The Abundance and Diversity of Intestinal Parasites Collected From Blue-Winged Teal and Ring Necked Ducks Inhabiting Lake Winnibigoshish, Minnesota
Location
CSU Ballroom
Start Date
16-4-2013 10:00 AM
End Date
16-4-2013 12:00 PM
Student's Major
Biological Sciences
Student's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Mentor's Name
Robert Sorensen
Mentor's Department
Biological Sciences
Mentor's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Description
The blue winged teal, Anas discors, is one of the more common ducks in North America being found in lakes, streams, and ponds. The ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris, is known mainly for habituating in freshwater ponds or lakes. At Lake Winnibigoshish, the blue winged teal and ring-necked ducks have been noted to have a record number of parasites within their respective gastrointestinal (GI) tracts. To fill the gap in our knowledge of these ducks found in Lake Winnibigoshish, this study sought to investigate the abundance and diversity of parasites residing in the respective GI systems of the ducks. The ducks utilized in this study were collected in the fall of 2012, at Lake Winnibigoshish, in northern Minnesota, as part of an undergoing large study. To manage volume of inhabiting parasites, the small intestines of each duck was divided into 15cm segments. For this research, I obtained data containing the number of parasites in the 15cm segments of each duck. The segment in each duck observed to contain the most abundant parasites, was considered for data analysis. In order to identify and classify the parasites, they were stained with Semichon Acetic Carmine, destained with 70% alcohol, dehydrated with 100% alcohol, cleared with Xylene and mounted using Kleermount. I found that in most first segments of the ducks’ GI tract, there was a vast amount of parasites that inhabited them. The hypothesis is supported, which indicates that there is an abundance and diversity of parasites inhabiting the GI tracts of the ducks.
The Abundance and Diversity of Intestinal Parasites Collected From Blue-Winged Teal and Ring Necked Ducks Inhabiting Lake Winnibigoshish, Minnesota
CSU Ballroom
The blue winged teal, Anas discors, is one of the more common ducks in North America being found in lakes, streams, and ponds. The ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris, is known mainly for habituating in freshwater ponds or lakes. At Lake Winnibigoshish, the blue winged teal and ring-necked ducks have been noted to have a record number of parasites within their respective gastrointestinal (GI) tracts. To fill the gap in our knowledge of these ducks found in Lake Winnibigoshish, this study sought to investigate the abundance and diversity of parasites residing in the respective GI systems of the ducks. The ducks utilized in this study were collected in the fall of 2012, at Lake Winnibigoshish, in northern Minnesota, as part of an undergoing large study. To manage volume of inhabiting parasites, the small intestines of each duck was divided into 15cm segments. For this research, I obtained data containing the number of parasites in the 15cm segments of each duck. The segment in each duck observed to contain the most abundant parasites, was considered for data analysis. In order to identify and classify the parasites, they were stained with Semichon Acetic Carmine, destained with 70% alcohol, dehydrated with 100% alcohol, cleared with Xylene and mounted using Kleermount. I found that in most first segments of the ducks’ GI tract, there was a vast amount of parasites that inhabited them. The hypothesis is supported, which indicates that there is an abundance and diversity of parasites inhabiting the GI tracts of the ducks.
Recommended Citation
Ogunnowo, Omolayo. "The Abundance and Diversity of Intestinal Parasites Collected From Blue-Winged Teal and Ring Necked Ducks Inhabiting Lake Winnibigoshish, Minnesota." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 16, 2013.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2013/poster-session-A/10
