Theses and dissertations published by graduate students in the Department of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, Old Dominion University, since Fall 2016 are available in this collection. Backfiles of all dissertations (and some theses) have also been added.
In late Fall 2025, all theses will be digitized and available here. In the meantime, consult the Library Catalog to find older items in print.
Theses/Dissertations from 2024
Dissertation: Maneuverability of Cuttlefish and Squid: An Integrated Kinematic and Hydrodynamic Analysis, Alissa Marie Ganley
Dissertation: The Ecological Applications of Δ17O: Validating a Novel Technique for Assessing Animal Metabolism and Water Intake, Zachary Taylor Steele
Theses/Dissertations from 2023
Dissertation: Landscape Genetics of the Gulf Coast Tick, Amblyomma maculatum, Sara Simmons Benham
Thesis: Influence of Abiotic Drivers and Plant Community Interactions on Bald Cypress (Taxodium Distichum) Seedlings: Implications for Restoration, Victoria Ellis
Thesis: Genotyping of the Tick-Borne Pathogen Rickettsia parkeri, Rebecca Lynn Ferrara
Thesis: Evaluating the Potential Use of Saltwater Quarries in the Florida Keys for the Semi-Wild Mariculture of Caribbean King Crab (Maguimithrax spinosissimus), Samantha Glover
Thesis: Modified Vaccine Vectors to Understand Adjuvant Functions of Listeria During Chronic Schistosomiasis, Stephanie K. Norwood
Theses/Dissertations from 2022
Thesis: Nestedness and Modularity of Avian Metacommunities Across Gradients of Chesapeake Bay Island Characteristics, Grant Walter Bowers
Dissertation: The Influences of Disperser Behavior, Host Availability, and Environmental Conditions on the Distribution of Oak Mistletoe [Phoradendron Leucarpum (RAF.) Reveal & M. C. Johnst.] in Eastern Virginia and North Carolina, Nicholas Pearce Flanders
Thesis: Mycobacteriosis of Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) in Virginia Tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay, Joshua S. McGilly
Dissertation: Temporal Dynamics and Seed Dispersal in Plant-Frugivore Communities of the Dominican Republic, Spencer Christian Schubert
Theses/Dissertations from 2021
Thesis: The Role of Backreef Soundscapes and their Spatial Structure for Recruitment of Tropical Marine Larvae, Emily R. Anderson
Dissertation: Population Dynamics and Dispersal Coalitions in the Cooperatively Breeding Acorn Woodpecker, Natasha Hagemeyer
Thesis: A Test of Rad Capture Sequencing on Ethanol-Preserved Centennial and Contemporary Specimens of Philippine Fishes, Madeleine I. Kenton
Thesis: Efficacy of Sediment Contaminant Remediation of the Benthos in a Segment of the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River, Colton Martin
Thesis: Determination of the Presence of Rickettsia Spp. and Borrelia Spp. Carried by Tortoise Ticks from Madagascar, Anna Phan
Theses/Dissertations from 2020
Thesis: Assessment of Factors Influencing Migratory Landbird Use of Forested Stopover Sites Along the Delmarva Peninsula During Autumn Migration, J. Andrew Arnold
Thesis: Global Conservation Status of Croaker and Drum (Family: Sciaenidae) and Role of the Maw Trade, Claire E. Gorman
Thesis: The Effects of Hackberry Psyllids on Refueling Migratory Songbirds and Autumnal Seed Rain, Chance H. Hines
Dissertation: Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold, But Moderately Variable: The Influence of Environmental Variability on Coral Thermal Tolerance, Courtney Nicole Klepac
Thesis: Role of Ixodes scapularis Sphingomyelinase-Like Protein (IsSMase) in Tick Pathogen Interactions, Pravesh Regmi
Thesis: Ixodes Scapularis SRC Kinase Is Required for Rickettsial Pathogen Survival in Ticks, Jeremy W. Turck
Thesis: PTHR1/SOX9 and IDH1/IDH2 Relative Expression in Primary Chondrocyte and Chondrosarcoma Cells Under the Synergistic Influence of Inducible Hypoxia and Extracellular Acidosis, Kostika Vangjeli
Thesis: Diet Analysis of Stranded Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Virginia, Kristen Marie Volker
Theses/Dissertations from 2019
Thesis: Global Conservation Status and Threat Patterns of the World’s Most Prominent Forage Fishes (Teleostei, Clupeiformes), Tiffany L. Birge
Dissertation: In Hot Water: Thermal Acclimation is Insufficient to Save Corals in the Anthropocene, Harmony Alise Martell
Thesis: The Expression Of Connexin-43 By CD11c+ Dendritic Cells Is Required to Maintain CD4+ Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cell Population in Peripheral Lymphoid Organs, Caroline Titus Miller
Dissertation: Molecular Systematics of Isoëtes (Isoëtaceae) in Eastern North America, Peter William Schafran
Dissertation: Cryptic Herbivorous Invertebrates Restructure the Composition of Degraded Coral Reef Communities in the Florida Keys, Florida, USA, Angelo Jason Spadaro
Dissertation: Sponge Community Biocomplexity, Competition, and Functional Significance in Hard-Bottom Habitats of the Florida Keys, FL (USA), Marla Maxine Valentine
Dissertation: Tick Control Methods for Amblyomma americanum in Virginia: Applications and Modeling, Alexis Lynn White
Theses/Dissertations from 2018
Thesis: Local Adaptation Signatures in Thermal Performance of the Temperate Coral Astrangia poculata, Hannah Elise Aichelman
Thesis: Differential Gene Expression in Response to Hypoxia and Acidosis in Chest Wall Deformities and Chondrosarcoma, Jamie L. Durbin
Dissertation: The Importance of Keeping the Big Ones: Harvest Slot Limits and Marine Protected Areas for the Management of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Gayathiri Gnanalingam
Thesis: Zika Modulates Arthropod Histone Methylation in Mosquito Cells, Telvin Lee Harrell
Thesis: Identifying Marine Key Biodiversity Areas in the Greater Caribbean Region, Michael S. Harvey
Thesis: Lack of Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity in Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis), Jessica Shannon Miller
Thesis: Fishery Interaction Modeling of Cetacean Bycatch in the California Drift Gillnet Fishery to Inform a Dynamic Ocean Management Tool, Nicholas B. Sisson
Dissertation: Molecular candidates for Blocking the Transmission of Vector-Borne diseases, Ashish Naresh Vora
Thesis: Potential Interaction Analysis of Offshore Wind Energy Areas and Breeding Avian Species on the US Mid-Atlantic Coast, Jeri Lynn Wisman
Theses/Dissertations from 2017
Dissertation: Tracing the Genetic Footprints of the Redbelly Yellowtail Fusilier, Caesio Cuning, Across Multiple Spatial and Evolutionary Scales, Amanda Susanne Ackiss
Dissertation: The Chondrocyte Channelome: A Novel Ion Channel Candidate in the Pathogenesis of Pectus Deformities, Anthony J. Asmar
Dissertation: Effects of Carboxylated Nanodiamonds on Macrophages During and After Differentiation, Maisoun E. Bani Hani
Thesis: Population Structure of Lethrinus Lentjan (Lethrinidae, Percoidei) Across the South China Sea and the Philippines Is Detected With Lane-Affected RADSeq Data, Ellen E. Biesack
Thesis: Strawberries (Frag X Anan) Are Bigger When Native Mason Bees (Osmia lignaria) Are Experimentally Added to Small Farms, Laura A. Campbell
Thesis: Determining Critical Internesting and Foraging Habitats for the Conservation of Sea Turtles in Gabon, Africa Using Satellite Tracking and Stable Isotope Analysis, Tiffany M. Dawson
Dissertation: The Effect of "Casitas" on Lobster Biology and Fishery Sustainability in the Bahamas, Lester George Gittens
Thesis: Foraging Behavior of Spring Bees and Their Agricultural Implications, Michael D. Gregory
Thesis: Biology and Impacts of Leech Infestation in Largemouth Bass (Micropterus Salmoides) in Back Bay, Virginia, Amanda Nicole Pomposini
Dissertation: Marine Reserves Promote Coral Reef Resilience by Mitigating Human Impacts Through the Restoration of Parrotfish Populations, Increasing Their Reproductive Output and Seeding Neighboring Overfished Reefs, Brian L. Stockwell
Theses/Dissertations from 2016
Dissertation: Coarse Root Biomass and Architecture: Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar, John Claude Bain
Thesis: Abiotic Factors Contributing to the Survival of Three Tick Species in Southeastern Virginia, Amblyomma Americanum (Lone Star Tick), Dermacentor Variabilis (American Dog Tick), and Amblyomma Maculatum (Gulf Coast Tick), Lindsey A. Bidder
Thesis: Regional Extinction Risk and Conservation Priorities for Persian Gulf Marine Bony Fishes, Jack Ryan Buchanan
Dissertation: Characterization of Soundscapes in Shallow Water Habitats of the Florida Keys (USA) and Their Influence on the Settlement of Larval Fish and Invertebrates, John R. Butler
Thesis: Naturalization of Salt Marsh Restoration Sites in the Elizabeth River, Virginia, Assessed by Feeding Activity and Trophic Level of Mummichogs (Fundulus Heteroclitus), Moriah Anne Good
Thesis: Hotspots, Extinction Risk and Conservation Priorities of Greater Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico Marine Bony Shorefishes, Christi Linardich
Dissertation: A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Invasion Biology: Describing the Ecological Mechanisms Underlying the Range Expansions of Two Ixodid Tick Species, Robyn M. Nadolny
Dissertation: Selfish Mutations: the Genetic Basis of the Paternal Age Effect, Eoin C. Whelan
Dissertation: Anti-Predator Responses of Squid Throughout Ontogeny, Carly Anne York
Theses/Dissertations from 2015
Thesis: Blue Carbon in Freshwater / Brackish Marshes on the Barrier Islands of Virginia Aboveground Net Primary Productivity and Carbon Pools, Emily Caitlin Adams
Dissertation: Perch Selection by Male Dragonflies (Odonata, Anisoptera) Related to Competitive Ability and Species Composition, Jessica L. Beard
Thesis: The Behavioral Causes of Reproductive Skew in Cooperatively Polygynandrous Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes Formicivorus), Anna C. Brownson
Thesis: Plasma Activated Air Mediates Gene Transfer, Chelsea M. Edelblute
Thesis: The Effects of Urbanization on Tick Parasitism Rates in Birds of Southeastern Virginia, Erin Leigh Heller
Dissertation: Kinematics and Hydrodynamics of Cephalopod Turning Performance in Routine Swimming and Predatory Attacks, Rachel A. Jastrebsky
Dissertation: DNA Repair Deficiency in Huntington's Disease Fibroblasts and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Peter Anthony Mollica
Thesis: In Vivo Near IR Fluorescent Imaging of Hollow Polymeric Nanocapsules, Venkata Suresh Patthipati
Dissertation: Molecular Phylogenetics and Historical Biogeography of the Tribe Chiococceae (Rubiaceae), Sushil Kumar Paudyal
Thesis: Blue Carbon in Coastal Freshwater/Brackish Marshes on the Barrier Islands of Virginia: Belowground Carbon Dynamics, Nathan M. Sedghi
Thesis: Molecular Phylogeny of the Genus Houstonia and Allies in Rubiaceae, Hunter Lee Shanks
Thesis: Groundwater Thresholds for Root Decomposition and the Relation to Barrier Island Ecological State Changes, Matthew Lee Smith
Dissertation: Determining the Prevalence and Distribution of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Southeastern Virginia and Exploring the Transmission Dynamics of Rickettsia Parkeri in Amblyomma Maculatum, Chelsea L. Wright Thompson
Theses/Dissertations from 2014
Thesis: Predictors Patterns and Processes of Extinction Risk in Porgies and Seabreams (Family: Sparidae), Mia Theresa B. Conteros
Thesis: The Ecological Impact of Casitas on Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus Argus) Populations in the Florida Keys, FL, (USA), Benjamin C. Gutzler
Thesis: A Molecular Framework Phylogeny for Ptilotus (Amaranthaceae), Timothy A. Hammer
Thesis: The Role of Chemical Attractants in the Use of Tick Traps for Life Stages of Tick Species Ixodes Scapularis, Dermacentor Variabilis and Amblyomma Maculatum, Pamela C. Kelman
Dissertation: Phylogeny and Biogeography of the Family Haemulidae Based on a Multigene Approach, Millicent D. Sanciangco
Thesis: The Ethnobotany of Pistacia eurycarpa Yalt. in Iraqi-Kurdistan: Its Uses, Chemical Composition, and Anti-Biotic Activity of its Resin, Peter W. Schafran
Dissertation: Benthic and Planktonic Microalgal Community Structure and Primary Productivity in Lower Chesapeake Bay, Matthew Reginald Semcheski
Thesis: Determination of the Ecological Condition of Benthic Communities Affected by Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Elizabeth River, Chesapeake Bay, USA, Adam M. Webb
Theses/Dissertations from 2013
Thesis: Novel Architecture of Costal Cartilage and Implications in Chest Wall Deformities, Anthony J. Asmar
Thesis: Friends or Foes: Interpreting the Relationship Between Two Synoptic Small Mammals in Southeastern Virginia, the Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon Hispidus) and eastern Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys Humulis), Sarah A. Crawford
Thesis: In Vitro Selection of Chloroquine Tolerant Plasmodium Falciparum Parasites, Daniel A. Daley
Dissertation: Investigations of Phytoplankton Diversity in Chesapeake Bay, Todd Arthur Egerton
Thesis: Patterns of Gene Expression from Human Costal Cartilage in Relation to the Chest Wall Deformity Pectus Carinatum, Janna E. Grubbs
Thesis: Comparative Phylogeography of the Emperor Snappers Lethrinus Lentjan and Lethrinus Harak (Lethrinidae: Percoidei) in the Coral Triangle, Andrew B. Hines
Thesis: Regulation of Hyaluronate Lyase (HylA) Expression by RegR A Transcriptional Repressor in Streptococcus Pyogenes, Alexis A. Kordis
Thesis: Basin Isolation and Oceanographic Features Influencing Lineage Divergence in the Humbug Damselfish (Dascyllus Aruanus) in the Coral Triangle, Jeremy M. Raynal
Thesis: Carrion Beetle (Coleoptera: Silphidae) Carcass Selection: Effects of Carcass Mass and Site Fidelity, Jonathan M. Schmude
Theses/Dissertations from 2012
Thesis: Ecology of Tenodera Sinensis and Tenodera Angustipennis (Mantodea: Mantidae) in Eastern Virginia, Cory A. Gall
Thesis: Thresholds of Change in Decomposition Rate Along a Dune/Swale Transect on a Virginia Barrier Island, Dominic J. Graziani
Thesis: Life History of Stranded Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) in Virginia, Margaret Cook Lynott
Thesis: Evolution on the Hawaiian Hotspot: Biogeography and Divergence Time Estimation of Kadua (Rubiaceae), Kenneth L. Parker
Thesis: Effects of the Parasitic Dinoflagellate Hematodinium SP. on Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) Activity Predation and Habitat Selection, John M. Tiggelaar II
Theses/Dissertations from 2011
Dissertation: Spatially-Explicit Agent-Based Modeling of Ecosystem Change and Epizootiological Impacts on Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Panulirus argus, Thomas William Dolan III
Thesis: The Ecology of the Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) in Southeastern Virginia, Scott M. Goetz
Thesis: A Comparison of Adrenal in Toad-Eating and Nontoad-Eating Snakes, Shabnam Mohammadi
Thesis: Rats as Forest Pests in Southeastern Virginia: Girdling by the Hispid Cotton Rat Sigmodon Hispidus as a Significant Source of Mortality of Loblolly Pines (Pinus Taeda) in a Successional Pine Forest, Robyn M. Nadolny
Thesis: Patterns of Transience, Sex Bias, and Body Mass in Open-Habitat Rodent Populations, Stephen Edward Rice
Dissertation: Effects of 11 Years of CO2 Enrichment on Root Biomass and Spatial Distribution in a Florida Scrub-Oak Ecosystem, Rachel Eilenfield Schroeder