title: The influence of whitewater kayaking on identity development

contributor: Learie, Sharman (slearie) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Wallin, Mark Rowell (mwallin) (co-chair)

contributor: Thompson Rivers University Interdisciplinary Studies (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
v, 60 pages
electronic

subject:
Kayaking -- Personality development
Kayaking -- Psychological aspects
Kayaking -- Sociological aspects

abstract: In this study I explore how whitewater kayaking has affected my own identity development, and compare this to the experiences of six young kayakers and recent graduates of the Adventure Guide Diploma program at Thompson Rivers University. Using autoethnography I explore and analyze my own journey with the sport. This formed the basis of my inquiry, and informed the questions I asked the 6 research participants. Through qualitative interviews I explore how these 6 kayakers feel their identities have been affected through whitewater kayaking in the two years since they learned how to kayak. This study adds to the relatively small body of research showing that adventure sports such as whitewater kayaking can have a profound affect on participants’ identities. I postulate that whitewater kayaking offers opportunities for self-discovery, identity creation, and character development, and that meaningful reflection can help kayakers take advantage of these opportunities.


title: Travelations: Travel and learning

type: Text thesis

contributor: Cloutier, Ross (rcloutier) (committee member)

contributor: Hill, David J. (dhill) (committee member)

contributor: Wallin, Mark Rowell (mwallin) (committee member)

format:
electronic
vii, 187 pages

subject:
Learning
Tourism -- Research
Travel -- Research

abstract: Travel has been historically associated with learning and discovery because it broadens the perspectives of individuals, and they consequently learn from their experiences (Casella, 1997; LaTorre, 2011; Steves, 2009). The relationship between travel and learning has become an area of interest in recent years, as the pursuit of meaningful and memorable experiences becomes increasingly recognized as a central feature of tourism, and also as mainstream motivations for travel increasingly shift from hedonistic escapism to intellectual and cultural growth (Falk, Ballantyne, Packer & Benckendorff, 2011). Tourism organizations in Canada have responded to these currents and have identified a specific market segment of ‚Learning Tourists,‛ who are seeking to stimulate the mind and body and to be intellectually challenged through pleasure travel (Research Resolutions & Consulting Ltd, 2007). Multiple studies in the tourism and study abroad literatures attest to the learning benefits associated with being away from home (Byrnes, 2001; Gmelch, 1997; Hansel, 1998; Hunt, 2000; Kuh, 1995; Stitsworth, 1994). However, an understanding of the deeper reasons why travel promotes learning is lacking (Falk et al., 2011; Minnaert, 2013; Stone & Petrick, 2013; van’t Klooster et al., 2008). This thesis shares the outcomes of a mixed-methods study conducted to explore the relationship between travel and learning among emerging adults. Interviews were undertaken with a diverse group of 22 young adult travellers, hailing from a variety of different countries, and this data was supplemented with over 100 quantitative survey responses and with personal reflections of the author, in keeping with the overall methodological perspective of heuristic inquiry that guided the study. Taken together, the findings point to the importance of travel motivation, departure from one’s comfort zone, reflection, social interaction, and the building of one’s travel biography, all of which unfold over the course of the travel process and function to facilitate learning. The study draws on interdisciplinary literature from experiential education, psychology, and tourism studies to illuminate these issues, and then offers practical advice regarding how the insights derived might be useful for individual travellers, tourism businesses, and educational institutions.


title: Natural history and illustrated journals as tools for place-based education

contributor: Baldwin, Lyn (lybaldwin) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Learie, Sharman (slearie) (committee member)

contributor: Caton, Kellee (kcaton) (committee member)

subject:
Biological illustration
Natural history
Place-based education

abstract: The purpose of this research paper is to investigate the proposition that natural history and illustrated learning journals are tools for place-based education. Specifically, researching the literature on illustrated learning journals, natural history and place-based education has shown that natural history's methodologies of direct observation and hands-on documentation coupled with the documentation method of journals supports place-based education. As a case study, I use my own experience with illustrated field journals to highlight the reflective process of creating natural history based illustrated learning journals. This research adds to the relatively new but growing notion of sense of place and research regarding its efficacy and how it comes about. Finally, included are recommendations for future journaling practice.


title: Effective coaching and factors contributing to high performance in gymnastics

contributor: Terwiel, Anne (aterwiel) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Freeze, Dave (dfreeze) (committee member)

contributor: Soberlak, Peter (psoberlak) (committee member)

format:
electronic
ii, 31 pages

subject: Gymnastics -- Coaching

abstract:
Sport performance is dependent on both genetics and the environment and is affected by the athletes mind and body. The purpose of coaching is to improve the
physical and mental aspects in an athlete and to prepare them for competition. Totally planned systems are among the top five characteristics of effective coaching; nonetheless, it is less likely that expert, gymnastic coaches have a ready-made schema that contains a generic knowledge base. The most likely factor for expert performance is the engagement in deliberate and sustained practice over numerous years but there are only a limited number of ways to create large improvements in performance. Every sport-specific event requires its own set and combination of traits and factors. This aim of this paper is threefold, first to have a better look at effective coaching and the development of expert coaches; second, to explore the gap between existing coaching practices by expert gymnastic coaches; and third, have a broad look at factors that can contribute to expert performance in gymnastics.


title: Structured student interactions in online distance learning: Exploring the study buddy activity

type: thesis Text

subject: Open learning -- Canada -- Alberta

abstract: This mixed methods study explored the characteristics of a cooperative learning activity, the “Study Buddy”, implemented in a graduate-level online course in instructional design. The study explored whether students (n=25) who participated in the Study Buddy activity took deeper approaches to their learning than those who did not participate (n=6), what value students received from participating in the activity, and whether the structure of the activity was appropriate to support deeper approaches to learning. Quantitative and qualitative results were merged to form conclusions that suggest that participants could be encouraged to take deeper approaches by faculty providing sample questions for students to use to evaluate their partners’ work. Results suggest that the study buddy activity can be used to encourage social connections and to provide participants with opportunities to consider alternate opinions. Findings related to the ideal structure of the activity were inconclusive.

abstract: Peer reviewed

abstract: Thesis


title: Japan's teacher acculturation: A comparative ethnographic narrative of teacher induction

contributor: Howe, Edward R. (Edward Howe (ehowe)) (author)

contributor: University of Toronto Department of Curriculum Teaching and Learning (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
vi, 231 pages
electronic

subject: Acculturation -- Canada

subject: Acculturation -- Japan

subject: Teaching -- Vocational guidance -- Canada -- Personal narratives

subject: Teaching -- Vocational guidance -- Japan -- Personal narratives

abstract:
This study evolved from my cross-culture learning and teaching experience in Canada and Japan. Drawing mainly from reflexive ethnography and narrative inquiry, I have used a "comparative ethnographic narrative" to investigate teacher acculturation. The research methodology parallels the serendipitous and personal nature of teacher induction. I have chronicled my educational journey as a learner, teacher and researcher. The text is filled with teachers' stories based on lived experiences--connected through the common thread of learning to teach. The narratives of Japan's teachers are linked to my own personal narrative, through my research and connections to the teachers.
Beginning teachers in Canada are largely required to work in isolation, to learn their practice through trial and error--left to "sink or swim." There is little provision for mentorship and insufficient time to reflect on teaching practices. In contrast, Japan's teacher induction programs facilitate collegiality between novice and experienced teachers. Moreover, teachers are both life-long learners and researchers and thus contribute greatly to the profession. However, undeveloped preservice programs, one-way, "top-down" pedagogical exchanges, and ineffective mentors are contentious issues that hamper further improvement to teacher education. Moreover, mentors must be specially trained and more carefully selected based on performance rather than seniority. Nevertheless, Japan's gradual teacher acculturation successfully integrates time to think and reflect, a shared culture of the craft of teaching, and an apprenticeship model of teacher development.
The blended reflexive ethnology and narrative inquiry research methodologies described here presents an original approach to cross-cultural study providing a framework for further comparative education research and advancing the knowledge of teacher induction in Japan, Canada and elsewhere. As teaching is a cultural activity, educational reforms must occur gradually. Japanese teacher acculturation offers a mirror for us to reflect on current practices, rather than a model for us to adopt 'lock, stock and barrel.' It is hoped that this study will help to uncover some of the most salient features that successfully prepare individuals to gradually becoming acculturated into the teaching profession. Effective teacher induction is critical, for any effort to reform education, ultimately depends on the effectiveness of teachers.


title: Are we graduating global citizens?: A mixed methods study investigating student's intercultural development and perceptions of intercultural and global learning in academic settings

contributor: Garson, Kyra Dawne (Kyra Garson (kgarson)) (author)

contributor: Wihak, Christine (Christine Wihak (cwihak)) (committee member)

contributor: Simon Fraser University Faculty of Education (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
xvi, 210 pages

subject: Education, Higher -- British Columbia

subject: Education, Higher -- British Columbia -- Globalization

subject: Multicultural education -- British Columbia

abstract: Demographic shifts have brought changes to the Canadian higher education landscape. Increased cultural diversity is the result of increased access for and intentional recruitment of a wide range of domestic, Aboriginal, new Canadian, and international students. In addition, these students will live and work in increasingly diverse and globalized contexts. There is much rhetoric regarding the supposed outcomes of internationalization activities producing global citizens. This study sought to understand whether students completing programs in culturally diverse, internationalized institutions were developing intercultural and global competencies, and if their educational experiences influenced this learning. This mixed method study investigated the intercultural development scores and perceptions of intercultural and global learning of upper level students in British Columbian regional universities. Specifically, the study sought to determine the levels of students' (N=178) intercultural development scores and if demographic factors were related to intercultural development scores as measured by the Intercultural Development Inventory. The IDI results together with student perceptions of the influences of curriculum and pedagogy on intercultural and global learning in academic settings provide educators working in culturally diverse, internationalized institutions with data to consider enhanced strategies to prepare students to live and work effectively in multicultural, international, and global contexts.

abstract: Intercultural mixed methods

abstract: Cosmopolitanism

abstract: global citizen education

abstract: global learning

abstract: intercultural competence

abstract: internationalization


subject: Distance education -- Canada

abstract:
This mixed methods study explored the characteristics of a cooperative learning activity, the “Study Buddy”, implemented in a graduate-level online course in instructional design. The study explored whether students (n=25) who participated in the Study Buddy activity took deeper approaches to their learning
than those who did not participate (n=6), what value students received from participating in the activity, and whether the structure of the activity was
appropriate to support deeper approaches to learning. Quantitative and qualitative results were merged to form conclusions that suggest that participants could be encouraged to take deeper approaches by faculty providing sample questions for students to use to evaluate their partners’ work. Results suggest that the study buddy activity can be used to encourage social connections and to provide participants with opportunities to consider alternate opinions. Findings related to the ideal structure of the activity were inconclusive.

abstract: Peer reviewed

abstract: Thesis


title: Addressing professional suitability in social work education: The experience and approach of field education coordinators

contributor: University of British Columbia Faculty of Graduate Studies (Degree granting institution)

format: electronic electronic

subject:
Social work education -- Canada
Social workers -- Training of -- Canada

abstract:
The purpose of this research is to better understand the experience and approach of field education coordinators/directors in addressing student professional suitability in social work education so their insights can inform ongoing conversations within professional education programs on how to exercise „gatekeeping‟ responsibilities. The study begins with a critical reflection of my five year experience as a coordinator, which leads into a comprehensive review of the literature, followed by an analysis and discussion of information collected from a focus group with eight coordinators from across Canada, and an extensive web-based survey questionnaire administered to all current, and some former social work field education coordinators in Canada.
In brief, the results of this study reinforce the perception found in social work literature that gatekeeping predominantly falls to the field component of social work education. Field education coordinators report regularly encountering cases in which student‟ behaviours call into question their suitability for the profession. They perceive the field to hold the highest expectation of them to assess and address student professional suitability, followed by faculty, administration, the accreditation body, and students, and they assign a high level of importance to having an approach to addressing such concerns within their practice. They report employing a number of pre- and post-placement measures to addressing suitability concerns. However, current perceptions of gatekeeping as potentially oppressive and contrary to social work values creates tension in their experience that is exacerbated by workload pressures, and by the lack of clear criteria for determining suitability within school policies and accreditation standards. Respondents emphasized that more opportunities for dialogue between coordinators, faculty, administration, and field educators is needed. Also, although the majority reported relative satisfaction with their skills and knowledge, they suggested that further training and education would be beneficial, and strongly recommended that faculty, field, and administration participate in this education. Finally, a number of respondents also expressed the need for more support for their role and the field program in general within their school, and expressed concern for an apparent lack of institutional support for addressing professional suitability.


title: Perceptions of data privacy in the age of social media addiction

contributor: Light, Tracy Penny (tpennylight) (thesis advisor)

contributor: McDonald, Blair (bmcdonald) (thesis advisor)

subject:
Social media addiction
Social media -- Psychological aspects

abstract: In the 21st century, social media addiction has become more prevalent with the ubiquity of online communication in everyday life. Individuals often feel a strong obligation to keep up online in both personal and professional respects, to the point that they are consumed with digital media for multiple hours each day. In the trade-off of social utility – the perceived benefits of social media to an individual provided by media platforms – individuals’ privacy is forgone as they share large quantities of personal data. This project explores whether social media addiction and social utility can lead individuals to disregard concerns for their data privacy. Using a two-part quantitative survey, addictive social media behaviors and attitudes towards data privacy are compared to answer this question: do individuals who exhibit signs of social media addiction prioritize their social utility over their personal data privacy? Derived from past research on Facebook addiction, the first part of the survey evaluates participants’ inclination toward symptoms of social media addiction. The second part allows participants to rate their knowledge and concern for the data they share with the public while using specific platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram. This research found that young adults aged 18-25 are most likely to exhibit social media addiction. Within the addicted subsample, 20 percent of participants were deemed unconcerned about their data privacy. Various patterns emerged regarding age, gender, and time spent online as related to addictive use, suggesting specific groups that may be at risk of social media addiction. Future research will explore the distinctions between platforms that allow them to be addictive and probe further into the motivations behind protecting personal data.

abstract: social media addiction

abstract: personal data privacy

abstract: social utility

abstract: platforms

abstract: Facebook

abstract: Instagram


title: Student engagement on the TRU 2010/11 Research Conference Organizing Committee

contributor: Wallin, Mark Rowell (mwallin) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Rennie, Elizabeth (erennie) (committee member)

contributor: Piwowar, Cindy (cpiwowar) (committee member)

contributor: Thompson Rivers University Interdisciplinary Studies (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
v, 29 pages
electronic

subject: Education, Higher -- Curricula -- Canada

subject: Thompson Rivers University

abstract: Through problem based Interdisciplinary study of student engagement, this paper will explore student and faculty findings by using student and faculty primary research. The findings of student engagement research will show if the goals of Thompson Rivers University work experience on an undergraduate conference organizing committee were met, or not. The student and faculty experiences of service learning show the adaptations and transformations taking place on the committee.

abstract: problem based interdisciplinary study

abstract: student engagement

abstract: service learning


title: "Bee city": Using citizen science to monitor pollinator abundance in cultivated and uncultivated green spaces in Kamloops, B.C.

contributor: Baldwin, Lyn (lbaldwin) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Reudink, Matthew (mreudink) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Science (Degree granting institution)

subject: Insect pollinators -- British Columbia -- Kamloops Region

subject: Insect pollinators -- Effect of habitat modification on

subject: Urban ecology (Biology) -- Research -- Citizen participation

abstract:
Pollinators provide critical ecosystem services, and are facing worldwide declines, caused in part by habitat loss due to urbanization. With the collaboration of the Thompson-Shuswap Master Gardeners Association’s pollinator monitoring citizen science project, this project surveyed pollinators in both cultivated and uncultivated green spaces within Kamloops, BC. Pollinators were identified into functional groups or guilds based morphological characteristics that could be
distinguished in the field by citizen scientists. The purpose of this project was threefold: (1) to characterize the consistency of citizen science surveys of pollinators over the course of a growing season, (2) to compare the floral resources for pollinators in cultivated and uncultivated green spaces within the city of Kamloops, and (3) to compare the abundance of pollinator guilds observed in cultivated and uncultivated green spaces over the growing season and determine if
observed differences were correlated with observed differences in floral resources. The results indicated that citizen science was effective in monitoring bee abundance and diversity in Kamloops. There were drastic differences in flowering plant genera between cultivated and uncultivated green spaces, and significantly higher abundances of flowering plants in cultivated green spaces than uncultivated green spaces. This project also demonstrated that cultivated green spaces within Kamloops supported a greater numerical abundance of pollinators, especially during the month of August, than uncultivated natural areas within the city. This suggests that cultivated green spaces may have served as a refuge from seasonal drought for some native bees.  All bee groups and flies were positively associated with bee flower abundance, and specific flowering plant genera were associated with high pollinator abundance. Because of this, it is important to advocate for the planting of native and exotic plants in cultivated green spaces, such as home gardens and city parks, and to support the restoration of native plant communities in uncultivated green spaces. Given the increasing urbanization faced by many landscapes, the results of my research provide preliminary evidence identifying that while not necessarily supporting all native pollinators, appropriately planted urban landscapes may play an important role mitigating urbanization’s negative impact.


identifier: u2: Department of Biological Sciences/ Faculty of Science

title: An exploratory analysis of gene expression in dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium americanum) using qRT-PCR

contributor: Ross Friedman, Cynthia (cross) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Cheeptham, Naowarat (ncheeptham) (committee member)

contributor: Thompson Rivers University Department of Biological Sciences/Faculty of Science (Degree granting institution)

subject: Lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe -- British Columbia

abstract: Dwarf Mistletoe (Arceuthobium americanum) exhibits some very interesting characteristics, such as being a hemi-parasitic plant-on-plant parasite. It’s most interesting and most characteristic feature is its seed dispersal via explosive discharge. This seeds dispersal method is very reminiscent of a cannon shooting a cannonball. The mechanism of how the small female fruit are able to do this is currently unknown with different theories trying to explain it. The theory with the most backing is a thermogenesis theory. As the fruit is monumentally smaller than the trees it infects it has a theoretical infinite source of water to draw from. Coupled with the fruits ability to trap water with a waxy viscin and produce heat via thermogenesis it is thought that the fruit will use water pressure to propel its seed. As water is drawn in, heat is generated, expanding the water and creating pressure as the water is trapped by the wax until it ruptures the cuticle and expels the seed. This is the basis of this study as it aims to investigate the genetic side of this theory. A previous study using the Affymetrix microarray heterologous probe approach revealed the potential presence and expression of key developmental genes. Four of these key genes for this theory were studied: 14-demethylase, Alkaline Invertase, Cer1, and Shine 3. Each of these genes was run through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction with primers designed upon plant various genetic libraries (tobacco, wine grapes, maize, Arabidopsis, etc.). Various cDNA sample extracted from dwarf mistletoe were also ran. These samples were extracted over the growing season to the time of seed dispersal from mature (3rd year) female fruits. RuBisCO (Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) shown to be constitutively expressed and was used as reference gene. By comparing the Cq values over the growing season of each gene a picture of the genetic expression patterns of the genes could be seen. 14-demethylase was shown to have Cq values of June = 38.07, July = 35.69, and August = 36.28. This shows the genes expression increasing from June to July where it peaks and falls off in August. The Alkaline Invertase showed a similar pattern of expression with June = 30.32, July = 26.83, and August = 31.47. The Cer1 and Shine3 genes showed inconclusive results after several runs and many adjustments to the procedure. From the data collected, it may be possible that that the 14-demethylase and Neutral Invertase are preparative, helping with protection and energy storage prior to dispersal respectively. To solidify any speculations around these results further research into the genetics of this plant needs to be conducted.


title: Environmental influences on human mate preference across Canada

subject: Mate selection -- Canada

abstract: Sexual selection and mate preference is dynamic and can be influenced by a number of environmental factors. The purpose of my study was to determine if there is a correlation between environmental factors and human female mate preference in cities across Canada. Environmental, economic, and mate preference data were collected from 26 cities across Canada. Mate preference data was collected by looking at the first 50 online profiles for each city on a popular online dating site. Across the 26 cities, I recorded variation in both environmental (e.g., sex ratio, population density, population size) and mate preference data (resource holding potential, physical attractiveness, emotional appeal and personal activities and interests). I then asked whether the observed variation in stated preferences could be explained by variation in environmental and economic conditions across these cities. Furthermore, because this dating site includes the poster's characteristics, I also examined whether age was correlated to mate preference and if it explained the relationships between mate preference and the environmental influences. I found that preference for resource holding potential was positively related to population density and negatively related to age. In addition, I found that population size was positively related to preference for physical attractiveness and negatively related to preference for personal activities and interests. The findings from this research expand our current knowledge of the influences of environment on female human mate preference. My work also highlights the importance of examining poster characteristics, especially age, as they tend to vary across cities and can have a strong effect on observed patterns of female human mate preferences.


title: The effect of daytime temperature, planting density and intercropping on oats and peas

contributor: Fraser, Lauchlan (lfraser) (thesis advisor)

subject:
Cattle -- Feeding and feeds
Feeds -- Canada
Oats as feed

abstract:
Oats and peas are grown throughout Canada and around the world as a nutritious feed for cattle. Commonly, farmers grow oats and peas together in the same field (i.e., intercropped) to produce forage that is higher yielding and more nutritious than individually-grown oats or peas. Given the importance of oats and peas to the cattle industry, investigating and understanding how climatic factors and growing methods affect yields is important.
Previous studies have shown that greatest yields are achieved when daytime temperatures are between 15°C and 20°C, oats and peas are intercropped, and a high planting density is used. However, these three factors have not been investigated together in one experiment before. Therefore in this project, the interacting effect of daytime temperatures, planting densities and cropping methods were studied. Using a climate-controlled greenhouse, oats and peas were grown together and apart at three different planting densities and daytime temperatures.
Contrary to previous studies, I found that temperatures above 20°C positively affected oat and pea yields. However, leaf count and plant height data indicate that these plants were simply maturing earlier.
As expected, planting density positively affected yields in both species. Individual yield data shows that per-plant yields did not vary with density. This indicates that plant growth was not nutrient limited. Thus, increases in yield with planting density are almost wholly attributable to the increased number of plants per area.
Finally, I found that intercropping oats and peas together resulted in yields intermediate to sole-cropped oats and peas. No difference in individual plant weights, leaf counts or heights were observed between plants that were sole or intercropped. Thus, it might be that intercropping oats with peas does not positively affect yields when plants are not nutrient limited, and that increased yields obtained when these two species are intercropped results primarily from an increase in planting density.
To validate these observations, I recommend repeating this study with a larger number of replicates and harvesting all treatments at the same stage of maturity.


title: Stressed snakes: Investigating a possible link between baseline levels of corticosterone and body condition in the Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus)

contributor: Rakobowchuk, Mark (mrakobowchuk) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Sudhoff, James (jsudhoff) (committee member)

subject:
Western rattlesnake -- British Columbia
Corticosterone

abstract: Western Rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus) are vital members of ecological communities in the arid regions of southern British Columbia. These areas are ecologically unique compared to the rest of BC, but they are facing higher levels of agricultural and urban development. Therefore, it is critical for us to understand how exactly the conversion of natural habitat to a landscape dominated by vineyards, orchards and resorts will impact wildlife. So far Rattlesnakes have been able to persist in areas with anthropogenic disturbance, but previous research has shown that there may be hidden effects on the health of individuals. Rattlesnakes near Osoyoos, BC living in areas with abundant human disturbance exhibit relatively poor body condition when compared to those living in undisturbed, natural habitats. Considering the process whereby stress reduces body condition via tissue catabolism, I developed a prediction. I hypothesized that habitat disturbance in Osoyoos is leading Western rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus) to exhibit higher levels of baseline stress, causing a reduction in their body condition. Throughout the summer of 2018, I collected sixty-eight blood samples from rattlesnakes within the Osoyoos population and analyzed the baseline corticosterone (stress hormone) content using enzyme-linked immunoassay kits. I found no difference in baseline corticosterone levels between snakes living in natural habitats and those in disturbed habitats. In addition I found no overarching relationship between baseline concentrations of corticosterone and body condition among all the sampled rattlesnakes. While these results do not agree with our original hypotheses, they still provide an important insight into the stress ecology of the Western Rattlesnake in BC. This work will serve as an important baseline for future stress related research on the Osoyoos Rattlesnake population.


title: Inhibition of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of white-nose syndrome, by environmental microorganisms

contributor: Cheeptham, Naowarat (Ann) (ncheeptham) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Reed, J. Norman (nreed) (committee member)

contributor: Thompson Rivers University Department of Biological Sciences (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
vi, 31 pages

subject:
Bats -- Diseases
Bats -- Mortality
White-nose syndrome

abstract: White-nose syndrome, a disease that affects hibernating bats, has caused mass mortality in many bat populations since it was first detected in North America in 2006. This disease has both ecological and economic impacts, since bats are relied upon by the agricultural sector for natural pest-control. White-nose syndrome is caused by the psychrophilic fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, which is believed to be an invasive species in North America. Although biological and chemical agents able to inhibit the growth of P. destructans have been found, none of these have been put into widespread use, so the search for inhibitory agents continues. Environmental microorganisms are a diverse source of antibiotics and antifungals; therefore, the goal of this project was to isolate bacteria and fungi from three unique environments and screen these microorganisms for inhibitory activity towards P. destructans. Infected plant (rotten leaves, bark, wood) and mushroom samples collected from the area around Bush Lake and Timber Lake, British Columbia were plated on Sabouraud dextrose agar plates and incubated at 25°C to promote microbial growth. Additionally, fungi were isolated from dwarf mistletoe plants and soil samples collected at a mushroom farm in Summerland, British Columbia. Morphologically distinct bacterial and fungal colonies were isolated in pure culture and screened for inhibitory activity towards P. destructans. Ninety-three bacterial isolates were pre-screened using a direct contact streak assay, with 30 exhibiting inhibitory activity towards P. destructans. These 30 bacterial isolates plus 77 fungal isolates were then grown in V8 broth and the broth supernatant was collected and filtered before being used in a Kirby-Bauer style agar diffusion assay. Thirteen bacteria and seven fungi exhibited inhibitory activity towards P. destructans in the agar diffusion assay. Further characterization of the positive candidates could lead to the production of a novel biological control agent that could be used for treatment and/or prevention of WNS.


title: Capillary electrophoresis study of interaction between omega-3 fatty acids and epigallocatechin gallate

contributor: Donkor, Kingsley (kdonkor) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Cheeptham, Naowarat (ncheeptham) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Prema, Dipesh (dprema) (committee member)

subject:
Cancer -- Research
Epigallocatechin gallate
Green tea -- Health aspects
Omega-3 fatty acids

abstract: Cancer, a global disease affecting millions of people, is characterized by uncontrolled cell division due to mutations within the cell. The resulting cell mass continues to rapidly grow, resulting in tumours. Epigallocatechin gallate is a polyphenolic catechin found in green tea leaves that has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, it has also been shown to have anti-cancerous effects on various breast cancer cell lines. The effects include inhibiting cancer cell line growth, down-regulating estrogen receptor function, inducing apoptosis, inhibiting tumour promotion, and exhibiting antioxidant properties. This shows that epigallocatechin gallate is a potential cancer therapeutic agent. Although these are promising in vitro results, epigallocatechin gallate does not readily cross the cellular phospholipid bilayer in vivo. It is hypothesized that epigallocatechin gallate could be carried through the plasma membrane and into the cell when attached to a lipid molecule. The molecule that is currently being tested as a carrier molecule is the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid. The analytical technique affinity capillary electrophoresis has been used to determine that epigallocatechin gallate and docosahexaenoic acid have a reasonably strong interaction of 4.0 (± 1.2) x 104 at physiological pH.


title: Investigating the effect of a summer science camp on elementary school children's content knowledge and attitudes towards science

subject: Science -- Study and teaching

abstract: Previous research has shown that hands-on learning is a highly effective method for delivering science lessons. The Science Centre that is the focus of this study is a non-profit centre that provides opportunities for children and adults to experience science through labs, shows, and an exhibition room filled with various hands-on activities. Based on my experience and that of others associated with this Science Centre, it appears that quality learning is going on at this science centre. However, previously published literature has stated that learning does not occur at such facilities and they are only for fun. The previous literature does state that going to such science centres can influence children’s attitudes about science. This research is focused on trying to determine whether science activities at the Science Centre foster science learning as well as influence attitudes about science. A summer science camp for children aged nine to eleven was studied to try and make this determination. A questionnaire, video recordings, and audio recordings were used to collect data about the camp participants and track their progress based on attending the camp. Specific camp activities were also looked at to determine engagement level and relate the engagement level to specific questionnaire answers. The results showed that attending the summer science camp did increase the participants’ knowledge about science. The attitudes of the campers did not change after attending the camp. It was difficult to determine whether engagement related directly to learning because it is difficult to determine from the video recordings whether a child is learning. Overall, it appears that learning does occur during a science camp at the Science Centre. This research can provide insight into how science camps at this and other facilities can be structured.


title: Protocol development for the use of matrix assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) for detection of clostridium difficile toxin A and B from stool samples

contributor: Urban, Joanna (jurban) (committee member)

abstract:
Background: Clostridium difficile is an anaerobic, Gram-positive, spore-forming bacillus. C. difficile is important in the medical community because it is the most common cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and infections can lead to serious complications such as toxic megacolon and pseudomembranous colitis. Infection is mediated by toxins A and B, both of which are proteins that undergo processing within the target cell to yield a 63 kDa active domain.

Objective: This study investigates the use of MALDI-TOF-MS to detect the active domains of C. difficile toxins A and B from stool samples to explore the possibility of using MALDI as a diagnositc tool for C. difficile infections.

Methods: Known toxin and antigen positive and negative stool samples sent from Royal Inland Hospital were diluted 10-fold in deionized water or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and vortexed to create a relatively homogeneous suspension. Samples were then centrifuged and the pellet removed. Proteins in the supernatant were precipitated with acetonitrile or ammonium sulfate and the solution was centrifuged again. The pellet was resuspended in deionized water or TA30 and spotted on a MALDI plate with a sinnapinic acid (SA), SDHB (a mixture of 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,5-DHB) and 2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzoic acid), or CHCA (α-Cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid) matrix co-crystalized.

Results and Discussion: MALDI analysis showed no difference between samples diluted in deionized water and those diluted in PBS. Protein precipitation with acetonitrile produced higher quality spectra than protein precipitation with ammonium sulfate. Sample co-crystalization with a SA matrix provided higher quality spectra than sample co-crystalization with a SDHB or CHCA matrix. MALDI analysis showed no peaks in the 63 kDa range in any of the samples. Because stool is a complex combination of materials, MALDI mass spectra were expected to be complicated and show vast differences between samples. Surprisingly, all ten MALDI spectra acquired were relatively similar. Similar individual ion signals were seen between 20 and 60 kDa and above 70 kDa. No individual ion signals were seen in the 63 kDa range in any of the samples, regardless of their being toxin and antigen positive or negative. This suggests that there is an open mass window for unambiguous detection of the 63 kDa active domain.

Conclusion: We were unable to use MALDI to detect the 63 kDa active domains of C. difficile toxins A and B from crude stool protein extracts. Further studies would be required to ascertain the possibility of using this technological tool to detect C. difficile toxins as an alternative method of diagnosis to the tests currently available. Although inconclusive, this study is a starting point for the investigation of MALDI as a diagnostic tool in a clinical setting.


title: The effect of reduced snow cover and summer drought on temperate grasslands in the southern interior of British Columbia

contributor: Petersen, Christine (cpetersen) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Reudink, Matt (mreudink) (committee member)

subject:
Grasslands -- British Columbia
Grasslands ecology
Precipitation -- British Columbia
Climatic changes

abstract: Approximately 26% of the Earth’s total land area and 80% of agricultural land is composed of grasslands. Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area near Kamloops, BC, Canada is temperate grassland that provides recreational and economic opportunities. Due to global climate change, Southern and central British Columbia precipitation patterns are predicted to shift with less precipitation in the summer and more in the winter. Although winters are predicted to become wetter, less precipitation as snowfall could lead to reduced snowpack, which is more likely to melt earlier in the spring. Snow cover provides insulation against cold air, which helps reduce frost stress during the winter and an earlier snowmelt may lead to water shortage in the summer. Changing climate trends may lead to more frequent and intense droughts combined with increased frost stress that can negatively impact plant survival and productivity. However, it is unknown how these stress events interact with each other and if there is a positive or negative relationship. This study looked at the effects of frost stress and drought, as well as the combination of both, on biomass productivity. I found that snow removal increased exposure to more variable and more negative temperatures in the winter. Plots with established rain-out shelters showed a significant decrease in soil moisture content. Above ground biomass did not differ between plots, treatments types or the controls. Although no significant results were found in biomass production, understanding how stress events interact with each other on grassland plant communities will help predict how terrestrial ecosystems will respond in the face of global climate change.


title: Quantification of ketone bodies in saliva using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

subject:
Saliva -- Examination
Gas chromatography
Mass spectrometry
Ketogenic diet
Diabetic acidosis

abstract: Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus is an autoimmune disease where pancreatic b-cells within the Islets of Langerhans are destroyed. A complication associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus is diabetic ketoacidosis, and if left untreated can result in coma or death. There are commercial methods for individuals to analyze ketone body concentrations within urine and blood, but these are invasive, expensive, and aren’t always accurate. Therefore, saliva should be examined as a potential alternative to the current commercial methods on the market. This experiment aimed to quantify the amount of beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate, in the saliva, blood, and urine samples using GC-MS by inducing ketosis in consenting participants. The participants followed a ketogenic diet for four days, and their biological samples were obtained before and after. The blood samples were centrifuged to isolate the plasma and deproteinated. All sample matrices were evaporated, the ketone bodies were derivatized using BSTFA + 1% TMCS at 80°C for 1.5 h, and the headspace was analyzed. The participants followed an Atkins diet to induce ketosis and the amount of beta-hydroxybutyrate was able to be quantified for each participant. The urine samples had high concentrations of beta hydroxybutyrate, which could be a result of the acidic urine increasing the derivatization efficiency. There was very little beta-hydroxybutyrate detected within saliva. Since there was detection, this could potentially be used as a method to quantify ketone bodies upon further method development. No acetoacetate was detected in any of the samples. Future work should further optimize the methodology to detect acetoacetate, and the addition of recovery and internal standards to the samples to ensure all the analyte is derivatized and to determine if there is any variation between runs.


title: The impacts of urbanization on the bacterial communities of mountain chickadees (Poecile gambeli)

contributor: Stephens, Colton Robert Alexander (author)

contributor: Reudink, Matt (mreudink) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Van Hamme, Jonathan (jvanhamme) (thesis advisor)

subject: Mountain chickadee -- Kamloops

abstract: Urbanization is a global process with numerous consequences on wildlife, including the amplification of certain infectious diseases. No studies have yet determined if this pattern exists across all detectable pathogenic bacteria, and few have investigated how bacterial communities change across urban to rural/native habitat gradients. We used whole-community sequencing of partial 16S rRNA gene amplicons to examine relationships between urban and rural bacterial communities found on Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) feathers and nests in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. Between urban and rural sites, we observed mostly similar abundances of major bacterial phyla, and dominant genera with pathogenic members, on both bird feathers and their nests. However, urban habitats tended to increase the richness of both bacterial communities and potential pathogens on birds, and accounted for some of the differences in bacterial occurrence between urban and rural environments. Similarities in bacterial communities between nests and their occupants indicated some degree of transmission occurred between them, or that shared environments result in similar community assemblages. We predicted habitat using potential pathogen occurrence with a 90% success rate for feather bacteria, and a 72.2% success rate for nest bacteria, indicating an influence of urban environments on potential pathogen presence. Our findings show that urban environments result in significant differences between urban and rural bacteria associated with Mountain Chickadees, with potential indications towards diverging disease dynamics across urban and rural gradients.


title: Do conditions on the Mexican moulting grounds influence carotenoid content and composition of Bullock's oriole (Icterus bullockii) feathers?

contributor: Reudink, Matthew (mreudink) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Flood, Nancy (nflood) (committee member)

contributor: Thompson Rivers University Departments of Biological and Physical Sciences (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
iv, 21 pages

subject:
Northern oriole -- Mexico
Northern oriole -- Molting

abstract: The Bullock’s oriole (Icterus bullockii) has an interesting moult migration strategy, in which it stops mid-way to the wintering grounds, in the Mexican monsoon region to replace feathers (moult) before continuing migration south to overwinter. Moult-migrants, such as Bullock’s orioles, undergo such a strategy because food resources are more abundant in the monsoon region during early fall than on the breeding grounds, allowing better conditions for moult. During this time, Bullock’s orioles produce bright orange/yellow carotenoid-based plumage. Carotenoid colouration is an honest signal of individual quality and is important in social interactions and female mate choice across taxa. Here, we asked whether diet and habitat quality during moult (inferred by stable isotopes) were associated with feather carotenoid content and composition. Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to determine carotenoid concentrations in the breast feathers of after second year males of a Bullock’s oriole population breeding in British Columbia. Feathers were also analyzed for carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotopes to infer habitat conditions during moult. We also used reflectance spectrometry to calculate feather hue, red chroma, and brightness. Perhaps surprisingly, I found no direct relationship between features of colouration (as measured by reflectance spectrometry) and carotenoid concentration or composition. There was, however, a positive relationship between δ15N and concentration of lutein, as well as a negative relationship between δ15N and proportion of canthaxanthin. These results suggest that feeding at a higher trophic level during moult –perhaps having a diet high in insects –allows for a greater amount of lutein to be deposited in feathers. Feeding more on insects may also indicate a lack of β-carotene or dietary canthaxanthin, or an inability to effectively metabolize β-carotene to canthaxanthin in that environment, possibly due to stress. This study highlights the importance of moulting in highquality habitats for species that exhibit carotenoid-based colouration. A moult migration strategy may have evolved to take advantage of superior moult conditions in the Mexican monsoon region, which can directly influence the ability to obtain bright colouration, critical for inter- and intra-sexual interactions.


title: When your dinner bites back: Alsike clover as a host for Coleophora deauratella

contributor: Baldwin, Lyn (lybaldwin) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Science (Degree granting institution)

format: electronic 31p electronic

subject:
Coleophoridae -- Research
Red clover
Alsike clover

abstract: Understanding host relationships between invasive species and their non-native hosts has important economic and ecological considerations. The red clover casebearer moth (RCCB), Coleophora deauratella Lieneg and Zeller (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae), is an invasive red clover seed pest introduced to Canada in the 1960’s. RCCB larvae feed on developing seed from June to late August then overwinter in crop debris. RCCB can cause seed yield losses of ≥80% in second-year seed stands of red clover. There are no registered pesticides for RCCB. Both larvae and adults have been reported in alsike clover fields but little damage is seen on these plants, and female moths display lower fecundity on alsike clover. The purpose of this research was to compare the larval abundance and development of RCCB on red clover (Trifolium pratense) and alsike clover (Trifolium hybridium). I also wanted to compare moth species diversity and larval abundance in red and alsike clover seed crop fields and volunteer clover patches. In addition, host quality was assessed by rearing field-collected larvae on laboratory-grown clover flower heads and observing growth and development. No larvae were recovered from alsike clover fields or volunteer alsike patches, while 338 larvae were recovered from red clover fields and volunteer patches. Larvae reared on alsike clover had a 30% mortality rate during the rearing period, while larvae reared on red clover had a 5% mortality rate. More weight was gained by larvae reared on red clover (mean weight gain= 0.00438 grams, n=19) compared to larvae reared on alsike clover (mean weight gain= 0.00274 grams, n=109, t = -2.9093, p= 0.01407). This suggests that the difference in damage and fecundity may be due to lower host quality.


title: Effects of sports training on visual processing in peri-hand space

contributor: Kozoris, Greg (gkozoris) (committee member)

contributor: Thompson Rivers Universy Interdisciplinary Studies (Degree granting institution)

abstract: The area immediately surrounding the hand has been shown to give rise to alterations in visual perception. This area is referred to as peri-hand space. When viewing objects in this area, studies have shown that people are slower to look away from objects and faster to detect new objects compared to objects that are not in peri-hand space. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of sports training on altered visual perception in peri-hand space. Practice with motor skills enables the brain to become more plastic and strengthens the brain areas that are repeatedly used. Thus, we hypothesized that athletes would have greater visual processing alterations (hereafter referred to as peri-hand effects or PHE’s) when viewing objects in peri-hand space compared to non-athletes because athletes spend far greater time training the visual and motor areas of their brains to be able to use their hands in order to achieve an athletic goal. We tested this by having a group of athletes and a group of non-athletes perform a visual search task where they had to identify a target image amongst an array of distractor images while wearing an eye tracker. We did not find any significant peri-hand space effects and thus, also did not find any main effects of athletic experience on our measures of peri-hand space. We did find that participants were faster to find and react to graspable objects compared to ungraspable objects.The results are discussed in relation to the idea that the lack of PHE’s in our results was due to the images in our task being too complex to elicit any PHE’s.


title: An ace in the hole: Explosive seed discharge by Arceuthobium americanum (lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe) may be facilitated by declining stomatal density

subject:
Lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe
Lodgepole pine -- Diseases and pests

abstract: Arceuthobium americanum, the lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe, is a dioecious parasitic flowering plant that infects lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) in the Pacific Northwest.  The infection causes stunted growth of the host tree while also compromising timber value.  The plant utilizes a unique dispersal strategy involving explosive seed discharge, and thus understanding its reproductive biology is an integral step toward managing its spread. A. americanum’s complete life cycle occurs over five to six years, and the fruit matures over two consecutive growing seasons. Of particular interest are stomata (small pores in the plant’s epidermis), which not only permit gas exchange, but also allow for cooling through transpiration. The primary goal of this study was to observe changes in fruit development and morphology using environmental scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Developmental changes in second- year fruits were assessed to gain a better understanding of the underlying physiological processes and changes that precede explosive discharge. The length and diameter of second-year fruits were found to significantly increase over the growing season (April-September), whereas stomatal density significantly decreases over the same time period. Developmentally, the fruit was observed to swell, and the floral organs persisted through the season. The decline in stomatal density may be simply a consequence of the expansion of surface area, but could function in retaining water inside the fruit to facilitate discharge and/or provide a heating mechanism through reduced transpiration. Future work should explore the influence of stomata in the explosive discharge directly, by measuring discrete transpiration levels.


title: Sympatric song variant in mountain chickadees (Poecile gambeli) does not reduce aggression from black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus)

contributor: Dickinson, Tom (tdickinson) (committee member)

contributor: Thompson Rivers University Department of Biological Sciences (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
v, 25 pages

subject: Mountain chickadee -- Birdsongs -- British Columbia -- Prince George

subject: Black-capped chickadee -- Birdsongs -- British Columbia -- Prince George

abstract: Various species interact with one another daily and, when habitats overlap and species compete for resources, the interactions are often negative. Character displacements are shifts in traits that typically occur in regions of geographic overlap of closely related species. These shifts, which act to reduce negative interactions, can be behavioural, social or morphological. Previous research has shown that mountain chickadees (Poecile gambeli) have an altered song structure in regions of geographic overlap with the more dominant black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus). Similar to the situation for European and Asian tits, mountain chickadees may have changed their song to decrease aggression from black-cappeds. To test this hypothesis, I conducted a playback study with black-capped chickadees in Prince George, BC in which I observed how they responded to the songs of mountain chickadees recorded in regions where the two species were (1) sympatric and (2) allopatric. I used principal component analysis to collapse behavioural response variables into a single “approach” variable and a single “vocalization” variable. I then used mixed-model analysis to determine whether there was a difference in approach or vocalization response to the two types of mountain chickadee songs. Black-capped chickadees responded with equal intensity to both types of mountain chickadee songs. My results demonstrate that mountain chickadee songs with the sympatric song variant do not reduce heterospecific aggression from black-capped chickadees. To my knowledge, this is the only instance of a character shift unassociated with reduced aggression in the family Paridae and raises interesting questions about the selective pressures leading to the evolution of this song divergence. It is possible that different selective pressures may result in similar evolutionary outcomes in the form of altered songs in sympatric populations.


title: The impact and mechanism of interaction on exercise-derived microvesicles on cultured endothelial cells

contributor: Rakobowchuk, Mark (mrakobowchuk) (thesis advisor)

contributor: MacKay, Mairi (mackay) (committee member)

format:
electronic
vi, 41 pages
electronic

subject:
Microparticles -- Exercise
Endothelial cells -- Exercise

abstract: Microvesicles (MV) were once thought to be inert cellular fragments; however, a large body of research suggests they are bioactive components involved in intercellular communication and altering physiological processes. As these 100 nm – 1 µm plasma membrane-derived vesicles are formed from many cell types, they vary significantly in composition and function. Recently, it has been shown that high intensity exercise increases the concentration of circulating platelet-derived MVs. While the physiological role of these MVs is unknown, they have been shown to improve the functionality of endothelial cells, indicating a potential for mediating the adaptive effects of exercise on the cardiovascular system. The present study aims to further examine the effects of these exercise-derived MVs on the endothelium, as well as investigate the mechanism by which MVs and endothelial cells interact. Exercise trials were performed to produce blood MV samples from eleven participants. To test the effects of exercise-derived MVs, cultured endothelial cells were treated with MV samples from rest, exercise or recovery. Endothelial cell function, in terms of proliferation and wound-healing, was examined. To gain insight into the mechanism of interaction between exercise-derived MVs and endothelial cells, blockade studies were incorporated into the functional assays. MV surface proteins were degraded with trypsin and the interaction between Axl and Gas6 was inhibited with an anti-Axl antibody. Several mistakes were made within the course of this study, including incorrect preparation of the sodium citrate anticoagulant used for blood sample collection and possible microbial contamination of endothelial cell cultures. As such, the results of this study are inconclusive and further research is required to determine the effect of exercise-derived MVs on endothelial cell function and the pathways involved in this interaction.


title: Forage selection by the American pika (Ochotona princeps): Comparing vegetation communities, pika harvesting and plant nutrition in contrasting habitats

contributor: Gardner, Wendy (wgardner) (committee member)

contributor: Karakatsoulis, John (jkarakatsoulis) (committee member)

subject: American pika -- Food

abstract: Understanding the relationship between animal populations and the vegetative heterogeneity of their native habitat is becoming increasingly important as natural resource extraction, such as mining, becomes a dominant influence on landscapes in the southern-interior of British Columbia. Identifying how wildlife (particularly herbivores) are able to use anthropogenic plant species will allow us to better manage the quality and quantity of forage in these anthropogenic ecosystems. Reclamation initiatives at Highland Valley Copper Mine focus on converting waste-rock and dump site locations into land that supports plant communities composed of agronomic and native species. The presence of American Pikas (Ochotona princeps) in this and surrounding landscapes creates an opportunity to investigate the plants harvested by these animals compared to that available, and also how this pattern varies between natural and anthropogenic habitats. In August 2013, I surveyed the plant communities surrounding a variety of pre-established pika den sites, finding that native and anthropogenic locations showed little similarity in terms of plant species diversity, particularly in terms of the most abundant species within each location. An examination of pika haypiles (harvest piles) in October 2013 showed that although common plants were being harvested, the animals also used plants that were less common. Plant species identified as most abundant within the haypiles were primarily shrubs, forbs and grasses. I also determined that the plants harvested by the pikas were not necessarily the most abundant nor the most nutritional. Overall, this study revealed the foraging and dietary plasticity of pikas in this region, and in tandem with a larger, overarching project, provides an improved understanding of the pika population inhabiting this atypical environment.


title: The antimutagenic effects of Arceuthobium americanum

contributor: Donkor, Kingsley (kdonkor) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Van Hamme, Jonathan (jvanhamme) (committee member)

subject:
Lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe
Ames test
Antimutagens
Cancer -- Alternative treatment

abstract: Extracts from European mistletoe (Viscum album) have been used in alternative cancer treatments for nearly a century, and the extracts have modest antimutagenic properties. The dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium americanum) and V. album are from the same family and share similar characteristics. Both are plant-plant parasites, taking water and minerals from their hosts. However, it remains unknown as to whether A. americanum extracts are also antimutagenic. The objective of this research is to determine if extracts of A. americanum have antimutagenic properties when tested against some standard mutagens. Methanol extraction of A. americanum’s fruits and stem were conducted, and the extracts were tested against histidine dependent Salmonella typhimurium strains via the Ames test, a standard method of detecting mutagenicity/antimutagenicity. The S. typhimurium strains contain different mutations in assorted genes in the histidine operon and are more easily back mutated than others in the presence of mutagens. The increased S. typhimurium growth can then be an indicator of increased genetic mutations that resulted in histidine reversions. The same test was conducted with modifications to test for antimutagenic activity. This research revealed modest A. americanum antimutagenic properties similar to V. album; however, the results were not statistically significant and difficult to get replicates. This result is a first for the Arceuthobium genus. Future research into this field could find more concrete evidence into the potential for the plant.


title: Tracking movement in overwintering songbirds: An RFID approach

contributor: Paetkau, Mark (mpaetkau) (committee member)

contributor: Rakobowchuk, Mark (mrakobowchuk) (committee member)

format:
electronic
v, 27 pages

subject: Songbirds -- British Columbia -- Kamloops

subject: Radio frequency identification systems

abstract: Globally, habitat loss and changes in land use are causing an increase in habitat fragmentation, which can negatively impact some songbird species. Urbanization in particular can create highly fragmented habitats with landscape corridors that vary greatly in their propensity to be crossed. In the study of animal movement, there are several factors that limit the quantity and quality of data that can be collected on individuals. In birds, movements occur quickly and often high in trees or in heavy brush, making detailed observations of the movements of known, colourbanded, individuals challenging. I utilized a Wi-Fi enabled radio-frequency identification (RFID) bird-feeder system in order to passively and autonomously track movement events of banded permanent resident songbirds (i.e., House Finches, Song Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Mountain Chickadees) in the area of Kamloops, BC, Canada. I tracked banded and RFID tagged songbirds over a 63 day period from 1 January 2016 to 3 March 2016, recording 21732 visitation events by 28 individuals. From these visitation events I determine 817 movements by House Finches (n = 23 individuals), 176 movements by Mountain Chickadees (n = 2 individuals), and 15 movements by individuals of other songbird species. I then used ArcGIS to create resistance landscapes to ask whether movement patterns were best predicted by the “resistance” characteristic of the habitat between feeder locations or by straight-line distance. The movement patterns exhibited by tagged birds were not predicted by any of straight-line distance, least-cost distance, straight-line pathway resistance, or least-cost pathway resistance. However, feeders with a higher proportion of shrubs and trees were visited marginally more frequently. I also found that females traveled between feeders more frequently than males.


title: Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in the TRU Sleep Clinic: Should high blood pressure and sleep apnea be tested for and treated simultaneously?

contributor: Matthews, Les (lmatthews) (thesis advisor)

subject:
Hypertension -- Therapy
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive -- Therapy

abstract: Extensive research has demonstrated a strong correlation between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and high blood pressure (hypertension). Furthermore, studies have shown that treating OSA can lead to an improvement in blood pressure levels. Despite this knowledge, many sleep clinics still do not test their patients for hypertension and have yet to develop comprehensive treatment plans that aim to target both OSA and hypertension. The TRU Sleep Clinic currently sees patients referred by local physicians for overnight ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) monitoring; upon their first visit, the patients are questioned regarding their sleep habits and complete questionnaires designed to reveal the level of risk for OSA. Despite this effort, patients are not returning to the clinic for further screening and treatment for OSA. The purpose of this study was to identify ABP patients whose files had been archived, but who should have been tested for OSA, invite those patients back to the clinic for further testing, and determine how to ensure that people do return to the clinic in the future if they are identified as at risk for OSA. To do so, I reviewed 182 archived ABP patient files to identify those patients who demonstrated a risk of OSA during the initial screening process. Then, I contacted those patients and invited them back to the clinic for overnight pulse-oximetry, partly to determine how willing patients were to return to the clinic for OSA testing. I designed a script for contacting patients that emphasized the connection between hypertension and OSA and the possible benefits of treating OSA for their overall health. Finally, I developed an improved ABP patient archive  form in order to ensure that when a patient demonstrates a risk of OSA, their file would not be prematurely archived. Based on their Epworth Sleepiness Scale and STOP-BANG questionnaire scores, and their self-reported sleep issues, 48 of the 182 patients should have been invited back to the clinic for overnight pulse-oximetry to test for OSA. Of those, 20 were contacted successfully and 10 agreed to return to the clinic for pulse-ox. The conclusions from this study were that more than a quarter of the patients who initially visited the clinic for overnight ABP monitoring should have returned for pulse oximetry, a substantial proportion of patients were willing to return to the clinic for further testing, and that a new “Request to Archive ABP Patient File” form was necessary in the clinic to ensure that ABP patients demonstrating a risk for OSA were being identified and not archived.


title: The extraction and analysis of antimicrobial secondary metabolites produced by cave Streptomyces S1, S4, and PM58B

contributor: Cheeptham, Naowarat (ncheeptham) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Donkor, Kingsley (kdonker) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Ross Friedman, Cynthia (cross) (committee member)

contributor: Thompson Rivers University Department of Biology and Physical Sciences Chemical Biology (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
vi, 35 pages

subject: Drug resistance in microorganisms

abstract: Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem as microorganisms exhibiting resistance to antibiotics of last resort have been reported in hospitals around the world. To respond to this problem, it is necessary to develop and discover novel antibacterial compounds. A rich reservoir of antibacterial compounds are microbial secondary metabolites, a structurally diverse group of molecules produced by microbes in response to changing environmental conditions providing some advantage to their producers. Particularly prolific producers of these compounds are bacteria of the group Streptomyces, these being responsible for a large portion of the naturally sourced antibacterial compounds used today. In order to access novel and untapped chemical diversity, the investigation of unexplored biological niches has become more prevalent, with the study of cave dwelling microorganisms producing promising leads. This study examines the antimicrobial secondary metabolites produced by three cave Streptomyces strains S1, S4, and PM58b for their previously described activity against target multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus with the goal of determining their molecular characteristics. To achieve this, three strains of Streptomyces were grown for periods of 10 to 30 days to induce the production of secondary metabolites. Bioactivity was confirmed in S1 and S4 by an agar-plug assay and was observed as a pigmented ring of inhibition after an extended period of incubation. Streptomyces strain S1 fermentation broth was extracted and analyzed by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry for the preliminary identification of the antimicrobial compound present. Antimicrobial activity could not be isolated in a cell free environment from S1 fermentation broths; instead, the antimicrobials were produced on the assay plate. Differences were observed between the fermentation broth and sterile media mass spectra; however, a molecular mass could not be assigned to the putative antimicrobial compound.


title: Brood sex ratio variation in mountain bluebirds (Sialia currucoides): Effects of attractiveness and environment

contributor: Reudink, Matthew (mreudink) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Science (Degree granting institution)

subject: Mountain bluebird -- Reproduction

abstract: Sex allocation theory predicts that females should bias the sex ratio of their offspring in response to differences in the reproductive value of sons and daughters. Offspring reproductive value may vary as a result of mate attractiveness, mate condition, or habitat quality; therefore, females should bias sex ratio in response to these attributes. Male plumage colouration, for example, may signal the direct (e.g., parental care) and indirect (e.g., good genes) benefits a female can gain by mating with a particular male. If males inherit good genes and receive greater parental care from a high quality dad, sons will have a higher chance of reproductive success. Hence, a female mated to a high quality male may produce a male-biased brood. Male mountain bluebirds (Sialia currucoides) display full body UV-blue structural plumage colouration, which is associated with male attractiveness and condition. In this study, I investigated whether female mountain bluebirds produce sex-biased broods in response to mate attractiveness or environmental conditions. Brood sex ratios were related to male plumage colouration, with male-biased broods resulting when females mated with brightly coloured males. This relationship was seen only in broods produced by older females, suggesting that a female’s ability to assess male plumage and bias offspring sex in response may be related to her breeding experience. Brood sex ratios also became male-biased with increasing elevation, and male-biased broods were provisioned more frequently than female-biased broods when the parents were older birds. In conclusion, these results support the hypotheses that female mountain bluebirds bias offspring sex in response to both mate attractiveness and environmental conditions.


title: Differential contributions of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Brettanomyces claussenii to a Belgian strong beer

contributor: Van Hamme, Jonathan D. (jvanhamme) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Bottos, Eric M. (ebottos) (thesis advisor)

subject:
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Brettanomyces
Brewing -- Microbiology
Beer

abstract: Parallel 49 Brewing Company has become an award-winning microbrewery at the heart of British Columbia’s growing beer culture. Wild Ride, one of their most successful beers, is brewed with a co-culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Brettanomyces claussenii (synonym B. anomalus). While the use of co-cultures in brewing represents a profitable niche market, Parallel 49 has ceased production of Wild Ride as these fermentations are technically challenging and difficult to reproduce. In order to support the development of alternative production methods, Parallel 49 needs to gain an understanding of the genomic profiles of the two yeast strains, profile yeast metabolites in relation to gene expression, and understand the genetic and metabolic interactions during co-culture fermentation. I hypothesize that, during co-culture fermentation, the “omic” profiles of the two yeast strains will be altered, and that there will be detectable interactions between the two strains. In order to test this hypothesis, a S. cerevisiae mono-culture brew, a B. claussenii mono-culture brew, and a Wild Ride co-culture brew were carried out. Fermentations proceeded for twenty-two days according to Parallel 49’s recipe, and specific gravity, dissolved oxygen and pH were monitored. Daily samples were taken for metabolite analysis via heated headspace gas chromatography coupled to a flame ionization detector and a mass spectrometer, transcriptomic analysis via RNA-seq on an Ion S5 System, and proteomic analysis via Waters Synapt G2 high definition mass spectrometry (Q-TOF MS) coupled to a nanoAcquity ultra performance liquid chromatography system. The genomes of both yeast cultures were sequenced on an Ion S5 System. To date, the day 7 transcriptomic profile of the Wild Ride co-culture has been sequenced, producing 9,734,188 Q20 reads and >= 1,620,889,603 Q20 bases. The Wild Ride reads were mapped to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae S288C reference genome at 17.65%, with 76.93% of the reads mapping to rRNA regions located on chromosome XII. Through metabolic analysis, 33 compounds were resolved and identified by mass spectrometry in the three fermentations; of those, production kinetics for 10 were monitored using flame ionization detection. From whole genome sequencing. 6,281,650 Q20 reads and >= 1,887,285,253 Q20 bases were produced for Saccharomyces, while 5,804,220 Q20 reads and >= 1,655,746,215 Q20 bases were produced for Brettanomyces. From this, a contaminant was detected in the two yeast cultures that shared 99.98% average nucleotide identity with the bacterium Cellulosimicrobium cellulans strain NEB113; the average nucleotide identity between NEB113 and the two contaminants sequenced in the two yeast cultures was >99.9%. Currently, proteomic analysis of samples is underway at the University of iii Regina. In the future, additional metabolites will be identified in the liquid phase of fermentation cultures, and quantities of each compound in all three brews will be determined. Additional transcriptome sequencing will be carried out so that multiple sample days from all three brews can be analyzed, and yeast abundance in the Wild Ride co-culture will be monitored by qPCR. Thegenomes of S. cerevisiae and B. claussenii will be sequenced at a greater depth of coverage so that they may be used as reference genomes for transcriptome mapping. The possibility of C. cellulans contamination will be eliminated by re sequencing the genomes using new cultures, and differentrRNA removal techniques will be implemented. The mono- and co-culture fermentations will be repeated so that all aspects of the experiment can be replicated.


title: Novel and conventional control of Linaria genistifolia ssp. Dalmatica in a semi-arid grassland of British Columbia's southern interior

contributor: Gardner, Wendy (wgardner) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Broad, Peggy Jo (pbroad) (committee member)

contributor: Tarasoff, Catherine (catarasoff) (committee member)

format:
electronic
vii, 41 pages

subject: Introduced organisms -- British Columbia -- Kamloops -- Kenna Cartwright Nature Park

abstract: Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria genistifolia ssp. Dalmatica) is a major concern in disturbed areas of British Columbia’s interior due to its pronounced ability to displace native vegetation. To investigate the most appropriate control method, including efficiency, a study was established in Kenna Cartwright Nature Park, Kamloops, BC in 2016. Manual removal and three herbicide treatments were compared by collecting live and dead stem count in 6m by 6m replicates (n=30) during baseline, post-treatment and end-of-growing season assessments. Tordon 22K was applied at 213 g a.e. ha-1 picloram mixed with Agral 90 surfactant (0.025% by volume) using broadcast spraying, spot spraying and hand wicking (August 23rd). Treatment had a significant effect; broadcast and spot spraying provided the highest overall success resulting in mean stem counts of 1.7 ± 1.07 and 6.33 ± 2.67 at the end of the growing season, respectively. Wicking offered the same overall success as spot spraying in reducing total live stems. However, wicking contained 61% of the live stems at the end of the growing season, relative to baseline, whereas spot spraying only contained 31%. Broadcast spraying offered the greatest success in which survivorship was 13%. Only broadcast and spot spraying provide statistically significant reduction in vegetative stems from baseline to end-of-season; broadcast spraying contained zero stems in this life stage. Despite eliminating all stems at time of treatment, manual removal experienced high regrowth which resulted in statistical similarity to the control and appeared to encourage vegetative regrowth. Nearly all of the regrowth experienced in the control, manual removal, spot spraying and wicking at the end of the growing season were rosettes. Seedlings did not greatly contribute to reproduction in any treatments and were absent from broadcast spraying. For high density sites (>31 stems/m2), broadcast spraying offers the greatest chance of success based on both success and efficiency. Low to medium density sites can be controlled by spot spraying, however the lower residual soil activity must be considered. Ultimately, the effect on the native plant community must be evaluated when selecting one of the recommended treatment methods and future research should focus on tracking the communities through time.


title: Protein transplant: Cloning genes for two NtaA proteins from Gordonia sp. NB4-1Y

contributor: Van Hamme, Jonathan (jvanhamme) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Ross Friedman, Cynthia (committee member)

subject: Forest fires -- Prevention and control -- Environmental aspects -- Kamloops

abstract: Some telomerisation-based aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) used to fight forest fires contain 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS), or precursors that degrade to 6:2 FTS, which has been found to accumulate in groundwater systems and appear in surface waters and in the livers of fish following AFFF deployment. By examining the microbial metabolism of organosulfur compounds such as 6:2 FTS, therein lies potential for development of bioremediation tools. To date, the metabolism of 6:2 FTS has been observed in the soil bacterium Gordonia sp. NB4-1Y, an organism that was isolated in Kamloops, British Columbia Canada. When NB4-1Y was supplied 6:2 FTS as the sole sulfur source, the differential production of two nitrilotriacetate (NtaA) monooxygenases was observed when compared to a MgSO4 supplemented culture. This led to the hypothesis that these enzymes initiate the desulfurization reaction used by NB4-1Y for 6:2 FTS biodegradation.  To examine this hypothesis, DNA was isolated from NB4-1Y using a modified Streptomyces genomic DNA isolation protocol, and this DNA was used as a template to amplify the protein-coding region for each NtaA enzyme by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR primers were designed to introduce restriction enzyme sites to the 5' and 3' ends of the genes to allow for subsequent directional cloning. These genes were then transferred into DH5α competent E. coli using a pBluescript cloning vector for sequencing. Once the  gene sequence data has been obtained, the gene inserts will be moved into a pMAL-c2 expression vector that will allow for the production and purification of large quantities of the NtaA enzymes for characterization. The enzymes will be purified from an E. coli expression host using affinity chromatography by taking advantage of a maltose binding protein introduced to the N-terminal region of the target proteins using the pMAL-c2 expression vector, a binding protein that has an affinity for amylose. Once purified, spectrophotometric assays monitoring the rate of NADH oxidation will be performed to definitively determine if these enzymes are involved in 6:2 FTS desulfurization in Gordonia sp. NB4-1Y, helping us further understand the potential value of Gordonia as a bioremediation tool.


title: The role of bacterial infection in early benthic phase mortality of marine invertebrates

contributor: Gosselin, Louis (lgosselin) (thesis advisor)

subject: Marine invertebrates -- Diseases

abstract:
Marine invertebrates experience a substantial amount of mortality during the early benthic phase which can influence a population’s future abundance and distribution as well as exert selective pressure, driving its evolution. Some causative agents of intertidal juvenile marine invertebrate mortality have already been elucidated, such as predation and desiccation stress, but the influence of bacterial infection on early benthic phase mortality is not known. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of infectious agents in generating the high mortality rates observed amongst wild populations of juvenile invertebrates living in the intertidal zone.
In this study, five antibiotics were administered to juvenile Mytilus trossulus (mussels) and Nucella ostrina (snails): oxytetracycline (OTC), chloramphenicol (CM), kanamycin sulfate (KS), and trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole (TxS). The juveniles were placed in small cages and were constantly submerged off of the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre docks. M. trossulus and N. ostrina were soaked in a mixture of the antibiotics for a half hour three times per day for five days. After five days the mortality in the treatment and control groups was compared.
Mortality was low in the control treatment for both species, ranging from 0 - 3.7% (M. trossulus) and 0.5 - 4.0% (N. ostrina), indicating that infectious stress is not a major cause of mortality of juvenile marine invertebrates. Further, no significant difference in mortality was observed between the antibiotic treatment and control treatment for either M. trossulus or N. ostrina (Friedman block test P>0.99 S<0.01 (M. trossulus); Friedman block test P=0.564 S=0.33 (N. ostrina)), indicating that bacterial infection is not causing mortality of juvenile marine invertebrates.


title: The ecology and the life history of Hiodon rosei from the McAbee Area

contributor: Higgins, Rob (rhiggins) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Van Wagoner, Nancy (nvanwagoner) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Van Wagoner, Steve (svanwagoner) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Petersen, Christine (cpetersen) (committee member)

format:
electronic
v, 47 pages
electronic

subject: Hiodontidae

subject: McAbee Fossil Site (B.C.)

subject: Fossils -- British Columbia -- Kamloops Lake Region

abstract: Although †Hiodon rosei (Hussakof), an extinct species of mooneye, has been known of for over a century, little in the way of its ecology or life-history has been studied. It is a common fossil in the McAbee site, a lakebed dated to the Eocene epoch. Various fossils collected from the sites around the Eo-Thompson basin (including McAbee) were analyzed for standard length in an attempt to generate age classes. Missing standard lengths were extrapolated from proxies determined by regression analysis. The distribution of sexes among the various fossil localities was also analyzed. Furthermore, to support hypothesis development about the ecology of †H. rosei, a literature review was undertaken. The fossils from the Eo-Thompson basin range from less than 1 year to over 4 years of age, with the majority being between 1 and 3 years of age. There was no difference in the distribution of sexes within the McAbee site or between the sites of the Eo-Thompson sites studied. †Hiodon rosei appears to be an opportunistic insectivore, probably feeding at night. It may have spawned in rivers or shallow water, and matured around 1 year of age. Much research is still needed and a promising start is to collect further samples at the Eo-Thompson sites.


title: Connecting the dots: Working towards the metabolomic profile of Grindelia squarrosa

contributor: Nelson, Donald (dnelson) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Van Hamme, Jonathan (jvanhamme) (committee member)

contributor: Thompson Rivers University Department of Physical Sciences (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
ix, 36 pages

subject: Nuclear magnetic resonance

abstract: Novel metabolomics methods using the NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) spectrometer at Thompson Rivers University were developed. This will lead to better utilization of the NMR by opening up new applications of this powerful instrument. The method was applied to three different samples: a simple four compound mixture, a previously analyzed Escherichia coli lysate, and an extract of Grindelia squarrosa, which has not heretofore been analyzed using a metabolomics approach. The fractionated crudes extracts returned 597 compounds from the Biological Magnetic Databank, using HSQC peak chemical shifts. Results for the four-compound mixture were visualized as raw two-dimensional spectra, showing resolution of the peaks. The E. coli lysate provided invaluable insight into the necessity of high sensitivity as well as resolution in metabolomics. The future directions of this project are discussed, outlining the power of this technique for different mixtures and refining the experimental setup to reduce the necessity of relying on the currently available databases.


title: Egg colouration in mountain bluebirds (Sialia currucoides): A sexually selected indicator of female quality?

contributor: Reudink, Matthew (mreudink) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Baldwin, Lyn (lybaldwin) (committee member)

subject: Mountain bluebird -- Reproduction

abstract: An adaptive explanation for the blue-green colouration of some avian eggshells has long interested researchers and naturalists alike. Unlike brown and maculated eggs that probably evolved through selection for crypsis, blue-green eggs would likely appear conspicuous to predators. It has been proposed that blue green egg colouration may be a sexually selected indicator of female quality. Because the pigment responsible for blue egg colouration is also an antioxidant, egg colour may act as a post-mating signal to the male of the laying female’s quality. Males may thus use egg colour to assess the female’s quality, and therefore, the quality of her offspring, investing more heavily in clutches of better quality females. The mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides) is a socially monogamous species with biparental care, which lays blue eggs, making it an excellent species to test the sexual selection hypothesis for the evolution of blue egg colouration. Using digital photography, I examined the blue colouration of mountain bluebird eggs to investigate evidence for blue egg colouration acting as a sexually selected signal in mountain bluebirds. There were no consistent relationships between egg colouration and other variables, including parental provisioning rates, female condition, or offspring survival and growth rates. I conclude that there is insufficient evidence to support the notion that mountain bluebirds are using egg colouration as a sexually selected signal. However, variation in egg blue coloration was related to female provisioning rates, suggesting there may be a link between female quality and egg colouration.


title: Potential of cave bacteria in drug discovery: Investigation of sphingopyxis terrae and other Bacteria from a BC cave

contributor: Cheeptham, Naowarat (Ann) (ncheeptham) (thesis advisor)

contributor: Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Science (Degree granting institution)

contributor: Donkor, Kingsley (kdonkor) (committee member)

contributor: Wagner, Ken (kenwagner) (committee member)

format: 141p electronic electronic

subject:
Cave ecology -- British Columbia
Wells Gray Park (B.C.)
Multidrug resistance
Pharmaceutical microbiology

abstract:
The discovery of new and more effective antibiotics continues to be a priority given the frequency of the emerging multi-drug resistant pathogenic microorganisms. Thus, scientists are searching for new antibiotics from microorganisms selected from extreme habitats such as very old caves. Various cave bacteria species were isolated and could be sources of new antibiotics. The objective of our work is to isolate cave bacteria from a volcanic cave in Wells Gray Provincial Park in BC and to test if they produce metabolites with antimicrobial activity against some microorganisms including multi- drug resistant pathogens. This study used 16 cave strains previously isolated and screened against a panel of microorganisms including drug resistant pathogens. Upon retesting, 4 out of 16 cave bacterial isolates, RA001, RA003, RA004, and PM58B-RA, demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis, Micrococcus luteus, Acinetobacter baumannii and MDR-Staphylococcus aureus. To study the conditions for best growth and antimicrobial production, these four bacteria were cultured in different fermentation media (namely Hickey-Tresner, R2A, V-8 juice and ISP-2) and incubated at 12 and 25°C for 14 days. During the course of fermentation, the percentage of packed cell volume (%PCV), antimicrobial activity and pH were observed and recorded daily. It was found that each of the bacteria demonstrated antimicrobial activity against different microorganisms at various times of fermentation and temperature. Overall, R2A broth medium and the lower temperature of 12°C appear to be best for antimicrobial production by the cave bacteria used in this study. Isolation and purification of the antimicrobial compounds produced by these isolates is under investigation using the best growth conditions determined in this study. We identified these bacteria using chemotaxonomic studies; 16S rRNA sequencing and Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF), all isolates were identified to the species level. PM58B was found to be Bacillus licheniformis, RA001, and RA004 were identified as Arthrobacter agilis that may be of different variants. While RA003 was identified as Sphingopyxis terrae.  Active compounds from RA003 fermentation broth were further studied by extraction and purification.

In conclusion, cave bacteria are promising sources of potential novel antimicrobial compounds. Isolation, optimization of screening, growth media and conditions of cave bacteria may be useful in the discovery of new antimicrobial drugs. Additionally, the knowledge obtained from this study with respect to cave bacteria and their roles in cave formation and degradation will add to existing information on cave conservation.