Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Biological Sciences

Microbes in the gut have diverse roles in influencing the host metabolism, including nutrient provision, immune system protection, and gut barrier integrity. The main objective of this study was to investigate the impact of fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) from alcohol Non-preferring (NP) rats on alcohol drinking behavior and the gut microbiome of selectively bred alcohol-preferring (P) rats. The rats were given choices between 15%, 30% alcohol solutions and water. FMT was conducted using a mixture of powdered feces and chow to facilitate the transfer of the gut microbiota. Fecal samples were collected at various time points, including before, during and after FMT, and were analyzed through sequencing to evaluate the composition and alteration in the gut microbiome over time. The R programming language and KBase were used to analyze the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and to assess the changes in microbial composition and abundance within the gut microbiome of P rats following FMT. The results showed a significant reduction in total alcohol consumption (measured as g/kg/day) in the P rats after FMT, suggesting that the gut microbes influenced drinking behavior. Furthermore, alpha diversity analysis was conducted using the Shannon diversity index (SDI) and observed OTUs. The results revealed that alpha diversity was higher in the pre-FMT samples compared to post-FMT samples, suggesting that FMT contributed to a decrease diversity, more stable and uniform bacterial community composition among the P rats. To assess the dissimilarity between bacterial communities, beta diversity analysis was performed through non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). The NMDS plot which is based on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index showed less variation in P rats after FMT. Further analysis demonstrated that the gut microbiota of the P rats through FMT from NP rats led to significant increase in the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and decrease in Lachnoclostridium. Ot (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Vipaporn Phuntumart Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Christopher Ward Ph.D. (Committee Member); Howard Casey Cromwell Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Biology; Microbiology; Molecular Biology

Master of Science in Botany, Miami University, 2020, Botany

Midwest oak savannas contain some of the highest plant diversity in the U.S. and are one of the rarest terrestrial ecosystems. This study aimed to understand the role of canopy cover and canopy heterogeneity in influencing plant alpha and beta diversity within these ecosystems. This is important for conservation and restoration because these systems must be maintained through active management. This study took place in remnant and restored oak savannas of the Indiana Dunes. Vegetation surveys took place across gradients of canopy cover and canopy heterogeneity. Alpha diversity was highest in plots with intermediate canopy cover (25-50%) and high canopy heterogeneity. However, plant functional groups varied in their response to canopy cover. Woody species diversity was highest in areas with a high canopy cover (>75%). C3, C4, and sedge species diversity was highest in areas with low canopy cover (<25%). Forb and legume diversity were highest with low to intermediate canopy cover (25-50% and 20-35%). There was no relationship between canopy cover or canopy heterogeneity with beta diversity. However, beta diversity was exceptionally high within all sites. From a management perspective, an average canopy cover of 25-50% is the optimal cover for promoting high plant diversity across many functional groups.

Committee: Jonathan Bauer Dr. (Advisor); Melany Fisk Dr. (Committee Member); Amélie Davis Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Botany; Conservation; Ecology

MS, Kent State University, 2015, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Biological Sciences

Thesis Part One: The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) for community analysis (i.e., eDNA metabarcoding) is becoming more commonplace within molecular ecology. However, molecular methods for use in soil animal studies require further development before high throughput sequencing can be considered a reliable technique in community ecology. To aid in this effort, I compare two frequently used genetic markers (mitochondrial COI and ribosomal 18S genes) to determine which is most appropriate for use in soil animal eDNA studies. DNA was analyzed from individual invertebrate species to test the efficiency of the primer sets in successfully targeting animal DNA. Primers were also tested for amplification of faunal genes from forest soil and leaf litter eDNA. Targeting the 18S gene resulted in the most successful amplification and correct identification of a wide range of individual invertebrate taxa, and was the most reliable gene for use in eDNA analysis. In contrast, the COI primers were inefficient in identifying a wide range of invertebrates, and amplified mostly bacterial sequences from eDNA. Thesis Part Two: Invertebrate communities are important in regulating processes and services in terrestrial ecosystems. Spatial patterns, therefore, are important in understanding the extent of these communities across a landscape, as community composition shifts over space through environmental heterogeneity and species interactions. However, current research is grounded in examining specific groups of taxa (e.g. Collembola, mites, nematodes, etc.), and a comprehensive understanding of factors structuring total invertebrate communities on multiple spatial scales has yet to be accomplished. While this would be a daunting task using traditional microscopy, recent advances in DNA sequencing technology has allowed for efficient alternative methods to uncover the composition of local invertebrate biodiversity. In this study, I uncovered spatial patterns of the full inver (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Christopher Blackwood Ph.D. (Advisor); Mark Kershner Ph.D. (Advisor); Xiaozhen Mou Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Biology; Ecology; Molecular Biology

Master of Environmental Science, Miami University, 2010, Environmental Sciences

The species-area relationship (SAR), a vital tool in community ecology, attempts to quantify the biodiversity of an area by identifying the species richness from sample patches. Diversity within a patch is known as α-diversity while diversity among patches is known as β-diversity. Some ecologists argue that differences in area explain all β-diversity in independent sampling while others argue β-diversity partially results from other factors, such as habitat heterogeneity or stochastic factors. In this meta-analysis of SAR data, β-diversity was partitioned into area-dependent and area-independent components; it was determined factors besides area explain a large portion of β-diversity in independent SAR samples. It was surprising that neither the sampling effort nor study scale had a significant effect on the diversity components.

Committee: Thomas Crist PhD (Advisor); Doug Meikle PhD (Committee Member); Jing Zhang PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Animals; Botany; Ecology; Environmental Science; Zoology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2022, Human Ecology: Human Nutrition

Approximately 48 million people, per year, are estimated to contract some form of foodborne disease[1], but foodborne infection is a risk which can be mitigated with appropriate food safety behaviors. [2]. Cancer patients experience a compromised immune system, both due to the mechanisms of cancer and due to the means by which treatments for cancer act upon the body[3]. This means that patients receiving treatment are at significantly higher risk of acquiring a foodborne infection than people living without cancer[4], and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued specialized guidelines for immunocompromised people [5]. Currently, approximately 5% of the US population are cancer survivors, with the raw number anticipated to increase from the current 16.9 million to 22.2 million, by 2030[6]. A person's risk of developing foodborne disease depends on a number of factors related to the host, their environment, and the pathogen is question. In 1998, Coleman et al. posited the design of the Disease Triangle, a framework whereby microbial risk analysis could be performed by assessing the host, pathogen, and environment[7]; an updated version of this model, now called the Health Triangle, expands upon what, explicitly, might be controlled within each of these three categories[8]. Environmental factors include aspects such as diet, nutrition, exposure (i.e., through air, occupational exposure, and the indoor/outdoor environment). Host factors depend on the general host of the health, with factors such as age, genetics, immune system, and underlying illness being harder or even impossible to change. Coleman et al. add a third aspect to the Health Triangle, which includes the microbiota and modulators. Use of antibiotics, chemotherapy, fecal transplants, and pre-, pro-, and syn-biotics can all impact the microbiome, and some can be modulated with diet or treatment. By performing appropriate food safety behaviors, cancer patients are able to decrease their ris (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Sanja Ilic (Advisor); Tonya Orchard (Committee Member); Ellen Evans (Committee Member); Dayssy Diaz Pardo (Committee Member); Irene Hatsu (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Biology; Health Education; Health Sciences; Microbiology; Nutrition