Date of Award

2010

Publication Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

M.Sc.

Department

Biological Sciences

Keywords

Health and environmental sciences, Biological sciences

Supervisor

Jan Ciborowski

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

Midge larvae possess giant polytene chromosomes. Genes on these chromosomes undergoing transcription are visible as puffs. The nucleolar organizer (NOR), an especially large puff, shrinks when a larva is stressed. Two feeding experiments were conducted to examine how NOR size changes as a function of Chironomus riparius growth. NOR size was linearly related to an individual's recent growth rate, independent of its body size.

Chironomids were collected from wetlands constructed with oil sands mine water and tailings (OSPM), and reference wetlands to evaluate the utility of the NOR as a field-based measure of larval growth and condition. Small larvae (

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