Browsing by Type "Independent Research Project"
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Item A FIELD EXPERIMENT: THE EFFECT OF INTRODUCED LIGHT POLLUTION ON LIGHTENING BUGS (COLEOPTERA: LAMPYRIDAE) IN THE PIEDMONT REGION OF MARYLAND(2015-05) Costin, Kevin J.; Hood College Biology; Biomedical and Environmental ScienceCurrently, lampyridae species are believed to be in decline worldwide. Many reasons have been proposed to determine the cause of the decline, such as habitat destruction and pesticide use. The purpose of this study was to determine if light pollution could also be a cause of the decline. Light pollution is believed to be a cause of a decline in lampyridae populations because nocturnal males use the flash pattern and frequency to locate females of the same species. To test this hypothesis, I experimentally introduced a light source in grasslands adjacent to a forest edge. I then recorded the flash frequency before and after the light introduction and found a significant decline in the number of flashes per minute exhibited by lampyridae. Lampyridae play an important role in their ecosystems by controlling agricultural pests, so light pollution should be examined in attempts to reduce their decline.Item Behavioral differences between artificial and natural Chacma Baboon troops (Papio ursinus)(2013-09) Renfro, Katie Jo; Hood College Biology; Biomedical and Environmental ScienceBaboons are being threatened in a number of ways in South Africa. The two main causes for concern are habitat loss and hunting/poaching by the farmers who see them as agricultural pests. The Center for Animal Rehabilitation and Education (CARE) in South Africa is a rescue organization for orphaned and injured baboons. The goal of the CARE is to prepare such baboons for reintroduction into the wild at approximately 6-7 years of age. This study compares behaviors of wild baboons to baboons in captivity to determine if the rehabilitated baboons are socially equipped for life in the wild. The results of this study showed that there is no difference in the social behaviors between the captive and wild troops. In the future, additional factors, such as foraging skills and predator avoidance, should be examined, as they could also affect the successful release of these animals.Item Building Geographic Information Systems Tools for Reforestation Sites in Montgomery County, Maryland(2017-05) Loescher, Dianna; Hood College Biology; Biomedical and Environmental ScienceThis work added to the existing geographic information system database that the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) had in place for their reforestation sites, developed a field accessible ArcCollector layer for information collection, and determined how repeatable the survey format was between two surveyors. Reforestation sites are important for the ecosystem services that trees provide which include filtering groundwater, supplying habitat for wildlife, and reducing flooding and surface runoff. It is important that the survey is capable of obtaining repeatable results, regardless of who performs the survey. Statistical analysis indicated that data fields pertaining to information on non-native invasive plant coverage and flood damage are less repeatable than others. To meet with M-NCPPC goals and objectives, it is not necessary to obtain a quantified value of non-native invasive plant cover and flood damage; however, other natural resource management teams may want to re-evaluate the importance of these field values if reusing this form in future surveys.Item A Comparison of Avian Communities in Managed Early Successional Edge Habitat and Residential Edge Habitat in the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area(2020-11) Bolcar, Megan; Wilson, Andrew; Hood College Biology; Biomedical and EnvironmentalThe Middle Patuxent Environmental Area (MPEA) is currently managed to maintain a variety of habitat types to support maximum biodiversity. The purpose of this project was to determine if the managed early successional habitat is effective in providing increased biodiversity for the avian community within the MPEA. Audio surveys were conducted in managed edge and residential edge habitats and the species presence/absence data were analyzed using generalized linear models to determine whether the community composition differs between the two edge habitats. Ten of the 18 most common species showed significant differences (p<0.05). Simple vegetation surveys were also conducted to further describe the two edge habitat types; differences in bird community composition may be due to vegetation differences, as managed edges were found to have denser understory (p<0.05). Surveys of other taxonomic groups, as well as a continuation of avian surveys in the future, are recommended.Item Effect of Altered Thermal Regimes on Fitness of a Non-native Plant, Brassica rapa(2023-05-08) McQuiston, Xavier; Lombardo, Jeffrey; Hood College Biology; Hood College Environmental BiologyAnthropogenic climate change is negatively impacting the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, altering the distribution and abundance of many plant species. We reviewed various papers on thermal regime heritability and tested this regime in the invasive species Brassica rapa. We saw a significant relationship between second-generation dry weight and thermal condition. Invasive species and their ability to outcompete local, native species and crop plants should continue to be studied via the maternal-offspring relationship.Item EFFECT OF STORAGE TEMPERATURE DURING DORMANCY ON THE GERMINATION OF OPLISMENUS HIRTELLUS SSP. UNDULATIFOLIUS (ARD.) U. SCHOLZ.(2014-05) Groves, Jamel; Hood College Biology; Biomedical and Environmental ScienceThe effect of temperature during dormancy on percent germination and mean germination time (MGT) was investigated in the exotic, invasive grass, Oplismenus hirtellus ssp. undulatifolius (Ard.) U. Scholz, commonly known as wavyleaf basketgrass (WLBG). Seeds of WLBG were harvested in October 2011 from two sites within Patapsco Valley State Park in Maryland. The seeds were subjected to four different storage regimens after being stored dry for 27 weeks: room temperature, outdoor, cold (2- 8°C) and frozen (<0°C). The MGT between seeds stored at room temperature and other treatments were significantly different. There was no interaction effect between treatment and seed site, and there was no significant difference in the seed germination percentage between the two sampling locations. Storage temperature during dormancy significantly affects percent germination. Percent germination was significantly higher for seeds stored at room temperature compared to other treated seeds. Percent germination was significantly different between seeds treated outdoors and frozen.Item ENZYMATIC SACCHARIFICATION OF SUGAR BEET PULP: THE EFFECTS OF ADDITIONAL GLUCOSE ON THE DIGESTION OF SUGAR BEET PULP BY SEVERAL COMMERCIAL ENZYMES(2015-05) Watson, Diana; Hood College Biology; Biomedical and Enviromental ScienceThe purpose of this research is to determine if adding glucose to an enzymatic hydrolysis reaction will inhibit the pectinolytic and/or arabinan-degrading enzymes used to breakdown pectin found within sugar beet pulp. The complex polysaccharides found within pulp make second generation biofuel production from plant biomass difficult. To economically produce biofuels, the breakdown of complex polysaccharides must be sped up to allow for competitive biofuel prices. To test for inhibition, glucose was added to enzymatic hydrolysis reactions; a total of three treatments and one control were completed per trial. Samples of digested pulp were analyzed using a DNS assay in order to measure the total soluble, reducing sugars within each sample. Results show that a negative feedback inhibition circuit exists. The production of glucose by cellulases could inhibit the saccharification reactions. This finding has significant implications for developing efficient enzymatic saccharification of sugar beet pulp, and possibly other bio fuel sources.Item ESTABLISHING A CITIZEN SCIENCE PLANT MONITORING PROGRAM AND COMPILATION OF HISTORICAL PLANT PHENOLOGY DATA IN THE CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO CANAL NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK TO INVESTIGATE LOCAL EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE(2014-05) Fox, Kelly Joanne; Hood College Biology; Biomedical and Environmental ScienceHistorical plant phenophase data were compiled and compared against current observations to determine if localized climate change evidence can be observed in the Potomac Gorge. Citizen scientists were trained to collect phenophase observations from six species: Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica), Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia), Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica), Red Maple (Acer rubrurn), Common Pawpaw (Asirnina triloba) and Northern Spicebush (Lindera benzoin). Historical data were collected from a variety of sources and observations were compiled and analyzed. Statistical tests compared current and historic flowering dates to see if there was any significance in blooming times. Data representing Pawpaw and Violet flowering dates were the only species to reflect a normal distribution to perform a t-test while of the two only Pawpaw showed significance in earlier blooming dates. Wilcoxon rank-sum test was also performed and did show more significance. Only Violets had a significant Spearman correlation.Item ESTABLISHING PATERNITY IN MATING HERDS OF THE FLORIDA MANATEE (TRICHECHUS MANATUS LATIROSTRIS)(2015-04) Exum, Michele; Hood College Biology; Biomedical and Environmental ScienceThe study of parentage in natural populations can have important implications for the evolution and behavioral ecology of a species. The purpose of this project is to use skin samples previously collected from mating herds of the federally endangered Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) to establish a genetic identity for individuals and to determine paternity of calves from known females. This genetic information could also be used to determine behavior patterns, such as whether a particular male is successful in siring calves in multiple mating herds. For this study, nuclear DNA was extracted from manatee skin samples for 13 mother-calf pairs and 35 males. The DNA was amplified at nine different microsatellite regions using PCR with fluorescent tagged primers. Fragment length analysis of the PCR products revealed that five calves were potentially matched with three different males at three or more loci, with one male potentially matching three different calves.Item AN EVALUTION OF PRIORITIZATION TECHNIQUES FOR AGRICULTURAL LAND PRESERVATION IN FREDERICK COUNTY, MD(2013-09) Bradley, Anne; Hood College Biology; Biomedical and Environmental ScienceUsing three years of application data, this project is an evaluation of prioritization techniques as applied to an existing agricultural land preservation program in Frederick County, Maryland. Recent publications have suggested that rank-based or benefittargeting prioritization systems are inefficient and more costly than alternative prioritization methods such as discount ranking, cost effectiveness analysis, or linear programming. This project evaluates alternative methods of prioritization and explores how using these alternative methods would have changed the total acres preserved as a result of past easement acquisition cycles in the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) Program in Frederick County. The results of the analysis reveal that of the techniques explored, linear programming consistently outperforms all other techniques used for the prioritization of land preservation applications.Item Forest strata use by red colobus monkeys, Piliocolobus badius, in the presence and absence of green vervet monkeys, Chlorocebus sabaeus, in Bijilo Forest Park, The Gambia(2015-05) Boemio, Megan; Hood College Biology; Biomedical and Environmental ScienceNinety percent of primates rely on tropical forests, yet fragmented landscapes alter the distribution of food trees, .increase bush meat hunting, and affect species interactions. I examined mixed-species associations between the arboreal Western red colobus monkey (Pitiocolobus badius) and the terrestrial green ve.rvet monkey (Chlorocebus sabaeus) in The Gambia to determine their effect on the activity budgets and forest canopy use of the red colobus monkeys. The presence of green vervet monkeys affected both canopy use and feeding behavior of red colobus monkeys. The distribution of red colobus across the forest strata was significantly different in the presence and absence of green vervets. Red colobus monkeys utilized the understory and forest floor most when green vervets were present. Furthermore, when green vervets were present, a greater proportion of red colobus fed. Mixed-associations may offer the endangered red colobus monkeys greater access to food resources in small, depleted forest patches.Item Incorporating Allelopathic Aquatic Macrophytes for Algal Control in Carroll Creek Linear Park in Frederick, Maryland(2017-04) Rubis, Charles Alexander; Hood College Biology; Biomedical and Environmental ScienceAlgal growth in Carroll Creek is an annual problem. A group in Frederick, Maryland, Color on the Creek, installs aquatic macrophytes, including water lilies, each year in an effort to partially inhibit algal growth by blocking sunlight at the water's surface. This group does not, however, consider plants with possible allelopathic tendencies towards algae. This research collected algae directly from Carroll Creek, as well as Microcystis aeruginosa LE-3 cultured in the laboratory, and exposed them to exudates of aquatic macrophytes with known allelopathic tendencies. The macrophytes were Pistia stratiotes, (Water lettuce) Eichhornia crassipes (Water hyacinth) and Saururus cernuus L (Lizard's tail). The algae in Carroll Creek was tested for its maximum quantum yield, or photosynthetic ability, and the M aeruginosa was tested for growth inhibition, as measured by average cell density. The results of the experiments showed the exudate from water lettuce had a statistically significant (P≤0.05) allelopathic effect on the Carroll Creek algae on the last day of testing (n=6, P=0.0084). Throughout the nine days of experimentation, the maximum quantum yield during exposure to water hyacinth exudate was significantly lower (P<0.05) than the yield response of the excelsior-only control (n=9, P=0.026). None of the macrophytes had a statistically significant effect on M. aeruginosa average cell density. Further research should be done using different periods of exudate collection, as well as different concentrations of exudate, before the allelopathic effects of these macrophytes can be discounted.Item LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISTICS OF PENNSYLVANIA'S CONSERVATION RESERVE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM GRASSLANDS(2013-09) Kammerer, Deborah A.; Hood College Biology; Biomedical and Environmental ScienceDeclining grassland bird populations in eastern North America has been a concern for decades. Changes in landscape structure have contributed to habitat fragmentation, a factor in population decline. Fragmentation can be evaluated using landscape metrics of habitat patches. This study enumerated metrics for agricultural lands converted to grassland through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) in 20 Pennsylvania counties. Using GIS tools, I analyzed spatial data for 5,647 CREP patches, calculating metrics defining area, edge, shape, isolation and core area. The landscape surrounding CREP patches was characterized by percent composition of six types of land cover. A habitat suitability index for grasshopper sparrow was constructed to estimate the quantity of high quality habitat. Results indicated that small patch size, limited core area, and high percentage of forested cover in surrounding landscapes are likely to limit recovery of grassland populations. Targeted enrollment and less intensive management of neighboring grasslands could improve habitat quality.Item PERENNIAL STREAMS OF THE POTOMAC RIVER WATERSHED IN RURAL VERSUS URBAN AREAS: A COMPARISON OF FOREST CONSERVATION VERSUS RESIDENTIAL LAND USES(2024-04-26) Alexis Speck; Dr. Eric Annis; Dr. Jane Choi-Doan; Hood College Biology; Hood College Biological and Environmental ScienceThis study compared the seven abiotic water parameters of temperature, total dissolved solids, turbidity, pH, nitrates, phosphates, and dissolved oxygen between two perennial streams in a rural area versus in an urban area. This rural area (“Israel Creek”) was surrounded by zones of forest conservation and was thought to result in a higher water quality as opposed to the stream in the urban area (“Town Run”) surrounded by residences that may result in a stream with lower water quality. The null hypothesis was that there would be no difference in abiotic parameters within the stream and the alternative hypothesis was that there would be differences. In the case of total dissolved solids, nitrates, pH, and dissolved oxygen, the alternative was accepted. The measurements for TDS and nitrates were significantly higher in Town Run (urban stream) than in Israel Creek (rural stream). These differences suggest that Town Run had poorer water quality than Israel Creek. Future citizen science projects to help protect small streams on private properties are proposed and environmental stewardship in urban areas is acknowledged.Item PLANKTOTHRIX AGARDHII RESPONSE TO HYDROGEN PEROXIDE TREATMENT IN SPAHRS QUARRY(2018-07) Campbell, Regina; Ferrier, Drew; Sellner, Kevin; Hood College Department of Biology; Hood College Environmental Biology Graduate ProgramCyanobacteria blooms are a major environmental concern and are becoming more frequent occurrences in aquatic environments. Those that produce the hepatotoxin microcystin, like Planktothrix agardhii, are of particular concern. This study tested the effectiveness of treating an entire quarry with a single application of H2O2 to suppress a bloom of P. agardhii. While many laboratory studies have tested the effectiveness of H2O2 as a cyanocide, only a few field studies have tested its effectiveness against Planktothrix when applied to an entire waterbody. Results show that the bloom persisted in the presence of 1.4 mg H2O2/L. In addition to not achieving the minimum recommended concentration of 2.0 mg/L, a number of factors were not measured which can influence the success of H2O2 treatment. Further studies of P. agardhii blooms in Spahrs Quarry would be needed to determine whether different methods or rates of H2O2 application would be successful in that environment.Item Qualifying Stream Temperature Measurements of an Aerial Thermal Infrared camera While Gathering Evidence of Thermal Refugia for the City of Frederick, Maryland(2024-05-03) Jesse Lynch; Dr. Drew Ferrier, Dr. Eric Annis, Dr. April Boulton; Hood College Biology; Hood College Biomedical and Environmental ScienceThermal refugia, due to seepages and tributaries, provide mild-temperature sanctuaries relative to the more extreme water temperatures in the winter and summer. Exploring streams for thermal seepages via in-water probes can be a slow and time-consuming endeavor, especially when seasonal timing is of the essence. One way to offset this time-debt could be using a Thermal Infrared Camera (TIR) attached to a small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (sUAV), yet in order to implement this new technology it is necessary to compare the measurements between the two devices to ensure that the drone can effectively replace the probes. This research compared the temperature measurements from the TIR against in-water temperature probes at three sites, one with a known seepage and two with suspected seepages, by analyzing agreement via Bland-Altman statistical analysis. The results of the analysis suggested little agreement between the two devices, and a broad range in the limits of agreement. Evidence of the TIR camera’s ability to differentiate temperatures but not measure them accurately was provided in the form of value-value plots and side-by-side TIR/RGB photographs. This research concluded that the sUAV’s TIR camera was useful for photographing and investigating temperature differentiation but true temperature needed to be evaluated with standardized, reliable ground-truthing methods. Evidence for the presence or absence of seepages at two sites designated by the City of Frederick Sustainability Department was provided in the form of side-by-side TIR/RGB photographs and value-value plots comparing the temperature difference along the stream reach as well as across the stream channel.Item SURVEY OF CORHICULA FLUMINEA IN OWENS CREEK AND CONDITION INDEX VALUES(2016-12) Int Veldt, Sharon; Hood College Biology; Biomedical and Environmental ScienceCorbicula fiuminea is an invasive clam from Southeast Asia that can be found in waterways across the United States. However, little research has been done to determine how sediment organic matter effects clams' distribution and condition indices. A field survey established that the clams in a third order piedmont stream preferred low organic sediment, moderate flows, and the intermediate depths. Contrary to other research, the condition or length of the clams does not seem to change with various amounts of sediment organic content. Although this study did not show that clams' condition or abundance increased with rising sediment organic matter values, C. fiuminea could have major impacts on stream dynamics in this stream and other locations through bioturbation and filter feeding.Item THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TURBIDITY, CHLOROPHYLL A, AND FECAL COLIFORM IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY(2012-12) Laliberte, Amy M.; Hood College Biology; Biomedical and Environmental ScienceWater clarity is often used as the sole indicator of water quality, even though it is only one of many parameters examined. In this paper, a relationship between fecal coliform indicators, chlorophyll a, and turbidity was explored in detail. Data from the Maryland Department of the Environments Shellfish Harvesting waters were analyzed using scatter plots, box-and-whisker plots, Pearson Correlation, and Quantile Regression. Fecal Coliform Most Probable Number (MPN) indicators were used to represent water quality, and secchi disk depth was used to determine turbidity. No relationship between Fecal Coliform data and secchi disk depth were observed, negating examination of Chlorophyll a data. Quantile Regression techniques suggest that when secchi disk depth is equal to or greater than 2 meters, the fecal coliform MPN will not be greater than 3 MPN. This relationship should be explored further as it utilizes a sampling technique that requires little training, no equipment calibration, and is inexpensive.Item The Use of Remote Sensing to Assess Salt Marsh Dieback(2019-04-12) Reetz, Nathan; Annis, Eric; Biology; Environmental Biology (M.S.)Salt marshes are invaluable to coastal communities, providing carbon sequestration, habitat, and mitigation from storms. All along the Eastern Atlantic seaboard, salt marsh vegetation has been experiencing diebacks. While the cause of these diebacks is presently unknown, studies have made links to climate change-related factors, such as temperature increase, drought, and sea level rise. This study used remote sensing techniques to access the relationships between vegetation loss within the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and several climate-related variables. The reflectance of the vegetation was isolated using a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and square kilometers of vegetation cover were measured for each year from 2003 to 2018. Image transformations allowed the subtraction of one year’s vegetation cover from another, providing a change in vegetation over time with a total percent loss of vegetation of 0.32%. There was a positive correlation between vegetation loss and time (r(15) = 0.547, p = 0.014). Additionally, there was a positive correlation between vegetation loss and river discharge when lag time was added to vegetation loss (r(14) = 0.494, p = 0.031). No other significant relationships were found between marsh loss and the following variables: air temperature, surface water temperature, sea level, and elevation.