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Now showing items 21-30 of 44
Evolutionary ecology of stripe-necked musk turtles (Sternotherus peltifer) in the Cahaba River drainage
(2021-04-27)
Stripe-necked musk turtles (Sternotherus peltifer) are one of the least-studied species of the southeastern United States’ diverse turtle fauna. Despite this, the environmental variation that exists within their geographic ...
Floral Biology of Alabama’s Spigelia species (Family Loganiaceae)
(2021-05-04)
This thesis examines the pollination ecology of Alabama species of Spigelia. Alabama currently has two species that are under threat of extinction: S. gentianoides and S. alabamensis. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has ...
The Molecular Underpinning of Life-History Evolution: Roles of the IIS network and the Building of a Reptilian Model
(2021-07-12)
The Insulin and Insulin-like Signaling (IIS) network regulates cellular processes including pre- and post-natal growth, cellular development, wound healing, reproduction, and longevity. Despite their importance on the ...
Nesting ecology of reptiles: Effects of maternal nesting behavior and egg incubation environments on offspring phenotypes and fitness
(2021-07-13)
Understanding the role of the environment in shaping phenotypic variation has been a goal at the heart of evolutionary biology since its inception. Through the work that led to the modern synthesis framework, we see that ...
THE BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF MENTAL GLAND SECRETIONS OF BOTH SEXES OF GOPHER TORTOISES (GOPHERUS POLYPHEMUS)
(2021-07-19)
All living chelonian species (e.g., turtles and tortoises) are experiencing population declines, causing a new imperative to maintain the longevity of adults and to facilitate reproduction. One strategy in facilitating ...
Copper dependent defects in mitochondria
(2021-07-27)
Wilson disease (WD) is a disease characterized by excessive copper accumulation in the liver and various other organs. In WD copper is absorbed through dietary consumption and not properly excreted from the body. Excessive ...
Evolution of deuterostome immune systems
(2021-09-10)
Contemporary theory on the evolution of metazoan immune systems is primarily derived of work on a few historically established model species (including Drosophila, human, and mouse). Though these species have provided ...
Mitochondrial behavior, morphology, and animal performance
(2021-10-18)
We have a limited understanding of the proximate mechanisms that are responsible for the development of variation in animal performance and life-history strategies. Many components of an organism’s successful life history–for ...
The Phage Behind the Curtain: Determining the Role of Bacteriophage in the Restructuring of Microbiomes During Disease
(2021-11-30)
The gut microbiome is a dynamic microbial ecosystem inhabited by all domains of life and is essential for the homeostatic function of almost all organ systems within the host. Additionally, the mammalian intestine is home ...
Discovery of the Gene Cluster in Bacillus velezensis AP183 Responsible for Bacillusin A Biosynthesis, Evaluation of the Use of B. velezensis AP183 in Preventing Staphylococcus aureus Infection, and Identification of Bacteriocins From a Soil Metagenome.
(2021-11-29)
The spread of multidrug resistance among pathogenic bacteria is increasing worldwide. One of the multidrug resistance pathogens is methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) which poses a significant threat to health and causes ...