Integrative Biology Commons^™

The Manhattant: Identification, Natural History, And Nutritional Ecology Of A Recently Introduced Pest In New York City, Lasius Emarginatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Samantha Kennett

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

New York City is one of the oldest and largest cities in North America, and it is a center for global trade and shipping. As such, it has also been the site of introduction for some of North America’s most damaging invasive pests, from chestnut blight to the Asian long-horned beetle. Despite these cautionary examples, there has been no formal research on a newly introduced ant species that was tentatively identified as a European ant species, Lasius cf. emarginatus. Since its discovery in 2011, L. cf. emarginatus has become among the most common urban ant species in New York …

Acarosporaceae Of New Mexico: Eight New Species Of Acarospora And Sarcogyne, Kerry Knudsen, Jana Kocourková, Eva Hodková, Jiří Malíček, Yan Wang

Western North American Naturalist

Eight new species are described from the Chihuahuan Desert in southern New Mexico: Acarospora agos­tiniana, A. divisa, A. fissurata, A. ryanii, Sarcogyne brouardiana, S. coeruleonigricans, S. malpaiensis, and S. nogalensis. Three species, Acarospora coloradiana, A. peltastica, and A. utahensis are not treated as synonyms of A. strigata, a South American endemic. Thirty-four species of Acarosporaceae are reported from the Chihuahuan Desert in southern New Mexico. Fifty-six species of Acarosporaceae are reported from New Mexico. It is estimated that 416 species of described Acarosporales occur worldwide, most in need of revisions. …

The Polycomb Complex 2 Contributes To Developmental Delay When Histone Methylation Is Inappropriately Inherited, Sydney Morgan- Benitez

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Histone methylation is a post-transcriptional modification to the N-terminal tails of histone core proteins that regulates DNA accessibility, and consequently, gene expression. Like DNA, histone methylation can be inherited between generations, and is highly regulated during embryonic development. At fertilization, histone methylation must undergo maternal reprogramming to reset the epigenetic landscape in the new zygote. During maternal reprogramming of histone methylation in C. elegans, H3K4me is removed by the H3K4 demethylase, SPR-5, and H3K9me is subsequently added by the histone methyltransferase, MET-2. Recently, it was demonstrated that SPR- 5 and MET-2 maternal reprogramming antagonizes the H3K36 methyltransferase, MES-4, which …

Measuring The Physiological Effects Of Methylobacterium Oryzae Foliar Inoculation Onto Salt-Stressed Tomatoes Grown In A Greenhouse Semi-Hydroponic System, Collin Dice

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Salinity stress has been shown to improve hydroponic produce quality such as that of tomato but at the trade-off of produce yield. In order to improve demand for hydroponic produce, techniques that improve salinity tolerance could offset declines in yield without altering the improved quality of produce. In two separate trials, we tested whether foliar inoculation of the ACC deaminase-producing bacteria Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 improved salt tolerance in tomatoes grown in a semi-hydroponic system using an indeterminate variety exposed to 26mM NaCl (Trial 1) and a determinate variety exposed to 17mM NaCl (Trial 2). We also tested how salinity and …

The City Blues Of An Iridescent Canary: Physiological, Behavioral, And Developmental Impacts Of Lead (Pb) On Songbirds Along An Urban-To-Rural Gradient, Michelle Ross

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Urbanization is rapidly changing the environment and creating new challenges in the lives of animals across the globe. Anthropogenic contaminants found commonly in old construction materials—including heavy metals like lead— persist within the environment for prolonged periods of time and present a widespread problem for all who live near contaminated areas. Despite the phase-out of lead usage, it continues to threaten the health of all organisms but especially those from urban areas where historical lead use was more common. Currently, the sub-lethal effects of lead on wildlife are not well understood, though lead is known to affect physiology and behavior …

Reintroducing Hemp (Rongony) In The Material Palette Of Madagascar: A Study On The Potential Of Hemp Clay Components And Its Impact On Social And Ecological Communities., Henintsoa Thierry Andrianambinina

Masters Theses

When mentioning the word hemp, especially in the local language of Madagascar, the literal translation does not set it apart from marijuana, as they are both called “rongony” - creating the stigma around hemp as the negative stereotype of marijuana. However, the material has been used by the ancestors of Madagascar, as well as across cultures, in its fibrous form to produce fabrication like textile goods and packaging. During colonization, the prohibition of hemp intensified, and since then, any activity related to either of these plants is prohibited and will end in severe punitive measures. This thesis explores the strengths …

Fluidity And Inconstancy: Australian Bush Tomatoes As An Exemplar Of Non-Normative Sex Expression, Christopher T. Martine

Faculty Journal Articles

Solanum, a genus of ~1500 global species, is one of the more interesting plant groups in which to study reproductive biology and ecology. Overwhelmingly, species in this group express full cosexuality, where individual plants have flowers containing both fully-functioning “male” (staminate) and “female” (carpellate) organs. However, there have been multiple and widespread evolutionary transitions within the genus to non-normative variations on this ancestral condition. Australian bush tomatoes (ca. 40 species) are especially diverse in this regard, with uncommon variation and combinations of unisexuality and cosexuality -- including, most notably, two sexual systems known as dioecy (unisexual male or female …

Effects Of Intertidal Position On The Response To Oxygen And Desiccation Stress In The Common Acorn Barnacle, Balanus Glandula, Megan M. Dotterweich

Master's Theses

Sessile invertebrates in the rocky intertidal experience intermittent periods of air exposure due to tidal flux, presenting risks of temperature extremes, hypoxia, nutrient limitation, and most dangerously, desiccation. Microscale variation in severity and frequency of these risks is widely dependent on vertical position within the intertidal zone. Common acorn barnacles (Balanus glandula) have a wide vertical distribution in the intertidal, creating large differences in microhabitat between the highest and lowest individuals in the population. This study set out to explore whether tidal position dependent differences exist in the response to oxygen and desiccation stress in B. glandula. …

The Effects Of Urban Landscape, Soundscape, And Light Pollution On Avian Diversity And Nesting In South San Antonio, Texas, Alfredo Llamas

Masters Theses (Archived)

As critical habitat continues to dwindle due to the expansion of urbanization, alternative habitat in urban ecosystems becomes a necessary natural resource for the survival of birds. In the last decade, local San Antonio environmental authorities have focused their efforts on restoring the San Antonio Mission Reach. Ecological revitalization of the San Antonio Mission Reach could increase avian, and flora biodiversity with ongoing restoration, yet how birds use restored habitat has not been assessed. Additionally, south of the Reach, two more peri-urban sites have great potential to be high quality habitat for birds but have not been surveyed for nesting …

Proximate Causes Of Alternative Reproductive Tactics In Blue Ridge Two-Lined Salamanders (Eurycea Cf. Wilderae), Yatin Kalki

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

Alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs) refer to discrete variation in reproductive behavior between members of a sex and within a species. ARTs are present in Blue Ridge two-lined salamanders (Eurcyea cf. wilderae) in the form of male polymorphism. Two male morphs exist: “searching” males and “guarding” males. Each phenotype has a unique reproductive ecology and associated discrete morphological differences. Another trait that shows discrete variation in E. cf. wilderae is the larval period, which may be one or two years in length. This thesis explores the proximate causes of ARTs in a population of E. cf. wilderae from the …

Impact Of Lyophilization On Porcine Hemoglobin Properties., Mustafa Almosawi

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Blood transfusion is the single most often performed lifesaving procedure in hospitals worldwide. Unfortunately, packed red blood cells (RBCs) used for transfusion can only be stored for 42 days at 4 °C before being discarded due to irreversible damage that occurs during storage. Any reduction in available RBCs for an extended period can lead to blood shortages. To increase the shelf-life of RBCs, we investigated freeze-drying (lyophilizing) in the presence of the non-toxic sugar trehalose as a method for long-term preservation. However, the oxidative stress of the lyophilization and storage processes can compromise the functionality of these cells, and the …

Past And Present Patterns Of Neutral And Adaptive Genetic Diversity In Wild Mandrills (Mandrillus Sphinx), Anna Weber

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Although primates have fascinated researchers and the public alike for generations, one species that has remained enigmatic is the mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx), a large Cercopithecine monkey endemic to Central Africa. Mandrills are currently in decline due to bushmeat hunting, urbanization, and habitat loss. Neutral and adaptive genetic diversity are important tools for understanding evolutionary history and future viability, since diversity influences a species’ ability to adapt to a changing environment. However, thus far, minimal genetic information has been available for wild mandrills. Because of the dense vegetation in their tropical forest habitat, studying wild mandrills has proven to …

Investigating Stormwater Parameters From Runoff On East Tennessee State University Campus, Abby Mciver, Dr. Joseph R. Bidwell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Climate change has caused an increase in extreme rain events and flooding in certain regions across the globe. During rain events, water flows over impervious surfaces structures such as roads and sidewalks, picking up contaminants such as metals, fertilizers and other nutrients, and various organics that which may impact organisms in such as streams, river, and lakes. Previous work has found significant differences in survival of organisms that were exposed to contaminated stormwater runoff. This study investigated stormwater chemistry parameters at collection sites on the East Tennessee State University campus. Sites were selected based on the extent of human interaction …

Eardrum Tuning Of The Túngara Frog, Robert A. Wong, Mary Paduano, Justine Tang, Betty Lee, Trisha Vo, Mark Morozumi, Marcos Gridi-Papp

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Variability Of Color Patterns In The Ventral Skin Of The Túngara Frog, Emily Yuxin Sun

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

The Vocal Response Of The Male Túngara Frog As A Function Of Stimulus Intensity, Kristine Sheu, Marcos Gridi-Papp

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Age And Size On The Mating Call Of Male Túngara Frogs, Sonia Mathur, Dr. Marcos Gridi-Papp

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Changes In Call Rate In Response To Competition In Male Túngara Frogs, Alison S. Kim, Marcos Gridi-Papp

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

No abstract provided.

Soil Microbial Community Composition Of White Oak Mountain, Tennessee, Matthew Gano, Timothy D. Trott

Research in Biology

Abstract - Soil microbial communities are responsible for nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems and have symbiotic and parasitic relationships with the plant community. However, little is known about the factors that determine the soil microbial community composition. In this study we examined how spring wildflower diversity and geographical factors influence the soil microbial community composition of the second growth oak hickory forests of White Oak Mountain in Southeast Tennessee. The characterization of the soil microbial community was completed with 16S/18S/ITS rDNA amplicon sequencing of total DNA extracted from soil samples that were normalized for each sample plot. Here we characterize …

Laurier Biology Departmental Seminars Poster Colouring Book (Vol 2), Tristan A.F. Long

Biology Faculty Publications

Welcome to Volume 2 of the Wilfrid Laurier University Department of Biology seminar series poster collection! When I was compiling a colouring book based on academic seminar posters last year, I had no idea how well it would be received. As of this writing, Volume 1 has been downloaded almost 1000 times (!): https://scholars.wlu.ca/biol_faculty/94/, and was featured in a great article by Cheyenne Bholla: https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/2022/04/27/laurier-biology-profs-science-posters-have-been-turned-into-a-downloadable-colouring-book.html.

So, I guess it’s time for a sequel, featuring some more of my favourite designs! This time round I’ve included several sets of posters – often drawn years apart – that are thematically …