A5025114350- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Turtle Biology and Conservation
- Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities
- Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Reproductive Physiology in Livestock
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Birth, Development, and Health
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Sperm and Testicular Function
- Estrogen and related hormone effects
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Reproductive System and Pregnancy
- Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences
- Hormonal and reproductive studies
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
Illinois State University
2015-2025
Google (United States)
2010-2022
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
2013-2016
Urbana University
2014
Iowa State University
2004-2006
We describe the genome of western painted turtle, Chrysemys picta bellii, one most widespread, abundant, and well-studied turtles. place into a comparative evolutionary context, focus on genomic features associated with tooth loss, immune function, longevity, sex differentiation determination, species' physiological capacities to withstand extreme anoxia tissue freezing.Our phylogenetic analyses confirm that turtles are sister group living archosaurs, demonstrate an extraordinarily slow rate...
Patterns of temperature fluctuations in nature affect numerous biological processes, yet, empirical studies often utilize constant treatments. This can limit our understanding how thermally sensitive species respond to ecologically relevant temperatures. Research on turtles with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) provides good examples this, since nest temperatures from many populations rarely exceed those necessary produce females under laboratory conditions. We hypothesized that...
The primary function of the immune system is to protect organism from invading pathogens. In vertebrates, this has resulted in a multifaceted comprised both innate and adaptive components. all jawed vertebrates complex, but unlike endothermic relatively little known about functioning ectothermic vertebrate system, especially reptilian system. Because turtles are long-lived ectotherms, factors such as temperature age may affect their response, comprehensive studies lacking. We investigated...
Summary Optimal egg size theory predicts that females should produce propagules of a and number maximize maternal fitness. However, studies the allocation resources to eggs have rarely provided evidence such optimization. This is presumably because constraints limit reproductive allocation. One example pelvic aperture morphology constraining in turtles. Growing suggests even this classic incomplete. Hormones regulate both cycle vitellogenic activity turtles may provide novel physiological...
Abstract In the painted turtle ( Chrysemys picta) and red‐eared slider Trachemys scripta) , temperature that eggs are exposed to during incubation determines sex of developing embryo. Constant experiments have shown for each these species there is a pivotal produces 1:1 ratio; higher temperatures bias ratios toward females, lower males. Few studies examined how fluctuating temperatures, as would be experienced in natural nests, affect hatchling phenotype. Models predict under determination...
In birds, maternally derived yolk steroids are a proposed mechanism by which females can adjust individual offspring phenotype to prevailing conditions. However, when interests of mother and differ, parent–offspring conflict will arise embryonic interests, not those the mother, should drive response maternal in eggs. Because this potential conflict, we investigated ability developing bird embryos process steroids. We examined how progesterone, testosterone oestradiol levels changed both...
All vertebrate embryos develop in the presence of maternally derived steroids, and maternal steroids have been hypothesized to link phenotype offspring physiology. In placental vertebrates, it is known that are metabolized during development via sulfonation pathway. We used eggs from red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta) determine whether same metabolic pathway metabolize an oviparous vertebrate. To examine relationship between estradiol estrogen sulfates development, levels were...
Variable environmental conditions can alter the phenotype of offspring, particularly in ectothermic species such as reptiles. Despite this, majority studies on development reptiles have been carried out under constant laboratory, raising question just how applicable those investigations are to natural conditions? Here, we first review what learned from these constant-temperature studies. Second, examine importance temperature fluctuations for and highlight outcomes conducted fluctuating...
In the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) and red‐eared slider (Trachemys scripta), temperature that eggs are exposed to during incubation influences many traits of developing embryo. We tested effect fluctuating‐ versus constant‐temperature regimes at high low ends viable developmental range assess environment on offspring development. Eggs were incubated in four treatments: 23°C constant, 23° ± 3°C, 31°C 31° 3°C. assessed duration, hatchling survival, growth, immune function via a...
Steroid hormones have long been studied by behavioral ecologists as a nongenetic means whereby females can influence the development of their offspring. In oviparous vertebrates, steroids are present in yolk at time oviposition and shown to affect numerous traits To date, most studies focused on functional relationship between offspring development. this article we used mechanistic approach investigate effects an attempt decipher how lipophilic may make it from lipid-rich developing embryo....
Aging is typically associated with a decrease in immune function. However, aging does not affect each branch of the system equally. Because these varying effects age on responses, could taxa differently based how particular taxon employs its resources towards different components defense. An example this found humoral system. Specific responses tend to while non-specific, natural antibody increase age. Compared mammals, reptiles all ages have slower and less robust Therefore, they may invest...
Maternal effects have gained attention as a method by which mothers may alter the physiological condition and phenotype of their offspring based upon current environmental conditions. The phenotypic outcomes glucocorticoid-mediated maternal been extensively studied in variety vertebrates; however, underlying mechanism is currently unclear. Here, we injected tritiated corticosterone into yolks freshly laid Japanese quail eggs ( Coturnix japonica ) traced its movement metabolism through ovo...
Life-history theory predicts that, in long-lived organisms, effort towards reproduction will increase with age, and research from oviparous vertebrates largely supports this prediction. In reptiles, where parental care occurs primarily via provisioning of the egg, older females tend to produce larger eggs, which turn hatchlings that have increased survival. We conducted an experimental release study report maternal age positively influences offspring survivorship painted turtle ( Chrysemys...
Acute rises in glucocorticoid hormones allow individuals to adaptively respond environmental challenges but may also have negative consequences, including oxidative stress. While the effects of chronic exposure on stress been well characterized, those acute or mostly overlooked. We examined relationship between exposure, glucocorticoids and Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). (i) characterized pattern during an stressor two phenotypically distinct breeds; (ii) determined whether...
Sex-specific maternal effects can be adaptive sources of phenotypic plasticity. Reptiles with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) are a powerful system to investigate such because offspring phenotype, including sex, sensitive influences as oestrogens and incubation temperatures.In red-eared slider turtles (
Characterizing how organisms respond to transient temperatures may further our understanding of their susceptibility climate change. Past studies in the freshwater turtle, Trachemys scripta , have demonstrated that timing and duration heat waves can major implications for response genes involved gonadal development production female hatchlings. Yet, no study has considered these cold snap exposure affect males. We investigated affects gene expression T. embryos an early influences resulting...
Environmental conditions influence the maternal deposition of hormones into eggs, which is hypothesized to adaptively modify developmental outcomes in offspring. However, most ecosystems harbour environmental contaminants capable disrupting endocrine signaling, and exposure these compounds has potential further alter offspring traits. Studies rarely examine maternally derived along with phenotypes, we know little about their interrelationships interactions. Here, measure yolk concentrations...
Offspring from females that experience stressful conditions during reproduction often exhibit altered phenotypes and many of these effects are thought to arise owing increased exposure maternal glucocorticoids. While embryos placental vertebrates known regulate glucocorticoids via steroid metabolism, much less is about how whether egg-laying can control their environment embryonic development. We tested the hypothesis threespine stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus ) steroids active efflux...
Abstract Maternal stress during reproduction can influence how offspring respond to later in life. Greater lifetime exposure glucocorticoid hormones released is linked greater risks of behavioral disorders, disease susceptibility, and mortality. The immense variation individual’s responses explained, part, by prenatal exposure. To explore the long-term effects embryonic exposure, we injected Japanese quail ( Coturnix japonica ) eggs with corticosterone. We characterized endocrine response...
Theory predicts that in long-lived organisms females should invest less energy reproduction and more growth self-maintenance early life, with this balance shifting as age the relative value of each reproductive event increases. We investigated potential trade-off by characterizing within-population variation resource allocation to eggs female painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) relating their nesting ecology life history. examined lipid protein yolks, accounting for both seasonal effects...