Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Bridging The Gap From Preschool To Primary: From Policy To Practice, Aimee O'Connor, Cóilín O’ Braonáin

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

No abstract provided.

Insecticide Resistance Profile In Nashville Culex Spp. Mosquito Populations, Ellie Sebaugh, Zachary Bement, Abelardo Moncayo, Darlene Panvini

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Mosquitoes may develop resistance to insecticides used by control programs, potentially increasing population density and the risk of mosquito-borne diseases. Culex spp. mosquitos are the primary vector of West Nile Virus (WNV), the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the United States and a reportable disease in Tennessee. Resistance profiles were constructed for two insecticides, permethrin and malathion, in a Culex spp. population from Nashville, Tennessee. Adult female mosquitoes were live-captured using gravid traps and tested using the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) bioassay protocol to assess resistance or susceptibility. Three inhibitors were also included to identify metabolic …

Flea News 96 (November 2025), R. L. Bossard

Flea News

Flea News is a twice-yearly newsletter about fleas (Siphonaptera). Before including in publications any of the citations given here, please review for accuracy and correct formatting. Many of our sources are abstracting journals and current literature sources, and editors have not necessarily checked citations.

Announcements

Obituary: Lane Douglas Foil (June 16, 1949 - June 22, 2025)

Siphonaptera Literature (2025): Taxonomy, Conservation, Hosts and Distributions, Physiology and Morphology, Evolution, Ecology, Pathology and Control, Microbial Symbionts

Comparative Decomposition Rates Of Prickly Pear And Sage Using Litterbags, Curtis Jang, Vy Ly, Ashlyn Reagan, Ellie Sebaugh, Darlene Panvini

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

Litterbags are used to study nutrient cycling and track the rate of decomposition over time. Decomposition rates may vary between plant species due to various factors. One factor includes the abundance of lignin, or a structural component that provides support to a plant, which can slow the rate of decomposition. This study compared the decomposition rate of sage (Salvia officinalis), which has higher lignin levels, and prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa), which has higher water content and thus lower lignin levels. Four samples of each species, with two replicates each, were initially weighed and then placed in …

Impact Of Lignin Content On Decomposition Rates, Lindsey Powell, Olivia Fawkes, Moses Elijah Cadawas, Isaac Paul Dent, Darlene Panvini

Science University Research Symposium (SURS)

This study aimed to analyze decomposition rates of plants containing different amounts of lignin. Lignin can be found within cell wall structures in plants and aids in natural rigidity. Opuntia humifusa was chosen to represent plants with high levels of lignin, and Allium schoenoprasum was chosen in contrast because of its significantly lower levels of lignin. Due to these characteristics, A. schoenoprasum is hypothesized to decompose at a quicker rate than O. humifusa. To test this hypothesis, eight samples of O. humifusa and eight samples of A. schoenoprasum were placed in litter bags to prevent macroorganisms from aiding in …

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 …

Dusky Grouse Seasonal Resource Selection In The Great Basin Isolated Mountain Ranges Of Nevada, Usa, Stephanie Landry, Brian Smith, Erica Stuber, Shawn Espinosa, David Dahlgren

Aspen Bibliography

Dusky grouse Dendragapus obscurus are a montane forest grouse species with a paucity of information regarding their temporal and spatial resource use during critical times of high mortality and reproductive output. This lack of vital data may leave dusky grouse at risk of sub-optimal management in many areas of their distribution, especially in the isolated ‘sky island’ mountain ranges of the Great Basin, where high elevation habitats are surrounded by sagebrush and salt desert shrub land flats. Many of these high elevation habitats are being altered and lost rapidly from increasing disturbance events and effects of climate change. Our objective …

Phylogenetic Comparative Vocal Evolution, Casper W. Buchanan

Master's Theses

Vocal learning is a trait unique to humans, bats, cetaceans, primates, and birds (Jarvis & Nottebohm, 1997; McComb & Semple, 2005; Wilbrecht & Nottebohm, 2003). Although there has been extensive research on vocal learning in songbirds, parrots are an even closer proxy to human learning, as they are social, intelligent, and lifelong learners, with some having repertoires of over 300 sounds (Benedict et al., 2022; Péron et al., 2011; Thomsen et al., 2019; Toft & Wright, 2015). Elevated vocal learning can be attributed to the need for parrots to have strong communication skills through the sharing of information over foraging, …

Living Shoreline Prioritization And Hydrodynamic Habitat Suitability Models For Restoration In The Indian River Lagoon And Lake Worth Lagoon, Florida, Kelly M. Kibler, Melinda J. Donnelly, Vincent Encomio, Madison Giuntoli, Manisha Thenuwara, Brice Bennett, Laura Andrade Barron, Mariam Sonbol, Wynter Raine Seppala, Namritha Ramakrishnan, Jennifer Jordan Báez, Beth Orlando, Irene Arpayoglou, Melissa Meisenburg

Indian River Lagoon Shorelines

The spatial dataset: UCF_shorelinemodel_IRL_LWL.shp, was created with support from the Indian River Lagoon National Estuaries Program and Florida Sea Grant. These projects cumulatively led to creation of a living shoreline restoration prioritization model and hydrodynamic habitat suitability models for 1,550 km (963 miles) of estuarine shorelines in Indian River Lagoon and Lake Worth Lagoon.

The dataset presented herein includes:

1. shoreline data from >15,000 transects collected in the field,
2. shoreline wave climate data created through hydrodynamic modeling and frequency analysis of historic data,
3. categorization of potential risk for shoreline boat wake impact,
4. persistence of seagrass within 210 m of the shoreline, …

Bioaccumulation Pattern Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (Pfas) In Fish Tissues From Two Freshwater Systems, Margaret D. Taiwo, Husam Kafeenah, David D. Duvernell, Michael O. Eze

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known for their persistence, ubiquity, bioaccumulation in different matrices of the environment and their detrimental effect on human health. In this study, we used EPA 1633 to examine the prevalence of ten PFAS compounds in two freshwater systems and investigated their bioaccumulation pattern across different tissues of grass carp fish (Ctenopharyngodon idella), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), and flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris). Among the PFAS compounds analyzed, PFBS exhibited the highest concentration in the freshwater sample, exceeding the U.S. EPA regulatory limit of 4 ng/L for drinking water. The total PFAS concentrations in the muscle, …

‘Earth System Engineers’ And The Cumulative Impact Of Organisms In Deep Time, Simon A. F. Darroch, Michelle M. Casey, Alison T. Cribb, Amanda E. Bates, Matthew E. Clapham, Dori L. Contreras, Matthew Craffey, Ivo A. P. Duijnstee, William Gearty, Nicholas J. Gotelli, Marcus J. Hamilton, Riley F. Hayes, Pincelli M. Hull, Daniel E. Ibarra, V. A. Korasidis, Jaemin Lee, Cindy V. Looy, Tyler R. Lyson, Benjamin Muddiman, Peter D. Roopnarine, Alex B. Shupinski, Felisa A. Smith, Alycia L. Stigall, Catalina P. Tomé, Katherine A. Turk, Amelia Villaseñor, Peter J. Wagner, Steve C. Wang, S. Kathleen Lyons

College of Life Sciences Faculty Papers

Understanding the role of humans as 'ecosystem engineers' requires a deep-time perspective rooted in evolutionary history and the fossil record. However, no conceptual framework exists for studying the rise of ecosystem engineering in deep time, requiring us to consider effects that fall outside the scope of traditional definitions. Here, we present a new framework applicable to both modern and ancient engineering-type effects. We propose a new term - 'Earth system engineering' - to describe biological processes that alter the structure and function of planetary spheres, and which combines core tenets of ecosystem engineering, niche construction, and legacy effects. We illustrate …

Detection And Classification Of Invasive Callery Pear From Multisource Satellite Imageries In Google Earth Engine, Kavi Raj Awasthi, Nilesh Timilsina, Denita Hadziabdic, Federico Iuricich, William E. Klingeman, Marcin Nowicki, Brook T. Russell, Jessica A. Hartshorn

Publications

Assessing the spatial distribution of invasive species is a critical component for establishing baselines to examine the rate of spread, documenting key areas where negative impacts on ecosystems can be mitigated, and developing sustainable management strategies. Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana Decne.; PC) is a rapidly spreading invasive woody plant species in the eastern United States (U.S.). The incursion of these wild-type trees into urban, peri-urban, and rural landscapes, which have escaped from transplanted clonal cultivars, poses complex management challenges for land managers and hampers ecosystem function by competing with native plant species and altering the forest environment. We integrated …

Multilevel Selection In The Margins: A Review Of Its Representation In Undergraduate Biology Textbooks, C. A. Greene, S. J. Mcpeek, L. Mitchem, A. B. Clark, Vincent A. Formica

Biology Faculty Works

Multilevel selection (MLS) is a foundational framework that expands the concept of natural selection beyond the traditional focus on individuals or genes to larger units, like groups. Despite strong empirical support and applications in a broad range of biological fields, MLS, often referred to as group selection, has a controversial history, which has impeded its wide use and led to incorrect inferences on the sources and strength of selection. Here, we explore how MLS is currently presented to undergraduate biology students by analyzing the content of nine commonly used Evolutionary Biology and Animal Behavior textbooks. We ask whether and how …

Using Rattlesnake Venom To Model Complex Trait Evolution Across Ecological And Evolutionary Scales, Samuel R. Hirst

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A central challenge in evolutionary biology is understanding how genetic variation leads to phenotypicdiversity, particularly for complex traits that strongly influence fitness. Traits form the substrate of natural selection, but it is genes, that are inherited across generations. To fully understand the evolutionary process, we must therefore connect the molecular basis of trait variation with the evolutionary outcomes of such traits.

For relatively simple traits, the genotype–phenotype relationship is well understood. Classic systems, such as coat color in beach mice or toxin resistance in garter snakes, have provided effective examples of how relatively few loci underlie conspicuous adaptive differences across …

Dramatic Biases In Terrestrial Nitrogen Fixation In Earth System Models Revealed By Natural Isotope Signatures, Maoyuan Fang, Shushi Peng, Philippe Ciais, Daniel S. Goll, Benjamin Z. Houlton, Ying-Ping Wang, Yilong Wang, Pan Liu, Joshua B. Fisher, Pierre Regnier

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is the primary input of new reactive nitrogen to natural terrestrial ecosystems. However, this flux is poorly constrained due to its unclear drivers and associated control mechanisms. Here, we extend the existing theory of nitrogen (N) isotope mass balance to estimate BNF rates and then use a Bayesian approach to constrain the BNF rates in natural terrestrial ecosystems by using measurements of natural N-isotope ratios (δ¹⁵N) in plants (δ_P) and soil (δ_S). Together with pairwise δ_P and δ_S measurements from 18 forest sites covering diverse climates and thousands …

Genetic Characterization And High-Resolution Total Mrna Sequencing Of The Millipede Cherokia Georgiana Bollman, 1889, Elena Cruz

Biology Theses

There are approximately 12,000 described species within the class Diplopoda. Only six species, falling within four of sixteen orders, have fully sequenced genomes. No whole genomes are available for incredibly diverse families like Xystodesmidae. Many interesting characteristics in this group are poorly defined at the genetic level, such as the production of a defensive hydrogen cyanide secretion and UV fluorescence in the order Polydesmida. Here, we present a genetic characterization of the polydesmid millipede Cherokia georgiana Bollman, 1889. We include tissue-specific sequencing metrics, alignment and assembly of mitochondrial DNA consensus sequence according to tissue type, and phylogenetic tree construction using …

The Consciousness Inherent In Chasing Your Tail, Sergio M. Pellis Dr.

Animal Sentience

Who is conscious and how do we know? Complexity in behavior and cognition is certainly a clue that cannot be ignored in identifying this trait, and as Mather’s target article shows, it is hard not to imagine consciousness arising in cephalopods. But how complex is complex? An alternative may be gleaned from the fact that all living things rely on negative feedback to navigate their worlds, and this requires all sentient beings knowing what is to be stabilized in reflection to themselves. If so, consciousness is a universal trait.

The Term Consciousness And Impressive Evidence For Cephalopod Awareness, Donald M. Broom

Animal Sentience

Mather presents comprehensive evidence of cephalopod cognitive ability and of a high level of awareness. The importance of taking account of the biological functioning and adaptations to the living environment is emphasised. An argument is presented that it is better to limit the use of the word conscious to ‘not unconscious’ and to use awareness in relation to the various levels of cognitive functioning.

Sequestration Of Plant Defenses By Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma Delicatula) And Effects On Avian Predators, Anne E. Johnson, Allison Cornell, Fang Zhu, Ashley E. Shay, Gabrielle Davis, Kelli Hoover

Biology Faculty Publications

Lycorma delicatula is a polyphagous phloem feeder, which is spreading rapidly in the U.S., and is a major threat to grapes, hops, and ornamentals. Among its hosts, L. delicatulaprefers Ailanthus altissima, an invasive tree from which it sequesters toxins, including several quassinoid compounds. We tested how these defenses affected predation by birds of nymphal and adult L. delicatula. Freeze-killed nymphs of each instar were reared with or without access to A. altissima and placed into cups on top of nest boxes occupied by house wrens (Troglodytes aedon). House wrens ate or fed their chicks a …

Limb Regeneration In Damselflies Based On Developmental Stage, Haven O. Clements

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

Injury is common in wild animals, yet some species possess an adaptive advantage: regeneration. Enallagma vesperum, a species of damselfly, exhibits this regenerative ability, though its persistence and effectiveness across developmental stages remain poorly understood. While previous studies indicate that regeneration ceases following adult emergence, it is unclear whether this ability also diminishes prior to the final larval molt. This study investigated the effectiveness of limb regeneration in E. vesperum across early and late larval instars. I hypothesized that earlier instars would exhibit greater regenerative success due to fewer competing energetic demands compared to later instars, which may prioritize …

Flawed Analysis Invalidates Claim Of A Strong Yellowstone Trophic Cascade After Wolf Reintroduction: A Comment On Ripple Et Al. (2025), Dan R. Macnulty, David Cooper, Michael Procko, T.J. Clark-Wolf

Aspen Bibliography

Ripple et al. (2025) recently argued that large carnivore recovery in Yellowstone National Park triggered one of the world’s strongest trophic cascades, citing a ∼1500 % increase in willow crown volume derived from plant height data. In this comment, we show that their conclusion is invalid due to fundamental methodological flaws. These include use of a tautological volume model, violations of key modeling assumptions, comparisons across unmatched plots, and the misapplication of equilibrium-based metrics in a non-equilibrium system. Additionally, Ripple et al. rely on selectively framed photographic evidence and omit critical drivers such as human hunting in their causal attribution. …

Consciousness Below Scuba Depths, Michael Vecchione

Animal Sentience

Abstract: Jennifer Mather has nicely summarized what is known about consciousness in shallow water octopods as well as what is known about shallow water squids and cuttlefish. However, once she gets below SCUBA depths, she misses out on most of cephalopod diversity. I have attempted to add this aspect and perhaps some evolutionary biology to this target article.

The Effects Of Plastic Mulch And Irrigation On Hemp Chemistry And Leaf Endophytes, Allison Rietman, Connor Morozumi, Robert C. Pearce, Natalie Christian

Journal of Agricultural Hemp Research

As an emerging crop, cultivation techniques for industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) are still being developed and optimized. For example, irrigation and plastic mulching are some management practices that have been touted for their benefits in improving crop quality. Both techniques ensure ample water availability, which has often been attributed to improving hemp cannabinoid and terpene composition. In this study, we examined how supplemental irrigation implemented in a plastic mulch system influenced the cannabinoid and terpene profiles of one cultivar of CBD hemp, Lifter. We grew industrial hemp in field with plastic mulch and applied regular irrigation to one group …

Notes On Reproduction, Seasonality, And Roost Sites For Silver-Haired Bats (Lasionycteris Noctivagans) In Western Nebraska, Joseph W. Paysen, Dawson V. Kosmicki, Keith Geluso

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Silver-haired Bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans) are a migratory species found throughout the United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico. Throughout their range, Silver-haired Bats roost in various tree species, generally within decaying features like cavities and exfoliated bark. Herein we report on additional reproductive and seasonal data as well as the first data on trees used as roost sites by Silver-haired Bats in Nebraska. We captured individuals along a small tributary of the North Platte River at Ash Hollow State Historical Park, Garden County, Nebraska, and tracked bats to their roosts. At this location, we documented lactation on 17 …

Attributes Of Artificial Wetlands Colonized By Ambystoma Maculatum On A Virginia Surface Mine, Hunter Hill, Garrett Stiltner, Walter H. Smith

Virginia Journal of Science

Landscapes impacted by surface mineral extraction present a range of artificial wetland habitats potentially useable by pool-breeding amphibians, although little information exists in the literature detailing which attributes influence breeding site selection by wetland amphibian specialists in post-mined landscapes. We compared attributes of artificial wetlands consistently used and unused as oviposition sites by Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) over a six-year period on a 120-ha former surface mine in Wise County, Virginia, USA. Salamanders non-randomly selected wetlands as oviposition sites, with one-third of available wetlands within the study area showing evidence of ovipositioning. Wetlands used as breeding sites were …

Attitudes Toward The Continued Protection Of Gray Wolves Under The Endangered Species Act, John A. Vucetich, Jeremy T. Bruskotter

Michigan Tech Publications

In February 2024, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced their intention to develop – for the first time – a National Recovery Plan under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for gray wolves in the lower 48 states. In August 2025, a federal judge vacated the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) decision denying ESA protections for gray wolves in the Western U.S.

Those events represent key context for this report, which describes the results of a web-based survey implemented in July and August of 2025 and designed to assess the attitudes of residents of the contiguous United States, as …

Mhc Gene Analysis And Immune Variation In Lepidodactylus Lugubris (The Mourning Gecko), Helen T. Vu

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plays a central role in vertebrate immune defense by enabling pathogen recognition and initiating adaptive immune responses. While MHC diversity has been extensively studied in sexually reproducing species, comparatively little is known about its evolution in asexual lineages. The parthenogenetic gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris provides a unique opportunity to investigate how clonality and hybrid origins influence immune gene diversity. By leveraging whole-genome data, this study overcomes the limitations of previous transcriptome-based analyses and provides a more comprehensive view of MHC diversity in a clonal vertebrate. As the first step towards understanding MHC evolution in parthenogenetic lizards, …

Zero Textbook Cost Syllabus For Env 3070 (Agroecology), Benjamin Iuliano

Open Educational Resources

Our relationships with the food we eat are deeply personal, but also connect us to a wide array of people, plants, animals, and landscapes around the world. Encompassing a diversity of scholarly approaches, the field of agroecology seeks to understand the interactions among these components, draw attention to the consequences of our present industrial food system, and create the conditions for more sustainable and just futures. In this course, students will learn about the science, practice, and social movement of agroecology through lectures, course discussions, field trips, and hands-on activities.

Population Genomics And Status Of The Flattened Musk Turtle (Sternotherus Depressus) In The Locust Fork Of The Black Warrior River, Seamus C. O'Brien

Theses

Alabama is home to some of the highest freshwater endemism in the world and ranks near the top in numbers of endangered and extinct species. One of these endangered species is the Flattened Musk Turtle (FMT), only found in the Black Warrior River Drainage of Alabama above the Fall Line. The FMT is listed as “Threatened” by the United State Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act and is considered Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature due to drastic declines in populations since the 1980s. Declines have been attributed to several factors, including …

Hooks For Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4dee) Teaching With Differing Audiences Of Nonmajors, Sara E. Scanga, Vikki L. Rodgers, Loren B. Byrne, Justin R. St. Juliana, Jon M. Honea, Erica S. Tietjen, George Middendorf

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Nonmajors (i.e., undergraduate students not majoring in the natural sciences) constitute a majority of United States college graduates and are a large potential audience for courses with ecology content. However, nonmajors may be unmotivated to learn about ecology because they perceive it to be uninteresting and irrelevant to their everyday lives or career goals. Although the Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) framework can be adapted for nonmajors courses as a starting point to improve student engagement, we suggest that nonmajors ecology instructors also use ecology hooks as effective gateways to 4DEE that will motivate and deepen student learning. Selecting and developing …