Nutrients play a large role in sustaining the symbiotic relationship between the algae and host sea anemone. The endosymbiotic algae provides the host with fixed nitrogen, sugars, and inorganic food sources, while the host provides the algae with shelter and nitrogenous waste. If the anemone does not receive the proper...
The rocky shores of the US West Coast are home to diverse ecological communities made up of species that are uniquely adapted for survival at the harsh boundary between land and sea. Even so, physical or environmental stressors regularly kill swaths of animals on the rocks. This is called disturbance....
Anthropogenic CO₂ emissions are shifting the global climate equilibrium, causing widespread losses in biodiversity. Anthozoan cnidarians are some of the species most vulnerable to environmental change. Environmental stress causes corals and sea anemones to expel their endosymbiotic algae, which constitute a primary source of nutrition for some Anthozoa. Carbonic anhydrase...
The goals of this experiment highlighted in this poster were to find a suitable extractant to extract protein adsorbed onto iron oxide minerals and to determine whether those minerals can modify protein. Data obtained from this experiment provides crucial background information to study the effects hydrogen peroxide has on protein...
Coral reefs have become extremely vulnerable to rising ocean temperatures, with mass bleaching events increasing in frequency and severity. If bleaching events persist annually, models predict that more than 90% of reef species will face long-term degradation. However, recent evidence has shown that corals may be able to thermally acclimate...
Carbon dioxide emissions greatly affect the carbon chemistry mechanisms within the ocean. Carbon absorbed by the ocean, drops the pH level and creates an environment that is acidic. Acidic conditions prevent calcification mechanisms in coralline algae, and hinder their ability to establish within the intertidal. Coralline algae display structural relevance...
Ocean acidification is caused by the dissolved carbon dioxide in the oceans lowering the amount of free carbonate ions. This is turn, affects the ability of calcifying organisms like mussels to build thick shells to protect against predation. Mussels are often preyed upon by both specialist crabs, like Red Rock...
Yaquina Bay, Oregon, has been introduced to a few The invasive species in Yaquina Bay, Oregon can have a huge effect on the native species and local ecosystem. European green crab (Carcius maenas) is an invasive species. The European green crab can be found on the mudflats competing with the...
Fever responses to an immune challenge have been studied in endothermic creatures, but studies of the equivalence is lacking in ectotherms. In this study, heterophil counts were shown to be significantly higher in individuals immune challenged with LPS when compared to a control group. This is indicative of an innate...
The European green crab, Carcinus maenas, is a generalist predator that has established invasive populations throughout the
world, including the west coast of North America. In Oregon, strong cohorts of green crabs recruit only during major El Niño
events. The goals of this study are to: 1) compare the abundance...
The European green crab, Carcinus maenas, is a generalist predator that has established invasive populations throughout the world, including the west coast of North America. In Oregon, strong cohorts of green crabs recruit only during major El Niño events. The goals of this study are to: 1) compare the abundance...
Carcinus maenas is an invasive marine predator. Its generalist feeding strategies make it one of the most effective invaders. Carcinus maenas has invasive populations throughout the world, and was recently introduced to the west coast of North America. This study looks at the abundance and growth of C. maenas in...
As bovine parturition nears, the placentome undergoes changes that allow placental delivery within 12 hours after calving. These changes include the expression of enzymatic proteins (e.g. MMPs) within the placentome that are capable of breaking down collagen, allowing for the separation of the cotyledon from the caruncle. Dysregulation of either...
Glioblastoma Multiform
• Type of aggressive brain cancer
• Five year survival rate of 4.70%
• Not often detected until it’s in the later stages when
the symptoms appear
• Surgery is not an effective option due to invasion and
proliferation of glioblastoma cells outside of the tumor
mass before...
Aging is known to be affected by many factors such as nutrition and exercise, and more studies are needed to understand the mechanisms of aging. Aging in flies shows many similarities with humans; therefore we study mechanisms of aging in flies as a model organism. Studying aging in flies requires...
Background: Even with numerous successful Trap-Neuter-Release programs, feral cat populations continue to grow. Our laboratory is interested in determining if an underlying biological cause exists for the exuberant reproductive success in this once domestic subspecies. An earlier age for developing reproductive capacity (onset of spermatogenesis in males) may be one...
Symbiotic relationships between cnidarians and dinoflagellates within the genus
Symbiodinium are critically important for the success of coral reefs. These symbionts
provide their hosts with photosynthetically-fixed carbon in exchange for nutrients
and shelter. Symbiodinium is a phylogenetically diverse genus that is often typed by
sequencing the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer...