspis yasumatsui , the Asian cycad scale, is a threat to cycads and causes the plants to decline. This study evaluated pest presence and ecological factors at Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens Florida. Surveys on 28–29 September and 23 October 2026 recorded 27 cycads: Zamia integrifolia (n = 11), Z. furfuracea (n = 11), Cycas revoluta (n = 2), C. rumphii (n = 2) and Encephalartos hildenbrandtii (n = 1). Attributes of the plants, the transparency of the canopy and the distance to paths were recorded. In the follow-up, one leaf was analyzed from each of five non-Zamia specimens. A 5 …

A New Species Of Liocheles Sundevall, 1833 (Scorpiones: Hormuridae) From Similipal Tiger Reserve, Odisha, India, Saurabh Kininge, Tejas Thackeray, Prakash C. Gogineni, Akshay Khandekar

Euscorpius

A new species of Liocheles Sundevall, 1833 is described based on male and female specimens collected from Similipal Tiger Reserve, Mayurbhanj district, Odisha, India. The new species can be easily distinguished from all six known congeners by combination of non-overlapping morphological characters such as carinae and granulation morphology of pedipalp and metasomal segments, median eye ratios. The discovery of Liocheles similipalensis sp. n., elevate the total number of species of the genus to seven and represent the fourth species to be described from India. The current study also highlights the need of systematic surveys along with detailed morphological and molecular …

The Buck Effect In Goats: A Review Of Neuroendocrine Mechanisms, Modulating Factors, And Applications In Reproductive Management, Nitira Anakkul, Sopita Suttikrai, Ratree Jintana, Theerawat Swangchan-Uthai

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The male effect (buck effect) is a sustainable, hormone-free biostimulation strategy in caprine reproduction, in which introducing sexually active bucks to seasonally anestrous does increases luteinizing hormone (LH) pulse frequency, thereby stimulating folliculogenesis and ovulation. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the sensory, neuroendocrine, breed-related, and management factors governing male biostimulation in goats (Capra hircus). Olfactory signals, including the identified primer pheromone 4-ethyloctanal, are perceived through the main and accessory olfactory systems and act together with visual, auditory, and tactile cues. These sensory inputs activate the hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) pulse generator probably through the medial amygdala …

: Examining The Fitness Costs Of Sex-Specific Song In An Understudied Caribbean Endemic (Icterus Portoricensis), Michelle J. Moyer

Academic Affairs

Our ability to develop effective conservation strategies for rare species is impeded by limited knowledge of their distributions, natural histories, and environmental threats. The Puerto Rican Oriole (Icterus portoricensis) is an endemic species on the island of Puerto Rico and is currently considered to be data-deficient by the Puerto Rican government, indicating that not enough is known about this species to properly assess the level of conservation priority. Males and females sing different songs, and only males sing during the dawn chorus. This unusual sex-specific separation suggests that male and female Puerto Rican Orioles may be using their songs for …

A Previously Unrecognized Cryptic Taxon Within The Eastern United States Celastrina (Tutt) Species Complex, Harry Pavulaan

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

A unique population of Celastrina is described from the highest elevations, 2784-6643’ (848-2027 m), of the southern Appalachian Mountains, centered on Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Life history aspects are still incomplete, calling for future field research.

A Previously Unrecognized Cryptic Taxon Within The Eastern United States Celastrina (Tutt) Species Complex, Harry Pavulaan

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

A unique population of Celastrina is described from the highest elevations, 2784-6643’ (848-2027 m), of the southern Appalachian Mountains, centered on Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Life history aspects are still incomplete, calling for future field research.

Beyond The Neocortex: Pallial Routes To The Edge Of Sentience, Oryan Zacks

Animal Sentience

In The Edge of Sentience, the sentience candidacy of fishes and reptiles is strengthened if one accepts midbrain-centric theories of human consciousness. In this commentary I attempt to untether the two positions. I suggest that we need not look for a one-to-one match between the neocortex and a single pallial structure outside of mammals. Instead, a sufficient similarity might exist between the mammalian neocortex and the combination of pallium and midbrain in fishes and reptiles. Adopting an evolutionary perspective in the study of vertebrate brains could point to new investigation priorities in human and animal research.

Phenological Flexibility In Nesting Grassland Birds Over A Half Century Informs Timing Of Management, Kristin S. Ellis, Michael J. Anteau, Lawrence D. Igl, Garrett J. Macdonald, Neal D. Niemuth, Aaron T. Pearse, Jill A. Shaffer, Christine A. Ribic, Josh L. Vest, Masanori Abe, Daniel S. Ackerman, Marissa A. Ahlering, Johanna N. Alpert, Anahit Amiri, Kent Andersson, Jacqueline K. Augustine, Kristel K. Bakker, Jeffrey L. Beck, Adam C. Behney, Jacy S. Bernath-Plaisted, Todd R. Bogenschutz, Eric K. Bollinger, Lauren E. Bortolotti, Andy J. Boyce, Jeffrey D. Brawn, Fred C. Bryant, Andrew J. Campomizzi, Jay D. Carlisle, J Matthew Carroll, Rachel Carroll, John P. Carroll, Justin R. Clarke, Michael R. Conover, Reesa Y. Conrey, Jaime J. Coon, Kyle A. Cutting, Stephen K. Davis, Dawn M. Davis, Duane R. Diefenbach, Jonathan B. Dinkins, R Andrew Dreelin, Victoria J. Dreitz, Courtney J. Duchardt, Michael W. Eichholz, Susan N. Ellis-Felege, Kevin S. Ellison, Bradley C. Fedy, Samantha D. Fino, Robert J. Fletcher Jr, Dillon T. Fogarty, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Pamela R. Garrettson, Robert J. Gates, Erin L. Gelling, James J. Giacomo, Alex Glass, Cheri L. Gratto-Trevor, Ryan D. Haffele, Christian A. Hagen, Vanessa B. Harriman, Samuel W H Harryman, David A. Haukos, Robert T. Haynam, Heather A. Herakovich, James R. Herkert, Fidel Hernandez, Jason M. Hill, H Jeffrey Homan, Torre J. Hovick, Jonathan A. Jenks, William E. Jensen, Aaron N. Johnston, Sydney-Marie Jones, Carly S. Kelly, Kaylan M. Kemink, Silka L F Kempema, Dylan C. Kesler, Christopher P. Kirol, Robert W. Klaver, Page E. Klug, Jesse L. Kolar, Nicola Koper, Kyle J. Kuechle, Jonathan D. Lautenbach, Zoe M. Lebrun-Southcott, David W. Londe, Scott R. Loss, Cullen M. Mackenzie, Patrick A. Magee, Douglas L. Manzer, John P. Mccarty, Gywm Mckee, Ann E. Mckellar, Lance B. Mcnew, James R. Miller, Megan C. Milligan, Ashlee K. Minor, Rocco J. Murano, Les D. Murray, David E. Naugle, Clayton K. Nielsen, Christopher J. Norment, Sarah B. Ogden, Lindsay A. Parsons, Brian D. Peer, Noah G. Perlut, James C. Pittman, Christopher D. Pollentier, Larkin A. Powell, Aaron C. Pratt, John P. Pulliam, Nancy M. Raginski, Dan R. Reinking, Kaitlyn M. Reintsma, Terry Z. Riley, Kevin M. Ringelman, Joseph R. Robb, Scott K. Robinson, Andres N. Rosales, Charlotte L. Roy, Kayla A. Ruth, Brett K. Sandercock, Kevin K. Sedivec, Steve K. Sherrod, Justin J. Shew, Mason L. Sieges, Jenny L. Sika, Susan K. Skagen, Cassandra G. Skaggs, Joseph Smith, Jennifer A. Smith, Kurt D. Smith, Alex J. Solem, Joshua D. Stafford, Glenn E. Stauffer, Matthew D. Stephenson, Lee Sutcliffe, Amber E. Swicegood, Jason Tack, Evan P. Tanner, Catrina V. Terry, Wendy P. Tori, Ashley M. Unger, Kelly R. Vanbeek, William E. Vetter, Jay A. Vonbank, Brett L. Walker, Michael D. Whitson, Maiken Winter, Kimberly A. With, Donald H. Wolfe, Amy A. Yakel Adams, Benjamin Zuckerberg

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The timing of biological events for wildlife species reflects and influences ecological and evolutionary processes and helps guide management actions to meet conservation objectives. Climate change may cause phenological shifts across trophic levels and ecosystems, which can have broad ecological impacts. Shifts may also result in mistiming between management practices based on historical conditions and current biological events, reducing the effectiveness of natural resource management and conservation efforts. We analyzed nesting phenology patterns over recent decades across North America for 44 species of grassland-nesting birds, including waterfowl, upland gamebirds, shorebirds, and passerines, many of which have experienced precipitous population declines. …

A Sneak Peek Into Prehistory: Curating An Interactive Fossil Display To Spark Interest In The Ua Little Rock Natural History Museum, Syd Joheim, Rene Shroat-Lewis

Research and Creative Works Expo

Arkansas does not currently have a dedicated natural history museum, creating a unique opportunity for UA Little Rock following the recent donation of an expansive fossil collection. In response, the university established a natural history museum initiative intended to benefit both the campus community and the broader public across Arkansas. This initiative provides accessible resources for learning about natural science, evolution, and the state’s prehistoric past, areas that are often underrepresented in informal science education. It also serves as a platform for outreach, student engagement, and undergraduate research, strengthening UA Little Rock’s role in science education, workforce development, and community …

Multiple Insights Into Affective Sentience, Jon Mallatt, Todd E. Feinberg

Animal Sentience

We discuss some of the many valuable insights into affective sentience from Birch’s The Edge of Sentience, such as its eight criteria for determining which entities have sentience (e.g., emotions) and its insights into the difficulty of testing whether an Artificial Intelligence system has attained sentience. We add our own perspectives on why the eight criteria are valid, on the difficulty of using behavioral trade-offs to determine whether an animal has sentience, and why evolutionary theory says consciousness is not an epiphenomenon.

Dilution-To-Extinction Reveals Shifts In Carbon Substrate Utilization And Functional Capacity Following Soil Microbial Diversity Loss, Thi Doan '27, Uyen Le '27, Crimson Hickman, Philips Akinwole

Annual Student Research Poster Session

Soil microbial communities play critical roles in ecosystem processes such as nutrient cycling and organic matter decomposition, yet it remains unclear how losses in microbial diversity influence these functions independent of total biomass. In this study, we examined how reductions in microbial diversity affect soil metabolic activity while controlling for microbial abundance. We used a dilution-to-extinction approach by inoculating sterilized soil with 10-fold serial dilutions of a soil slurry (10⁰ to 10⁻⁶), followed by a 21-day incubation to allow microbial regrowth. Biomass (measured as phospholipid phosphate), and metabolic activity (measured with BIOLOG EcoPlates) were used to quantify microbial biomass and …

Gall Presence And Herbivory In Goldenrod: Examining Variation In Leaf Damage And Herbivore Communities, Sahit Liyanage '28, Rose Keith

Annual Student Research Poster Session

We examined whether gall presence was associated with herbivory in 28 goldenrod plants at Ullem during summer 2026. We compared 14 galled and 14 ungalled plants for percent leaf damage, herbivore richness, and overall herbivore community composition. Galled plants showed slightly higher leaf damage and herbivore richness, but none of these differences were statistically significant. These results suggest that gall presence alone did not strongly explain variation in herbivory among the plants sampled.

Phenotypic Variation Between Surface And Cave-Adapted Poeciliids And Its Effect On Metabolism, Karch Knipp, Michael Tobler, Soren Johnson

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Cave-adapted organisms often exhibit pronounced morphological changes relative to their surface counterparts, a phenomenon known as troglomorphy. In Poecilia mexicana (Atlantic molly), these differences include variation in coloration between surface and cave populations. Troglobitic organisms also typically exhibit reduced metabolic rates, likely as an adaptation to environments with low primary productivity. This makes P. mexicana an ideal system for investigating the evolution of metabolic traits. In this study, we leveraged variation in coloration among cave-dwelling mollies to examine potential associations with resting metabolic rate (RMR). Coloration was quantified using PCR values, and individuals were categorized as “yellow” or “non-yellow.” We …

Relationship Between Morphological And Behavioral Laterality In Astyanax Mexicanus, Allison Lendman, Michael Tobler, Erik Johnson

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Populations within the Astyanax genus have experienced extreme differences in environment, leading to distinct morphological adaptations. The cave populations of these fish are eyeless and have acquired fixed, cranial asymmetries. We explored a possible relationship between this physical asymmetry and behavioral laterality. We tested 28 adult fish, 14 male and 14 female, from the Pachón cave in controlled behavioral trials. We found that both sexes demonstrated behavioral laterality, observed as a consistent left-turn bias in these trials. This supports the hypothesis that these populations display behavioral laterality that is correlated to their physical asymmetries. Ongoing research comparing behavioral patterns in …

Under The Surface: Human Disturbance Reduces Species Richness In Glade Microhabitats, Maddie Smith, Becky Hansis-O'Neill, Aimee Dunlap Phd

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Human disturbance can alter microhabitats in ways that affect biodiversity, especially in sensitive ecosystems like glades where many animals rely on rocks for thermoregulation and refuge. This study examined how rock displacement by human activity influences species richness and community composition in glade habitats at Shaw Nature Reserve and Victoria Glades Conservation Area. We hypothesized that disturbed rocks would be less suitable for wildlife and would support fewer species. From September to November 2025, about 30 rocks per site were pseudo-randomly selected and monitored. Each rock was classified as displaced or nondisplaced, and all organisms found beneath them were recorded. …

Wasps Survive Tornadoes, But It Impacts Nest Growth, Natalie Cummins, Sara E. Miller

Undergraduate Research Symposium

As the climate becomes more variable, extreme weather events become more common. Last May, St. Louis was hit by an EF-3 tornado. Many areas of the city suffered 90-150 mph winds and severe property damage. We knew there were established paper wasp populations in the affected areas, and so we took this opportunity to monitor emerging nests throughout the summer and fall in both tornado-affected and non-affected areas to observe any possible effect on their nest growth rate and overall size. There is currently very little literature investigating the response of insects to natural disturbances, like tornadoes. Additionally, most studies …

Bifurcation Dynamics Of A Harvested Predator-Prey Model, Hala H. Emam, Mohamed F. Abouelenein, Mona Anis, M. Y. Hamada, F. A. Atia, H. El-Metwally

Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation with Applications

In ecosystems, the harvesting effect is essential to preserving the relationships between prey and predator. This work examines a model of predator-prey in discrete time with harvesting. The Jacobian matrix's eigenvalues are calculated for the associated fixed points. We examine the dynamical and qualitative analysis of this model, look into the criteria for stability and bifurcation, and analyze analytical results that show the rich dynamics and complexity of this model. We give sufficient circumstances for the Period-doubling at the interior equilibrium point by employing the harvesting effect. The discrete system's chaos control is carried out, and the outcomes are supported …

Distribution And Diversity Of Ponyfishes (Perciformes, Leiognathidae) In The Waters Of Sonmiani’S Bay, Balochistan, Pakistan, Noor Hawa, Noor Us Saher

Journal of Bioresource Management

The current research was conducted during October 2020 to September 2021 in bay waters of Sonmiani, Balochistan as aimed to fill the paucity of diversity and distribution of research for the bay waters. Monthly fish samples were collected using gill net and beach seine during high and low tide. In the present study, out of nine species, the six species were identified as a new report species belongs to Leiognathidae family. Secutor interruptus (N=132) was the most abundant species whereas the least abundant species collected during the study period was Karalla daura (N=1). Highest diversity (1.37) was estimated during the …

Carbon Sequestration Potential Of Urban Green Spaces In Guinea Savanna Area Of Nigeria, Alexander Terdoo Akighirga, Babatunde Saheed Bada, Abiodun Olusegun Oladoye, Benard Bunde Meer, Dau Henry Japheth

Journal of Bioresource Management

Rapid urbanization and associated emissions have increased the need to quantify the carbon-storage role of urban green spaces. This study assessed the carbon sequestration potential of roadside tree corridors in Makurdi, within Nigeria’s Guinea Savanna Zone. In this study, sequestration potential denotes standing above-ground carbon stock and carbon dioxide-equivalent stock rather than an annual rate. Six 2 km road segments were purposively selected, and all live trees with diameter at breast height ≥10 cm within a 2 m-wide band on both sides were inventoried, covering 4.8 ha. Stem diameters at the base, middle and upper sections and total height were …

Nontarget Analysis Of The Volatile And Semivolatile Chemical Profile Of Wildland Firefighter Gear: Insight Into Occupational Exposure And Health Implications, Patrica Ivy Agorsor, Husam Kafeenah, Margaret D. Taiwo, Robin M. Verble, Michael O. Eze

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Prescribed fire releases a complex mixture of volatile and semivolatile organic compounds to the environment. Firefighters are directly exposed to these hazardous mixtures through occupational activities. This study investigated the volatile and semivolatile chemical contamination profile of firefighter protective gear and the effectiveness of laundering as a decontamination strategy. Our results revealed that firefighter gear accumulated a broad spectrum of combustion-derived contaminants, predominantly composed of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and derivatives, phenolic compounds, and aromatic hydrocarbons. Representative compounds identified included toluene, biphenyl, naphthalene, 1-methynaphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, acenaphthene, phenol, alkylated phenols, and chlorinated phenols. Quantitative analysis revealed representative combustion-derived compounds at concentrations (mean …