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Articles 1 - 30 of 119
Full-Text Articles in Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
A Genetic Analysis Of The Rare Endemic Astragalus Ripleyi Barneby, Juan Antonio Jaramillo-Chico
A Genetic Analysis Of The Rare Endemic Astragalus Ripleyi Barneby, Juan Antonio Jaramillo-Chico
Master's Theses
Astragalus ripleyi Barneby is a rare endemic species found in the San Luis Valley of the southern portions of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and New Mexico. Though not federally listed as endangered, the species is on the Bureau of Land Management’s Sensitive Species List, warranting protection and continued management. This study aims to provide information about the genetic health of the species to inform conservation efforts and provide updated management recommendations. A genetic health analysis was conducted investigating the levels of diversity present in the species, how genetic diversity is structured across the known range of the species and …
Mobile Genetic Elements Shape Microbial Diversity And Functions In Thawing Permafrost Soils, Jiarong Guo, Samuel T. N. Aroney, Guillermo Domínguez-Huerta, Derek Smith, Dean Vik, Carlos Owusu-Ansah, Akbar Adjie Pratama, Sergei Solonenko, Funing Tian, Cristina Howard-Varona, Zhi-Ping Zhong, Aminata Fofana, Garrett J. Smith, Suzanne B. Hodgkins, Dylan Cronin, Isogenie Field Teams 2010–2017, 2019, Emerge Coordinators, Ben J. Woodcroft, Gene W. Tyson, Virginia I. Rich, Matthew B. Sullivan, Simon Roux, Sarah C. Bagby, Michael Ibba
Mobile Genetic Elements Shape Microbial Diversity And Functions In Thawing Permafrost Soils, Jiarong Guo, Samuel T. N. Aroney, Guillermo Domínguez-Huerta, Derek Smith, Dean Vik, Carlos Owusu-Ansah, Akbar Adjie Pratama, Sergei Solonenko, Funing Tian, Cristina Howard-Varona, Zhi-Ping Zhong, Aminata Fofana, Garrett J. Smith, Suzanne B. Hodgkins, Dylan Cronin, Isogenie Field Teams 2010–2017, 2019, Emerge Coordinators, Ben J. Woodcroft, Gene W. Tyson, Virginia I. Rich, Matthew B. Sullivan, Simon Roux, Sarah C. Bagby, Michael Ibba
Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research
Ecosystems are shaped by communities of microorganisms whose niches and impacts depend on functional profiles influenced by gene gains and losses. Culture-based experiments demonstrate that mobile genetic elements (MGEs) can mediate gene flux, but quantitative understanding of these dynamics in natural systems remains limited. Here we develop and apply a systematic, meta-omic framework to investigate MGEs in a complex natural system using an 8-year soil time series collected at Stordalen Mire, in Sweden’s thawing permafrost margin. In this climate-critical peatland, we identify ~2.1 million MGE recombinases across 89 microbial phyla and assess ecological distributions, affected functions, past mobility and current …
Investigating Cryptic Diversity In The Hawaiian Endemic Plant, Psychotria Mariniana (Rubiaceae), Uyen Thi Hoang Nguyen
Investigating Cryptic Diversity In The Hawaiian Endemic Plant, Psychotria Mariniana (Rubiaceae), Uyen Thi Hoang Nguyen
Master's Theses
Islands, with their isolation and steep environmental gradients, serve as natural laboratories for studying speciation. Molecular phylogenetic and population genetic methods utilizing Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) have revolutionized our ability to document patterns of genetic divergence and diversity. Cryptic diversity, genetically distinct populations that were previously unrecognized as unique, and cryptic speciation, where divergent genetic populations may be deserving of status as unique species, have been observed in many taxa. The Hawaiian Islands provide an ideal setting for studying divergence and speciation due to their extreme isolation, known ages, and volcanic origin. Previous work has investigated the evolutionary relationships of the …
Quantifying Genetic Diversity In Nematode Feeding Rate, Jacob King
Quantifying Genetic Diversity In Nematode Feeding Rate, Jacob King
Honors Theses
Understanding how populations persist under changing environmental conditions is a central question in ecology and evolutionary biology. Variation in traits related to resource acquisition may play a key role in determining population survival when resources are limited or fluctuate over time. In this study, I investigated how variation in feeding-related traits influences population persistence using a combination of computational modeling and laboratory experiments. I developed a stochastic, individual-based consumer–resource model to simulate population dynamics across varying levels of trait variance and resource regimes. Across 60,000 simulated populations, increased trait variation consistently reduced extinction risk and extended persistence time, although the …
Assessing Differential Expression In Skin Of Surface Versus Subterranean Salamanders (Eurycea) Through Development, Chiara Angelyn Maldonado, Van Nguyen, Amy Torres
Assessing Differential Expression In Skin Of Surface Versus Subterranean Salamanders (Eurycea) Through Development, Chiara Angelyn Maldonado, Van Nguyen, Amy Torres
Posters - 2026
In salamanders, previous findings have shown that subterranean environments impose different selection pressures on sensory systems than surface environments do (1). Differences in ocular development between phenotypes is part of ongoing research to better understand the evolutionary and molecular underpinnings. Studies have shown that parallel ocular development occurred in subterranean and surface phenotypes, while pax6 expression decreased in latter stages of development of subterranean species (2). These insights of gene labeling and expression as well as reduction of ocular structures in latter stages of development provide a stage for understanding evolutionary processes and genetic mechanisms as well as having potential …
Cytonuclear Incompatibilities In Hybrid Systems: Oxidative Phosphorylation Capacity And Nuclear Marker Transmission Ratio Distortion In Hybrids Of An Introgressed Strain Of Parasitoid Wasp, Julie Kessler
College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations
Speciation is an evolutionary process resulting in the divergence of populations into reproductively isolated species, a key concept that supplies our planet with an abundance of biodiversity. Mechanisms for speciation center on obstacles to fertilization and include post-zygotic barriers, such as intrinsic deleterious interactions, that arise in hybrid systems where genetic variants are combined. Genes from separate parent lineages are often incompatible due to the co-evolution of paired genes within a singular species not matching their complement genes in another species, and the result is a reduction in fitness of the hybrid when these genes come together. The mitochondrial OXPHOS …
A Fine-Scale Genomic Study Of Cheat Mountain Salamanders (Plethodon Nettingi) On Managed Public Land, Amylynn Nicole Ephraim
A Fine-Scale Genomic Study Of Cheat Mountain Salamanders (Plethodon Nettingi) On Managed Public Land, Amylynn Nicole Ephraim
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
Habitat fragmentation has the potential to isolate localized populations, particularly those which are understood to have limited dispersal capabilities. This isolation can reduce genetic diversity through the effects of inbreeding depression, and small populations are more susceptible to the impacts of genetic drift. In this study, I aim to understand the level of genetic connectivity between known occupied patches of Cheat Mountain salamanders (Plethodon nettingi; CMS) on managed public land. CMS are a federally threatened, high-elevation, West Virginia endemic species associated with red spruce (Picea rubens) forests. I used double-digest restriction site associated DNA (ddRAD) sequencing …
Gene Expression Of Anthocyanin Pigments In The California Native Plant Leptosiphon Parviflorus: Interactions Between Flower Color Morphology And Abiotic Stressors, Weston Gonor
Master's Theses
For plants to survive in harsh conditions imposed by abiotic stressors, they must develop mechanisms of adaptation. One of the common types of adaptation seen in plants is the production of anthocyanin pigments, which have been shown to protect plants from UV radiation, metabolic stress, and drought. In this study, we used the flower color polymorphic species Leptosiphon parviflorus to investigate the role of anthocyanin pigments in protecting plants from abiotic stress. To accomplish this, RNA samples were taken from flower, leaf and root tissue of different flower color morphs of Leptosiphon parviflorus (Polemoniaceae) grown in high magnesium and water …
A Genetic And Spatial Analysis Of The Last Megafaunal Species (Tapirus Terrestris) In The Paraguayan Dry Chaco Forest, Emily Bowers
A Genetic And Spatial Analysis Of The Last Megafaunal Species (Tapirus Terrestris) In The Paraguayan Dry Chaco Forest, Emily Bowers
LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations
No abstract provided.
Chromosome Evolution Model Reveals Hidden Variation In Karyotype-Driven Speciation In Ferns, Thomas Buchloh
Chromosome Evolution Model Reveals Hidden Variation In Karyotype-Driven Speciation In Ferns, Thomas Buchloh
All Theses
Because karyotype change commonly generates reproductive isolation between diverging species, rapid karyotype evolution, like that seen in plants, may increase the total rate of diversification. However, few studies have investigated this predicted relationship. Tests of this prediction have identified a positive correlation between the rate of karyotype change (specifically whole genome duplications) and diversification, but tests have been restricted to relatively small and young clades. Fortunately, novel macroevolutionary models have recently become available to investigate patterns of karyotype evolution in large phylogenies, providing new opportunity to investigate variation in karyotype driven diversification. Ferns are one of the most karyotype rich …
Robust Sex Determination In The Caenorhabditis Nigoni Germ Line, Jonathan P Harbin, Yongquan Shen, Shin-Yi Lin, Kevin Kemper, Eric S Haag, Erich M Schwarz, Ronald E Ellis
Robust Sex Determination In The Caenorhabditis Nigoni Germ Line, Jonathan P Harbin, Yongquan Shen, Shin-Yi Lin, Kevin Kemper, Eric S Haag, Erich M Schwarz, Ronald E Ellis
Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research
Sexual characteristics and reproductive systems are dynamic traits in many taxa, but the developmental modifications that allow change and innovation are largely unknown. A leading model for this process is the evolution of self-fertile hermaphrodites from male/female ancestors. However, these studies require direct analysis of sex-determination in male/female species, as well as in the hermaphroditic species that are related to them. In Caenorhabditis nematodes this has only become possible recently, with the discovery of new species. Here, we use gene editing to characterize major sex-determination genes in C. nigoni, a sister to the widely studied hermaphroditic species C. briggsae. These …
Life After Death: Investigating The Resistance And Recovery Of Fungal Communities To Foundation Tree Mortality, Jessie F. Marlenee
Life After Death: Investigating The Resistance And Recovery Of Fungal Communities To Foundation Tree Mortality, Jessie F. Marlenee
Biology ETDs
Tree mortality can have cascading effects on the composition and resilience of interacting fungal communities. Yet, little is known about the impact tree mortality, distinct from abiotic drivers (i.e., drought), has on these communities. This dissertation focuses on the resilience of fungal communities to experimental tree mortality in a piñon-juniper woodland. In chapter one, I found that piñon mortality reduced piñon fine root biomass and piñon mycorrhizal fungal diversity, whereas juniper mycorrhizal fungi were unaffected by juniper mortality. In chapter two, I revealed that piñon mortality altered the composition and spatial structure of mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi in the soil, …
Mitochondrial Mrna And The Small Subunit Rrna In Budding Yeasts Undergo 3'-End Processing At Conserved Species-Specific Elements, Michael Anikin, Michael F Henry, Viktoria Hodorova, Hristo B Houbaviy, Jozef Nosek, Dimitri G Pestov, Dmitriy A Markov
Mitochondrial Mrna And The Small Subunit Rrna In Budding Yeasts Undergo 3'-End Processing At Conserved Species-Specific Elements, Michael Anikin, Michael F Henry, Viktoria Hodorova, Hristo B Houbaviy, Jozef Nosek, Dimitri G Pestov, Dmitriy A Markov
Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research
Respiration in eukaryotes depends on mitochondrial protein synthesis, which is performed by organelle-specific ribosomes translating organelle-encoded mRNAs. Although RNA maturation and stability are central events controlling mitochondrial gene expression, many of the molecular details in this pathway remain elusive. These include
Assessing Genetic Diversity And Population Structure In The Imperiled Aconitum Reclinatum (White Monkshood), An Endemic Wildflower Of Central Appalachia, Diamanda A. Zizis
Assessing Genetic Diversity And Population Structure In The Imperiled Aconitum Reclinatum (White Monkshood), An Endemic Wildflower Of Central Appalachia, Diamanda A. Zizis
Master’s Theses
Aconitum reclinatum, white monkshood (Ranunculaceae), is a Pennsylvania critically imperiled plant species found in five states of the Appalachian region of the United States: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. This plant is adapted to cool, moist environments but faces threats from increasing habitat loss, deer browse, logging, and changes in rainfall and temperature associated with climate change. Comprehensive knowledge of A. reclinatum genetic population structure remains limited. To address this, we collaborated with Natural Heritage programs within the range of A. reclinatum to sample populations across the species distribution and generate a genotyping-by-sequencing data set of …
The Influence Of Environmental Change On Genetic Diversity Across Spatial And Taxonomic Scales, Connor M. French
The Influence Of Environmental Change On Genetic Diversity Across Spatial And Taxonomic Scales, Connor M. French
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
The spatial distribution of genetic diversity is of interest to biodiversity scientists and conservationists and is a fundamental metric of biodiversity. Genetic diversity patterns across spatial and taxonomic scales contain information about population and assemblage dynamics that can convey their resilience to environmental change. Ectotherms are especially linked to their environments and may be especially sensitive to fluctuations in the environment over time. Herein, I investigate global and regional patterns of genetic diversity in two groups of ectotherms, insects and lizards, to understand the relationship between environmental change and genetic diversity, from populations to assemblages. Overall, my research aims to …
The Role Of Elevation In The Migration, Physiology, And Genomic Diversification Of Birds, Jessie L. Williamson
The Role Of Elevation In The Migration, Physiology, And Genomic Diversification Of Birds, Jessie L. Williamson
Biology ETDs
Elevational gradients cause profound eco-climatic variation across short distances. Partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) is a severe challenge that organisms face at high elevations; due partly to specialization on PO2, most Neotropical bird species have narrow elevational ranges. However, a small fraction are elevational generalists that span sea level to high elevations, and a subset undertake extreme migratory journeys from low to high elevations biannually. My dissertation combines diverse approaches across levels of biological organization to understand how elevation impacts the ecology, evolution, physiology, and migration of montane birds. I examined ‘extreme’ elevational …
Single-Cell Analysis Identifies Plk1 As A Driver Of Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment In Luad, Yifan Kong, Chaohao Li, Jinpeng Liu, Sai Wu
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 …
Selection During Reproduction In Mimulus Guttatus, Desmond C. Willson, Karla De Lima Berg, Mitch Cruzan
Selection During Reproduction In Mimulus Guttatus, Desmond C. Willson, Karla De Lima Berg, Mitch Cruzan
Student Research Symposium
A lack of genomic studies examining gametophytic selection and selective embryo abortion—which occur during the reproduction of angiosperms—leaves questions regarding the adaptive and evolutionary effects of these processes. Analyzing deviations from Mendelian segregation offers an avenue for identifying loci targeted by GS and SEA, and their contributions to purging of genetic load. However, other selective processes such as meiotic drive and cytonuclear interactions, as well as pollen and ovule abortion, can cause distortion. To distinguish the effects of GS and SEA from other causes of distortion, we will perform reciprocal crosses between highly homozygous and highly heterozygous individuals of Mimulus …
Avian Symbionts Of Sulawesi: Identifying And Correlating Malaria Parasites And The Microbiome In Communities Of Endemic Avian Hosts, Rachael Joakim
Avian Symbionts Of Sulawesi: Identifying And Correlating Malaria Parasites And The Microbiome In Communities Of Endemic Avian Hosts, Rachael Joakim
Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Since the evolution of complex organisms, there have been communities of symbionts inhabiting them. Thanks to the development of parallel sequencing techniques, DNA of entire microbial communities can be sequenced from a single sample. Some microbes can be parasitic in nature, such as Haemosporida, an order of eukaryotes causing malaria. While most symbionts form a more commensal host relationship in wild systems, host-symbiont dynamics can vary in pathogenicity based on biotic and abiotic factors. In vertebrates, microbial communities in the gut play a major role in host function, including immune responses to Haemosporida. Though this relationship is most commonly explored …
Surveys Of Aphonopelma Hentzi In Missouri: Conservation Efforts Through Population, Genetics, And Habitat Studies, Anderson B. Spencer Mr., Becky Hansis-O'Niell
Surveys Of Aphonopelma Hentzi In Missouri: Conservation Efforts Through Population, Genetics, And Habitat Studies, Anderson B. Spencer Mr., Becky Hansis-O'Niell
Undergraduate Research Symposium
Aphonopelma hentzi and other tarantula species are greatly understudied organisms. In the Missouri regions there is little knowledge on their mating patterns, gene diversity, or population sizes. The focal glades in this experiment display regional fragmentation, which could prevent tarantulas from traveling and mating between regions of their glades. Due to the lack of knowledge surrounding them, methods for determining gene diversity are harmful to the organism. Our recent work has shown that it is possible to extract genetic information from the molts of burrowing tarantulas. This will allow us to safely determine the lineages and interbreeding patterns of the …
Can Edna Be Used To Locate Shawnee Hills Cavefish Forbesichthys Papilliferus?, Megan Brandt, Timothy Spier Phd, Gary Zeruth Phd
Can Edna Be Used To Locate Shawnee Hills Cavefish Forbesichthys Papilliferus?, Megan Brandt, Timothy Spier Phd, Gary Zeruth Phd
Murray State Theses and Dissertations
Traditional stream fish sampling methods, such as seining and electrofishing, are time consuming, expensive, and limited to short stretches of stream. However, the analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA) from water samples promises to be a quick, inexpensive method for detecting fish. The streams of the Land Between the Lakes Recreational Area (LBL) are unique, undisturbed streams which contain many interesting fish species for which little information exists. One such rare species is the Shawnee Hills Cavefish Forbesichthys papilliferus, which is known to exist in a few LBL streams. However, the complete distribution of the Shawnee Hills Cavefish in LBL …
The Genetic Diversity Of An Endangered Buttercup, Ranunculus Triternatus, Ryan Garcia
The Genetic Diversity Of An Endangered Buttercup, Ranunculus Triternatus, Ryan Garcia
All Graduate Projects
Ranunculus triternatus, a rare endemic species of the Columbia River Gorge, faces conservation challenges due to its limited range and fragmented populations. This study assesses the genetic diversity of R. triternatus and compares it with its widespread congener, Ranunculus glaberrimus, using inter-primer binding site (iPBS) markers. Genetic data from 80 individuals across eight populations were analyzed using Nei’s genetic diversity, Shannon’s diversity index, and AMOVA. Results showed R. triternatus had higher genetic diversity than western populations of R. glaberrimus, with eastern populations of R. glaberrimus displaying greater diversity than western ones. PCA, UPGMA, and STRUCTURE analysis revealed …
The Genetic Diversity Of An Endangered Buttercup, Ranunculus Triternatus, Ryan Garcia
The Genetic Diversity Of An Endangered Buttercup, Ranunculus Triternatus, Ryan Garcia
All Master's Theses
Ranunculus triternatus, a rare endemic species of the Columbia River Gorge, faces conservation challenges due to its limited range and fragmented populations. This study assesses the genetic diversity of R. triternatus and compares it with its widespread congener, Ranunculus glaberrimus, using inter-primer binding site (iPBS) markers. Genetic data from 80 individuals across eight populations were analyzed using Nei’s genetic diversity, Shannon’s diversity index, and AMOVA. Results showed R. triternatus had higher genetic diversity than western populations of R. glaberrimus, with eastern populations of R. glaberrimus displaying greater diversity than western ones. PCA, UPGMA, and STRUCTURE analysis revealed …
A Balancing Act: Microrna Mediated Insect-Bacterial Homeostasis And The Tsetse Fly, Mason Hubbard Lee
A Balancing Act: Microrna Mediated Insect-Bacterial Homeostasis And The Tsetse Fly, Mason Hubbard Lee
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
Microbial symbioses are ubiquitous across all kingdoms of life with broad and diverse impacts on the evolution of species. The sum of all microbes living in, on, or otherwise in close association with a host form the microbiota. In some cases, the development of a stable microbial association seems to have been necessary for the specialization of diet, as can be observed in numerous insect species, especially wood-eating, sap-feeding, and blood-feeding organisms. For the medically and economically tsetse fly (family Glossinidae), the mutualistic bacteria Wigglesworthia glossinidia is required for proper reproduction and supplementation of nutrients that the fly does not …
Effect Of Plant Genotype On Plant-Microbe Interactions And Multi-Generation Ecosystem Selection Of Microbial Communities Associated With Plant Biomass In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Nachiket Shankar
Graduate Doctoral Dissertations
The microbiome's role in shaping host phenotypes is a critical area of investigation, with implications for ecology, evolution, and host health. Dynamic plant-microbe interactions are influenced by factors like soil type, environment, and genotype. Understanding their impact on microbial communities is key for tailored plant benefits. An artificial ecosystem selection experiment was done for eight generations with Arabidopsis thaliana Ler and Cvi. This revealed distinct microbial communities shaped by genotypes and biomass treatments. Initially, environment dominated, but over time, genotype and biomass gained influence, explaining ~40% of the variation. Moreover, genotype-specific rhizobacterial associations were observed, enhancing understanding of community dynamics …
Investigation Of Orthohantavirus Genetics In Rodent Reservoirs And Clinical Samples, Samuel Melvin Goodfellow
Investigation Of Orthohantavirus Genetics In Rodent Reservoirs And Clinical Samples, Samuel Melvin Goodfellow
Biomedical Sciences ETDs
Orthohantaviruses are negative-sense, single stranded RNA viruses with trisegmented genomes that can cause severe disease in humans and are carried by several host reservoirs throughout the world. In the United States, Sin Nombre orthohantavirus (SNV) is the primary cause of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) with a fatality rate of ~36% and the highest cases occuring in the southwest region. The primary SNV host reservoir is thought to be the western deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, however it has been shown that other rodents can carry different orthohantaviruses. We designed a pan-orthohantavirus detection tool to survey several small mammal populations throughout New …
Characterization Of Antimicrobial Properties Of Excrement And Functional Microbiome Of Black Vultures (Coragyps Atratus), Bridgette Gray
Characterization Of Antimicrobial Properties Of Excrement And Functional Microbiome Of Black Vultures (Coragyps Atratus), Bridgette Gray
Theses
Black vultures, Coragyps atratus, are obligate scavenging birds that consume and dispose of decaying carcasses and carrion. They fulfill a key ecological niche in the environments in which they live. It has been observed that these vultures sometimes excrete bodily waste onto their legs. This adaptive behavior could help aid them in controlling bacteria and other microbes they encounter while stepping into a carcass to eat. This study directly examined the antimicrobial properties of the excrement of black vultures across various bacterial species utilizing a zone of inhibition test and a nematode species utilizing a survival assay. The black vulture …
Diversity And Dispersal Among Eastern Continental Divide Headwater Stream Fishes In Gwinnett County, Georgia., James E. Russell, Molly M. Botting, Ryan M. Davenport, Emilee J. Story, Mark Patterson
Diversity And Dispersal Among Eastern Continental Divide Headwater Stream Fishes In Gwinnett County, Georgia., James E. Russell, Molly M. Botting, Ryan M. Davenport, Emilee J. Story, Mark Patterson
Georgia Journal of Science
The eastern continental divide that bisects Georgia runs through Gwinnett County, separating headwater streams of the western Chattahoochee River watershed from headwater streams of the eastern Ocmulgee and Oconee River watersheds. This landscape feature was used to test hypotheses regarding headwater habitat, fish diversity and gene flow. Headwater habitats are dominant components of river network ecosystems delivering vital ecosystem services and biodiversity. Three headwater streams, one in the Chattahoochee watershed and two in the Oconee watershed, on Gwinnett County Park property, were sampled for differences in physical and chemical properties and fish inter- and intraspecific diversity. Our results suggest the …
Phylogeography Of The Pacific Sardine, Sardinops Sagax, In The Northeastern Pacific, Ella Adams
Phylogeography Of The Pacific Sardine, Sardinops Sagax, In The Northeastern Pacific, Ella Adams
Theses
The Pacific Sardine, (Sardinops sagax), is a small, coastal pelagic species in the family Clupeidae. Sardine are an ecologically important forage fish for many animals, including larger, economically and ecologically important fishes, and have historically supported an important commercial fishery. When the fishery declined in the 1940s, a massive effort in understanding population structure for the Pacific Sardine resulted in a wealth of literature. Initially, these studies agreed on a large panmictic population with high annual variation, but the general consensus has since been that there are multiple subpopulations of the Pacific Sardine along the West Coast of …
A Foundational Population Genetics Investigation Of The Sexual Systems Of Solanum (Solanaceae) In The Australian Monsoon Tropics Suggests Dioecious Taxa May Benefit From Increased Genetic Admixture Via Obligate Outcrossing, Jason T. Cantley, Ingrid E. Jordon-Thaden, Morgan Roche, Daniel S. Hayes, Stephamie Kate, Christopher T. Martine
A Foundational Population Genetics Investigation Of The Sexual Systems Of Solanum (Solanaceae) In The Australian Monsoon Tropics Suggests Dioecious Taxa May Benefit From Increased Genetic Admixture Via Obligate Outcrossing, Jason T. Cantley, Ingrid E. Jordon-Thaden, Morgan Roche, Daniel S. Hayes, Stephamie Kate, Christopher T. Martine
Faculty Journal Articles
Solanum section Leptostemonum is an ideal lineage to test the theoretical framework regarding proposed evolutionary benefits of outcrossing sexual systems in comparison to cosexuality. Theoretically, non-cosexual taxa should support more genetic diversity within populations, experience less inbreeding, and have less genetic structure due to a restricted ability to self-fertilize. However, many confounding factors present challenges for a confident inference that inherent differences in sexual systems influence observed genetic patterns among populations. This study provides a foundational baseline of the population genetics of several species of different sexual systems with the aim of generating hypotheses of any factor—including sexual system—that influences …