Master of Science in Biological Sciences, Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry

Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) excavate burrow systems for predatory avoidance and social organization. As such, they have evolved a suite of musculoskeletal traits in their forelimbs that are employed for scratch-digging (i.e., digging motion performed by alternating power and recovery strokes). However, the degree to which their muscular anatomy has become modified in response to the selective pressures of their semi-fossorial lifestyle is unknown. To better understand the functional capacities of their forelimb musculature, dissections of C. ludovicianus (N=9) were conducted to quantify limb mechanical advantage, muscle architectural properties, and myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform content. Compared with previous data from ground squirrels, forelimb muscle mass distribution is broadly similar with a large investment of scapular and shoulder muscle mass that accounts for two-thirds of the total forelimb muscle mass. The majority of muscles have long fascicles with correspondingly high LF/ML ratios, whereas aside from FCR and ECU, the main digital flexors/extensors, selected intrinsic shoulder flexors/extensors, and the smallest elbow extensors, most muscles have low PCSA/MM ratios. Notably, only the massive PECS was considered to be a high-power muscle by its architectural properties, although several muscles are modified for large joint torque or torque range, including PECS, LAT, and a well-developed m. triceps brachii long head. Mechanical advantage is correspondingly greatest at the shoulder joint, appreciable at the elbow joint, and low at the carpal joint. Lastly, muscle composition is faster-contracting by moderate expression of fast MHC-2B and low expression of slow MHC-1. That said, %MHC isoform content shows a predominance of MHC-2A as predicted, which progressively increases distally throughout the forelimb. These findings collectively suggest that C. ludovicianus is less-specialized among burrowing rodents as hypothesized. Its forelim (open full item for complete abstract)

PHD, Kent State University, 2024, College of Arts and Sciences / School of Biomedical Sciences

Successful infant feeding requires effective milk acquisition, followed by the transport of ingested material across the oral cavity and through the pharynx, ultimately culminating in esophageal peristalsis. Several elements that underlie the neural control of swallowing are underexplored, including the neurological relationships among different aspects of swallowing (oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal). The works described here aim to improve our understanding of the sensorimotor relationships that drive infant swallowing, primarily by stimulating specific areas with capsaicin. To begin, we use an animal model of superior laryngeal nerve lesion to assess the effects of oropharyngeal capsaicin administration on feeding physiology. Next, we analyze the impacts of esophageal afferents on upstream feeding behaviors using a model of simulated gastroesophageal reflux. Finally, we explore the role of mandibular afferents in infant feeding, and determine whether capsaicin administration can recover any deficits resulting from anesthetization of these afferents. All experiments were conducted using infant pigs, a validated model for the study of infant feeding. Common methodology across specific aims includes videofluoroscopy (to assess kinematics and feeding performance) and electromyography (to assess motor outputs to muscles of interest). These experiments ultimately shed light on the extent of brainstem sensorimotor integration across feeding behaviors. Additionally, the results of these studies provide insights into the mechanisms by which specific sensory signals are integrated during feeding. These insights are critical and will ultimately facilitate the design of targeted interventions for specific feeding pathophysiologies in infants.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Animal Sciences

An estimated 70% of adults in the U.S. have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lives. Equine-assisted interactions (EAI) have been reported to contribute to positive outcomes for a variety of populations. However, little is known of the how previous trauma may influence these outcomes. EAI is a comprehensive term used to refer to a variety of services that utilize horses and other equine to benefit people. Although positive outcomes have been observed among EAI participants, research reports mixed results with few studies utilizing a multifaceted approach to assess responses. Additionally, few studies have sought to investigate the impact of EAI on the equine participant. Limited evidence suggests there is little to no effect of EAI on the equine involved but these studies lack a multifaceted approach which prevents a more comprehensive understanding of the equine experience. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to 1) assess the influence of equine assisted interactions (EAI) on human biopsychosocial responses, 2) assess the influence of previous trauma type on biopsychosocial responses to EAI, and 3) to assess the influence of EAI on equine participants using a biobehavioral approach. Participants (n = 36) interacted with the same equine (n = 10) in four consecutive, weekly 30-min EAI sessions. Human biological measures included heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and salivary analytes oxytocin (OT), TNF- α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8. Human psychological responses included participants' perceived quality of life, PTSD symptoms, momentary anxiety, and psychological distress. Human behavioral responses including standing, locomotion, sitting, and touch were assessed via scan sampling every 30 sec from video recorded every session. EAI sessions were video recorded to assess behavioral responses via scan sampling. Previous trauma was classified as TBI, PTSD, BOTH (PTSD/TBI), or NONE. Equine biological responses included heart rate (HR), heart (open full item for complete abstract)

MS, Kent State University, 2024, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Geography

In 2018, the largest wildfire to ever occur in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area burned 88% of National Park Service (NPS) land. Located near Los Angeles, this park is the largest urban national park in the U.S. and home to mountain lions (Puma concolor) that are severely threatened. High levels of urbanization force them to live in overlapping and too small of home ranges, leading to intraspecific conflicts and inbreeding. The frequent wildfires add another threat, killing pumas directly or damaging their habitat. Current research conflicts as to how pumas select habitat post-fire, and most do not incorporate remote sensing metrics or consider how movements change with time since fire. In this study, I used global positioning system (GPS) collar data supplied by the NPS to analyze post-fire puma habitat selection. I conducted integrated step selection functions (iSSFs) at individual and population levels, for every 6-month seasonal period following the 2018 fire through 2023. I analyzed nine static variables to account for abiotic landscape variability and three variables derived from multi-temporal remote sensing to capture the dynamic, biotic environment, mainly focused on burn severity and vegetation condition and structure metrics. Habitat selection and variable importance were compared within each time period, as well as throughout the study period. I focused results on the population level analyses only. Results indicated that pumas consistently selected for increased vegetation vigor and selected for higher landscape heterogeneity and structure for the majority of time periods. Vegetation vigor also appeared as one of the most important variables to movement, along with terrain ruggedness and slope. Seasonal trends emerged for some variables post-fire. This study suggests that pumas are considerate of vegetation condition and fire impacts when selecting habitat, highlighting key habitat characteristics that pumas prefer post-fire. The influ (open full item for complete abstract)

PHD, Kent State University, 2024, College of Arts and Sciences / School of Biomedical Sciences

In nonhuman primates, the adrenal gland serves an important function in the stress response and as an additional source of steroid hormones: estrogens and testosterone. Therefore, the measurement of these adrenal steroids can provide valuable information regarding the relationship between stress and reproductive fitness. This research documented the hormonal maturation of the adrenal gland in small apes and explored how environmental, reproductive, and social changes influence adrenal hormone secretions in primates. The first objective was to determine the presence and pattern of adrenarche in the small apes. This objective collected cross-sectional fecal samples from 64 (35F, 29M) zoo-housed small apes and longitudinal fecal samples from 7 female zoo-housed small apes and measured dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS) by enzyme immunoassay to determine the pattern of hormone secretion characteristic of the activation of the adrenal gland, or adrenarche. This study tested the effects of age, sex, and genus on fecal DHEAS levels using generalized linear mixed-effects models (GLMM). The results showed that age was positively correlated with a pre-pubertal increase in fecal DHEAS across all genera in the study (Hylobates spp., Hoolock spp., Nomascus spp., Symphalangus syndactylus) indicating that the small apes exhibit delayed adrenarche similar to the great apes. The second objective was to examine how reproductive state and social dominance impact fecal androgens and the glucocorticoid metabolite (GCM) to DHEAS ratio (GCM:DHEAS) in free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) considering environmental factors (season and ambient temperature) and social behaviors (i.e., aggression, and affiliation) as potential variables influencing these steroid hormones. This objective measured fecal GCM and DHEAS in 354 samples by enzyme immunoassay in 11 female macaques (7 pregnant/lactating, 4 nonpregnant/nonlactating). Using GLMM, the results showed that pregnant and lactati (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2024, Psychology

Shared reward pathways in the brain unveil the potential for the development of dependence on a variety of substances, including commonly recognized drugs of abuse and, more insidiously, sugar. Sugar overconsumption has been associated with compulsivity and impulsivity repetitive behaviors which are predictors of later substance abuse. Furthermore, previous research has shown that rats can develop symptoms mirroring addiction such as binging, craving, tolerance, and withdrawal in response to sugar alone. Motivation research has indicated that impaired reward relativity is a key component of vulnerability to addiction. The ability of an animal to discriminate between differing levels of rewards for the amount of work exerted to receive that reward may predict later addictive behavior to a variety of substances. This thesis examined the appetitive and consummatory behavior of non-food restricted female Wistar rats in self-administration tasks of sucrose and ethanol solutions. Relative reward effects were evaluated by using trials that differ in time of access to the reward (20s vs 10s vs 5s). The results suggest that non-food restricted Wistar rats show discrimination between substance and length of trial, as well as some sensitivity to intra-session alterations in ethanol reward. They exhibit diminished sensitivity to sucrose in consumption and lick rate. Behavioral measures like consumption and nosepoke latency had some predictive potential in regard to behavioral response to ethanol. The incentive contrast paradigm used in this project allows a closer examination of the motivational processes shared by alcohol and sugar that could result in addiction. Using natural reward sensitivity to predict future addiction could aid significantly in preventing and treating substance use disorders.

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Ohio University, 2024, Environmental Studies

Grassland birds have narrow habitat requirements that are influenced by food availability, habitat composition, and habitat structure. Because survival is influenced by habitat quality and availability, understanding habitat requirements is critical for conservation. I determined how Henslow's Sparrows (Centronyx henslowii) use grassland habitat in the breeding season. In the past 10 years, technology advancements have allowed researchers to study the habitat use and movement ecology of understudied birds, such as grassland birds. I deployed nanotags on 47 adult Henslow's Sparrows at two sites in southern Ohio to determine home range size and habitat use in relation to distance to edge and shrub, as well as the post-breeding dispersal and migratory timing. I predicted that Henslow's Sparrows would use core grassland habitat and avoid edge and shrubs. I found no difference in 95 % home range size between female (0.10 ± 0.03 ha) and male (0.32 ± 0.18 ha) Henslow's Sparrows. Henslow's Sparrows used shrubs when available and edge habitat as refugia after disturbance. I also found that Henslow's Sparrows use fields into August, past dates typically recommended for disturbance (e.g., mid to late July), which suggests the need to leave corridors and patches for refugia after management such as mowing or burning. I determined the fall migratory departure timing of 13 Henslow's Sparrows. I found that Henslow's Sparrows are at risk for entanglement which resulted in mortality of two birds. A third bird found entangled was found alive, entangled in vegetation, and was released after I removed the nanotag. I also found that 24 Henslow's Sparrows were able to remove nanotags and several damaged their nanotags. While I do not recommend the use of nanotags on this species in future studies, my study did result in determining fall migratory departure timing of Henslow's Sparrows in Ohio which was previously unknown.

Ed.D., Antioch University, 2024, Education

Farmed animal sanctuaries provide lifelong care to formerly farmed animals. Many strive to educate their community about farmed animals and promote more compassionate lifestyles, such as veganism. Important to this is cultivating empathy and concern for the well-being of individual farmed animals. Essential to well-being is agency, which is the capacity of a living being to engage with their environments and to make choices for themselves. Farmed animals outside of sanctuaries have had their agency systematically suppressed and denied. Sanctuary educators can bring awareness to this and inspire alternative, agency-centered relationships with not only farmed animals but all living beings. To aid in this endeavor, this practice-based dissertation included the development of a resource guide for sanctuary staff and volunteers about recognizing, supporting, and teaching about the agency of farmed animals in sanctuary education. Following Stephen Brookfield's (2021) Materials Development Dissertation outline, this paper describes the inspirations for creating these materials and the development process in detail. This process included inviting scholars and practitioners to review the materials and offer feedback, which is shared in this paper. This paper also reports on how the materials will be disseminated to have the most impact on the field. There is also discussion on the broader implications of this work in countering oppression and facilitating more equitable and compassionate ways of coexisting with all beings. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, History

This dissertation uncovers how, why, and where the modern pet dog originated. The average dog's transition from a working animal to a nonworking companion in the nineteenth-century United Kingdom constituted the dog's most radical alteration of purpose since their initial domestication prior to the establishment of agricultural civilization. This dissertation contends that the modern family dog originated during the long-nineteenth century (1780-1920) primarily in Victorian Britain—the initial nation altered by the interlocking forces of industrialization and urbanization. These processes provided the necessary cultural and material preconditions to reconceptualize this traditional working animal as a nonworking companion. These phenomena also provided the necessary infrastructure to manufacture commodities—from biscuits to soap—that became necessary to maintain dogs. Family dogs altered domestic and urban environments, individual and collective habits, local and global economic markets, and traditional human and canine behaviors. British pet culture surged beyond national boundaries to become the global norm governing appropriate human-dog interaction. Fundamental English practices—such as leash laws—remain normal today alongside British breeds that garner worldwide favor. Despite their integral presence in modern Western culture, however, there remains no holistic—nor interdisciplinary—narrative explaining how the typical dog transformed from a working animal to a nonworking companion. In this sense, this project rectifies this pronounced historiographical absence and knowledge gap for the broader dog-owning public. Answering this question necessitates adopting an interdisciplinary perspective entangling humans and nonhumans since Britons were not solely responsible for creating pet dogs. Rather, dogs actively shaped this process. Understanding dogs in their own right—their cognitive, sensory, and physical capabilities—hinges on including insights from animal s (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science in Biological Sciences, Youngstown State University, 2023, Department of Biological Sciences and Chemistry

Burying beetles have served as a model to answer diverse questions about the evolution of social behavior in insects and to understand the physiological and evolutionary mechanisms involved in the manifestation of parental care behavior. More recently, an increasing number of genomic and transcriptomic resources have become available in Nicrophorus spp. This study utilizes this data to assay sources of variation in the Nicrophorus orbicollis transcriptome with the specific aims to 1) evaluate the extent of alternative splicing in this species and 2) assess differential expression and alternative splicing in genes that are associated with distinct parental behavioral phenotypes in male and female burying beetles during breeding. This was achieved by differential expression analysis of N. orbicollis transcriptomes for parents showing high and low care provisioning behavior. Two algorithms were used to increase predictive accuracy in detecting alternatively spliced genes. Genes that were alternatively spliced and differentially expressed between behavioral groups were subject to further functional characterization. An overall profile of alternative splicing was determined, indicating that many transcripts resulting from alternative splicing were the result of several types of alternative splicing events. There was also evidence for a higher occurrence of intron retention events than exon skipping events. Additionally, the occurrence of alternative splicing was not found to be more common in differentially expressed genes for any specific biological process associated with parental care behavior. Still, evidence for alternative splicing within genes relevant to variability of the parental care phenotype was presented and potential behavioral implications were discussed.

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2023, Antioch New England: Clinical Psychology

The animal rights movement, despite its historical roots, has only recently garnered attention in the realm of social sciences, increasingly being recognized as a facet of social justice. This dissertation delves into the intersection of animal rights activism and gender, primarily focusing on the parallels drawn between the oppression of women and animals/nature. The noticeable dominance of women in the animal rights movement, as suggested by previous studies, formed the basis for adopting an eco-feminist approach to explore this issue, highlighting the shared oppression and exploitation faced by women and animals. In-depth, in-person interviews were used to collect data on the experiences of animal rights activists, probing how their interest was piqued, the nature of their participation, and the influence of their activism on their personal lives. This study also sought to explore potential gender-based differences in the experiences of activists. A constructionist research paradigm guided the qualitative inquiry, while a thematic analysis was employed to interpret the data. The results showed a significant female representation, aligning with existing research, with only one participant identifying as male. Emerging themes revealed the formative influence of early childhood experiences in fostering an interest in animal welfare, such as familial influence or key events. Participants' involvement in animal activism manifested in various forms, such as volunteer work, fostering, lobbying, outreach, and education. Activism resulted both in benefits including social connectivity and personal growth and challenges like burnout and compassion fatigue. These findings enrich the current understanding of the animal rights movement and its relationship to eco-feminism, intersectional environmentalism, and eco-psychology, adding further weight to its relevance in social justice discourse.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology

The formation and stability of dominance structure is influenced by variation in individual attributes such as body size and fighting ability. The consequences of contest outcomes can ultimately impact individual fitness and reproductive success. Conflict is costly, so individuals must trade off the benefits of succeeding in conflict against the costs of conflict and of losing. In many social systems, body size is closely aligned with social rank and access to resources. Therefore, growth strategies could influence the occurrence and costs of group conflict. Further, an individual's decision to engage in conflict may depend on the information it has about the costs and benefits of fighting. This information could come from prior contest experience, resulting in winner-loser effects where previous winners/losers become more likely to win/lose in subsequent contests. However, repeated interactions can provide opportunities to learn to become better fighters, regardless of outcome. The primary aim of this dissertation was to investigate how variation in body size and fighting experience can influence rank-related conflict and the stability of dominance hierarchies. My central hypothesis is that there is a tradeoff between avoiding conflict and pursuing a higher social rank. In Chapter 2, I conducted a literature review to examine the feedback between growth and conflict in dominance-structured groups and how this process can result in stable size-structure. For Chapters 3 and 4, I used lab experiments to investigate how variation in relative body size and fighting experience can influence subsequent behavior and hormonal state in a social fish, Neolamprologus pulcher. In Chapter 3, I found that altering size-gaps between adjacent-ranked females impacted the robustness of dominance structure such that dominance structure was more robust in groups with large size-gaps. After perturbation, all group members increased expression of behaviors that can reinforce the dominanc (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2023, English (Arts and Sciences)

This project aims to interrogate modernist symbolism of the dog as representations of human alterity by focusing on the importance of the dog as a robust modernist trope used to articulate the problems of being human in an increasingly industrialized, modernized society. This dissertation explores how the dog functions as a symbol with attention to class, hierarchies, kinship arrangements, sex and sexuality, but also considers the dog as a literal dog, outside of human constructs. While Darwinian theory undermines the supremacy of the human by showing how species interrelate, the dog is of particular importance because of its coevolutionary partnership with humans, having the capacity to expose the precarity of human ascendency and dissolve the human/animal boundary. The dog's capacity for destabilizing the category of human can convey humanity's degradation, but the dog is also an analogue for human constructions, articulating questions of class, gender, and sexuality. Intimacy between humans and dogs also issues new ways of thinking of kinship. Lastly, this dissertation examines modernist texts for their subtle advocacy for the better treatment of animals by imagining animal subjectivity, by humanizing the animal, or by carefully studying animal behavior.

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2023, College of Education and Human Services

To date, most animal-assisted therapy (AAT) research has examined potential outcomes for clients. Though client outcomes are important to study, only a portion of the intervention can be understood when only one piece of the process is examined. For AAT to become a more credible intervention, there needs to be a more holistic and thorough understanding of the practice. Because practitioners' experiences in providing AAT have yet to be specifically examined, there is a need for this work at the foundational and exploratory level. Additionally, competency models in psychology training and training of other mental health providers identify many important competencies that practitioners-in-training must learn to provide professional services (Bourg et al., 1987; Callan et al., 1986; Ridley et al., 2011; Rodolfa et al., 2005; SoA, 2018). These models include competencies focused on self-reflection, relational skills, individual and cultural diversity, intervention, ethics, assessment, supervision and consultation, and research in particular. Ultimately, understanding more about the roles of self-reflection, and multicultural awareness and cultural humility for AAT practitioners aligns closely with the core competencies and values of the profession; Knowing more about the lived experiences of practitioners helps to lessen a gap in existing literature. Thus, this transcendental phenomenology research study was conducted to better understand the lived experiences of AAT providers and to examine practitioners' use of specific competencies. Given the participation criteria that handlers must work with a formally registered therapy animal to participate in this study, all therapy animals currently working with their handlers and predominantly referenced in this study were canines. After completing two semi-structured interviews with providers and methodologically coding the data, 10 predominant themes emerged. Overall, it was found that AAT is uniquely influential to therapist (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science, University of Akron, 2023, Biology

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an important model organism in human related research. Although commonly used in lab settings, there is a lack of consistency in diets fed to cohorts. This inconsistency is amplified by an incomplete understanding of the impact on offspring because of parental diets. Due to the importance of this animal model in human related studies, we aimed to explore the potential impacts from diet on adult behavior and offspring development through evaluation of feeding preference and the amount of yolk provided to developing embryos. Utilizing a 3D printed arena and machine learning, a spatial preference was seen and was further linked to specific food items. This provided encouragement for the use of machine learning and updated technology to further understand zebrafish behavior. During extended feeding, diets fed to adult female zebrafish resulted in weight gain, variation in standard length, and differences in the yolk to chorion ratios for each of the treatments. High carbohydrate diets impacted the ability for females to gain weight at the same rate of the control, high protein, and high lipid diets. However, the ratio of yolk to the chorion of the eggs for the high carbohydrate diet, high protein diet, and the control diet were significantly higher than the high lipid diet, regardless of the production of eggs following spawning events.

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2023, Animal Sciences

Mastitis induces losses in milk yield and undesirable changes in milk composition. The mechanisms behind reduced milk production during mastitis remains unknown. Two studies were conducted to investigate the effects of sterile inflammation on mammary gland metabolism via changes in milk and venous blood composition. In the first study, one udder half of each primiparous Holstein cow (n = 4) in mid-lactation was infused with oyster glycogen; the other control udder half with saline. Cows were milked in tie stalls every 8 h for 5 d. Udder half milk samples were collected for analysis. Results showed milk of oyster glycogen udder halves had an increased and sustained recruitment of immune cells, increased concentrations of protein, and decreased concentrations of lactose compared to control udder halves. There were no detectable changes in fat concentrations or milk yield between udder half treatments. In the second study, primiparous Holstein cows (n = 4) were fitted with venous catheters in the left and right subcutaneous abdominal veins. Two billion cfu of formalin-fixed Staph. aureus were subsequently infused into one udder halve (FX-STAPH) of each cow; the other udder half was infused with saline (SAL). After FX-STAPH challenge, blood sampling commenced every 2.6 h till the end of the study and blood samples were analyzed using a portable blood analyzer (iStat Alinity) while plasma samples were stored for wet lab chemistry. Milk of FX-STAPH udder halves had an increased and sustained SCS, increased concentrations of protein, and decreased concentrations of lactose compared to control udder halves. Milk of FX-STAPH udder halves had increased concentrations of lactate compared to SAL udder halves. There were no changes in fat concentrations or milk yield between udder half treatments in the second study. Venous blood of FX-STAPH udder halves had marginally greater saturated and partial pressures of oxygen, greater anion gap values, and concentrations of glucose, but (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Fine Arts, Miami University, 2023, English: Creative Writing

This thesis contains short stories, short nonfiction pieces, and a novel excerpt which represent the progression of my work through my time at Miami. Thematically, this work covers the experience of severe mental illness (depression, OCD, and CPTSD), the journey to monsterhood and beyond, and the desire to be good when that just isn't possible.

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2023, Education

The use of therapy dogs and animal-assisted activities are an effective alternative to the high costs and demands of traditional counseling in colleges to reach more students (Castellano, 2015). This alternative approach can help first-year college students combat loneliness and form community connections. This study assessed the impact of therapy dog interactions through animal-assisted activities on loneliness and connections made among first-year students. A mixed methodology was employed, combining surveys (UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3) and qualitative data from interviews and observations with eleven participants. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test (N=11) indicated a significant difference (p=.00338) in pre and post-study scores on the UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3, suggesting a potential decrease in loneliness (mean difference of 17.91). Participant interviews and observations further supported the positive impact of therapy dog interactions in fostering community connections. This study supports the presence of therapy dogs on college campuses as an effective alternative to traditional counseling, helping first-year students combat loneliness, make friends, and feel a sense of belonging. Universities are encouraged to provide accessible therapy dog teams to support first-year students.

Bachelor of Science, Wittenberg University, 2023, Biology

The Painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) is a widespread North American species, and its subspecies found in Ohio is the Midland Painted turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata). While it is generally a widespread species and less at risk than other freshwater turtle species, understanding different local populations of the species can help us better understand the species as a whole, as well as factors that may play a role in conserving other freshwater turtle species. I conducted a mark-recapture study over the course of two separate study periods to assess the Midland Painted population in Conrad Balliet Family Nature Preserve's Pond, a local pond in Clark County, Ohio. Of the turtles recorded, 28 individual turtles were captured, and there was a 1.33:1 ratio of male turtles to female turtles and a 0.19:1 ratio of juveniles to adult turtles. Males tended to be in higher abundance in traps when there were few females and accounted for more recaptures than females. The estimated population size for the pond is 30 Midland Painted turtles. Males were smaller in size than females, in carapace length and width, plastron length and width, shell height, and weight. This information, and further studies on the pond's population, can serve to inform conservation methods for this species and other applicable freshwater turtle species as is relevant.

Bachelor of Science, Wittenberg University, 2023, Biology

Species diversity has become of more importance to ecological community surveys and conservation efforts globally. Use of such methods of assessing species in target groups of particular concern, such as herpetofauna, have increased in frequency in recent decades, incorporating mathematical indices and measures in an attempt to analyze community composition as a trend over time. The goal of this study was to report herpetofauna species found in the region, their diversity, dominance and rarity, richness, and other measures throughout the four separate survey trips, showing trends over the periods of time in order to better inform the timing and methods of the survey in future years. Ex-situ data analysis of the detections over four years thus far have found 86 herpetofauna individuals across 26 distinct species. Reptilian species make up the larger portion of detections than amphibian, with a ratio of detections and relative abundance of 1.39:1, respectively. Dominant species across trip years included the southern two-lined salamander, the southern cricket frog, and the little brown skink. Dominant species across seasons included the Mississippi slimy salamander, southern cricket frog, and little brown skink. Highest herpetofauna abundance was found in 2018 and in the fall season, while highest species richness was detected in 2018 and in the spring season. Species evenness was maximized in 2019 and in the fall season. Shannon-Weiner and Simpson's Diversity were both maximized in the 2018 and spring trips and lowest in the 2021 and fall trips overall. Diversity of amphibians in particular was maximized in 2022 and in fall, while diversity of reptiles in particular was maximized in 2018 and in spring season. Reptiles were detected at higher average substrate temperatures and similar air temperatures to amphibians. The highest and lowest temperatures at detection for amphibians were lower than those for reptiles when adjusting for the summer season anomaly found. Dev (open full item for complete abstract)