Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology Commons^™

Comparing Ionoregulation And Modes Of Nitrogen Excretion Across The Life Cycle Of Parasitic And Non-Parasitic Lamprey Species, Shannon Davidson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Abstract

Ionoregulation and nitrogenous waste (N-waste) metabolism in fishes has been extensively documented in teleosts and elasmobranchs, but less so in lampreys (Petromizontiformes). All lamprey species undergo metamorphosis which drastically changes their physiology and modes of feeding. However, differences in ionoregulatory mechanisms due to anadromous versus non anadromous life history strategies emerge following metamorphosis in different lamprey species. Furthermore, some species, such as anadromous juvenile sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), are parasitic and migrate to seawater (SW) to ingest blood protein from host fishes, while juveniles of freshwater (FW), non-parasitic species, such as the American brook lamprey …

Hypothalamic Manipulation Of The Anuran Hpg Axis: Alternative Hormones And A Non-Invasive Administration Route For Amphibian Assisted Reproductive Technologies (Art), Erin Michelle Saylor

Theses and Dissertations

Amidst the amphibian extinction crisis, in situ and ex situ amphibian species conservation initiatives utilize assisted reproductive technologies for optimal genetic management of captive and wild populations. Development of effective, simple, low-cost methods for obtaining gametes for artificial fertilization, sperm biobanking, or natural breeding alleviates obstacles for institutions or programs to apply reproductive technologies. Objectives herein include investigating the efficacy of alternative hormones for inducing spermiation, an alternative hormone administration route for inducing ovulation, exploring the physiological effects of hormone therapy, and utilizing sperm from deceased animals for biobanking.

Hydric Physiology Of Lizards, Savannah Weaver

Master's Theses

Chapter 1: Animals can respond to extreme climate by behaviorally avoiding it, or by physiologically coping with it. We understand behavioral thermoregulation and physiological thermal tolerances, but water balance has largely been neglected. Climate change includes both global warming and changes in precipitation regimes, so improving our understanding of organismal water balance is increasingly urgent. We assessed the hydric physiology of endangered Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizards (Gambelia sila) by measuring cutaneous evaporative water loss (CEWL), plasma osmolality, body mass, and body condition throughout their active season. On average, G. sila had low CEWL that is likely desert-adaptive, and high …

Does Stress Physiology Mediate Disease Resistance In The Arizona Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma Mavortium Nebulosum)?, Megan Zerger

2023 Midwest Ecology & Evolution Conference

Amphibian biodiversity has greatly diminished in recent years due to disease. Panzootic pathogenic fungi Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) causes the deadly disease chytridiomycosis (chytrid), a primary driver of catastrophic global amphibian declines and extinctions. The pathogenesis of chytrid is still unclear, as certain species and individuals within a species are differentially affected. Susceptibility and mortality of Bd are influenced by prolonged chronic stress. Prolonged glucocorticoid activity deleteriously affects many of the same physiological processes as Bd infections, and corticosterone is the primary glucocorticoid released by amphibians in response to stress. Thus, the objective of our study is to assess …

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, …

Osteological Identification And Morphological Comparison Of Extant Sciurids, Amber Kalinowski, Mateusz Wosik

Student Research Poster Presentations 2023

Bone elements can reveal varying characteristics for each rodent, so it is best to analyze overlapping elements between and among taxa when drawing comparative conclusions.

Fossorial animals present robust skeletons, strong scapular girdles, short fore- and hind limbs, and prominent attachment sites for muscles. In an animal that is primarily cursorial it is expected to see a slimmer forelimb because the need for strong limbs to deal with biochemical strains is not present.

Using a sample of Marmota monax (groundhog) and Tamias striatus (chipmunk), two common taxa found in northeastern Pennsylvania, we can examine the locomotory modes of these closely …

Effect Of Temperature On Morphology Of The Cardiorespiratory System Of Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis), Alley E. Permenter

Honors College Theses

Climate change and temperature are two very important topics for the coming future. As climate change projections estimate a 2-3°C increase in water temperatures by the end of the century, the habitats of many aquatic organisms will be affected in more ways than one. Temperature has proven to be an integral part of the driving force that causes physiological, behavioral, and ecological patterns in aquatic organisms. Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) and their responses to changes in water temperature have been a topic of interest due to the fact that the southern populations do not follow their northern counterparts …

Umfc 140 A Comprehensive Case Report, Daniel D. Warila

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

UMFC 140 Is a teaching specimen from purchased from China assigned To Daniel Warila B.A. for the purpose of a Forensic case study. This case study covers a wide variety of forensic procedures that can be applied to these remains. The forensic procedures used consist of past as well as current procedures were applied to the remains with the resulting findings discussed and analyzed. This case study was focused on finding as many forensic answers as possible on the remains in their current condition.

Use Of Hematological Markers To Assess Physiological Condition And Health Status In Free-Ranging Sand Tiger Sharks (Carcharias Taurus), Chestina N. Craig

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The contents of blood can provide information about the physiological condition and health of vertebrates. This study seeks to better understand the stress physiology and blood bacteria presence of the sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus), as sharks are known to have unique physiology and immune systems. In this study the blood metabolites glucose, lactate, and ketones (3-hydroxybuteric acid and acetoacetate), were used to understand how biotic and abiotic factors affect the acute stress response to capture and handling. Metabolite concentrations from blood plasma were analyzed using colorimetric assays. Glucose and ketones showed no significant responses to capture and …

Heat Stressed Exercise Elicits Shifts In Cooling Strategies Across Body Mass In Tropical Songbirds, Kristen Dee Oliver

Biology ETDs

In resting animals, water use positively correlates with metabolic rate, for example smaller animals using proportionally more water per gram of body mass. However, animals also must endure heat and exertion, and evaporative cooling requires additional water use that may not scale similarly with body size. How evaporative water loss allometrically scales with body mass during heat-stressed exercise is poorly resolved, particularly for birds, yet is critically important for understanding the consequences of climate warming on the fitness of bird populations. Here, we evaluated how air temperature (T_a) influenced evaporative water loss during exercise (EWL_exercise) across …

Internal Vertebral Morphology Of Bony Fishes Matches The Mechanical Demands Of Different Environments, Dana Baxter, Karly E. Cohen, Cassandra M. Donatelli, Eric D. Tytell

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Fishes have repeatedly evolved characteristic body shapes depending on how close they live to the substrate. Pelagic fishes live in open water and typically have narrow, streamlined body shapes; benthic and demersal fishes live close to the substrate; and demersal fishes often have deeper bodies. These shape differences are often associated with behavioral differences: pelagic fishes swim nearly constantly, demersal fishes tend to maneuver near the substrate, and benthic fishes often lie in wait on the substrate. We hypothesized that these morphological and behavioral differences would be reflected in the mechanical properties of the body, and specifically in vertebral column …

Expression Of Claudins In Gill And Opercular Membranes In Relation To Osmoregulation In Euryhaline Atlantic Killifish, Fundulus Heteroclitus, Allison Mcfarland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) are euryhaline teleosts, which means they can thrive in environments with varying salinities, ranging from concentrated seawater (SW) to dilute fresh water (FW) and thus survive in estuaries. To be able to maintain ionic and osmotic homeostasis in these diverse salinities, osmoregulatory organs like gill and opercular membrane must be able to adjust the permeability and transport of water and ions. The surface epithelia in these organs need to prevent the passive flux of ions and water in a drastically changing environment, while being able to switch between active ion secretion or uptake dependent upon environmental …

Maternal Responses In The Face Of Infection Risk, Patricia C. Lopes, Brenna M. G. Gormally, Aubrey Emmi, Delilah Schuerman, Chathuni Liyanage, Ursula K. Beattie, L. Michael Romero

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

When animals are sick, their physiology and behavior change in ways that can impact their offspring. Research is emerging showing that infection risk alone can also modify the physiology and behavior of healthy animals. If physiological responses to environments with high infection risk take place during reproduction, it is possible that they lead to maternal effects. Understanding whether and how high infection risk triggers maternal effects is important to elucidate how the impacts of infectious agents extend beyond infected individuals and how, in this way, they are even stronger evolutionary forces than already considered. Here, to evaluate the effects of …

Developing A Novel Place Preference Assay To Compare Drosophila Species Over Time, Martha M. Brinson

Honors Theses

Across phylogeny, integration of external factors, memory, and internal states of the organism dictate organismal behavior and mechanisms. The underlying genetic components can affect these behaviors such as in genomic changes arising from speciation. In this thesis, a new place preference assay was evaluated in the analysis and investigation of two species of Drosophila flies (D. melanogaster and D. simulans) to measure similarities and differences and their attraction to two different food substrates. Sleep and circadian measurements were also recorded during experimentation. The Drosophila Activity Monitor 5M (DAM5M) System and Sleep Circadian Analysis MATLAB Program (SCAMP) analysis were …

Relating Metabolic Phenotypes To Movement Behavior In Brook Trout, Jacob E. Bowman

All NMU Master's Theses

Brook trout movement-related life history strategies vary considerably and range from individuals that stay within the same 100 meters their entire life to individuals that are potamodromous or anadromous. Potential drivers of movement life histories have been the subject of much research in fish, with genetic subpopulation explanations often failing to explain the phenomenon. Metabolic phenotypes have been suggested as a possible driver for expression of different movement life histories. I investigated if metabolic phenotypes are related to movement strategies within a population of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in Unnamed Creek, a tributary to the Rock River, Alger …

Examining The Effects Of Exercise-Induced, Physical Stress Overtraining On Stress Biomarkers In Adolescent, C57bl/6 Mice, Curtis Scotty Davis

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Exercise has long been established as a therapeutic modality to improve health and related physical fitness, sports performance, and injury/risk reduction in both adults and adolescents (Haff & Triplett, 2015; Kaminsky, 2010). Nonetheless, there is a lack of research investigating the negative effects of exercise overstress (i.e., overtraining syndrome) in these populations, particularly adolescents (Brenner & American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness, 2007; Matos & Winsley, 2007). The objective of this study was to examine hormone biochemical markers, anthropometric markers, and behavioral traits, which are associated with overtraining syndrome, in adolescent C57BL/6 mice. A total of …

Design And Validation Of Artificial Feeders To Study Feeding Preferences And Growth Of Hematophagous Juvenile Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon Marinus), Gracie Li-Ting-Wai

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The parasitic and invasive land-locked sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus populations contributed to the collapse of the Great Lakes fisheries in the mid-1900s, while native anadromous populations are currently under threat and require conservation efforts for protection. Despite the increasing concern for both populations of this species, the juvenile stage of the sea lamprey’s life cycle has not been well studied. This is due, in part, to ethical concerns raised around holding live host fish with juveniles and the lack of an alternative feeding method to maintain these juveniles in the laboratory. The feeder should be designed to minimize fouling of …

Pulmonary Capillary Recruitment And Distention In Mammalian Lungs: Species Similarities, David Langleben, Benjamin D. Fox, Stylianos E. Orfanos, Michele Giovinazzo, John D. Catravas

Bioelectrics Publications

Pulmonary arterial pressure rises minimally during exercise. The pulmonary microcirculation accommodates increasing blood flow via recruitment of pulmonary capillaries and, at higher flows, by distention of already perfused capillaries. The flow transition range between recruitment and distention has not been studied or compared across mammalian species, including humans. We hypothesised that the range would be similar. Functional pulmonary capillary surface area (FCSA) can be estimated using validated metabolic techniques. We reviewed data from previous studies in three mammalian species (perfused rabbit lungs and dog lung lobes, and exercising humans) and generated blood flow-FCSA curves over a range of flows. We …

Strong Inferences About Pain In Invertebrates Require Stronger Evidence, Edgar T. Walters

Animal Sentience

Evidence for sentience in animals distantly related to humans is often sought in observations of behavioral and neural responses to noxious stimuli that would be painful in humans. Most proposed criteria for painful sentience in “lower” animals such as decapod crustaceans have no necessary links to the affective (“suffering”) component of pain. The best evidence for painful affect in animals is learned aversion to stimuli associated with noxious experience, and conditioned preference for contexts associated with relief from aversive consequences of noxious experience, as expressed in voluntary behavior. Such evidence is currently lacking for any invertebrate except octopus.

Effects Of Maternal And Neonatal Hypoxia On The Future Life History Of Daphnia Magna, Rachael Lowman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Early exposure to hypoxia is related to a variety of physiological and metabolic changes that have lasting effects on organisms’ physiology and life history. We measured the effects of maternal and embryonic mild, intermittent hypoxia on the life history of four clones of microcrustacean Daphnia magna, an emerging model organism for the studies of senescence and longevity. Daphnia individuals were produced parthenogenically, maintained in individual vials, and fed standard algal concentration daily. The cohort consisted of 189 individuals. We measured body size at first reproduction, fecundity (including late-life fecundity peak), offspring sex ratio, and longevity. We found no effect …