Biology

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This collection includes scholarly output from both faculty and students in the Biology department.

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Ephemeral hypoxia reduces oxygen consumption in the Caribbean coral Orbicella faveolata
(Coral Reefs, 2022-02) Gravinese, Philip M.; Douwes, Alex; Eaton, Katherine R.; Muller, Erinn M.
Oxygen concentrations in coastal waters have declined globally by 10% since the mid-twentieth century, and ocean warming will further reduce the solubility of oxygen in coastal habitats. Some nearshore reefs experience periodic hypoxic conditions due to eutrophication, especially during the wet season. Here, we determined the combined impacts of hypoxia and elevated temperature on the reef-building coral, Orbicella faveolata, by exposing corals to normoxic or hypoxic conditions and ambient or elevated temperatures. Oxygen consumption was monitored using closed-system respirometry. Corals within hypoxic conditions consumed 34% less oxygen relative to corals in normoxic conditions. Corals in the elevated temperature normoxic treatment experienced a 10% increase in oxygen consumption relative to the control. Corals exposed to both stressors simultaneously experienced a 62% reduction in oxygen consumption. These results suggest that increased temperature may exacerbate the negative effects of hypoxia on O. faveolata. © 2021, This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply.
Caribbean king crab larvae and juveniles show tolerance to ocean acidification and ocean warming
(Marine Biology, 2022-05) Gravinese, Philip M.; Perry, Shelby A.; Spadaro, Angelo Jason; Boyd, Albert E.; Enochs, Ian C.
Coastal habitats are experiencing decreases in seawater pH and increases in temperature due to anthropogenic climate change. The Caribbean king crab, Maguimithrax spinosissimus, plays a vital role on Western Atlantic reefs by grazing macroalgae that competes for space with coral recruits. Therefore, identifying its tolerance to anthropogenic stressors is critically needed if this species is to be considered as a potential restoration management strategy in coral reef environments. We examined the effects of temperature (control: 28 °C and elevated: 31 °C) and pH (control: 8.0 and reduced pH: 7.7) on the king crab’s larval and early juvenile survival, molt-stage duration, and morphology in a fully crossed laboratory experiment. Survival to the megalopal stage was reduced (13.5% lower) in the combined reduced pH and elevated temperature treatment relative to the control. First-stage (J1) juveniles delayed molting by 1.5 days in the reduced pH treatment, while second-stage (J2) crabs molted 3 days earlier when exposed to elevated temperature. Juvenile morphology did not differ among treatments. These results suggests that juvenile king crabs are tolerant to changes associated with climate change. Given the important role of the king crab as a grazer of macroalgae, its tolerance to climate stressors suggests that it could benefit restoration efforts aimed at making coral reefs more resilient to increasingly warm and acidic oceans into the future. © 2022, This is a U.S. government work and not under copyright protection in the U.S.; foreign copyright protection may apply.
DO pH-VARIABLE HABITATS PROVIDE REFUGE FOR STONE CRABS FROM COASTAL ACIDIFICATION?
(Oceanography, 2023-03) Gravinese, Philip M.; Smith, Abigail L. (Florida Southern College Student); Stewart, Samantha M.; Paradis, Judy
This guided, inquiry-based, hands-on lesson uses data from a local monitoring station in Tampa Bay, Florida, to guide students toward understanding how coastal acidification may impact the reproductive success of the Florida stone crab, an important regional fishery. The objectives of the lesson are for students to: (1) determine how pH varies between different habitats, (2) determine how pH can affect the reproductive success of an important commercial fishery, the Florida stone crab, and (3) evaluate whether exposure to variable seawater pH results in greater reproductive success in stone crabs relative to individuals that are not exposed to pH variability.
Never, Ever Make an Enemy… Out of an Anemone: Transcriptomic Comparison of Clownfish Hosting Sea Anemone Venoms
(Marine Drugs, 2022) Delgado, Alonso; Benedict, Charlotte; Macrander, Jason; Daly, Marymegan
Sea anemones are predatory marine invertebrates and have diverse venom arsenals. Venom is integral to their biology, and is used in competition, defense, and feeding. Three lineages of sea anemones are known to have independently evolved symbiotic relationships with clownfish, however the evolutionary impact of this relationship on the venom composition of the host is still unknown. Here, we investigate the potential of this symbiotic relationship to shape the venom profiles of the sea anemones that host clownfish. We use transcriptomic data to identify differences and similarities in venom profiles of six sea anemone species, representing the three known clades of clownfish-hosting sea anemones. We recovered 1121 transcripts matching verified toxins across all species, and show that hemolytic and hemorrhagic toxins are consistently the most dominant and diverse toxins across all species examined. These results are consistent with the known biology of sea anemones, provide foundational data on venom diversity of these species, and allow for a review of existing hierarchical structures in venomic studies. © 2022 by the authors.
Habitat selection by post-settlement juvenile stone crabs (Menippe mercenaria) and predation risk in shallow near-shore habitats
(Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2022-02) Boehme-Terrana, Linae; Roux-Osovitz, Michelle; Goergen, Erin; Mancke, Harrison; Fisher, Samantha; Gravinese, Philip M.
Characterizing habitat selection of the stone crab Menippe mercenaria (Say) provides crucial information for the successful management of this commercially important fishery in Florida. The post-settlement juvenile stage of the stone crab lifecycle faces unique environmental, physiological, and survival challenges prior to becoming sexually mature, yet little is known about their preferred habitat. Our study focuses on post-settlement juvenile (< 1 year, 2–20 mm carapace width) habitat selection between structured artificial seagrass, structured oyster shell rubble, and non-structured sand habitats in the laboratory. Our laboratory experiments provided a unique opportunity to uncouple chemical and environmental cues from the structure of habitats, allowing the study to focus predominantly on the effect of structure on habitat selection. In the controlled laboratory environments, post-settlement juvenile stone crabs preferred structured habitats (artificial seagrass and oyster shell rubble) over non-structured habitats (sand). Survivorship across all trials was high (97%). The laboratory experimental results were complemented with a field predation risk experiment in comparable shallow, near-shore habitats. During the field experiments, predation risk was highest in structured oyster shell rubble and lowest in structured vegetated seagrass. In the seagrass habitat, post-settlement juvenile stone crabs experienced 33% mortality. The sand and oyster shell rubble habitats experienced 69.3% and 83.3% mortality respectively. The data presented here indicate that stone crab juveniles prefer structurally complex habitats and have higher survival in comparable natural habitats. Our results suggest that structurally complex habitats (i.e., seagrass beds) may provide better nurseries for post-settlement juvenile stone crabs and that seagrass restoration or preservation efforts may improve stone crab post-settlement survivorship possibly allowing new recruits to enter the stone crab fishery.
Climate Change Will Fragment Florida Stone Crab Communities
(Sec. Global Change and the Future Ocean, 2022-07) Alaerts, Lauranne; Dobbelaere, Thomas; Gravinese, Philip M.; Hanert, Emmanuel
Many marine species have been shown to be threatened by both ocean acidification and ocean warming which are reducing survival, altering behavior, and posing limits on physiology, especially during earlier life stages. The commercially important Florida stone crab, Menippe mercenaria, is one species that is affected by reduced seawater pH and elevated seawater temperatures. In this study, we determined the impacts of reduced pH and elevated temperature on the distribution of the stone crab larvae along the West Florida Shelf. To understand the dispersion of the larvae, we coupled the multi-scale ocean model SLIM with a larval dispersal model. We then conducted a connectivity study and evaluated the impacts of climate stressors by looking at four different scenarios which included models that represented the dispersion of stone crab larvae under: 1) present day conditions as modelled by SLIM for the temperature and NEMO-PISCES for the pH, 2) SSP1-2.6 scenario (-0.037 reduction in pH and +0.5°C compared to present-day conditions), 3) SSP2-4.5 scenario(-0.15 reduction in pH and +1.5°C) and 4) SSP5-8.5 scenario (-0.375 reduction in pH and +3.5°C). Our results show a clear impact of these climate change stressors on larval dispersal and on the subsequent stone crab distribution. Our results indicate that future climate change could result in stone crabs moving north or into deeper waters. We also observed an increase in the number of larvae settling in deeper waters (defined as the non-fishing zone in this study with depths exceeding 30 m) that are not typically part of the commercial fishing zone. The distance travelled by larvae, however, is likely to decrease, resulting in an increase of self-recruitment and decrease of the size of the sub-populations. A shift of the spawning period, to earlier in the spring, is also likely to occur. Our results suggest that habitats in the non-fishing zone cannot serve as a significant source of larvae for the habitats in the fishing zone (defined as water depth< 30 m) since there is very little exchange (< 5% of all exchanges) between the two zones. These results indicate that the stone crab populations in Florida may be susceptible to community fragmentation and that the management of the fishery should consider the potential impacts of future climate change scenarios.
Impacts of alien invasive species on large wetlands
(Elsevir, 2022) Pegg, Josephine C.; South, Josie; Hill, Jeffrey E.; Durland-Donahou, Allison; Weyl, Olaf L. F.
Biodiverse and productive, tropical wetlands sustain large human populations globally. However, the extent of their use makes them vulnerable to introductions of nonnative species. Whether intentional or accidental these introduced species have the potential to become invasive and cause significant biotic change through mechanisms including competition, predation, hybridization, disease transmission, and ecosystem engineering. The societal impacts of invasive species can be similarly extensive, including loss of amenity, income and damage to health. Tropical wetland invaders take many forms, and some of the most damaging include plants: water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes, giant salvinia Salvinia molesta, and melaleuca tree Melaleuca quinquenervia; invertebrates: golden apple snail Pomacea canaliculata, red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii and Australian redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus; and vertebrates: Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, cane toad Rhinella marina, and Burmese python Python bivittatus. These examples exhibit a wide range of impacts and warrant diverse management options to control them, with varying outcomes. In large wetland systems, biological invasions often interact alongside a number of other anthropogenic impacts. Using three wetland case studies—the Greater Everglades Ecosystem (GEE) in North America, Kafue Flats in Africa, and the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) in Asia—we illustrate the cost and complexity of invasion biology and management at this scale. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Micro and macroevolution of sea anemone venom phenotype
(Nature Communications, 2023-01-16) Smith, E.G.; Surm, J.M.; Macrander, Jason; Simhi, A.; Amir, G.; Sachkova, M.Y.; Lewandowska, M.; Reitzel, A.M.; Moran, Y.
Venom is a complex trait with substantial inter- and intraspecific variability resulting from strong selective pressures acting on the expression of many toxic proteins. However, understanding the processes underlying toxin expression dynamics that determine the venom phenotype remains unresolved. By interspecific comparisons we reveal that toxin expression in sea anemones evolves rapidly and that in each species different toxin family dictates the venom phenotype by massive gene duplication events. In-depth analysis of the sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, revealed striking variation of the dominant toxin (Nv1) diploid copy number across populations (1-24 copies) resulting from independent expansion/contraction events, which generate distinct haplotypes. Nv1 copy number correlates with expression at both the transcript and protein levels with one population having a near-complete loss of Nv1 production. Finally, we establish the dominant toxin hypothesis which incorporates observations in other venomous lineages that animals have convergently evolved a similar strategy in shaping their venom. (© 2023. The Author(s).)
Elucidating the life history and ecological aspects of Allodero hylae (Annelida: Clitellata: Naididae), a parasitic oligochaete of invasive Cuban tree frogs in Florida
(Allen Press, 2015) Andrews, Jessee M.; Childress, Jasmine N.; Iakovidis, Triantafilos J.; Langford, Gabriel J.
Given their ubiquitous nature, it is surprising that more oligochaete annelid worms (Annelida: Clitellata) have not adopted an endoparasitic lifestyle. Exceptions, however, are the understudied members of the genus Dero (Allodero) that parasitize the ureters of tree frogs and toads. This study experimentally explores the life cycle and host specificity of Allodero hylae, the worm's use of chemical cues in host searching, and its seasonal prevalence and abundance over a year-long collection period on the Florida Southern College campus. A total of 2,005 A. hylae was collected from the ureter, urinary bladder, or expressed urine of wild Osteopilus septentrionalis; a significant positive correlation was found between host snout–vent length and parasite intensity for female but not male hosts. Monthly prevalence of A. hylae reached a peak of 58% in April, but never dropped below 20% in any month; mean abundance peaked March–May, whereas few worms were recovered in December and January. Confirming a parasitic lifestyle, wild-collected hosts with intense infections, typically >40 worms, showed obvious dilatation of the ureter wall, and some young-of-the-year O. septentrionalis exposed to A. hylae in the laboratory were killed by the apparent rupture of the host's ureter. The worm has a direct life cycle: worms expelled in the host's urine are capable of locating and re-infecting other hosts within aquatic microhabitats such as bromeliad tanks, and worms can survive for weeks in a free-living environment, even undergoing a morphological change. Further, chemotaxis assays found a positive response to a tree frog attractant for worms recently removed from hosts. Overall, this study provides the first multifaceted investigation on the life history and ecology of any Allodero spp., which offers new insights into an understudied endoparasitic oligochaete.
Peptide examination and study tool: An online learning interface for amino acids and peptides in the introductory biochemistry classroom
(John Wiley & Sons, 2020-11) Fralish, Z. D.; Shelby, Shameka J
As proteins are essential to biological processes, knowledge about amino acids, and the peptide structures they form is fundamental to understanding biochemistry. In the introductory biochemistry course, mastering this concept is often a major cognitive hurdle for students.1 This task can be especially difficult within a distance learning environment as students may experience difficulties staying engaged during lengthy remote lectures.2 To supplement remote instruction of these basic principles, we have designed a program that helps students memorize the properties of amino acids and practice determining the isoelectric point (pI) of a peptide sequence. This program consists of five components and is available on the web at http://pest.epizy.com/.
Rapid Pivot of CURE Wet Lab to Online with the Help of Instructor Communities
(American Society for Microbiology, 2022) González-Orta, Enid T.; Tobiason, Deborah; Gasper, Brittany J.; Raja, Aarti; Miller, Sarah
The pivot to remote and hybrid learning during the Covid-19 pandemic presented a challenge for many in academia. Most institutions were not prepared to support this rapid change, and instructors were left with the burden of converting a traditional face-to-face course into multiple modalities with very limited preparation time. When institutional support is lacking, we posit that instructor communities of practice can help provide the resources needed to meet the instructional demands. Tiny Earth, a course-based-undergraduate research experience (CURE) and international network of instructors and students, responded to the instructional challenges of the pandemic by leveraging its large community of instructors to create several smaller working groups to form focused communities of practice. Using the pedagogical principles of backward design and scientific teaching, one working group, the Tiny Earth Pivot Group (Pivot Group) generated a course map of remote learning activities and simulated learning resources to fulfill the Tiny Earth learning objectives and maintain the essential tenets of a CURE. Additional working groups were created to disseminate the resources collated and created by the Pivot Group to the greater community. In terms of Tiny Earth, the community structure provided the means for instructors to rapidly pivot their course materials to multiple modalities while upholding the student CURE experience. Harnessing the hallmarks of communities of practice—collective workpower toward common purpose, diversity of perspectives, and ongoing evolution—coupled with high-structured course design allows instructors flexibility and adaptability in meeting the changing modalities of higher education.
A cnidarian phylogenomic tree fitted with hundreds of 18S leaves
(bioRxiv, 2022-10-05) DeBiasse, Melissa; Buckenmeyer, Ariane; Macrander, Jason; Babonis, Leslie S.; Bentlage, Bastian; Cartwright, Paulyn; Prada, Carlos; Reitzel, Adam M.; Stampar, Sergio N.; Collins, Allen G.; Daly, Marymegan; Ryan, Joseph F.
Cnidarians are critical members of aquatic communities and have been an experimental system for a diversity of research areas ranging from development to biomechanics to global change biology. Yet we still lack a well-resolved, taxonomically balanced, cnidarian tree of life to place this research in appropriate phylogenetic context. To move towards this goal, we combined data from 26 new anthozoan transcriptomes with 86 previously published cnidarian and outgroup datasets to generate two 748-locus alignments containing 123,051 (trimmed) and 449,935 (untrimmed) amino acids. We estimated maximum likelihood phylogenies for both matrices under partitioned and unpartitioned site-homogeneous and site-heterogenous models of substitution. We used the resulting topology to constrain a phylogenetic analysis of 1,814 small subunit ribosomal (18S) gene sequences from GenBank. Our results confirm the position of Ceriantharia (tube-dwelling anemones), a historically recalcitrant group, as sister to the rest of Hexacorallia across all phylogenies regardless of data matrix or model choice. We also find unanimous support for the sister relationship of Endocnidozoa and Medusozoa and propose the name Operculozoa for the clade uniting these taxa. Our 18S hybrid phylogeny provides insight into relationships of 15% of extant taxa. Together these data are an invaluable resource for comparative cnidarian research and provide perspective to guide future refinement of cnidarian systematics.
Exploring Differential Gene Expression Profiles Of Dero (Allodero) Hylae In Their Parasitic And Free-Living Forms
(bioRxiv, 2022-06-18) Bonham, Claire; Roguski, Ashley; Langford, Gabriel J.; Macrander, Jason
Parasitism is ubiquitous in nature, yet little is known about the evolutionary mechanisms that lead to a parasitic lifestyle. Facultative parasites can switch between free-living and parasitic lifestyles, which may provide an opportunity to study the genetic mechanisms underlying a transition to parasitism. The oligochaete Dero (Allodero) hylae is a facultative parasite commonly found within the ureter of various anuran species, such as the Cuban Tree Frog (Osteopilus septentrionalis). Dero hylae makes passage through the frog’s cloaca, where it then infects the ureter. In the ureter, the worm loses free-living characteristics such as hair setae, dorsal setae, a digestive tract, and fossa with gills as it transitions to a parasitic lifestyle. Dero hylae may be expelled from its host during urination, when this occurs the worm will reacquire free-living characteristics. The focus of this study is to compare the differential gene expression profiles observed when this rapid morphological change takes place. Specimens of D. hylae were collected from wild Cuban Tree Frogs and either flash-frozen for their parasitic stage RNA profile or cultured for two weeks to produce their free-living stage and then flash-frozen. Using the sequenced RNA, a de novo transcriptome was assembled and differential gene expression RNA Tag-Seq analysis between the free-living and parasitic life forms was analyzed. Based on these results, we have identified 213 genes differentially expressed transcripts between the two life forms, 190 of these being up-regulated in the free-living life form. While over half of the differential genes recovered did not recover any significant BLAST hits, many of these genes did provide insight into which molecular signals are potentially used by D. hylae to lose and subsequently regrow their setae, digestive tract, and gills. This analysis provides significant insight into which differentially expressed genes are linked to drastic morphological changes observed in this rare oligochaete parasitism across the free-living and parasitic forms of D. hylae.
Dominant toxin hypothesis: unravelling the venom phenotype across micro and macroevolution
(bioRxiv, 2022-06-26) Smith, Edward G.; Surm, Joachim M.; Macrander, Jason; Simhi, Adi; Amir, Guy; Sachkova, Maria Y.; Lewandowska, Magda; Reitzel, Adam M.; Moran, Yehu
Venom is a complex trait with substantial inter- and intraspecific variability resulting from strong selective pressures acting on the expression of many toxic proteins. However, understanding the processes underlying the toxin expression dynamics that determine the venom phenotype remains unresolved. Here, we use comparative genomics and transcriptomics to reveal that toxin expression in sea anemones evolves rapidly with little constraint and that a single toxin family dictates the venom phenotype in each species. This dominant toxin family is characterized by massive gene duplication events. In-depth analysis of the sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, revealed significant variation in the number of copies of the dominant toxin (Nv1) across populations, corresponding to significant differences in Nv1 expression at both the transcript and protein levels. These differences in Nv1 copies are driven by independent expansion events, resulting in distinct haplotypes that have a restricted geographical distribution. Strikingly, one population has undergone a severe contraction event, causing a near-complete loss of Nv1 production. Our findings across micro- and macroevolutionary scales in sea anemones complement observations of single dominant toxin family present in other venomous organisms and establishes the dominant toxin hypothesis whereby venomous animals have convergently evolved a similar strategy in shaping the venom phenotype.
Transcriptomic Analysis of Four Cerianthid (Cnidaria, Ceriantharia) Venoms
(MDPI AG, 2020) Klompen, Anna M. L.; Macrander, Jason; Reitzel, Adam M.; Stampar, Sérgio N.
Tube anemones, or cerianthids, are a phylogenetically informative group of cnidarians with complex life histories, including a pelagic larval stage and tube-dwelling adult stage, both known to utilize venom in stinging-cell rich tentacles. Cnidarians are an entirely venomous group that utilize their proteinaceous-dominated toxins to capture prey and defend against predators, in addition to several other ecological functions, including intraspecific interactions. At present there are no studies describing the venom for any species within cerianthids. Given their unique development, ecology, and distinct phylogenetic-placement within Cnidaria, our objective is to evaluate the venom-like gene diversity of four species of cerianthids from newly collected transcriptomic data. We identified 525 venom-like genes between all four species. The venom-gene profile for each species was dominated by enzymatic protein and peptide families, which is consistent with previous findings in other cnidarian venoms. However, we found few toxins that are typical of sea anemones and corals, and furthermore, three of the four species express toxin-like genes closely related to potent pore-forming toxins in box jellyfish. Our study is the first to provide a survey of the putative venom composition of cerianthids and contributes to our general understanding of the diversity of cnidarian toxins.
Ecology of the Eastern Ribbonsnake (Thamnophis sauritus) in southern Alabama with evidence of seasonal multiple broods
(Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 2011-12) Langford, Gabriel J.; Borden, Joel A.; Nelson, David H.
Studies are lacking on the ecology of the Eastern Ribbonsnake (Thamnophis sauritus), especially in the southern United States. We describe some aspects of the sexual dimorphism, sex ratio, feeding habits, reproductive biology, and seasonal activity of the Eastern Ribbonsnake in a southern Alabama Tupelo-Gum swamp from 2003-2005. We captured 339 Eastern Ribbonsnakes 379 times; females were significantly longer than males, but males had longer tails. Snakes were active year-round, and the longest straight-line distance travelled by any snake was 1,050 m. Snakes consumed only frogs (Hyla spp. and Lithobates spp.); a shift occurred when juveniles switched from feeding on tadpoles to adult frogs. We found females had an extended reproductive season, producing broods April-October. Two females double brooded during the 2004 reproductive season, with 99 and 118 days between broods. The average brood size for Eastern Ribbonsnakes from six females that produced eight broods was 14 ± 3.18 (range 9-19). A reduction in brood size occurred in both females that produced multiple broods, but no decrease in neonate snout-vent length was detected between broods. Overall, our study provides needed natural history data from a southern location and the first evidence for multiple broods in a wild, temperate snake.
Ecological factors responsible for the geographic distribution of Rhabdias joaquinensis: where do lungworms infect anurans in nature?
(Allen Press, 2016-03) Langford, Gabriel J.; Janovy, John Jr.
The lungworm Rhabdias joaquinensis (Nematoda: Rhabdiasidae) is a common parasite of anurans in eastern Nebraska, yet absent from the same hosts in western Nebraska. This study investigated the ecology of the lungworm’s free-living stages that reside in host feces and surrounding soils to establish the worm’s free-living niche in eastern Nebraska. Using a comparative method, this study also investigated the absence of lungworms in western Nebraska’s Sandhills. Soil composition, moisture, and temperature were experimentally varied in the laboratory to assess their effects on juvenile development and survival. Field mesocosm and host defecation experiments were used to determine where in nature lungworms survive and eventually infect frogs and toads and to discover if vegetation facilitates lungworm transmission to hosts. The results found loam soils were amenable to lungworm development, whereas soils with high clay or sand content produced few infective lungworms. Soil moisture <50 % did not support lungworm development. Infective juveniles successfully developed between 5 and 35 °C, albeit at different rates, whereas only a limited number of non-infective worms developed at 40 °C. Field studies found that shoreline environments supported lungworm development, and the majority of lungworm infections appear to occur within a zone of infection adjacent to shorelines in eastern Nebraska. The prevalence in vegetation mesocosms was 100 %, and a significantly higher mean abundance was found in toads from containers with vegetation than without. Overall, these experiments suggest that the spatial distribution of R. joaquinensis in Nebraska is constrained by the worm’s ability to survive and reproduce in a soil matrix.
Co-Occurrence of Haematoloechus complexus and Rhabdias joaquinensis in the Plains Leopard Frog from Nebraska
(Allen Press, 2013) Langford, Gabriel J.; Vhora, M. Suhail; Bolek, Matthew G.; Janovy, John Jr.
Species of Haematoloechus and Rhabdias both are ubiquitous lung parasites of frogs, yet surprisingly little research has been conducted on the interactions between these worms. In a small Nebraska stream, 256 Rhabdias joaquinensis and 225 Haematoloechus complexus were found in the lungs of Lithobates (=Rana) blairi. Thirty-six of the 44 (82%) frogs were co-infected with H. complexus and R. joaquinensis whereas 5 (11%) frogs were infected with only 1 species and 3 (7%) frogs were uninfected. Tests for association between H. complexus and R. joaquinensis found a significant positive relationship between the 2 parasites. Significant positive relationships in intensity of infection were found when both lungs were combined but not when lungs were considered individually. Tests for association between H. complexus and R. joaquinensis found no relationship between the worms in the anterior and posterior portions of the lungs. These data suggest that H. complexus and R. joaquinensis do not competitively exclude each other from the lungs of L. blairi in southeastern Nebraska.
Transmission, host specificity, and seasonal occurrence of cyrtosomum penneri (nematoda: Atractidae) in lizards from Florida
(Allen Press, 2013) Langford, Gabriel J.; Willobee, Brent A.; Isidoro, Luiz F.
Experimental infections and field-collected lizards were used to investigate issues of transmission, host specificity, and seasonal occurrence in the nematode Cyrtosomum penneri (Cosmocercoidea: Atractidae). Anolis sagrei (87 males, 42 females) were captured from the Florida Southern College campus, Polk County, Florida, from October 2010 to September 2011, and 8,803 C. penneri were collected from their intestines. During the breeding season all sexually mature (SVL ≥34 mm) A. sagrei were infected, whereas juvenile lizards.
Science and religion : understanding the issues / Nancy Morvillo.
(Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, 2010-03-18) Morvillo, Nancy
Review: "Addressing the complex issues at the interface of science and religion, this introductory textbook examines a range of basic scientific topics and their theological responses, including methodology, cosmology, evolution, and contemporary bio-ethical and environmental concerns. To shed light on the various issues at the crossroads of religion and science, the text also delves into the past to examine ideas from early scientists and theologians that have helped shape current thinking. While diverse viewpoints are considered, the focus of the text is on theological responses to science from a Christian perspective, and emphasizes areas where science and religion merge, rather than where they conflict." "Taking a balanced approach to the main debates, each chapter is accompanied by discussion questions and a list of biblical passages and relevant primary readings by a wide range of scientists and theologians. Timely, and without engaging in advocacy, Science and Religion: Understanding the Issues is an accessible introduction to the fascinating interface of science and theology."--BOOK JACKET.

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