Integrative Biology Commons^™

Influence Of Temperature On Tfm Tolerance In Lake Sturgeon, Emily Bouffard

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The lampricide, 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM), has been used to successfully control invasive sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) in the Laurentian Great Lakes for over 50 years. TFM’s effectiveness is due to the relatively low capacity of sea lamprey to detoxify TFM. Water temperature has been shown to increase TFM tolerance in larval sea lamprey. However, the effects of temperature on TFM sensitivity in non-target species such as the endangered lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) are poorly understood, particularly during their early life stages. To determine how temperature affected TFM sensitivity, age 1-year-plus (1+) lake sturgeon acclimated to 8, 16, …

Lichen It: Optimizing Post-Fire Caribou Lichen Transplantation And Assessment, Elise Brown-Dussault

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Caribou lichen species are common in mid- to late-seral boreal forests, serving as an important winter diet staple for boreal woodland caribou. However, as climate change causes boreal wildfires to increase in size, severity, and frequency, available tracts of mature forest are decreasing, diminishing the extent of mature caribou lichen stands. Caribou lichens reproduce vegetatively, so bigger and more severe fires could exacerbate their dispersal limitations, potentially extending the timeline for caribou lichen stand recovery beyond 80 years. Trials have shown that “transplanting” caribou lichen fragments into disturbed areas can lead to the establishment of caribou lichen mats; as such, …

Characterizing The Targeting Of Toc159 Receptors To The Chloroplast Outer Envelope Membrane And Their Role In The Assembly Of Distinct Toc Complexes, Michael Fish

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Global agriculture and food security face challenges from climate change, population growth, and other human-driven pressures. Enhancing our understanding of plant biology, particularly chloroplast function, is critical for improving crop yield and stress resilience. As the sites of photosynthesis and key regulators of plant responses to environmental cues, chloroplasts depend on the precise import of thousands of nuclear-encoded proteins to maintain their biogenesis and function. While much is known about the core translocon components in the chloroplast outer envelope membrane that form the TOC complex, the mechanisms underlying their targeting, assembly, and regulation remain incompletely understood.

Plastids, including chloroplasts, evolved …

Studies Of Media To Maximize The Expression Of Bacterial Metalloprotease Genes As Potential Therapeutics For Human Alzheimer’S Disease, Uday Kiran Chigurupati

Honors Capstones

This study investigates the potential of bacterial metalloprotease genes as therapeutic agents for Alzheimer's Disease (AD). The research focuses on Pseudomonas 20ei1 (P. 20ei1), a bacterial species isolated from lagoon water, which contains pitrilysin genes that share similarities with human insulysin. Six pqqL-related genes were identified in P. 20ei1 for this study. The research methodology involved bioinformatic studies, bacterial cell culture in various media, RNA extraction, purification, and cDNA synthesis. Quantitative PCR analysis was performed to analyze gene expression levels in different cDNA samples. The bacteria grown in the medium with insoluble phosphate has shown higher expression of selected genes …

Glutamate Receptors At The Zebrafish Neuromuscular Junction, Trenton Randall

Honors College Theses

Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS, but at the neuromuscular junction, that role is taken by acetylcholine. However, during embryonic development, non-cholinergic receptors, including those for glutamate, are also present at the NMJ, which are not maintained unless used. These receptors can still form functional circuits, as evidenced by a process called neurotransmitter respecification, in which a neuron changes which neurotransmitter it releases, and is accompanied by the upregulation of the corresponding receptor by the muscle. This process has been observed in frogs and in rats. We predict that zebrafish also exhibit this neurotransmitter plasticity. To assess …

Survival Of The Smartest? The Evolutionary Ecology Of Cognition In Anolis Lizards, Mahaut V. Sorlin

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive processes such as learning, memory, and decision-making are integral to an organism’s fitness, allowing to integrate cues from its environment and adjust its behavior accordingly. Historically, cognitive abilities were thought to have evolved according to a Scala Naturae design—an idea that has since been disproven—which suggested that complex cognitive abilities were exclusive to “higher” taxa. This perspective has created significant phylogenetic gaps in our understanding of cognitive evolution. In this dissertation I aimed to address this issue by investigating the evolution of cognition in reptiles, focusing on the green (Anolis carolinensis) and the brown anole (Anolis …

Genetic Aspects Of Resilience In The Foundational Seagrass Halodule Wrightii: The Role Of Genetic Variation And Gene Expression In Maintaining Primary Production, Anastasia M. Konefal

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Seagrasses are coastal foundation species which significantly contribute to the primary production of shallow water ecosystems and provide several services. However, seagrasses, like other coastal foundation species, are threatened by myriad anthropogenic stressors. Conservation is difficult in ecosystems under multiple threats where the factors that contribute to production are not easily elucidated. Genetic diversity and gene expression may be related to the function and stability of populations but are rarely considered in management plans. High genetic diversity and the associated trait variation within a population are known to contribute to higher function and stability of a population. Additionally, individual-level changes …

Greenspace Variation And Its Effect On Telomere Length In The American Robin Dna, Valentina Rodriguez-Munoz, Elise Mittlestat, Mikus Abolins-Abols

The Cardinal Edge

Green spaces is a crucial component of our environment, and a contributor to relieving stress in human and wildlife health. Stress is one of the causing factors for a shorter lifespan in humans and other animals by directly accelerating the shortening length of the telomeres in our DNA. In this study we investigated to what extent urban vegetation explain telomere length in the American Robins Turdus migratorius living in the Louisville area. Specifically, we predicted that lower amount of vegetation will be associated with shorter telomeres. We caught the birds using mist nets, we collected blood samples, extracted DNA, and …

Old Vs. New: An Experiment On The Efficacy Of Complexity-Focused Reproductive Biology Lectures For Undergraduate Biology Students, Ive N. Muse, Shraddha Patel, Linda Fuselier

The Cardinal Edge

Old vs. New: An Experiment on the Efficacy of Complexity-focused Reproductive Biology Lectures for Undergraduate Biology Students

Muse, Ive N.; Patel, Shraddha; Fuselier, Linda

Abstract

Undergraduate reproductive biology courses are traditionally taught in a reductive manner, prioritizing a binary understanding of sex which oversimplifies reproductive behaviors and reproductive system development across diverse taxa. Although this binary approach to lessons on reproduction is intended to benefit students in learning foundational human reproductive concepts, it does not teach the most recent research in reproductive biology, which identifies reproductive variation as the norm. The current study designed and implemented a lesson on reproductive …

Sdf-1Α Mediates Primary Tumor Escape In Glioblastoma Through Activation Of Mesenchymal Transitions, Charles T. Froman-Glover

The Cardinal Edge

Glioblastoma (GBM), a highly aggressive primary brain tumor originating in glial cells, poses a significant challenge due to its rapid growth and invasive nature within healthy brain tissue.

Current treatments involve surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiation. These treatments alone are not enough to cure this disease, and a better understanding of the mechanics of the tumor's micro-environment is imperative to furthering the field of cancer research. This research focuses on understanding the tumor microenvironment's impact, specifically investigating the role of stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) mechanics on GBM aggressiveness. SDF-1 is known to facilitate disease progression by facilitating chemotaxis toward …

Bodine: An Agent-Based Modeling Approach To Studying Localized Coexistence Across Environmental Heterogeneity, Alexandra Campbell

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Retinal Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone On Reproductive Behavior And Retinal Activity In The Cichlid Fish, Astatotilapia Burtoni, Chase Anselmo

LSU Master's Theses

Many animals use visual signals to evade predators, forage for food, and communicate with conspecifics. Some animals that shift into and out of breeding stages, such as fish, can modulate their visual sensitivity to better adapt to changing internal and external conditions. Previous work in our lab demonstrated that females of the cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni have improved visual sensitivity when they enter reproductive readiness. However, little is known about how fish and vertebrates more broadly modulate visual sensitivity across their reproductive cycle. We hypothesized that the hormone and neuromodulator gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) could modulate visual sensitivity because GnRH is …

Field-Based Courses Still Matter, But Not Like They Used To, Christopher T. Martine

Faculty Journal Articles

Increasingly, field-based courses are providing the first real opportunities for students to experience nature in meaningful ways. As a baseline, even before the content delivery and the graded assessments, this is already enough to change the way a person feels in the world and to spark an appreciation for the life around them.

(Part of a special feature on education in which recent winners of the Botanical Society of America's Charles E. Bessey Award share teaching philosophies and strategies.)

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 …

Investigating The Presence Of Bacterial Phytoplasma Disease In Grasses Of Central Texas And Their Associated Hemiptera, Danielle Rios

Masters Theses (Archived)

No abstract provided.

A Systematic Review: Longevity And Quality Of Life In Blue Zones, Salmaan Mulla

Theses and Graduate Projects

Ikaria, Loma Linda, Sardinia, Okinawa, and Nikoya. These 5 cities around the world are famed for their increased longevity and quality of life and are termed “Blue Zones”. Blue zones are areas around the world noted for their population of centenarians, overall long life expectancy and high quality of life compared to the average population. Studying these communities offer insights into the commonalities they share to better understand the unique aspects of living a healthy, fulfilling and long life. A comprehensive literature review was conducted using Google Scholar, with the search terms “Ikaria, Greece longevity; Loma Linda, California longevity; Sardinia, …

Novel Mechanisms For The Neural Control Of Breathing In Acute Lung Injury, Kajal Kamra

Theses & Dissertations

Acute lung injury (ALI) triggers inflammation that disrupts the normal alveolar-capillary endothelial barrier, impairing gas exchange and causing hypoxemia, which reflexively increases respiration. An elevated respiratory rate (fR) usually develops within hours to days following ALI. This acute respiratory failure disorder affects approximately 200,000 new cases annually in the US and accounts for 10% of ICU admissions, with high morbidity and mortality. The neural mechanisms underlying respiratory dysfunction post-ALI are not fully understood. My doctoral dissertation aimed to investigate the mediators of abnormal ventilation during ALI. Systemic hypoxia stimulates the carotid body (CB) chemoreflex, a crucial protective reflex that maintains …

Sex Differences In The Diets Of Forest-Dwelling Baboons (Papio Anubis), Kara Hartunian

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to eat and switch between many food sources is an adaptative feeding strategy utilized for meeting nutritional needs across different environments, seasons, and physiological conditions. Baboons (genus Papio) excel at both dietary flexibility and foraging selectively, and consequently have one of the most widespread geographic distributions in the Order. To further expand to our understanding of baboon feeding ecology, I analyzed foraging activity and the nutritional characteristics of the diets of the relatively understudied rainforest baboons (Papio anubis) living in Kibale National Park, Uganda. I also investigated if there are differences in food type choice …

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 …

The Multi-Trophic Effects Of Buckthorn Removal, Amanda Jacobs

Great Lakes Center Masters Theses

European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) is a non-native woody plant in North America that often grows in dense, monotypic stands, frequently displacing native plants and reducing species richness of invaded native communities. Given that plants are basal in most food webs, the homogenization of plant communities might be expected to cascade into homogenization at higher trophic levels (Hunter and Price, 1992). I investigated the multi-trophic effects of buckthorn removal at three levels: (1) ‘native,’ in which there were no buckthorn trees or shrubs, (2) ‘buckthorn trees,’ in which buckthorn was not removed and grew into spaced mature trees, and …