Amphibians are experiencing global population declines and are one of the most threatened groups of vertebrates. This can be attributed to multiple environmental stressors such as habitat loss, disease, invasive species, and climate change. For vocal amphibian species, loss of acoustic habitat due to anthropogenic noise may be yet another...
Although Latino students make up more than a quarter of the U.S. public school system, only three percent of children’s literature either features a Latino protagonist or is written by a Latino author (Machado et al.). Latinos are therefore severely underrepresented in children’s books. Additionally, studies have revealed that Latino...
RNA silencing plays a critical role in plant defense against viral infection. Plants use virusderived
small interfering RNA to target and silence invading viruses. The antiviral silencing
pathway can be broken down into three conceptual stages: initiation, amplification, and systemic
movement. The molecular mechanisms of silencing initiation are not well...
Wetland restoration success in attaining wildlife conservation goals can be confounded by the presence of multiple biological invaders. Wetland management activities typically target invasive plants, but bottom-up responses of higher trophic levels in novel communities are difficult to predict. We surveyed plant and amphibian assemblages at 26 sites enrolled in...
Background: The prevalence of diabetes has increased dramatically in recent decades. A lack of control over blood sugar levels can lead to diabetes-related complications. A network of family and friends providing diet-related support and diabetes-related care support may be associated with lower levels and changes in blood sugar (HbA1c) levels....
Forecasts of the impacts of climate change have traditionally focused on individual species and their phenotypes, phenology, or distribution. However, shifts in species distributions and the resulting reorganization of community composition represent an important violation to the assumption of species acting in isolation. Whereas species may respond individualistically to climate...
Global amphibian declines have been attributed to numerous and often synergistic causes, such as invasive species, pathogens, and ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation. The effects of these stressors are context dependent and can vary with location, species, and populations. As sensitivity to UV-B has shown inconsistencies across amphibian taxa, it can be...
Invasive species are a major threat to global biodiversity. Understanding the mechanisms underlying successful invasions is imperative for developing effective management strategies. Plasticity in physiological, morphological, and behavioral traits could be an indicator of invasion potential in non-native species. The invasive American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) has recently been observed breeding...
Investigation into how animals move within the landscape is important for both understanding of ecological processes and conservation management. Animal movement is important in shaping life history transitions, demographics, individual fitness, and species distributions. However, as landscapes become increasingly affected by human activities, movement becomes important as species navigate landscapes...
This dissertation presents a different approach to understanding how amphibians are responding to disease through ontogeny. Although numerous efforts have been conducted to understand host responses to the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), studies have been restricted to distinct developmental stages. This dissertation provides information on host response to Bd across...