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Texas A&M University
1.
Marquess, Richelle Renee.
The Role of Food Protein-Carbohydrate Content on Nutrient Regulation Strategies and Wing Morph Determination in the Wing Polymorphic Cricket Gryllus firmus.
Degree: MS, Entomology, 2016, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/158665 
► Field crickets in the genus Gryllus are wing polymorphic and have been used for many years as a model for trade-offs between dispersal and reproduction.…
(more)
▼ Field crickets in the genus Gryllus are wing polymorphic and have been used for many years as a model for trade-offs between dispersal and reproduction. There are two main morphs of adult crickets. The first has long hindwings but small ovaries and is capable of flight while the other has short hindwings and cannot fly but has much larger ovaries and therefore higher reproduction. This trade-off is well studied in adult crickets but very little work of any sort has been done with the nymphs. Previous studies have shown that the morph the nymphs will become is influenced by their genetics as well as environmental cues such as population density. The experiments in this thesis examine how the nymphs regulate their protein and carbohydrate intake and the extent to which food protein and carbohydrate content influences wing morph determination. Two experiments, using three cricket lines, were used. Two of these lines were selected to produce either long winged or short winged individuals; the third line was unselected and representative of field populations. First a choice experiment was conducted to determine the protein:carbohydrate (P:C) ratio nymphs from the different lines self-selected. The second experiment was a no-choice experiment that tested how the nymphs from the different lines regulated their protein-carbohydrate intake when they were restricted to a single diet as well as how those diets affected their performance and final wing morph. The results from these experiments are compared to nutrient regulation strategies in the adults of each morph, and discussed within the context of how food protein-carbohydrate content influences wing morph determination.
Advisors/Committee Members: Behmer, Spencer T (advisor), Rosenthal, Gil (committee member), Sword, Greg (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: carbohydrate; cricket; life history; nutrition; protein; trade-off; nymph
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APA (6th Edition):
Marquess, R. R. (2016). The Role of Food Protein-Carbohydrate Content on Nutrient Regulation Strategies and Wing Morph Determination in the Wing Polymorphic Cricket Gryllus firmus. (Masters Thesis). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/158665
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Marquess, Richelle Renee. “The Role of Food Protein-Carbohydrate Content on Nutrient Regulation Strategies and Wing Morph Determination in the Wing Polymorphic Cricket Gryllus firmus.” 2016. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/158665.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Marquess, Richelle Renee. “The Role of Food Protein-Carbohydrate Content on Nutrient Regulation Strategies and Wing Morph Determination in the Wing Polymorphic Cricket Gryllus firmus.” 2016. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Marquess RR. The Role of Food Protein-Carbohydrate Content on Nutrient Regulation Strategies and Wing Morph Determination in the Wing Polymorphic Cricket Gryllus firmus. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2016. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/158665.
Council of Science Editors:
Marquess RR. The Role of Food Protein-Carbohydrate Content on Nutrient Regulation Strategies and Wing Morph Determination in the Wing Polymorphic Cricket Gryllus firmus. [Masters Thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2016. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/158665
Texas A&M University
2.
Culumber, Zachary Wyatt.
Mate Choice, Genetic Variation, and Population Structure in Hybrid Zones.
Degree: PhD, Biology, 2012, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10446
► Natural hybrid zones provide opportunities to study a range of evolutionary phenomena from speciation to the genetic basis of fitness-related traits. Additionally, investing the structure…
(more)
▼ Natural hybrid zones provide opportunities to study a range of evolutionary phenomena from speciation to the genetic basis of fitness-related traits. Additionally, investing the structure of hybrid zones can provide valuable insight in the ecology and evolution of species. The present dissertation approaches the investigation of natural hybrid zones between Xiphophorus birchmanni and X. malinche from a population genetics perspective. The goal of the chapters herein are to investigate the genetic structure of these natural hybrid zones overall and the genetic structure of the populations within them in an effort to better understand the factors producing and maintaining spatial genetic patterns among this species pair and their hybrids.
Using informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in one mitochondrial and three nuclear intron loci, I show that hybrid zones occur in replicated fashion in multiple stream reaches along a gradient from high to low elevation. Tests of FIS and linkage disequilibrium (LD) revealed significant genetic structure within a small subset of populations. Specifically, parentals and hybrids all three occur in some locations while other locations appear to be hybrid swarms.
I then investigated a behavioral mechanism of reproductive isolation - social association, which might affect population structure. In clean water, individuals shoaled significantly more closely with conspecifics. Additionally, genotyping of females and their embryos revealed signatures of non-random mating in structured populations. Taken together, assortative social grouping, which may translate to assortative female mate choice, likely plays a role in maintaining population structure. Finally, I show that fluctuating asymmetry is significantly higher in unstructured than structure populations. This is a further indication that some form of non-random mating occurs in structured populations and has effects on male phenotypes.
Advisors/Committee Members: Rosenthal, Gil (advisor), Criscione, Charles (committee member), Jones, Adam (committee member), Winemiller, Kirk (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Hybrid zone; population genetics; introgression; population structure
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APA (6th Edition):
Culumber, Z. W. (2012). Mate Choice, Genetic Variation, and Population Structure in Hybrid Zones. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10446
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Culumber, Zachary Wyatt. “Mate Choice, Genetic Variation, and Population Structure in Hybrid Zones.” 2012. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10446.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Culumber, Zachary Wyatt. “Mate Choice, Genetic Variation, and Population Structure in Hybrid Zones.” 2012. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Culumber ZW. Mate Choice, Genetic Variation, and Population Structure in Hybrid Zones. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10446.
Council of Science Editors:
Culumber ZW. Mate Choice, Genetic Variation, and Population Structure in Hybrid Zones. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10446
Texas A&M University
3.
Carlson, Charles.
Hybridization and the Typological Paradigm.
Degree: MS, Biology, 2012, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10507
► The presence of parasites in a population has an impact on mate choice and has substantial evolutionary significance. A relatively unexplored aspect of this dynamic…
(more)
▼ The presence of parasites in a population has an impact on mate choice and has substantial evolutionary significance. A relatively unexplored aspect of this dynamic is whether or not the presence of parasites increases the likelihood of hybridization events, which also have a significant role in ecological adaptation. One explanation of increased hybridization in some areas and not others is that stress from parasites results in selection for an increase of novel genotypes. Two swordtail species Xiphophorus birchmanni and Xiphophorus malinche maintain an active hybrid zone. The patterns of hybridization are unique in that they do not match up directly with expectations. We set out to test whether or not individuals can sense, using chemical cues, whether conspecifics in their immediate vicinity have high parasite loads and also whether this has an effect on mating and association behavior toward both conspecific and hybrid mates. Our hypothesis being that females will have greater association times with hybrid/heterospecific mates if conscpecifics are heavily parasitized. We found that females exposed to parasitized males had a weaker preference for conspecific odor than those exposed to unparasitized males, both relative to a water control and relative to hybrids.
The empirical investigation described above is coupled with a historical and philosophical discussion of some of the issues surrounding the acceptance and understanding of the concept of hybridization. This discussion takes as its major themes: an analysis of the role that social views have on the formation of scientific hypothesis; the lag between epochal change in the scientific community and the assimilation of the consequences into social beliefs; the survival of hierarchical and teleological thinking in our concept of species and purity; and the failures of contemporary evolutionary theory to provide satisfactory explanations about the meaning and upshot of hybridization. Two specific misconceptions about hybridization are addressed. First, that hybridization clashes with the belief in kinds/types/species having separate and pure identities. Secondly, the teleological view that reads purpose into nature and places all instances of variation on a hierarchical scale; the top and bottom of which are determined by estimated closeness to the predetermined perfection of a type.
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Advisors/Committee Members: Rosenthal, Gil (advisor), Jones, Adam G. (committee member), McDermott, John J. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Hybridization; Parasites; Philosophy of Biology; Species
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APA (6th Edition):
Carlson, C. (2012). Hybridization and the Typological Paradigm. (Masters Thesis). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10507
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Carlson, Charles. “Hybridization and the Typological Paradigm.” 2012. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10507.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Carlson, Charles. “Hybridization and the Typological Paradigm.” 2012. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Carlson C. Hybridization and the Typological Paradigm. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2012. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10507.
Council of Science Editors:
Carlson C. Hybridization and the Typological Paradigm. [Masters Thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10507
Texas A&M University
4.
Witmer, Angela Dawn.
Ecology of Sandy Beach Intertidal Macroinfauna Along the Upper Texas Coast.
Degree: PhD, Zoology, 2012, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9142
► Open coastlines are dynamic environments which experience seasonal and long-term physical changes. Sandy beaches line much of this coastline. As part of the requirements for…
(more)
▼ Open coastlines are dynamic environments which experience seasonal and long-term physical changes. Sandy beaches line much of this coastline. As part of the requirements for Ph.D., I conducted a study examining intertidal macrofaunal and sedimentological features along the upper
Texas coastal from 2007-2009. Four sites near Sabine Pass, High Island, Jamaica Beach, and Surfside Beach were selected. Beach transects were established at each site with six intertidal stations identified for collecting macrofaunal sediment core samples.
Although sandy beaches are low in species diversity, the taxa found survive under dynamic and harsh conditions. In disturbance dominated environments, sandy beach fauna tended to be influenced by physical factors, instead of biologically controlled ones. The taxa found in this study include primary and secondary successional organisms which are adapted to handle disturbances. 98% of the benthic specimens identified belonged to six taxa with 92% from two taxa, Scolelepis squamata (
38%) and Haustoriidae (54%). Macrofaunal zonation varied between sites because of beach geomorphology.
On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike made landfall on the upper
Texas coast causing extensive damage and erosion. Roughly 0.5
m of vertical height was lost at each beach post-storm. Total macrofaunal abundance declined by 87% from pre-storm counts. During the recovery the dominant two taxa, Haustoriidae and Scolelepis squamata, made up 82.78% of the total benthic specimens identified with haustoriids making up 68% of the total benthic taxa. The beach community remained dominated by four of the previously identified, six most common and abundant taxa.
Recovery of sandy beaches often was hindered by increased vehicular traffic, sand removal and cleaning. Beach ecosystems have shown a high natural ecological resilience, but do not preclude the possibilities of habitat extinction and/or catastrophic community regime shift. Beaches are highly susceptible to human exploitation and global climate change, such as sea level rise. Knowledge of beach macrofaunal diversity along the
Texas coast, such as haustoriids, could be used to estimate beach health and better evaluate the upward effects of natural disturbance, pollution and human uses on an integral part of the coastal ecosystem.
Advisors/Committee Members: Wicksten, Mary K. (advisor), Rosenthal, Gil (committee member), Mathewson, Christopher (committee member), Feagin, Russell (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: sandy beach ecology; intertidal; Texas; disturbance; hurricane
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APA (6th Edition):
Witmer, A. D. (2012). Ecology of Sandy Beach Intertidal Macroinfauna Along the Upper Texas Coast. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9142
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Witmer, Angela Dawn. “Ecology of Sandy Beach Intertidal Macroinfauna Along the Upper Texas Coast.” 2012. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9142.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Witmer, Angela Dawn. “Ecology of Sandy Beach Intertidal Macroinfauna Along the Upper Texas Coast.” 2012. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Witmer AD. Ecology of Sandy Beach Intertidal Macroinfauna Along the Upper Texas Coast. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9142.
Council of Science Editors:
Witmer AD. Ecology of Sandy Beach Intertidal Macroinfauna Along the Upper Texas Coast. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9142
Texas A&M University
5.
Hutchinson, Mark Ryan.
Completing the Annual Cycle: Investigating the Non-breeding Ecology of Two Neotropical Migrants.
Degree: PhD, Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, 2016, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157873
► A large majority of migratory bird research has focused on activities on the breeding grounds, but migratory birds spend most of the year engaged in…
(more)
▼ A large majority of migratory bird research has focused on activities on the breeding grounds, but migratory birds spend most of the year engaged in non-breeding activities. To complete some of the knowledge of each bird’s annual cycle, I conducted research on the non-breeding ecology of two federally endangered neo-tropical migrant songbirds, Golden-cheeked Warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia) and Black-capped Vireo (Vireo atricapilla), that breed in the
Texas hill country.
After breeding but before migration, researchers have observed Golden-cheeked Warblers using vegetation different from their breeding vegetation of oak-juniper woodland. To determine vegetation associations during the post-breeding period of 2010-2012, I conducted surveys at 34 locations composed of breeding vegetation in the low stony hill or redlands eco-sites and the immediately adjacent non-breeding vegetation made of oak woodland, oak savannah, or riparian strips. Warblers used breeding vegetation more commonly than non-breeding vegetation. Among detections in breeding vegetation, I found warblers most commonly in the low stony hill eco-site which is considered to be the highest quality eco-site type based on breeding success. When I found warblers in non-breeding vegetation, they were most often in riparian strips and oak woodlands adjacent to the low stony hill eco-site. Neither canopy cover nor territory density had a significant relationship on detection rate during the post-breeding period. When I found warbler groups, they were most commonly composed of family groups or lone males that were foraging. These results indicate that, while Golden-cheeked Warblers do use vegetation other than breeding vegetation during the post-breeding period, high quality breeding vegetation remains the most important vegetation type to these birds during this period of their annual cycle.
To determine the migratory connectivity, the degree to which breeding population structure is maintained on the wintering grounds, of Black-capped Vireos I collected feathers from 158 vireos across their breeding range in
Texas and Oklahoma from 2010-2012. I analyzed stable hydrogen isotope composition in vireo feathers to establish a breeding range map to which others could compare feathers collected from birds on the wintering grounds. I found that, unlike most migratory bird species, Black-capped Vireo feather isotope ratios patterns do not match rainfall isotope ratio patterns. This species’ feathers also do not follow patterns of groundwater hydrogen isotope ratios. Due to extreme variability of feather hydrogen isotope ratio, I was unable to use a stable isotope analysis to establish a functional breeding ground isotope map for use by other researchers. Other techniques are necessary to determine this important aspect of Black-capped Vireo’s annual cycle.
Advisors/Committee Members: Morrison, Michael L (advisor), Voelker, Gary (advisor), Rosenthal, Gil G (committee member), Mora, Miguel (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: post-breeding; migratory connectivity, Golden-cheeked Warbler; Black-capped Vireo
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APA (6th Edition):
Hutchinson, M. R. (2016). Completing the Annual Cycle: Investigating the Non-breeding Ecology of Two Neotropical Migrants. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157873
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Hutchinson, Mark Ryan. “Completing the Annual Cycle: Investigating the Non-breeding Ecology of Two Neotropical Migrants.” 2016. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157873.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Hutchinson, Mark Ryan. “Completing the Annual Cycle: Investigating the Non-breeding Ecology of Two Neotropical Migrants.” 2016. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Hutchinson MR. Completing the Annual Cycle: Investigating the Non-breeding Ecology of Two Neotropical Migrants. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2016. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157873.
Council of Science Editors:
Hutchinson MR. Completing the Annual Cycle: Investigating the Non-breeding Ecology of Two Neotropical Migrants. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2016. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157873
Texas A&M University
6.
Giresi, Melissa.
Population Structure of the Dusky Smoothhound Shark, Mustelus Canis, in U.S. Waters and Identification of Species in the Genus Mustelus in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.
Degree: PhD, Biology, 2016, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/187429
► Globally, the genus Mustelus (smoothhound sharks) represents one of the most speciose groups of cartilaginous fishes. Morphological similarities and geographic overlap among species cause difficulties…
(more)
▼ Globally, the genus Mustelus (smoothhound sharks) represents one of the most speciose groups of cartilaginous fishes. Morphological similarities and geographic overlap among species cause difficulties with species identification and taxonomy. Four morphologically conserved species (Mustelus canis canis, Mustelus sinusmexicanus, Mustelus norrisi and Mustelus higmani) are thought to occur within the northern Gulf of Mexico (Gulf). Available morphological keys are inadequate to distinguish among these species, and as such, all smoothounds in the U.S. Atlantic will be be managed as a species complex.
The primary objectives of this study were to (i) develop and utilize molecular methods to distinguish among smoothhound species in the Gulf; (ii) identify morphological characters that can be used in field surveys to distinguish among the smoothhound species in the Gulf; (iii) test the null hypothesis that Mustelus canis is comprised of a single genetically panmictic stock in waters of the U.S. Atlantic (including the Gulf); (iv) assess genetic connectivity of
M. canis in U.S. waters, and (v) to estimate the effective size and effective number of breeders from each locality sampled.
Phylogenetic analysis of sequences of the mitochondrially-encoded NADH-2 gene resolved three reciprocally monophyletic lineages, which were identified as Mustelus canis, Mustelus norrisi, and Mustelus sinusmexicanus. Concordant with these results, comparisons of multi-locus, nuclear-encoded microsatellite genotypes also resolved three unambiguous groups. Using genetically verified voucher specimens, a field key outlining external characters was developed to aid field identification of the three species in the Gulf. Comparisons of environmental variables among specimens indicated that the three species, while co-distributed, might be partitioning the habitat based on depth and/or temperature tolerance.
Comparisons of ND-2 sequences and microsatellite genotypes among
M. canis from localities throughout the U.S. Atlantic (including the northern Gulf of Mexico) rejected the null hypothesis that
M. canis in U.S. waters of the western Atlantic comprises one genetically panmictic stock. Low but significant genetic structure was found between
M. canis in the Gulf and the Atlantic, and also within ocean basins. The results of these studies have important implications for fisheries management of smoothhound sharks in the United States.
Advisors/Committee Members: Rosenthal, Gil (advisor), Wicksten, Mary (committee member), Johnston, Spencer (committee member), Criscione, Charles (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: smooth hounds; genetics; population genetics; microsatellites; mtDNA
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APA ·
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APA (6th Edition):
Giresi, M. (2016). Population Structure of the Dusky Smoothhound Shark, Mustelus Canis, in U.S. Waters and Identification of Species in the Genus Mustelus in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/187429
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Giresi, Melissa. “Population Structure of the Dusky Smoothhound Shark, Mustelus Canis, in U.S. Waters and Identification of Species in the Genus Mustelus in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.” 2016. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/187429.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Giresi, Melissa. “Population Structure of the Dusky Smoothhound Shark, Mustelus Canis, in U.S. Waters and Identification of Species in the Genus Mustelus in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.” 2016. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Giresi M. Population Structure of the Dusky Smoothhound Shark, Mustelus Canis, in U.S. Waters and Identification of Species in the Genus Mustelus in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2016. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/187429.
Council of Science Editors:
Giresi M. Population Structure of the Dusky Smoothhound Shark, Mustelus Canis, in U.S. Waters and Identification of Species in the Genus Mustelus in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2016. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/187429
Texas A&M University
7.
Smarsh, Grace Christina.
Behavioral Ecology of Singing in the Heart-Nosed Bat, Cardioderma cor.
Degree: PhD, Biology, 2017, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/165798
► Although singing has been recently recognized in some bat species, the prevalence and ecological significance of this behavior in bats is still mysterious. Cardioderma cor,…
(more)
▼ Although singing has been recently recognized in some bat species, the prevalence and ecological significance of this behavior in bats is still mysterious. Cardioderma cor, the heart-nosed bat, was one of the first bats reported to sing, but little is known about the behavior of this species. Unlike other singing bats, this species roosts in groups during the day but disperses nightly to exclusive foraging areas, whereupon they sing from perches. The goal of this dissertation was to investigate the behavioral ecology of singing in C. cor, addressing key questions such as which bats sing, when and where they sing, and what and why they sing. I conducted a series of experiments to test the hypothesis that C. cor sings to create and defend foraging territories, a behavior commonly observed in songbirds but not mammals. I recorded the singing and sonar behavior of individuals across three field seasons in Tanzania. I mist-netted, tagged, and VHF-tracked 14 individuals to collect movement and singing data. Finally, I conducted acoustic playback experiments with 10 singers. C. cor males showed high fidelity to closely abutting night ranges that varied in size from 0.97 to 5.23 ha. Males foraged early in the evening before singing from preferred perches for up to several hours. I documented two C. cor song types, the most frequent being a “loud” song and less frequently a “soft” song uttered at the height of the dry season. Songs varied within individuals, but each individual’s songs were distinguishable by a unique set of spectral and temporal syllable parameters. C. cor and the sympatric, confamilial yellow-winged bat, Lavia frons, had overlapping foraging territories. However, C. cor’s repertoire was distinctive from that of L. frons’. Song playback experiments with C. cor elicited strong movement responses and changes in singing. Results suggested that song spectral and temporal parameters influenced behavioral responses. The results of this dissertation support the conclusion that C. cor’s singing behavior is consistent with the territory defense hypothesis for the evolution of singing, and suggest that song variability is likely integral to social interactions by facilitating individual discrimination or signaling motivational states.
Advisors/Committee Members: Smotherman, Michael (advisor), Jones, Adam (committee member), Rosenthal, Gil (committee member), Gursky, Sharon (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Singing; bats; Megadermatidae; behavioral ecology; Cardioderma cor; Lavia frons; territory; echolocation; communication repertoire
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APA (6th Edition):
Smarsh, G. C. (2017). Behavioral Ecology of Singing in the Heart-Nosed Bat, Cardioderma cor. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/165798
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Smarsh, Grace Christina. “Behavioral Ecology of Singing in the Heart-Nosed Bat, Cardioderma cor.” 2017. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/165798.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Smarsh, Grace Christina. “Behavioral Ecology of Singing in the Heart-Nosed Bat, Cardioderma cor.” 2017. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Smarsh GC. Behavioral Ecology of Singing in the Heart-Nosed Bat, Cardioderma cor. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2017. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/165798.
Council of Science Editors:
Smarsh GC. Behavioral Ecology of Singing in the Heart-Nosed Bat, Cardioderma cor. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2017. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/165798
Texas A&M University
8.
Cui, Rongfeng.
Mechanisms and Genomic Patterns of Reproductive Isolation in Xiphophorus Fishes.
Degree: PhD, Biology, 2014, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152641
► Learned mate choice has a fundamental role in population dynamics and speciation. Social learning plays a ubiquitous role in shaping how individuals make decisions. Learning…
(more)
▼ Learned mate choice has a fundamental role in population dynamics and speciation. Social learning plays a ubiquitous role in shaping how individuals make decisions. Learning does not act on a blank slate, however, and responses to social experience depend on interactions with genetically-specified substrates – the so-called “instinct to learn”. I develop a new software Admixsimul, which allows forward-time simulations of neutral SNP markers and functional loci, mapped to user-defined
genomes with user-specified functions that allow for complex dominance and epistatic effects. Complex natural and sexual selection regimes (including indirect genetic effects) are available through user-defined, arbitrary fitness and mate-choice probability functions. Using simulation, I show that responses to learned stimuli can evolve to opposite extremes in the context of mating decisions, with choosers either preferring or avoiding familiar social stimuli, depending on the relative importance of inbreeding avoidance versus conspecific mate recognition. I also show that under certain scenarios, learned preference is sufficient to maintain reproductive isolation during secondary
contact. Two sister species of swordtail fish have evolved such opposite responses to
learned social stimuli. The interaction of learned and innate inputs in structuring mate-choice
decisions can explain variation in genetic admixture in natural populations. Olfactory preference of X. malinche females is affected by previous experience with adult cues. I compare gene expression levels of transcriptome libraries prepared from pooled sensory and brain tissues between 3 treatment groups that differ by social experience. I found genes involved in neural plasticity differentially expressed not only between control and exposure groups, but also between groups exposed to conspecific and heterospecific models. I also found evidence that certain vomeronasal receptor type 2 (V2R) paralogs may detect species-specific pheromone components and show differential expression between treatment groups. I then reconstruct evolutionary relationships among swordtails and platyfishes (Xiphophorus: Poeciliidae). Using genomic data, I resolve a high-confidence species tree of Xiphophorus that accounts for both incomplete lineage sorting and hybridization. The results allow me to re-examine a long-standing controversy about the evolution of the sexually selected sword in Xiphophorus, and demonstrate that hybridization has been strikingly widespread in the evolutionary history of this genus.
Advisors/Committee Members: Rosenthal, Gil (advisor), Jones, Adam (committee member), Smotherman, Michael (committee member), Behmer, Spencer (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Gene flow; barrier; olfactory communication; mate choice; avoidance; behavior
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APA (6th Edition):
Cui, R. (2014). Mechanisms and Genomic Patterns of Reproductive Isolation in Xiphophorus Fishes. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152641
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Cui, Rongfeng. “Mechanisms and Genomic Patterns of Reproductive Isolation in Xiphophorus Fishes.” 2014. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152641.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Cui, Rongfeng. “Mechanisms and Genomic Patterns of Reproductive Isolation in Xiphophorus Fishes.” 2014. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Cui R. Mechanisms and Genomic Patterns of Reproductive Isolation in Xiphophorus Fishes. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2014. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152641.
Council of Science Editors:
Cui R. Mechanisms and Genomic Patterns of Reproductive Isolation in Xiphophorus Fishes. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2014. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152641
Texas A&M University
9.
Flanagan, Sarah Perry.
Elucidating the Genomic Signatures of Selection Using Theoretical and Empirical Approaches.
Degree: PhD, Biology, 2016, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157968
► Selection acts on phenotypes, but it is important to understand how its effects on the genome result in evolutionary change. Population genomics has provided several…
(more)
▼ Selection acts on phenotypes, but it is important to understand how its effects on the genome result in evolutionary change. Population genomics has provided several methods for detecting the form of selection acting on populations (e.g. positive or balancing), but current techniques are limited in their ability to identify the type of selection acting on traits (e.g. natural or sexual). Selection components analysis detects the types of selection acting in a population by comparing allele frequencies at different life history stages. In my dissertation, I used both population genomics analyses and selection components analysis to identify signatures of selection in natural populations.
I first conducted a traditional population genomics study to determine the population structure of multiple populations throughout the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean in Gulf pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli). I also identified genome-wide loci that were differentiated between populations due to local adaptation. Although the results suggest that population divergence is driven by a variety of factors in S. scovelli, including neutral processes and selection on multiple traits, this population genetics approach could not differentiate among sexual or natural selective processes.
Next, I developed an individual-based simulation model to test the power of a selection components analysis approach with genome-wide data that mimicked next-generation sequencing datasets. The model showed that quantitative trait loci can be identified with relatively high power if selection was strong, sample sizes were large, and there were few loci underlying the trait.
Finally, I implemented the genome-wide selection components analysis in one population of Gulf pipefish and identified loci significantly associated with sexual selection and differential viability selection between males and females. Together, these studies allowed to me identify several signatures of selection at the genomic level in pipefish, which provides a better understanding of the relationship between selection and the genome. The genomic signatures of selection identified here can be integrated with other studies for a better understanding of broad-scale evolutionary patterns at the genomic level.
Advisors/Committee Members: Jones, Adam G (advisor), Campbell, Lisa (committee member), Mateos, Mariana (committee member), Rosenthal, Gil (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: pipefish; Syngnthatus scovelli; population genomics; selection components analysis; simulation model; RAD-seq; next generation sequencing; SNPs
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APA (6th Edition):
Flanagan, S. P. (2016). Elucidating the Genomic Signatures of Selection Using Theoretical and Empirical Approaches. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157968
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Flanagan, Sarah Perry. “Elucidating the Genomic Signatures of Selection Using Theoretical and Empirical Approaches.” 2016. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157968.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Flanagan, Sarah Perry. “Elucidating the Genomic Signatures of Selection Using Theoretical and Empirical Approaches.” 2016. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Flanagan SP. Elucidating the Genomic Signatures of Selection Using Theoretical and Empirical Approaches. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2016. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157968.
Council of Science Editors:
Flanagan SP. Elucidating the Genomic Signatures of Selection Using Theoretical and Empirical Approaches. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2016. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157968
Texas A&M University
10.
Boyle, Terrence Michael.
Effects of Local Adaptation of Invasion Success: A Case Study of Rhithropanopeus harrisii.
Degree: PhD, Zoology, 2013, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/151058
► A major trend in invasion biology is the development of models to accurately predict and define invasive species and the stages of their invasions. These…
(more)
▼ A major trend in invasion biology is the development of models to accurately predict and define invasive species and the stages of their invasions. These models focus on a given species with an assumed set of traits. By doing so, they fail to consider the potential for differential success among different source populations. This study looked at the inland invasion of Rhithropanopeus harrisii in the context of a current invasion model. This species has been introduced worldwide, but has only invaded freshwater reservoirs within the state of
Texas (United States) indicating a potential difference amongst source populations. Previous studies indicate that this species should not be capable of invading inland reservoirs due to physiological constraints in the larvae. A more recent study gives evidence to the contrary. To investigate whether the inland populations are in fact successfully established, I attempted to answer the following questions: Can inland populations successfully reproduce in the inland reservoirs and rivers? If so, what factors in the native environment could have led to the evolution of this ability? What are the impacts of this species in the inland reservoirs and what is its potential spread? I combined a larval developmental study, conspecific and heterospecific crab competition trials, field collections, gut content analysis, shelter competition trials with crayfish, and larval and adult dispersal study to answer these questions.
I showed that Rhithropanopeus harrisii is established in the inland reservoirs and capable of spreading. I demonstrated that in the native populations along the Gulf coast of the United States, this species is the least aggressive and is therefore likely excluded into lower salinity waters during reproductive periods. This likely led to a lowered salinity tolerance in the larval stages, which predispose these populations to successful introductions in inland freshwater bodies. I showed that the crabs are capable of outcompeting juvenile crayfish for shelter at high densities and therefore warrant management in order to reduce their effect. This study indicates a need for the invasion models to take the source population into account in order to ensure effective and prudent management strategies.
Advisors/Committee Members: Wicksten, Mary K (advisor), MacKenzie, Duncan (committee member), Rosenthal, Gil (committee member), Hurtado, Luis (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Rhithropanopeus harrisii; invasive species; invasive species models; competition; dispersal; impact
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APA (6th Edition):
Boyle, T. M. (2013). Effects of Local Adaptation of Invasion Success: A Case Study of Rhithropanopeus harrisii. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/151058
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Boyle, Terrence Michael. “Effects of Local Adaptation of Invasion Success: A Case Study of Rhithropanopeus harrisii.” 2013. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/151058.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Boyle, Terrence Michael. “Effects of Local Adaptation of Invasion Success: A Case Study of Rhithropanopeus harrisii.” 2013. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Boyle TM. Effects of Local Adaptation of Invasion Success: A Case Study of Rhithropanopeus harrisii. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2013. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/151058.
Council of Science Editors:
Boyle TM. Effects of Local Adaptation of Invasion Success: A Case Study of Rhithropanopeus harrisii. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2013. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/151058
Texas A&M University
11.
Holland, Christopher.
Pheromonal Mechanisms of Reproductive Isolation in Xiphophorus and Their Hybrids.
Degree: PhD, Biology, 2018, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/174407
► Pheromones play an important role in conspecific mate preference across taxa. While the mechanisms underlying the pheromonal basis of reproductive isolation are well characterized in…
(more)
▼ Pheromones play an important role in conspecific mate preference across taxa. While the
mechanisms underlying the pheromonal basis of reproductive isolation are well characterized in
insects, we know far less about the mechanisms underlying the production and reception of
chemical signals in vertebrates. In the genus Xiphophorus, conspecific mate recognition depends
on female perception of male urine-borne pheromones. I focused on interspecific differences
between the sympatric X. birchmanni and X. malinche, which form natural hybrid zones as a
consequence of changes in water chemistry. First, I identify the organ of pheromone production
and compounds comprising chemical signals. I localized pheromone production to the testis;
testis extract elicited the same conspecific preference as signals generated by displaying males. I
used solid phase extraction (SPE) in combination with high performance liquid chromatography
(HPLC)/ mass spectrometry (MS) to characterize pheromone chemical composition. Analyzing
HPLC/MS readouts for pure peaks with high relative intensity identified two compounds of
interest, which were identified according to their fraction pattern and retention times and then
individually assayed for their effect on female behavior. The ability to directly measure the
pheromones with paired responses of female conspecific mate recognition gives insight into what
specific components are important to female mate choice. Elucidating the chemical composition
of Xiphophorus signals sheds light into how communication acts as a reproductive barrier
between species and how its breakdown facilitates hybridization. Next, I characterize
intraspecific variation in pheromone signals. Understanding the relationship between a
quantifiable male pheromone profile and measurable female response provides unique insight
into female mate choice. I examined the variation in male morphology in X. birchmanni, and
used SPE to measure changes in pheromone structure in relation to distinct morphometric traits.
Lastly, I evaluate the relationship of male pheromone phenotype to population substructure. If
pheromones play a role in reproductive isolation, pheromone profiles should map on to male
genotype morphology. Hybrid zones vary from highly structured, with distinct birchmanni-like
and malinche-like subpopulations, to highly admixed hybrid swarms. I measured pheromone
profiles for individual males, I show the relationship between male morphology, pheromone
profile and population structure.
Advisors/Committee Members: Rosenthal, Gil G (advisor), Conway, Kevin (committee member), Yorzinski, Jessica (committee member), Smotherman, Michael (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Communication; Evolution; Olfaction; Behavior; HPLC; SPE; Mate choice
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APA (6th Edition):
Holland, C. (2018). Pheromonal Mechanisms of Reproductive Isolation in Xiphophorus and Their Hybrids. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/174407
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Holland, Christopher. “Pheromonal Mechanisms of Reproductive Isolation in Xiphophorus and Their Hybrids.” 2018. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/174407.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Holland, Christopher. “Pheromonal Mechanisms of Reproductive Isolation in Xiphophorus and Their Hybrids.” 2018. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Holland C. Pheromonal Mechanisms of Reproductive Isolation in Xiphophorus and Their Hybrids. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2018. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/174407.
Council of Science Editors:
Holland C. Pheromonal Mechanisms of Reproductive Isolation in Xiphophorus and Their Hybrids. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2018. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/174407
Texas A&M University
12.
Pease, Allison Ann.
Patterns in Functional Structure and Diversity of Stream Fish Assemblages Related to Environmental Factors at Multiple Scales.
Degree: PhD, Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, 2011, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2010-12-8588
► The distribution and abundance of stream fishes are influenced by many factors operating at multiple scales. Understanding how environmental variables influence the structure of stream…
(more)
▼ The distribution and abundance of stream fishes are influenced by many factors operating at multiple scales. Understanding how environmental variables influence the structure of stream fish assemblages is important for habitat assessment, stream restoration, and for predicting responses to environmental change. An emerging view in community ecology is that a focus on the functional structure of species assemblages in relation to environmental gradients may reveal more general patterns applicable across geographic regions. In this study, I used functional traits related to the trophic ecology, habitat use, and life-history strategies of fishes to examine the influences of environmental factors on stream fish assemblages. The research was carried out in two large regions: the Río Grijalva basin in southern Mexico and the Brazos and Trinity basins in Central
Texas. In both regions, relationships between functional structure of stream fish assemblages and environmental factors at local, landscape, and regional scales were examined.
Environmental characteristics at all three scales influenced the functional attributes of assemblages studied here. At the local reach scale, stream size, substrate characteristics, the availability of riffle and pool habitats, and abundance of in-stream cover structures were related to the functional trait composition of fish assemblages in the Río Grijalva Basin and in Central
Texas streams. Landscape features most strongly related to functional structure in both regions were the extent of forested area in the watershed and the amount of land developed for urban and agricultural uses. At the regional scale, broad physiographic differences between ecoregions had a large influence on the taxonomic and functional composition of stream fish assemblages in Central
Texas. Along the broad-scale longitudinal fluvial gradient of the Grijalva region, pronounced changes in the species composition, functional trait diversity, and trophic structure of fish assemblages were observed.
Advisors/Committee Members: Winemiller, Kirk O. (advisor), Rosenthal, Gil G. (committee member), Mateos, Mariana (committee member), DeWitt, Thomas J. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: stream fish assemblages; Rio Grijalva; Central Texas; trophic ecology; functional traits; community structure
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APA (6th Edition):
Pease, A. A. (2011). Patterns in Functional Structure and Diversity of Stream Fish Assemblages Related to Environmental Factors at Multiple Scales. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2010-12-8588
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Pease, Allison Ann. “Patterns in Functional Structure and Diversity of Stream Fish Assemblages Related to Environmental Factors at Multiple Scales.” 2011. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2010-12-8588.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Pease, Allison Ann. “Patterns in Functional Structure and Diversity of Stream Fish Assemblages Related to Environmental Factors at Multiple Scales.” 2011. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Pease AA. Patterns in Functional Structure and Diversity of Stream Fish Assemblages Related to Environmental Factors at Multiple Scales. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2011. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2010-12-8588.
Council of Science Editors:
Pease AA. Patterns in Functional Structure and Diversity of Stream Fish Assemblages Related to Environmental Factors at Multiple Scales. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2011. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2010-12-8588
Texas A&M University
13.
Delclos, Pablo Jose.
Environmental and Neurogenetic Framework of Mate-Choice Relevant Behaviors in Xiphophorus Fishes.
Degree: PhD, Biology, 2017, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/165834
► Mate-choice related behaviors are highly variable and sensitive to a wide array of environmental and social factors. Therefore, the stability of a given behavior can…
(more)
▼ Mate-choice related behaviors are highly variable and sensitive to a wide array of environmental and social factors. Therefore, the stability of a given behavior can largely depend on the level of environmental variability within a population. My research aims to understand the mechanisms whereby behaviors are influenced by social conditions and other environmental factors. I first describe the level of preference variation within a population of swordtail fish across time and small-scale space. Over three years, I found marked, but highly variable differences in female mating preferences between sampling sites. These results highlight the importance of accounting for small-scale heterogeneity when modelling and measuring the evolution of mating preferences and display traits, and may help explain why empirical measures of sexual selection via mate choice are often very weak. Next, I take advantage of the socially-sensitive olfactory mating preferences of female Xiphophorus birchmanni to elucidate the neurogenetic mechanisms by which these preferences are learned. I compare whole brain and olfactory epithelial gene expression profiles of females that were socially isolated from adults, or exposed to either adult conspecifics or members of the closely related X. malinche. I found that conspecific-exposed females experienced an upregulation of genes with functional roles in immune response and the detection of visual and olfactory cues. Meanwhile, heterospecific-exposed females showed upregulation of genes involved in neurogenesis and synaptic transmission, suggesting a prioritization of processing sensory cues. Lastly, I used this same system to determine the role of cultural transmission – the intergenerational transfer of information – in shaping male and female personalities. I found that both males and females learn to develop boldness behaviors similar to those of their exposure models. These culturally-sensitive personalities are likely to have important mate choice and evolutionary implications. Together, these studies describe the complex direct and indirect relationships between the environment and female mate choice.
Advisors/Committee Members: Rosenthal, Gil G (advisor), Jones, Adam G (committee member), Moore, Georgianne W (committee member), Winemiller, Kirk O (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: swordtail; imprinting; mate choice; social learning
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APA (6th Edition):
Delclos, P. J. (2017). Environmental and Neurogenetic Framework of Mate-Choice Relevant Behaviors in Xiphophorus Fishes. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/165834
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Delclos, Pablo Jose. “Environmental and Neurogenetic Framework of Mate-Choice Relevant Behaviors in Xiphophorus Fishes.” 2017. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/165834.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Delclos, Pablo Jose. “Environmental and Neurogenetic Framework of Mate-Choice Relevant Behaviors in Xiphophorus Fishes.” 2017. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Delclos PJ. Environmental and Neurogenetic Framework of Mate-Choice Relevant Behaviors in Xiphophorus Fishes. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2017. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/165834.
Council of Science Editors:
Delclos PJ. Environmental and Neurogenetic Framework of Mate-Choice Relevant Behaviors in Xiphophorus Fishes. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2017. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/165834
Texas A&M University
14.
Ramsey, Michelle.
Patterns in Teleost Photoreceptor Organization: A Characterization of Basal Body Positioning in Zebrafish Photoreceptors and Variations in Swordtail Photoreceptor Mosaics.
Degree: PhD, Biology, 2014, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152657
► Vertebrate vision is enabled by light-sensitive photoreceptors arranged in a plane in the retina. This study investigates two aspects of this arrangement: 1) positioning of…
(more)
▼ Vertebrate vision is enabled by light-sensitive photoreceptors arranged in a plane
in the retina. This study investigates two aspects of this arrangement: 1) positioning of
basal bodies within photoreceptors, and 2) positioning of photoreceptors themselves.
First, the planar cell polarity of basal bodies, and therefore cilia, is often critical for
proper cilia function and is controlled by the planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway. Cilia
planar positioning in vertebrate photoreceptors, however, has not been characterized.
Because zebrafish photoreceptors form an organized, well-characterized mosaic, they are
an ideal system to address photoreceptor basal body positioning. Second, swordtail fish
are frequently studied to investigate visually-mediated social behaviors such as mate
choice and how these influence evolution. However, less is known about the
morphology of their photoreceptor mosaic and how this mosaic influences behavior.
Therefore, characterization of the swordtail photoreceptor mosaic is an important step in
understanding this relationship between physiology and behavior. In this study,
immunohistology is used to characterize cryosectioned flatmounted retinas from
zebrafish and swordtails with various genetic, behavioral, and environmental
backgrounds.
The results of this study reveal that in adult zebrafish retinas, the basal bodies of
red-, green-, and blue-sensitive cone photoreceptors localize asymmetrically on the cell
edge nearest the optic nerve. In contrast, no patterning is in the basal bodies of
ultraviolet-sensitive cones, of rod photoreceptors, or of larval cones. Both rod loss and
UV-light addition do not affect cone basal body patterning. Darkness during development leads to bimodality of basal bodies. These results suggest that, after the transition to the adult mosaic, a cellular mechanism involving cell-cell contact, consistent with the PCP pathway, regulates photoreceptor basal body positioning.
The results of this study also reveal that the swordtails Xiphophorus malinche, Xiphophorus birchmanni, and their hybrids exhibit an organized square mosaic, although some variations in this pattern exist, including between males and females. As square mosaics have been correlated with sensitivity to changes in light polarization, this warrants future studies in swordtail polarization vision, which may play an important role in visually-mediated behavior. Also, changes in the photoreceptor mosaic might have explanatory power for changes in visually-mediated behavior.
Advisors/Committee Members: Rosenthal, Gil G (advisor), Perkins, Brian D (committee member), Amrein, Hubert O (committee member), Smotherman, Michael S (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Photoreceptor; basal body; zebrafish; Xiphophorus; photoreceptor mosaic; cilia; polarity; retina; cones
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APA (6th Edition):
Ramsey, M. (2014). Patterns in Teleost Photoreceptor Organization: A Characterization of Basal Body Positioning in Zebrafish Photoreceptors and Variations in Swordtail Photoreceptor Mosaics. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152657
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Ramsey, Michelle. “Patterns in Teleost Photoreceptor Organization: A Characterization of Basal Body Positioning in Zebrafish Photoreceptors and Variations in Swordtail Photoreceptor Mosaics.” 2014. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152657.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Ramsey, Michelle. “Patterns in Teleost Photoreceptor Organization: A Characterization of Basal Body Positioning in Zebrafish Photoreceptors and Variations in Swordtail Photoreceptor Mosaics.” 2014. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Ramsey M. Patterns in Teleost Photoreceptor Organization: A Characterization of Basal Body Positioning in Zebrafish Photoreceptors and Variations in Swordtail Photoreceptor Mosaics. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2014. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152657.
Council of Science Editors:
Ramsey M. Patterns in Teleost Photoreceptor Organization: A Characterization of Basal Body Positioning in Zebrafish Photoreceptors and Variations in Swordtail Photoreceptor Mosaics. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2014. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152657
Texas A&M University
15.
Montana, Carmen 1976-.
Species Assemblage Structure and Ecomorphological Convergence in Perciform Fishes (Cichlidae and Centrarchidae) in Tropical and Temperate Floodplain Rivers.
Degree: PhD, Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, 2012, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/148090
► In this study, I used two independent perciform lineages (Neotropical Cichlidae and Nearctic Centrarchidae) to examine patterns of species richness and species coexistence a two…
(more)
▼ In this study, I used two independent perciform lineages (Neotropical Cichlidae and Nearctic Centrarchidae) to examine patterns of species richness and species coexistence a two spatial scales (e.g., macrohabitat and mesohabitat) and to examine inter-faunal patterns of ecomorphological convergence. The study was conducted during the low-water periods in four lowland rivers: the Cinaruco in Venezuela, the Tambopata in Peru, and the Neches and the Brazos rivers in
Texas (USA). These rivers were chosen because of their similar characteristics, in terms of geomorphology, sediments, and water quality. The Cinaruco River and the Neches River have clear slightly-stained waters, whereas the Tambopata and the Brazos River have turbid waters with high loads of suspended sediments. I used morphological approaches as a surrogate to investigate patterns of species distribution in niche space, and predict patterns of species richness at different spatial scales. Despite high variation in the number of species in these two perciform assemblages, morphological analysis based on the means and standard deviations of nearest neighbor distance (NND) and mean distance to centroid (CD) revealed similar trends of morphological similarity in relation to species richness. Comparison of observed versus randomized data mesohabitat scale for all four rivers generally supported the niche expansion model of response to increase in species richness. At the scale of mesohabitats within rivers, most species assemblages appear to be organized by competitive interactions in accordance with the niche expansion model. The tropical species-rich Cinaruco River revealed particularly strong support for the niche expansion model. Intercontinental comparison of functional morphology and diets based on analysis of stomach contents and stable isotope ratios indicated broad morphological and dietary overlap between cichlid and centrarchid assemblages. For the most part, morphological ordinations showed that the two groups have diversified in a parallel manner within the confines of ram-suction modes of prey ingestion. This study concludes that even though differences are observed in historical and stochastic factors structuring fish assemblages in different geographic regions, consistent patterns of convergence at the species and assemblage levels results from natural selection under similar environmental conditions.
Advisors/Committee Members: Winemiller, Kirk O (advisor), Rosenthal, Gil G (committee member), Davis, Stephen E (committee member), Hurtado, Luis (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Nearctic.; Neotropic; null models; morphological convergence; Cichlidae; Centrarchidae; Assembly rules
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APA (6th Edition):
Montana, C. 1. (2012). Species Assemblage Structure and Ecomorphological Convergence in Perciform Fishes (Cichlidae and Centrarchidae) in Tropical and Temperate Floodplain Rivers. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/148090
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Montana, Carmen 1976-. “Species Assemblage Structure and Ecomorphological Convergence in Perciform Fishes (Cichlidae and Centrarchidae) in Tropical and Temperate Floodplain Rivers.” 2012. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/148090.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Montana, Carmen 1976-. “Species Assemblage Structure and Ecomorphological Convergence in Perciform Fishes (Cichlidae and Centrarchidae) in Tropical and Temperate Floodplain Rivers.” 2012. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Montana C1. Species Assemblage Structure and Ecomorphological Convergence in Perciform Fishes (Cichlidae and Centrarchidae) in Tropical and Temperate Floodplain Rivers. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/148090.
Council of Science Editors:
Montana C1. Species Assemblage Structure and Ecomorphological Convergence in Perciform Fishes (Cichlidae and Centrarchidae) in Tropical and Temperate Floodplain Rivers. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/148090
Texas A&M University
16.
Davis, Brian W.
Genomics and Transcriptomics of Hybrid Male Sterility Assessed in Multiple Interspecies Feline Breeds.
Degree: PhD, Genetics, 2013, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/149625
► Hybrid male sterility (HMS) is typically the first mechanism fortifying reproductive isolation resulting from genomic incompatibilities. Three interspecies feline breeds derived from domestic cat crosses…
(more)
▼ Hybrid male sterility (HMS) is typically the first mechanism fortifying reproductive isolation resulting from genomic incompatibilities. Three interspecies feline breeds derived from domestic cat crosses to wild cat species (Asian leopard cat and African serval) manifest HMS through several generations of backcrossing before eventually regaining fertility. This work utilized 199 hybrid individuals with varying fertilities in a genome wide association study (GWAS) comprising 63,000 genome wide SNPs. Leveraging these results with whole-testis transcriptome sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR data facilitated the comparison of transcripts in sterile and fertile hybrids. This dissertation describes four loci with highly significant and fifty with moderately significant association to sterility within each individual hybrid domestic breed and combinations of breeds. These associations help identify epistatic targets for hybrid incompatibility contributing to sterility. Comparative QTL mapping between pairs of species provides a framework to describe the accumulation of clade-specific reproductive isolating loci. Detailed exploration of gene misregulation between domestic and hybrid individuals, as well as between littermate hybrids of varying fertilities outlines a pattern of expression consistent with a meiotic sex-chromosome inactivation failure in early generations and apoptotic failure in later hybrid generations. Combining comparative genomic association and transcriptomic characterization among hybrid felids of varying divergence, new insight is gained into the mechanisms of mammalian reproductive isolation.
Advisors/Committee Members: Murphy, William J (advisor), Samollow, Paul B (committee member), Seabury, Chris (committee member), Raudsepp, Terje (committee member), Rosenthal, Gil (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: hybrid sterility; domestic cat; bengal; savannah; chausie; large x effect; meiotic sex chromosome inactivation; transcriptome; genome wide association
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APA (6th Edition):
Davis, B. W. (2013). Genomics and Transcriptomics of Hybrid Male Sterility Assessed in Multiple Interspecies Feline Breeds. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/149625
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Davis, Brian W. “Genomics and Transcriptomics of Hybrid Male Sterility Assessed in Multiple Interspecies Feline Breeds.” 2013. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/149625.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Davis, Brian W. “Genomics and Transcriptomics of Hybrid Male Sterility Assessed in Multiple Interspecies Feline Breeds.” 2013. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Davis BW. Genomics and Transcriptomics of Hybrid Male Sterility Assessed in Multiple Interspecies Feline Breeds. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2013. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/149625.
Council of Science Editors:
Davis BW. Genomics and Transcriptomics of Hybrid Male Sterility Assessed in Multiple Interspecies Feline Breeds. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2013. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/149625
Texas A&M University
17.
Paczolt, Kimberly.
Postcopulatory Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Male Pregnancy in the Gulf Pipefish.
Degree: PhD, Zoology, 2012, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-05-10854
► Male pregnancy is a complex and energetically costly form of male parental care found exclusively in the fish family Syngathidae, which includes pipefishes, seahorses, and…
(more)
▼ Male pregnancy is a complex and energetically costly form of male parental care found exclusively in the fish family Syngathidae, which includes pipefishes, seahorses, and seadragons. The novelty of the male brood pouch raises questions about how this trait evolved and what role it plays in sexual selection. One possibility is that brood pouch evolution was partially shaped by postcopulatory sexual selection.
We used the sexually dimorphic Gulf pipefish, Syngnathus scovelli, to test for postcopulatory sexual selection within broods and tradeoffs between successive male pregnancies as a function of female attractiveness. Offspring survivorship within a pregnancy was affected by the size of a male's mate, the number of eggs transferred, and the male's mating history. These results indicate the males invest more resources into broods from large, attractive mates to the detriment of future broods. Next, we investigated the effects of food limitation on male parental care strategies. Our data suggests that male Gulf pipefish sacrifice investment in future reproduction, via somatic growth, in favor of current reproduction. A positive relationship between number of failed eggs and male growth rate in our low-food treatments suggests that males may derive an energetic benefit from unsuccessful eggs in the brood pouch. Finally, we used a paired design, to investigate the effect of perceived female attractiveness on offspring survivorship. We found that, in general, males prefer the largest female available. Within a replicate, we found that the male that preferred their mate more, regardless of stimulus female size, also had higher offspring survivorship in the resulting brood. This result is exciting because it shows not only that cryptic male choice affects offspring survivorship in Gulf pipefish but also that mate preference can have a prolonged effect on an individual’s reproductive success. Ultimately, our data suggests that the evolution of the brood pouch has produced a trait that not only nurtures the offspring but also exert cryptic male choice.
Advisors/Committee Members: Jones, Adam G. (advisor), Rosenthal, Gil G. (committee member), Riley, Bruce (committee member), DeWitt, Thom (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: male pregnancy; postcopulatory sexual selection; differential allocation; parental care; brood reduction
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APA (6th Edition):
Paczolt, K. (2012). Postcopulatory Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Male Pregnancy in the Gulf Pipefish. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-05-10854
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Paczolt, Kimberly. “Postcopulatory Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Male Pregnancy in the Gulf Pipefish.” 2012. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-05-10854.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Paczolt, Kimberly. “Postcopulatory Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Male Pregnancy in the Gulf Pipefish.” 2012. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Paczolt K. Postcopulatory Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Male Pregnancy in the Gulf Pipefish. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-05-10854.
Council of Science Editors:
Paczolt K. Postcopulatory Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Male Pregnancy in the Gulf Pipefish. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-05-10854
Texas A&M University
18.
Carlson, Charles.
Some Philosophical Origins of an Ecological Sensibility.
Degree: PhD, Philosophy, 2012, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-08-11861
► This dissertation is centered on problems within the history and philosophy of biology. The project identifies the philosophical roots of the current ecological movement and…
(more)
▼ This dissertation is centered on problems within the history and philosophy of biology. The project identifies the philosophical roots of the current ecological movement and shows how a version of philosophical naturalism might be put to use within contemporary ethical issues in biology, and aid in the development of research programs. The approach is historically informed, but has application for current dilemmas. The traditions from which I primarily draw include classical American philosophy, particularly C.S. Peirce and John Dewey, as well as thinkers associated with the German Naturphilosophie movement, such as Goethe and Schopenhauer. There are deep, but often overlooked, resonances between these seemingly disparate traditions and contemporary biology that are located in the conflict between the developing organism and the ever-fluctuating environment. The dissertation makes the case for a shared description of nature among these traditions and proposes applications to burgeoning contemporary ecological interpretations of issues such as hybridization and epigenetics.
Advisors/Committee Members: McDermott, John J. (advisor), George, Theodore (committee member), Austin, Scott W. (committee member), Rosenthal, Gil G. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Evolution; Philosophy of Biology; American Philosophy; Naturphilosophen; Hybridization; Chance; Growth
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APA (6th Edition):
Carlson, C. (2012). Some Philosophical Origins of an Ecological Sensibility. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-08-11861
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Carlson, Charles. “Some Philosophical Origins of an Ecological Sensibility.” 2012. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-08-11861.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Carlson, Charles. “Some Philosophical Origins of an Ecological Sensibility.” 2012. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Carlson C. Some Philosophical Origins of an Ecological Sensibility. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-08-11861.
Council of Science Editors:
Carlson C. Some Philosophical Origins of an Ecological Sensibility. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2012-08-11861
Texas A&M University
19.
Le Gall, Marion.
Diet-mixing in a Generalist Herbivore: Trade-offs Between Nutrient and Allelochemical Regulation.
Degree: PhD, Entomology, 2014, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152778
► Despite decades of research, many key aspects related to the physiological processes and mechanisms insect herbivores use to build themselves remain poorly understood, and we…
(more)
▼ Despite decades of research, many key aspects related to the physiological
processes and mechanisms insect herbivores use to build themselves remain poorly
understood, and we especially know very little about how interactions among nutrients
and allelochemicals drive insect herbivore growth processes. Understanding the
physiological effects of these interactions on generalist herbivores is a critical step to a
better understanding and evaluation of the different hypothesis that have been emitted
regarding the benefits of polyphagy. I used both lab and field experiments to disentangle
the respective effect of protein, carbohydrates and allelochemicals on a generalist
herbivore, the grasshopper Melanoplus differentialis.
The effect of protein and carbohydrates alone were examined using artificial diets
in choice and no-choice experiments. Results were plotted using a fitness landscape
approach to evaluate how protein-carbohydrate ratio and/or concentration affected
performance and consumption. Growth was best near the self-selected ratio obtained
from the choice experiment, most likely due to the fact that the amount of food digested
was also higher on that ratio. By contrast, development time was not best near the
preferred ratio most likely due to the trade-off existing between size and development
time. These results illustrate how nutrient availability can shape an ecological trade-off:
growing big or growing fast.
When an allelochemical (gramine, an alkaloid commonly found in grass) was
introduced to the artificial diets, it had an interactive effect with protein and
carbohydrates on performance and consumption and performance were generally
improved on diets that contained higher amount of protein.
Host plants of two wild populations were determined by gut content analysis and
fed in choice and no-choice experiment. First the plant material was dried and ground
and its protein, carbohydrate, terpenoid and phenolic content analyzed. Both populations
regulated for the same protein-carbohydrate intake. However performance was different,
due to variation in plant allelochemical content. This demonstrated for the first time that
nutrient regulation, not toxin dilution, is directing food selection behavior in a generalist
herbivore.
Finally the role of macronutrients was analyzed in a context of cost of
detoxification by measuring microsomal p450 production in the presence/absence of
gramine. In the presence of choice, nutrient regulation was altered when gramine was
present in the protein-biased diet. In the absence of choice, insects performed better on
carbohydrate biased diet. I found that gramine elevated the level of microsomal protein
in the fat body.
Advisors/Committee Members: Behmer, Spencer T. (advisor), Eubanks, Micky D. (committee member), Rosenthal, Gil G. (committee member), Zhu-Salzman, Keyan (committee member), Harrison, Jon F. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: diet-mixing; generalist; herbivore; nutrients; allelochemical; protein; carbohydrate; physiological ecology
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CSE |
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APA (6th Edition):
Le Gall, M. (2014). Diet-mixing in a Generalist Herbivore: Trade-offs Between Nutrient and Allelochemical Regulation. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152778
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Le Gall, Marion. “Diet-mixing in a Generalist Herbivore: Trade-offs Between Nutrient and Allelochemical Regulation.” 2014. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152778.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Le Gall, Marion. “Diet-mixing in a Generalist Herbivore: Trade-offs Between Nutrient and Allelochemical Regulation.” 2014. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Le Gall M. Diet-mixing in a Generalist Herbivore: Trade-offs Between Nutrient and Allelochemical Regulation. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2014. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152778.
Council of Science Editors:
Le Gall M. Diet-mixing in a Generalist Herbivore: Trade-offs Between Nutrient and Allelochemical Regulation. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2014. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/152778
20.
Roeder, Karl Adam.
Dietary Effect on the Performance and Body Composition of the Generalist Insect Jerbivore, Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).
Degree: MS, Entomology, 2011, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2010-08-8569
► All animals, including insect herbivores, eat to acquire nutrients that are essential for fueling physiological processes associated with growth, development, and reproduction. Protein and digestible…
(more)
▼ All animals, including insect herbivores, eat to acquire nutrients that are essential
for fueling physiological processes associated with growth, development, and
reproduction. Protein and digestible carbohydrates are two nutrients required in large
quantities by insect herbivores, but the amounts in which they occur in plants can be
highly variable. In this thesis, I explore how the amounts and ratios of protein and
digestible carbohydrate in an insect herbivore's food affect lifetime performance and
body elemental composition. I do this by confining a generalist caterpillar, Heliothis
virescens, to semi-synthetic foods with fixed protein-carbohydrate amounts and ratios.
I show that foods with protein-carbohydrate ratios that match the self-selected
protein-carbohydrate intake of final instar caterpillars correlate strongly with best
performance, and that small deviations away from this optimal protein-carbohydrate ratio
can result in large drop-offs in overall performance, particularly for males.
I also show the importance of protein-carbohydrate balance over total
macronutrient content. Finally, my results demonstrate that H. virescens caterpillars do
not practice strict elemental homeostasis. My result, when contrasted with earlier work on caterpillars, suggests that hemimetabolous and holometabolous insect herbivores practice
different degrees of elemental homeostasis.
Advisors/Committee Members: Behmer, Spencer T. (advisor), Wharton, Robert A. (committee member), Rosenthal, Gil G. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Nutrition; Performance; Lifetime; Elements
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APA (6th Edition):
Roeder, K. A. (2011). Dietary Effect on the Performance and Body Composition of the Generalist Insect Jerbivore, Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). (Masters Thesis). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2010-08-8569
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Roeder, Karl Adam. “Dietary Effect on the Performance and Body Composition of the Generalist Insect Jerbivore, Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).” 2011. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2010-08-8569.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Roeder, Karl Adam. “Dietary Effect on the Performance and Body Composition of the Generalist Insect Jerbivore, Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).” 2011. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Roeder KA. Dietary Effect on the Performance and Body Composition of the Generalist Insect Jerbivore, Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2011. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2010-08-8569.
Council of Science Editors:
Roeder KA. Dietary Effect on the Performance and Body Composition of the Generalist Insect Jerbivore, Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). [Masters Thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2011. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2010-08-8569
21.
Hurst, Kristin.
Cultural Waters: Values of Water Resources in Hidalgo, Mexico.
Degree: MS, Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences, 2013, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/149393
► The availability of clean water is fundamental to the survival of all living things. Humans have altered fresh water cycles in a number of ways…
(more)
▼ The availability of clean water is fundamental to the survival of all living things. Humans have altered fresh water cycles in a number of ways that affect both water quality and quantity. This has led to a global water crisis where an estimated nine million people are without access to a clean and reliable source of water. Yet water is more than a basic need, more than a physical resource. As a facet of daily life for communities all over the world, water carries many different cultural values and meanings. These values and meanings, in turn, have a strong influence on how people use water and how they relate to sources and suppliers of water. My study examined the complex and global challenge of managing water by focusing on cultural values and meanings about water on a local scale.
I took an ethnographic approach to understanding the relationship between cultural values and water resources in the Sierra y Huasteca region of Hidalgo state in East-Central Mexico. Through participant observation, semi-structured household interviews and key informant interviews I: 1) described how water is used, obtained and managed; 2) evaluated local concerns about water management and access; and 3) compare two different water management systems; a communally managed system and a municipally managed system.
My research resulted in three major findings. These were: 1) water scarcity is the main water concern in the two communities, which people attribute to deforestation; 2) despite considerable differences between the communities the primary concerns and values of water are the same; and 3) growing concern about water and other resources may be resulting in an increased environmental consciousness among the people in the two communities.
This research contributes to practical, policy, and scholarly discussions about the relationships between humans and their natural resources. Understanding local social and cultural values can help in the effort to find equitable and feasible solutions to the global water crisis.
Advisors/Committee Members: Stronza, Amanda (advisor), Scott, David (committee member), Rosenthal, Gil (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Water Resources; Cultural Values
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APA (6th Edition):
Hurst, K. (2013). Cultural Waters: Values of Water Resources in Hidalgo, Mexico. (Masters Thesis). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/149393
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Hurst, Kristin. “Cultural Waters: Values of Water Resources in Hidalgo, Mexico.” 2013. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/149393.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Hurst, Kristin. “Cultural Waters: Values of Water Resources in Hidalgo, Mexico.” 2013. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Hurst K. Cultural Waters: Values of Water Resources in Hidalgo, Mexico. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2013. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/149393.
Council of Science Editors:
Hurst K. Cultural Waters: Values of Water Resources in Hidalgo, Mexico. [Masters Thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2013. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/149393
22.
Klassen, Jessica Anne.
Canopy Characteristics Affecting Avian Reproductive Success: The Golden-cheeked Warbler.
Degree: MS, Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, 2012, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9151
► Habitat disturbances play a major role in wildlife distribution. Disturbances such as loss of breeding habitat and fragmentation are of particular concern for Neotropical migrant…
(more)
▼ Habitat disturbances play a major role in wildlife distribution. Disturbances such as loss of breeding habitat and fragmentation are of particular concern for Neotropical migrant songbird populations. Additionally, different avian species respond differently to the surrounding environment at different spatial scales. Thus, multi-scale studies on bird abundance and reproductive success is necessary for evaluating the effects of habitat alterations. The golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) is a Neotropical migrant songbird that breeds exclusively in central
Texas. In 1990, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the golden-cheeked warbler as endangered, providing habitat loss among the list of justifications. Habitat requirements for this species are known to include mature juniper-oak (Juniperus-Quercus) woodlands; however, relationships between habitat characteristics and golden-cheeked warbler reproductive success remain unclear. Whereas the majority of golden-cheeked warbler research has focused on areas in the center of the breeding range, little is known about interactions between warblers and the environment at the edge of the range. Therefore, it is important to understand these relationships for successful golden-cheeked warbler management.
I investigated relationships between golden-cheeked warbler reproductive success and habitat characteristics, including canopy closure and tree species composition, at the study site and territory scale. My study took place within Kickapoo Cavern State Park and surrounding private properties in Kinney and Edwards counties in the southwest corner of the golden-cheeked warbler breeding range. I derived habitat characteristics from satellite imagery from the US Geological Survey National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) and from field sampling. The NLCD provided data on canopy closure and tree species composition at a 30
m resolution. Additionally, I used spherical densitometers and transect evaluations to ground-truth data and take more detailed measurements. I determined reproductive success by nest monitoring and the Vickery index when nests could not be found. I monitored 80 territories across six study sites in 2009 and 2010. Reproductive success was 39.5 percent in 2009 and 59.4 percent in 2010. I found statistically significant results at the study site scale, whereas golden-cheeked warbler abundance increased as the portion of woodland increased. Similarly, I found that golden-cheeked warbler reproductive success increased at the study site scale as canopy closure increased. I did not find correlations between reproductive success and canopy closure or tree species composition at the territory scale. Results suggest that golden-cheeked warblers utilize a wider variety of habitat composition than previously thought, and habitat composition as a whole may not be the driving factors influencing warbler reproductive success in this region.
Advisors/Committee Members: Morrison, Michael L. (advisor), Voelker, Gary (committee member), Rosenthal, Gil G. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: abundance; edge of range; habitat requirements; reproductive success
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APA (6th Edition):
Klassen, J. A. (2012). Canopy Characteristics Affecting Avian Reproductive Success: The Golden-cheeked Warbler. (Masters Thesis). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9151
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Klassen, Jessica Anne. “Canopy Characteristics Affecting Avian Reproductive Success: The Golden-cheeked Warbler.” 2012. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9151.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Klassen, Jessica Anne. “Canopy Characteristics Affecting Avian Reproductive Success: The Golden-cheeked Warbler.” 2012. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Klassen JA. Canopy Characteristics Affecting Avian Reproductive Success: The Golden-cheeked Warbler. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2012. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9151.
Council of Science Editors:
Klassen JA. Canopy Characteristics Affecting Avian Reproductive Success: The Golden-cheeked Warbler. [Masters Thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9151
23.
Miller, Thomas Charles.
Biological Activity of Thyrotropin in Two Teleost Fish, Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and Goldfish (Carassius auratus).
Degree: PhD, Zoology, 2012, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9393
► Thyrotropin (TSH) is a glycoprotein hormone released from the pituitary gland to promote the synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormone. The existence of well-established peripheral…
(more)
▼ Thyrotropin (TSH) is a glycoprotein hormone released from the pituitary gland to promote the synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormone. The existence of well-established peripheral mechanisms for regulation of thyroid hormone delivery to targets has called into question the significance of TSH as a primary regulator of circulating thyroid hormone concentrations in fish. However, relatively little is known about the regulation or action of endogenously secreted teleost TSH, largely due to lack of purified TSH suitable for biological testing and immunoassay development. I developed a red drum in vivo bioassay to aid in the production and purification of recombinant TSH from the red drum, a perciform fish demonstrating dynamic daily thyroxine (T4) cycles hypothesized to be driven by TSH. Exogenous bovine TSH injection resulted in a time and dose-dependent increase in circulating TSH and T4 in red drum. However, the sensitivity of the red drum thyroid gland to stimulation by bovine TSH was lost during growth under controlled laboratory conditions, even when circulating levels of exogenously-administered mammalian TSH remained elevated. The insensitivity of the thyroid was not due to prior TSH injection or feed source. Because insensitivity of the Thyrotropin (TSH) is a glycoprotein hormone released from the pituitary gland to promote the synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormone. The existence of well-established peripheral mechanisms for regulation of thyroid hormone delivery to targets has called into question the significance of TSH as a primary regulator of circulating thyroid hormone concentrations in fish. However, relatively little is known about the regulation or action of endogenously secreted teleost TSH, largely due to lack of purified TSH suitable for biological testing and immunoassay development. I developed a red drum in vivo bioassay to aid in the production and purification of recombinant TSH from the red drum, a perciform fish demonstrating dynamic daily thyroxine (T4) cycles hypothesized to be driven by TSH. Exogenous bovine TSH injection resulted in a time and dose-dependent increase in circulating TSH and T4 in red drum. However, the sensitivity of the red drum thyroid gland to stimulation by bovine TSH was lost during growth under controlled laboratory conditions, even when circulating levels of exogenously-administered mammalian TSH remained elevated. The insensitivity of the thyroid was not due to prior TSH injection or feed source. Because insensitivity of the red drum thyroid precluded their use as a bioassay species, the plasma TSH and T4 response to exogenous TSH was next characterized in goldfish. The T4 response in goldfish was stable and repeatable, with T4 levels peaking at 5 hours and remaining elevated for more than 11 hours after bovine TSH injection. Plasma TSH peaked from 2-5 hours following TSH injection with more than 90 percent cleared by 11 hours. The goldfish bioassay was further utilized to evaluate the effects of structural modifications on TSH biological…
Advisors/Committee Members: MacKenzie, Duncan S. (advisor), Jaques, Scott (committee member), Gatlin, Delbert (committee member), Rosenthal, Gil (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: thyrotropin; teleost fish; thyroid hormone; goldfish; red drum; bioassay
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APA (6th Edition):
Miller, T. C. (2012). Biological Activity of Thyrotropin in Two Teleost Fish, Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and Goldfish (Carassius auratus). (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9393
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Miller, Thomas Charles. “Biological Activity of Thyrotropin in Two Teleost Fish, Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and Goldfish (Carassius auratus).” 2012. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9393.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Miller, Thomas Charles. “Biological Activity of Thyrotropin in Two Teleost Fish, Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and Goldfish (Carassius auratus).” 2012. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Miller TC. Biological Activity of Thyrotropin in Two Teleost Fish, Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and Goldfish (Carassius auratus). [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9393.
Council of Science Editors:
Miller TC. Biological Activity of Thyrotropin in Two Teleost Fish, Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and Goldfish (Carassius auratus). [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9393
24.
Farrell, Shannon Leigh.
Use of social information for habitat selection in songbirds.
Degree: PhD, Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, 2012, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9458
► Habitat selection research has focused on the role of vegetative and geologic habitat characteristics or antagonistic behavioral interactions. Conspecifics can confer information about habitat quality…
(more)
▼ Habitat selection research has focused on the role of vegetative and geologic habitat characteristics or antagonistic behavioral interactions. Conspecifics can confer information about habitat quality and provide positive density-dependent effects that may result in improved fitness, resulting in positive behavioral responses to conspecifics as a habitat selection strategy. I conducted 3 replicated, manipulative experiments to investigate use of conspecific cues in habitat selection for the golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) using simulated conspecific vocalizations during pre-settlement and post-breeding periods, across a range of woodland canopy cover. I measured territory density, pairing, and fledging success in paired treatment and control units. Territory density was >2 times higher in treatment units across the range of canopy (P = 0.02). Pairing success was positively correlated with territory density (P = 0.008). Territory density response was higher for pre-settlement than post-breeding treatment (P = 0.004). I found pre-settlement and post-breeding conspecific cues influence golden-cheeked warbler habitat selection, inducing settlement in previously unoccupied areas, and producing aggregations within areas of similar vegetative characteristics. Better understanding of social information use in habitat selection can improve our understanding of species distributions, yielding more accurate predictive distribution models; improve our ability to predict impacts of habitat changes on habitat use, survival, reproduction, and ultimately fitness; and provide a potential tool for attracting individuals to restored or managed sites.
Advisors/Committee Members: Morrison, Michael L. (advisor), Cathey, James (committee member), Packard, Jane (committee member), Rosenthal, Gil (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: avian ecology; passerines; endangered species; habitat selection; social information; competition; density-dependence
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APA (6th Edition):
Farrell, S. L. (2012). Use of social information for habitat selection in songbirds. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9458
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Farrell, Shannon Leigh. “Use of social information for habitat selection in songbirds.” 2012. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9458.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Farrell, Shannon Leigh. “Use of social information for habitat selection in songbirds.” 2012. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Farrell SL. Use of social information for habitat selection in songbirds. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9458.
Council of Science Editors:
Farrell SL. Use of social information for habitat selection in songbirds. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-05-9458
25.
Mitra, Tanushree.
Cost, Precision, and Task Structure in Aggression-based Arbitration for Minimalist Robot Cooperation.
Degree: MS, Computer Science, 2012, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-08-10129
► Multi-robot systems have the potential to improve performance through parallelism. Unfortunately, interference often diminishes those returns. Starting from the earliest multi-robot research, a variety of…
(more)
▼ Multi-robot systems have the potential to improve performance through parallelism. Unfortunately, interference often diminishes those returns. Starting from the earliest multi-robot research, a variety of arbitration mechanisms have been proposed
to maximize speed-up. Vaughan and his collaborators demonstrated the effectiveness of an arbitration mechanism inspired by biological signalling where the level of
aggression displayed by each agent effectively prioritizes the limited resources. But
most often these arbitration mechanisms did not do any principled consideration of environmental constraints or task structure, signalling cost and precision of the outcome. These factors have been taken into consideration in this research and a taxonomy of the arbitration mechanisms have been presented. The taxonomy organizes prior techniques and newly introduced novel techniques. The latter include theoretical and practical mechanisms (from minimalist to especially efficient). Practicable
mechanisms were evaluated on physical robots for which both data and models are presented. The arbitration mechanisms described span a whole gamut from implicit
(in case of robotics, entirely without representation) to deliberately coordinated (via an established Biological model, reformulated from a Bayesian perspective).
Another significant result of this thesis is a systematic characterization of system
performance across parameters that describe the task structure: patterns of interference are related to a set of strings that can be expressed exactly. This analysis of the domain has the important (and rare) property of completeness, i.e., all possible abstract variations of the task are understood. This research presents efficiency results
showing that a characterization for any given instance can be obtained in sub-linear
time. It has been shown, by construction, that: (1) Even an ideal arbitration mechanism can perform arbitrarily poorly; (2) Agents may manipulate task-structure for individual and collective good; (3) Task variations affect the influence that initial conditions have on long-term behaviour; (4) The most complex interference dynamics
possible for the scenario is a limit cycle behaviour.
Advisors/Committee Members: Shell, Dylan (advisor), Song, Dezhen (committee member), Rosenthal, Gil (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: robotic spatial interference; aggression; biological contests; task structure and environment
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APA (6th Edition):
Mitra, T. (2012). Cost, Precision, and Task Structure in Aggression-based Arbitration for Minimalist Robot Cooperation. (Masters Thesis). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-08-10129
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Mitra, Tanushree. “Cost, Precision, and Task Structure in Aggression-based Arbitration for Minimalist Robot Cooperation.” 2012. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-08-10129.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Mitra, Tanushree. “Cost, Precision, and Task Structure in Aggression-based Arbitration for Minimalist Robot Cooperation.” 2012. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Mitra T. Cost, Precision, and Task Structure in Aggression-based Arbitration for Minimalist Robot Cooperation. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2012. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-08-10129.
Council of Science Editors:
Mitra T. Cost, Precision, and Task Structure in Aggression-based Arbitration for Minimalist Robot Cooperation. [Masters Thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-08-10129
26.
Squire, Mattie Katherine.
Mate Choice and Multiple Paternity in the Xiphophorus Malinche/X. Birchmanni Hybrid System.
Degree: MS, Biology, 2015, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/155646
► Hybridization represents a collision of genomes that can introduce new genetic and phenotypic variation into a population. Depending on the environment, this may lead to…
(more)
▼ Hybridization represents a collision of genomes that can introduce new genetic and phenotypic variation into a population. Depending on the environment, this may lead to increased individual fitness and allow for integration of novel gene combinations via gene flow between divergent species. Recent work has shown that hybridization is an important evolutionary process in terms of the diversification of species and that it is probably far more common than once thought. To further understand the process of hybridization, studies examining mating decisions can be used to predict not only how hybridization occurs in the first place but also to predict the future evolutionary path of parental and hybrid populations. Here I present two studies on Xiphophorus malinche, X. birchmanni, and their hybrids. In the first, I examine the chemical and visual preferences of male X. malinche with dichotomous choice trials; I found that, unlike females or male X. birchmanni, male X. malinche show no strong preferences in terms of chemical or visual cues. In my second study, I used microsatellite markers to determine that there is a high degree of polyandry in a subpopulation of an X. malinche and X. birchmanni hybrid zone after first investigating population structure.
Advisors/Committee Members: Rosenthal, Gil G (advisor), Jones, Adam (committee member), Criscione, Charles (committee member), Murphy, William (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Xiphophorus; Hybridization; Hybrid zones; microsatellites; mate choice; multiple paternity
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APA (6th Edition):
Squire, M. K. (2015). Mate Choice and Multiple Paternity in the Xiphophorus Malinche/X. Birchmanni Hybrid System. (Masters Thesis). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/155646
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Squire, Mattie Katherine. “Mate Choice and Multiple Paternity in the Xiphophorus Malinche/X. Birchmanni Hybrid System.” 2015. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/155646.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Squire, Mattie Katherine. “Mate Choice and Multiple Paternity in the Xiphophorus Malinche/X. Birchmanni Hybrid System.” 2015. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Squire MK. Mate Choice and Multiple Paternity in the Xiphophorus Malinche/X. Birchmanni Hybrid System. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2015. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/155646.
Council of Science Editors:
Squire MK. Mate Choice and Multiple Paternity in the Xiphophorus Malinche/X. Birchmanni Hybrid System. [Masters Thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2015. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/155646
27.
Rose, Emily.
The Effects of Synthetic Estrogen on Sexual Selection and Hepatic Gene Expression Patterns in the Sex-Role-Reversed Gulf Pipefish.
Degree: PhD, Biology, 2016, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157972
► Species in which sexual selection acts more strongly on females than on males provide interesting opportunities to study the evolution of sex roles and sex…
(more)
▼ Species in which sexual selection acts more strongly on females than on males provide interesting opportunities to study the evolution of sex roles and sex differences and the impact of exposure to endocrine disruptors. The sex-role-reversed Gulf pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli) is sexually dimorphic, and females possess dramatic secondary sexual traits while males are choosy. Experiments involving endocrine disruptors have previously illustrated that the secondary sexual traits in female pipefish are estrogen-regulated, but no studies before this dissertation had yet addressed the effects of endocrine disruptors on the strength of sexual selection or the hormonal regulation of a sexually dimorphic transcriptome in any sex-role-reversed taxon. When exposed to low, ecologically relevant concentrations of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) of 2 ng/L, female pipefish had greater reproductive successes which resulted in an increase in sexual selection acting on exposed females. However, at minimally higher and still ecologically-relevant EE2 concentrations (5ng/L), male pipefish were unable to receive eggs or maintain their pregnancies, ceasing the reproduction of the exposed fishes. Understanding the evolutionary consequences of exposure to endocrine disruptors at several concentrations is important to help predict the effects that endocrine disruptors will have on the fecundity and sustainability of exposed natural populations.
Using next-generation RNA-sequencing technology, I compared gene expression patterns in the livers of pipefish females, pregnant males, and non-pregnant males exposed to EE2 at ecologically relevant concentrations of 5ng/L. The results showed that the control Gulf pipefish liver transcriptomes showed sexually dimorphic patterns of gene expression, indicating that this sex-role-reversed pipefish species does not appear to have an endocrine reversal from the typical gene expression patterns found in the livers of most fishes with conventional sex roles. Estrogen exposure did cause feminization of gene expression patterns in the male liver transcriptome, with several of the EE2 responsive genes shown to have female-biased expression in control animals. These genes included several of the classic estrogen biomarkers, such as vitellogenin, choriogenin, and zona pellucida transcripts. Overall, exposure to synthetic estrogen has been shown to have a strong effect on selection, reproductive abilities, and hepatic gene expression levels in the sex-role-reversed Gulf pipefish.
Advisors/Committee Members: Jones, Adam (advisor), Rosenthal, Gil (committee member), Mora, Miguel (committee member), Roelke, Daniel (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: sexual selection; sex-role-reversal; synthetic estrogen
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APA (6th Edition):
Rose, E. (2016). The Effects of Synthetic Estrogen on Sexual Selection and Hepatic Gene Expression Patterns in the Sex-Role-Reversed Gulf Pipefish. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157972
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Rose, Emily. “The Effects of Synthetic Estrogen on Sexual Selection and Hepatic Gene Expression Patterns in the Sex-Role-Reversed Gulf Pipefish.” 2016. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157972.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Rose, Emily. “The Effects of Synthetic Estrogen on Sexual Selection and Hepatic Gene Expression Patterns in the Sex-Role-Reversed Gulf Pipefish.” 2016. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Rose E. The Effects of Synthetic Estrogen on Sexual Selection and Hepatic Gene Expression Patterns in the Sex-Role-Reversed Gulf Pipefish. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2016. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157972.
Council of Science Editors:
Rose E. The Effects of Synthetic Estrogen on Sexual Selection and Hepatic Gene Expression Patterns in the Sex-Role-Reversed Gulf Pipefish. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2016. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/157972
28.
Peters, Lizette Alice.
Effect of pollen diet and honey bee (apis mellifera l.) primer pheromones on worker bee food producing glands.
Degree: MS, Entomology, 2009, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-3167
► This thesis examines three factors that may influence the change in protein content and size of the brood food glands in honey bees. Effects on…
(more)
▼ This thesis examines three factors that may influence the change in protein
content and size of the brood food glands in honey bees. Effects on the mandibular
gland, involved in the production of brood food and in royal jelly, have not been
examined in relation to primer pheromones while effects on the hypopharyngeal glands,
also involved in the production of brood food, have not been examined in relation to
queen mandibular pheromone. This thesis provides preliminary insight into how these
pheromones affect the extractable protein content of brood food glands.
The first study in this thesis assessed the effects of brood pheromone (BP), queen
mandibular pheromone (QMP), and pollen presence on the protein content of
hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of the honey bee. In this study, newly emerged
bees were caged for 12 days in one of eight treatments: Queenless state: 1) control (no
pollen + no pheromone), 2) pollen, 3) BP, 4) BP + pollen; Queenright state: 1) QMP, 2)
QMP + pollen, 3) BP + QMP, 4) BP + QMP + pollen. This study indicated that
regardless of pheromone treatment, the most influential factor on gland protein content
and size was pollen. The second experiment examined effects of varying pollen dilution on
hypopharyngeal and mandibular gland protein content, bee mass, and lipid content of the
honey bee. In this experiment, newly emerged bees were caged for 7 days and fed one
of five treatments: pollen, 1:1 pollen: cellulose (vol:vol), 1:2 pollen: cellulose (vol:vol);
1:3 pollen: cellulose (vol:vol), and cellulose. This study indicated that bees on the
pollen diet were significantly greater than all other diluted diets in measurements of
hypopharyngeal gland protein content, lipid content, and mass with significantly less
consumption. However, mandibular gland protein content of bees on the pollen diet was
significantly greater only from pure cellulose.
Advisors/Committee Members: Pankiw, Tanya (advisor), Rosenthal, Gil (committee member), Zhu-Salzman, Keyan (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: honey bee; brood pheromone; queen mandibular pheromone; mandibular gland; hypopharyngeal gland; pollen
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APA (6th Edition):
Peters, L. A. (2009). Effect of pollen diet and honey bee (apis mellifera l.) primer pheromones on worker bee food producing glands. (Masters Thesis). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-3167
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Peters, Lizette Alice. “Effect of pollen diet and honey bee (apis mellifera l.) primer pheromones on worker bee food producing glands.” 2009. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-3167.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Peters, Lizette Alice. “Effect of pollen diet and honey bee (apis mellifera l.) primer pheromones on worker bee food producing glands.” 2009. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Peters LA. Effect of pollen diet and honey bee (apis mellifera l.) primer pheromones on worker bee food producing glands. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2009. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-3167.
Council of Science Editors:
Peters LA. Effect of pollen diet and honey bee (apis mellifera l.) primer pheromones on worker bee food producing glands. [Masters Thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2009. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-3167
29.
Cochran, Jennifer Lynn.
Diet, habitat and ecomorphology of cichlids in the Upper Bladen River, Belize.
Degree: MS, Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, 2008, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/86072
► Cichlids are among the most species rich and ecologically diverse families of freshwater fishes. Life history attributes vary greatly among cichlids across their global range,…
(more)
▼ Cichlids are among the most species rich and ecologically diverse families of
freshwater fishes. Life history attributes vary greatly among cichlids across their global
range, and in the Neotropics alone studies have revealed a great deal of diversity in cichlid
ecology, morphology and behavior. This study investigated the habitat use, diet, and
ecomorphology of an assemblage of cichlids in the Upper Bladen River, Belize.
Mesohabitats, including riffles, runs, deep pools, vegetated areas and adjacent streams,
were surveyed and snorkeled, and physicochemical and habitat variables were measured at
each site where cichlids were observed or collected. Between 12 and 65 stomachs of each
cichlid species were analyzed for diet composition. In addition, traditional morphometrics
were completed on five individuals of each species in order to investigate the relationships
between morphology, diet, and habitat use. The present study revealed patterns of trophic
and morphological diversity consistent with a hypothesis of resource partitioning in
accordance with adaptive divergence in morphological traits that influence ecological
performance. The Bladen cichlid assemblage has one algivore with a long, coiled gut
(Archocentrus spilurus), one piscivore with an elongated body and highly protrusbile jaws
(Petenia splendida), two substrate sifters that feed extensively on benthic invertebrates
(Astatheros robertsoni and Thorichthys meeki), one midwater invertebrate feeder ('Cichlasoma' salvini), and one large-bodied, trophic generalist (Vieja maculicauda).
Species in this assemblage display divergent ecological patterns supported by
morphological and behavioral adaptations that yield a degree of diet and habitat
segregation. The present study provides not only basic ecological data essential for
effective conservation, but also evidence of niche diversification within a local assemblage
of heroine cichlids that will be useful for ecological and evolutionary analyses at larger
scales of taxonomy, geography, and time.
Advisors/Committee Members: Winemiller, Kirk O (advisor), Davis, Steve E (committee member), Rosenthal, Gil (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: cichlids; Belize
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APA (6th Edition):
Cochran, J. L. (2008). Diet, habitat and ecomorphology of cichlids in the Upper Bladen River, Belize. (Masters Thesis). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/86072
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Cochran, Jennifer Lynn. “Diet, habitat and ecomorphology of cichlids in the Upper Bladen River, Belize.” 2008. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/86072.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Cochran, Jennifer Lynn. “Diet, habitat and ecomorphology of cichlids in the Upper Bladen River, Belize.” 2008. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Cochran JL. Diet, habitat and ecomorphology of cichlids in the Upper Bladen River, Belize. [Internet] [Masters thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2008. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/86072.
Council of Science Editors:
Cochran JL. Diet, habitat and ecomorphology of cichlids in the Upper Bladen River, Belize. [Masters Thesis]. Texas A&M University; 2008. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/86072
30.
Scobell, Sunny Kay.
The Role of Androgens in Male Pregnancy and Female Competitive Behavior in a Sex Role Reversed Pipefish.
Degree: PhD, Biology, 2012, Texas A&M University
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10676
► The sex-role reversal and male pregnancy found in syngnathids are highly unusual traits in vertebrates. Reproductive hormones likely influence development and regulation of these traits.…
(more)
▼ The sex-role reversal and male pregnancy found in syngnathids are highly unusual traits in vertebrates. Reproductive hormones likely influence development and regulation of these traits. However, very few studies have examined the underlying hormonal mechanisms that mediate female competitive behavior and male pregnancy. New methodologies and better husbandry practices have made such studies more feasible in recent years. Research on a relatively small number of species has suggested that androgens are likely regulators of spermatogenesis and the development of the male brood pouch prior to pregnancy. Androgens are also potential candidates for mediating sex-role reversed behavior in female syngnathids. The goal of this dissertation was to examine the role of androgens in the male reproductive cycle and female intrasexual competitive behavior in the sex-role reversed Gulf pipefish, Syngnathus scovelli.
From review of the literature, I developed a model for the hormonal regulation of the male reproductive cycle in seahorses. I predicted that androgens would be low during the early stages of pregnancy and increase during the end of pregnancy as males go through another cycle of spermatogenesis in preparation for the next mating event. My study of 11-ketotestosterone and testis mass across the reproductive cycle in male S. scovelli supported this model. I also conducted several studies on the role of androgens in female competitive behavior. I determined that treatment with 11-ketotestosterone the evening prior to an intrasexual interaction resulted in an increase in competitive behavior in large over small test females. Conversely, treatment with 11-ketotestosterone one hour prior to an intrasexual interaction resulted in a decrease in competitive behavior in large over small females when stimulus female behavior was controlled. A comparative study of competitive and courtship behavior in S. scovelli and the closely related S. floridae suggested that sexual selection has affected competitive and courtship behavior in both males and females of these species. The diversity of reproductive patterns exhibited by syngnathids suggests that they will provide a unique opportunity to assess how hormonal regulation of reproductive behavior and function has evolved within this lineage.
Advisors/Committee Members: Jones, Adam G. (advisor), Rosenthal, Gil G. (advisor), MacKenzie, Duncan S. (committee member), Jaques, John T. (committee member).
Subjects/Keywords: Sexual selection; sex-role reversal; Syngnathidae; endocrinology; androgens; steroids; male pregnancy; female intrasexual competition; female aggression; Gulf pipefish; Syngnathus scovelli
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APA (6th Edition):
Scobell, S. K. (2012). The Role of Androgens in Male Pregnancy and Female Competitive Behavior in a Sex Role Reversed Pipefish. (Doctoral Dissertation). Texas A&M University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10676
Chicago Manual of Style (16th Edition):
Scobell, Sunny Kay. “The Role of Androgens in Male Pregnancy and Female Competitive Behavior in a Sex Role Reversed Pipefish.” 2012. Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University. Accessed April 13, 2021.
http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10676.
MLA Handbook (7th Edition):
Scobell, Sunny Kay. “The Role of Androgens in Male Pregnancy and Female Competitive Behavior in a Sex Role Reversed Pipefish.” 2012. Web. 13 Apr 2021.
Vancouver:
Scobell SK. The Role of Androgens in Male Pregnancy and Female Competitive Behavior in a Sex Role Reversed Pipefish. [Internet] [Doctoral dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. [cited 2021 Apr 13].
Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10676.
Council of Science Editors:
Scobell SK. The Role of Androgens in Male Pregnancy and Female Competitive Behavior in a Sex Role Reversed Pipefish. [Doctoral Dissertation]. Texas A&M University; 2012. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2011-12-10676
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