Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Temporal Variation Of Benthic Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Communities In Two Upland Intermittent Streams In The Boston Mountains, R. J. Mccollough, K. B. Hecke

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Benthic aquatic macroinvertebrates are some of the most highly used organisms for biomonitoring and assessing stream health. However, biomonitoring is often done in one season, potentially missing important taxa and inaccurately reflecting the community as well as stream health. In addition, while road crossing effects have also been extensively researched the last few decades, these studies are also often conducted in one season, likely misrepresenting the community structure and the overall effects of the road crossing. The highly known River Continuum Concept (RCC) is often applied to these benthic aquatic macroinvertebrate communities. This study aimed to examine aquatic macroinvertebrate communities …

Reproductive Biology Of Hybopsis Amblops, The Bigeye Chub, In The Flint River Of Alabama, Crissy L. Tarver, Bruce W. Stallsmith

Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings

The purpose of this study was to establish a reproductive schedule and examine reproductive traits that shape fecundity of the Bigeye Chub, Hybopsis amblops Leuciscidae in the Flint River system of north Alabama. Traits associated with reproduction, growth, and maturation were assessed. Specimens were collected and examined monthly from August, 2013 until July, 2014. This Bigeye Chub population primarily spawns in April and May as indicated by gonadosomatic index (GSI), ovarian condition and clutch size. Mean GSI values began to rise in February, peaking in April and May at over 13% for females and 1.6% for males. There was a …

Biology Department Publications: 2025, Sam Lindgren

Biology Department Bibliographies

This document is a non-comprehensive list of publications made by graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and faculty members in the Biology Department in 2024. It indexes those publications available through PubMed, and serves as an archival record of the Department's robust scholarly contributions.

Decoupling Of Reproduction And Lifespan Trade-Off In Caenorhabditis Elegans Through Microbial Programming, Nora M. Villafuerte

LSU Master's Theses

The microbiome is increasingly recognized as a major regulator of host physiology. Using the Caenorhabditis elegans model, we investigated how natural commensal bacteria modulate host reproduction and lifespan through internal egg hatching, a phenotype in which retained embryos hatch within the maternal body. Screening strains from the CeMbio collection identified four focal strains Ochrobactrum BH3, Lelliottia JUb66, Pantoea BIGb0393, and Enterobacter CEent1 that significantly increased internal egg hatching during the late reproductive period. This contrasts with pathogenic bacteria, which induce early-onset internal egg hatching. Across the focal strains, worms exhibited reduced total brood size but an expanded reproductive window relative …

Assessing Localized Recovery And Synchrony Of An Endangered Wetland Species., Aiyana Reissman

Theses

The state and federally endangered light-footed Ridgway’s rail (LFRR; Rallus obsoletus levipes) is central to regional conservation, yet the drivers of its population fluctuations remain poorly understood. The fragmented nature of coastal wetlands in Southern California is threatening the existence of endemic species like the LFRR. Tidal inundation, severe storms, and overpredation threaten the survival of LFRR. This study addresses population fluctuations by analyzing the spatial and temporal drivers of LFRR populations to inform effective, site-specific management.

To do this, a 45-year (1980–2024) LFRR census data set across 16 wetlands throughout its range in California was synthesized. A multi-faceted …

Changes In Phenology Mediate Vertebrate Population Responses To Temperature Globally, Viktoriia Radchuk, Carys V. Jones, Nina Mclean, Anne Charmantier, Céline Teplitsky, Ray Alisauskas, Sergio Ancona, Tycho Anker-Nilssen, Peter Arcese, Karl S. Berg

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Phenotypic responses to climate affect individual fitness, but the extent to which this translates into effects on population dynamics remains poorly understood. We assemble 213 time series on phenotypes and population sizes of wild vertebrates globally and match them with local climate data. Our meta-analysis shows that morphological traits are mostly climate insensitive. However, phenology is earlier in warmer-than-average years, which contributes positively to population growth in most species. At lower latitudes, temperature has weaker effects on phenology but stronger direct negative effects on population growth, likely because these populations are less capable of tracking climate via plasticity. Variation in …

Fish In An Aquaponics System, Amy M. Shambach, Rebecca M. Ward, J. Stuart Carlton, Kwamena K. Quagrainie, Tomas O. Höök

Supplementary Content for Aquaponics: Farming Fish and Growing Greens for Grades 9–12

This PowerPoint slide provides readers with information on fish in an aquaponics system. This book was published by the Purdue University Press. Copyright 2026.

Permission: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

Introduction To The Nitrogen Cycle, Amy M. Shambach, Rebecca M. Ward, J. Stuart Carlton, Kwamena K. Quagrainie, Tomas O. Höök

Supplementary Content for Aquaponics: Farming Fish and Growing Greens for Grades 9–12

This PowerPoint slide provides readers with an introduction to the Nitrogen cycle. This book was published by the Purdue University Press. Copyright 2026.

Permission: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

Information On Building An Aquaponics Business, Amy M. Shambach, Rebecca M. Ward, J. Stuart Carlton, Kwamena K. Quagrainie, Tomas O. Höök

Supplementary Content for Aquaponics: Farming Fish and Growing Greens for Grades 9–12

This PowerPoint slide provides readers with information on building an aquaponics business. This book was published by the Purdue University Press. Copyright 2026.

Permission: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

Anatomy Of An Aquaponics System, Amy M. Shambach, Rebecca M. Ward, J. Stuart Carlton, Kwamena K. Quagrainie, Tomas O. Höök

Supplementary Content for Aquaponics: Farming Fish and Growing Greens for Grades 9–12

This PowerPoint slide describes the anatomy of an aquaponics system. This book was published by the Purdue University Press. Copyright 2026.

Permission: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

How To Measure The Level Of Nitrogen In An Aquaponics System, Amy M. Shambach, Rebecca M. Ward, J. Stuart Carlton, Kwamena K. Quagrainie, Tomas O. Höök

Supplementary Content for Aquaponics: Farming Fish and Growing Greens for Grades 9–12

This PowerPoint slide shows readers how to measure the level of Nitrogen in an aquaponics system. This book was published by the Purdue University Press. Copyright 2026.

Permission: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

Plants In An Aquaponics System, Amy M. Shambach, Rebecca M. Ward, J. Stuart Carlton, Kwamena K. Quagrainie, Tomas O. Höök

Supplementary Content for Aquaponics: Farming Fish and Growing Greens for Grades 9–12

This PowerPoint slide provides readers with information on plants in an aquaponics system. This book was published by the Purdue University Press. Copyright 2026.

Permission: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

Additional Information About The Nitrogen Cycle And Population Dynamics, Amy M. Shambach, Rebecca M. Ward, J. Stuart Carlton, Kwamena K. Quagrainie, Tomas O. Höök

Supplementary Content for Aquaponics: Farming Fish and Growing Greens for Grades 9–12

This PowerPoint slide provides readers with additional information about the Nitrogen cycle and population dynamics. This book was published by the Purdue University Press. Copyright 2026.

Permission: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

Introduction To Aquaponics, Amy M. Shambach, Rebecca M. Ward, J. Stuart Carlton, Kwamena K. Quagrainie, Tomas O. Höök

Supplementary Content for Aquaponics: Farming Fish and Growing Greens for Grades 9–12

This PowerPoint slide provides readers with an introduction to aquaponics. This book was published by the Purdue University Press. Copyright 2026.

Permission: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

Metacommunity Coupled Epidemiological And Biophysical Modeling Of An Emergent Coral Disease, Benjamin Holmes Farmer

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Emerging infectious diseases pose imminent risk to the marine realm and coral reefs in particular. Since its emergence in 2014, stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has dramatically reduced living coral cover in Florida and charted a similar course in the Caribbean. SCTLD is by far the most severe coral disease in history and has driven highly susceptible species to local extinction, yet the mechanisms driving the regional epizootic are not well understood. Here, we developed reef-scale parameterizations of disease spread using model sites in the lower Florida Keys, developed extensive metacommunity habitat maps for the US Caribbean, and then …

Environmental Detection And Genetic Profiling Of Staphylococcus Sp. At Taal Volcano Island, Ray Albert E. La Rosa, Shaun Michael C. Basco, Martin Gabriel Z. Dela Cruz, Iluminada A. Ronio

The Lasallian Journal of Health

Taal Volcano Island’s hydrothermal environment supports extremophilic microbial communities. This study isolated, biochemically characterized, and genetically profiled Staphylococcus sp. from shoreline soils. Soil samples were collected near active vents and cultured on acidified gelatin agar (pH 5.0). Biochemical tests—Methyl Red, Spirit Blue Agar, Motility, and Acrolein—were performed. DNA extraction and 16S rRNA sequencing identified Staphylococcus candidatus, with 99 % sequence similarity to GenBank entries JN794602.1 and KX250303.1. Phylogenetic analysis clustered the isolate with S. ureilyticus, S. cohnii, and S. equorum. The organism’s presence in volcanic soils demonstrates adaptation to acidic, thermophilic conditions and suggests potential applications in bioremediation and enzyme …

The Role Of Exotic Plants In The Diet Of Black-And-White Colobus Monkeys (Colobus Guereza) In Kibale National Park, Uganda, Michelle Gaykov

Theses and Dissertations

Exotic plants have both positive and negative impacts on their environment. They may act as additional food sources for the local fauna or as competition for local flora or leading to changes within a landscape or ecosystem. To considere the role of exotics in primate diet, this study focused on the dietary role of exotic plant species in the diet of a leaf-eating foregut fermenting monkey, the black-and-white colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza) in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Int this study, I followed individuals in two groups of black-and-white colobus monkeys for 21 days recording their food intake (0700-1900). I also …

Species-Specific Manipulation Of Microbially-Derived Volatiles By Burying Beetle Parents, Stephen T. Trumbo

EEB Articles

1. Hosts and microbes interact in dynamic relationships that can alter the volatile profile emitted by the microbial community. The extent to which closely related species diverge in these relationships is not well known.

2. Burying beetles associate with a rich microbial community that is present on their breeding resource, a small vertebrate carcass. Prior work demonstrated that Nicrophorus orbicollis manage the microbial community during parental care to alter the volatile profile emanating from the nest, reducing cues for competitors that would usurp the resource.

3. The present study extended this work to N. marginatus to first determine the distinctive …

Capacity-Building Project To Progress The Implementation Of International Instruments To Combat Iuu Fishing (Capfish) : Summer Academy: West Africa, World Maritime University, Korea Maritime Institute, Ministry Of Oceans And Fisheries

Reports

The CAPFISH Project was created in response to an identified need for capacity-building to address illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and related matters - a complex problem affecting aquatic ecosystems, coastal communities, fishers and fish workers, and economic and national security. Over the last five years, the CAPFISH Project has provided training and educational materials on IUU fishing to developing country administrations around the world, most recently with a two-week regional Summer Academy for West Africa. This Academy ran for two weeks and included delegates from fisheries, maritime and enforcement agencies, industry, maritime training institutions, regional fisheries bodies, and …

Are There Ecological Consequences Of Urban Adaptation? A Test Of Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics In A Terrestrial Isopod (Oniscus Asellus), Aaron Yilmaz, Grace Bellino, Ryan A. Martin

Faculty Scholarship

Urbanization affects many aspects of the environment with the potential to alter both ecological and evolutionary processes. However, while examples of urban evolution are accumulating, tests of urban eco-evolutionary dynamics are rare. We carried out a reciprocal transplantation experiment using the terrestrial isopod Oniscus asellus to test how adaptation to the urban heat island influenced ecological processes. As isopods are important decomposers, we asked if leaf-litter decomposition differed among reciprocal transplant treatments and used a separate laboratory experiment to isolate the effects of temperature on rates of isopod leaf consumption. We found that leaf-litter decomposition was greater in urban habitats, …

Phylogeography, Fungal Host Specificity, And Fitness In The Corallorhiza Maculata Species Complex, Hana Thixton-Nolan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mycoheterotrophic plants exploit fungi for most or all nutritional needs, providing a compelling system to address the evolutionary consequences of genome reduction, population-level variation, and germination requirements. I am using the widespread Corallorhiza maculata species complex to address questions of genomic variation, fungal host specificity, morphological variation, and germination requirements across the broad geographic range from Mexico to northern North America. This complex contains C. bulbosa, C. macrantha, and C. mertensiana, the latter with three varieties (maculata, occidentalis, and mexicana). These taxa vary in flowering time, floral morphology, and fungal associations. However, the degree …

Where Mussels Hang Out: A Multiscale Analysis Of Zebra Mussel (Dreissena Polymorpha) Spread In South Dakota, Justin Verner Sorensen

Dissertations and Theses

The spread of the invasive zebra mussel (Dreissena polymrpha) poses significant ecological and economic threats to freshwater systems across North America. Understanding population dynamics and how this aquatic invasive species spreads is essential for making natural resource management decisions. South Dakota represents an active frontline of the zebra mussel invasion, highlighting the importance of understanding the spread in this region. Statewide habitat suitability modeling of available aquatic habitat was performed using MaxEnt, a robust machine learning algorithm. Individual waterbody suitability means were also extracted to rank waterbodies within highly suitable regions. This work revealed that South Dakota possesses widespread suitable …

Largemouth Bass Diet Changes Through The Summer In Central Minnesota, Ethan Kunz

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Largemouth Bass Micropterus nigricans is one of the most widespread fish species in the world, due in part to human introduction for angling. Largemouth Bass are opportunistic predators that will consume the largest prey they can often find; however, it has been shown that their diet mainly consists of invertebrates such as crayfish, with less focus on other fish species. This research aimed to determine what the Largemouth Bass diets in Central Minnesota consist of, and how they may change from the beginning of summer through the beginning of fall. A total of 174 Largemouth Bass were sampled from late …

Relationship Between Ratio Of Hybrid Sunfish To Their Parent Species And Latitude, Maxwell Kattner

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Hybrid sunfish of the Lepomis genus make up a generally small but notable portion of the population of sunfish in Minnesota lakes. Hybrid sunfish play a significant role in freshwater ecosystems across the United States. They are both morphologically and behaviorally distinct in some ways and similar in other ways to their parent species, causing them to both fill and compete with their parent species for niches occupied by multiple Lepomis species. Despite this, the ratio of hybrid sunfish to their parent species has never been properly explored. This study observed if the ratio of hybrid sunfish to their parent …

Protecting Wetlands In The State Of Texas: Assessing Gaps In Regulations, Knowledge, And Professional Roles And Responsibilities, Grace A. Moy

Landscape Architecture Masters & Design Theses

Wetlands rank among earth's most productive ecosystems, providing crucial ecological services such as hydrological regulation, water purification, and habitat support (US EPA, 2015). In Texas, however, rapid urbanization, inconsistent policy enforcement, and the absence of statewide protection frameworks of hastened wetland degradation (Brody & Kang, 2011). Without a robust state regulatory framework (Environmental Law Institute [ELI], 2020), these ecosystems face increasing threats from development and hydrological disturbances.

This thesis aims to identify regulatory and knowledge deficiencies that influence Texas’ current wetland protection status and to offer targeted professional recommendations for landscape architecture professionals to address these shortcomings in future public …

Timber Use And Forest Management In The Ancient Mediterranean, Tobey Russell

Undergraduate Papers

No abstract provided.

Multi-Scale Drivers Of Beetle Biodiversity In A Rapidly Urbanizing Region, Alessandra Pandolfi

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

As cities continue to expand, designing urban landscapes that balance ecological resilience with biodiversity conservation has emerged as a pressing challenge. This dissertation examines urban ecosystems as complex and dynamic environments shaping plant and animal communities, with a particular focus on ground-dwelling beetles as ecologically significant indicators of environmental change. Conducted across the Orlando metropolitan area, one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States, this dissertation integrates experimental and observational approaches. Specifically, it aims to (1) test sustainable landscaping practices, (2) compare the ecological outcomes of conventional and alternative residential landscape designs, and (3) assess how gradients of urbanization …

The Presence Of Predators Moderates Evolutionary Responses Of Trinidadian Killifish To A Novel Parasite, Anne E. Christian

Biology Dissertations

The Healthy Herds Hypothesis suggests the idea that prey populations derive a benefit from their predators: predators reduce the exposure of their prey to infectious disease, both by limiting prey population densities and by eliminating sick individuals. Much research has focused on the balancing effect that predators have on ecosystems. There is a current need for research into whether these effects cause evolutionary shifts in prey populations, where strong predation pressure prevents prey species from evolving physiological tolerance or resistance to infectious agents. Parasites especially often have rapid effects on host evolution, due to exploitative interactions.

I seek to address …

Hfpo-Da Aquatic Toxicity And Bioaccumulation, Bailey Dawn Rappold

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected globally in environmental media and biota. Legacy compounds PFOA and PFOS have been observed to be toxic and bioaccumulative in low doses and have been removed from production and industrial processes. Replacement PFAS chemicals are less understood and present a gap in current knowledge in their toxicological effects. This research utilized extended chronic toxicity studies to assess the impacts of HFPO-DA, a short chain replacement PFAS, on the standard aquatic toxicology organism Pimephales promelas. Organisms were exposed for 29 to 30 days at environmentally relevant concentrations of the toxicant, 7.8125 ng/L …

Practical Considerations For Conducting Canine Behavioral Science, Lucrezia Lonardo, Madeline H. Pelgrim, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Jeffrey Stevens Publications

Research on behavior in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) has increased rapidly recently due to the interest in them as pets, working dogs, and model species for understanding evolution, domestication, and even human health. This interest in canine behavioral science has resulted in the creation of dozens of dog lab worldwide, with more starting every year. Our aim here is to review practical issues that potential dog researchers might consider when deciding how to set up a dog lab and conduct research in canine behavioral science. We hope that this can offer a path forward in promoting high-quality, cutting-edge …