Life Sciences Commons^™

Selected Dietary Plant-Based Proteins For Growth And Health Response Of Nile Tilapia Oreochromis Niloticus, Tzodoq O. Magbanua, Janice A. Ragaza

Biology Faculty Publications

Tilapia culture is one of the largest sectors of global aquaculture. Among the different species of tilapia, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is perhaps the top cultured species. The production of Nile tilapia has been continually increasing throughout the years resulting in genetic deterioration. Several tilapia strains with better growth performance and adaptive capability to survive in different culture conditions have been developed to alleviate the crisis. Increased demand for Nile tilapia implies higher farming cost. Plant-based proteins are utilized as partial or complete fishmeal replacements to reduce feed cost. However, these proteins can adversely affect and alter growth …

Underwater: Science & Story In Aquatic Communities, Lena J. Beck

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

How do we manage fish species, and how do fish, in turn, impact us? This portfolio of three stories will explore some of the ways in which humans interact with aquatic landscapes. First, we’ll go to Flathead Lake in Montana, where invasive lake trout have all but decimated native trout species, and learn what the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are doing to address the issue. Then, we’ll examine stories of a legendary Big Fish in Alaska’s Lake Iliamna, and think about what it means to scientifically prove something as real. The last story looks at the aquaculture industry in …

The Relationship Between Food Retailers And Distributors, Madison Seigler, Julia Anderson, Aidan Morton, Cassandra Williams, Victoria Bloomgren, Jacob Tutty

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Our understanding of the science of anthropogenic climate change and its immediate and indirect impacts has grown within the last decade.Alongside anincrease in concern for the inequities within the industrialized food system, climate change is impacting agriculture and the communities that depend on it in myriad ways. These challenges have catalyzed investment in sustainable agriculture, “eat local” food movements, and rethinking of all aspects of food systems, including consumers, producers, retailers, and distributors. The body of literature on food systems primarily focuses on the connection between consumers and retailers; however, there is a notable absence of literature on the relationships …

Growing Meat On Plants: Using Intermediate Cbd-Rgd Fusion Proteins To Improve Bovine Satellite Cell Attachment On Cellulose-Based Scaffolds, Julian Cohen

Pitzer Senior Theses

Cellular agriculture is an emerging technology aiming to replace existing methods for animal agriculture with tissue engineering and cell culture-based technologies. Cultured meat falls within this purview, using a biomimetic approach to recreate animal muscle tissue through tissue engineering. In the attempt to diminish the necessity of animal-derived materials within this process, plant-based scaffolds can be used as a substrate upon which stem cells are cultured. Due to the unfavorable environment of cellulose for mammalian cell-surface proteins, the approach was taken of coating cellulose nanofiber films with a fusion protein composed of a cellulose binding domain (CBD) protein and the …

Agroecology Curriculum Proposal, Emily Kuhn

Pitzer Senior Theses

The purpose of this research is to establish the viability of an Agroecology major at Pitzer College. I begin by problematizing Industrial Agriculture and making a case for Pitzer College to become a higher education leader in the global paradigm shift towards socially and ecologically just food systems. The proposed curriculum compiles pre-existing classes, objectives expanded from the EA field group, and an internship component embedded at five local land-based learning partner sites. I conducted a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis of the Environmental Analysis field group as a potential host for the agroecology track, including study abroad …

Effects Of Buried Wood On The Development Of Populus Tremuloides On Various Oil Sands Reclamation Soils, Kaitlyn E. Trepanier, Laura Manchola-Rojas, Bradley D. Pinno

Aspen Bibliography

Buried wood is an important but understudied component of reclamation soils. We examined the impacts of buried wood amounts and species on the growth of the common reclamation tree species trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides). In a greenhouse study, aspen seedlings were planted into four soil types, upland derived fine forest floor-mineral mix (fFFMM), coarse forest floor-mineral mix (cFFMM), and lowland derived peat and peat-mineral mix (PMM), that were mixed with either aspen or pine wood shavings at four concentrations (0%, 10%, 20% and 50% of total volume). Height and diameter growth, chlorophyll concentration, and leaf and stem biomass were measured. …

Estado Actual De Los Proyectos Tecnológicos De Agricultura En El Departamento De Vichada (2014-2021), Juan Camilo Rodríguez Rodríguez

Negocios y Relaciones Internacionales

El Departamento del Vichada cuenta con más de 10 millones de hectáreas, cifra que le posiciona como el segundo departamento más grande del país; pero que a pesar de contar con 3,6 millones de hectáreas aptas para la producción agrícola, ganadera y forestal, solo cuenta actualmente con 1,4 millones con la capacidad de ser cultivables, debido a las condiciones especiales de sus suelos, como el alto contenido de aluminio que obligan al aumento de la inversión económica, aplicada ante otros aspectos, al mejoramiento de la tecnología, fortaleciendo así el proceso de producción de sus cadenas productivas. El presente trabajo desglosa …

Rural Feminism And Perspectives Of Women Farmers In The Agriculture Industry: "I Don't Think I'D Want To Be A Man In This Industry", Cassie M. Duncan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Women currently make up 36% of the workforce in the agriculture industry and are actively growing in number (National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2017). Historically, women’s roles in the agriculture industry were silent or ignored, which has had consequences for women, such as poorer quality of life (Meares, 1997). Today, women are becoming more and more involved in the agriculture industry, but still face inequality in the workplace due to their gender. This research aims to understand the day-to-day experiences and impact of gender for women who work in the production agriculture industry; and by doing so, expand Feminist Theory to …

Library Use For Agricultural Research By Undergraduate Students Of The Faculty Of Agriculture, Forestry And Wildlife Resources Management, University Of Calabar, Nigeria, Friday O. Idiku, Oliver Effiong Ntui, Dorathy Aje Iyamah, Love Eyo Abu, Dorcas Okaja Ochang

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study investigated the use of the University of Calabar library for agricultural research by students of the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management. The general objective of the study was to determine the use of the University of Calabar library for agricultural research by students of the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management. The specific objectives include to identify the number of students of the Faculty of Agriculture who registered with the University of Calabar library for the 2020/2021 academic session, identify the purpose of library use by students, assess the material and electronic resources …

A Micro-Environmental System For Fast Propagation Of Blueberries, Tristan Bonifield

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The demand for blueberries has continued to rise over the decades as its popularity has spread in North America and the world. Propagation of new plants to supply new farms and individuals is needed to meet that demand. Here we report the invention of a closed system that was tested by examining the growth of the cuttings (plant length, rooting, and root length) after a one-month period in both the proposed system and a traditional mist system. The proposed system showed a few statistically significant advantages over the traditional mist system with no consistent trend, besides a decrease in wilting …

Keeping What You Sow: Intellectual Property Rights For Plant Breeders And Seed Growers, Paulina B. Jenney

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Over the last 150 years, the food system in the present-day United States has undergone a transformational restructuring, from a diversified, decentralized, network of farmers and seed growers, to one in which the majority of crop production is controlled by a few industrial corporations. The consolidation of power has been under-girded by the application of intellectual property rights (IPR)—especially utility patents—to plant varieties and genetic traits, which are leveraged to exclude small-scale seed growers from accessing quality germplasm. Patents and restrictive licensing agreements recapitulate colonial structures by appropriating common and traditionally community-held resources for profit, and by creating reliance on …

Quantifying Crop Phenology For Food Sustainability Under Climate Change: Integration Of Remote Sensing, Machine Learning, And Ecosystem Modeling, Yanjun Yang

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Climate change is projected to continue and accelerate significantly in the future if global greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed. Previous studies have shown that crop growth and production in agroecosystems are primarily determined by the weather conditions over the growing season. Crop phenology represents one of the most critical indicators in determining crop yield and adjusting the adaptation of crops to climate change. It provides essential information for monitoring and modeling crop growth dynamics and productivity. Therefore, understanding and quantifying the impacts of climate change on crop phenology and then agricultural production is crucial to formulate feasible climatic adaptation …

An Evaluation Of Eragrostis Tef For Future Cultivar Development, Eric Wayne Luteyn

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

The many benefits of utilizing teff (Eragrostis tef) as small grain is well documented in journal publications. Over time the domestication of this species has become essential to the diets of the local population and the livestock living in the African highlands. Current research points to a high diversity of trait characteristics found in many teff populations and the potential utilization of these traits to increase desirable characteristics in both grain and forage varieties. With the overarching goal of adding to what is already known about teff, this study evaluates the different traits that are of interest to …

Building Capacity For Cool Season Vegetable Production In Kentucky: Strengthening Supply Chains Through Crop Model Development And Analysis Of A Farm-To-Institution Market, Chelsea Jo Maupin

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Cool season vegetable crops are suitable for both direct-to-consumer (DTC) and farm-to-institution (FTI) markets in central Kentucky. However, crop planning for predictable harvest is challenging. Seasonality issues can be detrimental to FTI markets wherein institutions require consistent, large volumes of product. This research investigates both production and market aspects of salad crops in central Kentucky, through development of growing degree day (GDD) crop models for loose-leaf lettuce (Latuca sativa), carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus), and spinach (Spinacia oleracea), and through a case study analysis for a FTI initiative called the Salad Bar Program. Simple …

Remote Sensing For Quantifying C3 And C4 Grass Ratios In Pastures, Jordyn Alyssa Bush

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

The following studies investigate the accuracy and practicality of exploiting the color dichotomy present between C₃ and C₄ grass species to estimate their respective proportions from drone or camera captured imagery. Understanding the proportions of C₃ and C₄ grasses in pastures is vital to sound decision making for livestock production. The ability to monitor these proportions remotely will also allow for large scale monitoring as well as detection of changes in botanical composition over time and in response to weather events, management, or climate change. A free green canopy cover (GCC) analyzing software, Canopeo, was used …

Hemp In The United States: An Analysis Of Policy And Consumption, Amanda Falkner

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

As highlighted by its history, the association between hemp and marijuana has proven to be a barrier to success for industrial hemp production for decades. Once a prevalent agricultural crop in the United States, prohibitive legislation discouraged its production and formally made hemp an illegal crop in 1970. Consequently, hemp and its myriad applications remained underutilized by the United States for over forty years. It wasn’t until the 2014 Farm Bill that hemp production was reintroduced as an option for farmers. This hemp hiatus has created the need for interdisciplinary research in order for the market for the crop to …

Soil Invertebrates In Agriculture: Assessing Ecosystem Services, Biodiversity Impacts, And Farmer Perceptions, Eva Kinnebrew

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Harmonizing biological diversity and crop production is a major goal towards building more sustainable food systems. Soil invertebrates are diverse and abundant organisms in agriculture, but relatively little is known about their benefits or how agricultural management impacts them. In this dissertation, I dig into the complex interactions between agricultural land use and soil invertebrate biodiversity to better inform farmer decision-making. I find that soil invertebrate communities have major potential contributions to agroecosystems (Chapter 2) and are shaped heavily by agricultural land use (Chapters 3, 4), but remain too uncertain to contribute to farmers’ management choices (Chapter 5). First, I …

Building Relationships And Resilience: Local Food Systems In Vermont And New England During The Covid-19 Pandemic And Beyond, Claire Whitehouse

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

This thesis brings together two studies of local food systems in Vermont and New England. The first study focuses on the experience of Vermont local food businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic by combining two surveys conducted in the first half of 2021: one of foodservice operations that procure food locally and one of Vermont farms that sell directly to consumers. We analyzed descriptive statistics, open responses, and conducted Kruskal-Wallis rank sum tests to assess which factors were related with business’ financial status before and since the pandemic. Pre-pandemic financial status was related with business type, whether the business went on …

Ghgs From Bmps: Examining The Factors That Mediate Soilborne Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Agricultural Best Management Practices, Sarah Brickman

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Agricultural best management practices (BMPs) promote soil health and achieve multiple positive environmental outcomes. However, practices that are intended to solve one environmental challenge may have unintended climate impacts, therefore presenting a potential tradeoff. For example, manure injection is a BMP that can reduce runoff and nitrogen loss as ammonia gas (NH3) but can increase N2O and CO2 emissions compared to manure broadcast application. This thesis explores how CO2 and N2O emissions from manure injection compare to other soil fertility practices as well as the conditions that may enhance or reduce these greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes. First, during a two-year …

Seeding Coexistence: Understanding The Potential For Seed System Pluralism Through A Mixed-Methods Research Study Of Vermont Growers, Carina Isbell

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Visions for the future of the global agri-food system are often polarizing. Facing such issues as climate change, social and political unrest, and decreasing biodiversity, communities are increasingly facing critical decisions relating to how food systems can transform to better meet the needs of society and the environment. Seeds – an often-overlooked input that, throughout history, have encapsulated agri-food system paradigms as well as hope for how they might be changed – sit at the nexus of many of these decisions. In the last half-century, increasing privatization and industrialization across the agricultural sector have profoundly transformed seed systems globally. In …

Anchoring Communities Through Crisis: Enhancing Anchor Institutions’ Roles In Local Food Systems, Naomi Cunningham

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Anchor institutions serve as economic and social anchors for the communities they are embedded within. These mission-driven institutions often leverage their purchasing power and hiring practices to support community development. Local food purchases are one crucial way institutions support local economies and contribute to the development of robust and resilient food systems. The relationships institutional buyers establish with local farmers and intermediaries frequently require more time and energy to facilitate but result in more direct, connected, and mutually beneficial relationships, which, based on the findings of this research, are a critical source of resilience.

The COVID-19 pandemic is the most …

Nebline, Jan./Feb. 2022

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

2021 Extension Highlights

Your Trusted Educational Resource

4-H Programs Engaged 24,313 Youth

A New Year, A New You, A Renewed Community by Emily Gratopp

Garden Guide: Things to Do This Month

Extension’s 2022 Master Gardener Training, Two Sites Available

Upcoming Green Industry Conferences

ProHort Lawn & Landscape Update

2022 Pesticide Applicator Trainings

Crop Production Clinics In-Person and Zoom

Heart of 4-H Volunteer Award: Phil Wharton and Jenny DeBuhr

Watch Chicks Hatch on Egg Cam

4-H Rabbit Show, March 19

Dog Club Accepting New Members, Starts Jan. 10

4-H Club Gives Youth With Special Needs Opportunity to Show Lambs

4-H Announcements …

Future Climate Streamflow Estimation In The Donnelly River Catchment, Justin Hughes, Bill Wang

Natural resources commissioned reports

The Donnelly River is located in the south-west of Western Australia. An irrigation development has been proposed in the catchment that would extract water from the Donnelly River and store this in an off stream reservoir for irrigation use. Given the known issues related to non-stationarity and hydrological prediction, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) contracted CSIRO to review the hydrological model that was used to estimate future climate streamflow in the Donnelly River. This model was owned and operated by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER). The CSIRO review of the model, which also …