Wetterer, James

Several predatory ant species are known to attack, injure, and even kill vertebrates.
Perhaps the most notorious of these are the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta and
the little fire ant, Wasmannia auropunctata. In areas where they invade, both are most
common in disturbed habitats. Solenopsis invicta often dominates open, grassy areas, while
Wasmannia auropunctata more often dominates in forested areas. This study compares the
distribution of ant species, including Solenopsis invicta and Wasmannia auropunctata at
the burrows of Gopher Tortoises at the Abacoa Greenway located in Jupiter, Florida.
Wasmannia auropunctata replaced Solenopsis invicta as the dominating species at our
study site in 2021, compared to the results gathered by Rich Jones in 2013. Although both
species are not selective with their targets, this shift in pattern could result in a difference
of injuries to the Greenway’s inhabitants and should be considered a potential threat in
future wildlife schemes.

Many terrestrial isopod species (Isopoda) are very tolerant of human disturbance and are common in synanthropic habitats of urban and suburban areas. I surveyed terrestrial isopod species in the Robert J. Huckshorn Arboretum on the Jupiter campus of Florida Atlantic University. This small arboretum (4003 m2) includes a variety of native trees and plants, potentially providing diverse resources for isopods. I found a surprisingly rich isopod fauna, totaling five species all in the suborder Oniscidea, which have been identified as: Atlantoscia floridana (Van Name, 1940), Trichorhina tomentosa (Budde-Lund, 1893), Nagurus cristatus (Dollfus, 1889), Venezillo parvus (Budde-Lund, 1885), and Porcellionides pruinosus (Brandt, 1833). Two (A. floridana and V. parvus) are considered native to Florida, while three (T. tomentosa, N. cristatus and P. pruinosus) are non-native.

Intervertebral disc disease, or IVDD, involves damage to the discs between vertebrae in the
spinal column of vertebrates. The disease is progressive and has a significant genetic component
as well as influences from the patient’s lifestyle. This thesis examines IVDD in canines,
evaluating the cause, currently available and under research treatment options, and considers
future research into mitigating the severity of disease progression. Results suggest that with
current knowledge, a combination of surgical correction and conservative management yields the
best outcome for the patient, decreasing in effectiveness as the disease progresses. Novel
treatment options include cell-based, gene, and growth factor therapies that have greater potential
with severe cases. This paper suggests targeting the root of the problem to minimize the extent of
treatment needed. Educating breeders and pet owners to catch the early onset of the disease will
not only minimize detriment to the patient but also increase the number of cases seen by
veterinarians, which will allow a greater understanding of the disease’s mechanisms and
increased knowledge for laboratory work. The One Health concept allows the transfer of
knowledge of the disease between human and veterinary medicine, which should be pushed to
further expand the research of IVDD.

Cancer stem cells play a significant role in both cancer resurgence and progression. Because of this, it is essential to target cancer stem cells when treating cancer. Unfortunately, these cells can evade the cytotoxic effects of standard cancer therapeutics such as chemo- and radiotherapy. Oncolytic adenoviruses have emerged as a therapeutic that is capable of successfully eliminating cancer stem cells. These viruses can be engineered to target specific cell surface markers on the surface of cancer stem cells for infection. After infection, they can hijack the cell’s replication machinery to produce new progeny that will eventually lyse the cell. There are limitations to this therapeutic, most importantly that these viruses cannot hide themselves from the host’s immune system that recognizes them as a threat and eliminates them. However, various studies have provided encouraging results that demonstrate the effectiveness of these adenoviruses both in vitro and in vivo when injected intratumorally

Lithium (Li) is used in many commercial products. With the recent development of a
potent new lithium battery suitable for hybrid and plug-in electric cars, demand for
lithium should soar. Seawater has low Li ion concentrations, and has not been considered
a profitable commercial source of this element. For my thesis work, I attempted to
develop a mutant strain of the marine bacteria Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae
capable of sequestering lithium from seawater. I expose the bacteria to shortwave ultra
violet (UV) light with the intent of obtaining a lithium dependent mutant. I was not
successful at isolating such a mutant. However, I noted differences in colony size,
between colonies grown in lithium media and sodium media, after UV treatment. Based
on other research, the bacterial recovery methods of lithium and other metals from
seawater remains a plausible option.

Many aquatic organisms show alarm responses to chemical cues. For my thesis research, I tested whether two species of aquatic snail (one freshwater and one estuarine) show response to chemicals released by a crushed conspecific. I measured behavioral reaction of a freshwater snail and an estuarine snail species. I first tested the species from a freshwater pond, comparing the behavior of snail exposed to crushed snail extract with controls over a period of 24 h. In the first trial, significantly more snails climbed out of the water at the 8-h mark (χ2=8.86, p<.05) and the 24-h mark (χ2=4.98, p<.05). In the second trial, this difference was significant at the 2-h mark (χ2=4.43, p<.05). In one trial with estuarine snails, I found no evidence of an alarm response. The differences in response between the two species may relate to differences in environment. Alarm chemicals may supply useful information on local predation in a pond with little water movement, but not in an estuary, where water flow would quickly disperse these chemicals.

Previously isolated mutants of the superoxide dismutase 2 gene (SOD2), selected
for increased activity in E. coli, were transformed into yeast cells in order to observe their
effects on aging. Polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing were used to confirm
that the yeast incorporated the mutant form of the gene. The strains with mutant forms of
the SOD2 gene were observed to have decreased growth rates compared to the unmutated
strain. Lifespan analyses were then conducted in order to see if yeast with
mutant versions of SOD2 had lifespans that differed significantly from those with the unmutated
forms of the gene. The mutant forms of SOD2 had no significant effect on the
lifespan of yeast.

Several species of stinging ants are known to attack vertebrates. In March and July 2018, I conducted ant surveys using tuna baits at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS), in Jupiter, Florida, to assess possible threats to captive animals posed by such ants. BWS rehabilitates native Florida vertebrates that are injured or orphaned and houses others that cannot be released back into the wild. Of the 13 ant species found, two may pose a threat to the animals at BWS: the little fire ant (Wasmannia auropunctata) and the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta). W. auropunctata, known for stinging the eyes of vertebrates, was the most prevalent species, found at 40% of the baits. S. invicta, known for its powerful sting, occurred at 7% baits. Facilities that house animals outdoors, such as zoos and wildlife rehab centers, should take care to ensure the animals are kept safe from possible attack by ants.

The brown basilisk, Basiliscus vittatus, is large lizard native to coastal lowlands from central Mexico to Ecuador. In 1976, this species was first discovered in southern Florida, and it has been spreading since. My thesis documents the spread of B. vittatus through southern Florida using published and unpublished records. I mapped a total of 545 records of B. vittatus in Florida: 73 from published records, 15 from my own observations, and 457 from photographs uploaded to iNaturalist. Published reports of B. vittatus have been reported from 11 Florida counties (Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Monroe, Collier, Lee, Hendry, and Manatee). In addition, there have been additional unpublished photographic records uploaded to iNaturalist from two more counties (Pinellas and Brevard). These additions expand the known northern range of B. vittatus on both the East and West coasts of Florida.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is genetic material an organism leaves behind in its habitat, originating from blood, waste, or shed skin, among other sources. In aquatic environments, it is possible to extract eDNA from water samples, allowing for a variety of genetic tests to be performed, with great value in the fields of endangered species protection, invasive species control, and fisheries management among others. eDNA can persist in freshwater environments for many hours and can be attributed to fish up to one kilometer upstream from the collection site. However, water conditions in marine environments may reduce the survivability of eDNA. I evaluated the reliability eDNA analysis in the marine environment by analyzing water samples taken immediately before a survey of the common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, an important game fish. The eDNA sampling method was successful at detecting snook presence in the Indian River Lagoon, although with some practical limitations.