Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

A Library Of 39 Plant Peroxidases: Plants From The Families Cucurbitaceae And Brassicaceae Show Promising Peroxidase And Peroxygenase Activity, Sally Hess

Senior Honors Theses

Peroxidases are enzymes that reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidize organic substances in living cells. The textile industry, wastewater treatment plants, immunological laboratories, and diagnostic laboratories have extensively used horseradish peroxidase for their oxidating needs. This research aims to provide a tool for identifying potentially useful sources of peroxidases in addition to specifically pinpointing a novel peroxygenase in jalapeño seeds. By using two widely accepted peroxidase assays, the guaiacol assay and the fluorophenol assay, fruits of the genus Cucurbita and roots or leaves of the family Brassicaceae were seen to have high peroxidase activity. Additionally, novel peroxygenase activity was …

A Multispecies Hierarchical Model To Integrate Count And Distance-Sampling Data, Neil A. Gilbert, Caroline M. Blommel, Matthew T. Farr, David S. Green, Kay E. Holekamp, Elise F. Zipkin

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Integrated community models—an emerging framework in which multiple data sources for multiple species are analyzed simultaneously—offer opportunities to expand inferences beyond the single-species and single-data-source approaches common in ecology. We developed a novel integrated community model that combines distance sampling and single-visit count data; within the model, information is shared among data sources (via a joint likelihood) and species (via a random-effects structure) to estimate abundance patterns across a community. Parameters relating to abundance are shared between data sources, and the model can specify either shared or separate observation processes for each data source. Simulations demonstrated that the model provided …

Rewiring The Sex-Determination Pathway During The Evolution Of Self-Fertility., Yongquan Shen, Shin-Yi Lin, Jonathan Harbin, Richa Amin, Allison Vassalotti, Joseph Romanowski, Emily Schmidt, Alexis Tierney, Ronald E Ellis

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Although evolution is driven by changes in how regulatory pathways control development, we know little about the molecular details underlying these transitions. The TRA-2 domain that mediates contact with TRA-1 is conserved in Caenorhabditis. By comparing the interaction of these proteins in two species, we identified a striking change in how sexual development is controlled. Identical mutations in this domain promote oogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans but promote spermatogenesis in Caenorhabditis briggsae. Furthermore, the effects of these mutations involve the male-promoting gene fem-3 in C. elegans but are independent of fem-3 in C. briggsae. Finally, reciprocal mutations in these genes show …

Geographic Distribution: Smilisca Baudinii (Mexican Treefrog). Usa: Florida: Escambia Co., Louis A. Somma, Justin K. Anto, Jakira A. Davis

Papers in Herpetology

Geographic distribution note for Smilisca baudinii, the Mexican treefrog, from Escambia County, Florida, United States.

Nou Spring Field Days And Annual Meeting, 125th Anniversary Of The Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, Birding Bowl Kickoff Weekend, Lincoln, Mary 3–5, 2024, Janis Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

The NOU Annual Meeting and Spring Field Days were held in Lincoln on May 3-5, 2024, with 80 in attendance. This year is the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, and this meeting also served as the kickoff of the Nebraska Birding Bowl.

Field trips were led by Olivia DaRugna, Thane Dinsdale, Joe Gubanyi, Thomas Labedz, Jason St. Sauver, T. J. Walker, and Michael Willison. Destinations included Wilderness Park, Bluestem Lake SRA, Killdeer WMA, Cottontail WMA, Pawnee Lake SRA, Branched Oak Lake, Butler County Prairie-Chicken lek, Marsh Wren Saline Wetland, Spring Creek Prairie, and Conestoga Lake …

The Nebraska Bird Review (June 2024) 92(2), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring Field Report, March–May 2024, by W. Ross Silcock

The Early Years of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union: People and Publications, by Daniel W. Leger

NOU Spring Field Days and Annual Meeting, 125th Anniversary of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, Birding Bowl Kickoff Weekend, Lincoln, May 3–5, 2024, by Janis Paseka

Subscription and Organization Information

Spring Field Report, March–May 2024, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

A major concern this spring was the widely lamented shortfall in numbers of migrant warblers and the shortened duration of the migration, with most sightings relatively early. Numbers of migrant warblers east of the 100th meridian were investigated by Joel Jorgensen and Stephen Brenner and the scarcity was indeed found to be supported by eBird data; see the “News and Updates” section in Birds of Nebraska-Online (BONO). At Oliver Reservoir in the Panhandle, however, Steven Mlodinow found that migration was at least normal for a range of common migrants, with some migrants above the levels of the last four years. …

Evolution And Adaptation To Temperature In Thermotogota, Anne Amelia Farrell

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Life thrives across incredibly diverse environmental conditions, yet most organisms are restricted to growing within a narrow range around their optimum growth temperature (OGT). The evolutionary events leading to changes in OGT are poorly understood, and it is uncertain if specific genes are required to thrive at a particular temperature. The bacterial phylum Thermotogota is an excellent model for the evolution of OGT. It comprises mesophilic, thermophilic, and hyperthermophilic members that collectively grow between 20°C and 90°C.

In this work, I analyze the history of OGT in the Thermotogota phylum and show how horizontal gene transfer contributes to the evolution …

Aspen As Firebreaks At The Development Fringe, Kevin Krasnow, Paul C. Rogers

Aspen Bibliography

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) forests are widely known and prized for their numerous values—biodiversity, habitat, forage, recreation, aesthetics, and others—including as a deterrent to wildfire. This reputation for stopping or slowing flames is explored here, alongside measures that may be taken to facilitate thriving aspen communities near human developments. It is clear that science supporting the premise of aspen as an effective firebreak is far from complete. Yet, how can we benefit from what we do know on this topic to increase the probability of preventing structural fire damage, while also encouraging the valued characteristics of aspen ecosystems?

Climate Considerations For Quaking Aspen Conservation, Douglas Shinneman, Susan Mcilroy, Paul C. Rogers

Aspen Bibliography

Human-caused climate change alters ecosystem processes ranging from local to global scales. As a consequence of climate change we should expect increased rates and intensities of disturbance events. Though we are only beginning to understand what those impacts might be to aspen forests and their diverse plant and animal assemblages, recent science suggests there may be unavoidable effects. In the face of anticipated climate-ecosystem challenges, contemporary managers are searching for guidance on preserving aspen resilience. We suggest crafting strategic yet cautious approaches to minimize effects and facilitate broad resilience. For instance, monitoring conditions in and near aspen forests will help …

Fisheries Occasional Publication No.147 - Aquaculture Development Zones – Policy Position Relating To Permitted Alternative Species, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Occasional Publications

The purpose of this policy is to set out considerations relevant to the assessment of aquaculture proposals within Aquaculture Development Zones (ADZ) for species distinct from the group of species for which the ADZ was initially established (Alternative Species).

Macroevolution Meets Community Ecology: Does Species Interaction Influence Tempo And Mode Of Diversification In Fishes That Cross The Marine/Freshwater Boundary?, Victor De Brito

Dissertations

Evolutionary transitions between marine and freshwater ecosystems are an extreme ecological shift and expose fish lineages to novel abiotic and biotic settings. Yet, it remains unclear how those habitat transitions and the interaction with the newly invaded communities have altered the macroevolutionary dynamics of fish clades. The theory of ecological opportunity predicts that lineages that colonize species-poor regions will have greater potential for phenotypic diversification and speciation than lineages invading species-rich regions. Thus, transitions between marine and freshwaters in depauperate regions may promote adaptive radiation. While most major fish clades are restricted to either marine or freshwaters, so called transmarine/ …

Evaluation Of Ten Alternative Treatments For The Management Of Harlequin Bug (Murgantia Histrionica) On Brassica Crops, Sarah Clark, Ricardo Bessin, David J. Gonthier, Jonathan L. Larson

Entomology Faculty Publications

Harlequin bug (Murgantia histrionica) poses a significant threat to cruciferous vegetable crops, leading to economic losses and challenges in sustainable agriculture. This 2-year field study evaluated the efficacy of exclusion netting and selected biopesticides in controlling harlequin bug populations in a field-grown broccoli crop. Treatments included an untreated control, industry standards Azera and Entrust, and ProtekNet mesh netting. Additionally, three commercial essential oil treatments including Essentria IC-3, Nature-Cide, and Zero Tolerance were tested along with two bokashi fermented composting products BrewKashi and Oriental Herbal Nutrient (OHN). During both the first and second year of the study, none of the commercially …

Row Covers Limit Pests And Disease And Increase Profit In Organic Acorn Squash, Kathleen Fiske, Nieyan Cheng, Ryan Kuesel, Wendong Zhang, Ricardo Bessin, Mark A. Williams, David J. Gonthier

Entomology Faculty Publications

Organic cucurbit growers face many challenges to production including insect pests, insect-vectored diseases, and non-vectored diseases. While Organic Material Review Institute (OMRI) -listed pesticides underperform at suppressing pests and diseases, some alternative pest management strategies hold promise, but little research exists on their cost-effectiveness. We compared the efficacy of mesotunnel systems (nylon-mesh netting row covers deployed over bent metal hoops) and OMRI-listed pesticides (fungicides and insecticides) on acorn squash across 2 years. During the early part of the season, before row covers were removed for pollination, we found 1.7 (2020) and 0.3 (2021) times more cucumber beetles in the uncovered …

Single-Cell Analysis Identifies Plk1 As A Driver Of Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment In Luad, Yifan Kong, Chaohao Li, Jinpeng Liu, Sai Wu

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

PLK1 (Polo-like kinase 1) plays a critical role in the progression of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Recent studies have unveiled that targeting PLK1 improves the efficacy of immuno- therapy, highlighting its important role in the regulation of tumor immunity. Nevertheless, our understanding of the intricate interplay between PLK1 and the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains incomplete. Here, using genetically engineered mouse model and single- cell RNA-seq analysis, we report that PLK1 promotes an immunosuppressive TME in LUAD, characterized with enhanced M2 polarization of tumor associated macrophages (TAM) and dampened antigen presentation process. Mechanistically, elevated PLK1 coin- cides with increased secretion of CXCL2 …

Listening For Lemurs: Translating Black-And-White Ruffed Lemur (Varecia Variegata) Vocalizations Into Conservation Insights Through Acoustic Monitoring, Carly H. Batist

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The field of bioacoustic monitoring has undergone a significant evolution in recent years, driven by technological innovations that have revolutionized how researchers study animal vocalizations. Traditionally, bioacoustics was rooted in active acoustic monitoring (AAM), involving human observers using recorders in the field to study animal sounds and understand species' vocal communication. However, the emergence of passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) has introduced a new complementary approach, utilizing specialized recorders placed in ecosystems to autonomously capture sounds at wide spatial and temporal scales. My dissertation adopts a translational approach to bioacoustic monitoring, integrating both AAM and PAM techniques to study and survey …

Systematics And Comparative Genomics Of The Petaluridae (Odonata: Anisoptera), Ethan R. Tolman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The Anisoptera (Insecta: Odonata), or dragonflies exhibit diverse life histories and diversification patterns, with the family Petaluridae standing out as particularly unique. Comprising only 11 extant species, all of which inhabit increasingly threatened fen habitats, Petaluridae are known for their longevity, which can exceed five years, semi-terrestrial lifestyle, and remarkable physical size, ranking among the largest insects on Earth. Despite the evolutionary peculiarities of this family, no previous genomic studies have investigated the Petaluridae. This work presents two high-quality genome sequences and a targeted enrichment dataset to explore the chromosome architecture of Petaluridae, identifies genomic adaptations associated with their distinctive …

Germination And Seedling Growth Of Native Uae Plant Species: The Combined Effects Of Elevated Co2 And Temperature, Nour Elhouda Debouza

Dissertations

Understanding how indigenous plant species respond to arid environmental stressors is critical for biodiversity preservation and the development of sustainable agricultural practices in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study investigated the morphological and physiological aspects of the germination and early growth stages, along with the adaptation strategies of three indigenous plant species—Senna italica, Prosopis cineraria, and Tephrosia nubica. The controlled chamber experiments aimed to subject the three selected indigenous species to elevated CO2 (400 ppm ambient to 800 ppm) and temperature (35°C ambient to 50°C) for simulating future atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and temperature scenarios. …

The Early Years Of The Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union: People And Publications, Daniel W. Leger

Nebraska Bird Review

Nebraska once boasted that it had the greatest avian biodiversity of any state. Today, such a claim seems preposterous, but when it was made, back in 1899, it was serious. The antecedents of that claim underlie the objective of this article, namely to describe the early history of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union (NOU), its founding members, and its publications, one of which, the Nebraska Bird Review, you are reading today.

. . .

To say that many changes have occurred in ornithology and birding since the NOU started in 1899 would be a severe understatement. Most of these changes have …

A New Species Of Paranthrene Hübner (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) From The Northern Midwest United States, William H. Smith Iii, William H. Taft Jr., Anthony I. Cognato

Insecta Mundi

A clearwing moth species, Paranthrene sogaardi Taft and Smith, 2024, new species, is described from Michigan and Minnesota. The recognition of this new species is based on a phylogeny estimated from mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and wingless DNA sequences of 25 specimens representing all Paranthrene Hübner species including individuals from various locations. Paranthrene sogaardi new species was monophyletic and differed from Paranthrene tabaniformis Rottenburg, 1775 by a mean of 7.6% COI pairwise “p” distance, coloration, and genitalic morphology.

ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8B9ED6CE-4DEB-4CB2-9235-3CA593F4D9DB

Corrections And Additions To The Hydnocerina (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae: Hydnocerini) Of Mexico, John M. Leavengood Jr.

Insecta Mundi

Corrections, additions and remarks are made with respect to the recent checklist of the Cleridae (Coleoptera) of Mexico (Araujo-Castillo et al. 2024). Current valid names, synonymies, clarifications of taxonomic problems, and omitted taxa are reviewed. This work is intended to serve as a supplement to the “Hydnocerinae” section of the checklist.

ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EF3E45B5-6EA6-41AB-B92F-DB4ABF9D8215

Taxonomic Notes On Velvet Ants Of The Genus Timulla Ashmead, 1899 (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) In The United States Of America And Canada, George C. Waldren

Insecta Mundi

The exclusively New World velvet ant genus Timulla Ashmead, 1899 (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae: Mutillinae: Trogaspidiini) contains 180 species and ten subspecies. Most of these species are known from a single sex, and the validity of the subspecies has not been evaluated since their original description in 1937 and 1938. The Timulla fauna of the United States of America includes thirty species and eight subspecies, and the fauna of Canada includes three species. The faunas of these two countries were critically studied with the following results. Out of the eight total subspecies, seven were found to be structurally identical to and sympatric …

Internet-Based Data Platforms Re-Define The Distributions Of Some Large Crabronid Wasps In Arkansas (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), David E. Bowles

Insecta Mundi

The geographic distributions of three large wasps, Sphecius speciosus (Drury), Stictia carolina Fabricius, and Stizus brevipennis Walsh (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), occurring in Arkansas are defined using museum specimens and three internet-based data platforms. The internet-based data platforms generally provided more county location records than museum records. Using data from internet sources for easily identified species can better serve to illustrate the known distributions for some species thus making for a powerful tool elucidating distributional patterns and conservation planning.

ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DCAE9192-1765-40CD-952B-0A094F413991

Long Time No See: New Reports Of Legua Rosea Amédégnato And Poulain, 1986 (Orthoptera: Caelifera: Romaleidae: Romaleinae: Leguini), A Rare Arboreal Grasshopper From Brazil, Daniela Santos Martins Silva, Renan Da Silva Olivier, Larissa Lima De Queiroz, Marcelo Ribeiro Pereira, Jardel Boscardin, Guilherme Rabelo D’Angelis

Insecta Mundi

The genus Legua Walker, 1870 comprises only two known species from Central America and Brazil, with a notable scarcity of collected specimens. Herein, we provide a new contribution to our knowledge of the distribution of Legua rosea Amédégnato and Poulain, 1986 (Romaleinae: Leguini), that has a restricted distribution in Brazil, based on entomological collection data and social media information. Our records emphasize the importance of natural history collections and new tools for biodiversity studies.

ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:17E0802B-A389-4983-AC74-21B51197F557

Morphometric Analysis And Taxonomic Re-Evaluation Of Pepsis Cerberus Lucas And P. Elegans Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae: Pepsinae: Pepsini), Frank E. Kurczewski, Akira Shimizu, Diane H. Kiernan

Insecta Mundi

Hurd (1952) separated Pepsis cerberus Lucas from P. elegans Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae: Pepsinae: Pepsini) based on external morphology and biogeography. Vardy (2005) synonymized the familiar and historically well-documented P. cerberus and P. elegans, combining these Nearctic taxa with several Neotropical variants in an extremely broad definition of P. menechma Lepeletier. In doing so, Vardy (2005) breached the principle of nomenclatural stability. He ignored the prevailing usage and clearly violated articles 23.2, 23.3 and 23.9.1.2 of the ICZN (1999). Morphological differences, ecological divergence, and narrow sympatric geographic distribution of P. cerberus and P. elegans …

Estimating Increased Transient Water Storage With Increases In Beaver Dam Activity, Konrad Hafen, Joseph M. Wheaton, Brett B. Roper, Philip Bailey, William W. Macfarlane, Bethany T. Neilson, Christopher J. Tennant

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Dam building by beaver (Castor spp.) slows water movement through montane valleys, increasing transient water storage and the diversity of residence times. In some cases, water storage created by beaver dam construction is correlated to changes in streamflow magnitude and timing. However, the total amount of additional surface and groundwater storage that beaver dams may create (and, thus, their maximum potential impact on streamflow) has not been contextualized in the water balance of larger river basins. We estimate the potential transient water storage increases that could be created at 5, 25, 50, and 100% of maximum modeled beaver dam capacity …

The Stability Of Epigenetic Variants That Can Act As Loci Causing Phenotypic Change, Raul Faburrieta

Biology Theses

Epigenetic variations are a possible source of heritable phenotypic variation. In this study I focus on phenotypic alterations seen in epigenetic Recombinant Inbred Lines (epiRILs) of Arabidopsis thaliana. These epiRILs allow me to study the effects differentially methylated regions (DMRs) have on phenotypic variance. In a study performed in 2014 by Cortijo et al., they found that DMR’s affect flowering time and root length when grown under greenhouse conditions. In this study, I replicated the Cortijo et al. (2014) study, with some changes, to see whether the same significant eQTL regions are found. I found that, some of the eQTLs …

Lyme Disease In The Northeast: The Unintended Consequence Of Suburban Development, Hayden Neubert

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper addresses the role of suburban development in the suburbs of the Northeastern United States in increasing human Lyme disease infection. Over the past 50 years, Lyme disease has become the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. In 2021, the two states with the most Lyme disease cases were New York and New Jersey, with a collective 6,524 cases, with Connecticut still representing 541 total cases. It is not a coincidence that case numbers are concentrated in suburban areas with high forest fragmentation. Chapter 1 of this essay analyzes how human land development disrupts bioregulatory ecosystem actors …

From Pixels To Plants: Remote Sensing Of California Invasive Plants, Kenneth Rangel

Master's Projects and Capstones

Invasive plants cause significant impacts to ecosystems, the economy, and human health. California has experienced significant plant invasions and is well suited to future invasion because of its Mediterranean climate and human disturbance. Eradication or control of invasive plant species requires a detailed understanding of their spatial distribution, which typically involves on the ground surveys that can be expensive or inconsistent. Remote sensing offers a potential alternative or supplement to in-person invasive plant mapping. This study performed a comparative analysis of 41 remote sensing studies that mapped the distribution of California invasive plants. I found that while high spectral resolution …

Multi-Type Branching Processes In Time-Varying Environments, Arash Jamshidpey

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.