CoBiD-UREKA
Mentors & Research Projects
Summer Symposium - 20058 September 2005
Symposium chair: J.D. Sigwart (CoBiD / UREKA programme co-odinator)Session I
9.00 – 9.10 Opening Remarks [below]
9.10 - 9.30 Lehmann, H. (mentor: Ian Somerville)
Coral Reefs in the Carboniferous of Co. Carlow
9.35 - 9.55 Pulgarin, P. (mentor: G.J. Dyke)
Integumentary characters and the phylogenetics of galliform birds
10.00 - 10.20 Jovanovic, B. (mentor: S. Mariani)
Spatial distribution of inshore fish fauna around North Bull Island (Dublin, Ireland) and its variation with tidal state and phase
10.25 - 10.45 Mlambo, M. (mentor: M. Kelly-Quinn)
Studies on the juvenile feeding ecology of the mayfly Ameletus inopinatus (Ephemeroptera: Ameletidae) – a potential climate change indicator
Coffee Break
Session II
11.15 - 11.35 Proctor, A. (mentor: E. Teeling)
Evolutionary "trade-offs" in mammalian sensory perception: Olfactory pathways
11.40 - 12.00 Lynch, L. (mentor: M. Kelly-Quinn)
Life History and Distribution of Ameletus inopinatus (Ephemeroptera) in Co. Wicklow, Ireland
Evolution of developmental genes
Evolutionary "trade-offs" in mammalian sensory perception: Visual pathways
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Introduction
The central aim of this summer research programme has been to provide eight young research with experience in a professional environment, imparting skills both in applications of collections-based biology and scientific communication. We hope these students depart our UREKA program with a deeper understanding of the process of scientific inquiry in ecology and evolutionary biology, having learned from their own project as well as the experiences of the rest of the group. The investigations of these students are varied, but united by a central theme of collections-based biology. Biological specimen collections underpin all areas of modern biology, in particular ecology and evolutionary biology. In particular, natural history museum collections exist, worldwide, as resources for macrobiology, and specimens form the foundation for every type of research. All areas of biological research draw unique data from specimen collections because they are literally physical databases of information about the natural world. Collections-based Biology in Dublin (CoBiD) is the innovative teaching and research partnership between National Museum of Ireland – Natural History (NMINH) and University College Dublin Zoology Department (UCD), begun in April 2003. The Dublin museum holds more than three million biological specimens never intended for exhibit, that are held exclusively for research and teaching. In this symposium, our new colleagues will present their results from ten weeks of intensive research. They have all worked exceptionally hard, surpassing our expectations of excellence. I hope that you will be as impressed with them as I have been.
Coral "reefs" in the Carboniferous of Co. Carlow: bioconstructions and palaeoecological associations involving rugose corals
Carboniferous rugose corals from the Bannagogle Quarry in Co. Carlow form three distinct biostromes closely associated with bands of gigantoproductid brachiopods. These biostrome levels were assessed to determine rugose species dominance. Additionally, fauna present within the biostromes were investigated. This information provides us with a fairly accurate picture of biostrome species composition within the Bannagogle quarry region and may be applicable to larger studies on biostrome community composition within Carboniferous limestones in Ireland.
Hannah Lehmann
Earlham College, Department of Biology, Richmond, IN 47374 USA <lehmaha@earlham.edu>
Mentor: Ian Somerville
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Integumentary characters and the phylogenetics of galliform birds
The evolutionary relationships of the 'fowl-like' birds (traditional order Galliformes) have been reconstructed by use of both morphological and molecular sets of character data. However, feathers and their microstructure have never been employed despite the huge variation seen in the plumage of these birds. Historical classifications of galliforms recognise 6-7 natural groups but the composition and relationships among these groups remain debated -- markedly different results have been recovered depending on the type and amount of character data employed. In this study, we used characters drawn from the external integument of galliforms (i.e., plumage morphology) as well as from the microscopic anatomy of their belly feathers to reconstruct the phylogeny of these birds. We are able to address whether feather characters alone are enough to resolve the internal relationships of galliformes. Our descriptive survey of galliform feathers shows that there is enough character variation in microscopic feather characters (i.e., pigmentation pattern, nodes and barbule configuration) to allow differentiation of the major clades Megapodiidae, Phasianidae, Odontophoridae, Tetraonidae, Meleagrididae and Numididae. While there is some incongruence -- our topologies don?t recover some groups (ie., Cracidae) at the expense of others (i.e., Numididae) -- we expect that sampling of additional characters and taxa will allow complete resolution of the galliform tree by use of integumentary variation alone.
Paulo C. Pulgarin-R
Instituto de Biologia, Universidad de Antioquia AA. 1226 Medellin-Colombia. <pulgarinrpc@yahoo.com.mx>
Mentor: Gareth J. Dyke
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Spatial distribution of inshore fish fauna around North Bull Island (Dublin, Ireland) and its variation with tidal state and phase
A study of the spatial distribution of inshore fish fauna around North Bull Island (Dublin Bay, Ireland) was carried out during summer 2005. Four stations were examined, situated along a putative environmental gradient, between the saltmarsh and the open sea shore. Stations were surveyed at both high and low tide and sampling was repeated weekly for four weeks, spanning over two spring and two neap tidal events. A total of 13 species were caught belonging to 12 families. The community was largely dominated by the small sandeel (Ammodytes tobianus), representing 48% of the total number of individuals) and the common goby (Pomatoschistus microps) accounting for 29% of the specimens. Correspondence Analysis (CA) was used to generate hypotheses as to the general patterns in the fish community, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was employed to determine the influence of habitat, tidal phase and tidal state on the spatial distribution of fishes. The data clearly revealed the influence of habitat (station) and tidal phase on the abundance of the common goby; gobies were much more abundant towards the saltmarsh area and in spring tides. The number of sprat (Sprattus sprattus) was significantly higher at high tides, while the abundance of plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) and pipefish (Syngnathus rostellatus) were much higher during low tides. Shannon?s index of diversity was calculated for each of the sampling sites, concluding that the sandy beaches facing the open sea had the largest values, while the saltmarsh areas had the lowest. Finally, the application of Principal \ Coordinate Analysis (PCO) provides a helpful bi-dimensional visualization of the general patterns revealed by our data.
Boris Jovanovic(1) and Aine O'Leary(2)
1. University of Nis, Department of Biology with Ecology, Visegradska 33, 18000 Nis, Serbia and Montenegro <prcko12@yahoo.com>
2. University College Dublin, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Mentor: Stefano Mariani
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Studies on the juvenile feeding ecology of the mayfly Ameletus inopinatus (Ephemeroptera: Ameletidae) – a potential climate change indicator
This study was initiated at the beginning of the year and aims to determine the life histories, distribution, habitat preference and feeding ecology of mayfly species Ameletus inopinatus. This species is usually found in rivers above 300m in Ireland, where the waters are very cold. Its occurrence appears to be determined by stream temperatures and hence a potential indicator of climate change. Three streams in County Wicklow were surveyed at four different altitudes (250,300,350& 400m). Environmental factors of these streams were quite similar except temperature. A number of semi and quantitative samples were employed to cover all microhabitat types. The abundance of the species varied between the three different streams and appears to be due to the difference in stream temperatures. Gut content was stained using a fluorometric stain 4?6 diamidino-2- phenylindole (DAPI) and viewed under fluorometric light. Gut analyses of the larvae showed that plant particulate matter, inorganic debris, algae, bacteria and diatoms were the main constituents of the diet.
Musawenkosi C. Mlambo
University of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, Durban, South Africa <201294090@ukzn.ac.za>
Mentor: Mary Kelly-Quinn
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Evolutionary "trade-offs" in mammalian sensory perception: Visual pathways
During the course of mammalian evolution, several taxa have evolved highly specialized sensory systems. Animals such as the Aardvark rely strongly on their sense of smell while most Old World primates have developed trichromatic vision to better perceive their environment. Mammals with particularly strong senses of both vision and olfaction, however, are extremely rare, if present at all. This may be due to evolutionary constraints on brain size, skeletal anatomy, available genetic variation, or most likely all three. The purpose of this study was to determine if these constraints have produced an evolutionary trade-off between specialization in visual or olfactory systems during mammalian evolution. We amplified opsin, IRBP, and olfactory gene sequences using PCR to look for the presence or absence of different isoforms and also for the presence of pseudogenes in order to determine relative visual and olfactory acuity. Sequencing was used to determine the molecular evolution of these genes and how they have specialized or lost their function over time. The results of this study have wide-ranging applications for both visual and olfactory systems in mammals as well as in the evolution of sensory systems and trade-offs as a whole.
Adam Proctor
University of Toronto, Victoria College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada <adam.proctor@utoronto.ca>
Mentor: Emma TeelingLife History and Distribution of Ameletus inopinatus (Ephemeroptera) in Co. Wicklow, Ireland
The life history and distribution of Ameletus inopinatus Eaton was determined in relation to temperature and along an altitudinal gradient. The significance of this relationship lies in the cool water preference of this arctic-alpine species, which may establish it as a climate change indicator. This study concentrates on populations in Co. Wicklow while little is known about the life history of this species in Ireland. Three fast-flowing mountainous rivers of similar geographic form were sampled once a month at four altitudes and will be continued for the duration of a year. Aquatic larval invertebrates were collected from one-minute marginal, multi-habitat kick and surber samples and adult specimens obtained from emergence traps. Specimens of A. inopinatus were identified and measured in the laboratory to illustrate life history traits. Gut contents were analysed using epifluorescence microscopy to establish the feeding ecology and food preferences of this species. Several abiotic characters, including water chemistry, will be analysed for their influence on the ecology of A. inopinatus.
Louise Lynch
Fairleigh Dickinson University, Metropolitan Campus, 1000 River Road, Teaneck, New Jersey 07666-1914 USA <thesnoot@student.fdu.edu>
Mentor: Mary Kelly-Quinn
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Evolution of developmental genes
IGF2 is a highly conserved mitogenic protein that signals via the IGF1 and Insulin-A receptors. The M6P/IGF2 receptor is involved in regulating the activity of IGF2, by targeting it to lysosomal compartments for degradation. The ability of the M6P/IGF2 receptor to bind IGF2 has changed over the course of evolution and it seems to have acquired the ability to bind IGF2 in mammals around 150 million years ago after divergence of therian from prototherian mammals. To study species specific differences in the affinity of IGF2 binding to the IGF2 receptor, a plasmid vector containing opossum IGF2 cDNA was constructed. This will be used by a collaborative research group to generate recombinant opossum IGF2. Neuronatin is an imprinted gene expressed in brain tissue and associated with foetal and post-natal brain development in humans. The expression of the neuronatin gene in canine brain tissue was investigated by PCR amplification of canine brain cDNA followed by insertion of amplified fragments into a plasmid vector, purification of recombinant plasmid and sequencing.
Desmond C. Brabazon
NUI Maynooth, Department of Biological Sciences, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland <desbrabazon@yahoo.com>
Mentor: Kay Nolan
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Evolutionary "trade-offs" in mammalian sensory perception: Visual pathways
Throughout mammalian evolution, sensory trade-offs have occurred for superior adaptation in a particular environment. This study focused on the loss of olfaction, or sense of smell, in order for a dominance of echolocation within different bat species. Olfactory receptor genes, the molecular foundation for the sense of smell, are significant because they encompass one of the largest known mammalian gene families with about 1000 members. Most studies in this area thus far have focused on humans, primates, or rodents. However, bats are interesting because of their highly developed sense of hearing which allows them to echolocate. Using PCR we were able to amplify several DNA samples. We tested for the presence or absence of pseudogenes, non-functional genes, which indicate sense deficiency. The samples were then sequenced and compared to a spectrum of mammalian olfactory genes containing those that use olfaction as their primary sense and those that mainly rely on other senses. These data shows how different bats diverged through time and how they compare to a variety of other mammals. The information gained from this study about evolutionary trade-offs and species divergence can be applied to an array of future research projects.
Alisha M. Goodbla
University of Washington, Department of Biology, Seattle, WA, USA
<agoodbla@u.washington.edu>
Mentor: Emma Teeling
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