Beetles comprise 400,000 described species and 40% of all insects as well as displaying high levels of noteworthy diversity. Their elytra, a sclerotized non-flight forewing, is a uniquely defining feature that has allowed them to become widely prevalent and ubiquitous worldwide. In an effort to explore this novel trait, we performed a complementation test on […]
B70: Effects of pH on fungal growth rate
Soil fungi play a critical role in forest ecosystems, as they are a key component in nutrient cycling, and so their reactions to changes in the environment are of great interest. Because pH is considered a master variable in ecosystems ecology, and the pH of ecosystems can be affected by anthropogenic sources such as acid […]
C03:Trifolium repens: Balancing aesthetic and ecological lawn concerns at Miami University
Ecological concerns are an increasingly important aspect of modern life. The environmental impact certain actions, behaviors, and societal norms have on life have become a more prominent personal consideration. Monoculture grass lawns are small luxuries, requiring regular maintenance schedules that use motorized machinery, chemical fertilizers, and regular irrigation as a matter of course.Lawns are slowly […]
C04:Evaluating the effects of variable winter/spring conditions on phytoplankton in a productive lake
The research performed in this study is targeted towards understanding phytoplankton dynamics in Acton Lake in the winter versus the summer. This lake is eutrophic, meaning phytoplankton levels are increased and the lake may experience algal blooms. These algae blooms may disrupt lake food webs and reduce recreational opportunities as their expansion toxifies the water. […]
C05: Oxygen and Temperature Dynamics Over 30 Years in a Temperate Reservoir Dominated by Agricultural Land Use
Global climate change has caused temperatures in all environments to increase due to anthropogenic releases of greenhouse gasses. Freshwater ecosystems have been especially affected, as many lake organisms rely on high dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations for survival, and recent studies suggest that deep-water declines in DO are directly related to higher air and water temperatures. […]
C12: Circadian Rhythm and Body Temperature In Overwintering Mammals
Mammals exposed to cold weather must cope with it in some way. Some small mammals such as mice and voles do not enter hibernation or torpor. However, maintaining body temperature is a core homeostatic function. The left ventricles in winter mice and voles enlarge, and this is thought to occur because the heart must pump […]
C15: Effect of Buffalo Reef Stamp Sand on Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Embryonic Development
The invasive nature of stamp sand, residual waste from early copper mining activities in the 20th Century, threatens aquatic life in the Keweenaw Peninsula. Lake whitefish– a culturally and economically important game to tribal communities within the Buffalo Reef area– has recently declined in spawning. However, how stamp sand affects lake whitefish breeding and/or survival […]
C16: Food Type Alters Gastric Mill (Chewing) Behavior in the Crab Cancer borealis
Central pattern generators (CPGs) are neural networks that produce rhythmic movements, such as walking, chewing, and breathing, in both the presence and absence of sensory input. Exploring the relationship between sensory-regulated and intrinsically controlled CPG activity is crucial for better understanding disorders of rhythmic movement. The stomatogastric nervous system (STNS) of the Jonah crab, Cancer […]
C41: Inquires into Natural History and Colonial Persistence
Many natural history institutions built their collections by taking scientific specimens while on colonial expeditions, and the implementation of human culture or specimens rarely took consent of the parties involved into account. On a study abroad trip to London, England in January of 2024, I examined a few examples of colonial expeditions, racist rhetoric, and […]
C51: Characterizing the persistent impacts of chronic early life stress on fear and anxiety-related behaviors in adult male and female rats
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects nearly 8 million people and anxiety disorders affect nearly 40 million people in the United States, making them the most common subtype of mental health diagnoses. Early life stress (ELS) exposure yields substantial vulnerability to developing PTSD and anxiety later in life. Determining the impact of ELS requires a closer […]