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- ItemThe Senate, The South, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965(Florida Southern College, 2020-04) Hesse, GabriellaDo Southern Senators speak differently from Non-Southern Senators? This question aims to target an under-researched area in the field of Southern politics and to contribute to the debate on past and current Southern exceptionalism. This thesis is a content analysis of relevant speeches made in the US Senate surrounding the Voting Rights Act of 1965 regarding the use of rhetorical devices, call to action, and emotionality.
- ItemDisruptors(Florida Southern College, 2020-04) Couch, JuliaThe film features the stories of Will Crum and Robyn Wilson, Lakeland locals who operate an organic farm. Titled "Disruptors", this film tells the story of two unique individuals who found not just one another, but a mutual affection for leading life outside the box.
- ItemEffects of Olfactory Enrichment on the Stereotypic Behaviors of Owl Monkeys (Aotus nancymaae)(Florida Southern College, 2020-04) Woerle, SamanthaThe purpose of environmental enrichment is to improve the well-being of captive animals. Types of environmental enrichment include, but are not limited to, the introduction of music, toys, and scents. Animals given such enrichment often exhibit a reduction in stereotypic behaviors (e.g., pacing and self-scratching), which are often linked to elevated stress. Owl monkeys (Aotus nancymaae) are nocturnal, monogamous primates. In captivity, some owl monkeys exhibit repetitive flipping, pacing, and scratching. Despite reliance on chemical communication and use of olfactory cues in foraging and social interactions, their responses to olfactory enrichment have not been investigated. We examined the effects of olfactory enrichment on the behavior of captive owl monkeys (DuMond Conservancy, Miami, FL). Ten pairs of monkeys were systematically presented four different types of scents (cinnamon, nutmeg, rosemary, and sage). Male and female owl monkeys displayed the greatest interest to cinnamon (via sniffing and touching scent vials). Of the five females that flipped, four flipped less often when cinnamon was present than during control trials (empty spice vials). The rates of scratching and pacing were not affected by the presence of the scents. Our findings corroborate previous studies in mice, felids, and canids, which suggest that the presence of cinnamon decreases repetitive behaviors and improves welfare. Olfactory enrichment elicits interest and reduces repetitive flipping in owl monkeys and may offer similar benefits to other nocturnal primates.
- ItemPhenotypic plasticity of eye size in the freshwater zooplankton Daphnia in response to predatory cues(Florida Southern College, 2020-04) Williams, BrandonThe eye is a complex organ which plays a crucial role in how an animal perceives and responds to its environment. Recent evidence has suggested that visual predation in an animal’s environment can influence the eye size morphology. Despite mounting evidence suggesting other factors that may be involved in evolution of eyes the literature is heavily dominated by articles solely looking at the effects of environmental light levels. Therefore, this study aimed to add to the literature regarding predation and eye size by looking at how varying degrees of predation affect eye morphology in a population of a small freshwater crustacean, Daphnia. Here, I test the visual target hypothesis the hypothesis predicts that the eye size of a Daphnia population under heavy predation will be significantly smaller than the populations exposed to little or no predation. In order to test this hypothesis, four species of Daphnia were split into two groups which were raised in water containing mosquitofish kairomones or filtered lake water. The groups were raised for two weeks and then body and eye size measurements were taken and showed that absolute body size and eye size were affected by the fish, but not relative eye size.
- ItemDon’t You Know that you are Toxic: The Effects of Allelopathy Within an Aquaponic System(Florida Southern College, 2020-04) Walter, MadisonAquaponics systems are sustainable, closed systems that utilize fish waste as a mode of fertilization for various crops. Historically, aquaponics systems have mostly used fish such as tilapia, cod, and catfish rather than other aquatic life; however, an increasing number of aquaponics farmers have been successfully using crayfish, shrimp and prawns. A wide variety of plants have been grown in aquaponic systems. Allelopathic plants, or plants that are able to inhibit or enhance growth of other plants by releasing certain chemicals from their roots to interact with nearby plant roots, have not been studied in aquaponic systems. The following paper provides a details of a research study completed to observe the effects of garlic allelopathy on tomato plants within a crayfish aquaponic system. This study has the potential to optimize crop growth and yield in personal and commercial aquaponics systems, as well as broaden the understanding of how environment plays a role in the efficacy of allelopathic chemicals.