Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Generating Genomic Resources For The Pink Sundew And Its Specialist Herbivore Moth From A Single Gene To Entire Genomes, Kerissa F. Tarpley

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Genomic resources are critical for the conservation of threatened species, providing valuable insights into genetic diversity, population structure, and adaptive potential. This thesis focuses on two ecologically interconnected species: the carnivorous plant pink sundew (Drosera capillaris) and its specialist herbivore the sundew plume moth (Buckleria parvulus). The sundew and plume moth face an uncertain future as their vital bog habitats continue to disappear. The sundew plays a crucial role in the life cycle of the plume moth, which relies on the sundew during its larval stages for survival. To aid in species detections, I first generated …

A Novel 3d Imaging Approach To Study Evolutionary Innovations In Solanaceae Inflorescences, Devin L. Jackson, Joonseog Kim, Wenheng Zhang Dr.

Undergraduate Research Posters

Understanding the relatedness of angiosperms and the evolution of their inflorescence remains challenging, as these structures are highly modified and prone to convergent evolution. The current research describing inflorescence architecture, whether genetically or morphologically focused, typically relies on text based explanations, 2D images, or 3D based models created with CAD modeling software. This creates a disparity in the reader's understanding of these models since descriptions rely heavily on the author's interpretation of the inflorescence. The goal of our study is to bridge this disconnection by producing anatomically and color-correct 3D inflorescence models using Solanaceae flowers that readers can explore directly, …

The Micro-Communities Of Trees, Nicholas Davis, Lily Boysworth, Westen Wilburn

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

This study investigated how tree species diversity influences the variety of organisms living on or around trees across different habitat types. Field data were collected through random tree selection, measurement of tree diameter, identification of species, and estimation of surrounding ground cover types such as grass, herbaceous plants, woody plants, and leaf litter. Biodiversity associated with each tree was analyzed using the Shannon Diversity Index across several ecosystems, including grassland, woodland, and pond environments. Results indicated that the pond ecosystem exhibited the highest species diversity, followed by woodlands and then forests. A range of organisms, including lichens, mites, fungi, and …

Watching The Grass Grow: Expanding Outreach And Accessibility Of Itex-Aon, Justin Blough

Masters Projects

Science has an accessibility problem. Though results are published and the component data is archived and made publicly available, distrust in and misunderstanding of science by the lay populace remains common. This work focuses on bolstering the outreach component of the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX)—Arctic Observing Network (AON) to increase public awareness, interactivity, and ultimately, the understanding of how the science of ITEX-AON takes place. This project uses several component methods to further outreach goals of ITEX-AON. These include: documentary photography of researchers, study sites, subjects and the surrounding environments, 360-degree imaging and interactive virtual tour building, building interactive data …

Comparative Methylation Analyses Across Juglans Species To Investigate Epigenetic Contributions To Fungal Resistance, Keertana Chagari

Honors Scholar Theses

Juglans cinerea (butternut) is a critically threatened North American tree species experiencing severe declines due to the fungal pathogen Ophiognomonia clavigignentijuglandacearum. In contrast, its Asian relative, Juglans ailantifolia (Japanese walnut), shows natural resistance. To investigate the genomic and epigenetic factors underlying this difference, we constructed and analyzed high-quality, chromosome-level genome assemblies for both species from long-read sequencing data (J. ailantifolia: 527Mb; J. cinerea: 586Mb), focusing on transposable element (TE) content, DNA methylation patterns, and regulation of pathogen resistance genes (PRGs).

Repeat analysis revealed that J. cinerea has a slightly higher overall transposable element (TE) content, with …

Acoustic Monitoring Of Oak Toads (Anaxyrus Quercicus), A Longleaf Pine (Pinus Palustris) Ecosystem Endemic Amphibian, Alex Ward Foote

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Longleaf pine ecosystem is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world with only 3% remaining. Many endemic species to the longleaf pine ecosystem are also in decline and suffer from habitat loss resulting from fire exclusion, urbanization, agriculture, and industrial silviculture. Oak Toads (Anaxyrus quercicus) are a longleaf pine ecosystem obligate; the species is experiencing declines across its range and only has protections in Virginia and North Carolina. We used data from an array of Automated Recoding Units across four years (2013, 2014, 2015, 2019) at three state-owned wildlife management areas to capture audio files …

How Individual Traits Predict Distribution Patterns And Community Convergence, Zachary K. Lange

Biology Dissertations - Archive

One of the fundamental questions in biology is whether natural conditions lead species and communities toward predictable outcomes. Answering this question requires understanding how traits of individual organisms are connected to species- and community-level patterns. In Chapter 2, I examined how thermal physiology and environmental temperatures interact to determine the distribution patterns of Anolis lizards on the Greater Antilles. I combined lab-measured thermal traits (critical thermal minimum: CT_min, critical thermal maximum: CT_max, thermal preference: T_pref) with occurrence and abundance data from 21 species of Anolis lizards collected from extensive mark-resight surveys of communities across …

Acer Rubrum: Descending Towards Forest Dominance, Elyssa L. Pearson, Christopher M. Gough

Undergraduate Research Posters

Acer rubrum, more commonly known as the red maple, is a hardwood, late successional species of tree commonly planted for its deciduous nature and vibrant coloring of its leaves in the beginning of autumn (Abrams, 1998). The species is very tolerant of varying light and soil moisture levels and often dominates sub and mid-canopy levels of hardwood forests (Missouri Botanical Gardens). It was hypothesized that as the I moved from an upland location to a lowland location near a wetland that the A. rubrum trees would be more productive and have a greater above ground biomass. This was not …

Biology Of Aproida Balyi Pascoe, 1863 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Aproidini) On Its Host Plant, Eustrephus Latifolius R. Br. Ex Ker-Gawl (Asparagaceae) In Australia, Caroline Simmrita Chaboo, Vivian E., Mariana Campos, Geoff B. Monteith

Insecta Mundi

Within the leaf-beetle subfamily Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Aproida Pascoe, 1863 (Aproidini) from Australia has been considered a transitional genus between mining cassidines (“hispines”) and exophagous cassidines (“tortoise beetles”). To illuminate this transition, a detailed study was conducted over one year of the biology of Aproida balyi Pascoe, 1863 on the host plant, Eustrephus latifolius R. Br. ex Ker-Gawl (Asparagaceae). Distribution maps of the host plant and three Aproida species are provided. The life cycle of A. balyi comprises single eggs in a foamy ootheca, three larval instars that feed openly, a pupa suspended from the larva III exuvia, and …

Microplastic Accumulation In The Marsh Periwinkle (Littoraria Irrorata), Sarah Keaton, Hannah Lukhard, Eli Windy, Manar Hasan

DePaul Discoveries

Contamination of oceans by microplastics (mm) currently poses a major threat to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. Recent attention towards this issue has raised questions about the extent to which microplastics have accumulated in the environment, and has led to an increase in studies on the effects of microplastics in various organisms. However, levels of contamination in protected natural areas are still largely unexplored, yet can offer an important empirical perspective on the issue. In addition, little is known about the potential effects of microplastics on behavior in the field. This research was conducted within the protected ACE Basin National …

Concepts In Animal Parasitology, Scott L. Gardner, Sue Ann Gardner

Zea E-Books Collection

Note that this version of the textbook has been superceded by the one updated in 2026, available at the UNL Pressbooks site.

The hard copy version that is for sale at lulu.com is the old version.

"This is a textbook covering concepts in animal parasitology. It is meant to be used by students, teachers, professors, researchers, and members of the public who are interested in learning about animal parasite biology, systematics, taxonomy, zoogeography, and ecology. The primary intended audience is upper-level undergraduate or graduate university students who have knowledge of basic biology and, particularly, basic animal biology. (863 pages, …

An Analysis On The Capacity Of Visual Art To Promote Conservation Efforts, Devi Bell

Honors Projects

In recent decades, we have become more aware of the ways in which anthropogenic actions are harming Earth’s climate, ecosystems, and overall stability. Scientists generally agree on the urgency of our situation, yet the public may find difficulty in comprehending the multitude of information on it. This study aims to educate the public on biodiversity loss and related ecological issues in Ohio by discussing these topics through the medium of visual art. Five pieces involving different scientific subject matter and art mediums were created and displayed for participants to view. Participants completed two surveys, one before viewing the art and …

Synopsis Of The Genus Cerabilia, André Larochelle, Marie-Claude Larivière

Insecta Mundi

The genus Cerabilia Laporte de Castelnau (Carabidae: Abacetini) is revised for New Zealand. Thirteen species are recognized.

Seven species are described as new: Cerabilia (Cerabilia) cordata Larochelle and Larivière new species, Cerabilia (Cerabilia) kaihoka Larochelle and Larivière new species, Cerabilia (Cerabilia) laevis Larochelle and Larivière new species, Cerabilia (Cerabilia) motunau Larochelle and Larivière new species, Cerabilia (Cerabilia) rugosa Larochelle and Larivière new species, Cerabilia (Cerabilia) takaka Larochelle and Larivière new species, Cerabilia (Cerabilia) willi Larochelle and Larivière new species. …

Synopsis Of The Subfamily Prosympiestinae In New Zealand (Heteroptera: Aradidae), Marie-Claude Larivière, André Larochelle

Insecta Mundi

The subfamily Prosympiestinae (Heteroptera: Aradidae) is revised for New Zealand. Three genera and thirteen species are recognized.

Five species are described as new: Neadenocoris centralis Larivière and Larochelle new species, Neadenocoris hoarei Larivière and Larochelle new species, Neadenocoris northlandicus Larivière and Larochelle new species, Neadenocoris pseudovatus Larivière and Larochelle new species, Neadenocoris wellingtonensis Larivière and Larochelle new species.

One new synonymy is established: Neadenocoris reflexus Usinger and Matsuda, 1959 becomes a junior synonym of Neadenocoris acutus Usinger and Matsuda, 1959.

A revision of all taxa is provided. Descriptions, identification keys, illustrations of male parandria, habitus …

Plasticity In Response To Temperature Magnitude And Variation---From Life History To Thermal Tolerance And Coloration, Austin Rex Hoffman

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Warming associated with climate change has many direct and downstream effects on animals. For example, warmer developmental temperatures can improve heat tolerance and reduce insect melanization, which is related to coloration, thermoregulation, immunity, desiccation resistance, and potentially life-history traits, such as investment into reproduction and dispersal. Increased temperature variation is also a feature of climate change, and it may have a larger impact on animals than warming. However, I lack insight into the combined effects of temperature magnitude and variability on important traits of life history, thermal tolerance, and coloration. Thus, I integrated temperature variation into thermal performance using a …

Lesson Plans In Astronomy, Ecology And Biology, Admin Stem For Success

STEM for Success Showcase

This document contains various lesson plan ideas for concepts within the fields of biology, ecology, astronomy, and geology.

Biomechanics Of Mantis Prey Capture, Danielle S. Taylor

Honors Theses

Mantis species have a variety of different morphologies, so do the extreme forms of mantis limbs trade prey catching capability for camouflage? We hypothesize that some extreme forms of mantis limbs that are associated with cryptic species may be associated with a tradeoff of the capability of those limbs. Previous research has developed 2D morphologies of several hundred species of mantises. We are creating a 3D morphology by using micro dissection, micro CT imaging to construct our 3D biomechanical model. We found the attachment points of the ligaments and muscles from a Tenodera forearm and have constructed a 2D biomechanical …

Wetland Walk Vr: Field Ecology In Northeast Florida, Kailan Sindelar

UNF Faculty Research and Scholarship

Join Field Ecologists of the University of North Florida as they begin to monitor the water in swamps and marshes. In this virtual reality experience you will walk through places that are normally too dangerous or harmful to visit, learning about life in these places, how we study it, and how you may connect to it.

Utilizing Markov Chains To Estimate Allele Progression Through Generations, Ronit Gandhi

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

All populations display patterns in allele frequencies over time. Some alleles cease to exist, while some grow to become the norm. These frequencies can shift or stay constant based on the conditions the population lives in. If in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the allele frequencies stay constant. Most populations, however, have bias from environmental factors, sexual preferences, other organisms, etc. We propose a stochastic Markov chain model to study allele progression across generations. In such a model, the allele frequencies in the next generation depend only on the frequencies in the current one.

We use this model to track a recessive allele …

How Akron Affects The Water Quality Of The Cuyahoga River, Allyson Darst

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to analyze whether the city of Akron had negative effects on the Cuyahoga river, and determine if the Cuyahoga River was naturally able to remediate these effects downstream. The pollutants measured in this study include hardness, bromine, residual chlorine, iron, copper, lead, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium chloride, total chlorine, fluoride, carbonate, pH, total alkalinity and cyanuric acid. This study was done using water testing strips (JNW Direct) to test the water at four different locations along the Cuyahoga River downstream (North) of Akron. This study found that the city of Akron does have a negative …

Proposing An Rna Interference (Rnai)-Based Treatment For Human Immunodeficiency Virus (Hiv) By Analyzing The Post-Transcriptional Gene Targeting Of Sars-Cov-2, Hepatitis C Virus, And A549 Lung Cancer Cells, Arjun Jagdeesh

Undergraduate Research Posters

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that infects CD4+ T cell lymphocytes in humans, leading to the development of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) if left untreated. While current treatment methods, including antiretroviral combination treatments, effectively limit HIV replication, HIV can evade these treatments due to its high mutation rate. Long-term antiretroviral treatment can also be toxic to patients, meaning patients would benefit from a new mechanism of HIV treatment. RNA interference (RNAi) is an antiviral pathway found in mammals, plants, and insects that involves a small-interfering RNA that is incorporated into a protein complex called the RNA-induced Silencing Complex …

Characterization Of The Mycobiome Of Rafflesia Seeds: Their Potential Ecological Roles And Applications In Rafflesia Propagation And Conservation, Feruza Karnitskiy

Selected Full-Text Master Theses 2021-

The plant microbiome exerts a profound influence on plant health, growth, and life cycle. This ecosystem comprises diverse microbial communities, such as symbiotic endophytes, mycorrhizal fungi, epiphytes, saprophytes, rhizobia, and pathogens, which inhabit parasitic and non-parasitic plants. Rafflesia speciosa, a holoparasitic plant, is a unique and endangered species that depends on its host Tetrastigma spp. for survival. In this study, fungal metagenomics was conducted to characterize the fungal community—the mycobiome within Rafflesia seeds, and a phylogeny was reconstructed. The ecophysiological characteristics of these fungal genera were also researched in the literature, and their primary ecological trait, whether plant mutualist, saprotroph, …

The Role Of Machine Learning And Network Analyses In Understanding Microbial Composition In An Experimental Prairie, Ali Eastman Oku

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Machine learning and network analyses are powerful modern tools can process and map out connections between large amount of ecological data from complex environmental communities. Random forests, an ensemble machine learning algorithm, are particularly powerful as they can capture complex patterns in data while remaining easily interpretable. These tools are specifically useful in experimental settings where different types of data are collected. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the utility of machine learning models and network analyses at analyzing diverse ecological data from dynamic plant-soil microbial communities in a prairie ecosystem. Our experimental system is an experimental prairie …

Exceptional Larval Morphology Of Nine Species Of The Anastrepha Mucronota Species Group (Diptera: Tephritidae), Erick J. Rodriguez, Gary J. Steck, Matthew R. Moore, Allen L. Norrbom, Jessica Diaz, Louis A. Somma, Raul Ruiz-Arce, Bruce D. Sutton, Norma Nolazco, Alies Muller, Marc A. Branham

Papers in Evolution

Anastrepha is the most diverse and economically important genus of Tephritidae in the American tropics and subtropics. The striking morphology of the third instars of Anastrepha caballeroi Norrbom, Anastrepha crebra Stone, Anastrepha haplacantha Norrbom & Korytkowski, Anastrepha korytkowskii Norrbom, Anastrepha nolazcoae Norrbom & Korytkowski, and three newly discovered and as yet formally unnamed species (Anastrepha sp. Peru-82, Anastrepha sp. nr. protuberans, and Anastrepha sp. Sur-16), and the more typical morphology of Anastrepha aphelocentema Stone, are described using light and scanning electron microscopy. To contribute to a better understanding of the interspecific and intraspecific variation among species in the mucronota …

Evaluating Bat Roost Abundance: A Comparison Of Drone-Acquired Thermal Imagery And Acoustic Estimates With Visual Observations, Karah Jaffe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Roosts provide an opportunity to census philopatric populations of bats. Comparing the efficacy of traditional methods with novel methods can provide guidance on the use of new technologies in the field. This project aims to compare the count efficacy of external emergence methodologies, i.e., drone-acquired thermal imagery, acoustic estimates, and visual counts. Surveys were conducted ten nights at two emergence sites and synchronized to compare counts. Acoustic estimates could not be established as there was a weak prediction of the linear relationship between root-mean-square pressure and emergence count; therefore, this method was removed from the comparative analysis. A linear mixed-effects …

Synopsis Of The Tribe Amarotypini In New Zealand (Coleoptera: Carabidae), André Larochelle, Marie-Claude Larivière

Insecta Mundi

The tribe Amarotypini (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Migadopinae) is revised for New Zealand. Three genera and fourteen species are recognized.

Two genera and thirteen species are described as new: Amarophilus Larochelle and Larivière new genus, Amarophilus lomondensis Larochelle and Larivière new species, Amarophilus otagoensis Larochelle and Larivière new species, Amarophilus rotundicollis Larochelle and Larivière new species, Amarophilus wanakensis Larochelle and Larivière new species, Amarotypus fiordlandensis Larochelle and Larivière new species, Amarotypus glasgowensis Larochelle and Larivière new species, Amarotypus murchisonorum Larochelle and Larivière new species, Amarotypus simoninensis Larochelle and Larivière new species, Amarotypus takaheensis …

Circadian Phase Shifts Effect Of Social Jetlag On Cellular Metabolism And Circadian Genes In Wildtype Flies, Olivia Kozub

Biology Student Scholarship

Olivia Kozub ’23
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Pamela Snodgrass-Belt, Biology

Drosophila, like humans, have circadian clocks which regulate behavioral and physiological systems within the body. This “biological clock” is synchronized to the environment via temperature and/or light cycles. Small fluctuations in day-length trigger a reset of circadian clocks daily. However, large disruptions can cause health and stress issues such as social jetlag. Social jetlag occurs when an individual’s biological clock clashes with the timing of one’s sleep schedule determined by social factors and the demands of the day.

How Social Behavior And Interactions Scale With Group Size In Drosophila Melanogaster, Leigh Paradis

Biology Student Scholarship

Leigh Paradis ’23
Majors: Biology and Neuroscience
Faculty Mentor: Dr. James Waters, Biology

The goal of this research project was to quantify interaction patterns in groups of fruit flies and determine if flies show evidence for a linear or non-linear effect of group size on their behavior. Specifically, I tested whether flies interact with each other at a constant rate, whether this depends on density or group size, and whether their interaction patterns correlate with overall energy use and metabolic rates. This research questions common assumptions about the differences between eusocial societies such as ants and bees and the solitary …

Socio-Economic Factors Of Environmental Problems, Manzura Kamalova, D. Shakenov

Karakalpak Scientific Journal

People consciously and intensively rebuild their nature according to their own needs, creating rural and urban areas in which they live. People care about the quality of life in the context of the unity of nature and culture. Social is a relatively new discipline that deals with urban space and environmental issues. One way to imagine what is beneficial to people is to find out what is economically best for the person. The article examines the economic factors that form the attitude towards social ecology in Kazakhstan. The article concludes that society should cooperate to achieve common things, both for …

Final Report Floating Upwelling System Harvest Road Oceans, Robert Michael, Scott Bennett

Fisheries Occasional Publications

A Floating Upwelling System or FLUPSY is a mechanical system for the culture of seed stock during the nursery stage of commercial bivalve production.