Physiology Commons^™

Validation Of The Use Of Doubly Labeled Water For Measuring Metabolic Rate In Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Horridus), Caitlin Hirsh

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The doubly labeled water method is an isotopic technique for measuring field metabolic rate and water flux rates of free-living animals. We present a validation of the use doubly labeled water for measuring metabolic rate and water loss in Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus). For this study seven animals of varying body size were used with masses ranging from 148 to 650 grams. Prior to dosing, blood samples were taken to establish background isotope levels for each animal. Snakes were injected with water enriched with isotopes of oxygen (18O) and hydrogen (2H, deuterium). The injected isotopes were then allowed to equilibrate …

Response Of Leukocyte Profiles To Corticosterone Manipulation In The Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus Viridus), Jill E. Guillette

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Prior work has shown that when animals are stressed they have altered leukocyte profiles. The use of leukocyte profiles could provide an inexpensive and efficient method for determining stress. Here we present a validation of the use of leukocyte profiles for showing induced stress in Prairie Rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridus). Snakes (N=19) with masses ranging from 682g to 137g were used in a repeated measures design to examine the effect of hormone manipulation on leukocyte profiles. During each trial snakes were dosed with either corticosterone and sesame oil (1.1µg/g) or only sesame oil. Prior to dosing, baseline blood samples …

Elevational Variation In Body-Temperature Response To Immune Challenge In A Lizard, Francisco Javier Zamora-Camacho, Senda Reguera, Gregorio Moreno-Rueda

Dartmouth Scholarship

Immunocompetence benefits animal fitness by combating pathogens, but also entails some costs. One of its main components is fever, which in ectotherms involves two main types of costs: energy expenditure and predation risk. Whenever those costs of fever outweigh its benefits, ectotherms are expected not to develop fever, or even to show hypothermia, reducing costs of thermoregulation and diverting the energy saved to other components of the immune system. Environmental thermal quality, and therefore the thermoregulation cost/benefit balance, varies geographically. Hence, we hypothesize that, in alpine habitats, immune-challenged ectotherms should show no thermal response, given that (1) hypothermia would be …

Long-Term, High Frequency In Situ Measurements Of Intertidal Mussel Bed Temperatures Using Biomimetic Sensors, Brian Helmuth, Francis Choi, Allison Matzelle, Jessica Torossian, Scott Morello, K.A.S. Mislan, Lauren Yamane, Denise Strickland, P. Szathmary, Sarah Gilman, Alyson Tockstein, Thomas Hilbish, Michael Burrows, Anne Marie Power, Elizabeth Gosling, Nova Mieszkowska, Christopher Harley, Michael Nishizaki, Emily Carrington, Bruce Menge, Laura Petes, Melissa Foley, Angela Johnson, Megan Poole, Mae Noble, Erin Richmond, Matt Robart, Jonathan Robinson, Jerod Sapp, Jackie Sones, Bernardo Broitman, Mark Denny, Katharine Mach, Luke P. Miller, Michael O'Donnell, Philip Ross, Gretchen Hofmann, Mackenzie Zippay, Carol Blanchette, J. Macfarlan, Eugenio Carpizo-Ituarte, Benjamin Ruttenberg, Carlos Peña Mejía, Christopher Mcquaid, Justin Lathlean, Cristián Monaco, Katy Nicastro, Gerardo Zardi

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

At a proximal level, the physiological impacts of global climate change on ectothermic organisms are manifest as changes in body temperatures. Especially for plants and animals exposed to direct solar radiation, body temperatures can be substantially different from air temperatures. We deployed biomimetic sensors that approximate the thermal characteristics of intertidal mussels at 71 sites worldwide, from 1998-present. Loggers recorded temperatures at 10–30 min intervals nearly continuously at multiple intertidal elevations. Comparisons against direct measurements of mussel tissue temperature indicated errors of ~2.0–2.5 °C, during daily fluctuations that often exceeded 15°–20 °C. Geographic patterns in thermal stress based on biomimetic …

Molt In Individuals: A Description Of Prealternate Molt Phenology In A Population Of Snowy Plovers In Humboldt County, California, Alexa Dejoannis

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Molt in birds is an essential physiological process. Intrinsic and extrinsic conditions, such as age, sex, location, or food stress, may cause individual variation in molt phenology. This study describes the timing of prealternate molt in western snowy plovers (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) wintering in Humboldt County, California, USA. Between July 2014 and April 2015, I photographed uniquely marked plovers twice a month and assigned dates of initiation and completion. I modeled sex, age, hatch date, and breeding location as predictors of molt phenology. I observed prealternate molt from October to April, which is earlier than previously described. Males …

Anthropomorphic Denial Of Fish Pain, Lynne U. Sneddon, Matthew C. Leach

Animal Sentience

Key (2016) affirms that we do not know how the fish brain processes pain but denies — because fish lack a human-like cortex — that fish can feel pain. He affirms that birds, like fish, have a singly-laminated cortex and that the structure of the bird brain is quite different from that of the human brain, yet he does not deny that birds can feel pain. In this commentary we describe how Key cites studies that substantiate mammalian pain but discounts the same kind of data as evidence of fish pain. We suggest that Key's interpretations are illogical, do not …

Success Stories And Emerging Themes In Conservation Physiology, Christine L. Madliger, Steven J. Cooke, Erica J. Crespi, Jennifer L. Funk, Kevin R. Hultine, Kathleen E. Hunt, Jason R. Rohr, Brent J. Sinclair, Cory D. Suski, Craig K. R. Willis, Oliver P. Love

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The potential benefits of physiology for conservation are well established and include greater specificity of management techniques, determination of cause–effect relationships, increased sensitivity of health and disturbance monitoring and greater capacity for predicting future change. While descriptions of the specific avenues in which conservation and physiology can be integrated are readily available and important to the continuing expansion of the discipline of ‘conservation physiology’, to date there has been no assessment of how the field has specifically contributed to conservation success. However, the goal of conservation physiology is to foster conservation solutions and it is therefore important to assess whether …

Longevity Of Mineral Supplements Within The Soil And Associated Use By White-Tailed Deer, Brian C. Peterson, Keith D. Koupal, Andrew K. Schissel, Cody M. Siegel

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Humans have baited wildlife such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) for generations with the primary purpose of increasing hunting harvest success. Baiting regulation changes are often considered by state management agencies as they pertain to hunting opportunity, fair chase, and disease risk. Cervids require a variety of minerals to supplement biological processes, especially sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), and phosphorus (P). We developed artificial mineral supplement sites set in front of trail cameras to monitor deer use. Pooled soil samples were collected at mineral sites and compared to the surrounding area to determine the longevity of elevated minerals levels …

Effects Of Supplemental Hydration On Physiology And Behavior Of Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Oreganus Oreganus), Griffin D. Capehart

Master's Theses

Hydration is a critical element for many physiological processes in vertebrates, such as protein production, innate immunity, and behavioral processes such as daily activity and thermoregulation. Few studies have directly assessed the effect of hydration on these animals in nature. While it seems intuitive that drought is stressful to animals, studies examining drought are typically observational and fail to assess how the hydration state of these animals influences their physiology and behavior. We tested for an effect of hydration on several physiological and behavioral parameters in Northern Pacific rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus oreganus) by experimentally manipulating hydration levels in …

Effects Of The Developmental Environment On Oxidative Damage And Antioxidants In Red-Eared Slider Turtle ( Trachemys Scripta Elegans ) Hatchlings, Lisa Allison Treidel

Theses and Dissertations

Developmental environments influence many individual phenotypes. However, currently we have a limited understanding of how the developmental environment influences oxidative stress resistance phenotypes. Oxidative stress is defined as a physiological state during which the production of harmful free radicals exceeds the protective capabilities of antioxidants. Variations among adults in susceptibility to oxidative stress can have important consequences for life history strategies and fitness related traits. Our work was aimed at providing insight in to the role that the developmental environment plays on oxidative stress phenotypes in the model oviparous reptile the red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans). Here, we conducted …

The Reproductive Ecology Of The Timber Rattlesnake, Crotalus Horridus, In Northwestern Arkansas: Interactions Between Environment, Steroid Hormones, And Life History, Craig Michael Lind

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I examined the relationship between individual energetic status, hormone production, and life history trait expression in field-active Timber Rattlesnakes, Crotalus horridus. In chapter one I reviewed what is known regarding these relationships in snakes and defined major research goals. In chapter two I described the seasonal profile of testosterone (T) and corticosterone (CORT) in relation to the breeding season and to individual energetic status in males. Results showed that the seasonal pattern of T production in C. horridus was different than other pit viper species with similar mating patterns. Testosterone was elevated in the months leading up …

Effects Of Pre-Release Physical Stressors On Post-Release Success Of Hatchery-Reared Spotted Seatrout, Taylor Westbrook Guest

Master's Theses

Alteration of habitat associated with coastal development and increased demand for food and recreation can result in the depletion of fisheries resources such as the Spotted Seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), the Gulf of Mexico’s most popular recreational fish. Stock enhancement, or the release of cultured fish to supplement wild populations, is one potential tool for managing important fisheries resources. Although much effort has gone into marine stock enhancement, the effectiveness of stocking is not well established, and techniques for ensuring success have not been developed. Although the basic biology of the Spotted Seatrout is well known, comparatively little is known about …

Sea Turtle Hatchling Sex Ratios Determined Via Hormone Assay: Implications Of Climate Change?, William A. Hilton, Matthew Godfrey, Camryn D. Allen

STAR Program Research Presentations

Currently all species of sea turtles are listed as threatened or endangered with extinction under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Due to their status, sea turtle conservation is a high priority for the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. One major challenge conservationists face is the lack of a noninvasive, cost efficient method for determining the sex of hatchling sea turtles. Because secondary sex characteristics (i.e. males have longer tails) are not evident until turtles start to reach sexual maturity, the sex of hatchlings is not easily determined. The least invasive way to determine the …

Development Of Neuroendocrine Components Of The Thyroid Axis In The Direct-Developing Frog Eleutherodactylus Coqui: Formation Of The Median Eminence And Onset Of Pituitary Tsh Production., David H. Jennings, Bryce Evans, James Hanken

SIUE Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

Direct-developing frogs lack, wholly or in part, a wide range of larval features found in metamorphosing species and form adult-specific features precociously, during embryogenesis. Most information on thyroid regulation of direct development relies on hormone manipulations; the ontogeny of many thyroid axis components has not been fully described. This analysis examines differentiation of the median eminence of the hypothalamus and production of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) by the pituitary of the direct-developing frog Eleutherodactylus coqui. The median eminence is established two-thirds of the way through embryogenesis. Cells immunoreactive to human TSHb antibodies are first detected during embryogenesis and quantitative changes in …

Physiological Variation Of Garry Oak (Quercus Garryana) Seedlings To Drought Stress, Matthew A. Merz

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine physiological differences in drought response among Garry oak (Quercus garryana Douglas ex Hook. [Fagaceae]) seedlings that grow in distinct populations in Washington state, in order to aid in restoration efforts by informing growers of the potential differences between the acorn collection sites. Acorns from six Washington populations east of the Cascades, as well as one population from Whidbey Island, were collected and grown in containers under controlled conditions. The plants were assessed with and without moderate and severe drought stress induced by withholding water. The most extreme differences in photosynthetic characteristics …

Oxygenation Properties And Isoform Diversity Of Snake Hemoglobins, Jay F. Storz, Chandrasekhar Natarajan, Hideaki Moriyama, Federico G. Hoffmann, Tobias Wang, Angela Fago, Hans Malte, Johannes Overgaard, Roy E. Weber

Jay F. Storz Publications

Available data suggest that snake hemoglobins (Hbs) are characterized by a combination of unusual structural and functional properties relative to the Hbs of other amniote vertebrates, including oxygenation-linked tetramer-dimer dissociation. However, standardized comparative data are lacking for snake Hbs, and the Hb isoform composition of snake red blood cells has not been systematically characterized. Here we present the results of an integrated analysis of snake Hbs and the underlying α- and β-type globin genes to characterize 1) Hb isoform composition of definitive erythrocytes, and 2) the oxygenation properties of isolated isoforms as well as composite hemolysates. We used species from …

Natural Selection On Thermal Performance In A Novel Thermal Environment, Michael L. Logan, Robert M. Cox, Ryan Calsbeek

Dartmouth Scholarship

Tropical ectotherms are thought to be especially vulnerable to climate change because they are adapted to relatively stable temperature regimes, such that even small increases in environmental temperature may lead to large decreases in physiological performance. One way in which tropical organisms may mitigate the detrimental effects of warming is through evolutionary change in thermal physiology. The speed and magnitude of this response depend, in part, on the strength of climate-driven selection. However, many ectotherms use behavioral adjustments to maintain preferred body temperatures in the face of environmental variation. These behaviors may shelter individuals from natural selection, preventing evolutionary adaptation …

Host-Parasite Interactions In An Invasive Songbird, Courtney A.C. Coon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduced species are the greatest threat to biodiversity after habitat loss. Understanding the processes that permit organisms to become successful invaders may provide opportunities to prevent or limit their dispersal and establishment and thereby alleviate some of their harmful effects. The goal of my dissertation research has been to investigate whether invasive species have distinctive interactions with parasites, and some of the mechanisms that may underlie that variation. I used one of the world's most successful vertebrate invaders as a case study: the house sparrow (Passer domesticus; Introduction).

Previous research in the house sparrow suggested that loss of …

Primate Energy Eexpenditure And Life History, Herman Pontzer, David A. Raichlen, Adam D. Gordon, Kara K. Schroepfer-Walker, Brian Hare, Matthew C. O’Neill, Kathleen M. Muldoon

Dartmouth Scholarship

Humans and other primates are distinct among placental mammals in having exceptionally slow rates of growth, reproduction, and aging. Primates’ slow life history schedules are generally thought to reflect an evolved strategy of allocating energy away from growth and reproduction and toward somatic investment, particularly to the development and maintenance of large brains. Here we examine an alternative explanation: that primates’ slow life histories reflect low total energy expenditure (TEE) (kilocalories per day) relative to other placental mammals. We compared doubly labeled water measurements of TEE among 17 primate species with similar measures for other placental mammals. We found that …

Growth Of Tropical Dasyatid Rays Estimated Using A Multi-Analytical Approach, Owen R. O'Shea, Matias Braccini, Rory Mcauley, Conrad W. Speed, Mark G. Meekan

Fisheries Research Articles

We studied the age and growth of four sympatric stingrays: reticulate whipray, Himanutra uarnak (n=19); blue mask, Neotrygon kuhlii (n=34); cowtail, Pastinachus atrus (n=32) and blue-spotted fantail, Taeniura lymma (n=40) rays at Ningaloo Reef, a fringing coral reef on the north-western coast of western Australia. Age estimates derived from band counts within sectioned vertebrae ranged between 1 and 27 years (H. uarnak, 1 - 25 yrs.; N. kuhlii, 1.5 - 13 yrs.; P. atrus, 1 - 27 yrs. and T. lymma, 1 -11 yrs.). Due to limitations of sample sizes, we combined several analytical methods …

Colour And Odour Drive Fruit Selection And Seed Dispersal By Mouse Lemurs, Kim Valenta, Ryan J. Burke, Sarah A. Styler, Derek A. Jackson, Amanda D. Melin, Shawn M. Lehman

Dartmouth Scholarship

Animals and fruiting plants are involved in a complex set of interactions, with animals relying on fruiting trees as food resources, and fruiting trees relying on animals for seed dispersal. This interdependence shapes fruit signals such as colour and odour, to increase fruit detectability, and animal sensory systems, such as colour vision and olfaction to facilitate food identification and selection. Despite the ecological and evolutionary importance of plant-animal interactions for shaping animal sensory adaptations and plant characteristics, the details of the relationship are poorly understood. Here we examine the role of fruit chromaticity, luminance and odour on seed dispersal by …

From Gibbons To Gymnasts: A Look At The Biomechanics And Neurophysiology Of Brachiation In Gibbons And Its Human Rediscovery, Emma Et Pennock

Student Works

This conference paper serves to examine the evolutionary linkages of a brachiating ancestor in humans, the biomechanical and neurophysiology of modern day brachiators, and the human rediscovery of this form of locomotion. Brachiation is arguably one of the most metabolically effective modes of travel by any organism and can be observed most meritoriously in Gibbons. The purpose of the research conducted for this paper was to encourage further exploration of the neurophysiological similarities and differences between humans and non-human primates. The hope is that in spurring more interest and research in this area, further possibilities for rehabilitating brain injury will …

The Affect Of Low Tide On The Digestion Of Balanus Glandula, The Acorn Barnacle., Jesse Osborn

Scripps Senior Theses

The rocky intertidal zone, experiencing fully marine and fully terrestrial conditions, has become increasingly investigated as a model ecosystem for studying the future implications of climate change. The barnacle, Balanus glandula, a common rocky intertidal inhabitant, plays an important role as a key prey item for many organisms. Low tide can be particularly challenging for barnacles as they are marine organisms subjected to the abiotic conditions of a terrestrial environment. The most stressful of these are increased temperature and decreased oxygen availability. This study aimed to investigate how low tide impacts the energy budget, specifically the digestion, of B. …

The Effects Of Starvation Selection On Drosophila Melanogaster Life History And Development, Lauren A. Reynolds

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In nature, animals may endure periods of famine to complete their life cycles. Starvation stress will increase in populations as climates around the world change. To predict how populations may respond to such a stress, laboratory experimentation becomes essential. The evolutionary process of adaptation, its innovations and their trade-offs, can be studied in populations experiencing starvation stress. For this purpose outbred populations ofDrosophila melanogasterwere selected for starvation resistance in the laboratory.

After 60+ generations of starvation selection the starvation-selected flies have gone from surviving 2-3 days without food to 12-14 days without food. How this amazing feat of resistance is …

Euryhalinity In An Evolutionary Context, Eric T. Schultz, Stephen D. Mccormick

EEB Articles

This chapter focuses on the evolutionary importance and taxonomic distribution of euryhalinity. Euryhalinity refers to broad halotolerance and broad halohabitat distribution. Salinity exposure experiments have demonstrated that species vary tenfold in their range of tolerable salinity levels, primarily because of differences in upper limits. Halotolerance breadth varies with the species’ evolutionary history, as represented by its ordinal classification, and with the species’ halohabitat. Freshwater and seawater species tolerate brackish water; their empirically-determined fundamental haloniche is broader than their realized haloniche, as revealed by the halohabitats they occupy. With respect to halohabitat distribution, a minority of species (<10%) are euryhaline. Habitat-euryhalinity is prevalent among basal actinopterygian fishes, is largely absent from orders arising from intermediate nodes, and reappears in the most derived taxa. There is pronounced family-level variability in the tendency to be halohabitat-euryhaline, which may have arisen during a burst of diversification following the Cretaceous-Palaeogene extinction. Low prevalence notwithstanding, euryhaline species are potent sources of evolutionary diversity. Euryhalinity is regarded as a key innovation trait whose evolution enables exploitation of new adaptive zone, triggering cladogenesis. We review phylogenetically-informed studies that demonstrate freshwater species diversifying from euryhaline ancestors through processes such as landlocking. These studies indicate that some euryhaline taxa are particularly susceptible to changes in halohabitat and subsequent diversification, and some geographic regions have been hotspots for transitions to freshwater. Comparative studies on mechanisms among multiple taxa and at multiple levels of biological integration are needed to clarify evolutionary pathways to, and from, euryhalinity.

Effects Of Thermal Acclimation On The Critical Thermal Maxima Of The Tropical Cockroaches: Blaptica Dubia, Eublaberus Posticus And Blaberus Discoidalis (Blaberidae), Lauren Michelle Goode

Online Theses and Dissertations

The Critical Thermal Maxima (CTMax) is a measure of upper thermal tolerance. The physiological response upon reaching CTMax is similar across taxa, making CTMax useful in comparative studies. The CTMax defines the ecological lethal temperature of an organism and has been used to predict the effects of global climate change. CTMax was determined for adults and first instar nymphs of three species of tropical cockroaches: Blaptica dubia, Eublaberus posticus, and Blaberus discoidalis. Adult cockroaches were acclimated to temperatures of 10°C, 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, 31°C and 37°C for a period of seven days. Blaptica dubia was the only species to survive …

Developmental Adaptation Hypothesis : Aerobic Capacity, Submaximal Arterial Saturation And Pulmonary Volumes In Peruvian Quechua Natives, Melisa Kiyamu Tsuchiya

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The Quechua populations have inhabited the Andes for hundreds of generations. The ability to thrive in this hostile environment, leading an active and healthy life has generated research questions about the special phenotype of Andean highlanders compared to their sea-level counterparts, such as their higher pulmonary volumes and their outstanding work capacity in spite of the challenge of oxygen transport and delivery in hypoxia. In high altitude natives, there have been two main explanations for the origins of the aforementioned traits: genetic adaptation through natural selection and developmental adaptation through the exposure to hypoxia during growth.

Gradients In Season, Latitude, And Sea Ice: Their Effect On Metabolism And Stable Isotopic Composition Of Antarctic Micronekton, Erica H. Ombres

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Respiration, metabolic enzyme assays, and body composition parameters were measured in the Antarctic krill Euphausia superba during the summer, fall and winter on the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). E. superba of all sizes decrease their metabolism from the summer to the winter. These same parameters were also measured along the WAP during the austral fall 2010. E. superba's enzyme activity indicated that there was a latitudinal gradient to the decline in metabolism along the WAP with the more northerly sites having significantly higher metabolic enzyme activities than the sites to the south.

Carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ^{15 …}

Notes On The Diet Of The Malay Civet (Viverra Tangalunga) And Other Civets In Logged And Unlogged Lowland Dipterocarp Rain Forests In Sabah, Borneo, Christina P. Colon, John B. Sugau

Publications and Research

Civet diets were examined in a logged and unlogged Bornean rain forest. Malay civets (Viverra tangalunga) consumed invertebrates, fruit, rodents, insectivores, birds, snakes and lizards, and appear to show preference for centipedes and scorpions. Other civet species consumed fruit, such as figs, Connarus sp. and Annona sp., particularly in the unlogged forest, but also consumed invertebrates and vertebrates. Reduced fruit consumption observed in the logged forest may be due to lower availability and may be offset by increased consumption of invertebrates. The increased overlap in diet between Malay civets and other civets in disturbed areas may lead to …

Salinity Preference Of Alaskan Threespine Stickleback: Test For Divergence In Halotaxis Between Ancestral And Landlocked Populations, David Fryxell, Eric T. Schultz

EEB Articles

Glacial retreat during the Pleistocene caused landlocking of anadromous Alaskan threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, furnishing a natural ‘experiment’ in osmoregulatory divergence. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of individual acclimation and population divergence on salinity preference. Full-sibling families of marine, anadromous, and freshwater-landlocked populations of stickleback were reared in common environments until 3 weeks post-hatch, then were split and acclimated to low or high salinity. At 6 to 8 weeks of age the six experimental groups were tested for salinity preference in a tank that offers fish a choice of compartments with different salinities arranged …