Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The potential release of nanoparticles into aquatic environments is raising global concerns. As antimicrobials, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are among the most prominent form in use. Despite this, their fate, long-term toxicity, and ecological relevance have yet to be investigated largely under natural settings with seasonality and environmental complexity. To better understand the… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>The purpose of this thesis is to enhance forensic entomology applications through identifications and ecological research with samples collected in collaboration with the OPP and RCMP across Canada. For this, we focus on blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and present data collected from 2011-2013 from different terrestrial habitats to analyze morphology and species composition.… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Polar bears are generally described as solitary, but features of their life cycles and </p><p>habitats regularly necessitate interaction. Effective conspecific assessment, including accurate </p><p>recognition and discrimination, likely confers benefits, especially to females accompanied by </p><p>dependent young. Individuals in the Southern (SH) and… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>In our communities, we are continually challenged to reflect on effective responses to the people and events that put us at risk. This study is an examination of two distinctly different world-view responses: the colonial, dominant culture and the Indigenous world-view. The retributive understanding of the dominant culture applies assumptions about the nature of the world that are vested… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Early developmental stages of cold-adapted ectotherms such as brook trout </p><p>(Salvelinus fontinalis) are at risk of mortality with increasing water temperatures because </p><p>of their sensitivity to changes in their environment. I studied the mass and routine </p><p>metabolic rate (RMR) of wild-origin brook trout eggs, alevin and young fry reared… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Trait Emotional Intelligence (EI) includes competencies and dispositions related to identifying, understanding, using and managing emotions. Higher trait EI has been implicated in post-secondary success, and better career-related decision-making. However, there is no evidence for whether it predicts the pursuit of post-secondary education (PSE) in emerging adulthood. This study… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>This research explores cross-sector collaboration in universities' innovation initiatives. To understand the current roles of the higher education sector and the influences shaping innovation initiatives through cross-sector collaborative projects, this study is focused on a case study of the Trent University Research & Innovation Park (TRIP) project. The following three central… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Biological differences between island and mainland conspecifics have been well studied, but few studies have addressed differences in stress physiology. Stressors, such as predation and competition for resources, cause the release of glucocorticoids (GCs). Characteristics of island wildlife, called "island syndrome", are attributed to low levels of predators and competitors. I… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Autistic traits are characterized by difficulties with socialization, preference for order, and rigid and repetitive behaviour patterns. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of two measures of autistic traits, the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and the Sub-threshold Autistic Trait Questionnaire (SATQ), and their associations with the HEXACO personality framework. The… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Wild lupine (Lupinus perennis) restoration efforts seek to increase and connect populations, using seeds, to facilitate the recovery of endangered butterflys in Ontario. This study observed plant growth and phytohormone levels of L. albus, L. polyphyllus, and L. perennis through stages of seed development, each with varying strategies in growth and reproductive investment. L. polyphyllus… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Previous research has found that bullying and victimization is related to poor socioemotional competencies. The present study examined the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and bullying and victimization in a large community-based sample of adolescents. Specifically, we explored the EI of bullies, victims, bully-victims, and those uninvolved. We also examined whether the… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Sexual assertiveness encompasses skills in refusing unwanted sexual situations and bringing about wanted sexual situations. Measures of sexual assertiveness typically assess both refusal and initiation aspects, yet there is a dearth of research examining these skills in relation to one another. The present study examined the relationship between these skillsets in women, exploring… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Desantis, Lanna Marie, Thesis advisor (ths): Bowman, Jeff, Thesis advisor (ths): Burness, Gary, Degree committee member (dgc): Rafferty, Steven, Degree committee member (dgc): Wilson, Paul, Degree committee member (dgc): Boonstra, Rudy, Degree committee member (dgc): Vijayan, Mathilakath M, Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Across vertebrate taxa, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (or the stress axis) is highly conserved, and is central to vertebrate survival because it allows appropriate responses to psychological stressors. Habitat shapes successful physiological and ecological strategies, and to appreciate how individual species respond to stressors in their environment, it is essential to have a… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Name(s): Creator (cre): Franckowiak, Ryan Patrick, Thesis advisor (ths): Wilson, Chris C., Thesis advisor (ths): Ridgway, Mark S., Degree committee member (dgc): Dunlop, Erin S., Degree committee member (dgc): Schaefer, James A., Degree granting institution (dgg): Trent University Abstract: <p>Identifying the biotic and abiotic factors that influence individual reproductive fitness under natural conditions is essential for understanding important aspects of a species' evolutionary biology and ecology, population dynamics, and life-history evolution. Using next generation sequencing technology, I developed five microsatellite multiplex reactions suitable for conducting… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Exposure of pre-metamorphic amphibians to neonicotinoid insecticides may be contributing to the global decline in amphibian populations. In this study, anuran embryos and tadpoles of the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) and the North American leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens) were used to determine the effects of embryonic exposure to neonicotinoids. In addition, Xenopus was used to… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Mountain ranges are often thought to restrict movement of wildlife, yet previous studies evaluating the role of the Rocky Mountains as a dispersal barrier for Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) have been contradictory. Our study uses neutral microsatellite loci to evaluate the role of the Rocky Mountains as a barrier to gene flow for lynx. Although lynx exhibited low genetic differentiation,… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Blackfin Cisco (Coregonus nigripinnis), a deepwater cisco species once endemic to the Laurentian Great Lakes, was discovered in Algonquin Provincial Park in four lakes situated within a drainage outflow of glacial Lake Algonquin. Blackfin habitat preference was examined by analyzing which covariates best described their depth distribution using hurdle models in a multi-model approach.… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Many of the most interesting electronic behaviours currently being studied are associated with strong correlations. In addition, many of these materials are disordered either intrinsically or due to doping. Solving interacting systems exactly is extremely computationally expensive, and approximate techniques developed for strongly correlated systems are not easily adapted to include… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>I examined Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) colony persistence and occupancy, in lakeshore, river and man-made aggregate pit habitat. Habitat persistence was highest on the lakeshore and lowest in aggregate pits, likely due to annual removal and relocation of aggregate resources. Bank Swallow colonies in aggregate pit sites were more likely to persist if a colony was larger or if burrows… more Year: 2017, 2017
Member of: Trent University Graduate Thesis Collection
Abstract: <p>Socio-ecological systems are inherently complex and marine mammals are fundamentally challenging to study. In the Arctic, marine mammals occupy a central ecological role, as nutrient cyclers and as a source of food and culture for Indigenous peoples. Inuit have developed a rich knowledge system, which has not been fully actualized in application in most Arctic research. Considering the… more
