Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

The Impact Of Road Crossings On Karst Headwater Streams In Northwest Arkansas, Anthony M. Zenga

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

The karst region of NW Arkansas is home to many headwater endemic Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). This includes many species of darters, such as Etheostoma cragini, E. microperca, and E. mihileze, as well as crayfish such as Faxonious meeki brevis and F. nana. NW Arkansas is rapidly urbanizing, increasing the need to construct structures like culverts, bridges, and fords. These man-made road crossings can cause stream habitat degradation and fragmentation, as well as impair overall stream connectivity. To evaluate the impact that road crossings have on aquatic SGCN species and their habitat, 30 headwater streams were sampled throughout …

Morphological Trait Evolution In Solanum (Solanaceae): Evolutionary Lability Of Key Taxonomic Characters, Rebecca Hilgenhof, Edeline Gagnon, Sandra Knapp, Xavier Aubriot, Eric Tepe, Lynn Bohs, Leandro Giacomin, Yuri Gouvea, Andres Orejuela, Christopher T. Martine, Clara Ines Orozco, Iris E. Peralta, Tina Sarkinen

Faculty Journal Articles

Solanum is one of the world's largest and economically most important plant genera, including 1245 currently accepted species and several major and minor crops (e.g., tomato, potato, brinjal eggplant, scarlet eggplant, Gboma eggplant, lulo, and pepino). Here we provide an overview of the evolution of 25 key morphological traits for the major and minor clades of this giant genus based on stochastic mapping using a well-sampled recently published phylogeny of Solanum. The most evolutionarily labile traits (showing >100 transitions across the genus) relate to plant structure (growth form and sympodial unit structure), herbivore defence (glandular trichomes), pollination (corolla shape …

Pathogen Emergence As Complex Biological Invasion: Lessons From Dynamical Systems Modeling, Sudam Surasinghe, Marisabel Rodriguez, Victor Meszaros, Jane Molofsky, Salvador Almagro-Moreno, Brandon Ogbunugafor

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

Infectious disease emergence has become the target of cross-disciplinary efforts
that aim to understand and predict the shape of outbreaks. The many challenges
involved with the prediction of disease emergence events is a characteristic that in-
fectious diseases share with biological invasions in many subfields of ecology (e.g.,
how certain plants are able to successfully invade a new niche). Like infectious
diseases, biological invasions by plants and animals involve interactions between
agents (pathogens and plants in their respective cases) and a recipient niche. In
this study, we examine the problem of pathogen emergence through the lens of a
framework first …

Skeletal Anatomy Of The Pectoral Fin In Mudskipper Species From Terrestrial And Aquatic Habitats, Haodong Zhou, Cassandra M. Donatelli, Odette Laneuville, Emily M. Standen

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Mudskippers are a group of amphibious fishes in the family Oxudercidae, whose species inhabit a range of habitats from mostly aquatic to mostly terrestrial. Most of our understanding about habitat preference comes from natural history observations, particularly where they are collected (i.e., low intertidal vs. high intertidal regions). Mudskippers have undergone several morphological changes to accommodate a terrestrial life, including major changes to the pectoral and pelvic girdles. These changes result in a novel crutching gait, which mudskippers use to move over land. Though the appendicular morphology and crutching gait of mudskippers have been described in some species, few …

2023 Summer Newsletter, Plaster Creek Stewards

Newsletters

Highlights:

A Summer of Growth

Plaster Creek Has Mussels

Growing with the Green Team

Come See the Plaster Creek Mural

Lot 16: Calvin's New Bioswale

Welcome, Matt!

Student Research

Summer Reflections

The Effects Of Temperature And Flooding Duration On The Structure And Magnitude Of A Floodplain Prey Subsidy, Ryan J. Rezek, Jordan A. Massie, James A. Nelson, Rolando O. Santos, Natasha M. Viadero, W. Ryan James, Ross E. Boucek, Jennifer S. Rehage

Marine Science

Riverine floodplains serve as an important link between terrestrial and aquatic systems, as the rising and falling of water drive spatial food web subsidies that are critical to the functioning and stability of ecosystems. As these systems are increasingly impacted by hydrological alterations and climate change, it is important to understand how floodplain spatial food web subsidies may respond to changing environmental conditions.

Here, we examine the interannual variation in the structure of a sunfish (Lepomis spp.) prey subsidy from freshwater marshes into the mangrove-lined creeks of Rookery Branch in the Florida Coastal Everglades that occurs during seasonal dry downs. …

Do Species Matter? Examining The Niche Of White Ash (Fraxinus Americana L.) And Estimating Potential Subcanopy Effects Of Its Loss In North-Temperate Forests, Elizabeth Anne Studer

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

To understand the downstream consequences of the extinction of a species, we must understand its role in an ecosystem. With the impending extirpation of ash (Fraxinus spp.) due to the invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), understanding the role of ash trees is critical to predicting whether its loss will precipitate further species declines and/or ecosystem functions. We evaluated whether subcanopy microbial, invertebrate, and floral communities under four tree species (white ash, American beech, yellow birch, sugar maple) and on two soil hydropedological types (Bh podzol and Typical podzol) varied in species richness, composition, and functional traits in a factorial …

Characterization Of Antimicrobial Properties Of Excrement And Functional Microbiome Of Black Vultures (Coragyps Atratus), Bridgette Gray

Theses

Black vultures, Coragyps atratus, are obligate scavenging birds that consume and dispose of decaying carcasses and carrion. They fulfill a key ecological niche in the environments in which they live. It has been observed that these vultures sometimes excrete bodily waste onto their legs. This adaptive behavior could help aid them in controlling bacteria and other microbes they encounter while stepping into a carcass to eat. This study directly examined the antimicrobial properties of the excrement of black vultures across various bacterial species utilizing a zone of inhibition test and a nematode species utilizing a survival assay. The black vulture …

Incorporating Metapopulation Dynamics To Inform Invasive Species Management: Evaluating Bighead And Silver Carp Control Strategies In The Illinois River, Jahn Kallis, Richard Erickson, D. P. Coulter, Alison A. Coulter, Marybeth K. Brey, Matt Catalano, John Dettmers, James Garvey, Kevin Irons, Elizabeth Marschall, Kenneth Rose, Mark Wildhaber, David Glover

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

1. Invasive species management can benefit from predictive models that incorporate spatially explicit demographics and dispersal to guide resource allocation decisions.
2. We used invasive bigheaded carps (Hypophthalmichthys spp.) in the Illinois River, USA as a case study to create a spatially explicit model to evaluate the allocation of future management efforts. Specifically, we compared additional harvest (e.g. near the invasion front vs. source populations) and enhanced movement deterrents to meet the management goal of reducing abundance at the invasion front.
3. We found additional harvest in lower river pools (i.e. targeting source populations) more effectively limited population sizes upriver …

Sympatric Soil Microbe Interactions Between Streptomyces And Fusarium Isolates, Lehren A. Olk-Szost

All NMU Master's Theses

Interkingdom interactions between soil bacteria and fungi may play a critical role in occurrence of disease suppressive soils, yet our understanding of these interactions remains limited. Streptomyces are well-known producers of antimicrobial compounds important to medicine and agriculture. Production of these secondary metabolites is often mediated by quorum sensing. Most Streptomyces research occurs in single species experiments, yet new metabolites have been discovered in interspecies co-culture experiments. Interspecies, intergenic, and interkingdom co-culture research will likely reveal many valuable compounds, and strengthen our understanding of complex ecological interactions in soil microbiomes. Interactions between sympatric Streptomyces and Fusarium isolates from disease suppressive …

Tamaulipan Thornforest Restoration: Factors Influencing Restoration Outcomes And Impacts Of Cover Crops During Replanting, Jerald T. Garrett

Theses and Dissertations

Though the rate of deforestation has slowed in recent years, it remains a primary cause of land cover change within forest ecosystems. The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas (LRGV) has lost nearly 95% of its native thornforest since the early 1900’s due to agricultural and urban expansion. The focus of this study is to assess the current vegetative state of restored thornforest sites located in the eastern LRGV and to evaluate the use of cover crops during replanting of native seedlings. Our assessment of restored thornforest sites revealed actively restored sites demonstrated higher overall averages of richness, abundance, and diversity …

Cadmium And Salinity Stressor Antagonism On Vallisneria Neotropicalis, Christopher P. Mikolaitis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Submerged macrophytes form the foundation of freshwater ecosystems. These organisms are sessile and are very susceptible to shifts in their environment. Heavy metals are of particular concern as they can be sequestered indefinitely in sediments and are readily taken up by rooted vegetation. In the presence of saltwater intrusions, these metals can interact with salt ions potentially changing their availability to submerged vegetation. In this study a freshwater macrophyte, Vallisneria neotropicalis, was used as a test species for interactive effects between Cd, a non-essential heavy metal, and salt stress. The metrics used to establish the individual as well as …

Using Machine Learning And Distributed Hydrologic Modeling To Predict Soil Texture, Surface Soil Moisture And Evapotranspiration In Jornada Experimental Range, Southwestern U.S., Jorge Andres Mayo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In water-limited ecosystems, detailed knowledge of the soil, vegetation, and atmosphere interactions is critical to understand the processes that control the partitioning of energy, water fluxes, and biogeochemical cycles within the critical zone. This Master's thesis is divided into two main contributing sections. The first, is on the use of machine learning to reconstruct missing soil type information, and the second, on the calibration and validation of a physically-based distributed hydrological model to estimate soil moisture and evapotranspiration within the Jornada Experimental Range of the U.S. in southern New Mexico. For the first contribution, three explainable, shallow machine-learning techniques are …

Revision Of The Family Asterolecaniidae (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) In Argentina, María C. Granara De Willink, Patricia González, Christof F. Stumpf

Insecta Mundi

The Asterolecaniidae (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha), known as pit scales, are currently represented by 11 genera and 52 species in the Neotropical region, and by five species in Argentina. The goal of this study is to review and update the information currently known about the biodiversity of Asterolecaniidae in Argentina. We describe Argenta Granara de Willink new genus, Argenta eduardoi Granara de Willink new species, Mycetococcus ligae Granara de Willink new species, and Sclerosococcus williamsi Granara de Willink new species; an illustration of Pollinia pollini (Costa) is also included; the species Asterolecanium puteanum Russell and Russellaspis pustulans (Cockerell) …

The Records Of Nipaecoccus Viridis (Newstead) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) Deposited In The Florida State Collection Of Arthropods, Lily A. Deeter, Muhammad Z. Ahmed

Insecta Mundi

We studied the slides of Nipaecoccus viridis (Newstead) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) deposited in the Florida State Collection of Arthropods and provided specimen label data, including geographical location, global positioning system coordinates when available, host plant, collector name, adult females/immature stages, sex of specimens on respective slides, number of slides, and collection date. In addition, we discuss its first record from Florida ornamental landscape and two most recent new host records of the spe­cies on commercial crops, including blueberries and hemp. These data will help regulatory agencies slow the spread of this pest inside and outside of Florida.

Hibiscus or lebbeck mealybug, …

Description Of Three New Acanthocinini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) Species From Ecuador, Josef Vlasak, Antonio Santos-Silva

Insecta Mundi

Three new species of Acanthocinini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) are described from Napo province, Ecuador: Anisopodus micromaculatus new species; Parabaryssinus katerinae new species; and Paracleodoxus minutus new species. A key to species of Paracleodoxus Monné and Monné (2010) is provided.

The study of specimens collected by the first author during his stay in Ecuador in 2022 allows us to describe three new species of Acanthocinini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). The biodiversity of this relatively small country has been surprising due to the large number of species that were still unknown. Napo province, where the specimens of the new species were …

Impact Of Sediment Diversion For Coastal Restoration On Nitrogen And Phosphorus Biogeochemical Cycling In Coastal Louisiana, Usa, Mercedes M. Pinzon Delgado

LSU Master's Theses

Wetlands provide essential ecosystem services and functions, including improving surface water quality through nutrient removal. Louisiana experienced ~4,800 km² of coastal wetland loss between 1932 and 2016 due to high relative sea level rise and reduced sediment input from the Mississippi River (MR). The 2023 Louisiana Coastal Master Plan aims to restore Louisiana's degraded coastline through restoration projects, including sediment diversions. The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project will reconnect MR sediment-laden water with Barataria Basin degrading marshes. The diversion will also deliver nitrate (NO₃^-) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) to this basin, potentially negatively impacting water quality. …

Ethnobotanical Survey, Consumption Pattern And Genetic Conservation Of Leafy Vegetables In South-West Nigeria, Temitope O Onuminya, Michael I Osundinakin, Oluwatoyin T Ogundipe

Tanzania Journal of Science

Leafy vegetables are important in human nutrition; however, their diversity as seen in the dishes in South western Nigeria appears to be diminishing. Many popular delicacies are no longer available in the markets. Therefore, this research was conducted to identify and document leafy vegetables in South West Nigeria, assess their ethnobotanical uses from questionnaires administered to farmers/sellers, secure their genetic resource base, and improve their value chain in South-West Nigeria. Vegetable samples were collected from different local communities in five South-West states in Nigeria, identified using manual/flora, and authenticated at the University of Lagos Herbarium. One thousand respondents, 200 in …

Optimal Harvesting Of Wildebeest-Lion Interactions In Serengeti Ecosystem With Prey Refuge, Alfred Kisuda Hugo, Thadei Damas Sagamiko, Isambi Sailon Mbalawata

Tanzania Journal of Science

This paper describes an optimal harvesting policy for a wildebeest-lion prey-predator system in the Serengeti ecosystem with prey refuge. A Holling Type II prey-predator model with a nonlinear harvesting aspect was developed. Theoretical and numerical analyses were performed, and the dynamic behaviour of the system was found to be mathematically well-posed. Data on lion population density from the Serengeti ecosystem were used to fit the model using the maximum-likelihood method. The optimal harvesting policy was numerically determined using Pontryagin’s maximum principle. Furthermore, the impact of prey refuge on the predator population was numerically evaluated. The results of this study highlight …

Description Of The Bioluminescent Emission Spectrum Of Bicellonycha Amoena Gorham, 1880 (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) In Guatemala, Eduardo A. Arrivillaga-Cano, Maria P. Muñoz-Soler, Diegopáblo Pineda, Edgar R. Rosales, Jack C. Schuster

Insecta Mundi

Bicellonycha amoena (Gorham, 1880) (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) usually flies one meter above ground level over grass, water, or open areas, where males produce a simple single flash every 2–4 seconds, having their most active flashing period from mid to late dusk and early night. In addition, nothing else is known about the behavior of this species. We conducted field observations at the “Mayan Golf Club” in Guatemala Department, and Santiago Sacatepéquez, Sacatepéquez Department, Guatemala; and analyzed B. amoena flashes with a spectroscope. Fireflies displayed a lime-green bioluminescence color. The male flash­ing activity began ~30 minutes after sunset and lasted approximately 70 …

Development Of A 16s Reference Library For Edna Metabarcoding The Freshwater Fishes Of Western Ecuador., Hannah M. Willis, Olivia G. Schweikart, Windsor E. Aguirre

DePaul Discoveries

This project examines the use of the 16S locus to amplify neotropical freshwater fishes native to Western Ecuador in a newly created 16S reference library for DNA barcoding and eDNA metabarcoding applications. Among the orders Characiformes, Siluriformes, Cichliformes, Gobiiformes, Cryprinodontiformes, Gymnotiformes, and Perciformes, a compendium of 105 specimens were sequenced, with 43 representing new 16S sequences previously unavailable on Genbank.

Tracing Energy Pathways Through Coastal Wetland Food Webs, Katherine Loesser

LSU Master's Theses

Southeastern Louisiana’s coastal wetlands are important habitat for aquatic species, yet the spatial heterogeneity in habitat types and abundance of many basal energy sources makes it challenging to elucidate patterns of energy flow across the landscape mosaic. This ecosystem is experiencing substantial changes, both through anthropogenically-accelerated climate change and anthropogenic landscape modifications. Therefore, the overall goal of this thesis was to trace patterns of energy flow across coastal wetland landscapes to determine which basal energy pathways support aquatic food webs and if patterns of energy pathway dependence are altered by changes to the landscape. In the first part of this …

An Analysis Of Lichen Presence On Quercus And Non-Quercus In Chicagoland Area, Shelby Johnson

DePaul Discoveries

Both anthropogenic change and the spread of invasive species have led to changes in urban and forest tree diversity. Oak rust, acute oak decline, and emerald ash borer have all had a detrimental effect on tree species in the Chicagoland area. Quercus species are well known habitats for lichen species including Physcia millegrana, Physcia stellaris, Punctelia rudecta, Flavoparmelia caperata, Xanthomendosa, and Candeleria concolor. Due to the decrease in the traditional Quercus habitats for lichen and the increase in nonnative and nontraditional tree species being introduced, particularly in cities, this study aimed to compare the number and diversity of …

Comparisons Of Above- And Below-Ground Carbon Storage In A Northeastern Illinois Urban Forest Following Rhamnus Cathartica And Fraxinus Spp. Removal, River Sanchez-Dudik, Elene Drosos

DePaul Discoveries

This study focused on quantifying potential differences in ecosystem services (carbon storage, soil organic matter, macroarthropod density) in a small, partially restored urban forest in order to determine if common buckthorn and standing dead ash removal effects can be detected while restoration is on-going. We calculated aboveground carbon storage (tons/total area) using whole tree biomass equations and compared this to i-Tree Canopy estimations. We collected SOM through loss-on-ignition and collected macroinvertebrates by pitfall trapping to determine differences along transects. Aboveground carbon storage, soil organic matter, and macroinvertebrate total results for this study were found to be statistically not significant, indicating …

Environmental Monitoring Of Heavy Metals Status In Semiarid Lands Of Northeastern Algeria, Rania Gacem, Hana Souahi, Chemseddine Fehdi, Abderrezzeq Chebout

Journal of Bioresource Management

With the rapid development of industry, heavy metal contamination is becoming among the most important environmental problems causing worldwide concern. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of soil heavy metal pollution in the semi-arid areas of Northeast Algeria. To evaluate the ecological state of soils, we investigated fifteen sites. The level of heavy metals (HMs) toxicity and soil characteristics likr pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, calcium carbonate, calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium were assessed during this study. The results showed that the mean values of heavy metals were as follows in ppm: Zn (41.197 …

Molecular And Morphological Confirmation Of Isometrus Maculatus (Degeer, 1778) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Northeast India And East Asia, Shubhankar Deshpande, Mihir Joshi, Kazusa Kawai, Arnab Deb, Jeng-Di Lee, Deshabhushan Bastawade, Gaurang Gowande, Shauri Sulakhe

Euscorpius

We present molecular data on Isometrus maculatus (DeGeer, 1778) for the first time from India, Japan, and Taiwan based on the COI gene and justify the cosmopolitan nature of this species. We also address the first population of I. maculatus found in Teliamura, Tripura, India and give its detailed description and comparison with the rest of the Isometrus species from India. Furthermore, we discuss the justification for considering Sri Lanka as the true home of I. maculatus.

Westward Expansion Of The Evening Bat (Nycticeius Humeralis) Into Dawson And Lincoln Counties Of Central Nebraska, Jamila Bajelan, Keith Geluso

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

The Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis) is a small, migratory species of temperate woodlands in the eastern United States. Along its western distributional edge in the Great Plains, this species resides in wooded riverine corridors. In recent decades, the distribution of Evening Bats has expanded westward throughout the Great Plains. Herein, we report on two county records that further document the distributional expansion of Evening Bats into central Nebraska. In 2019 and 2022, Evening Bats were collected in Lincoln and Dawson counties, respectively, in woodlands adjacent to the Platte River. Increases in wooded habitats along prairie waterways likely has …

Diversity And Dispersal Among Eastern Continental Divide Headwater Stream Fishes In Gwinnett County, Georgia., James E. Russell, Molly M. Botting, Ryan M. Davenport, Emilee J. Story, Mark Patterson

Georgia Journal of Science

The eastern continental divide that bisects Georgia runs through Gwinnett County, separating headwater streams of the western Chattahoochee River watershed from headwater streams of the eastern Ocmulgee and Oconee River watersheds. This landscape feature was used to test hypotheses regarding headwater habitat, fish diversity and gene flow. Headwater habitats are dominant components of river network ecosystems delivering vital ecosystem services and biodiversity. Three headwater streams, one in the Chattahoochee watershed and two in the Oconee watershed, on Gwinnett County Park property, were sampled for differences in physical and chemical properties and fish inter- and intraspecific diversity. Our results suggest the …

Animal Communication And Sentience, Catia Correia-Caeiro, Katja Liebal

Animal Sentience

Segundo-Ortin & Calvo (S&C) argue for sentience in plants on the basis of several studies of what they describe as "cognitive abilities" in plants. As other commentaries (e.g., Brooks Pribac, 2023; Damasio & Damasio, 2023; ten Cate, 2023) have pointed out, however, there is some misuse of several concepts, and a lack of evidence for sentience. We try to clarify three questions in S&C’s discussion: (1) How is communication defined and conceptualised in animal research? (2) Is plant communication comparable to animal communication? (3) Is communication (or the process we see in plants) a good basis for inferring sentience in …

The Effects Of Big Dune And Lava Dune Sand Composition On The Eggs And Larvae Of Pseudocotalpa Giulianii, Cosset Hernandez Pena, Mandy Mountain, Daniel B. Thompson

Spectra Undergraduate Research Journal

Differences in the composition of aeolian sand at Big Dune and sand at Lava Dune that is mixed with basalt and various minerals may affect water retention and the development of insects that are specialized for living in sand environments. These two dunes, located in Nye County, Nevada, are home to the endemic dune scarab beetle, Pseudocotalpa giulianii (PSGU). The differences in sand type may influence the growth patterns of the eggs and larvae of this beetle species that hatches and develops to an adult within the sand. The purpose of this experiment is to test whether sand composition affects …