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2011

BRIAN FOLT  

- Accepted into the Biological Sciences PhD program at Auburn University 

in Craig Guyers lab.  

Thesis Title: 

Herpetofaunal Richness, Density, & Community Composition in 

Plantation Monocultures & Primary Forest of La Selva Biological Station, 

Costa Rica.

Advisor: Dr. Steve Reilly, Biological Sciences
Program:  Biological Sciences Senior Honors Program
Research Summary:
 As the rising global human population continues to clear Neotropical forests, tree plantations have emerged not only as a sustainable source of lumber and pulp but also as a means to conserve biodiversity.  To better understand how agroforests might be utilized as conservation tools, I compared amphibian and reptile species richness, density, and community composition in forest plantations of three native tree species (Pentaclethra macroloba, Virola koschnyi, Vochysia guatemalensis) to primary forest at La Selva Biological Station in the Caribbean lowlands of northern Costa Rica.  Richness varied from 9 to 13 species among the plantations, whereas primary forest supported 14 species.  Primary forest and Vochysia supported significantly more species-rich communities than Pentaclethra and Virola (F_3,42 = 12.604, P = 0.0001).  Species richness correlated with increases in leaf litter mass (r² = 0.2663, F_1,32 = 11.598, p = 0.002) and moisture (statistics forthcoming).  Herpetofaunal density was significantly higher in primary forest (5.83 ± .59 individuals/100 m²) than in Pentaclethra (2.66 ± 1.68 individuals/100 m²) (U = 11.881, df = 3, p = 0.0078).  Non-metric multidimensional scaling and Analysis of Similarity showed that community composition differed significantly (P = 0.01) with two amphibians, Oophaga pumilio and Craugastor bransfordii, dominating the sample (35.9% and 37.1%, respectively).  Because Vochysia guatemalensis supported a herpetofaunal assemblage most similar to primary forest, my results show that Vochysia plantations were the best planatation type to provide refuges for the native herpetofauna of the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica.

See:

http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2011/05/17/students-inspired-by-ecological-research?PageNr=2

2010

LIZ SIMONIK  

- Accepted in to the Biological and Biomedical Sciences PhD 

program at Vanderbilt University
Thesis Title: 

Enzymatic activities and protein levels indicate antioxidant 

capacities are not modulated by acclimation temperature in 

skeletal and cardiac muscles of striped bass, Morone saxatilis.

Advisor: Dr. Lisa Crockett, Biological Sciences
Program:  Biological Sciences Senior Honors Program
Research Summary:
 In response to exposure to cold temperatures, fish experience two major physiological adjustments.  The first is an increase in mitochondrial content and as a result, an increase in negative byproducts of oxidative phosphorylation called reactive oxygen species (ROS).  The second is a change in the composition of the cellular membranes, specifically an increase in fatty acids that have more than two double bonds (polyunsaturated fatty acids).  Even though both of these physiological adjustments can have negative effects on the organism, there are antioxidant enzymes that provide a natural defense to protect the cells.  In my study, I looked at three specific antioxidant enzymes and how their activities and quantities increased in skeletal and cardiac muscle of striped bass that were exposed to cold temperatures.

SARAH GUTZWILLER

-accepted into the Masters program in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology at the Ohio State University

Honors Thesis title:

Postcranial skeletal pneumaticity, bone structure, and foraging style in two clades of neognath birds.

Advisor: Dr. Patrick O'Connor, Biomedical Sciences
Program:  Honors Tutorial College, Biological Sciences
Research Summary:

 Postcranial pneumaticity is the invasion of the postcranial skeleton by outgrowths from the air sacs, resulting in the bones being air-filled.  Within birds, there is a large degree of variability in the extent of pneumaticity.  Past research has hypothesized that pneumaticity may have evolved in relation to body mass and foraging styles as a way of reducing energetic cost of locomotion.  I explored these concepts in two orders of birds, Charadriiforms and Pelecaniforms.  I also examined the relationship between pneumaticity/ foraging style and bone structure.

 

BROOKS KOHLI

- heading to the Dr. Joe Cook's lab at the University of New Mexico to work on a M.S. degree on small mammal phylogeography and evolutionary genetics.

Honors Thesis title:

Stock structure, management, and phylogeography of muskellunge.

Advisor: Matt White
Program: Honors Tutorial College-Biological Sciences major

Research Summary:
Abstract:  The muskellunge is a commercially important fish species native to Ohio and the surrounding region of the United States.  For the most effective management of the species, we need information about the genetic variation and differentiation among populations.  Distinct genetic groups, or stocks, should be managed as separate management units.  I examined the genetic stock structure and variation of muskellunge at the species level as well as at a the local population level in Ohio.  This was done by analyzing mitochondrial DNA sequence variation and microsatellite variation, respectively.  At the species level, there was no evidence of stock structure, suggesting the current subspecies for muskellunge are invalid.  At the population level, there was considerable genetic diversity and population differentiation, which means the populations should be managed as distinct units.