Seroton-Ing Down The Stress: Serotonergic Activity In Response To Predators In Threespined Stickleback (Gasterosteus Aculeatus),
2023
University of Dayton
Seroton-Ing Down The Stress: Serotonergic Activity In Response To Predators In Threespined Stickleback (Gasterosteus Aculeatus), Michaela M. Rogers
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
Animals constantly face stress in the environment due to rapid human-induced changes. A strong interest lies in the evolution of coping mechanisms that can help organisms deal with and respond to these stressors. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is highly conserved across taxonomic groups and is upregulated in response to a broad range of stressors, including predator exposure. Serotonin upregulation can help organisms cope with the threat of a predator by decreasing fear and anxiety. Previous studies have shown an increase in serotonergic activity following acute predator exposures in mice, rats, and fish after only one exposure, but less is …
Late Cretaceous Marine Vertebrates From The Tarrant Formation, Tarrant County, Texas U.S.A,
2023
DePaul University
Late Cretaceous Marine Vertebrates From The Tarrant Formation, Tarrant County, Texas U.S.A, Aaron Johnson, Kenshu Shimada
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
The Tarrant Formation (middle Cenomanian: ca. 96 million years ago) is a stratigraphic member of the Upper Cretaceous Eagle Ford Group in Texas, U.S.A., and consists of calcareous sandstone formed near the East Texas Embayment of the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway, an epicontinental seaway in North America. We examined vertebrate fossils from the Tarrant Formation based on specimens collected through surface collecting and bulk sampling from three localities in Tarrant County, Texas, including the type locality of a pachyrhizodontid fish, Polcynichthys lloydhilli. Our preliminary examination shows that the fossil fauna includes shark species such as Ptychodus anonymous, Archaeolamna sp., …
Habitiat Structure And Ecomorphology Of Fishes In Neotropical Blackwater Creeks.,
2023
University of Louisville
Habitiat Structure And Ecomorphology Of Fishes In Neotropical Blackwater Creeks., Devya Hemraj-Naraine
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
Freshwater ecosystems provide habitat for a diversity of aquatic flora and fauna. However, anthropogenic activities like mining and pollution alters aquatic habitats and the ecosystem services they provide. In South America, which hosts one quarter of all freshwater fish species, aquatic habitats are under considerable encroachment from human development. We surveyed nine blackwater creeks tributary to the Demarara River along a major Highway in Guyana to determine whether fish morphology and community structure correlate with habitat characteristics among sites with different degrees of human impact. Twenty-three morphological traits were measured on 3-5 adult specimens of each species. The most abundant …
Functional Implications Reflected In Neurocranial Morphology Of Lamniform Sharks (Elasmobranchii: Lamniformes),
2023
DePaul University
Functional Implications Reflected In Neurocranial Morphology Of Lamniform Sharks (Elasmobranchii: Lamniformes), Jake J. Wood
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
Lamniform sharks (Elasmobranchii: Lamniformes) display diverse habitat preferences and lifestyles. Based on museum specimens and published illustrations, we examined the proportion of the anteroposterior length of the rostral, olfactory, optic, and otic regions with respect to the neurocranial length in each lamniform species as a proxy of relative importance of each sensory region (electroreception, olfaction, vision, and ‘coordination’) to its lifestyle. We show that: 1) Carcharias and Megachasma (ragged-tooth and megamouth) have short rostral and large otic regions indicative of slower-swimming pelagic lifestyles with elevated coordination for balancing in the water column; 2) Alopias pelagicus, A. vulpinus, …
Microplastics In Western Ny River Ecosystems,
2023
Canisius College
Microplastics In Western Ny River Ecosystems, Eliana Deglopper, Jonathan O'Brien
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
The occurrence of microplastics in marine and freshwater systems has been an area of increasing concern due to its potential negative impact on aquatic organisms and human health. With continuously growing patches of plastics in oceans and the Great Lakes, we must understand the mechanisms that move these materials from the urban landscape into aquatic ecosystems. We investigated the transport and storage of microplastics in 5 streams draining into Lake Erie from Buffalo, NY. The streams were sampled from 2020-2023 to determine the amount of plastic being transported. Samples underwent chemical digestion, filtration, and staining with Nile Red, and were …
Amphipod Cage Match: Competition Between Hyalella Azteca And Gammarus Spp. Is Mediated By Resource Availability,
2023
Canisius College
Amphipod Cage Match: Competition Between Hyalella Azteca And Gammarus Spp. Is Mediated By Resource Availability, Dominic Degeorge, Jonathan O'Brien
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
Ecological competition is seen throughout the environment, but effects of competition may be complex for generalist consumers with broader niche requirements. We observed Hyalella azteca and Gammarus spp. in the same and separate mesocosms to determine their levels of coexistence and resource use. Starting populations of ten Hyalella and Gammarus were added to ten mesocosms with a single species present as well as both species to an additional ten mesocosms. For each of these ten mesocosms in the three treatments, five were supplied one gram of leaf matter and five were supplied with five grams of leaf matter. After six …
Rubbish Habit Or Novel Habitat? Colonization Of Anthropogenic Litter By Stream Invertebrates,
2023
Canisius College
Rubbish Habit Or Novel Habitat? Colonization Of Anthropogenic Litter By Stream Invertebrates, Lanie Masset, Jonathan O'Brien
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
We conducted a field experiment to examine the colonization and use of human derived materials by aquatic invertebrates in three western New York streams. The study streams included two soft-bottomed urban streams, Ransom Creek and California Creek, and a hard-bottomed forested stream, Hayes Hollow Creek. In each stream, four different substrate types of similar surface areas: rocks, glass bottles, plastic bottles, and bricks were placed and left in the streams for 6 weeks to promote invertebrate colonization. Baskets filled with both rock and leaf substrates were also placed in the streams for 6 weeks to measure background community composition. The …
A Preliminary Assessment Of Microplastic Pollution In A Local Watershed Of Cincinnati, Ohio, Prior To Reservoir Dredging.,
2023
Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH
A Preliminary Assessment Of Microplastic Pollution In A Local Watershed Of Cincinnati, Ohio, Prior To Reservoir Dredging., Rachel G. Bickett, Gwyneth A. Hagerty, Caroline R. Menosky, Clayton A. Strege
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
Microplastics, defined as small particles of plastic between 2 and 5 µm, are a pressing environmental concern due to the growing use of plastic products and subsequent disposal. While most microplastic research has focused on marine systems, a growing concern exists on the presence of microplastics in freshwater systems and additional impacts to humans and wildlife. The main objective of this preliminary study was to assess the prevalence of microplastics in water surrounding a dammed reservoir. These results will provide baseline data to assess the role of dam dredging on microplastics. Samples were taken from Sharon Woods Park, Cincinnati, Ohio, …
Effect Of Temperature Variation On Endurance Swimming Capacity Of Juvenile White Sturgeon (Acipenser Transmontanus),
2023
Kalamazoo College
Effect Of Temperature Variation On Endurance Swimming Capacity Of Juvenile White Sturgeon (Acipenser Transmontanus), Alex M. Stolberg
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
White sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus), a species within one of the most globally threatened taxa, are highly susceptible to changes in their environments due to unique life history traits. Specifically, juvenile white sturgeon are impacted by altered watershed dynamics caused by water diversion structures such as dams, weirs, irrigation ditches, or levees. One location of great concern is the Sacramento-San Joaquin (S-SJ) watershed where decades of water diversion has brought on changes to the temperature, flow, and management of the area. This study looks to primarily identify the impact of water temperature on the endurance swimming capacity of juvenile white sturgeon, …
Host Size Reduction In Response To Parasitic Infection Fuels Trophic Cascades,
2023
Indiana University - Bloomington
Host Size Reduction In Response To Parasitic Infection Fuels Trophic Cascades, Lauren Albert
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
Outbreaks of disease epidemics continue to erupt in host populations. Within these populations, parasites drive top-down effects. For example, when parasites kill their hosts, they can indirectly increase the hosts’ resource density, causing trophic cascades. This phenomena arises in a diversity of parasite-host-resource systems; however, the mechanisms of parasite-driven trophic cascades remain less clear. A straightforward density-mediated mechanism occurs when parasites increase host mortality, depressing host density. Alternatively, host traits such as body size could be affected, depressing host resource regulation. To disentangle connections between parasites and trophic cascades, we must measure mechanisms operating at both the population (density) and …
Analyzing Decomposition In A Temperate Lotic System,
2023
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Analyzing Decomposition In A Temperate Lotic System, Trevor J. Rallo
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
Decomposition of allochthonous material (e.g., leaves or woody debris) is an important process in stream ecosystems. Breakdown of this allochthonous matter is dependent on multiple factors, such as species identity or the habitat type (e.g. riffle vs pool). Decomposition rate has received limited attention as a potential metric of stream health, which could be useful for conservation and citizen science groups. In this study, we quantified microbe density and macroinvertebrate diversity, and related these variables back to the decomposer taxa, habitat type and stream health value (quantified as Q-value). Leaf litter bags that varied in mesh size (2.0 and 0.5 …
Pre-Dredging Assessment Of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates From Sharon Lake And Creek, Cincinnati, Ohio,
2023
Xavier University - Cincinnati
Pre-Dredging Assessment Of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates From Sharon Lake And Creek, Cincinnati, Ohio, Paige M. Loboschefski, Addyson M. Thomas, Emma J. Weiss
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
Dams can serve a multitude of purposes for humans including water storage and flood control. However, dams can also have negative cascading impacts on the surrounding ecosystem. One impact is sedimentation, where reduced water flow can increase the accumulation of benthic sediment. Nutrients can also accumulate leading to eutrophication, affecting organismal and ecosystem health. In order to improve water and ecosystem quality, dredging can occur to remove benthic sediments. The main objective of this study was to characterize the macroinvertebrate community above and below a dam prior to substrate dredging. This study was conducted in Sharon Lake and Creek near …
Geographic Analysis Of Sex Chromosome Polymorphism In The Virginian Wild Strawberry,
2023
University of Pittsburgh
Geographic Analysis Of Sex Chromosome Polymorphism In The Virginian Wild Strawberry, Trezalka A. Budinsky
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
The evolution of sex chromosomes is a ubiquitous and essential diversifying mechanism in eukaryotes. Yet early stages of sex-chromosome differentiation are poorly understood. The subdioecious octoploid, Fragaria virginiana, provides a rare opportunity to study the beginnings of sex chromosome evolution due to its young, polymorphic ZW sex system. Females are ZW and males/hermaphrodites are ZZ. F. virginiana has a small sex-determining region (SDR) located on the female W chromosome that has undergone three transposition events between the strawberry's four subgenomes, resulting in three SDR haplotypes: alpha (the result of a first transposition and closest to a pre-sex chromosome ancestral …
Phosphours Trasnport In Soil: Locating And Identifying A Limiting Element,
2023
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Phosphours Trasnport In Soil: Locating And Identifying A Limiting Element, Jeremy Giannone
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
The phosphorus (P) cycle is not well understood. While carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) have gas phases, P does not. Phosphorus runoff in waterways and its shortage are both understood since their causes are due to agricultural demands. Fertilizers increase the rate of phosphorus in the soil leading to greater runoff which then accumulates in the surrounding bodies of water.1 From an economic perspective the phosphorus availability and food prices have a direct correlation. The instability of phosphate prices may have direct causation to the instability of the food and agriculture markets.2In order to deal with these …
Rapid Assesment Of Aquatic Insect Diversity And Abundance Used To Evaluate The Quality Of Stream Restoration,
2023
University of Louisville
Rapid Assesment Of Aquatic Insect Diversity And Abundance Used To Evaluate The Quality Of Stream Restoration, Kaleb Stephen Kindoll
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
Stream and wetland restoration activities seek to improve the function of aquatic ecosystems. Measurement of the diversity and abundance of aquatic insects are commonly used to evaluate the success of restoration efforts, but these measurements are often very time consuming. In this study, we attempt to construct an efficient method that can be used to rapidly assess the diversity and abundance of aquatic insects as a measure of the quality of stream restoration. We suspended uniform sized pieces of cardboard paper coated with adhesive to trap insects in three different environments: one restored and two unrestored streams with similar characteristics. …
Aquatic Vegetation Seed Bank Status Of Kentucky Lake,
2023
Murray State University
Aquatic Vegetation Seed Bank Status Of Kentucky Lake, Emily A. Freeman
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
Aquatic vegetation is an important biotic component of reservoir ecosystems. Vegetation reduces erosion by acting as a barrier against current and waves from the lake. Aquatic vegetation also helps to oxygenate the water, stabilize nutrients like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, and provides structure for aquatic vertebrates. The absence of vegetation in Kentucky Lake has been influenced by a fluctuating water table (due to winter lake drawdowns), invasive carp, and the use of herbicides for grass management. The objective of this study is to determine the state of the remaining seedbank within nautical mile markers 45 and 52. By using long-term …
An Assessment Of Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Structure And Function Within The Mill Creek Watershed; Cincinnati, Ohio,
2023
Xavier University
An Assessment Of Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Structure And Function Within The Mill Creek Watershed; Cincinnati, Ohio, Erin Linko
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
The Mill Creek Watershed is an urbanized network of streams that drains through the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. This watershed has had a long history of habitat destruction and pollution due to a variety of anthropogenic factors, namely Cincinnati’s combined sewage overflow (CSO) sanitation system. Through an ongoing biomonitoring project at Xavier University, nine sites along the mainstem Mill Creek and three of its tributaries have been studied since 2014. Through habitat assessments, fecal coliform testing, and aquatic macroinvertebrate sampling, the ecological health of this watershed can be tracked over time. The main objective of this research project was to …
Examining The Reproductive Ecology Of Terrapene Ornata In Western Nebraska,
2023
Washburn University
Examining The Reproductive Ecology Of Terrapene Ornata In Western Nebraska, Katie Brighton, Keetan Munsell
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
Understanding the reproductive ecology of any species is vital for determining intraspecific variation in individual fitness, modeling population growth or persistence potential, and developing effective conservation strategies. The reproductive ecology of many species has been extensively studied (particularly in mammals); however, other taxonomic groups including many ectotherms has not been well documented. One such ectotherm is the ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata), which, to our knowledge, has never had its reproductive ecology extensively examined, especially in the field. In this study, we examined the reproductive ecology of ornate box turtles over a six-week period in a mixed shortgrass prairie in …
Where The Wild Mushrooms Are: Species And Secondary Metabolite Diversity In Fungal Species On The Saint Mary’S College Campus,
2023
Saint Mary's College
Where The Wild Mushrooms Are: Species And Secondary Metabolite Diversity In Fungal Species On The Saint Mary’S College Campus, Lex K. Gilman
2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference
Secondary metabolites in fungi have three main ecological functions: protection against predation, communication with other mushrooms, and assistance in pathogenic interactions. These compounds have also led to the common use of mushrooms as food and in traditional Chinese or other medicinal applications. However, there are currently few good resources for identifying mushroom species in North-Central Indiana. In addition, limited research exists on secondary metabolites in mushrooms. The objective of this research was to create a preliminary database of mushroom species at Saint Mary’s College and conduct preliminary research on the secondary metabolites of these local species. Fungal specimens were identified …
Is Lineage C A Distinct Species?,
2023
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
