Digital Commons Network^™

Fixing The Leaky Pipe: Increasing Recruitment Of Underrepresented Groups In Ecology, Brian L. Bingham, Lisette E. Torres

Environmental Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Many students from underrepresented groups lack adequate opportunities and mentorship as they head through the “pipeline” to graduate school. Despite the need for unique perspectives in collaborative scientific research, ethnic minority students continue to “leak” from the system. Here, I present some points for consideration for academic professionals (including educators, administrators, and program managers), based on the first-hand experiences of successful minority scientists.

Gully Control On The Sumter National Forest In S.C., William F. Hansen, Dennis L. Law

S.C. Water Resources Conference

2008 S.C. Water Resources Conference - Addressing Water Challenges Facing the State and Region

Enabling Broadband Data Access For The Digital Watershed With Heterogenous Wireless Networks, Gayatri Venkatesh, Kuang-Ching Wang, Christopher Post

S.C. Water Resources Conference

2008 S.C. Water Resources Conference - Addressing Water Challenges Facing the State and Region

Overview Of Stable Isotope Results From A Comprehensive Savannah River Study, Oscar Flite, Gene Eidson, Jason Moak, Brian Metts, Stephen Sefick

S.C. Water Resources Conference

2008 S.C. Water Resources Conference - Addressing Water Challenges Facing the State and Region

Water Resources Review - Fall 2008, Vol 21, No. 1, Annis Water Resource Institute

AWRI Reviews

No abstract provided.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Vegetation Monitoring And Analysis: Year-End Progress Report, October 1, 2007 To September 30, 2008, Margaret N. Rees

Vegetation Monitoring

Executive Summary

• The Weed Sentry program surveyed over 335 miles and 2,610 acres of transportation corridors on federal land in Clark County for incipient populations of exotic plants.
• 18 manuscripts attained in-press or published status and one manuscript was submitted for review this year. Among published manuscripts, are one documenting Sahara mustard germination patterns (Western North American Naturalist), one assessing exotic species distributions in Clark County (Environmental Monitoring and Assessment), and another is a synthesis of burro effects on Mojave Desert vegetation (Environmental Management), and one assessing vegetation in grassy remnants of the Las Vegas Valley (Desert Plants)
• Staff delivered …

Hydrologic-Carbon Cycle Linkages In A Subalpine Catchment, Diego Andrés Riveros-Iregui

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The feedbacks between the water and the carbon cycles are of critical importance to global carbon balances. Forests and forest soils in northern latitudes are important carbon pools because of their potential as sinks for atmospheric carbon. However there are significant unknowns related to the effects of hydrologic variability, mountainous terrain, and landscape heterogeneity in controlling soil carbon dioxide (CO₂) efflux. Mountainous terrain imposes large spatial heterogeneity in the biophysical controls of soil CO₂ production and efflux, including soil temperature, soil water content, vegetation, substrate, and soil physical properties. Strong spatial and temporal variability in biophysical controls …

Non-Blackbird Avian Occurrence And Abundance In North Dakota Sunflower Fields, Dionn A. Schaaf, George M. Linz, Curt Doetkott, Mark W. Lutman, William J. Bleier

The Prairie Naturalist

Sunflower fields are well-documented as foraging habitat for fallmigrating blackbirds (Family Icteridae). There is, however, a paucity of information on the use of sunflower fields by non-blackbirds. We assessed non-blackbird use of 12 ripening sunflower fields in the Prairie Pothole Region of central North Dakota. From mid-August to mid-October 2000, we counted 4,129 individual birds, consisting of 22 families and 61 species, in the sample fields and within 5 m of the field edges. We saw the largest number of birds from 18 September to 27 September. The Family Emberizidae (sparrows) accounted for 26% of the species and 20% of …

The Prairie Naturalist. Volume 40, No. 3/4 September/December 2008, The Great Plains Natural Science Society

The Prairie Naturalist

WINTERKILL AND BIOMASS OF THE PAINTED TURTLE IN A SOUTH DAKOTA WETLAND. S. G. Platt, Z. Fast Horse, W. Cross, S. Mannel, and T. R. Rainwater

NON-BLACKBIRD AVIAN OCCURRENCE AND ABUNDANCE IN NORTH DAKOTA SUNFLOWER FIELDS. O. A. Schaaf, G. M. Linz, C. Ooetkott, M. W. Lutman, and W. J. Bleier

USING LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND REMOTE SENSING TO MAP KNOWN AND POTENTIAL PRAIRIE-CHICKEN DISTRIBUTION IN KANSAS. M. E. Houts, R. O. Rodgers, R. D. Applegate, and W. H. Busby

A CASE STUDY OF A SUCCESSFUL LAKE REHABILITATION PROJECT IN SOUTH-CENTRAL NEBRASKA. P. J. Spirk, B. A. Newcomb, and K. O. …

Winterkill And Biomass Of The Painted Turtle In A South Dakota Wetland, Steven G. Platt, Zannita Fast Horse, Warren Cross, Sylvio Mannel, Thomas R. Rainwater

The Prairie Naturalist

Winterkill occurs when drought conditions expose hibernating turtles to desiccation and lethaly cold temperatures. Winterkill is thought to represent a major source of mortality in northern populations of the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta), but few field observations are available. We herein reported on catastrophic winterkill among western painted turtle (C. pieta bellii) at Limestone Butte Lake (LBL) in western South Dakota during the winter of 2003-2004. Additionally, we used the carcasses of winterkilled turtles (n = 86) to estimate the standing crop biomass of the painted turtle at LBL (0.6 kg/ha). This was the only estimate …

Legislative Committee On Public Lands, Margaret N. Rees

Presentations (PLI)

The Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, multiple use, and management of public lands.

Alien Invaders! Pre-Visit Lesson: Introduced And Invasive Species (Grade 6), Discover Mojave: Forever Earth

Curriculum materials (FE)

In the “Alien Invaders!” program, students use the Forever Earth vessel to investigate how quagga mussels might affect Lake Mead. Students collect water quality data such as clarity, pH, and temperature to determine whether current habitat conditions would allow quagga mussels to survive and thrive. Students learn about the consequences the quagga mussels could have on the lake and its living and non-living resources. Using the knowledge they’ve gained, students create their own management plans to prevent the spread of quagga mussels to other waterways.

This activity involves students in the concepts of introduced and invasive species

Herbarium Infrastructure Development And Ecological Applications Of Specimens Using Geographic Information Systems, Ryan Joseph Miller

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) allow for herbarium data to be used for new scientific research and also for the greater efficiency of the traditional uses of herbaria. My research uses the resources of both the herbarium at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UCHT) and partnering herbaria of the Southeastern Regional Network of Expertise and Collections (SERNEC) to examine methods of incorporating new GIS technology into a functional infrastructure in order to enhance botanical research. Evaluations were performed on database and georeferencing software for use in the development of a pilot, GIS-enabled website used to query herbaria specimen information. Using …

Synoptic Monitoring Of Gross Primary Productivity Of Maize Using Landsat Data, Anatoly A. Gitelson, Andrés Viña, Jeffrey G. Masek, Shashi Verma, Andrew E. Suyker

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

There is a growing interest in monitoring the gross primary productivity (GPP) of crops due mostly to their carbon sequestration potential. Both within- and between-field variability are important components of crop GPP monitoring, particularly for the estimation of carbon budgets. In this letter, we present a new technique for daytime GPP estimation in maize based on the close and consistent relationship between GPP and crop chlorophyll content, and entirely on remotely sensed data. A recently proposed chlorophyll index (CI), which involves green and near-infrared spectral bands, was used to retrieve daytime GPP from Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) data. …

The Current State Of Populations Of Diadema Antillarum On Isla Colón In Bocas Del Toro, Panamá, 25 Years After Mass Mortality, Leah T. Ritz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In January 1983, the worst recorded die-off of any marine animal hit the Caribbean beginning near the mouth of the Panama Canal and eventually wiping out nearly 99% of one of the most important herbivores in coral reef communities, Diadema antillarum—the long-spined sea urchin or Diadema. No populations of Diadema in the Western Atlantic are known to have escaped the drastic population declines. The loss of Diadema throughout the Western Atlantic has had long-lasting impacts on the structure and composition of many types of communities including coral reefs, mangrove roots, sea grass beds, and sand flats. Though the mortality was …

The Prairie Naturalist. Volume 40, No. 112 March/June 2008, The Great Plains Natural Science Society

The Prairie Naturalist

LOW REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS OF MALLARDS IN A GRASSLAND-DOMINATED LANDSCAPE IN THE SANDHILLS OF NEBRASKA. J. A. Walker, Z. J. Cunningham, M. P. Vrtiska, S. E. Stephens, and L. A. Powell

USE OF PASSIVE INTEGRATED TRANSPONDERS IN HATCHLING TEXAS HORNED LIZARDS. S. E. Henke

INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE AND DISCHARGE ON REPRODUCTIVE TIMING OF COMMON CARP IN A NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS RIVER. T. Resseguie and S. Kelsch

RAPTOR USE OF ARTIFICIAL PERCHES AT NATURAL AREAS, CITY OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO. G. Witmer, M. Pipas, P. Burke, D. Rouse, D. Dees, and K. Manci

WEST NILE VIRUS ANTIBODIES IN BREEDING NORTH DAKOTA ICTERIDS. …

Education In The Environment: A Strategy For Continued Interagency Outdoor Programming: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending February 29, 2008, Environmental Education Strategy For Nevada

Reports (PLI Education)

Highlights of the university’s focused efforts during the past three months include the following:

• Progress was made on three projects to meet Southern Nevada Agency Partnership (SNAP) strategic messaging needs: an anti-litter exhibit, a volunteer restoration program with educational components, and activity stations to tell the story of Lee Meadows restoration efforts.
• Interpretive planning is underway for Mountain’s Edge Explorer’s Interpretive Trail.
• A Spanish class tailored to meet the communication needs of environmental educators and interpreters was held January 2008.
• Our Places Tell Stories conference, featuring sixty presenters, panelists, moderators, and facilitators, will be held March 4-6, 2008.
• The Nevada …

A New Approach To Flood Education (Booklet), Neil Dufty

Neil Dufty

No abstract provided.

Our Places To Tell Stories: Preliminary Program, Public Lands Institute

Our Places to Tell Stories

Our Places Tell Stories is an innovative conference for educators and others working at public lands, nature centers, museums, zoos, aquariums, and other nature- and heritage-rich places. By providing participants with successful educational strategies and techniques, this conference will meet the needs of those interested in learning how to effectively connect with audiences to create motivated stewards of the environment.

Some Fungi And Water Molds In Waters Of Lake Michigan With Emphasis On Those Associated With The Benthic Amphipod Diporeia Spp., Bozena Kiziewicz, Thomas F. Nalepa

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

To determine types of fungi in the water and associated with the benthic amphipod Diporeia spp., samples were collected at various depths in Lake Michigan in an area where the Diporeia population was in a severe state of decline. No fungi were found associated with living, freshly-dead, or dried Diporeia cultured separately from Lake Michigan water. When dead Diporeia and other organic substrates (snake skin and hemp seeds) were used to grow fungi in Lake Michigan water, a rich and diverse fungal and water mold community was revealed. A total of 31 species were found, with the most common genera …

Fish Distributions And Nutrient Cycling In Streams: Can Fish Create Biogeochemical Hotspots?, Peter B. Mcintyre, Alexander S. Flecker, Michael J. Vanni, James M. Hood, Brad W. Taylor, Steven A. Thomas

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Rates of biogeochemical processes often vary widely in space and time, and characterizing this variation is critical for understanding ecosystem functioning. In streams, spatial hotspots of nutrient transformations are generally attributed to physical and microbial processes. Here we examine the potential for heterogeneous distributions of fish to generate hotspots of nutrient recycling. We measured nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) excretion rates of 47 species of fish in an N-limited Neotropical stream, and we combined these data with population densities in each of 49 stream channel units to estimate unit- and reach-scale nutrient recycling. Species varied widely in rates of N …

Finicky Fish Finish... Last! Pre-Visit Lessons (Grade 5), Discover Mojave: Forever Earth

Curriculum materials (FE)

In “Finicky Fish Finish…Last!” students use the Forever Earth vessel to explore what has happened to the Colorado River and the reasons why it is so difficult for the razorback sucker to thrive in a changed environment. Working as ichthyologists (fish biologists) at Lake Mead, students collect water quality data such as temperature, pH, and clarity -- to determine whether current habitat conditions are sufficient for survival of young razorback suckers. Students observe and identify non-native fish in Lake Mead as they learn how the razorback sucker interacts with these neighbors. Students assess whether Lake Mead is still a good …

Finicky Fish Finish... Last! On-Site Programming -- Post-Visit Lessons -- Support Materials (Grade 5), Forever Earth

Curriculum materials (FE)

In “Finicky Fish Finish…Last!” students explore what has happened to the Colorado River and the reasons why it is so difficult for the razorback sucker to thrive in a changed environment. Working as ichthyologists (fish biologists) at Lake Mead, students collect water quality data such as temperature, pH, and clarity -- to determine whether current habitat conditions are sufficient for survival of young razorback suckers. Students observe and identify non-native fish in Lake Mead as they learn how the razorback sucker interacts with these neighbors. Students assess whether Lake Mead is still a good habitat for razorback suckers. Using the …

Finicky Fish Finish... Last! Post-Visit -- Getting The Word Out: Visually Getting The Word Out: Interviews And Podcasts Lessons (Grade 5), Discover Mojave: Forever Earth

Curriculum materials (FE)

In “Finicky Fish Finish…Last!” students use the Forever Earth vessel to explore what has happened to the Colorado River and the reasons why it is so difficult for the razorback sucker to thrive in a changed environment. Working as ichthyologists (fish biologists) at Lake Mead, students collect water quality data such as temperature, pH, and clarity -- to determine whether current habitat conditions are sufficient for survival of young razorback suckers. Students observe and identify non-native fish in Lake Mead as they learn how the razorback sucker interacts with these neighbors. Students assess whether Lake Mead is still a good …

Alien Invaders! On-Site Programming -- Support Materials (Grade 6), Discover Mojave: Forever Earth

Curriculum materials (FE)

In the “Alien Invaders!” program, students investigate how quagga mussels might affect Lake Mead. Students collect water quality data such as clarity, pH, and temperature to determine current habitat conditions that have allowed quagga mussels to thrive in Lake Mead. Students learn about the consequences that quagga mussels could have on the lake and its living and non-living resources. Using the knowledge they’ve gained, students create their own management plans to prevent the spread of quagga mussels to other waterways.

Finicky Fish Finish... Last! On-Site Programming -- Support Materials (Grade 5), Discover Mojave: Forever Earth

Curriculum materials (FE)

In “Finicky Fish Finish…Last!” students explore what has happened to the Colorado River and the reasons why it is so difficult for the razorback sucker to thrive in a changed environment. Working as ichthyologists (fish biologists) at Lake Mead, students collect water quality data such as temperature, pH, and clarity to determine whether current habitat conditions are sufficient for survival of young razorback suckers. Students observe and identify non-native fish in Lake Mead as they learn how the razorback sucker interacts with these neighbors. Students assess whether Lake Mead is still a good habitat for razorback suckers. Using the knowledge …

Alien Invaders! On-Site Programming (Grade 6), Discover Mojave: Forever Earth

Curriculum materials (FE)

In the “Alien Invaders!” program, students investigate how quagga mussels might affect Lake Mead. Students collect water quality data such as clarity, pH, and temperature to determine current habitat conditions that have allowed quagga mussels to thrive in Lake Mead. Students learn about the consequences that quagga mussels could have on the lake and its living and non-living resources. Using the knowledge they’ve gained, students create their own management plans to prevent the spread of quagga mussels to other waterways.

Mercury Levels In Newly Independent Songbirds, Anne Moire Condon

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

Use Of Passive Integrated Transponders In Hatchling Texas Horned Lizards, Scott E. Henke

The Prairie Naturalist

The Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) is a Texas state-threatened species and acquisition of data related to the species' ecology is essential. To accomplish this task individual animals need to be marked. Many marking techniques are available for lizards, however the majority of techniques have been tested on adults only. Studies involving hatchling and juvenile horned lizards are scarce due to problems associated with marking and relocating individuals in these age classes. I demonstrated that injection of passive integrated transponders (PIT's) can safely be used as a marking method in young Texas horned lizards. Thirty-two captive bred hatchling lizards were …

Broad Spatial Trends In Osprey Provisioning, Reproductive Success, And Population Growth Within Lower Chesapeake Bay, Kenneth Andrew Glass

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.