LVEES 2017, April 7, 2017. Desales University
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LVEES 2017, April 7, 2017. DeSales University 9:00 Introduction Improving with age? Light’s influence on rate of leaf maturation and leaf 9:15 chemistry explains differential herbivory of spicebush in sun and shade habitats Lydia Fisher* and Richard Niesenbaum. Muhlenberg College Schizocladia ischiensis’s organellar genomes: insights into the evolutionary transition to complexity of brown algae 9:30 Brian Cheda1*, Edward L. Braun2, Jeffrey Boore3, Mathew P. Salomon4, Hiroshi Kawai5, Takahiro Yamagishi6, and Naomi Phillips1. 1Arcadia University Resolution of intragenomic conflict during adaptive evolution of Saccharomyces 9:45 cerevisiae Rebecca Unterborn*, Sean Buskirk, and Gregory Lang. Lehigh University Surveillance for tick-borne pathogens in blacklegged ticks in the Lehigh Valley 10:00 region of Pennsylvania Bess Fleischman ‘17* and Thomas Yanushefski ’18*. Muhlenberg College Possible effects of climate change on a native and invasive species of terrestrial 10:15 slug Melissa Mayol* and Erika V. Iyengar. Muhlenberg College 10:30 Break Exploratory behavior as a component of personality in Carolina, black-capped, 10:45 and hybrid chickadees Breanna L. Bennett*, Sarah E. Polekoff, and Robert L. Curry. Villanova University The chemical ecology of a hybridizing chickadee system: olfaction and 11:00 reinforcement Alex Huynh. Lehigh University Teaching evolutionary concepts through digital evolution 11:15 Sean Buskirk* and Gregory Lang. Lehigh University Do promiscuous females mate similarly? A study of female egg distribution in 11:30 the Sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus) Andrew Bloch. Lehigh University Alterations to partner interactions during periods of conflict in the biparental 11:45 convict cichlid (Amatitlania siquia) Timothy Paciorek* and Murray Itzkowitz. Lehigh University Noon Lunch Testing the potential for cognitive ability to act as a reproductive isolating 1:00 barrier Michael A. McQuillan*, Timothy C. Roth, and Amber M. Rice. Lehigh University Sex differences in parental ability to teach acquired predator knowledge to fry 1:15 in the convict cichlid Layla Al-Shaer* and Murray Itzkowitz. Lehigh University Intralocus sexual conflict arises in experimental evolution of Saccharomyces 1:30 cerevisiae Katie Fisher*, Sean Buskirk, and Greg Lang. Lehigh University Replay experiments uncover the effect of historical contingency on evolutionary 1:45 outcomes Ryan C. Vignogna*, Sean W. Buskirk, and Gregory I. Lang. Lehigh University 2:00 Posters Keynote: Rattlesnake research: From the continent to the Caribbean 4:00 Howard K. Reinert. The College of New Jersey LVEES 2017 Oral abstracts Improving with age? Light’s influence on rate of leaf maturation and leaf chemistry explains differential herbivory of spicebush in sun and shade habitats Lydia Fisher* and Richard Niesenbaum. Muhlenberg College Undergraduate Insect herbivory on Lindera benzoin (Lauraceae) L. or spicebush has consistently been shown to be greater in shade habitats than sun habitats. One possible explanation is that leaves on plants in the sun age and express herbivory resistance more quickly than those in the shade. We tested this hypothesis by measuring leaf age and herbivory resistance characteristics in 2015. We found that leaves from sun habitats had a higher rate of change for chlorophyll levels, leaf area, length, and width. Sun leaves consistently expressed greater leaf thickness and lower photosynthetic quantum yield than shade leaves. In 2016, the relationship between light environment, leaf age, and phenolic content was tested. Phenolics are a chemical family associated with herbivore resistance and UV protection. We found that phenolic content decreased in shade leaves with age, while sun leaves maintained constant phenolic levels over time. In agreement with our hypothesis, the greater rate of leaf maturation and consistent phenolic content in sun leaves narrows the window of time that they are palatable to insect herbivores. This is a possible explanation for why herbivory on spicebush is greater in the shade than in the sun. Schizocladia ischiensis’s organellar genomes: insights into the evolutionary transition to complexity of brown algae Brian Cheda1*, Edward L. Braun2, Jeffrey Boore3, Mathew P. Salomon4, Hiroshi Kawai5, Takahiro Yamagishi6, and Naomi Phillips1. 1Arcadia University, 2University of Florida, 3Institute for Systems Biology WA, 4 Providence Saint John’s Health Center CA, 5Kobe University Research Center for Inland Seas Japan, 6 National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan Undergraduate Brown algae (Phaeophyceae) are one of the most productive and ecologically important lineages in marine ecosystems and represent one of the last lineages in the Eukaryotic tree of life to shift to multicellularity. Members of these lineages (including other heterokonts) generate approximately half the world’s oxygen. However, we are just beginning to understand their organellar genomes and architectural changes that accompany their transition to complexity. This is part of a larger project initiated to understand the organellar genomes of these important primary producers and the genomic changes accompanying their shift to multicellularity. This presentation will examine the plastid and mitochondrial genomes of Schizocladia and discuss comparative insights gained from the project. To assure the isolation of pure genomic DNA cultures were grown with GeO2 to inhibit diatom growth before DNA extraction. Data from a separate HiSeq and Miseq runs were collected and assembled. We report here on the size, structure, and gene content of this heterokont lineage and compare it to members of the brown algae. Schizocladia is more brown algal like in genome size, gene content and other genome attributes. Lastly, we summarize insights gained into the evolutionary patterns in organellar genomes from heterokonts to brown algae. Resolution of intragenomic conflict during adaptive evolution of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rebecca Unterborn*, Sean Buskirk, and Gregory Lang. Lehigh University Undergraduate The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is host to a selfish intracellular “Killer” virus that encodes both a Killer toxin and its corresponding immunity component. We recently discovered that our laboratory strain - a strain that we have used extensively in experimental evolution - contains the Killer virus. Previously we evolved ~600 replicate populations of our Killer-containing laboratory strain for 1,000 generations. We discovered that the Killer virus was lost in ~50% of our populations. Further, we detected a prominent mutational signature in the genomes of the evolved yeast populations indicating that modification of the cell wall – the target of the Killer toxin – is under strong selection pressure. We have adapted a phenotypic plating assay for detecting the presence of the Killer virus. To track the dynamics of Killer-mediated phenotypic evolution, we have surveyed the evolved populations to reveal how populations evolve under Killer virus-induced intragenomic conflict. Ultimately, we aim to provide a comprehensive view of the evolution of Killer-mediated traits to help us better understand the Killer Virus itself, as well as the cell’s response to it. Surveillance for tick-borne pathogens in blacklegged ticks in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania Bess Fleischman ‘17* and Thomas Yanushefski ’18*. Muhlenberg College Undergraduate Several human pathogens are transmitted by the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis. These include the spirochetes that cause Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi). Emerging and currently rare tick-borne diseases are of increasing concern. These include tick-borne relapsing fever (Borrelia miyamotoi), the rickettsia-like bacteria that cause human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) (Anaplasma phagocytophilum) and the protozoa that cause human babesiosis (Babesia microti). The extent to which I. scapularis ticks are infected or co-infected with human pathogens in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania is being investigated in an ongoing study at eleven forested field sites. Approximately 50 ticks were tested per site. Real-time PCR assays and in some instances, conventional PCR followed by DNA sequencing, is being used to screen nymph stage I. scapularis ticks for infection with four tick-borne pathogens. From 2014 to 2016, B. burgdorferi has been detected in ~23 % of the ~1500 sampled ticks. Significant year to year differences in the overall infection rates were not observed. B. miyamotoi, B. microti and a human variant of A. phagocytophilum have been detected but at a much lower level. Our results are consistent with those expected in a region where Lyme disease is prevalent and human cases of tick-borne relapsing fever, babesiosis and HGA are not currently widespread. It is expected that this study will serve as a baseline for future studies of tick-borne pathogens in this area. Possible effects of climate change on a native and invasive species of terrestrial slug Melissa Mayol* and Erika V. Iyengar. Muhlenberg College Undergraduate Terrestrial slugs are important detritivores, affecting nutrient cycling and seed dispersal, especially in the temperate rainforest of the Pacific Northwest. Climate change is expected to increase temperatures and decrease precipitation in this region during the summer, which may alter the food and habitat available to these slugs. We conducted experiments on the two largest species of terrestrial slugs on San Juan Island, Washington state: the native species Ariolimax columbianus and