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Articles 1 - 30 of 217

Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Long-Term Compositional Shifts In The Fish Community Of The Wabash River, Olivia R. Wertman Jan 2026

Long-Term Compositional Shifts In The Fish Community Of The Wabash River, Olivia R. Wertman

Masters Theses

There is concern about declining biodiversity in the world today and an increasing need to monitor biodiversity through collecting data and gauging changes occurring in biodiversity over time. Large river fish communities are one area of particular interest due to their sensitivity to environmental changes. One program seeking to address this is the Long-Term Survey and Assessment of Large River Fishes, LTEF, which monitors fish populations in the large rivers of Illinois. In this study, I assessed changes in the fish community of the lower 322 km of the Wabash River from 2010-2025 using annual direct current boat electrofishing surveys …

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Compositional And Functional Shifts In Fish Community Structure In Response To Low-Head Dam Removals, Joshua D. Bruegge Jan 2026

Compositional And Functional Shifts In Fish Community Structure In Response To Low-Head Dam Removals, Joshua D. Bruegge

Masters Theses

Low-head dams serve as intermittent barriers to aquatic connectivity and directly alter both upstream and downstream habitats and biotic communities. In 2018 and 2019, two low-head dams in the Vermilion River watershed of eastern Illinois were removed, reconnecting over 1,700 kilometers of upstream habitat within the basin. To determine the impacts of these dam removals, fish community surveys were conducted at 12 fixed sites across three reaches in two rivers from 2012-2022. This study assessed reach-specific temporal responses of the fish community and habitat characteristics. I linked trait expressions within the fish community to abiotic variables using the co-inertia RLQ …

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Are There Predictable Shifts In Fish Communities Following Instream Habitat Restoration? A Multistream Analysis., Ryan A. Skowronski Jan 2025

Are There Predictable Shifts In Fish Communities Following Instream Habitat Restoration? A Multistream Analysis., Ryan A. Skowronski

Masters Theses

In the past two centuries, anthropogenic stressors have degraded the structure and function of streams by accelerating bank erosion, decreasing riparian buffer zones, and altering the natural flow regime. Habitat restoration has become a common mitigation strategy in response to stream degradation, though empirical research evaluating its effectiveness is lacking in the United States. This study investigated responses in fish community following habitat restoration in five restored, Illinois streams. We assigned fish species to habitat, trophic, and reproductive guilds based on their habitat preferences, feeding habits, and life history. Streams were separated into enhancement and removal groups for analysis. Shifts …

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Parasite Communities Of Bluntnose Minnow (Pimephales Notatus) From Several Creeks In East Central Illinois, Md Rowshan Alam Jan 2025

Parasite Communities Of Bluntnose Minnow (Pimephales Notatus) From Several Creeks In East Central Illinois, Md Rowshan Alam

Masters Theses

Parasites of freshwater fish play a vital functional role in aquatic ecosystems, but the spatial and ecological determinants of their prevalence and characteristics are still poorly understood. The current study quantified the diversity, prevalence, and environmental determinants of whole parasite burdens in bluntnose minnows across multiple creeks in central Illinois. Fish sampling and the collection of stream habitat data were conducted during the summers of 2023 and 2024. Fish were examined for parasites using necropsy and histology. A total of 20,817 parasites, predominantly trematodes (Posthodiplostomum spp.), cestodes (Proteocephalus spp), and protozoans, were identified. The most prevalent and abundant …

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Habitat Use And Selection Of Silver Carp In The Lower Wabash River System, Coy B. Blair Jan 2025

Habitat Use And Selection Of Silver Carp In The Lower Wabash River System, Coy B. Blair

Masters Theses

The spatial ecology of non-native species in invaded systems remains relatively poorly understood despite the importance of suitable habitat in the success of invasion. Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix are a highly invasive non-native species with established populations throughout the Midwestern United States. Much research has focused on habitat use of bigheaded carp in large river systems, though invasion risk remains high in smaller systems, such as tributaries of the Great Lakes and the Ohio River. The Wabash River, a unique system in the Midwest, remains largely un-impounded and is comparable to many of the smaller riverine systems at risk of …

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Assessing Ecological And Food Web Responses To Small-Scale Stream Restorations In Urban And Agricultural Streams, Sydney Mcandrews Jan 2025

Assessing Ecological And Food Web Responses To Small-Scale Stream Restorations In Urban And Agricultural Streams, Sydney Mcandrews

Masters Theses

Urban and agricultural streams across the Midwestern United States are vulnerable to elevated pollution, eutrophication, habitat simplification, and losses of sensitive species. Instream habitat restoration is increasingly used to mitigate the impacts of rapid land-use change. This study synthesizes habitat and biological responses from a 2020 urban stream restoration in the Saline Branch (Urbana, Illinois) and evaluates food web responses from both the Saline Branch and a 2010 restoration in Kickapoo Creek (Charleston, Illinois), an agricultural stream. In the Saline Branch, four years of fish and three years of habitat and macroinvertebrate pre-restoration surveys were compared to three years of …

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Soils From Different Solidago Altissima Clones Mediate Intraspecific Interactions In Schizachyrium Scoparium, Sarah Alharbi Jan 2025

Soils From Different Solidago Altissima Clones Mediate Intraspecific Interactions In Schizachyrium Scoparium, Sarah Alharbi

Masters Theses

While previous studies have examined plant intraspecific competition and soil microbial effects separately, fewer studies have investigated how these factors interact, particularly in the context of genotype-specific soil conditioning effects. Plant-soil feedbacks can significantly alter interspecific competitive outcomes, yet few studies have examined how local variation in soil conditioning influences plant responses to density-dependent competition. I investigated how soil inocula derived from four Solidago altissima clones that were previously shown to differ in their soil conditioning effects (Foster et al., 2022) affected the growth and root traits of Schizachyrium scoparium across a gradient of intraspecific competition (1, 2, or 4 …

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Prevalence Of Insecticide Resistance Gene In Aedes Albopictus Population In Illinois Regions, Merylann Ochieng Jan 2024

Prevalence Of Insecticide Resistance Gene In Aedes Albopictus Population In Illinois Regions, Merylann Ochieng

2024 Awards for Excellence in Student Research and Creative Activity - Documents

Mosquitoes are vectors known to transmit many pathogens and parasites that cause serious human diseases such as Malaria, Dengue, Yellow and Chikungunya fever, Encephalitis, and Filariasis (Becker et al., 2010) (Franklinos et al., 2019). Aedes albopictus specie transmits Zika, Chikungunya, yellow Fever and Rift valley fever viruses (Leta et al., 2018). Aedes species are geographically invading new areas due to globalization and environmental changes (Lwande et al., 2020). Temperature increase, severe rainfall, and high humidity encourage diseases to spread to new areas where new vectors may act as carriers (Näslund et al., 2021). Aedes albopictus are expanding further along the …

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Estimating Daily Growth Of Age-0 Channel Catfish In A Free-Flowing, Commercially Exploited Midwestern River, Kaleb B. Wood Jan 2024

Estimating Daily Growth Of Age-0 Channel Catfish In A Free-Flowing, Commercially Exploited Midwestern River, Kaleb B. Wood

Masters Theses

The larval stage in fishes is an important stage in the life history, as their survival dictates the ability of the population to sustain itself as an adult population. While there is a plethora of information available for juvenile and adult life stages of Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), very little is understood about their larval life stage. This study sought to determine overall density, growth rates, and size structure of cohorts of age-0 Channel Catfish during a study year on the Wabash River. In 2018, I sampled age-0 Channel Catfish using a benthic trawl from May to September. …

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Influence Of Seeding Strategy On Insect Communities Within Utility Lands, Kylee E. Nissen Jan 2024

Influence Of Seeding Strategy On Insect Communities Within Utility Lands, Kylee E. Nissen

Masters Theses

Pollinator populations are in decline globally due to anthropogenic changes, particularly in areas affected by agricultural expansion and urbanization. Utility lands - managed to prevent tall vegetation encroachment - represent an opportunity to establish native grasslands and support pollinator communities. This study investigates how different seeding strategies used by utility companies influence pollinator community composition within a 15-acre electric right-of-way (ROW) outside St. Louis, Illinois. Despite the logical benefits of native seeding to pollinators, utility companies are often hesitant to do this, often favoring seeding to turf. Seeded in late 2021, the site incorporates randomized plots with turfgrass seeding (no …

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Using Community Science To Monitor Eastern Box Turtles And Engage Public In Conservation, Sarah Zoppa Jan 2024

Using Community Science To Monitor Eastern Box Turtles And Engage Public In Conservation, Sarah Zoppa

Masters Theses

The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina; EBT) is a charismatic species with populations in decline due to habitat loss, disease, and other anthropogenic factors. However, due to their cryptic nature, studying an EBT population can be a difficult and intensive process. To investigate EBT populations in Coles County, Illinois, we used a combination of community science and computer-based pattern analysis to develop an approach to tracking individual turtles. Citizen volunteers submitted photos of encountered eastern box turtle carapaces for shell pattern analysis along with GPS coordinates of the encounter. We have received 220 submissions from 47 community volunteers. …

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Examining Bigheaded Carp Ichthyoplankton Drift In Tributary And Mainstem River Systems Of Two Midwestern Rivers, Adam Landry Jan 2024

Examining Bigheaded Carp Ichthyoplankton Drift In Tributary And Mainstem River Systems Of Two Midwestern Rivers, Adam Landry

Masters Theses

The bigheaded carp invasion in North America continues to negatively impact ecosystems making it essential to understand their reproductive dynamics at various spatial scales. Previous studies have highlighted the suitability of tributaries of large rivers for bigheaded carp reproduction, and the importance of tributaries for ichthyoplankton drift to mainstem rivers. This study investigated patterns in tributary-mainstem ichthyoplankton drift dynamics in two invaded river systems of the Midwestern United States, with distinct hydrology, the Illinois and Wabash Rivers. From May-September 2021, I sampled ichthyoplankton from three tributaries and three mainstem sites in each river basin. I analyzed bigheaded carp egg and …

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The Sewage Microbiome Dynamics Of Different Serving Neighborhoods In Charleston, Illinois, Sandra Chiamaka Okoye Jan 2024

The Sewage Microbiome Dynamics Of Different Serving Neighborhoods In Charleston, Illinois, Sandra Chiamaka Okoye

Masters Theses

The complex microbial ecosystem within sewage systems holds significant implications for environmental and public health. Unlike studies on wastewater treatment plant microbiomes, upstream sewage systems have not been studied widely. This research investigated the dynamic sewage microbiome across diverse serving neighborhoods in Charleston, Illinois, encompassing residential, hospital, industrial, and university areas. Drawing upon recent advancements in microbiome research, the study aimed to unravel the spatial and temporal variations in microbial structures. Three times between June to December 2023 sewage samples were collected from manholes in the areas mentioned above. Community DNA was extracted and sequenced for the V4-V5 region of …

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Are Elaeagnus Umbellata Invasions Limited By Microbial Interactions?, Cody Anderson Leverette Jan 2024

Are Elaeagnus Umbellata Invasions Limited By Microbial Interactions?, Cody Anderson Leverette

Masters Theses

Mutualistic interactions with soil microbes are a key component of plant invasions. Mutualists such as ectomycorrhizal fungi and Rhizobia bacteria often limit invasive plant establishment and performance, but the role of nitrogen-fixing Frankia bacteria in invasions remains largely unexplored. In this study, I quantified the net effects of positive and negative plant-soil feedbacks, including Frankia nodulation, on invasive Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive; hereafter AO) seedling performance and traits at varying distances from focal shrubs using live soil and sterilized soil. The expectation was that seedling performance would decrease with further distance from shrubs as Frankia abundance decreased. Contrary to expectations, …

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Population Demographics Of Channel Catfish In The Lower Wabash River, Valerie J. Thompson Jan 2024

Population Demographics Of Channel Catfish In The Lower Wabash River, Valerie J. Thompson

Masters Theses

Inland fisheries are experiencing increasing demands due to anthropogenic stressors, especially within large river systems that support both recreational and commercial fisheries. Riverine species are sensitive to habitat degradation, species introductions, and exploitation, so continued monitoring and management of these communities are vital to maintain abundance and diversity within these systems. The North American catfish family, Ictaluridae, supports both recreational and commercial fisheries throughout the United States. Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus are heavily studied and managed compared to other sport catfishes in this family because of their economic and ecological significance. One important Channel Catfish fishery exists in the lower …

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Molecular Investigation Of Tick-Borne Pathogens In Feral Swine (Sus Scrofa) From Seven Us States, Sofiane Aiche Jan 2024

Molecular Investigation Of Tick-Borne Pathogens In Feral Swine (Sus Scrofa) From Seven Us States, Sofiane Aiche

Masters Theses

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) have been proposed as part of the lifecycles of multiple tickborne pathogens (TBP). This is a result of the increase in feral swine populations and increased tick populations and geographic ranges. Few surveys exist on the TBP relevant to human and wildlife of feral swine in the US. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of 10 TBP: Anaplasma spp., Borrelia spp., Cytauxzoon felis, Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp., Mycoplasma spp., Trypanosoma cruzi, Toxoplasma gondii, Yersinia pestis, and Rickettsia spp. A total of 87 feral swine blood samples …

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The Influence Of Cover Crops On Grassland Restoration, Josh C. Poland Jan 2023

The Influence Of Cover Crops On Grassland Restoration, Josh C. Poland

Masters Theses

Grassland ecosystems comprise almost a fourth of all Earth’s land mass; however, due to ever-increasing rates of agricultural land conversion, these habitats are facing a large-scale biodiversity crisis. The degradation of grasslands extends beyond physical impacts, such as soil erosion, to include the loss of soil microbial communities as a serious risk to the health and productivity of these habitats. Cover cropping, commonly used in agriculture to revive agricultural soils, has rarely been applied to grassland restorations, and could combat or reverse the harmful effects of modern agriculture techniques. For the first chapter of my thesis, I used a greenhouse …

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A Survey Of Diatom Assemblages Of North Dakota: Identification, Enumeration, And Assessment Of Stream Health With Environmental Variables, Cole Tilford Jan 2023

A Survey Of Diatom Assemblages Of North Dakota: Identification, Enumeration, And Assessment Of Stream Health With Environmental Variables, Cole Tilford

Masters Theses

Diatoms have been used as biological indicators for assessing the environmental health of waterways for over a century. Their low motility and responsiveness to environmental changes makes them ideal for this purpose. North Dakota oil extraction has undergone a massive transformation as hydraulic fracturing across the Bakken Formation and the Williston Basin has increased over the last 20 years. Hydraulic fracturing increased the potential for environmental pollution of North Dakota’s waterways, especially in the form of highly saline hydraulic fracturing liquid. Many North Dakota streams are already saline and additional salinity could cause drastic changes in aquatic ecosystems. North Dakota …

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Low-Head Dam Removal Increases Functional Diversity Of Stream Fish Assemblages, Adam Christopher Jones Jan 2022

Low-Head Dam Removal Increases Functional Diversity Of Stream Fish Assemblages, Adam Christopher Jones

Masters Theses

Despite the growing number of dam removals to date, very few have been studied to understand their impacts on stream fish communities. Despite being the most common type of dam in the U.S., an even smaller proportion of studies focus on the impacts of low-head dam removals, instead, focusing on the impacts of removal of larger dams. In this study, two previously impounded Illinois rivers were monitored to assess the impacts of low-head dam removal on the functional assemblage of stream fishes. This was accomplished by aggregating fishes into habitat and reproductive guilds, relating community changes to habitat, environmental metrics, …

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Beetle Diversity In Temperate Deciduous Forests With Different Management History In Central Illinois, Syue Ru Chien Jan 2022

Beetle Diversity In Temperate Deciduous Forests With Different Management History In Central Illinois, Syue Ru Chien

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

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Effects Of Emerging Contaminants On Centrarchidae And Catostomidae In Midwestern Rivers: A Multiple Biomarker Approach, Camden Garret Nix Jan 2021

Effects Of Emerging Contaminants On Centrarchidae And Catostomidae In Midwestern Rivers: A Multiple Biomarker Approach, Camden Garret Nix

Masters Theses

Natural habitats of fish are gradually declining due to land use and pollution caused by industrial wastes, intensive agriculture and contamination from sewage systems. The United States has 14,780 wastewater treatment facilities that discharge effluent into navigable waters, and in some cases these discharge waters represent a considerable proportion of the water system flow. These activities make it critical to discern the effects of pollutants that are entering our waterways at a consistent rate, such as 17β-estradiol (E2) and nickel, on aquatic organisms. To determine the effects of 17β-estradiol on endocrine disruption in fish, Bluegill Sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) …

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Effects Of Wastewater Effluent On Fish Fin Morphology Of Larval Fathead Minnows (Pimephales Promelas) And Swimming Performance Of Smallmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus Bubalus), Seth Michael Bogue Jan 2021

Effects Of Wastewater Effluent On Fish Fin Morphology Of Larval Fathead Minnows (Pimephales Promelas) And Swimming Performance Of Smallmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus Bubalus), Seth Michael Bogue

Masters Theses

The Sangamon River flows across central Illinois and is mostly free flowing except in the city of Decatur where it is impounded to form Lake Decatur. The Sanitary District of Decatur (SDD) is located approximately three miles downstream of the Lake Decatur dam. For a significant portion of the year, the stretch of the Sangamon River downstream of SDD is dominated by effluent due to limited discharge from the Lake Decatur dam. This has resulted in heavy nutrient loading, most notably phosphorus, and elevated levels of nickel and other compounds in the downstream section of the river. Smallmouth buffalo ( …

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Genetic Relatedness Can Alter The Strength Of Plant-Soil Feedbacks, Kelly M. Clark Jan 2021

Genetic Relatedness Can Alter The Strength Of Plant-Soil Feedbacks, Kelly M. Clark

Masters Theses

Intraspecific variation may play a key role in understanding the relationships between plants and their interactions with soil microbial communities. The effects that soil-microbes have on individuals can venerate variation across individuals in their responsiveness. I explored how relatedness alters plant-soil feedbacks in established Solidago altissima clones grown in a common garden. Seedlings of known parentage were inoculated with soils from the maternal, paternal, or unrelated clones and compared to autoclaved control inocula. I found that the soil inocula generated from S. altissima had an overall negative effect of seedling biomass. Furthermore, seedlings inoculated with maternal or paternal soils experienced …

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The Effects Of Gall Formation Due To Gall-Inducing Insects On Solidago Altissima’S Stem Height, Sarah Mummel Apr 2020

The Effects Of Gall Formation Due To Gall-Inducing Insects On Solidago Altissima’S Stem Height, Sarah Mummel

2020 Awards for Excellence in Student Research and Creative Activity

Gall-inducing insects are an old evolutionary member of our world, but little is known about their impact on goldenrod, Solidago altissima’s growth and development. We tested the relationship between gall diameter and stem height and the effects of gall presence on stem height. We sampled 20 random 1m2 plots along a 30 meter long transect in a goldenrod field to find rosette and ball galls growing upon goldenrod. This transect was one of five other parallel transects, totaling approximately 150 m2 of land. We measured heights of galled plants, heights of healthy nearby plants, and the diameter …

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Is Context Dependency Imperative To Understanding The Impacts Of Invasive Plants?, Brendan B. Haile Jan 2020

Is Context Dependency Imperative To Understanding The Impacts Of Invasive Plants?, Brendan B. Haile

Masters Theses

Introduced exotic species have a tendency to become invasive and impact local biological communities. Invasions often impact community attributes such as cover and species richness, but these factors may also regulate patterns of invasion. In such cases, impacts may be dependent on the invasion context. We used data from the Buell-Small Succession Study, a long-term permanent plot study in the piedmont region of New Jersey, to document context dependency in invasion. To do this, we analyzed the factors that affected the colonization and growth of four invasive species, Alliaria petiolata, Lonicera japonica, Microstegium vimineum and Rosa multiflora, as well …

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Effects Of Insect Opportunists On A Four-Level Trophobiotic System Involving Nectar-Producing Galls Of The Cynipid Wasp Disholcaspis Quercusmamma (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), Stephanie L. Smith Jan 2020

Effects Of Insect Opportunists On A Four-Level Trophobiotic System Involving Nectar-Producing Galls Of The Cynipid Wasp Disholcaspis Quercusmamma (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), Stephanie L. Smith

Masters Theses

The induction of plant galls is considered an adaptive life history trait found in many insect groups. The formation of galls provides several advantages to the gall maker, such as enhanced nutrition, favorable microclimate, and protection from natural enemies, including parasitoids, inquilines, and predators. Order Hymenoptera has many gall-making species, belonging to the gall wasp family Cynipidae. As an extended phenotype of the gall makers, some galls exhibit very sophisticated adaptive mechanisms involving multilevel species interactions. In particular, the oak galls of the Cynipid species Disholcaspis quercusmamma, found in much of Illinois, produce a palatable, sugary nectar-like secretion, attracting …

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Haplotype Diversity And Population Genetic Structure Of Antistrophus Gall Wasps Associated With Two Silphium Species And Implication For Host Mediated Speciation, Jiaxin Deng Jan 2019

Haplotype Diversity And Population Genetic Structure Of Antistrophus Gall Wasps Associated With Two Silphium Species And Implication For Host Mediated Speciation, Jiaxin Deng

Masters Theses

Gall making insects form a special feeding guild of phytophagous animals, and by manipulating host plant tissue differentiation, are able to avoid plant chemical defenses and thus have no need for counter defense mechanisms. Host plant selection is crucial to the evolution of these insects because successful gall formation is largely dependent on host plant ability to respond to stimuli. In Illinois and neighboring states, Antistrophus gall wasps associated with the rosin weed (S. integrifolium) and the cup plant (S. perfoliatum) are morphologically indistinguishable and thus have been treated as belonging to single species. However, the wasps from the host …

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Exploration Of Sonic Hedgehog Gene Expression In Fathead Minnows (Pimephales Promelas), Brooke Renee Greiner Jan 2019

Exploration Of Sonic Hedgehog Gene Expression In Fathead Minnows (Pimephales Promelas), Brooke Renee Greiner

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Pollutants, as a result of wastewater treatments, have been shown to have negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems. To better understand the possible consequences caused by effluents on ecosystems, it is important to examine ecotoxicology data. One of the most commonly used species for water quality testing is the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas. Ecotoxicology can then be taken one step further to understand the effects of pollutants on a molecular level. Previous research had identified effluents as causes for abnormal minnow fin morphology. In order to collect additional data on development, tanks with fathead minnows were placed at the Charleston …

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Assessment And Recovery Of Stream Restoration Efforts On Fish Communities, Jessica Marie Rohr Jan 2019

Assessment And Recovery Of Stream Restoration Efforts On Fish Communities, Jessica Marie Rohr

Masters Theses

Aquatic systems are subjected to disturbances of various types, including natural and anthropogenic, or can deteriorate due to accumulating unfavorable conditions, including receding banks, decreasing riparian vegetation, and disrupted flow patterns. An analysis was done on a variety of streams in central Illinois that experienced one or multiple anthropogenic disturbances without remediation to determine the natural recovery dynamics of each system. A separate analysis was performed on a multi-site restored stream with a complex restoration project with a variety of restoration methods. This data were collected over at periods of time spanning from 5-15 years, including time prior to disturbance/restoration …

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Identifying Priority Conservation Areas And Strategies For Myotis Sodalis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) Via Habitat And Connectivity Modeling, Ashleigh B. Cable Jan 2019

Identifying Priority Conservation Areas And Strategies For Myotis Sodalis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) Via Habitat And Connectivity Modeling, Ashleigh B. Cable

Masters Theses

Myotis sodalis, the Indiana bat, is a federally endangered bat species in the United States of America (USA). Conservation efforts are typically focused at identified maternity sites at local scales, however, the species is a regional migrant that interacts with its environment at multiple spatial scales. We are limited in our knowledge of landscape-level requirements of this species, especially in large areas such as Illinois, USA, where a wide range of environmental and landscape conditions exist. Many previous M. sodalis habitat studies have limited their focus to smaller spatial scales. Due to limitations in funding, personnel, and time, it …

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