In this dissertation, I investigate the evolution and genomes of carabid beetles, a worldwide family of over 38,000 species. I focus on two species-rich groups, the tribes Chlaeniini and Bembidiini, both of which are primarily found on the shores of bodies of water. The former are distinctive for their defensive...
The advent of improved DNA sequencing technologies has allowed the analysis of various microbial communities. Bloom-forming freshwater cyanobacteria can produce toxins and taste-and-odor compounds that can negatively affect drinking water supplies. Here, I have employed second- and third-generation sequencing technologies to characterize bloom-forming freshwater cyanobacterial genomes and their associated heterotrophic...
Small herds of cows were observed and spatially mapped over continuous twenty-four hour periods. Treatments were implemented that investigated the effect of water site and supplementation on animal distribution patterns. A series of six observation periods constituted each observation series. Observation series were repeated winter (January) and summer (July) for...
The use of radioactive isotopes as tracers in biological systems
has become widespread since the close of World War II. Proper
use of radiotracers requires a fundamental understanding of the physical
nature of radioactivity, the characteristics of ionizing radiation,
and the various methods available for measuring radioactivity.
More importantly, the...
To investigate the dynamics of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) on
timescales longer than the observational records, model-data comparisons of past AMOC variability
are imperative. However, this remains challenging because of dissimilarities between different proxy-based
AMOC tracers and the difficulty of comparing these to model output. We present an...
Greenland ice core water isotopic composition (δ¹⁸O) provides detailed evidence for abrupt climate changes, but is by itself insufficient for quantitative reconstruction of past temperatures and their spatial patterns. We investigate Greenland temperature evolution during the last deglaciation using independent reconstructions from three ice cores and simulations with a coupled...
Global electromagnetic (EM) induction studies have been the focus of increasing attention during the past few years. A primary stimulus for this interest has been increased quality, coverage and variety of the newly available data sets especially from recent low-Earth-orbiting satellite missions. The combination of traditional ground-based data with satellite-borne...