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Ecological conditions of secondary sexual dimorphism in salix glauca : fundamental and realized dimorphic niche
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2006)
This thesis explores the dimorphic niche of ecological conditions hypothesis as the selective force behind secondary sexual dimorphism in Salix glauca, a dioecious willow shrub. The dimorphic niche hypothesis predicts trait ...
Mechanisms of call recognition in three sympatric species of Neoconocephalus (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) : asymmetrical interactions and evolutionary implications
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2006)
Scientists have debated the hypothesis of reinforcement. Nevertheless, recent empirical and theoretical work have dispelled doubts about its existence. Reinforcement is most often studied by establishing one of its predicted ...
Conservation and ecology of breeding landbirds in a riparian restoration context
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2006)
While $14 to $15 billion have been invested in 37,000+ river and stream restoration projects in North America since 1990, only 10% are monitored for biological function. My work examines factors that affect landbird ...
Drug resistance in D. discoideum: isolation of 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide resistant mutants
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2005)
The drug 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO) displays both carcinogenic and antitumor effects, a well known characteristic of many chemotherapeutic drugs. In addition 4NQO shares a similar operating mechanism with the commonly ...
Multi-scale investigations of gray treefrong movements: patterns of migration, dispersal, and gene flow
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2005)
The movement of individuals within and among populations has been recognized as an important determinant of the persistence of species. Fragmentation of terrestrial landscapes has exacerbated the need to understand the ...
The role of the AP-1 adaptor complex in trafficking between the trans-Golgi Network and endosomal system
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2005)
In Saccharomyces cerevisiae it is generally accepted that there are two routes for trafficking of proteins from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) to the vacuole. One involves direct transport from the TGN to the vacuole. The ...
The interploidy hybridization barrier in Zea Mays L.
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2006)
The failure of endosperm development due to interploidy crosses could be due to two reasons, neither of which has been studied on its own. 1) There is an imbalance of inherited imprinted loci in the endosperm (HAIG and ...
The biology of the Florida scrub endemic millipede: Floridobolus penneri
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2006)
Even though millipedes provide a number of important ecosystem services, the group overall is understudied and nowadays largely ignored in the USA. Most millipedes that are well-studied occur in temperate, mesic environments, ...
Centromere function and evolution in maize (Zea mays)
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2006)
A dispensable supernumerary chromosome present in maize, the B chromosome, was the focus of many centromere studies. First, I examine the variation in copy number of centromeric elements and other repeats among different ...
The effects of axotomy on the biophysical properties of reticulospinal neurons in larval lamprey
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2006)
Following severe spinal cord injury (SCI), in adult higher vertebrates there is little or no axonal regeneration, and animals remain paralyzed below the lesion. In contrast, lower vertebrates such as the lamprey, following ...
Call timing interactions, aggressive behavior, and the role of acoustic cues in chorus formation in treefrogs
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008)
I studied calling patterns and aggressive behavior of the Bird voiced treefrog, , to assess how dynamic call characters influences males and the factors influencing the onset of choruses and settling patterns of males in ...
Mating systems in Nicotiana longiflora and N. Plumbaginifolia : the effect of interspecific interactions
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008)
The research presented here was focused on the effects of interactions between Nicotiana longiflora and N. plumbaginifolia on their mating systems. First, I conducted a series of observations and pollination experiments ...
Chromatin-level regulation of the maize purple plant1 gene
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008)
In eukaryotes, gene expression is controlled at the chromatin level by mechanisms that are not yet well understood. This study addressed some of the unanswered questions about chromatin-level gene regulation. In maize, the ...
Effects and interactions of endocrine disrupting chemicals and diet on the mouse reproductive system
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2007)
Recent studies have indicated that a number of ubiquitous chemicals found in the environment are linked to a myriad of health concerns, including reproductive abnormalities and increases in infertility, cancer, and obesity ...
Beyond the edge : riparian habitat use and forest management effects on stream salamanders in the southern Appalachian mountains
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2007)
While there are many types of habitat loss and degradation (e.g., agriculture, land development), many studies have focused on the impacts of logging on wildlife populations and on ecosystem processes. Little information, ...
Behavioral choice and demographic consequences of wood frog habitat selection in response to land use
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2007)
Land use is a pervasive form of disturbance affecting natural systems on Earth. My dissertation research is set within the context of a large scale project referred to as Land-use Effects on Amphibian Populations (LEAP), ...
Noise and signal transmission properties as agents of selection in the vibrational communication environment
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2007)
Members of the Enchenopa binotata species complex (Hemiptera: Membracidae) are host-specific phytophagous insects that communicate by sending vibrations through their host plants. Successful communication depends on the ...
Nectar in nicotiana : pollinator associations, sources of variation, and evolutionary consequences
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2007)
Nectar is the primary floral reward offered by plants to attract pollinators. Pollinators often exhibit a preference for certain types of nectars over others. If pollinator preferences for certain nectar traits are strong ...
Raptor and wading bird migration in Veracruz, Mexico : spatial and temporal dynamics, flight performance, and monitoring applications
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2007)
This dissertation is organized in four chapters that deal with different aspects of my long-term studies of migratory raptors, vultures, and wading birds, in central Veracruz, Mexico, during the course of three spring and ...
Generating temperature sensitive inteins for studying gene functions
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008)
Reversible and easy to use, temperature-sensitive (TS) mutations, are powerful tools to study the functions of all genes, including essential and pleiotropic ones. However, the rarity of TS alleles and the difficulty of ...