Fleming, Rachel C., authorHoke, Kim, advisorMueller, Rachel, committee memberBangerth, Wolfgang, committee member2022-01-072022-01-072021https://hdl.handle.net/10217/234168The ancestors of modern-day amphibians were the first vertebrates to evolve a middle ear for land-based hearing. Today's amphibians retain a simple and effective middle ear structure similar to those of their ancestors, and the fundamental mechanisms of these ears may reflect those that served as foundations of hearing in terrestrial vertebrates. Understanding amphibian hearing mechanisms can therefore offer insights into the evolution of the more sophisticated hearing we observe in land-dwelling vertebrates today. Although the anatomy of the amphibian middle ear has been thoroughly described, it is not known to what extent various anatomical properties, such as material properties or shape and size of ear structures, influence middle ear movement and sound transduction. To achieve this, I created 3D finite element models of the middle ears of Rhinella marina and Arthroleptis tanneri, two anuran species with different ear geometry. To create these models, I segmented middle ear parts from the scan, processed them into volumetric FE models, and set up finite element simulations. I subjected both models to harmonic response simulations at a range of frequencies and measured the sensitivity of the model to changes in various parameters to determine their effects on sound transmission. This study presents a hypothesis-generating tool for ear mechanics research and a better understanding of the biomechanics of how variation in the middle ear affects sound transmission. Additionally, this study may inform future work on the fundamental principles of hearing in terrestrial vertebrates.born digitalmasters thesesengCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.biomechanicsfinite elementhearingear3D modelfrogText