Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Natural establishment of vegetation on mine tailings is generally limited. Understanding the processes leading to vegetation germination and the survival mechanisms that vegetation species employ in these harsh environments is critical to future remediation efforts. As metalliferous mine tailings are generally nutrient-poor, high in harmful metals, and acidic, vegetation species require… more Full Text: PATTERNS OF VEGETATION SUCCESSION ON NICKEL-COPPER MINE TAILINGS NEAR SUDBURY, ONTARIO A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on the Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This thesis utilized a unique data-set, the Quinte Longitudinal Survey, to explore relationships among precarious employment and a range of mental health problems in a representative sample of Ontario young adults. Study 1 focused on various behavioural addictions (such as problem gambling, video gaming, internet use, exercise, compulsive shopping, and sex) and precarious employment. The… more Full Text: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRECARIOUS EMPLOYMENT, BEHAVIOUR ADDICTIONS AND SUBSTANCE USE AMONG CANADIAN YOUNG ADULTS: INSIGHTS FROM THE QUINTE LONGITUDINAL SURVEY A Thesis Submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Invasive species that alter habitats can have significant impacts on wildlife. The invasive graminoids Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud, hereafter Phragmites, and Typha × glauca Godr. are rapidly spreading into North American wetlands, replacing native vegetation. Invasive Phragmites is considered a potential threat to several species-at-risk (SAR), including some turtle… more Full Text: EFFECTS OF INVASIVE WETLAND MACROPHYTES ON HABITAT SELECTION BY TURTLES 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 Sciences TRENT …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The parasitic protist Giardia intestinalis possesses flavohemoglobin (gFlHb), an enzyme that detoxifies nitric oxide to the less harmful nitrate, and is a potential target for antigiardial drugs that act as ligands to the iron of its heme cofactor. In this work, the binding constants KD of gFlHb, three active-site variants (Q54L, L58A, Y30F) and the E. coli flavohemoglobin (Hmp) towards… more Full Text: Ligand Binding Properties of Giardia Flavohemoglobin 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, …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>To investigate cytokinins (CKs) in nematodes, CK profiles of a free-living Caenorhabditis elegans and a plant parasitic Heterodera glycines (soybean cyst nematode, SCN) were determined at the egg and larval stages. SCN had higher total CK level than C. elegans; however, CKs in SCN were mostly inactive precursors, whereas C. elegans had more bioactive forms. This is the first study to… more Full Text: Cytokinins in nematodes: the potential role of cytokinins in soybean (Glycine max) resistance to soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines) A thesis submitted to the committee on Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Microfibres, which are threadlike particles < 5 mm, are the most common type of microplastic reported in the environment. However, few studies have focused on their abundance in background natural environments. This study assessed the abundance of microfibres in rainfall samples (from four precipitation monitoring stations) and across three headwater lake catchments that were in… more Full Text: Anthropogenic microfibres in background natural environments in Ireland A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Science Trent …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>In this thesis, aerosolization was studied as a possible means of water remediation for several environmentally relevant pharmaceutical pollutants, known for their persistence in wastewater effluent and potable water sources. Seven different pharmaceutical compounds and a well-known plasticizer were all shown to decrease considerably in concentration in aerosol that was produced and… more Full Text: STUDY OF AEROSOLS FOR USE IN WATER REMEDIATION OF PHARMACEUTICAL POLLUTANTS 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 …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Bees (clade Anthophila), are poorly studied in northern Canada, as these regions can be difficult to access and have a short growing season. This study examined bees from two such regions: Ontario's Far North, and Akimiski Island, Nunavut. I present this study as the largest biogeographical study of bees performed in these remote areas to enhance knowledge of northern native bees. I… more Full Text: The Diversity, Biogeography, and Functional Traits of Native Bees from Ontario’s Far North and Akimiski Island, Nunavut A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Blanchard, Dane Alexander, Thesis advisor (ths): Aherne, Julian, Degree committee member (dgc): Watmough, Shaun, Degree committee member (dgc): Sager, Eric P.S., Degree committee member (dgc): McKenna Neuman, Cheryl L, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Recent developments at an aluminum (Al) smelter in Kitimat, BC resulted in a permitted increase of 27 to 42 tonnes of sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions per day. Gaseous SO2 is a pollutant known to contribute to acidic deposition through processes of wet and dry deposition and can additionally react in-atmosphere to form particulate sulphate (pSO42-). Between June 2017 to October 2018, an… more Full Text: Observation-based assessment of atmospheric sulphur surrounding a major aluminum smelter in British Columbia, Canada A Thesis Submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Support Vector Machines (SVMs) are a deterministic, supervised machine learning algorithm that have been successfully applied to many areas of research. They are heavily grounded in mathematical theory and are effective at processing high-dimensional data. This thesis models a variety of galaxy classification tasks using SVMs and data from the Galaxy Zoo 2 project. SVM parameters were… more Full Text: Support Vector Machines for Automated Galaxy Classification 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: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Populations have long been delineated by physical barriers that appear to limit reproduction, yet increasingly genetic analysis reveal these delineations to be inaccurate. The eastern and mid-continent populations of sandhill cranes are expanding ranges which is leading to convergence and warrants investigation of the genetic structure between the two populations. Obtaining blood or… more Full Text: Do birds of a feather flock together: An investigation of sandhill crane (Antigone canadensis) populations using non-invasive feathers as a source of DNA A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Environmental DNA (eDNA) is rapidly becoming an established method for the detection of species in aquatic systems and has been suggested as a promising tool to estimate species abundance. However, the strength of the relationship between eDNA concentrations and taxon abundance (density/biomass) can vary widely between species. I investigated the relationship between eDNA concentration… more Full Text: Making eDNA count: Using environmental DNA (eDNA) to quantify relative larval amphibian abundance 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: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Prior research has examined social anxiety, emotional competence (EC) and life adjustment (i.e., loneliness and life satisfaction) using cross-sectional designs, although there is limited information on their association over time. The present study examined the impact of social anxiety on life adjustment and assessed if EC could mediate this relationship from young to middle adulthood.… more Full Text: SOCIAL ANXIETY AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE: A 15 YEAR FOLLOW-UP STUDY 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 …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Glucocorticoids (e.g., corticosterone (CORT)) are hypothesized to mediate decisions regarding reproductive investment during breeding, but the directionality of the relationship is not clear. The CORT-fitness hypothesis posits that high levels of CORT arise from challenging environmental conditions in which an individual will conserve resources for future reproduction or self-maintenance… more Full Text: THE ROLE OF CORTICOSTERONE IN REPRODUCTIVE EFFORT AND BREEDING SUCCESS IN TREE SWALLOWS 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: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Interspecific hybridization rates can vary depending on genomic compatibilities between progenitors, while subsequent hybrid spread can vary depending on hybrid performance and habitat availability for hybrid establishment and persistence. As a result, hybridization rates and hybrid frequencies can vary across regions of parental sympatry. In areas around the Laurentian Great Lakes,… more Full Text: INVESTIGATING THE REGIONAL VARIATION IN FREQUENCIES OF THE INVASIVE HYBRID CATTAIL, TYPHA × GLAUCA 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: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The conversion of historical analog images to time series data was performed by using deconvolution for pre-processing, followed by the use of custom built digitization algorithms. These algorithms have been developed to be user friendly with the objective of aiding in the creation of a data set from decades of mechanical observations collected from the Agincourt and Toronto geomagnetic… more Full Text: Historic Magnetogram Digitization 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 Peterborough, Ontario, Canada (c) …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Wynia, Abby, Thesis advisor (ths): Whillans, Thomas H., Thesis advisor (ths): Doka, Susan E., Degree committee member (dgc): de Kerckhove, Dak T., Degree committee member (dgc): Sager, Eric P.S., Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Invasive Phragmites australis ssp. australis (herein "Phragmites") has established and rapidly spread throughout many coastal areas of the Great Lakes. Known to displace native vegetation communities as it forms large, monotypic stands, Phragmites has a bad reputation when it comes to losses of biodiversity and habitat provision for wildlife. However, the extent to which… more Full Text: Fish and invertebrate use of invasive Phragmites in a Great Lakes freshwater delta A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The AeolianBox is an educational and presentation tool extended in this thesis to </p><p>represent the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) flow over a deformable surface in the </p><p>sandbox. It is a hybrid hardware cum mathematical model which helps users to visually, </p><p>interactively and spatially fathom the natural laws governing ABL airflow. The… more Full Text: AUGMENTED REALITY SANDBOX (AEOLIAN BOX): A TEACHING AND PRESENTATION TOOL FOR ATMOSPHERIC BOUNDARY LAYER AIRFLOWS OVER A DEFORMABLE SURFACE A Thesis Submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies In the Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Coldwater streams are becoming increasingly impacted due to urbanization. Using environmental surveys, mark-recapture and telemetry, I assessed factors influencing seasonal brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) habitat use and movement in urban headwater streams in central Ontario between 2017-18. Generalized additive models were used to assess which habitat variables best explained… more Full Text: SEASONAL HABITAT USE AND MOVEMENT OF NATIVE BROOK TROUT (SALVELINUS FONTINALIS) IN URBAN HEADWATER STREAMS A Thesis Submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in the …
Year: 2019, 2019
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Vezsenyi, Kathryn Anne, Thesis advisor (ths): Beresford, David V, Thesis advisor (ths): Schaefer, James A, Degree committee member (dgc): Skevington, Jeffrey H, Degree committee member (dgc): Crins, William, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Syrphids, also known as hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) are a diverse and widespread family of flies. Here, I report on their distributions from a previously understudied region, the far north of Ontario, as well as Akimiski Island, Nunavut. I used samples collected through a variety of projects to update known range and provincial records for over a hundred species, bringing into… more Full Text: Syrphidae (Diptera) of northern Ontario and Akimiski Island, Nunavut: new diversity records, trap analysis, and DNA barcoding A Thesis Submitted to the Committee of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment for the Degree of Master of Science in the Faculty …
