Browsing Department of Biology Graduate Theses by Title
Now showing items 280-299 of 331
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The Role of Schizosaccharomyces Pombe SER/THR Kinase in Growth, Stress Response and Nutrient Deprivation
(2012-01-24)Continuous sensation and reaction to environmental fluctuations is especially critical to the survival of unicellular organisms. Stress response mechanisms are essential for cells during the vegetative and sexual life ... -
The role of the visual train ornament in the courtship of peafowl, Pavo cristatus
(2008-09-15)The peacock (Pavo cristatus) has long been considered the quintessential example of a sexually selected animal, and in the last two decades, peafowl have provided widely-cited evidence for female mate choice as well as the ... -
The Roles of EFN-1 and Seam cell V2 in the Transmission of a Stop Cue for the Posterior Lateral Microtubule in Caenorhabditis Elegans
(2016-09-30)A functional nervous system requires the precise arrangement of all nerve cells and their neurites. To achieve this correct assembly, a myriad of molecular guidance cues works together to direct the outgrowth of neurites ... -
The Roles of the Neuropeptide Receptor NPR-14 in the Regulation of Sleep Behaviours in Caenorhabditis elegans
Most animals with a nervous system exhibit sleep behaviour(s) during their life cycle, which appears as a decreased level of physical activity and changes in metabolism. Even animals with a simple nervous system like ... -
Scaling of Metabolic Enzymes: Transcriptional Basis of Interspecies Variation in Mitochondrial Content
(2010-06-15)Mitochondrial content, an important determinant of muscle metabolic capacity, changes in individuals during development, and in response to physiological and environmental challenges. This phenotypic plasticity is attributed ... -
Screening Assessments for Aquatic Invasive Species Using Species Distribution Models
Invasive species are a major cause of biodiversity loss in North American freshwaters. Once established, aquatic invasive species (AIS) can restructure food webs and change the abiotic or physical conditions of a water ... -
Seasonal activity, depth distribution, and microhabitat associations of resident yellow-phase American eels (Anguilla rostrata) in the upper St. Lawrence River
The American eel (Anguilla rostrata) is an endangered species that inhabits fresh, brackish, and oceanic waters. Eels are elusive; little is known about their seasonal movements, depth distribution, and microhabitat ... -
Seasonal Controls on Litter and Soil Carbon and Nutrient Cycling in Arctic Tundra Ecosystems and Potential Impacts of Climate Change
(2016-01-29)Climate change is leading to warmer temperatures and greater snowfall in Arctic regions. Microbial decomposition activities are strongly regulated by temperature, and therefore climate warming is projected to enhance decay ... -
Sedimentary Midges as Paleoindicators of Deep-water Oxygen Conditions Across a Broad Trophic Gradient in Boreal Lakes
Cultural eutrophication, the addition of excess nutrients to an aquatic system, is a significant water quality concern that often promotes excess algal growth and deep-water oxygen depletion. Deep-water oxygen also influences ... -
Sensory exploitation in a sit-and-wait predator: Exploring the functions of stabilimenta in the banded garden spider, Argiope trifasciata
(2009-09-28)Attracting prey by exploiting a visual sensory bias is a common theme in stationary predators across many taxa, particularly for obligate ambush predators, such as orb-weaving spiders, because they construct complex prey ... -
Serine-451 phosphorylation of bacterial-type phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase by a calcium-dependent protein kinase links calcium signaling with anaplerotic pathway control in developing castor oil seeds
(2013-09-03)Phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase (PEPC) is a tightly controlled enzyme situated at a pivotal branchpoint of plant C-metabolism. Two physically and kinetically distinct oligomeric classes of PEPC exist in the endosperm ... -
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Alternative migratory strategies in partially migratory western bluebirds (Sialia mexicana)
Partial migration, which occurs when only some animals in a population migrate, is ubiquitous. However, despite numerous studies investigating how partially migratory systems are controlled, we know relatively little about ... -
Shrub expansion in the low Arctic: The influence of snow and vegetation feedbacks on nitrogen cycling
(2009-09-19)Climate change has coincided with expansion of deciduous shrub species in the Arctic. Increased deciduous vegetation in the tundra could have profound implications on regional climate, carbon balance, and biogeochemical ... -
Silver Nanoparticles and the Plant-Associating Abilities of Rhizobiaceae Bacteria
(2016-07-04)The use of nanoparticle technology in consumer products has been increasing due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties. Specifically, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) can demonstrate distinct physiochemical properties ... -
Soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics along replicated chronosequences of abandoned agricultural lands in southeastern Ontario
(2007-12-20)Widespread abandonment of agricultural land has occurred in northeastern North America over the past two centuries. Soil carbon often increases as sites naturally regenerate towards perennial grasslands or forests. ... -
Spatial, temporal and dendrochronological comparisons of mercury in Ontario deciduous trees
(2007-12-20)Mercury (Hg) research in Ontario has centered on aquatic environments since fish can be a significant source of methylmercury for humans. Interactions between terrestrial and aquatic environments in regards to the Hg ... -
Spawning Black Bass and the Invasive Round Goby in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River
This thesis examined the relationships between the invasive Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) and the economically important recreational fish species, Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) and Largemouth Bass (Micropterus ... -
Species response to rapid environmental change in a Subarctic pond
(2013-10-02)Unprecedented rates of anthropogenic environmental change have resulted in dramatic decreases in biodiversity worldwide. In order to persist during changes in both the abiotic and biotic environment resulting from anthropogenic ... -
Sperm Production and Variance in Sperm Quality
(2009-09-26)An unusually high level of inter- and intraspecific variability in spermatozoa has been well documented. However, recent evidence indicates that the level of variation within spermatozoa differs markedly across taxa. In ... -
Spike train propagation in the axon of a visual interneuron, the descending contralateral movement detector of Locusta migratoria
(2011-10-07)Neurons perform complex computations, communications and precise transmissions of information in the form of action potentials (APs). The high level of heterogeneity and complexity at all levels of organization within a ...