UNT Libraries - 13 Matching Results
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- Passive Dispersal of Algae and Protozoa Internally and Externally by Selected Aquatic Insects
- This investigation was concerned with three aspects of the problem of passive dispersal of algae and protozoa by aquatic insects: the role of odonates in passive dispersal of viable small aquatic organisms, the passage of viable algae and protozoa through digestive tracts of field-collected herbivorous and carnivorous aquatic insects, and the viability duration of selected algae, during insect transport under monitored conditions.
- Factors Inhibiting Dissociation Of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Cells
- The initial studies reported in this dissertation were attempts to induce mutations in those genes which control dissociation in cells of Nei sseria gonorrhoeae. These studies led to an investigation of survival curves of cells grown in liquid media. Instead of survival curves reflecting the diploid nature of gonococci, multiple cell kinetics were observed. It was found that large clumps contained a predominance of cells of the T2 type and that when these clumps were dispersed by DNAase, it appeared that dissociation of T2 was inhibited. The notion of a mechanism of T2 to T4 dissociation being due to genetic transformation was disspelled by these data.
- Fungal Antigens and Fungal Disease: An Alkali-Soluble, Water Soluble Antigen from Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioidomycosis
- Diagnostic medical mycology has been slow to advance due to a lack of species specific antigens in organisms which cause serious diseases in man. Toward this end, an HPLC analysis was done of the following fungal antigens: histoplasmins HKC-43 and H-42, blastomycin KCB-26, an alkali-soluble, water soluble antigen from Blastomyces dermatitidis (b-ASWS), a coccidioidin prepared from a toluene lysate of the mycelial-arthroconidia phase of Coccidioides immitis, and an alkali-soluble, water-soluble antigen from Coccidioides immitis (c-ASWS). The HPLC survey included size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), ion exchange chromatography (HPIEC), and reversephase chromatography (RP). Resolution was poor with both SEC and HPIEC but was excellent with RP chromatography. The use of RP will allow sufficient separation for further antigenic and structural analysis.
- Testing and Evaluation of Environmental Fate Models Using Aquatic Microcosms and Three Organic Chemicals
- Two compartment (sediment and water) flow-through model ecosystems were constructed to investigate the compartmentalization of different organic chemicals. Lindane, naphthalene, and mirex were pumped into the systems and resultant compartmental chemical concentrations determined. Steady state concentrations were compared to those predicted by two environmental fate models - EXAMS (Exposure Analysis Modeling System) and SLSA (Simplified Lake and Stream Analysis) which were developed by EPA-Athens, Georgia and HydroQual, Inc., respectively.
- Biology and Production of Net-Spinning Caddisflies (Hydropsychidae And Philopotamidae) in a Regulated Portion Of The Brazos River, Texas
- Four species of net-spinning caddisflies, Hydropsyche simulans Ross, Cheumatopsyche lasia Ross, Cheumatopsyche campyla Ross and Chimarra obscura (Walker) are common in the regulated portions of the Brazos River. Hydropsyche simulans spun capture nets with the largest meshdimensions; the two Cheumatopsyche species' nets had the next largest meshes, and Chimarra obscura spun nets with the smallest dimensions. Cheumatopsyche lasia and C. campyla constructed nets with similar sized meshes. The number of individuals m~2 and standing crop biomass were not significantly different among low, medium, and high velocities. Early hydropsychid instars fed on detritus while later instar H. simulans and C. campyla had larger proportions of animal material. Guts of later instar C. lasia individuals had a greater percentage of algae and diatoms.
- Comparative Ecology of Benthic Communities in Natural and Regulated Areas of the Flathead and Kootenai Rivers, Montana
- A comparative study was made of environmental variables and the density, biomass, diversity, and species composition of macroinvertebrates in areas downstream from a dam with a hypolimnetic release (Hungry Horse Dam on the Flathead River) and a dam with a selective withdrawal system (Libby Dam on the Kootenai River). A major objective of this study was to examine the response of macroinvertebrate communities to defined environmental gradients in temperature, flow, substrate, and food-related variables (periphyton, particulate organic carbon in the seston). In addition, the effects of experimental manipulations in discharge on macroinvertebrate drift and stranding were assessed, and the effects of temperature on the growth rates and emergence of five species of insects were measured.
- Genetic and Morphological Variation in Natural Populations of the Red Shiner, Notropis lutrensis, and their Relationship to Adaptation in a Generalist Species
- Twenty-two natural populations of the red shiner minnow, Notropis lutrensis were examined for morphological and genetic variation. This research was aimed at testing the hypothesis that morphological and genetic variation was primarily influenced by the degree of gene flow between populations. Ten linear measurements were taken from each of 1320 specimens. Morphological characters were adjusted for differential growth by least squares linear regression techniques. Genetic variability was estimated for each individual red shiner through the methods of starch gel electrophoresis. Twenty presumtive gene loci were resolved.
- Studies on the Drumming Behavior of North American Stoneflies (Plecoptera)
- Drumming behavior is described for the first time in 16 North American species of Plecoptera, and signals of a 17th species, Isogenoides zionensis, are further detailed. The effective distance over which drumming signals may be transmitted was tested for four communication modes. Results indicate that substratum vibrations are far superior to sound in the transmission of drumming signals, and that dense substrates such as rocks are poor channels for signal transfer. Long communication periods between stonefly pairs of Taeniopteryx burksi resulted in some alterations from initial signaling characteristics.
- Degradation of Humic Substances by Aquatic Bacteria
- A variety of aquatic bacteria were isolated and tested for their ability to degrade humic substances and their aromatic residues/monomers which serve as precursors of the trihalomethanes (THMs) found in chlorinated drinking waters. The majority of them were Gram-negative, oxidative types dominated by pseudomonads. Most of the 146 isolates were found to utilize as their sole source of carbon several or more of ten aromatic compounds known to be products of degradation of humus and also to be precursors of THMs. The aromatics tested, with percent of the isolates utilizing the compound in parentheses, were: p-hydroxybenzoate (49), vanillic acid (48), 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (16), syringic acid (19), vanillin (30), benzoic acid (27), ferulic acid (34), resorcinol (9), catechol (8) and protocatechuic acid (27).
- Response of Freshwater and Saltwater Toxicity Test Species to Calcium and Salinity Concentrations Encountered in Toxicity Tests
- The responses of freshwater (Daphnia magna. Pimephales promelas) and saltwater (Mysidopsis bahia. Cyprinodon variegatus) toxicity test species to elevated calcium concentrations and changing salinity conditions were investigated. The use of salinity as a criterion for selection between saltwater and freshwater test species was investigated by conducting both calcium and salinity toxicity tests. Salinity was determined to be an inappropriate criterion under conditions encountered in this study.
- Systematics of the Stonefly Tribe Suwalliini Surdick and Behavioral Studies of Selected Species in the Stonefly Families Chloroperlidae and Perlidae
- The purpose of this study is to revise the genus Suwallia and to evaluate the potential taxonomic importance of adeagal and other genitalic characters, adult pigment patterns and egg characters. The revision concentrates on western North American species while providing coverage of all species, except Suwallia asiatica Zhiltzova and Lavanidova where only presumed females have been available for study. Communication and mate locating behaviors in adult stoneflies are critical for life cycle completion and species perpetuation. Drumming signals are known for numerous species of Plecoptera, but mate searching patterns and specifically, if or how vibrational communication is utilized for locating mates are virtually unknown for all stonefly species. I conducted field or laboratory studies of three species to elucidate mate searching patterns and how vibrational communication is used for locating mates. The species studied included a bushtopper, Suwallia pallidula (Banks); a ground scrambler, Claassenia sabulosa (Banks); and treetopper, Perlinella drymo (Newman). The "fly-tremulate-search". "rock to rock" and "fly-drum-search" search patterns exhibited by these species are described, as well as how vibrational communication is used for mate finding. Vibrational signal production by tremulation is reported for the first time in Suwallia, and for only the second time Plecoptera.
- Submerged wood inhabiting macoinvertebrates of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, Texas: Assemblage analyses, comparisons to the benthic fauna, and a study of Cyrnellus fraternus (Trichoptera: Polycentropodidae)
- Taxonomic composition and spatio-temporal variability of macroinvertebrates inhabiting snags were examined from an 8-km segment of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. Seventy-seven macroinvertebrate taxa were collected from submerged wood during the study. Assemblages were highly variable spatially and temporally, especially among seasons. An ordination of species and environment did not find snag taxa to have striking correlations with many of the selected environmental variables, although there were some trends in flow-mediated species distributions. There were significant seasonal differences in the abundances of some taxa, particularly among the Chironomidae (Diptera). The Tribe Orthocladiini was numerically abundant during the winter, while the Tribes Chironomini and Tanytarsini dominated the summer and autumn. Additionally, this study included a secondary production and microdistribution analysis of a population of the caddisfly Cyrnellus fraternus. Distributions of C. fraternus were restricted to snags, the most stable substratum for retreat building and for resisting periodic high waters. Larvae were not found in the soft sand and mud benthic habitats near submerged wood. The insects were multivoltine with a minimum of three generations per year. Pupae were collected July through September and adults emerged from May through October. The population overwintered as larvae. Estimated annual production was 1,015.4 mg/m2/yr. Mean standing stock biomass was 61.24 mg/m2, the cohort production/biomass ratio was 4.59, and the annual production/biomass rate was 16.58/yr for this population. Standing stock biomass ranged from 1.6 to 349.1 mg/m2 during the year and was significantly higher in autumn and summer than winter. Larvae were more abundant in the lower portions of the study area where flow was reduced for much of the year, than in the upper reaches, characterized by higher current velocities. C. fraternus larvae were found in their highest numbers on snags with dense deposits of silt and sand.
- 9-Lipoxygenase Oxylipin Pathway in Plant Response to Biotic Stress
- The activity of plant 9-lipoxygenases (LOXs) influences the outcome of Arabidopsis thaliana interaction with pathogen and insects. Evidence provided here indicates that in Arabidopsis, 9-LOXs facilitate infestation by Myzus persicae, commonly known as the green peach aphid (GPA), a sap-sucking insect, and infection by the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum. in comparison to the wild-type plant, lox5 mutants, which are deficient in a 9-lipoxygenase, GPA population was smaller and the insect spent less time feeding from sieve elements and xylem, thus resulting in reduced water content and fecundity of GPA. LOX5 expression is induced rapidly in roots of GPA-infested plants. This increase in LOX5 expression is paralleled by an increase in LOX5-synthesized oxylipins in the root and petiole exudates of GPA-infested plants. Micrografting experiments demonstrated that GPA population size was smaller on plants in which the roots were of the lox5 mutant genotype. Exogenous treatment of lox5 mutant roots with 9-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid restored water content and population size of GPA on lox5 mutants. Together, these results suggest that LOX5 genotype in roots is critical for facilitating insect infestation of Arabidopsis. in Arabidopsis, 9-LOX function is also required for facilitating infection by F. graminearum, which is a leading cause of Fusarium head blight (FHB) disease in wheat and other small grain crops. Loss of LOX1 and LOX5 function resulted in enhanced resistance to F. graminearum infection. Similarly in wheat, RNA interference mediated silencing of the 9-LOX homolog TaLpx1, resulted in enhanced resistance to F. graminearum. Experiments in Arabidopsis indicate that 9-LOXs promote susceptibility to this fungus by suppressing the activation of salicylic acid-mediated defense responses that are important for basal resistance to this fungus. the lox1 and lox5 mutants were also compromised for systemic acquired resistance (SAR), an inducible defense mechanism that is systemically activated throughout a plant in response to a …