MbyRes Dissertations
Recent Submissions
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The evolution of individual foraging specialisation in a group-living mammal
(University of ExeterCollege of life and environmental sciences, 2016-12-20)Individual foraging specialisation has received much attention in the past few decades, however the causes and consequences of such specialisation in group-living and cooperative species remain poorly understood. These ... -
Phenotypic Plasticity in Female Burying Beetle's: Individual Responses in a Multidimensional Environment
(University of ExeterCollege of Life and Environmental Sciences, 2017-02-10)Phenotypic plasticity is defined as the environmentally sensitive expression of alternative phenotypes produced within a single genotype. The majority of research on plasticity has been demonstrating its evolutionary ... -
High-Resolution Satellite and Archival Tracking of Leatherback Sea Turtles
(University of ExeterCollege of Life and Environmental Sciences, 2017-03-30)Use of marine biologging devices enables the insight into the cryptic lives of marine fauna and the complex environment they inhabit. Using tracking and acoustic monitoring technologies deployed in tandem, we collected ... -
The impact of high-carbohydrate and high-fat diets in combination with nitrate on O2 uptake kinetics and performance during high-intensity exercise
(University of ExeterSport and Health Sciences, 2017-03-16)This study examined the impact of a high carbohydrate (HCHO) and high fat (HFAT) diet in combination with nitrate supplementation on oxygen uptake kinetics and performance during severe-intensity exercise. Ten healthy and ... -
Rape as an Act of Institutional Wrongdoing
(University of ExeterCollege of Social Sciences and International Studies, 2017-04-25)What if rape is an act of institutional wrongdoing, and becomes treated as such? In 2008, Nigel Pleasants coined the term ‘institutional wrongdoing’ to describe acts that are “chronically embedded in lawful, socially ... -
Predicting the effects of climate change on south-west UK fisheries
(University of ExeterCollege of Life and Environmental Sciences, 2016-12-14)Climate change, caused predominantly by rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, is changing the function and composition of marine communities. This thesis considers the past and potential future effects of warming ... -
Late Quaternary Changes in the Westerly Winds over the Southern Ocean: the sub-Antarctic peatland record and response
(University of ExeterGeography, 2016-12-19)The Southern Ocean plays a crucial role in modulating global atmospheric CO2 concentrations by acting as a large carbon sink. Upwelling driven by surface winds brings sequestered carbon from deep-water reservoirs to the ... -
The effect of the social environment on the parental care and offspring performance of burying beetles, Nicrophorus vespilloides.
(University of ExeterCollege of Life and Environmental Sciences, 2017-02-10)This thesis details two experiments on burying beetles, Nicrophorus vespilloides, examining the evolutionary consequences of different elements of the social environment for parental care and offspring performance. The ... -
Resolving the molecular mechanisms for bacterial selenium nanoparticle production
(University of ExeterThe College of Life and Environmental Sciences, 2016-10-26)Thauera selenatis is a bacterium that can respire using selenate as the sole electron acceptor and produce elemental selenium in the form of nanospheres. Analysis of the secreted protein profile from T. selenatis that was ... -
Evaluating the Impact of Byproducts Generated by an Industrially Relevant Crop Pretreatment on Lignocellulosic Ethanol Yields
(University of ExeterDepartment of Biological Sciences, 2016-12-09)Lignocellulosic ethanol is an emerging biofuel industry close to implementation in the market; however refinements are still needed to make the technology profitable. Shell has developed a system by which high yields of ... -
The Eco-hydrology of Lake Naivasha: A focus on sediment deposition and aggregation to investigate changes in water volume and methods of continual long term monitoring.
(University of ExeterCLES, 2016-11-28)Lake Naivasha is an important economic asset for Kenya; it currently supports a growing population, a thriving tourism industry, geothermal energy production and over 60 flower farms which predominantly export to Europe. ... -
Sexual selection and sex ratio in flies and moths
(University of ExeterBiological Sciences (Cornwall), 2016-09-23)In this thesis, I am interested in the role of conflict and competition in shaping mating systems. Specifically, I will be focusing on two aspects that are integral to determining reproductive fitness, namely male-male ... -
Monoclonal Antibody ED1 as a Diagnostic Antibody for Human Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis
(University of ExeterCollege of Life and Environmental Sciences, 2017-10-07)Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are a major issue in immunocompromised humans, with Aspergillus fumigatus being the second most common cause of IFI after Candida species. Due to the rising numbers of solid organ transplant ... -
Factors influencing dietary nitrate metabolism in humans
(University of ExeterSport and Health Sciences, 2017-01-11)Dietary nitrate supplementation, with nitrate-rich beetroot juice (BR), increases nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability by the stepwise reduction of nitrate to nitrite and NO. This has been associated with a number of beneficial ... -
Public knowledge and perception of blood - transfusion and conservation: The Exeter experience
(University of ExeterSport and Health Sciences, 2016-10-28)Background Only 4% of the UK population are blood donors but 30% of the same population may receive blood during their lives. There are many myths, factual inaccuracies and fears surrounding blood. The process of blood ... -
Pollinator community and function: in oilseed rape fields and in drought-stressed grassland.
(University of ExeterCLES, 2016-12-23)This thesis explores (i) how pollinator community characteristics relate to pollination service, and (ii) how pollinator communities will be affected by climate change-induced drought. Chapter 1 gives an overview of the ... -
Collective responses to antipredator recruitment calls in the jackdaw (Corvus monedula)
(University of ExeterCollege of Life and Environmental Sciences, 2016-11-10)Collective behaviour, whereby multiple individuals act together in a coherent, coordinated manner, occurs throughout nature. Self-organisation theory suggests that the maintenance of the collective behaviours shown by bird ... -
Female reproductive conflict and prenatal investment
(University of ExeterBiosciences, 2016-09-22)With limiting resources and large demands for resources to breed, this can result in reproductive conflict between individuals of the same sex. Female reproductive competition to produce as many offspring as possible, can ... -
A Systematic Review into the Association Between Maternal Hypothyroidism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Childhood
(University of ExeterUniversity of Exeter Medical School, 2016-09-14)Background In the previous 20 years, numerous studies have shown associations between maternal hypothyroidism during pregnancy and various types of neurodevelopmental disorders in children. However, other studies have not ... -
The chloroplast: A key component of plant defence and target of plant pathogens
(University of ExeterBiosciences, 2016-08-26)Plant pathogens secrete a diverse range of effector proteins as part of their virulence strategy that work to supress plant immune responses. These effectors target and manipulate a multitude of key host defence cellular ...