SEASONAL VARIATION IN ROTIFER OCCUPANCY WITHIN FRULLANIA EBORACENSIS LOBULES: ILLUMINATING A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TWO OVERLOOKED SPECIES

<p>Bdelloid rotifers are well documented as inhabitants within lobules of the widely distributed epiphytic liverwort, <em>Frullania eboracensis</em>. This research provides a detailed description of rotifer occupancy within lobules of <em>F. eboracensis</em> and tests the hypothesis that rotifer excrement might be a source of nutrients for <em>F. eboracensis</em>. My goals were to 1) investigate how rotifers are distributed among <em>F. eboracensis</em>, 2) how rotifer abundance is impacted by seasonality, and 3) use quantum dot (QD) labeled <em>Escherichia coli</em> as a food source for rotifers and track the QDs from bacteria to rotifer to <em>F. eboracensis</em>. <em>Frullania eboracensis</em> samples were collected in fall 2014 to fall 2016. QD experiments were conducted in fall 2023. The results showed rotifers had a much higher probability of occupancy for the first 5-6 lobules, slowly declining thereafter. Rotifer abundance was stable across the 1.5-year period, but there was a slight increase in density during the late fall and early winter. QD fluorescence was observed within the stomach cavity and intestine of rotifers and <em>F. eboracensis</em> showed evidence of rotifer-derived QD uptake from rotifer feces. The findings in this study support the hypothesis that <em>F. eboracensis</em> utilizes nutrients from rotifer feces and is the first study to document transfer of QDs from bacteria to animal to liverwort.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year dc:date.available

2024

Author dc:creator

• Mydlowski, Emily A

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Alan Rebertus

• Bdelloid rotifer
• liverwort ecology
• nutrient transfer
• quantum dots
• Biology
• Biotechnology
• Bryology
• Zoology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/842

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.nmu.edu:theses-1840