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Articles 1 - 16 of 16
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Bottom-Up Controls (Micronutrients And N And P Species) Better Predict Cyanobacterial Abundances In Harmful Algal Blooms Than Top-Down Controls (Grazers), Scott Andrew Collins
Bottom-Up Controls (Micronutrients And N And P Species) Better Predict Cyanobacterial Abundances In Harmful Algal Blooms Than Top-Down Controls (Grazers), Scott Andrew Collins
Theses and Dissertations
The initiation, bloom, and bust of harmful Cyanobacteria and algae blooms (HAB) in lakes are controlled by top-down and bottom-up ecological controls. Excess phosphorous and nitrogen inputs from anthropogenic sources are primary to blame, but eukaryotic grazers may also promote or curb Cyanobacteria dominance. We tracked shifts in bacterial composition, lake chemistry, and eukaryotic grazing community weekly or bi-weekly through spring and summer and modeled the causes of specific Cyanobacterial species blooms and busts across three lakes in Utah, USA, with differing lake trophic states. Regardless of trophic status, all three lakes experienced blooms of varying composition and duration. Aphanizomenon …
Landsat Collections Reveal Long-Term Algal Bloom Hot Spots Of Utah Lake, Rachel Shanae Tate
Landsat Collections Reveal Long-Term Algal Bloom Hot Spots Of Utah Lake, Rachel Shanae Tate
Theses and Dissertations
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) and nuisance algal blooms (NABs) are a worldwide phenomenon with implications for human health and safety. HABs occur when algae or bacteria grow in high enough densities to harm animals and humans. A primary component of harmful algal blooms is cyanobacteria, which are aquatic, photosynthesizing microorganisms that produce toxins at high concentrations. Cyanobacterial biomass has increased worldwide in recent decades, raising concern about the future of fresh- and marine-water systems in a changing climate. Understanding the patterns and conditions of past algal blooms can provide useful insights for managing future blooms. Remote sensing can enhance our …
Of Fire, Mammals, And Rain: Mechanisms Of Plant Invasions, Tara Boyce Bishop
Of Fire, Mammals, And Rain: Mechanisms Of Plant Invasions, Tara Boyce Bishop
Theses and Dissertations
Biological invasions are driving environmental state changes on a global scale. Exotic plant species must be successful at passing several abiotic and biotic filters to establish and disrupt the native plant community assembly. Understanding where exotic plants are on a regional scale and being able to characterize how exotic plants are generally interacting with their environment is crucial information for exotic species management (chapter 1). In the western United States human-related activities are augmenting the spread of exotic plant species by increasing the ignitions of wildfire. Wildfire can lead to nutrient pulses through the removal of intact native communities and …
Use Of Plant Growth Regulators To Expand The Period Of Sagebrush Seed Germination And Reduce The Risk Of Restoration Failure: Laboratory Trials, Chelsea Elizabeth Keefer
Use Of Plant Growth Regulators To Expand The Period Of Sagebrush Seed Germination And Reduce The Risk Of Restoration Failure: Laboratory Trials, Chelsea Elizabeth Keefer
Theses and Dissertations
Seed germination during unhospitable environmental conditions can be a major barrier to direct seeding efforts in dryland systems. In the sagebrush steppe, Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis and Artemisia arbuscula are important shrub species that are being used in restoration, but seeding success is highly sporadic due to inter-annual and intra-seasonal weather variability. Altering and expanding the period of germination, as a form of bet-hedging, may improve plant establishment. Our objective was to determine if we could expand the period of germination using plant growth regulators (PGRs) applied in a conglomerated seed coating treatment. In a laboratory study, the seed …
Whole-Genome Assembly Of Atriplex Hortensis L. Using Oxfordnanopore Technology With Chromatin-Contact Mapping, Spencer Philip Hunt
Whole-Genome Assembly Of Atriplex Hortensis L. Using Oxfordnanopore Technology With Chromatin-Contact Mapping, Spencer Philip Hunt
Theses and Dissertations
Atriplex hortensis (2n = 2x = 18, 1C genome size ~1.1 gigabases), also known as garden orach, is a highly nutritious, broadleaf annual of the Amaranthaceae-Chenopodiaceae family that has spread from its native Eurasia to other temperate and subtropical environments worldwide. Atriplex is a highly complex and polyphyletic genus of generally halophytic and/or xerophytic plants, some of which have been used as food sources for humans and animals alike. Although there is some literature describing the taxonomy and ecology of orach, there is a lack of genetic and genomic data that would otherwise help elucidate the genetic variation, phylogenetic position, …
Hydrologic And Biologic Responses Of Anthropogenically Altered Lentic Springs To Restoration In The Great Basin, Leah Nicole Knighton
Hydrologic And Biologic Responses Of Anthropogenically Altered Lentic Springs To Restoration In The Great Basin, Leah Nicole Knighton
Theses and Dissertations
Water is a limited and highly valued resource in the semi-arid Great Basin. Surface water sources are often small and widely spaced apart, comprising only 1-3% of the surface area of the overall landscape. Despite their small size, these springs and surrounding wet meadows have a substantial effect on the surrounding environment. Springs provide drinking water, forage and cover for livestock and wildlife, habitat for diversity of plant species and a resource for human-related activities. In recent years, many of these springs have become dewatered due to diversions of groundwater for municipal water and agriculture, and climatic shifts in precipitation …
The Effect Of Chenopodium Quinoa On Salinization Levels In Soil, Angel Mirae Morris, P. Jeff Maughan, Bryan G. Hopkins, Neil Hansen
The Effect Of Chenopodium Quinoa On Salinization Levels In Soil, Angel Mirae Morris, P. Jeff Maughan, Bryan G. Hopkins, Neil Hansen
Journal of Undergraduate Research
Chenopodium quinoa is native to the Peruvian Andes and has been an important food crop for more than 5,000 years. C. quinoa can adapt to a wide variety of climates and altitudes, making it a viable food source for areas of the world that have little rainfall or experience dramatic seasonal changes in temperature. Further, according to a study conducted in 20161, quinoa was found to be extremely salt tolerant without detriment to the grain. High salinity tolerance suggests that planting quinoa may potentially improve soil conditions, however, little research has been conducted on the bioremediation effects of C. quinoa. …
Remote Sensing Approaches To Improve Water And Nitrogen Management Of Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa Pratensis), Austin Hopkins, Dr. Neil C. Hansen
Remote Sensing Approaches To Improve Water And Nitrogen Management Of Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa Pratensis), Austin Hopkins, Dr. Neil C. Hansen
Journal of Undergraduate Research
This project identifies remote sensing practices to conserve water by optimizing nitrogen (N) fertilization and irrigation strategies. Turfgrass is the most irrigated crop by area (163,800 km2 ), accounting for 1.9% of the continental U.S. This causes negative environmental impacts and puts the future of irrigated turfgrass in question due to increasing water scarcity, especially in the western U.S. More information is needed on how to irrigate in droughts and water limited areas as turf provides significant benefits in our environment such as aesthetics, cooling effects, carbon sequestration, and preventing soil erosion.
Addressing The Global Eutrophication Crisis From The Ground Up: Quantifying Ecosystem Resilience To Nutrient Loading, Rebeccas Frei, Banjamin Abbott
Addressing The Global Eutrophication Crisis From The Ground Up: Quantifying Ecosystem Resilience To Nutrient Loading, Rebeccas Frei, Banjamin Abbott
Journal of Undergraduate Research
I conducted a project assessing the components of aquatic ecosystems to characterize their resilience to ever-increasing nutrient pollution. Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have more than doubled nitrogen inputs, and quintupled phosphorus inputs. Some of these nutrients run off into streams and rivers, resulting in an overabundance of nutrients, a state called eutrophication. Major threats of eutrophication include toxic algal blooms and waterbody oxygen depletion, which kill aquatic life, harm local economies, threaten human health, and endanger water security.
A Metagenomic Approach To Understand Stand Failure In Bromus Tectorum, Nathan Joseph Ricks
A Metagenomic Approach To Understand Stand Failure In Bromus Tectorum, Nathan Joseph Ricks
Theses and Dissertations
Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) is an invasive annual grass that has colonized large portions of the Intermountain west. Cheatgrass stand failures have been observed throughout the invaded region, the cause of which may be related to the presence of several species of pathogenic fungi in the soil or surface litter. In this study, metagenomics was used to better understand and compare the fungal communities between sites that have and have not experienced stand failure. Samples were taken from the soil and surface litter in Winnemucca, Nevada and Skull Valley, Utah. Results show distinct fungal communities between Winnemucca and Skull Valley, as …
The Genome Of Cañahua: An Emerging Andean Super Grain, Hayley Jennifer Mangelson
The Genome Of Cañahua: An Emerging Andean Super Grain, Hayley Jennifer Mangelson
Theses and Dissertations
Chenopodium pallidicaule, known commonly as cañahua, is a semi-domesticated crop grown in high-altitude regions of the Andes. It is an A-genome diploid (2n = 2x = 18) relative of the allotetraploid (AABB) Chenopodium quinoa and shares many of its nutritional benefits. Both species contain a complete protein, a low glycemic index, and offer a wide variety of nutritionally important vitamins and minerals. Due to its minor crop status, few genomic resources for its improvement have been developed. Here we present a fully annotated, reference-quality assembly of cañahua. The reference assembly was developed using a combination of established techniques, including multiple …
Evaluating Nitrogen And Carbon Differences In Standing Litter From Normal And Prematurely Senesced Bromus Tectorum Plants, Alexa Lunt Jensen
Evaluating Nitrogen And Carbon Differences In Standing Litter From Normal And Prematurely Senesced Bromus Tectorum Plants, Alexa Lunt Jensen
Theses and Dissertations
Bromus tectorum, an invasive winter annual, has displaced native vegetation throughout the western United States. Bromus tectorum litter influences nutrient cycling near the soil surface as well as plant establishment. Failed seed production of B. tectorum occasionally occurs in the field, with plants exhibiting weak flowering culms that turn straw-colored in spring when normal plants are green or purple in color. Because annual grasses transport most soluble carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) to reproductive organs, seed production failure results in significantly different fates for these nutrients compared with normal plants. As part of larger efforts to understand events leading to …
The Effects Of Dixie Harrow Treatments On Greater Sage-Grouse Resource Selection And The Nutritional Value Of Sagebrush During Winter, Jason Alan Wood
The Effects Of Dixie Harrow Treatments On Greater Sage-Grouse Resource Selection And The Nutritional Value Of Sagebrush During Winter, Jason Alan Wood
Theses and Dissertations
Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) is an important source of food and cover for many animals, especially during winter months. Understanding how wildlife species respond to sagebrush management actions can help improve conservation planning. Dixie harrow is a method of improving spring/summer habitat for many herbivores by reducing sagebrush cover to stimulate the growth of grasses and forbs. These treatments, however, may influence the quantity and quality of sagebrush available to greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) during winter. We evaluated the effects of Dixie harrow on sage-grouse resource selection during winter (Chapter 1) and on the nutritional value of sagebrush (Chapter …
Impacts Of Novel Fire And Herbivory Regimes On Snow-Waterresources And Resilience Of Aspen Forests, Jordan Daniel Maxwell
Impacts Of Novel Fire And Herbivory Regimes On Snow-Waterresources And Resilience Of Aspen Forests, Jordan Daniel Maxwell
Theses and Dissertations
Human activities and expansion have created novel disturbance patterns across Earth’s landscapes. Disturbance is an ecological interruption after which ecosystem recovery or transition into a new state can occur, affecting biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and theavailability of ecosystem services. Fire and herbivory are two of the most widespread forces of disturbance which shape ecosystems globally. In temperate forest ecosystems, fire affects forest composition, which influences the diversity and resilience of ecosystems (chapters 1 and 2) and forest canopy structure, which is important to snowpack accumulation and the availability of water resources (chapters 3 and 4). In chapter one, the effects of …
Evaluating Fungal Pathogen Inoculum Loads In Field Seed Banks, Taryn Lori Williamson
Evaluating Fungal Pathogen Inoculum Loads In Field Seed Banks, Taryn Lori Williamson
Theses and Dissertations
Quantification of soilborne pathogen inoculum loads is important in both agricultural and wildland settings. Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) methods using SYBR Green chemistry have been shown to be useful for quantifying fungal inoculum loads in environmental samples. The purpose of this study was to develop a method to quantify fungal pathogen inoculum loads in soil seed banks using a qPCR method with SYBR Green chemistry. The invasive annual grass Bromus tectorum was chosen for this seed bank study. There were three objectives: 1) to design target-specific primers for three fungal pathogens known to be important in Bromus tectorum seed …
Effectiveness Of The Smallholder Sustainability Assessment Of Food And Agricultural Systems App For Subsistence Farm Systems In Ecuador, Carter D. Allred, H. L. Boman, S. J. Clawson, C. A. Freestone, S. N. Hockett, C. A. Holden, E. R. Phipps, C. N. Quigley, M. M. Rupard, N. C. Hansen
Effectiveness Of The Smallholder Sustainability Assessment Of Food And Agricultural Systems App For Subsistence Farm Systems In Ecuador, Carter D. Allred, H. L. Boman, S. J. Clawson, C. A. Freestone, S. N. Hockett, C. A. Holden, E. R. Phipps, C. N. Quigley, M. M. Rupard, N. C. Hansen
Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2019
Small-scale agriculture is the primary source of food for the majority of the developing world. It is a vital component of the total global land usage for agricultural production, and sustaining and improving subsistence farms is critical for meeting global food demand as well as maintaining the integrity of agro-ecological systems. Due to the important role that smallholder farmers play in global agriculture, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN developed the Smallholder Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agricultural Systems App (SAFA), a 100-question survey tool created for simplicity and wide-reaching applicability. SAFA is flexible in nature in that …