Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a genetic condition caused by mutations in the fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 gene (FMR1) on the X chromosome. FXS is the most common inherited form of intellectual disability causing symptoms such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Studies have suggested links between higher prenatal cortisol levels and increased frequency of ASD. The purpose of this study was to compare how embryonic cortisol exposure influences early development in wildtype zebrafish embryos and fmr1 knockout zebrafish embryos at 48 hours post fertilization and 72 hours post fertilization (hpf). Zebrafish embryos were collected and dispersed into petri dishes and treated at 6hpf with cortisol concentrations of 0uM, 10uM, 25uM, or 250uM. At 48 hpf and 72 hpf, embryos were dechorionated and imaged via brightfield microscopy to assess developmental phenotypes. Embryos were analyzed and scored for severity of phenotypes, including pericardial edema, spine curvature, eye size, yolk sac abnormalities, and body size. Survival and phenotype severity were then compared between the genotypes across 48 hpf and 72 hpf. This analysis defines morphological sensitivity to cortisol exposure at different developmental stages. Comparison of wildtype zebrafish embryos to fmr1 knockout zebrafish embryos also provides insight into FXS gene-environment interactions.
Methylmercury (MeHg) toxicity is a notable public health concern in the Great Lakes region. The glutathione pathway (GSH) involves antioxidant signaling and is responsible for the removal of toxins like MeHg from cells. There are many genes involved in the GSH pathway; one of these genes is gclm. Previous lab work has developed a mutant zebrafish line by creating a germline mutation using CRISPR-Cas9 reagents that contains a loss-of-function deletion in the gclm gene. The objective of this study was to create additional gclm mutant fish for investigating developmental MeHg toxicity. Zebrafish of different gclm genotypes were bred to produce heterozygous and homozygous mutant zebrafish. To identify mutant zebrafish, we used PCR and restriction enzyme reagents that target the DNA mutation site in the gclm gene. Results were visualized using gel electrophoresis. The creation of a mutant gclm zebrafish line will allow for future experiments on the influence of gclm in embryonic development and developmental toxicity.
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic disorder caused by a mutation of the fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1) gene on the X chromosome. FXS is one of the most common causes of inherited intellectual disability and has a high comorbidity with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Current research suggests that early embryonic cortisol exposure is associated with increased ASD prevalence, though the molecular mechanisms are still unknown. Our objective was to determine how embryonic cortisol exposure affects the physical development of zebrafish with and without the fmr1 gene. Wildtype zebrafish embryos and fmr1 knockout zebrafish embryos were treated at 6 hours post fertilization (hpf) with cortisol concentrations of 0 μM, 10 μM, 25 μM, or 250 μM. Images were taken and analyzed at 48 and 72 hpf via brightfield microscopy. Embryos were analyzed and separated into different categories based on the severity of morphological phenotypes, including body size, edema, eye size and spine curvature. Comparisons of phenotypes across cortisol concentrations were made within each genotype to assess dose-dependent responses. Morphological severity was then compared between wildtype zebrafish embryos and fmr1 knockout zebrafish embryos to assess genotype-specific differences.
Rare diseases affect 30 million Americans, many of whom remain undiagnosed due to limited functional characterization of DNA variants. Propionic acidemia is caused by variants in PCCA or PCCB that impair enzyme function, leading to severe metabolic dysfunction, often presenting in early infancy. While the Wisconsin newborn screening panel tests for this disorder, screening is neither 100% effective nor does it identify the cause of propionic acidemia in each patient. There are 979 reported DNA variants of uncertain significance or conflicting classification in PCCA and PCCB, meaning that it is unclear if these mutations cause the disease: thus, identification of one of these variants in a patient does not equal clear diagnosis. To address this gap, our lab uses a minigene system to examine whether variants have functional effects. Although we can effectively assess individual variants with this system, it is a relatively low-throughput method. We present our efforts at optimizing this system through improved sample processing, next-generation sequencing (NGS), and development of efficient R scripts. An improved pipeline should accelerate the resolution of variants of uncertain significance associated both with propionic acidemia and across rare genetic diseases.
Over time, biodiversity can change and vary in many ways, for example, in response to urbanization, climate change and invasive species. Pollinators are important animals as they facilitate plant reproduction and maintain plant biodiversity. Our research compares historical data about plant-pollinator relationships in Putnam Park and how it compares to modern data we collected over the summer. We expected to see similar numbers of plant-pollinator relationships, but with some new additions and missing links. To test this hypothesis, we first collected data by observing and catching non-bee pollinators in Putnam Park. We compared the data we collected to the historical data obtained from years of 1882-1928, and this allowed us to see if there was a change in plant-pollinator interactions. We evaluated present and past plant-pollinator relationships by creating a plant-pollinator network to model the consistent and changing relationships. We collected 65 specimens throughout our 10 days of observation between June 1st and September 1st of 2025. We also observed 49 different flowering plant species. We found multiple plant-pollinator relationships that have disappeared, as well as new ones that have appeared, telling us that there are both new additions and missing links that contribute to the biodiversity of Putnam Park.
Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are among the most important wild pollinators, contributing significantly to ecosystem health and stability. However, due to habitat loss, climate change, and the continuous increase of pesticide use, many species have experienced population declines. Eau Claire, WI, has been reported as home to 15 Bombus spp. including the endangered Rusty Patched Bumble bee (Bombus affinis), making it an important location for bumble bee conservation. This study aims to characterize foraging behavior and preferences of local Bombus species to improve our understanding of preferred food plants to support conservation. To do this, a 12-week field study monitored bumblebee abundance and available flowers at three locations around Eau Claire. By conducting timed field surveys at each location each week and noting flowers visited, we evaluated species presence and abundance and created a flower-Bombus interaction network. Over 177 surveys conducted, 13 different species of Bombus were observed. Each species of Bombus observed had unique peaks in abundance and responses to ambient temperature. 50 different species of flowers were visited by bumble bees over the surveying period (June-September), with the most visited species being Monarda fistulosa. Knowing the bumble bees diet preferences can inform pollinator planting practices in Western WI.
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common cause of inherited intellectual disability and the leading genetic cause of autism spectrum disorder. FXS is caused by loss-of-function mutations of the FMR1 gene; how FMR1 loss affects neurodevelopment is still being characterized. Our objective was to assess how the FXS genotype affects swimming behavior development in wildtype zebrafish vs fmr1 knockout zebrafish. Zebrafish larvae of wildtype and fmr1 knockout backgrounds were assessed at 5 days post fertilization for distance moved, time spent moving, and velocity over an alternating light-dark cycle using DanioVision hardware with EthoVision XT software (Noldus). RStudio was used for performing Kruskal-Wallis tests to test significant differences between means. Wildtype zebrafish and fmr1 knockout zebrafish had similar swimming patterns in response to alternating light-dark exposure. These results indicate that fmr1 does not regulate swimming behavior development in larval zebrafish.
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations of the FMR1 gene and is the most common genetic cause of autism spectrum disorder. Prenatal maternal stress, resulting in increased embryonic cortisol exposure, may also be related to the development of intellectual disability, however, the impact of cortisol on the neurodevelopment of individuals with FXS is not well characterized. To investigate the interaction of cortisol and FXS genotype, wildtype zebrafish embryos and FMR1 knockout zebrafish embryos were treated with cortisol concentrations of 5 µM, 0.5 µM, 0.05 µM, or a vehicle solution between 6 hours post-fertilization (hpf) and 5 days post-fertilization (dpf). At 5dpf, zebrafish were placed in a 96-well plate and evoked swimming velocities were captured across alternating light-dark cycles using a commercial motor tracking system. While zebrafish larvae showed significant difference in light vs dark swimming behaviors, there was no difference in velocity at any cortisol concentration for both AB and fmr1 strains. These results indicate cortisol exposure does not impact swimming behavior development in wildtype or FMR1 knockout zebrafish strains, suggesting no interaction of cortisol and FXS genotype for this phenotype.
A major question in biology involves our understanding of how social connections influence the spread of behavioral innovations in natural populations. In 2024, we documented one such behavioral innovation—the novel emergence of vole hunting in the California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi). In the current study, we aimed to explain the mechanisms by which this behavior spread and to use DNA evidence to uncover whether members of our study population consumed other vertebrate prey during the study period. We isolated DNA from 100 fecal samples and used PCR to amplify a 12S local of the vertebrate mitochondrial genome while applying a blocker oligonucleotide to minimize the amplification of ground squirrel DNA. Our genetic data complemented our behavioral observations of vole consumption, and, surprisingly, also revealed the consumption of pocket gophers, salamanders, and three species of mice. Next, we will use network-based diffusion analyses (NBDA) to examine the extent to which the spread of vole consumption is explained by social interactions or shared space use among members of the California ground squirrel study population. Together, our study furthers our understanding of dietary flexibility and highlights the value of molecular tools to inform ecological field studies.
Given rapid urbanization across the globe, coping with humans is an important aspect of life for most animals. Although human presence is often accompanied by human associated predators such as dogs, the effects of humans and dogs on animal physiology are rarely considered together. Here, we leverage over 4,500 measures of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs), a biomarker of physiological “stress”, collected from California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) from two sites differing in human activity. Drawing from twelve years of study, we explored the effects of dispersal status, human presence, and dog activity on FGMs in adults and juveniles. Between-site dispersal revealed site-level effects on stress physiology. Whereas FGMs increased after immigrants moved to the more disturbed site, those dispersing to the less disturbed site failed to subsequently reduce FGMs. Responses to human and dog activity were age- and mass- dependent. Whereas juvenile FGMs did not covary with dog activity, juveniles trapped in areas with high human activity had elevated FGMs. In contrast, dogs represented a major stressor for adult animals, but the effects were generally shielded by human presence. These findings uncover complex relationships among anthropogenic factors, stress physiology, and habitat selection in wild animals living in a human-influenced world.
In the context of human-induced rapid environmental change, long-term data on individually recognized social mammals have the potential to offer novel insights into the extent to which animals can cope with social and ecological stressors. Long-term studies are needed to investigate the impact of climate change on the fitness of beavers, and minimally invasive measures of stress physiology offer meaningful biomarkers of these effects in the lives of free-living mammals. Here we present preliminary results of a newly established collaboration with the Norwegian Beaver Project. Glucocorticoids (GC) are steroid hormones that reflect physiological stressors. Because we are extracting GC metabolites from hair samples rather than directly from blood, species-specific validation is required. Thus, we performed an analytical validation for Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) for (i) cortisol and (ii) corticosterone to identify the predominant hormones in our samples. Our analytical validation will inform our ability to make meaningful connections between hundreds of GC samples and individual-level life-history and habitat measures collected from approximately 25 beaver families since 1997 (i.e., 25 years). Going forward, uncovering the social, ecological, and anthropogenic factors linked to this important biomarker and its associated fitness consequences will advance conservation goals.
In the context of human-induced rapid environmental change, monitoring of wildlife at different sites can offer useful information about how local fauna are responding to human presence. Here we build upon a previous study on the behavioral ecology of North American beavers (Castor canadensis), a native ecosystem engineer, through monitoring using camera traps. We surveyed various public lands and identified several active family groups of beavers in West-Central Wisconsin. Our camera trap data also captured the behavior of other local fauna based on our video analysis. Using Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors, our trail cameras detect captured video footage across each 24-hour cycle including social behaviors of river otters and beavers as well as inquisitive bears and foraging behaviors by squirrels, deer, and native birds. We also detected flying squirrels gliding down from trees at night, and bobcats transversing local habitats. Future research will focus on the extent to which vertebrate assemblages vary across sites and with human activity. The plethora of wildlife we monitored on our camera traps illustrates how beavers play a key role in shaping diverse and healthy wetland ecosystems. Our work has important implications for the management of wetlands and conservation of beaver populations in the region.
The ongoing rise of antibiotic-resistant microbes is a major concern in the medical field. Many pathogenic bacteria that were once vulnerable to common antibiotics have developed resistance, posing significant challenges to medicine and public health. Infections caused by these resistant bacteria are both expensive and challenging to treat. To address this growing crisis, we aim to identify new antibiotic-producing microbes isolated from soil samples. Following the collection of the soil, testing was done to determine the presence of any substances produced that either inhibit or kill any of the tester strains used (Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis). We have identified eleven strains of microbes that show evidence of producing an antimicrobial substance. We are working to identify these strains and determine if the antimicrobial substance they are producing is novel.
Major food pulses can shift the diets of wildlife over short periods, but little is known about the downstream consequences of foraging decisions on parasite loads. In the current study, we capitalized on our observations of the novel emergence of widespread hunting and carnivory of California voles (Microtus californicus) by marked individual California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) in June and July of 2024. Rodents can be definitive hosts, harboring adult tapeworms in their gut if they ingest tapeworm eggs or intermediate hosts (i.e., infected insects harboring tapeworm eggs). We predicted that sudden dietary shift towards eating other mammals may influence the prevalence of tapeworms in ground squirrels. As part of long-term study on California ground squirrels in the San Fransico Bay Area, we conducted fecal floats to quantify the prevalence of tapeworms in two study populations of ground squirrels before (2023), during (2024), and after (2025) the vole hunting year. Whereas tapeworms were prevalent in squirrel fecal samples before and after the vole boom, tapeworms were rarely present in vole-year samples. Our data is consistent with the notion that dietary shifts can radically influence the prevalence of parasites suggesting that ecological shifts can influence the health of animals.
The North American gray wolf (Canis lupus) is a native keystone predator that contributes to healthy ecosystems across Wisconsin. Despite its broad historical range, anthropogenic development caused friction between pack territories and local farming operations, ultimately leading to the species’ extirpation from the state in the late 1950s. Over the past 25 years, wolf packs have recolonized Wisconsin forests from source populations in Minnesota, and local populations have now reached saturation in the greater Eau Claire region. Our team partnered with the Timber Wolf Information Network (TWIN), an organization established in 1989 to promote wolf awareness and conservation, to support efforts aimed at reducing human-wolf conflict. We monitored wolf activity by identifying tracks in snow and mud. Observations of raised-leg urination at scent posts provided insights into pack boundaries, breeding pair presence, and estrous cycles. Camera traps were deployed within established pack territories to quantify wolf presence and behavior, allowing us to characterize pack dynamics more accurately. These in-depth behavioral surveys will inform responses to population control and maintain beneficial populations of wolves in Wisconsin. More broadly, our project is raising public awareness about the historical impacts of wolves and the ecosystem benefits of their restored presence in Wisconsin forests.
Widespread human impacts – from climate change to unprecedented rates of human visits in once relatively untouched wilderness areas – contribute to rapidly changing selective pressures on wildlife. Long-term studies on marked individuals can offer insights into population and community dynamics over time. The current research aims to reveal the demographic and behavioral patterns of California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) before and after a boom year of California voles (Microtus californicus). Our field study in California has live-trapped, marked, and released individual ground squirrels since 2013 at two study sites. We also directly observed behavioral interactions among squirrels, recorded predator sightings at landmarks, and conducted behavioral assays to assess fear responses to humans. In Summer 2024, we documented the emergence of widespread hunting and consumption of voles by ground squirrels in our two study populations. By Summer 2025, the ground squirrel population crashed, whereas predator numbers soared. We report on these patterns as well as increased fearfulness by squirrels and increased predator sightings, which exceeded numbers documented in previous years. Our findings offer insights into how periods of prosperity (e.g., boom years) and catastrophic turnover events (e.g., demographic crashes) shape wildlife populations that generate ripple effects within ecological communities.
Pollinators are crucial for plant reproduction and diversification. The plant genus Protea of the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, a global biodiversity hotspot, is an example of how evolutionary radiations can potentially be driven by transitions among primary pollinators. The sprawling shrub Protea venusta has intermediate morphology and is listed as either mammal or bird pollinated, yet has no empirical documentation of pollination. Although it is difficult to document field observations of ground-dwelling mammal pollination, remote motion-activated camera analysis has enhanced our ability to capture 24-hours pollinator activity. This technology allows us to both decipher temporal activity patterns and identify novel pollinators. We deployed six camera traps in a population of Protea venusta at Swartberg Pass in the Western Cape to assess whether this species is predominantly bird pollinated, mammal pollinated, or whether it functions within a mixed pollination network. Preliminary evidence suggests that both birds (such as the Cape sugarbird, Promerops cafer) and rodents (such as the spectacled dormouse, Graphiurus ocularis) visit and likely pollinate this species. Understanding an individual species such as Protea venusta is crucial in providing insight into how unique plant-pollinator networks function, adapt, and persist in one of the world's most biodiverse hotspots.
In the summer of 2025, UW – Eau Claire sent four students to the Galápagos Islands to participate in research internships at the Charles Darwin Research Station. The Galápagos Islands are a highly significant archipelago in the Pacific, renowned for their incredible diversity of wildlife, as well as their contributions to Darwin’s theory of evolution. Presently a hub for scientific research and conservation, students were assigned to various projects at the station, where they worked directly with international scientists to aid in cutting-edge research projects mainly focused on habitat and wildlife conservation. Our poster will feature a discussion of what each of us worked on during our 3 months there, with additional information about how students can get involved.
Overuse of antibiotics in agriculture and healthcare settings results in increased microbial resistance to antibiotics. In order to maintain an advantage in treating disease caused by microorganisms, we must discover and develop new antibiotics and minimize misuse. This in turn creates difficulty in treating diseases that were previously treatable with antibiotics. In previous studies we surveyed 4 different farm soils and discovered many antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In this study we used the same soil samples to determine the incidence of antibiotic-secreting bacteria across WI and MN. We tested resistance to gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. We discovered 24 isolates that produced antimicrobial effects against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Out of the 8 isolated strains, we found 4 strains that inhibited both E. coli and S. aureus, 3 strains inhibited only S. aureus, and 1 isolate was only effective against E. coli. Preliminary characterization of the isolates indicates that we have 7 gram-positive rods and 1 gram-negative rod. We are in the process of further characterizing strains and identification of antimicrobial properties.
