No Effect Of Host Species On Phenoloxidase Activity In A Mycophagous Beetle,
2015
Swarthmore College
No Effect Of Host Species On Phenoloxidase Activity In A Mycophagous Beetle, Vincent A. Formica, Amanda Kar-Men Chan , '16
Biology Faculty Works
Ecological immunology is an interdisciplinary field that helps elucidate interactions between the environment and immune response. The host species individuals experience have profound effects on immune response in many species of insects. However, this conclusion comes from studies of herbivorous insects even though species of mycophagous insects also inhabit many different host species. The goal of this study was to determine if fungal host species as well as individual, sex, body size, and host patch predict one aspect of immune function, phenoloxidase activity (PO). We sampled a metapopulation of Bolitotherus cornutus, a mycophagous beetle in southwestern Virginia. B. cornutus live …
A Polyglot Approach To Bioinformatics Data Integration: A Phylogenetic Analysis Of Hiv-1,
2015
Loyola University Chicago
A Polyglot Approach To Bioinformatics Data Integration: A Phylogenetic Analysis Of Hiv-1, Steven Reisman, Thomas Hatzopoulos, Konstantin Laufer, George K. Thiruvathukal, Catherine Putonti
Bioinformatics Faculty Publications
As sequencing technologies continue to drop in price and increase in throughput, new challenges emerge for the management and accessibility of genomic sequence data. We have developed a pipeline for facilitating the storage, retrieval, and subsequent analysis of molecular data, integrating both sequence and metadata. Taking a polyglot approach involving multiple languages, libraries, and persistence mechanisms, sequence data can be aggregated from publicly available and local repositories. Data are exposed in the form of a RESTful web service, formatted for easy querying, and retrieved for downstream analyses. As a proof of concept, we have developed a resource for annotated HIV-1 …
Essential Questions,
2015
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Essential Questions, Imsa Biology Team
Evolution
In order to understand the current state of biological life and how it has changed over time, the following questions must be addressed:
Evidence Of Evolution 1: Structures,
2015
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Evidence Of Evolution 1: Structures, Imsa Biology Team
Evolution
In order to investigate linage, evolutionary history, and common ancestry, you need to be familiar with the following structures.
Mechanisms And Speciation 1: The Modern Synthesis,
2015
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Mechanisms And Speciation 1: The Modern Synthesis, Imsa Biology Team
Evolution
The Modern Synthesis or Synthetic Theory of Evolution is an explanation of evolution that is based on modern genetic principles. According to the Modern Synthesis (a.k.a. Neo-Darwinism):
Evolution Practice 1,
2015
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Evolution Practice 1, Imsa Biology Team
Evolution
Answer the following questions using information from the handouts, and examples from the LAB
Evolution Practice 2,
2015
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Common Mistakes In Discussing Evolution,
2015
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
Common Mistakes In Discussing Evolution, Sarah O'Leary-Driscoll
Evolution
No abstract provided.
Genetic Drift Simulation,
2015
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Genetic Drift Simulation, Imsa Biology Team
Evolution
Genetic drift can be defined as a random fluctuation in gene frequency. More specifically, it tells us that different alleles may increase or decrease in a population in proportion to one another over time, just by chance, rather than due to any fitness advantage.
Constraints On The Evolution Of Phenotypic Plasticity: Limits And Costs Of Phenotype And Plasticity,
2015
College of Charleston
Constraints On The Evolution Of Phenotypic Plasticity: Limits And Costs Of Phenotype And Plasticity, C. J. Murren, Josh R. Auld, H. Callahan, C. K. Ghalambor, C. A. Handelsman, M. A. Heskel, J. G. Kingsolver, H. J. Maclean, J. Masel, H. Maughan, D. W. Pfennig, R. A. Relyea, S. Seiter, E. Snell-Rood, U. K. Steiner, C. D. Schlichting
Biology Faculty Publications
No abstract provided.
Evidence Of Evolution 3: Evolutionary Evidence And Inferences Lab: A Discussion Guide,
2015
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Evidence Of Evolution 3: Evolutionary Evidence And Inferences Lab: A Discussion Guide, Imsa Biology Team
Evolution
This lab activity was designed to provide you with opportunities to make inferences and draw conclusions about evolution and the common ancestry of various animals based on their anatomical characteristics and comparative anatomy. You will be given tasks to accomplish or questions to answer at each of 11 stations. In order to do this successfully, you must make careful observations of the specimens on display.
Evidence Of Evolution 2: Definitions For Evolutionary Evidence Lab,
2015
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Evidence Of Evolution 2: Definitions For Evolutionary Evidence Lab, Imsa Biology Team
Evolution
This lab activity was designed to provide you with opportunities to make inferences and draw conclusions about evolution and the common ancestry of various animals based on their anatomical characteristics and comparative anatomy. You will be given tasks to accomplish or questions to answer at each of 11 stations. In order to do this successfully, you must make careful observations of the specimens on display. You must also know the following definitions before beginning this activity:
Mechanisms And Speciation 2: Evolution On The Web Questions,
2015
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Mechanisms And Speciation 2: Evolution On The Web Questions, Imsa Biology Team
Evolution
The website below, sponsored by UC Berkeley, is a reliable source for information about evolution. This will give you the introductory information about the mechanisms of Evolution.
Crash Course Evolution Videos Bibliography,
2015
Illinois Math and Science Academy
Crash Course Evolution Videos Bibliography, Imsa Biology Team
Evolution
No abstract provided.
Homo Naledi, A New Species Of The Genus Homo From The Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa,
2015
University of the Witwatersrand,
Homo Naledi, A New Species Of The Genus Homo From The Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa, Lee R. Berger, John Hawks, Darryl J. De Ruiter, Steven E. Churchill, Peter Schmid, Lucas K. Delezene, Tracy L. Kivell, Heather M. Garvin, Scott A. Williams, Jeremy M. Desilva, Matthew M. Skinner, Charles M. Musiba, Noel Cameron, Trenton W. Holliday, William Harcourt-Smith, Et Al.
Publications and Research
Homo naledi is a previously-unknown species of extinct hominin discovered within the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave system, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa. This species is characterized by body mass and stature similar to small-bodied human populations but a small endocranial volume similar to australopiths. Cranial morphology of H. naledi is unique, but most similar to early Homo species including Homo erectus, Homo habilis or Homo rudolfensis. While primitive, the dentition is generally small and simple in occlusal morphology. H. naledi has humanlike manipulatory adaptations of the hand and wrist. It also exhibits a humanlike foot and lower …
A Generalist Brood Parasite Modifies Use Of A Host In Response To Reproductive Success,
2015
East Carolina University
A Generalist Brood Parasite Modifies Use Of A Host In Response To Reproductive Success, Matthew I M Louder, Wendy M. Schelsky, Amber N. Albores, Jeffrey P. Hoover
Publications and Research
Avian obligate brood parasites, which rely solely on hosts to raise their young, should choose the highest quality hosts to maximize reproductive output. Brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) are extreme host generalists, yet female cowbirds could use information based on past reproductive outcomes to make egg-laying decisions thus minimizing fitness costs associated with parasitizing low quality hosts. We use a long-term (21 years) nest box study of a single host, the prothonotary warbler (Protonotaria citrea), to show that local cowbird reproductive success, but not host reproductive success, was positively correlated with the probability of parasitism the following …
How Are Rare Species Maintained?: Reproductive Barriers Between Layia Jonesii, A Rare Serpentine Endemic, And L. Platyglossa,
2015
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
How Are Rare Species Maintained?: Reproductive Barriers Between Layia Jonesii, A Rare Serpentine Endemic, And L. Platyglossa, Natalie L. Rossington
Master's Theses
Reproductive barriers are vital to generating new species as well as maintaining distinct species. Investigating reproductive barriers between closely related plant taxa helps us to understand how these barriers are maintained, particularly between rare and widespread relatives. Layia jonesii, a rare San Luis Obispo County serpentine endemic, and L. platyglossa, a common coastal species, co-occur on serpentine derived hillsides and are interfertile. At these locations, L. jonesii is isolated to dry soils near serpentine rock outcrops and L. platyglossa is located on slightly deeper grassland soils surrounding the rock outcrops. On hillsides where they co-occur, I observe two morphologically …
An Exploration Of The Phylogenetic Placement Of Recently Discovered Ultrasmall Archaeal Lineages,
2015
University of Connecticut - Storrs
An Exploration Of The Phylogenetic Placement Of Recently Discovered Ultrasmall Archaeal Lineages, Jeffrey M. O'Brien
Honors Scholar Theses
In recent years, several new clades within the domain Achaea have been discovered. This is due in part to microbiological sampling of novel environments, and the increasing ability to detect and sequence uncultivable organisms through metagenomic analysis. These organisms share certain features, such as small cell size and streamlined genomes. Reduction in genome size can present difficulties to phylogenetic reconstruction programs. Since there is less genetic data to work with, these organisms often have missing genes in concatenated multiple sequence alignments. Evolutionary Biologists have not reached a consensus on the placement of these lineages in the archaeal evolutionary tree. There …
Captive Breeding Protocols And Their Impact On Genetic Diversity In White-Footed Mice (Peromyscus Leucopus): Implications For Threatened And Endangered Species,
2015
Purdue University
Captive Breeding Protocols And Their Impact On Genetic Diversity In White-Footed Mice (Peromyscus Leucopus): Implications For Threatened And Endangered Species, Maureen C. Lamb, Janna R. Willoughby, J. Andrew Dewoody
The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium
Captive breeding protocols used in zoos often are aimed at increasing population sizes and retaining genetic diversity of endangered species. However, captive breeding causes genetic adaptation to captivity that can lead to an overall decrease in genetic diversity and reduce chances of a successful reintroduction to the wild. In this study, we assess how 3 different breeding protocols—random mating, preferential breeding of individuals with the lowest mean kinship scores, and selection for docility—affect the variability of mitochondrial DNA in white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). We used mice that were captured from the wild but were mated for up to …
Sediment Loss Of Santa Rosa Island Slopes: An Erosional Study,
2015
CSU Long Beach
Sediment Loss Of Santa Rosa Island Slopes: An Erosional Study, Michael Perez
STAR Program Research Presentations
Ranching began on Santa Rosa Island in the 1840’s, consequently introducing nonnative megafauna that put novel selective grazing pressures on endemic plant species. Their movement patterns also altered sediment integrity as the land was denuded of any stabilizing vegetation. Dense groves of island oak (Q. tomentella) are known to aid in sediment deposition and retention. The groves also function to collect water during periods of intense fog that are common to the island. This experiment sought to quantify the volume of sediment that has been lost on a south facing slope in the middle of the island that …
