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.

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Apr 16th, 10:00 AM Apr 16th, 12:00 PM

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