Life Sciences Commons^™

Grassroots Of The Desert: An Analysis Of The Roles Of The Utah Wilderness Association And The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance In The Debate Over Wilderness Designation Of Bureau Of Land Management Lands In Southern Utah, Amy E. Brennan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The battle over federal Wilderness designation of Bureau of Land Management lands in southern Utah has entered its third decade. Throughout this lengthy debate numerous stakeholders have maintained involvement, including members of Utah's conservation community. Two of the most prominent wilderness advocacy groups in Utah are notable not only for their sustained involvement with the issue, but also for their divergent positions on how to resolve this public land dispute. This research examines those two organizations, the Utah Wilderness Association and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, through an analysis of their respective structural, organizational, philosophical, and tactical perspectives.

Ultimately, the …

Fuels Inventory And Appraisal In Intermountain Quaking Aspen (Populus Tremuloides) Communities, Janet A. Beales

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Field research was conducted in quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides Michx., communities. Fifty-one plots were established in seven major locations in the Bear River Range of northern Utah. The locations inventoried were divided into two age classes: young aspen (under 70 yr) and old aspen (over 70 yr). Custom fuel models were developed for each age class and the data were analyzed for relationships between fuel loads and other measurable factors, including: basal area, average diameter at breast height (d.b.h.), fuel depth, litter loads, tree regeneration, shrub loads, herbaceous loads, slope, tree height, aspect, percent aspen in the plot, grazing intensity, …

A Geographic Information System Assessment Method For Fire Management: Identifying Fire Danger Areas, Richard D. Stratton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In partnership with the USDA Forest Service and the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands, a geographic information system (GIS) was used to create a wildland fire assessment methodology. GIS layers (or themes) include topography, infrastructure, vegetation, climate, "sensitive" natural values, and fire history. Two phases of assessment are presented: a preliminary analysis designed for planning use at the landscape level, and a detailed analysis for site-specific use.

Results of the phase 1 assessment are density grids delineating areas of high fire occurrence and suggesting to managers where a phase 2 assessment is needed. By using the environmental, …

Development And Validation Of Forest Habitat Models In The Uinta Mountains, Utah, Tracey S. Frescino

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A significant question currently facing environmental managers is how to accurately and efficiently quantify forest diversity and resources. Numerous studies have demonstrated the use of modern spatial analytical tools, such as geographical information systems (GIS), remote sensing devices, and statistical models for predicting the distribution of dominant vegetation cover types. This study examines the ability of generalized additive models (GAMs) to delineate structural diversity in forested ecosystems (specifically the Uinta Mountain Range in Utah) using GIS tools and satellite spectral data, and analyzes the effect of including different forms of satellite data in model construction (i.e., Landsat thematic mapper (TM), …

Aspen Regeneration And Response To Fire In The Intermountain West, Kelly J. Mccloskey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The history of Populus tremuloides regeneration in the Intermountain West, particularly western Wyoming, is one of prolific vegetative reproduction following wildland fire. The reproductive physiology of aspen and its disturbance-response characteristics are explored through a review of previous studies. The combination of fire suppression and increased herbivory on aspen by wild and domestic ungulates is likely facilitating conifer invasion of areas historically dominated by aspen as has been observed in parts of Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado over the past 100 years. A case study of the regenerative response of aspen to wildland fire in western Wyoming demonstrates how physiology, life …

Relationship Between Teton Science School Programs And Teachers' Ability To Teach About The Environment, Jennifer A. Levy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis presents an analysis of 1996/97 survey research data regarding the relationship between three types of Teton Science School (TSS) programs and classroom teachers ' ability to teach about the environment. Based on observations by resident instructors and faculty at TSS, three research questions were developed. The primary objective of the research questions was to consider the relationship between TSS residential education programs and participating teachers' ability to teach about the environment.

Analyses are based on comparing descriptive statistics of teachers who have participated in one of the three types of TSS programs or a combination of the three …