8th TEXAS TECH ANNUAL BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES SYMPOSIUM (TTABSS) DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES LUBBOCK, TEXAS APRIL 7-8, 2017 Thank You TTABSS 2017 Sponsors! TABLE OF CONTENTS WELCOME NOTE……………………………………………………………………............ 2 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS……………………………………………………………...……….. 3-7 TTUAB OFFICERS & COMMITTEES…………………………………………..……….……. 8 LOCAL RESTAURANTS ………………...…………………………….….....………..………. 9 PROGRAM AT A GLANCE…………………….…………………………..………………….. 10-11 MAP OF EVENT LOCATION…………………….…………………………………………… 12 COMPLETE DAILY SCHEDULE…………...…………………………………….………......... 13-26 FRIDAY, APRIL 7………..………………………………………..…………..……. 13-18 UNDERGRADUATE POSTERS…………………………………………………… 14-15 GRADUATE POSTERS…………………………………………………………... 15-18 SATURDAY, APRIL 8………………………….…………………..…………..……. 19-26 ABSTRACTS….……………………………………………………………………..…......... 27-56 POSTERS…………………………………………………...………………………. 27-48 UNDERGRADUATE POSTERS…………………………………………………… 27-34 GRADUATE POSTERS…………………………………………………………... 34-48 UNDERGRADUATE……………………………………...…………………………. 48-50 CELL & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY…………………………………………………….. 51-55 ECOLOGY………………………………………………………………………….…… 55-61 EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY…………………………………………….……..……. 61-64 MICROBIOLOGY……………………………………………………………………. 65-67 MUSEUM SCIENCE…………………………………………………………………. 68-69 NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT CONSERVATION………………….…..……. 69-71 PROPOSAL……………………..……………………………….…………...……... 72-77 TOXICOLOGY………………………...…………………………………………...... 77-79 AUTHOR INDEX BY ABSTRACT NUMBER………………………………………….………… 80-81 THANK YOU NOTE…………………………………………………………………………. 82 NOTES……...………………..………………………………………………………….……. 83-85 Welcome Note: It is with great pleasure we welcome everyone to the 8th Texas Tech Annual Biological Sciences Symposium (TTABSS), which is held this year of 2017, on April 7th and 8th. This year, the Biological Sciences Symposium is hosted at the Helen DeVitt Jones Sculpture Court at the Museum of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Since the first TTABSS in 2009, the Association of Biologists at Texas Tech University (TTUAB) and the Department of Biological Sciences have planned this annual symposium. Three graduate student organizations, Association of Biologists at Texas Tech (TTUAB), Association of Natural Resource Scientists (ANRS), and Tech American Society for Microbiology (Tech ASM), have worked closely with both Departments of Biological Sciences and Natural Resource Management to make this symposium possible. Our goal as a scientific community is to provide a platform to share scientific findings, explore the diverse world of Biological Sciences by exchanging ideas among peers, and gain experiences from academic advisors. TTABSS helps us achieve this. This year, the symposium has a total of 160 undergraduate, graduate and faculty participants from 13 academic institutions. Our program will have 95 research presentations that include 39 poster presentations and 4 concurrent oral sessions. In addition, we would like to announce our t w o distinguished guest speakers, Dr. Matt Chumchal and Dr. Dan Riskin. They are both renowned scientists in their respective fields. Dr. Matt Chumchal is from Texas Christian University, and Dr. Dan Riskin is from the TV show, Daily Planet, and University of Toronto Mississauga. We are excited to have such incredible plenary speakers donate their time and support for our event. As Co-Presidents of TTUAB and Chair of the TTABSS committee, we would like to thank all the members of the local TTABSS committee for their hard work and dedication. Thank you to our advisors for their advice and suggestions on organizing the program, and t o our event sponsors and vendors who have helped us with the costs of TTABSS 2017. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all of you for your participation and contribution in making this year’s event a continued success, and for the development of a better conference for future years. Wish you all a productive and enjoyable experience! Best, Amanda Starr and Emma Brookover Co-Presidents, TTUAB Emily Wright Local Committee Chair, TTABSS 2017 2 EVENT HOSTS The Association of Biologists at Texas Tech University (TTUAB) Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University (DBS) Museum of Texas Tech University (MoTTU) American Society of Microbiology (ASM), TTU Chapter Department of Natural Resources Management, Texas Tech University (NRM) The Graduate School at Texas Tech University Association of Natural Resource Scientists at TTU (ANRS) Student Government Association at Texas Tech University (SGA) EVENT COLLABORATORS CISER/HHMI at Texas Tech University The Institute for Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH) Museum Heritage Student Association (MHSA) Vice President of Research Division of Institutional Diversity, Equity & Community Engagement (DIDECE) PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS Texas Tech University Hardin-Simmons University McMurry University Museum of Texas Tech University Texas Tech Health Science Center Texas Tech University Climate Science Center University of Arkansas- Fort Smith Baylor University University of Toronto Mississauga Discovery Canada Wayland Baptist University Texas Woman’s University University of Texas at Arlington University of Texas Rio Grande Valley West Texas A&M University All Saints Episcopal School Texas Christian University 3 PLENARY SPEAKERS Dr. Matt Chumchal is an Associate Professor of Biology at Texas Christian University. He is an ecologist interested in the interactions between ecological and human systems. Since earning a PhD in 2007 at the University of Oklahoma, his research has primarily focused on mercury contamination in the environment. Recent areas of interest include the trophic transfer of mercury in food webs and factors that lead to spatial variation in the mercury contamination of organisms at a variety of scales. He has used both experimental and field survey approaches to study mercury contamination in wetlands, lakes, rivers, estuaries and the Gulf of Mexico. His lab works with a wide variety of aquatic organisms including plankton, macroinvertebrates, fish, and turtles. Dr. Dan Riskin is a biologist turned TV personality for Animal Planet and Discovery Channel Canada. He received a Doctorate from Cornell University and did post-doc work at Boston and Brown University working on the biomechanics of bats. During his post-doc, he helped out with the TV show called “Monsters Inside of Me” talking about the disturbing, yet fascinating world of parasites. He then accepted a position as an Assistant Professor at the City University of New York. In 2011, he left academia and became a full-time TV co-host on Daily Planet. Today, he is busy discussing science on several TV shows and in his book “Mother Nature is trying to Kill You”, being an Adjunct Professor for the University of Toronto Mississauga, and researching biomechanics of small mammals. 4 A SPECIAL NOTE With the blessings of his wife, Heather Whitlaw, the Department of Natural Resources Management and the Association of Natural Resource Scientists; since 2012, the award for the Natural Resource Management and Conservation category has been named the: Warren B. Ballard Memorial Award With the permission of his wife and family, Department of Biological Sciences, TTUAB and Tech ASM proudly names the microbiology award in honor and fond memory of Dr. Bilimoria, professor of microbiology and virology at Texas Tech University for 35 years, who also mentored almost 20 graduate students. This award would stimulate interest and discover the strength of aspiring students in the field of microbiology. Shan L. Bilimoria Memorial Graduate Student Award 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS If not for the support from the following individuals, TTABSS 2017 would not have been possible. TTU ADMINISTRATORS & DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES STAFF Robert Duncan - Chancellor, TTU Lawrence Schovanec - Interim President, TTU Michael Galyean - Interim Provost and Senior Vice President, TTU Guy Loneragan - Vice President for Research, TTU Mark Sheridan- Dean of Graduate School, TTU Michael San Francisco- Dean of Honors College, TTU W. Brent Lindquist – Dean, College of Arts & Sciences, TTU Clifford Fedler- Associate Dean of Graduate School, TTU John Zak – Associate Dean of Research, Interim Chair, Biological Sciences, TTU Lou Densmore – Full Professor, Graduate Student Advisor, Biological Sciences, TTU Ron Chesser – Full Professor, TTUAB Faculty Advisor, Biological Sciences, TTU Lauren Gollahon – Associate Professor, Biological Sciences, TTU Mark Wallace – Chair, Natural Resources Management, TTU Richard E. Zartman – Chair, Plant & Soil Sciences, TTU Todd Anderson – Chair, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health, TTU Tobin Brannan - Museum of Texas Tech University Julie Isom- Associate Director, TTU/HHMI (CISER) Lanita Ladd – Business Manager, Biological Sciences, TTU Pat Moore – Senior Office Assistant, Biological Sciences, TTU Lisa Dion – Lead Account Processor, Biological Sciences, TTU Stephanie Eggeling – Senior Business Assistant, Biological Sciences, TTU Kunyu Li – IT Support, Biological Sciences, TTU Chris Long – Unit Manager, Biology Building, TTU Jennifer Smith – Unit Manager, Biology Greenhouse, TTU Vina Khan – Specialist II, Dept. of Biological Sciences, TTU Carol Espinosa – Senior Business Assistant, Biological Sciences, TTU Jacqueline Miralles-Salazar – Senior Technician, Biological Sciences, TTU Raquel Miranda – Admin Business Assistant Judges Robert Bradley – Biological Sciences, TTU Caleb Phillips – Biological Sciences, TTU Nabarun Gosh - Department of Life Earth and Environmental Sciences, West Texas A&M