Digital Commons Network^™

Effect Of Silicon On Plant Growth And Drought Stress Tolerance, Kaerlek W. Janislampi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Silicone is a silicon-containing synthetic polymer. Silicon is a metalloid chemical element. Silicon is not considered an essential nutrient for plants, but it is typically abundant in soils and can be taken up in large amounts by plant roots. Silicon is known to have beneficial effects when added to the soil in which rice and several other plants are cultivated. These beneficial effects include disease and insect resistance, plant structural fortification, and regulation of the uptake of other plant nutrients. Silicic acid is the form of silicon in soils that is available to plants. In this study, the effect of …

Using Biophysical Geospatial And Remotely Sensed Data To Classify Ecological Sites And States, Carson A. Stam

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Within the Intermountain West, vast expanses of big sagebrush shrubland and steppe are considered emblems of the western range. Currently, there are approximately 60 million hectares of big sagebrush within the 11 western states, four million of which are in the state of Utah. However, the historic distribution of sagebrush has been impacted by conversion to other types of land cover through juniper encroachment, urbanization, invasive weeds, and agricultural expansion. In Utah alone, big sagebrush communities have been reduced to approximately 55% of their historic extent. A primary and current example of the cumulative impact of big sagebrush loss is …

Modulation Of The Host Response To Tacaribe Arenavirus Infection In Ag129 Mice By My-24, Eric Sefing

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

MY-24 is a new antiviral compound recently shown to protect immunocompromised mice from lethal challenge with Tacaribe virus (TCRV). Tacaribe virus is incapable of causing disease to humans, but is closely related to the highly pathogenic New World arenaviruses that cause often-fatal viral hemorrhagic fever syndromes. Remarkably, MY-24 prevents mortality without reducing virus burden in the circulation or tissues. To investigate the mechanism by which MY-24 protects AG129 mice against Tacaribe virus infection, we first characterized the natural history of disease in the model with an emphasis on host immune response and blood vessel function to establish the best times …

Factors Influencing Relocation Success Of Utah Prairie Dog (Cynomys Parvidens), Rachel Curtis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Utah prairie dogs have been extirpated in 90% of their historic range due to introduced disease, eradication, and habitat destruction. Most of the population lives on private land where animals burrow in lawns and agricultural fields, which keeps this threatened species continually in conflict with landowners. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has been relocating prairie dogs from private to public land since the 1970s, but relocations have been largely unsuccessful due to high mortality. Prairie dogs are highly social animals, but they are usually relocated without regard to their family group, or coterie. Coteries typically consist of one reproductive …

Population Dynamics And Movements Of Translocated And Resident Greater Sage-Grouse On Anthro Mountain, Utah, Natasha W. Gruber

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations have declined range-wide. Species translocations have been identified as a conservation strategy to augment declining populations in restored habitats. I evaluated protocols previously used to successfully translocate greater sage-grouse in Utah by comparing annual production, survival, habitat use, integration and seasonal movements of translocated birds and their chicks to the resident population. To conduct this study, I translocated 60 greater sagegrouse hens captured and radio-collared on Parker Mountain to Anthro Mountain in the spring of 2009 and 2010. I also captured and radio-collared 19 resident hens to serve as my control group. All …

Mechanisms And Signal Transduction Pathways Involved In Bovine Oocyte Activation, Ammon Hanson Bayles

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Being able to create a genetically identical, living replicate of a prized animal sounds impossible. Through advanced scientific methods and the wonders of mother nature it can be accomplished by a process called cloning. In 2003, the USU Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science department and Dr. Kenneth L. White gained world wide recognition when they, along with a team for Idaho, cloned the first equine species.

Cloning certain animals could be very advantageous to the agricultural industry. Prized animals that have died could be cloned, producing the best meat and milk supply. Animals that are sterile or endangered could be …

Effects Of Sodium Chloride Salting And Substitution With Potassium Chloride On Whey Expulsion Of Cheese, Ying Lu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Heart disease and stroke are leading causes of death in America. In 2008, not only are more than 0.6 million people dying of heart disease, but it is estimated that almost 1 in every 4 Americans with heart disease die. Consuming excess salt has been associated with increasing risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, and stroke. Americans consume 40% more salt than the USDA recommended level -- 1500 mg. Therefore, it is important to reduce the amount of salt in foods such as cheese to reduce salt consumption that may lead to heart disease.

However, simply reducing salt level …

Continental-Scale Characterization Of Molecular Variation In Quaking Aspen, Colin M. Callahan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Quaking aspen has the largest natural distribution of any tree native to North America, ranging from Alaska through the breadth of Canada and south to mid-Mexico. Recent studies suggest a general decline of aspen throughout much of the range since at least the mid-20th century, though these findings remain inconclusive. Regardless, factors such as climate change, periods of drought, soil nutrient deficiencies, pathogens, insects, and encroachment by other tree species all pose risks to the health and maintenance of aspen across the continent. This situation is exemplified in the western United States where climate change is forecasted to have an …

Characterization Of The Involvement Of Integrins, Focal Adhesion Kinase, And Phospholipase C Enzymes Endogenous To The Oocyte In Bovine Fertilization And Oocyte Activation, Benjamin Rand Sessions

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Center for Integrated Biosystems (CIB) and Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences (ADVS) Department at Utah State University propose a multi-year molecular study of cattle gamete interactions to improve our basic understanding of fertilization. The CIB and ADVS will utilize existing collaborations in addition to recruiting state and federal funding sources to complete the extensive project.

Various laboratory techniques will be used to discover the molecular players of fertilization in hopes of shedding light on a variety of human infertility issues due to problems at the gamete level. A more complete understanding of fertilization could also lead to the development …

Genetic Characterization Of Fine-Leaved Festuca Valesiaca Germplasm And Evaluation Of Their Relationship To The Festuca Ovina Complex, Yingmei Ma

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fine-leaved Festuca valesiaca has stress tolerance. However, its agronomic performance in the western United States and its genetic relationship to species of the Festuca ovina complex has not been investigated. Also, natural hybridization makes them difficult to identify. Given the species' potentials, our project was designed to identify Festuca valesiaca accessions that possess high biomass and seed yield and to examine their relatedness with the Festuca ovina complex.

The Festuca valesiaca accessions examined produced many small seeds. Seed production was correlated with the total biomass, plant height, and plant vigor. The Festuca valesiaca accessions examined were shorter than the control …

The Effects Of Habitat Manipulations On Utah Prairie Dogs (Cynomys Parvidens) And Their Habitat On The Awapa Plateau Recovery Area In South-Central Utah, Gretchen Elizabeth Caudill

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Utah prairie dogs have been listed, in some capacity, under the Endangered Species Act since 1972. The lack of suitable habitat, particularly cool season grass cover,
has been identified as the primary factor impeding species recovery. Due to reproduction costs, Utah prairie dogs require a large quantity of cool season grasses. Lack of recovery has also been attributed to poor juvenile survival. Increased resources have been shown to increase weights, which would increase survival through the winter.

Beneficial habitat management techniques for Utah prairie dogs have yet to be determined for the Awapa Plateau recovery area. Utah prairie dogs require …

The Role Of Fine-Scale Habitat Associations In Structuring Spider Assemblages: Determinants Of Spatial Patterns In Community Composition, Stephanie M. Cobbold

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Ecologists strive to identify the mechanisms that drive the identity and abundance of species in different locations, because a better understanding of such factors enables them to better predict the effects of habitat modification on organisms, and to identify landscapes in which species are likely to benefit from conservation interventions. However, there is still no consensus on the mechanisms behind geographical variation in species diversity. The primary objective of this dissertation was to focus on spider assemblages to investigate how the fine-scale habitat associations of organisms may drive the composition of their communities at larger scales. Research was conducted in …

1. Improving The Yield Of Biodiesel From Microalgae And Other Lipids. 2. Studies Of The Wax Ester Biosynthetic Pathway And Potential Biotechnological Application, Bradley D. Wahlen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The production of biofuels and oleochemicals from renewable sources offers an opportunity to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. The work contained in this dissertation has focused on developing and improving methods for the production of biodiesel from non-traditional feedstocks and understanding biosynthetic pathways that result in the production of oleochemicals and fuels.

Pure vegetable oil can account for 70-80% of the total cost of biodiesel production. Many low-cost oils contain high amounts of free fatty acids, which are unsuitable for base-catalyzed transesterification. Herein an approach is described that efficiently accomplishes the simultaneous esterification and transesterification of both free fatty …

Effects Of Cache Valley Particulate Matter On Human Lung Cells, Todd L. Watterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

During the wintertime, residents of the Cache Valley are very aware of the poor air quality that occurs during cold-air inversion episodes. If one somehow avoids the radio and television announcements as well as the electronic roadside signs indicating poor air quality and encouraging less driving, one need only to look upward toward the mountains that surround the valley and notice the lack of daytime visibility. This lack of visibility and health warnings are due to particulate air pollution or particulate matter (PM). PM is only one of many types of regulated air pollution but is the one that occurs …

Genetic Diversity And Genetic Structuring At Multiple Spatial Scales Across The Range Of The Northern Leopard Frog, Rana Pipiens, Ryan P. O'Donnell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Genetic diversity is the raw material for evolution: evolution cannot happen without genetic diversity, and the ability of a population to respond to a changing environment depends directly on how diverse its genes are. Understanding the distribution of genetic diversity is important for many reasons, including predicting whether species will be able to adapt to climate change and predicting the spread of invasive species. Information about the distribution of genetic diversity across the range of the Northern Leopard Frog, a declining species, will not only help us to ensure that the species can continue to evolve in response to changing …

Identifying And Quantifying Sediment Sources And Sinks In The Root River, Southeastern Minnesota, Justin Collin Stout

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fine sediment, normally understood to refer to sand, silts, and clays; is a natural constituent in all rivers. When in excess this fine sediment can degrade the habitat for aquatic life in these rivers, and carry with it many pollutants and nutrients which can cause adverse effects on wildlife and human populations.

Understanding how this fine sediment moves through a river system, from erosion off of hillslopes, transport through the river, and finally export from the mouth of the system is vital part to land and river management. However, predicting how fine sediment moves through a system is a difficult …

A Coupled Human And Natural Systems Approach To Understanding An Invasive Frog, Eleutherodactylus Coqui, In Hawaii, Emily A. Kalnicky

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Human activities worldwide have altered nature in ways that create new combinations of species and environmental processes. To understand so-called "novel ecosystems" it is important to consider both the natural and the societal factors that shape them, and how those factors are interconnected or "coupled." We used such an approach to explore options for managing a non-native invasive frog, the coqui, which has become established on the island of Hawaii and threatens to spread to other parts of the state.

The nighttime calls of the coqui create a nuisance for property owners when populations become dense enough, as often occurs …

Caddisfly Larvae (Limnephilidae) As Predators Of Newt (Taricha Granulosa) Eggs: Another Player In The Coevolutionary Arms Race Revolving Around Tetrodotoxin?, Brian G. Gall

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Some populations of newts (Taricha granulosa) possess large quantities of the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin (TTX) in their skin and eggs. Many populations of garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) are resistant to this toxin and can consume large numbers of newts with no negative effects. Despite the wealth of information acquired on the interaction between newts and their predator, garter snakes, very little research has been conducted on possible interactions between newts and other predators. I conducted a suite of experiments examining for the presence of other predators on newts, specifically focusing on predators of their eggs and larvae. …

Productivity Studies Utilizing Recombinant Cho Cells In Stirred-Tank Bioreactors: A Comparative Study Between The Pitch-Blade And The Packed-Bed Bioreactor Systems, Taylor Stephen Hatton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Center for Integrated Biosystems (CIB) at Utah State University proposed to demonstrate the added benefits of bench top stirred-tank bioreactors utilizing the packedbed impeller system in perfusion mode for the production of recombinant proteins. In this study recombinant Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells were utilized for the production of a secreted protein in two bioreactor types: pitched-blade bioreactor operated in batch mode versus packed-bed bioreactor operated in perfusion mode. Our primary objective was to determine whether the packed-bed bioreactor is superior to a traditional pitched-blade bioreactor for the mass production of cell culture protein products. We hypothesize that the …

Modeling Freshwater Mussel Distribution In Relation To Biotic And Abiotic Habitat Variables In The Middle Fork John Day River, Oregon, Ericka E. Hegeman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Freshwater mussels are the most threatened taxonomic group in North America with extinction rates that exceed those of many species found in both terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems including fish, birds, and amphibians. Part of the reason that mussels are so threatened is because their larvae are parasitic on fish, making the completion of their life cycle dependent upon healthy fish populations. The imperilment of freshwater mussels is a cause for concern because of the benefits that mussels provide to freshwater ecosystems including habitat enhancement, substratum stabilization, nutrient cycling, and water clarification. Restoration and conservation efforts targeting western freshwater mussels have …

Avian Response To Post Wildland Fire Reseeding Treatments In Great Basin Shrubsteppe, Adam B. Brewerton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wildfire is often considered a destructive force. However, we have learned that fire is a natural part of many ecosystems and can even be productive by recycling nutrients, and allowing for regrowth. A natural pattern of fire frequency allows for native plants and animals to recover from its destructiveness and capitalize on its benefits. Environmental changes, such as exotic invasive species, like cheatgrass, and livestock grazing, can make recovery less likely. Cheatgrass also promotes fire. As cheatgrass establishes, fires become more frequent and larger, making it hard or impossible for native plants to recover. Land managers often reseed to restore …

Isolation And Purification Of Anthocyanins From Black Bean Wastewater Using Macroporous Resins, Xiaoxi Wang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Isolation and purification of anthocyanins from black bean canning wastewater by column chromatography with macroporous resins were investigated in this study. Different adsorption materials and adsorption conditions were compared and the most effective material and adsorption conditions were selected to purify anthocyanins. Purified anthocyanins then were identified by high performance liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. The most effective macroporous resin was selected by comparing the adsorption performance of five different types of macroporous resins (Diaion Hp20, Sepabeads Sp70, Sepabeads Sp207, Sepabeads Sp700, and Sepabeads Sp710). Equilibrium adsorption isotherms of five resins with wastewater were measured and analyzed using Langmuir …

Increasing The Retention Of Lipid-Soluble Components In A Curd Matrix, Megan Tippetts

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Megan Tippetts, under the direction of Dr. Silvana Martini at Utah State University, proposes to demonstrate that it is possible to increase the retention of lipid-soluble components (e.g. vitamin D) in a curd matrix (e.g. Cheddar cheese). This project was coordinated with the Western Dairy Center for the initial phase of the project.

The initial phase used vitamin D₃ fortified emulsions stabilized with a dairy-based emulsifier. The objective was to determine if vitamin D₃ delivered in an emulsion form to the milk before cheesemake would have higher retention in the cheese versus vitamin D₃ oil added directly …

Mapping Fire Fuels Through Detection Of Canopy Biomass Loading In Juniper, Sagebrush, And Gambel Oak Communities, Sean Laroy Hammond

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fire fuel inventory processes are customarily labor intensive endeavors. There is a growing need for an increase in accuracy of these inventories at a landscape level, due in large part to the ever increasing development of Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). More accurate inventory and mapping of wildland fuels will facilitate a more accurate simulation of wildfire behavior and analysis of fire behavior given a myriad of fuels treatments. This paper examines one approach to inventorying fire fuels at a landscape level and developing fuel model maps to be utilized in landscape level fire behavior simulations for use by land managers …

A Case Study Of Professors' And Instructional Designers' Experiences In The Development Of Online Courses, Karl B. Stevens

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this study was to examine the experiences of instructional designers and professors during their efforts to develop online courses and to determine what effect their experiences had on the development process. Five professors and five instructional designers at Utah State University participated in this qualitative, single-case study. Participants were purposefully selected as matched pairs of development teams based on their respective levels of expertise in course development.

The ADDIE instructional design model was used as a conceptual framework to which emergent themes were aligned. ADDIE is an acronym for analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The key …

Integration Of Nutrition Education Classes Into English As Second Language Classes For Refugees, Sarah Gunnell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Each year approximately 73,000 refugees are resettled into the United States because it is unsafe for them to return to their country of origin. Resettlement agencies help refugees learn about their new environment and provide assistance with housing, food, English classes, and job skills training. The goal of resettlement programs is to help refugees become self-sufficient as quickly as possible.

Recently resettled refugees face many challenges that make it difficult to eat healthy food. Transportation, English skills, and conflicting work hours are some of the barriers to receiving nutrition education. This research evaluated the integration of nutrition lessons into English …

Social Organization And Decision Making In North American Bison: Implications For Management, Ryan A. Shaw

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Social organization varies widely among herbivores, and the level of social organization in bison is widely debated. I hypothesized that when mother-daughter relationships are allowed to develop, bison form long-term associations. In my study, 25 treatment mothers were selected from a free-ranging herd and kept together with their calves, while 25 control females had their calves forcefully removed. Treatment mothers and offspring had by far the greatest number of associations with a greater percentage of individuals with a half weight index (HWI) > 0.50. The strongest associations (HWI > 0.31) were among treatment mothers and their offspring. Moreover, these associations persisted over …

Livestock Foraging Behavior In Response To Sequence And Interactions Among Alkaloids, Tannins, And Saponins, Tiffanny L. Jensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

During the past several decades, people worldwide have expressed a growing interest in reconstructing ecosystems to enhance ecological, economic, and social values. Yet, to do so we must find ways to enhance biodiversity, environmental quality and the sustainability of grazing lands. In all these instances, plants are the glue that binds soils, water, herbivores, and people. However, monocultures or simple grass-legume mixtures are not always ideal for intensively managed pastures due to their seasonality, susceptibility to pests, and monotony of plant nutrients and toxins. All plants contain so-called “toxins,” more appropriately referred to as secondary compounds, which are crucial in …

Parent Nutrition Education And The Influence On Family Lifestyle Behavior Changes, Kelsey Rich

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Utah State University in the collaboration with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) proposes to develop and implement a program to help families develop healthy eating habits and lifestyle behaviors. Recently, childhood overweight and obesity has reached epidemic proportions. The diseases associated with adult obesity are now being seen in the pediatric population; therefore, there is a call for preventative efforts. A diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in combination with an active lifestyle discourages the presence of obesity. Currently, most childhood obesity prevention efforts have taken place in the school setting and have only had short term …

In Vitro And In Vivo Comparison Of The Pathogenicity Of Four Influenza Virus Strains, Brett L. Hurst

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Influenza viruses cause between 3 and 5 million cases of respiratory infection each year and are responsible for between 250 and 500 thousand deaths. Two avenues for the treatment and prevention of influenza virus infections are vaccination and antiviral chemotherapy. Prevention is largely accomplished through vaccination. While vaccines remain the preferred method for controlling the spread of influenza, antiviral treatment is important for severe infections caused by new and emerging virus strains. Occasionally new viruses emerge to which the population has no previous immunity. Such was the case when the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus appeared in 2009. When new viruses …