Date of Award

2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Gilchrist, Sandra

Area of Concentration

Biology

Abstract

Changes in the Earth's climates have been known to cause havoc across many taxa globally. The feeding behavior and parasitic load was examined in the native gastropod, Pomacea paludosa and the invasive gastropod, Pomacea insularum at a control temperature (25°C) and at an experimental, higher, temperature (27.8°C). A feeding behavior study was performed at both temperatures and the parasitic load was evaluated in each gastropod at the conclusion of the study. At the higher temperature both gastropods tend to eat more spinach which suggests that more energy is required to maintain homeostasis at the higher temperature. This may cause ecological damage because the diet of these gastropods consists of oxygen-producing algae. Less algae would result in oxygen saturation in the water to decrease causing hypoxia in the organisms that inhabit the environment. The parasitic load of adult nematodes in the gastropod, at the higher temperature, was lower compared to the control. This may pose a physiological problem because nematodes may help build a healthy immune system to protect the gastropods from more deadly pathogens. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate the hemolymph differentiation in the immune system in these gastropods.

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