Biological Sciences Masters Theses: Recent submissions
Now showing items 21-40 of 50
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Red-Winged Blackbird Migration Distance and Its Relationship with Reproduction
(North Dakota State University, 2020)Red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) are one of the most commonly researched birds in North America. My study aims to build upon what is known about migration patterns and reproduction in this species. My first ... -
The Conservation of Variation in Gryllodes sigillatus and Closely Related Cricket Species
(North Dakota State University, 2020)The ability to adjust behaviors to a particular environment has been well documented across taxa. Our understanding of behavioral plasticity is largely based on experiments in which individuals have a single exposure to ... -
Evolution of Intraspecific Genetic Differences Across Heterogeneous Environments and the Potential Impacts on Environmental Restoration
(North Dakota State University, 2020)Genetic differences evolve between seed sources of widely distributed species that can impact restoration success. Using the herbaceous perennial Geum triflorum (Pursh) as a model species, we examine genetic differences ... -
Environmental Impacts on Behavior and Personality in the Caviomorph Rodent, Octodon degus
(North Dakota State University, 2019)Environmental factors can have large impacts in shaping the way that animals behave. Biotic elements, such as predators and conspecifics that individuals interact with, are two environmental factors that animals may encounter ... -
Telomere Length and Senescence in a Long-lived Fish (Ictiobus cyprinellus)
(North Dakota State University, 2019)The pattern of shorter telomere lengths in older individuals has been observed across many vertebrates, but has not been well-documented in bony fishes. Bony fish (i.e., Class Osteichthyes) represent the most speciose and ... -
Nesting Cavity Temperature Impacts Nesting Choice and Development of the Alfalfa Leafcutting Bee (Megachile rotundata)
(North Dakota State University, 2019)Megachile rotundata is an agriculturally important pollinator of alfalfa and is not doing well in the U.S due to a 50% return rate (Pitts-Singer and Bosch, 2011). Nesting boxes can reach temperatures between 35˚C-48˚C (see ... -
Personality and Behavioral Syndromes of the Big Brown Bat, Eptesicus fuscus
(North Dakota State University, 2018)As the study of animal personality has significant expanded in the last decade, a growing amount of research has focused on the impacts of sociality and group dynamics on behavioral repeatability. The research presented ... -
Growth and Development of Native Range Plants in the Mixed Grass Prairie of Western North Dakota
(North Dakota State University, 1963)This study was initiated to secure quantitative data on growth characteristics of the major species in the mixed grass prairie of western North Dakota; to determine the extent and range in yearly variations in growth ... -
Quantifying Seasonal Variation in Physiological Condition of Adult Franklin's Gull (Luecophaeus Pipixcan) during Nesting
(North Dakota State University, 2011)Understanding seasonal variation in adult physiological condition is important for developing hypotheses on how nest initiation, adult condition, chick development and recruitment are related in Franklin's gull and other ... -
Telomere Correlations during Early Life in a Long Lived Seabird
(North Dakota State University, 2018)Telomere dynamics in blood cells have been linked to aging in a variety of organisms. However, whether blood telomeres correlated with telomeres in other parts of the body is not well known, especially during early life ... -
Testosterone (T) and Triiodothyronine (T3) in Franklin’s Gull (Leucophaeus Pipixcan) Eggs
(North Dakota State University, 2018)Maternally-derived hormones are known to influence the growth and development of offspring. The differential deposition of these maternally-derived hormones into egg yolk is one way by which females can alter and impact ... -
Environmental Components of Phenotypic Variation Dietary and Trans-Generational Effects on Behavior
(North Dakota State University, 2017)Phenotypic variation, or the total variation in a trait, and its components are of great importance in the fields of evolutionary and behavioral ecology. Phenotypic variation can be broken down into both environmental and ... -
Surfing the Semester: A Study of the Flow of Active Learning Implementation
(North Dakota State University, 2017)Instructional reforms have been called for on a national level. Little data exists as to how changes take place. This study explored the implementation of active learning practices by non-tenure and tenure track faculty ... -
Eat to Reproduce: The Role of Diet Quantity on Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) Caste Determination
(North Dakota State University, 2017)The received wisdom is that diet quality drives this queen-worker dichotomy, even though diet quantity differs significantly between queen and worker diet. Diet quantity likely determines honey bee caste; yet it has never ... -
The Prairie Science Classroom: Original Outcome Durability and Impact on the Connection to Nature
(North Dakota State University, 2017)Environmental Education (EE) seeks to create an informed citizenry capable of taking action on environmental issues. Recent calls for more consistent evaluation of EE point to a need for more long-term evaluations as well ... -
Expression of HIF-1 Alpha and HIF-1 Beta in Insects Throughout Juvenile Development
(North Dakota State University, 2016)Insects grow exponentially from hatching to adult. This growth is punctuated by periodic molts during which the exoskeleton, including the large airways of the respiratory system, is enlarged and replaced. Major tracheae ... -
From Alcelaphus to Zapus: Conservation of Modern Mammalian Populations
(North Dakota State University, 2015)Conservation priorities are increasingly important in the face of modern human activities. Anthropogenic activities such as deforestation, pollution, and climate change have negative impacts on all vertebrates. In chapter ... -
Suites of Behavioral and Physiological Characteristics of Japanese Quail (Coturnix Japonica)
(North Dakota State University, 2015)The concept of personalities is used as a way to understand suites of behaviors associated with how animals cope with change. Animal personalities can be described along a continuum from bold to shy and describe suites of ... -
Growth Hormone Mediated Regulation of Osmoregulation in Euryhaline Teleosts
(North Dakota State University, 2014)Within the multitude of fish species that exist on our planet, there are a certain number that possess the unique ability to live in both freshwater (FW) and seawater (SW) environments. This ability, known as euryhalinity, ... -
The Effectiveness of 9, 10 Anthraquinone as a Repellent to Protect Oilseed Sunflower from Blackbird Depredation
(North Dakota State University, 2014)Across the Prairie Pothole Region of North America, blackbirds (Icteridae) cause millions of dollars in damage to sunflower crops annually, but effective methods to prevent or limit blackbird damage to sunflower crops are ...