Recent Submissions

  • THE ECOLOGY, BIOGEOCHEMISTRY AND PHYLOGENY OF METHANE SEEP AND NON-SEEP BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA FROM THE PACIFIC MARGIN

    Burkett, Ashley M. (Indiana State University, 2015-05)
    In an effort to understand the relationships between active methane seep and adjacent non-seep (inactive) populations of the deep-sea foraminifera Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi, a common paleo-indicator species, from methane seeps in the Pacific were analyzed and compared to one another for genetic similarities of small subunit rDNA (SSU rDNA) sequences. Pacific Ocean C. wuellerstorfi were also compared to those collected from other localities around the world (based on 18S gene available on Genbank, e.g., Schweizer et al., 2009). Results from this study revealed that C. wuellerstorfi living in seeps near Costa Rica and Hydrate Ridge are genetically similar to one another at the species level. Individuals collected from the same location that display opposite coiling directions (dextral and sinistral) had no species level genetic differences. Comparisons of specimens with genetic information available from Genbank (SSU rDNA) showed that Pacific individuals, collected for this study, are genetically similar to those previously analyzed from the North Atlantic and Antarctic. These observations provide strong evidence for the true cosmopolitan nature of C. wuellerstorfi and highlight the importance of understanding how these microscopic organisms are able to maintain sufficient genetic exchange to remain within the same species between seep and nonseep habitats and over global distances. Although organic matter degradation rates have been studied for some time, in situ rates of protoplasm degradation in deep-sea foraminiferal tests have been estimated based on laboratory experiments and sediment distribution patterns. Information regarding degradation rates of foraminiferal protoplasm is essential in the use of non-vital stains in identifying the amount and character of protoplasm in tests which remains the most commonly used method to assess living populations of benthic foraminifera (e.g., Murray and Bowser, 2000). In an effort to examine the retention potential of foraminiferal protoplasm on the deep seafloor 36 frozen, protoplasm filled Cibicidoides wuelllerstorfi were placed in natural sediments inside experimental containers and deployed on for 390 to 396 days. Despite oxygen-poor conditions (0.24 mL/L to 0.37 mL/L) that would be expected to promote preservation of organic matter, and experimental container protection from macro- and megafauna, 72% of deployed tests containing protoplasm were destroyed beyond recognition within 396 days. Of the 10 specimens (28%) recovered, 9 retained at least some protoplasm, but only 1 individual had the potential to be identified as living based on Rose Bengal staining techniques. However, in this specimen, protoplasm was clearly altered or missing in some chambers. The results of this study suggest that it is unlikely that many, if any, benthic foraminiferal specimens containing protoplasm terminated by freezing would be conservatively considered as recently living using Rose Bengal as an indicator of the extent and character of protoplasm within the test after 396 days or less exposed to in situ conditions in deep-seafloor habitats. After 390 to 396 days on the seafloor at Hydrate Ridge in the Pacific, eight artificial substrate experiments (hereafter referred to as SEA3 for Seafloor Epibenthic Attachment Cubes) were colonized by 1058 Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi. The presence of this species has been inferred as an indicator of well-oxygenated conditions, and recruitment of such large numbers in bottom-waters with low dissolved oxygen availability (0.24 to 0.37 mL/L) indicates that this taxon is not as limited by oxygen as previously thought. Clues about substrate preferences were also evident from the distribution of individuals on SEA3. For example, the wooden rod attached directly to the plastic mesh that was heavily colonized was devoid of any epibenthic foraminifera. Few studies have examined foraminiferal colonization of hard substrates in the deep-sea (e.g., Mullineaux, 1987), and to our knowledge no previous study has compared foraminiferal colonization of seep with non-seep substrates. Comparisons of abundance, size distribution, and isotopic biogeochemistry of living foraminifera colonizing experimental substrates revealed differences between seep and non-seep environments. SEA3 within active methane seep habitats at Hydrate Ridge contained significantly fewer (406 on four SEA3s a density of 44 #individuals/100 cm2) individuals compared with those in adjacent off-seep sites (594 on three SEA3s a density of 86 #individuals/100 cm2). An additional 58 individuals were on a SEA3 22, which may have experienced seep conditions despite being deployed as a nonseep experiment (density of 25 #individuals/100 cm2). This difference in abundance may be due to active seepage conditions, however, reduced foraminiferal abundances on SEA3s located at seeps resulted from increased predation and displacement by higher abundances of macro- and meiofauna observed at active seep locations. Stable carbon isotope values of benthic foraminifera from seep substrates ranged from 0.26‰ to -0.56‰ with an average of 0.03‰ while δ13C from off-seep substrates range from 0.39‰ to -0.26‰ with an average of 0.15‰. Statistical analyses indicate a significant difference between seep and non-seep δ13C. Stable oxygen isotopes of foraminiferal carbonate from seep substrates range from 2.70‰ to 2.03‰ with an average of 2.41‰ and 2.65‰ to 1.99‰ with an average of 2.39‰ at adjacent off-seep sites. These results provide some of the first information about epifaunal foraminiferal colonization potential at methane seeps and highlight the biogeochemical and ecological influences of seep habitats on C. wuellerstorfi.
  • Alternative Ways to Enumerate Data on Race in Puerto Rico: Are Racial Segregation and Spatial Clustering more Evident when Using a Culturally Grounded Methodology?

    Allen, Reuben (Indiana State University, 2014-08)
    Nationalist discourse concerning race in Puerto Rico generally states that residents are of the same racially mixed heritage—a combination of Spanish, West African, and indigenous ancestry of various degrees. However, literature and casual observations suggest that the population is characterized by greater variation in physical appearances than what is posited by “admixture” discourse. Moreover, and further complicating the understanding of race, 2010 U.S. Census data show that over 75 percent of Puerto Ricans self-identified as “White, alone”, and that only 3.3 percent of respondents indicated “Two or More Races.” Researchers, employers, and governmental agencies attempting to address or further analyze issues of inequality, discrimination, and residential segregation have had to rely on existing U.S. Census data to identify possible links between race and socioeconomic attainment. Thus, the need for an alternative data collection process that can be used for various forms of socioeconomic and spatial analysis has become evident. In this study, I administered alternative datasets that emphasized a locally suited, culturally grounded, and standardizable conceptual foundation for the purpose of establishing more representative racial statistics for the Puerto Rican population. The socioeconomic and spatial implications of resulting data were analyzed to determine if members of certain racial classifications are more privileged than others, and to determine if racial identity is characterized by spatial autocorrelation. Results showed that “Whites”, defined by different enumerators through various instruments, have attained slightly higher levels of socioeconomic attainment than nonwhites. However, there were no indications of spatial clustering or segregation based on race. Lastly, I interviewed a subsample of participants to garner feedback concerning their assessments of the survey instruments, their general understanding of race and historical admixture, their perceptions of racial inequality, their opinions of affirmative action, and finally, their observations of racialized spaces.
  • URBAN FLASH FLOOD RISK ASSESSMENT AND INUNDATION MODEL UTILIZING GIS FOR TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA

    Ishman, Zachary Scott (Indiana State University, 2014-08)
    Use of ArcGIS to examine flash flooding variables and produce a flash flood risk assessment and inundation model for Terre Haute, Indiana. Risk assessment, produced within ArcGIS, indicates that an increase in developed area leads to an increase in very high flash flood risk area and majority of very high risk area resides in developed areas of Terre Haute. Inundation model, produced using ArcGIS and Python, indicates that the proposed model can determine locations of flash flooding, but spatial extent of model predicted flooding is not reliable based on field validation.
  • Multi-Timescale Dynamics of Land Surface Temperature

    Fu, Peng (Indiana State University, 2014-08)
    Spatial and temporal patterns of land surface temperature (LST) have been used in studies of surface energy balance, landscape thermal patterns and water management. An effective way to investigate the landscape thermal dynamics is to utilize the Landsat legacy and consistent records of the thermal state of earth’s surface since 1982. However, only a small proportion of studies emphasize the importance of historical Landsat TIR data for investigating the relationship between the urbanization process and surface thermal properties. This occurred due to the lack of standardized LST product from Landsat and the unevenly distributed remote sensing datasets caused by poor atmospheric effects and/or clouds. Despite the characterization of annual temperature cycles using remote sensing data in previous studies, yet the statistical evidence to confirm the existence of the annual temperature cycle is still lacking. The objectives of the research are to provide statistical evidence for the existence of the annual temperature cycle and to develop decomposition technique to explore the impact of urbanization on surface thermal property changes. The study area is located in Los Angeles County, the corresponding remotely sensed TIR data from Landsat TM over a decadal year (2000-2010) was selected, and eventually a series of 82 cloud-free images were acquired for the computation of LST. The hypothesis technique, Lomb-Scargle periodogram analysis was proposed to confirm whether decadal years’s LSTs showed the annual temperature cycle. Furthermore, the simulated LSTs comprised of seasonality, trend, and noise components are generated to test the robustness of the decomposition scheme. The periodogram analysis revealed that the annual temperature cycle was confirmed statistically with p-value less than 0.01 and the identified periodic time at 362 days. The sensitivity analysis based on the simulated LSTs suggested that the decomposition technique was very robustness and able to retrieve the seasonality and trend components with errors up to 0.6 K. The application of the decomposition technique into the real 82 remote sensing data decomposed the original LSTs into seasonality, trend, and noise components. Estimated seasonality component by land cover showed an agreement with previous studies in Weng & Fu (2014). The derived trend component revealed that the impact of urbanization on land surface temperature ranged from 0.2 K to 0.8 K based on the comparison between urban and non-urban land covers. Further applications of the proposed Lomb-Scargle technique and the developed decomposition technique can also be directed to data from other satellite sensors.
  • ACOUSTIC COMMUNICATION IN THE TEMPERATE TREEFROGS PSEUDACRIS CRUCIFER AND ACRIS CREPITANS

    Keating, John (Indiana State University, 2014-08)
    Spring peepers and cricket frogs produce advertisement calls to attract females. As ectotherms their body temperatures are greatly affected by ambient air temperature. Some characteristics of their advertisement calls are correlated with temperature. I analyzed advertisement calls of both species recorded in western-central Indiana. I compared call characteristic correlations with temperature found in our populations to those in populations in other geographic areas and found similar trends throughout the range of both species. Secondly, I examined aggressive calls in the spring peepers. Aggressive calls are used in male-male interactions, and in the spring peeper are a distinct call type different from advertisement calls in two characteristics. I used a habituation-discrimination protocol to test which of the two call characteristics, that differ between advertisement and aggressive calls, males use to distinguish advertisement and aggressive calls. I found that males responded with intermediate aggression to calls that only differ from advertisement in one of the two characteristics and responded with the most aggression to calls that differed from advertisement calls in both characteristics.
  • Using Analogues to Simulate Intensity, Trajectory, and Dynamical Changes in Alberta Clippers with Global Climate Change

    Ward, Jamie L. (Indiana State University, 2014-08)
    Alberta Clippers are extratropical cyclones that form in the lee of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and traverse through the Great Plains and Midwest regions of the United States. With the imminent threat of global climate change and its effects on regional teleconnection patterns like El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), properties of Alberta Clipper could be altered as a result of changing atmospheric circulation patterns. Since the Great Plains and Midwest regions both support a large portion of the national population and agricultural activity, the effects of global climate change on Alberta Clippers could affect these areas in a variety of ways. Despite this reasoning, relatively few studies have addressed Alberta Clippers, especially in comparison to the other North American storm tracks. In this study, the effects of global climate change on Alberta Clippers are examined by using atmospheric analogues chosen from 1950-2012 based on temperature and ENSO characteristics. Composite maps of regional MSLP at 12-hr intervals, 300mb vector wind and geopotential height at the time of cyclogenesis, and 850mb temperature and geopotential height patterns 36 hours after Clipper formation are constructed. Difference maps of 300mb geopotential height patterns between each of the analogues are also constructed. One-way ANOVA tests are also used to analyze Alberta Clipper latitude and longitude values at t=0, Clipper trajectory azimuths from t=0 to t=60, central MSLP values for these storms twelve hours after formation, and MSLP pressure gradients at t=24.
  • USING THE SPATIAL VARIABILITY OF LEAD IN URBAN SOILS AND DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES TO PREDICT EXPOSURE RISKS: AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ANALYSIS IN TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA

    Foxx, Heather A. (Indiana State University, 2014-08)
    Terre Haute, Indiana, is similar to many older cities throughout the United States with a history of manufacturing and industry that relied on extensive road and rail networks. This industrial history has resulted in the presence of over 20 brownfields and even a Superfund Site within the city today. Historic neighborhoods and abundance of pre-1950’s homes is another characteristic of the city. Unfortunately, improper removal and deterioration of lead (Pb) paints, as well as high Pb solder used in gutters, appear to be significant sources of soil Pb in Terre Haute. Despite the fact that most new environmental sources of Pb pollution have been eradicated, many areas of the city still have elevated soil Pb concentrations and the city continues to have children with elevated blood Pb levels. With the Center for Disease Control’s recent reduction in screening levels for blood Pb from 10 μg/dL to 5 μg/dL, the occurrence of children with childhood Pb poisoning could be greater than previously recognized. The goal of this study was to better understand the modern-day spatial distribution of Pb in surface soils across the city of Terre Haute. To achieve this goal, surface soil samples were collected across the city. New data were collected from city-owned properties (i.e. parks, cemeteries, and abandoned lots), Indiana State University land holdings within the city, residential properties, and community gardens. Data collected from residential areas included samples near the road, from beneath the gutter dripline of the house, in the backyard, in the garden, and other areas of importance to the homeowner. Samples were analyzed via handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer on site to provide homeowner with immediate feedback with the ultimate goal of increasing the use of safer urban gardening practices. Samples were then dried and crushed to re-analyze with the portable XRF, and samples with values >200 ppm Pb were processed and analyzed with the ICP-OES to verify the results. Results produced a wide range of Pb concentrations, from <5 ppm to >30,000 ppm for the residential areas. The spatial distribution of Pb was determined using a simple ordinary kriging method and Empirical Bayesian Kriging method by analyzing the total sample set, samples collected near the road, samples from yards and gardens, and under the gutter driplines of homes were also kriged. Samples collected near the gutter dripline had the highest Pb concentrations, while overall spatial trends depict higher Pb concentrations in the historic portion of the city, with concentrations decreasing with distance from the older part of the city. The predicted Pb concentrations generated from the total sample set was then compared to demographic, environmental, and infrastructure characteristics for Terre Haute. OLS regressions using both maximum and average Pb concentrations indicate a statistically significant (p=0.000) positive correlation between high Pb concentrations and percentage of vacant homes. Maximum and average Pb concentrations were then linked to individual U.S. Census block groups with associated demographic attributes. Bivariate local indicator of spatial association (Bi-LISA) analysis indicates populations of low socio-economic status are regularly being exposed to higher Pb concentrations in their neighborhoods, while populations with higher socio-economic status are exposed to lower Pb concentrations. The higher Pb concentrations and populations with lower socio-economic status both occur in the central portion of the city where historic development occurred representing environmental injustice.
  • THE ECOLOGY AND MORPHOLOGY OF DEEP-SEA BENTHIC FORAMINIFERA: THE AUSTRALIAN MARGIN AND EPIFAUNAL PORE CHARACTERISTICS

    Willingham, Jake (Indiana State University, 2014-05)
    The distribution and abundance patterns of modern benthic foraminifera are used by paleoceanographers to assess changes in ocean conditions over geologic time. Examination of modern foraminiferal analogs provides the means to determine how these single-celled protists record clues about ambient conditions in their morphology and abundance/distribution patterns. Abundance and vertical distribution patterns of deep-sea benthic foraminifera were examined along the South Australian Margin and Tasman Sea of Australia. This was one of the first studies to examine microhabitat preferences of living (Rose Bengal stained) deep-sea benthic foraminifera within the region. A total of 11 sediment cores were collected via multicorer. Substantial infaunal populations were found in these cores from a region characterized by well oxygenated bottom-water (> 4.0 ml/l) and organic-rich sediments (8-11% organic matter). This mesotrophic environment supported populations of Globocassidulina subglobosa, Valvulineria oblonga, Melonis barleeanum, Pullenia bulloides, Chilostomella oolina, and Hoeglundina elegans. Transport of organic-rich sediments via submarine canyons may account for increased food availability for deep-sea foraminifera in this region. A relationship between foraminiferal test morphology and ambient oxygen availability has been noted by a number of studies (e.g., Glock et al., 2011; Kuhnt et al., 2013). In an attempt to quantify the relationship between ambient oxygen availability and foraminiferal test pore characteristics, percentage and number of surface pores of 97 specimens of Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi and related taxa were examined from a variety of habitats along an oxygen gradient (0.04 – 6.20 ml/l). Using ArcGIS and high-resolution SEM images of living (Rose Bengal stained) specimens of Cibicidoides, percentages and number of pores on the tests were quantified. Surface pore percentage (SPORE) analyses of a standardized subset of penultimate and antepenultimate chambers plotted verses ambient bottom-water oxygen concentration yielded a negative correlation with an R2 value of 0.7291, p < 0.001. This SPORE approach provides an effective means to assess ancient bottom-water oxygen concentrations from epifaunal Cibicidoides.
  • FACTORS AFFECTING THE PROBABILITY OF ACOUSTIC DETECTION AND SITE OCCUPANCY OF BATS IN CENTRAL INDIANA

    Kaiser, Zachary David Epping (Indiana State University, 2014-05)
    Documenting the presence of rare bat species can be difficult. The current summer survey protocol for the federally endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) requires passive acoustic sampling with directional microphones (e.g., Anabats), but there are still questions about best practices for choosing survey sites and appropriate detector models. Indiana bats are capable of foraging in an array of cover types, including structurally-complex, interior forests. Further, data acquisition among different commercially available bat detectors is likely highly variable, due to the use of proprietary microphones with different frequency responses, sensitivities, and directionality. We paired omnidirectional Wildlife Acoustic SM2BAT+ (SM2) and directional Titley Scientific Anabat SD2 (Anabat) detectors at 71 random points near Indianapolis, Indiana from May-August 2012-2013 to compare data acquisition by phonic group (low, mid, Myotis) and to determine what factors affect probability of detection and site occupancy for Indiana bats when sampling with acoustics near an active maternity colony (0.20-8.39 km away). Weatherproofing for Anabat microphones was 45° angle PVC tubes and for SM2 microphones was their foam shielding; microphones were paired at 2 m and 5 m heights. Habitat and landscape covariates were measured in the field or via ArcGIS. We adjusted file parameters to make SM2 and Anabat data comparable. Files were identified using Bat Call ID software, with visual inspection of Indiana bat calls. The effects of detector type, phonic group, height, and their interactions on mean files recorded per site were assessed using generalized estimating equations and LSD pairwise comparisons. We reduced probability of detection (p) and site occupancy (ψ) model covariates with Pearson’s correlation and PCA. We used Presence 6.1 software and Akaike’s Information Criteria to assess models for p and ψ. Anabats and SM2s did not perform equally. Anabats recorded more low and midrange files, but fewer Myotis files per site than SM2s. When comparing the same model of detectors, deployment height did not impact data acquisition. Weatherproofing may limit the ability of Anabats to record Myotis, but Anabat microphones may have greater detection ranges for low and midrange bats. Indiana bat detections were low for both detector types, representing only 4.4% of identifiable bat files recorded by SM2s. We detected Indiana bats at 43.7% of sampled sites and on 31.4% of detector-nights; detectability increased as “forest closure” and mean nightly temperature increased, likely due to reduced clutter and increased bat activity, respectively. Proximity to colony trees and specific cover types generally did not affect occupancy, suggesting that Indiana bats use a variety of cover types in this landscape. Omnidirectional SMX-US microphones may be more appropriate for Indiana bat surveys than directional Anabat microphones. However, we conclude that 2 nights of passive acoustic sampling per site may be insufficient for reliably detecting this species when it is present. In turn, the use of acoustic monitoring as a means to document presence or probable absence should be reassessed.
  • PHYTOL DERIVED IMMUNOADJUVANTS AS OIL-IN-WATER MICRO-EMULSIONS FOR USE IN VACCINES

    Johnson, Dylan M. (Indiana State University, 2014-05)
    The main objective of this study is to evaluate an oil-in-water micro-emulsion of phytanol which we have named PHIS59 with multiple antigens: ovalbumin, a protein and microorganism that include a reference laboratory strain of methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA). PHIS59 was compared with the previously described crude oil-in-water emulsion PHIS-01 and the similarly formulated squalene as an oil-in-water micro-emulsion based on the commercial product MF59 referred to here as NV59. Safety and efficacy of PHIS59 and NV59 was evaluated in a mouse and rabbit vaccine models. Determinations of safety were reported as the range of in vivo mouse LD50s for each compound. Vaccine efficacy was assessed in terms of antibody response titers and isotype profiles in sera of vaccinated animals. Vaccines consisted of ovalbumin or heat killed S. aureus adjuvanted with either PHIS59, NV59 or PHIS-01. Control animals received unadjuvanted controls. Currently, there is no approved MRSA vaccine. PHIS-01 has shown promise in preventing MRSA-associated mortality in a mouse model; this study provides cross species validation. PHIS59 is easier to handle than PHIS-01 because it does not bind the syringe plunger, can be preloaded into syringes and is a stable emulsion which allows consistent dose delivery. PHIS59 has a lower LD50 but is effective at lower doses giving a similar therapeutic index. This could be explained by increased bioavailability due to the micro-emulsion formulation. This is an improvement over PHIS-01 in that it is effective at lower doses. Finally, we tested a novel water soluble phytol derivative, sodium phytanyl sulfate and characterized a safe working dose range. Based on the doses determined through this study, sodium phytanyl sulfate (PHIS-SO4) is currently being studied as an adjuvant with an effective mouse dose of less than 1mg. Additionally, because it is soluble in water, it requires no emulsification for formulation in vaccines.
  • CHARACTERIZATION OF HYPOTHETICAL PROTEINS SAS0760 AND SAS1738 FROM “COMMUNITY ASSOCIATED STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS” MSSA476

    Ramalinga, Anupama B. (Indiana State University, 2013-12)
    Staphylococcus aureus is known to cause a wide range of infections from simple, curable skin infections like carbuncles, furuncles, and impetigo to deadly infections such as bacteremia, osteomyelitis, endocarditis and post-operative infections. Recently, the emergence of multiple antibiotic resistances has posed a great challenge to therapeutics and infection management. Very early in therapeutics of Staphylococcus aureus infections, it acquired resistance to the penicillin, including methicillin [1], that was designed specifically for the penicillin resistant strains. These strains were designated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Originally, MRSA was only seen in hospital-associated infections (HA MRSA) [2-4], but recently, MRSA found in community settings (CA MRSA) are more invasive infections [5, 6] with greater genetic diversity and hence different antibiotic resistance patterns [4, 7]. MSSA476 is a CA MRSA, though evolutionarily, it is closely related to MRSA252, a HA MRSA [2, 8]. Hence we decided to identify hypothetical proteins from MSSA476. Disease management involves understanding the properties of bacteria in order to tackle the infection efficiently and finding new effective drugs to kill the pathogen. Further understanding of such unique, unexplored hypothetical proteins and their characterization with relation to virulence will help understand the increased virulence of CA MRSA.
  • AGE DEPENDENCE OF SPIRAL GRAIN IN WHITE OAKS (QUERCUS ALBA) IN SOUTHCENTRAL ILLINOIS

    Rauchfuss, Julia (Cunningham Memorial library, Terre Haute, Indiana State University, 2004-12)
    Spiral grain, the alignment of wood fibers (trachejds) to the longitudinal axis of h·ees, is thought to be an indicator of old age and is a phenomenon that has been only stndied with destrnctive sampling methods (cutting down trees). In this study, the usefulness of non-fatal sampling methods and existing methods to quantify spiral grain patterns in Jiving and dead deciduous trees are examined, particularly in white oaks (Qi1ercus alba). 111e overall goal is to detem1ine if spiral grain growth is a reasonable indicator of h·ee age. Methods that were tested included the use of a 12 mm increment borer (non-fatal sampling method) and Brazier's method ( 1965) of analyzing grain angles along just one diagonal to get a representative grain angle for the whole circumference at a certain height on a tree. The 12 mm increment borer did not produce consistent results in this study; therefore, . destructive sampling is necessary to study spiral grain in white oaks. Brazier's method (1965) should not be used in white oaks and should not be applied universally to all tree species. Samples from living and dead trees vary in severity and direction of spiral grain. The climatic factors that are roost limiting to tree growth do not influence spiral grain growth in white oaks in this stand. Severe spiral grain does in general seem to be an indicator of age in white oaks, although most trees have severe left spiral grain and not right spiral grain. However, a tree without severe spiral grain is not necessarily young. To judge the severity of spiral grain, grain angles have to be examined in the outermost layer of the wood and not in the bark.
  • USING THE SPATIAL VARIABILITY OF LEAD IN URBAN SOILS AND DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES TO PREDICT EXPOSURE RISKS: AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ANALYSIS IN TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA

    Foxx, Heather A. (2015-01-07)
    Terre Haute, Indiana, is similar to many older cities throughout the United States with a history of manufacturing and industry that relied on extensive road and rail networks. This industrial history has resulted in the presence of over 20 brownfields and even a Superfund Site within the city today. Historic neighborhoods and abundance of pre-1950’s homes is another characteristic of the city. Unfortunately, improper removal and deterioration of lead (Pb) paints, as well as high Pb solder used in gutters, appear to be significant sources of soil Pb in Terre Haute. Despite the fact that most new environmental sources of Pb pollution have been eradicated, many areas of the city still have elevated soil Pb concentrations and the city continues to have children with elevated blood Pb levels. With the Center for Disease Control’s recent reduction in screening levels for blood Pb from 10 μg/dL to 5 μg/dL, the occurrence of children with childhood Pb poisoning could be greater than previously recognized. The goal of this study was to better understand the modern-day spatial distribution of Pb in surface soils across the city of Terre Haute. To achieve this goal, surface soil samples were collected across the city. New data were collected from city-owned properties (i.e. parks, cemeteries, and abandoned lots), Indiana State University land holdings within the city, residential properties, and community gardens. Data collected from residential areas included samples near the road, from beneath the gutter dripline of the house, in the backyard, in the garden, and other areas of importance to the homeowner. Samples were analyzed via handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer on site to provide homeowner with immediate feedback with the ultimate goal of increasing the use of safer urban gardening practices. Samples were then dried and crushed to re-analyze with the portable XRF, and samples with values >200 ppm Pb were processed and analyzed with the ICP-OES to verify the results. Results produced a wide range of Pb concentrations, from <5 ppm to >30,000 ppm for the residential areas. The spatial distribution of Pb was determined using a simple ordinary kriging method and Empirical Bayesian Kriging method by analyzing the total sample set, samples collected near the road, samples from yards and gardens, and under the gutter driplines of homes were also kriged. Samples collected near the gutter dripline had the highest Pb concentrations, while overall spatial trends depict higher Pb concentrations in the historic portion of the city, with concentrations decreasing with distance from the older part of the city. The predicted Pb concentrations generated from the total sample set was then compared to demographic, environmental, and infrastructure characteristics for Terre Haute. OLS regressions using both maximum and average Pb concentrations indicate a statistically significant (p=0.000) positive correlation between high Pb concentrations and percentage of vacant homes. Maximum and average Pb concentrations were then linked to individual U.S. Census block groups with associated demographic attributes. Bivariate local indicator of spatial association (Bi-LISA) analysis indicates populations of low socio-economic status are regularly being exposed to higher Pb concentrations in their neighborhoods, while populations with higher socio-economic status are exposed to lower Pb concentrations. The higher Pb concentrations and populations with lower socio-economic status both occur in the central portion of the city where historic development occurred representing environmental injustice.
  • Using Analogues to Simulate Intensity, Trajectory, and Dynamical Changes in Alberta Clippers with Global Climate Change

    Ward, Jamie L. (2015-01-07)
    Alberta Clippers are extratropical cyclones that form in the lee of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and traverse through the Great Plains and Midwest regions of the United States. With the imminent threat of global climate change and its effects on regional teleconnection patterns like El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), properties of Alberta Clipper could be altered as a result of changing atmospheric circulation patterns. Since the Great Plains and Midwest regions both support a large portion of the national population and agricultural activity, the effects of global climate change on Alberta Clippers could affect these areas in a variety of ways. Despite this reasoning, relatively few studies have addressed Alberta Clippers, especially in comparison to the other North American storm tracks. In this study, the effects of global climate change on Alberta Clippers are examined by using atmospheric analogues chosen from 1950-2012 based on temperature and ENSO characteristics. Composite maps of regional MSLP at 12-hr intervals, 300mb vector wind and geopotential height at the time of cyclogenesis, and 850mb temperature and geopotential height patterns 36 hours after Clipper formation are constructed. Difference maps of 300mb geopotential height patterns between each of the analogues are also constructed. One-way ANOVA tests are also used to analyze Alberta Clipper latitude and longitude values at t=0, Clipper trajectory azimuths from t=0 to t=60, central MSLP values for these storms twelve hours after formation, and MSLP pressure gradients at t=24. The results from these tests indicate that, of the four analogues, the Cold and El Niño years are the most dissimilar, maintaining statistically significant differences in upper-level wind magnitude and starting longitude values. MSLP at t=12 is lower in the Cold storms than the El Niño storms, but statistical significance between these values is not quite achieved. Furthermore, geopotential height differences and their associated rate of change with respect to map distance indicate that the 300mb geopotential height patterns of the El Niño and Cold analogues are quite different from one another. The La Niña and Warm analogue years are different from one another with respect to latitude and longitude values of Alberta Clippers at cyclogenesis. Based on these results, the effects of temperature increase alone will not influence the properties of Alberta Clippers as much as changes in ENSO that could be caused by global climate change.
  • Acoustic Communication in the Temperate Treefrogs Pseudacris Crucifer and Acris Crepitans

    Keating, John (2015-01-07)
    Spring peepers and cricket frogs produce advertisement calls to attract females. As ectotherms their body temperatures are greatly affected by ambient air temperature. Some characteristics of their advertisement calls are correlated with temperature. I analyzed advertisement calls of both species recorded in western-central Indiana. I compared call characteristic correlations with temperature found in our populations to those in populations in other geographic areas and found similar trends throughout the range of both species. Secondly, I examined aggressive calls in the spring peepers. Aggressive calls are used in male-male interactions, and in the spring peeper are a distinct call type different from advertisement calls in two characteristics. I used a habituation-discrimination protocol to test which of the two call characteristics, that differ between advertisement and aggressive calls, males use to distinguish advertisement and aggressive calls. I found that males responded with intermediate aggression to calls that only differ from advertisement in one of the two characteristics and responded with the most aggression to calls that differed from advertisement calls in both characteristics.
  • …To TOC A Dendrochronological Analysis of Insect Outbreaks and Climate Effects on Tamarack from Indiana and Michigan

    Flinner, Nicholas Lorin (2015-01-07)
    Disturbances have a strong impact on tree stand dynamics across the world. In North America, the larch sawfly (Pristiphora erichsonii) and larch casebearer (Cleophora laricella) are two non-native species of insects affecting tamarack across much of their native range. The majority of research on the effects of larch sawfly on tamarack (Larix laricina) has been conducted in Canada with very little dendrochronological work in the United States along the geographical boundary of tamarack or on the effects of larch casebearer on radial growth. As a consequence, very little is known about the relationship between tamarack and these insects’ outbreaks in the United States. The traditional model of Ecological Amplitude in biogeography explains that species are limited along their southern border by species interaction, so it is very important to start to understand the relationship between predator and prey. At the Pigeon River State Fish and Wildlife Area in northern Indiana, tamarack are stressed and dying out on the landscape and local naturalists believe insect outbreaks are a potential factor. I use the traditional dendrochronological methods to develop and compare host and non-host chronologies from northern Indiana and central Michigan. I then compared these chronologies to each other, local climate variables, and insect outbreak information to better understand climate and outbreak signals in radial growth. I found that tamarack in Indiana showed a stronger negative response to temperature in Indiana than in Michigan which indicates warmer temperature play a role in limiting the southern margin of the species’ range. Tamarack also provided a good record of local insect outbreak events. Using outbreak information collected from local naturalists, I developed a tree ring outbreak signature for larch casebearer. Continued work along the southern boundary of the species will determine the combined impacts of multiple species specific predators as climate changes.
  • Multi-Timescale Dynamics of Land Surface Temperature

    Fu, Peng (2015-01-07)
    Spatial and temporal patterns of land surface temperature (LST) have been used in studies of surface energy balance, landscape thermal patterns and water management. An effective way to investigate the landscape thermal dynamics is to utilize the Landsat legacy and consistent records of the thermal state of earth’s surface since 1982. However, only a small proportion of studies emphasize the importance of historical Landsat TIR data for investigating the relationship between the urbanization process and surface thermal properties. This occurred due to the lack of standardized LST product from Landsat and the unevenly distributed remote sensing datasets caused by poor atmospheric effects and/or clouds. Despite the characterization of annual temperature cycles using remote sensing data in previous studies, yet the statistical evidence to confirm the existence of the annual temperature cycle is still lacking. The objectives of the research are to provide statistical evidence for the existence of the annual temperature cycle and to develop decomposition technique to explore the impact of urbanization on surface thermal property changes. The study area is located in Los Angeles County, the corresponding remotely sensed TIR data from Landsat TM over a decadal year (2000-2010) was selected, and eventually a series of 82 cloud-free images were acquired for the computation of LST. The hypothesis technique, Lomb-Scargle periodogram analysis was proposed to confirm whether decadal years’s LSTs showed the annual temperature cycle. Furthermore, the simulated LSTs comprised of seasonality, trend, and noise components are generated to test the robustness of the decomposition scheme. The periodogram analysis revealed that the annual temperature cycle was confirmed statistically with p-value less than 0.01 and the identified periodic time at 362 days. The sensitivity analysis based on the simulated LSTs suggested that the decomposition technique was very robustness and able to retrieve the seasonality and trend components with errors up to 0.6 K. The application of the decomposition technique into the real 82 remote sensing data decomposed the original LSTs into seasonality, trend, and noise components. Estimated seasonality component by land cover showed an agreement with previous studies in Weng & Fu (2014). The derived trend component revealed that the impact of urbanization on land surface temperature ranged from 0.2 K to 0.8 K based on the comparison between urban and non-urban land covers. Further applications of the proposed Lomb-Scargle technique and the developed decomposition technique can also be directed to data from other satellite sensors.
  • Urban Flash Flood Risk Assessment and Inundation Model Utilizing GIS for Terre Haute, Indiana

    Ishman, Zachary Scott (2015-01-07)
    Use of ArcGIS to examine flash flooding variables and produce a flash flood risk assessment and inundation model for Terre Haute, Indiana. Risk assessment, produced within ArcGIS, indicates that an increase in developed area leads to an increase in very high flash flood risk area and majority of very high risk area resides in developed areas of Terre Haute. Inundation model, produced using ArcGIS and Python, indicates that the proposed model can determine locations of flash flooding, but spatial extent of model predicted flooding is not reliable based on field validation.
  • Using Stable Isotope Analysis to Study Altitudinal and Latitudinal Bat Migration

    Arias, Lily (2014-10-03)
    The general lack of knowledge on basic aspects of the biology of temperate and tropical bats, their low reproductive rates, and threats such as white nose syndrome, wind farms, and habitat loss, make them very susceptible to population declines.My research uses an innovative technique, the analysis of stable isotopes, to study the ecology of bat migration with the main goals of contributing significantly to the understanding of bat biology and assessing the conservation status and susceptibility of bats. In the first chapter,I measured the content of hydrogen isotopes in fur samples of migratory bat species killed at a wind farm in northern Indiana to determine their geographic origin.North American tree bats ( Lasiurus borealis, L. cinereus,and Lasionycteris noctivagans)are considered long distance migrants. In North America, peaks in bat mortality at wind farms occur between mid-July and mid-September. This period is associated with fall migration of bats from their summer (breeding) grounds to their wintering grounds. Thus, wind turbines may have serious negative effects on a strategic event in the life of bats by interrupting migratory connectivity and thereby imperiling the long-term persistence of migratory bat species at large scales.The analysis accurately predicted the known origin of control samples and estimated that non-control bats killed at the wind farm originated from several populations in the United States as well as in Canada. My results highlighted the threat of wind farms to local bat populations as well as to bats originating far from those farms, and emphasized the need for conservation policies across borders.High variation in stable hydrogen isotopes in migrant individuals of all 3 species was observed, suggesting that individuals or populations from a variety of regions pass through the wind farm. In the second chapter,I evaluated the triple-isotopic (hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen) composition of the tissues of 7 bat species collected at 3 altitudes in the Central Andes of Peru,and the variation of these isotopes across an altitudinal gradient,the application of isotope analysis to migration studies, and trophic effect. Previous studies had demonstrated that iv hydrogen isotopes were a reliable tool to track altitudinal movements of birds, and there was evidence from soil and plant studies that nitrogen and carbon isotopes could serve the same purpose. However, studies focused on bats were lacking. Hydrogen and nitrogen isotopes in the sanguinivorous control were found to be enriched relative to those of the syntopic frugivores.Carbon isotopes in the sanguinivorous bat were depleted when compared to frugivores.Differences in hydrogen found between trophic groups are the first reported for the species studied and support results found elsewhere in the Neotropics.My results demonstrated that, in spite of the wide array of physiological and environmental factors producing temporal and spatial variation, the analysis of hydrogen isotopes is a promising tool to study altitudinal movements of bats when used over long distances. Neither stable isotopes of nitrogen or carbon appear to be reliable to track movements along short gradients such as those along mountains. The contrast of these findings with the results of previous studies suggests that isotopic gradients may be specific to given taxon and localities.My results contributed to the understanding of bat movement patterns and therefore to assessing their sensitivity to potential threats such as habitat loss and connectivity.

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