Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

Bats can play roles such as prey and predator, pest control, seed dispersal, pollination, and material and nutrient distribution. Many are also good indicators of biodiversity, but unfortunately bat populations are decreasing due to destruction and fragmentation of their habitat, reduced availability of prey, and disease. In this study, I surveyed bats in the Abacoa Greenway, Jupiter, Florida, 1,052,183 square meters of pine woods and wetlands, appears to be fit for several bat species. The presence of bats was determined using Song Meter SM4BAT with the SMM-U2 Ultrasonic Microphone. It was placed at 4 different locations in the Greenway. Kaleidoscope Analysis Software was used to analyze the ultrasonic echolocation calls. The data shows a significantly high probability of the presence of the Lasiurus cinereus, Lasiurus intermedius, Lasionycteris noctivagans, Molossus molossus, and Tadarida brasiliensis. Knowledge of the presence of bats would incite further research on their impact on the Greenway’s ecology and how human activity is impacting them.

There are various stressors that exist in different natural environments. The function of a stress response is to provide an organism with a better chance at survival. A functional stress response is essential to the survival of many species, but the influence of ecology on these behaviors is poorly understood.
Astyanax mexicanus provides an effective model to study this relationship. In this thesis we used variations of the novel tank assay to investigate the connection between ecology and behavior. We found that cave fish exhibit a diminished stress response relative to their surface conspecifics. These findings provide a baseline for further exploration into the connection between ecology and behavior.

Peptides provide a promising avenue for the development of novel medicinal compounds due to their active role in brain and nervous system function. Odorranalectin, the smallest known lectinomimic compound, is a naturally derived peptide. When administered intranasally, Odorranalectin bypasses the blood-brain barrier via the the L-fucose region of the olfactory system. Thus, Odorranalectin can act as a carrier for other central nervous system active peptides, such as analgesics. Once released into the brain, the active peptide fragments bind to opioid receptors, providing pain relief. Novel mu (μ), kappa (κ), and delta (δ) opioid receptor selective OL-based ligands were identified in binding assays and individual peptides were synthesized, purified and characterized. Analgesic effects were observed in acute as well as chronic pain models in rodents. This strategy could be a promising alternative to current treatments for pain.