Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): McDonough, Andrew Michael, Thesis advisor (ths): Watmough, Shaun A, Degree committee member (dgc): Aherne, Julian, Degree committee member (dgc): Hutchinson, Tom, Degree committee member (dgc): Sager, Eric, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>In this study we seek to better understand the potential effects of short-term (5-year) N fertilization on jack pine forest biogeochemistry, vascular plant community composition and to project a temporal endpoint of nitrogen leaching below the major rooting zone. Aqueous ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) was applied above the forest canopy across five treatment plots (20 x 80 m) four times… more Full Text: Ecosystem Response to Above Canopy Nitrogen Addition in a Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana) Forest in the Athabasca Bituminous Sands Region of Northeastern Alberta, Canada A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in the Partial Fulfilment of the …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Decades of acidic deposition have depleted base cation pools in soil over large parts of eastern north America, including the Muskoka-Haliburton region of central Ontario. This region has also experienced a shift in forest species composition over the past 200 years, favouring sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) at the expense of species such as white pine (Pinus strobus L.) and eastern… more Full Text: The influence of tree species litterfall on soil chemistry and implications for modelling soil recovery from acidification A thesis submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>In Canada, eastern flowering dogwood (Cornus florida L.) is an endangered tree that occurs only in the Carolinian forest of southern Ontario. Threats to this species include habitat fragmentation and the fungal pathogen dogwood anthracnose (Discula destructiva). I conducted a population genetic analysis using seven nuclear microsatellite markers to determine if fragmented populations are… more Full Text: THE ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL THREATS TO EASTERN FLOWERING DOGWOOD (CORNUS FLORIDA) IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO A Thesis Submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Lake of the Woods (LOW) is a large international waterbody which suffers from frequent and widespread algae blooms. Previous studies have highlighted the importance of the lake's largest tributary, the Rainy River (RR) and its significance in total phosphorus (TP) delivery to the LOW. Unfortunately, little is known about TP contributions from the RR and its tributaries within the… more Full Text: Phosphorus delivery in the Rainy-River Lake of the Woods Watershed A thesis submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science Trent University …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The length of photoperiod can alter circadian rhythms and change fat depot mass whencombined with environmental temperatures below thermoneutral. To isolate photoperiod effects, we compared the effects of long and short photoperiod exposure at thermoneutrality in photoperiod sensitive, F1 generation adult male white-footed mice (P. leucopus). Mice were housed in long-day or short-day… more Full Text: Short photoperiod lowers visceral adiposity and shifts the molecular clock in Peromyscus leucopus A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the faculty of Arts …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Peatlands can be found widely across all latitudes and play a significant role in global cycles within the earth's biosphere. The anoxic conditions in peatlands promotes the accumulation of organic matter through decreased rates of decomposition and the storage of certain elements, which have received contaminant loading over the course of human existence, with significant increases… more Full Text: Trace Metal Geochemistry of Peatlands A thesis submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science TRENT UNIVERSITY Peterborough, Ontario, Canada …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Assessments of the adaptive potential of natural populations are essential for understanding and predicting responses to environmental stressors like climate change and infectious disease. The range of stressors species face in a human-dominated landscape, often have contrasting effects. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus, deer) are expanding in the northern part of their range… more Full Text: Characterizing the demographic history and prion protein gene variation to infer susceptibility to chronic wasting disease in a naïve population of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>As wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) move farther north, informed management decisions are critical to support the sustainability of this reintroduced species. We tracked roost tree selection and patterns of the network of roost trees, for wild turkeys, over 2 years in Peterborough, ON, using GPS and VHF transmitters. Wild turkeys showed preference for taller and larger roost… more Full Text: ROOSTING SELECTION BEHAVIOUR OF THE EASTERN WILD TURKEY AT ITS NORTHERN RANGE EDGE A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Johannessen, Cassandra, Thesis advisor (ths): Metcalfe, Chris D, Thesis advisor (ths): Parnis, J. Mark, Degree committee member (dgc): Metcalfe, Chris D, Degree committee member (dgc): Parnis, J. Mark, Degree committee member (dgc): Dang, Huy, Degree committee member (dgc): Hickie, Brendan, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Road runoff is a vector for the transport of potentially toxic chemicals into receiving waters. In this study, selected tire-derived chemicals were monitored in surface waters of rivers adjacent to two high traffic highways in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada. Composite samples were collected from the Don River and Highland Creek in the GTA during 5 hydrological events that… more Full Text: Monitoring and fate of selected tire-derived organic contaminants A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science TRENT UNIVERSITY …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Grich, Nourhene, Thesis advisor (ths): Emery, Neil NE, Degree committee member (dgc): Saville, Barry BS, Degree committee member (dgc): Morrison, Erin EM, Degree committee member (dgc): Donaldson, Michael MD, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>The oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus, is one of the most widely cultivated edible basidiomycetes. It has gained increased attention for its economic, environmental, and medicinal properties. While a lot is known about cytokinins (CKs) and their actions at the molecular and cellular levels in plants, much less is known about the function of CKs in other kingdoms. Cytokinins, which… more Full Text: BIOSYNTHESIS AND IMPACT OF CYTOKININS ON GROWTH OF THE OYSTER MUSHROOM, Pleurotus ostreatus A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Science In the Faculty of Arts and …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Euglena gracilis is an enigmatic and adaptable organism that has great bioremediationpotential and is best known for its metabolic flexibility. The research done in this
dissertation addresses (1) how growth conditions impact cellular composition, and (2)
how chemometric approaches (such as statistical design of experiments and artificial
neural networks) are viable alternatives to the… more Full Text: Using ultra high-resolution mass spectrometry to characterize the biosorbent Euglena gracilis and its application to dysprosium biosorption A dissertation submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The Hudson Bay region is a sensitive environment, where anthropogenic (e.g., dams, diversions, and/or reservoirs) impacts have increased in recent decades, potentially influencing the functioning of the ecosystem. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) entering Hudson Bay comes from both terrestrial (allochthonous) and aquatic (autochthonous) sources. The chemical composition of DOM is important… more Full Text: Composition and Transformation of Dissolved Organic Matter in Hudson Bay, Canada A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts and Science …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Fleming, Kaitlyn Julia, Thesis advisor (ths): Beresford, David V, Thesis advisor (ths): Schaefer, James A, Degree committee member (dgc): Smith, M. Alex, Degree committee member (dgc): Abraham, Kenneth F, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Basic biogeographic information is lacking for many species, such as where species are found, and how they dispersed there. Using ground beetles collected during 2008-2015 from across northern Ontario and Akimiski Island, Nunavut, I present new information on ground beetle distribution in this eastern Nearctic boreal forest, including 2 first Canadian records, 9 first provincial and 48… more Full Text: Biogeography of Carabidae (Coleoptera) in the Boreal Forest A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfilment for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts and Science TRENT UNIVERSITY Peterborough, Ontario, …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Opioid drugs are among the microcontaminants that are discharged with domestic wastewater into the aquatic environment with the potential to affect the development and reproductive capacity of aquatic organisms. To study the effects of exposure of fish to opioid drugs, Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) were exposed over a full life cycle to environmentally relevant (i.e. ng/L)… more Full Text: Effects of Opioids on the Development and Reproductive Capacity of Japanese Medaka, Oryzias latipes A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The emergence of fungal hybrid pathogens threatens sustainable crop production worldwide. To investigate hybridization, the related smut fungi, Ustilago maydis and Sporisorium reilianum, were selected because they infect a common host (Zea mays), can hybridize, and tools are available for their analysis. Hybrid dikaryons exhibited filamentous growth on plates but reduced virulence and… more Full Text: Fungal pathogen emergence: an Ustilago maydis x Sporisorium reilianum model A thesis submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the faculty of Arts and Science TRENT …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Transactive response (TAR) DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) pathology, including fibrillar aggregates and mutations, develops in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and is characterized by hyperphosphorylation and aggregation patterns, a mechanism largely understudied. In addition, ALS remains without a cure. Herein, in vitro aggregation of phosphorylated TDP-43 was explored, and… more Full Text: IMMUNOTHERAPIES TARGETING THE AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN TDP-43 A Thesis Submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The integration of genetic and environmental information can help wildlife managers better understand the factors affecting a species' population structure and their response to disturbance. This thesis uses genetic techniques to assess the broad and fine scale population structure of mountain goats in Alaska. The first chapter aims to determine the number of genetically distinct… more Full Text: THE EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY OF ALASKA’S MOUNTAIN GOATS WITH MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Genetic variation is the raw material and basis for evolutionary changes in nature. The loss of genetic diversity is a challenge many species are facing, with genomics being a potential tool to inform and prioritize decision making. Whole genome analysis can be an asset to conservation biology and the management of species through the generation of more precise and novel metrics. This… more Full Text: DEMOGRAPHIC HISTORY AND CONSERVATION GENOMICS OF CARIBOU (RANGIFER TARANDUS) IN QUÉBEC A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Bhargav, V Vikram, Thesis advisor (ths): Dorken, Marcel MD, Thesis advisor (ths): Freeland, Joanna JF, Degree committee member (dgc): Bowman, Jeff JB, Degree committee member (dgc): Shafer, Aaron AS, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Heterosis, expressed as phenotypic superiority over parental species, typically peaks in first generation hybrids (F1s), while later generations (F2 +) exhibit lower fitness. The decrease in hybrid fitness is called hybrid breakdown. The overall incidence of hybrid breakdown in invasive hybrid zones remains poorly understood. The Laurentian Great Lakes (LGL) region contains a hybrid zone… more Full Text: EVIDENCE FOR HYBRID BREAKDOWN IN THE CATTAIL (TYPHA) HYBRID SWARM IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO A Thesis submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The influence of stress exposure on the body temperature of vertebrates has been known for nearly two-thousand years. While the proximate mechanisms supporting this phenomenon are well described, the ultimate mechanisms remain enigmatic. In this thesis, I propose a novel hypothesis which states that changes in body surface temperature (henceforth "surface temperature")… more Full Text: SURFACE TEMPERATURE REGULATION DURING STRESS EXPOSURE: EVIDENCE OF A TRADE-OFF BETWEEN THERMOREGULATION AND THE PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS RESPONSE IN BIRDS A Dissertation Submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements …
