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>The residential sector is a major consumer of electricity, and its demand will rise by 65 percent by the end of 2050. The electricity consumption of a household is determined by various factors, e.g. house size, socio-economic status of the family, size of the family, etc. Previous studies have only identified a limited number of socio-economic and dwelling factors. In this thesis, we… more Full Text: Influence of geodemographic factors on electricity consumption and forecasting models 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): Shamess, Dean Skinner, Thesis advisor (ths): Cater, Bruce, Degree committee member (dgc): Lew, Byron, Degree committee member (dgc): Parker, James, Degree committee member (dgc): Pollanen, Marco, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Universities produce a significant and increasing share of basic research that is later commercialized by firms. We argue that the university's prominence as a producer of basic research is the result of a differential efficiency in research production that cannot be replicated by firms or individual agents - teaching. By using research accomplishments to signal knowledge and… more Full Text: Academic Efficiency: The University-Firm Innovation Market, Intellectual Property Rights and Teaching 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>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>Using quarterly data from the six largest Canadian banks, we investigate the relationship between regulatory capital ratio and on-balance sheet liquidity created in the Canadian economy by "Big Six". We find a significant positive relationship between Tier 1 capital ratio and on-balance sheet liquidity creation for Canadian big six banks, implying that large banks in Canada… more Full Text: Capital Ratios and Liquidity Creation: Evidence from Canadian Big Six Banks 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: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p> The cost of reproduction refers to the use of resources for the production of offspring that decreases the availability of resources for future reproductive events and other biological processes. Models of sex-allocation provide insights into optimal patterns of resource investment in male and female sex functions and have been extended to include other components of the life history,… more Full Text: Assessing the Cost of Reproduction between Male and Female Sex Functions in Hermaphroditic Plants 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 …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Ghahremani, Roya S, Thesis advisor (ths): Keefer, Kateryan, Degree committee member (dgc): Parker, James, Degree committee member (dgc): Nisbet, Lisa, Degree committee member (dgc): Fournier, Neil, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Recently, equine assisted learning (EAL) has emerged as a novel approach to building resiliency competencies in at-risk youth. This mixed-methods study presents evaluation results for an 8-week community-based EAL program with 83 young women (age 13-18 years) with a history of interpersonal trauma. Analyses examined changes in self-reported mental health symptoms (posttraumatic,… more Full Text: UNBRIDLED POTENTIAL: THE USE OF EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING AS A RESILIENCY INTERVENTION By Roya Sarah Ghahremani A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Psychology Trent University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Many emerging infectious diseases are caused by pathogens that possess free-living life stages, in which they interact with the environment directly rather than through the mediation of a host. These diseases represent major impediments to wildlife conservation; however, the dynamics of their interaction with the environment are poorly studied, often due to the difficulty of detecting… more Full Text: Assessing the environmental correlates of a lethal amphibian pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, in Ontario wetlands A Thesis Submitted to the Committee on 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>Giardia intestinalis possesses four isotypes of cytochrome b5 (gCYTB-I-IV) that differ from their mammalian counterparts, suggesting different functions in this protozoan parasite. Although the recently discovered Giardia flavoenzyme, GiOR-1, reduces these cytochromes, its properties have not been thoroughly studied, owing to the difficulty in its expression. Here I describe successful… more Full Text: Expression of Giardia intestinalis flavoenzyme GiOR-1 and characterization of its electron transfer properties A thesis submitted to the Committee on Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the …
Year: 2021, 2021
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Recent agricultural land use change in east-central Ontario, including the expansion of intensive agriculture (corn and soybean crops) and tile drainage (TD) infrastructure, may alter the fluxes of both phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) to the Lower Great Lakes. Through intensive monitoring of several sub-watersheds that encompassed a range of row crop and TD extents, this study examined… more Full Text: Effects of Intensive Agriculture on Stream Nutrient Export in EastCentral Ontario, Canada A thesis submitted to the Committee on Graduate studies in partial fulfilment of the thesis 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>Sudbury, Ontario is an epicenter of research on industrially degraded landscapes. Regreening efforts over the past 40 years have changed the landscape, leading to an increase in forest cover in the "barrens", that once covered more than 100,000 ha. This study characterized changes in plant and insect composition using a space for time approach in the pine plantations. A total… more Full Text: Biodiversity patterns along a forest time series in a remediated industrial landscape 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 …