Browsing by Author "Santos, Scott"

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Combining morphological, acoustic, and genetic techniques to better understand hybridization of the most abundant toad in Alabama: Anaxyrus fowleri

Chivers, Jacqueline Marie (2016-04-29)

The Anaxyrus americanus species complex has provided an interesting group of species to study hybridization. Two species in particular, Anaxyrus americanus and Anaxyrus fowleri, are known to hybridize in northern portions ...

Consequences of low-head dams on crayfish distribution and gene flow in Alabama stream

Hartfield, Emily (2010-08-03)

Dams are numerous in many eastern US streams, and instream physicochemical and biotic impacts of dams can alter flow and sediment regimes and channel geomorphology as well as reducing longitudinal movement by fishes and ...

Determining the spatial and seasonal influences of microbial community composition and structure from the Hawaiian anchialine ecosystem

Hoffman, Stephanie (2016-12-09)

Characterized as coastal bodies of water lacking surface connections to the ocean but with subterranean connections to the ocean and groundwater, habitats belonging to the anchialine ecosystem occur worldwide in primarily ...

Disturbance in the anchialine ecosystem: ramifications for ecology and physiology

Havird, Justin (2014-04-07)

Habitats in the anchialine ecosystem are defined as coastal ponds, pools, and caves that lack surface connections to the open ocean, but possess both seawater and freshwater influences due to subterranean connections to ...

Diversity and Conservation of the Southern Cavefish, Typhlichthys subterraneus

Hart, Pamela (2016-07-29)

The Southern Cavefish, Typhlichthys subterraneus, is one of the most fascinating stygobionts of the Amblyopsidae due to undescribed diversity within it. I investigated aspects of morphological and molecular diversity for ...

The Ecology and Evolution of Coral-Associated Apicomplexans

Kirk, Nathan (2012-12-05)

Apicomplexans are protists within the eukaryotic supergroup S.A.R. that infect a wide- range of animal species and can cause disease. Although apicomplexans are an important parasitic group, little is published regarding ...

Effects of habitat variation on life history traits and genetic structure of Bartholomea annulata on Caribbean coral reefs

Titus, Benjamin (2011-07-08)

Phenotypically plastic life history strategies have important implications for how species colonize local habitats and disperse to distant environments, yet few data exist for tropical sea anemones. Here, I use field and ...

Evaluating Efficacy of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria for Promoting Growth and Preventing Disease in both Fish and Plants

Williams, Malachi (2020-04-22)

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), are bacteria residing within the rhizosphere of a plant, that elicit health benefits to the plant (Kloepper and Schroth, 1978; Kloepper et al., 2004). To understand the growth ...

Evolution of Miniaturization and Paedomorphism in Fishes of the Order Cypriniformes

Tan, Milton (2016-08-05)

The order Cypriniformes (carps, minnows and their allies) is a morphologically diverse freshwater fish clade numbering over 4000 species. One species is the model organism zebrafish, Danio rerio. Cypriniform fishes have ...

Exposure to multiple stressors in the stony coral Acropora cervicornis: Effects on photosynthesis and respiration rates

Paradis, Bennett (2018-11-15)

Recreational diving is an increasingly popular ecotourism activity that has allowed unprecedented amounts of direct human interaction with coral reef communities. Inadvertent contact by divers with benthic invertebrates ...

Feathers at a fine scale

Shawkey, Matthew (2005-08-15)

In 1668, Antoine von Leeuwenhoek improved the crude microscopes that were being produced in Europe to better study small biological objects (Madigan et al. 1997). Although von Leeuwenhoek 's microscope revolutionized ...

Genetic Diversity and Connectivity of Black Bears (Ursus americanus) in Alabama.

Draper, John (2017-04-21)

One of the major concerns in conservation today is the loss of genetic diversity which is a frequent consequence of population isolation and small population sizes. Fragmentation of populations and persecution of carnivores ...

Geographic Variation in the Yellow-throated Warbler (Dendroica dominica)

McKay, Bailey (2007-12-15)

I examined how variation within the yellow-throated warbler (Dendroica dominica) relates to geography. The yellow-throated warbler is a common neotropical migrant with a breeding range confined to the southeastern United ...

Host Specificity and Regional Endemicity in Symbiotic Dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium, Dinophyta) Associated with Sea Anemones in the Genus Aiptasia

Xiang, Yu (2009-04-13)

Recent investigations of coral reef biology have focused on the global biogeography and host specificity of Symbiodinium, a diverse group of dinoflagellates that symbiotically associate with many marine organisms, including ...

Hydrological link between the Amazon River Basin and the eastern Guiana Shield on the Neotropical ichthyofauna

Desouza, Lesley (2011-11-30)

The seasonal inundation of the Rupununi savannas in south central Guyana allows for potential faunal exchange between the Takutu and Rupununi Rivers and ultimately between the Essequibo and Amazon Rivers. This hydrological ...

Intraspecific variation in coral reproductive output and symbiont community structure following a thermal bleaching event

Leinbach, Sarah (2022-04-04)

Marine heatwaves and associated bleaching events are projected to increase in frequency and severity in the future, imperiling charismatic ecosystems such as coral reefs. Although mass bleaching events are often accompanied ...

Investigating mitochondria-induced premature aging due to reproduction and environment in semi-natural enclosed wild-derived house mice

Williams, Ashley (2023-05-02) ETD File Embargoed

Reproduction is a highly energetic process requiring both prenatal and postnatal investment for female mammals. Under the disposable soma theory (DST), prenatal investment includes reallocation of resources used to maintain ...

An Investigation of Species Relationships within Marshallia Schreb. [Asteraceae] and Mitochondrial Genomes within Poaceae

Hall, Nathan (2018-04-24)

Genomic sequencing has become ubiquitous within the discipline of Biology. Here I use two case studies in which whole genomic DNA facilitates answers to foundational biological questions for organisms that do not have ...

Life History Aspects and Phylogeography of Exyra semicrocea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and their Implications for Pitcher Plant Bog Conservation

Stephens, Jessica (2011-03-30)

Informed conservation decisions involve synthesizing information from a variety of disciplines. These include, but are not limited to, topics on life history, current anthropogenic threats, community interactions, and ...

Molecular Evolutionary and Functional Genomic Studies of Marshallia (Asteraceae) Utilizing Next Generation Sequencing Technology

Melton, Anthony (2015-05-06)

Several aspects of Marshallia (Asteraceae) genomics have been investigated using NGS technologies. I have assembled and characterized Marshallia Clade III Cytokinin Response Factor genes from DNA and RNA datasets. To ...