Life Sciences Commons^™

Long-Term Study Of Prescribed Fire Effects On Stand Dynamics And Oak Regeneration Potentials In Degraded Upland Oak-Hickory Stands In Northwestern Arkansas, Mason C. Danheim, Kathryn R. Kidd Dr, Hal O. Liechty Dr, Brian P. Oswald Dr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Upland oak-hickory forests in the Ozark Mountains of northwestern Arkansas and south central Missouri were impacted by oak decline during the early 2000s. This decline event was caused by predisposing (e.g., mature, dense stand conditions), inciting (i.e., drought), and contributing (e.g., red oak borer, E. rufulus H., outbreak) factors. Immediately following onset of the decline, substantial crown dieback and tree mortality, particularly for two red oak species (northern red oak, Quercus rubra Michx. and black oak, Q. velutina Lam.), were observed. In addition, densities of advanced oak regeneration were inadequate at this time, resulting in poor regeneration potentials for …

Visitor Characteristics, Attitudes, And Management Preferences Of The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, Samuel J. Rhodes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex (BMWC) encompasses 3 federal wilderness areas and spans over 1.5 million acres of iconic mountains and valleys in northwestern Montana. Here visitors can find a plethora of recreation opportunity that give access to some of the most rugged country that can be found in the lower 48 states. However, managing wilderness areas comes with the challenge of both preserving the natural resources found within their borders and enabling opportunities for recreational experiences. Wilderness social scientists always have striven to determine the type of visitors coming to wilderness, and see what sorts of experiences they pursue. …

A Comparison Of The Trojan Y Chromosome Strategy To Harvesting Models For Eradication Of Non-Native Species, Jingjing Lyu, Pamela J. Schofield, Kristen M. Reaver, Matthew Beauregard, Rana D. Parshad

Faculty Publications

The Trojan Y Chromosome Strategy (TYC) is a promising eradication method for biological control of non-native species. The strategy works by manipulating the sex ratio of a population through the introduction of supermales that guarantee male offspring. In the current manuscript, we compare the TYC method with a pure harvesting strategy. We also analyze a hybrid harvesting model that mirrors the TYC strategy. The dynamic analysis leads to results on stability of solutions and bifurcations of the model. Several conclusions about the different strategies are established via optimal control methods. In particular, the results affirm that either a pure harvesting …

Visual Opsin Diversity In Anurans, Leah Perez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Among major vertebrate groups, anurans are understudied with regards to their visual systems and how they function. This study sampled North American anurans representing diverse evolutionary and life histories and which likely possess visual systems adapted to meet different ecological needs. Using standard molecular techniques, sequences were obtained for four opsins—the protein component of visual pigments—expressed in anuran retinas. Amino acid sequences of the genes RH1, LWS, SWS1, and SWS2 were compared across taxa to identify variable sites, as such variation can shift the spectral sensitivity of visual pigments and thus alter dim-light and color vision. Some of the amino …

Comparison Of The Survival And Growth Of West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine In East Texas, Jamie Hooker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

West Gulf Coastal Plain provenance loblolly (Pinus taeda L.), longleaf (Pinus palustris Mill.), shortleaf (Pinus echinata Mill.), and slash pines (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) were planted in East Texas to compare initial growth and survival. Containerized seedlings were planted in December 2015 on three study sites in Shelby, Houston, and Cherokee counties using a randomized complete block design. Seedlings were measured in January-February 2016 and again January-February 2017, January 2018, and January 2019. Three years after planting, survival was best (76.4%) in Houston County and was lowest in Cherokee County (26.4). Damage by Texas leafcutter ants (Atta …

Large And Small Data Blow-Up Solutions In The Trojan Y Chromosome Model, Rana D. Parshad, Matthew Beauregard, Eric M. Takyi, Thomas Griffin, Landrey Bobo

Faculty Publications

The Trojan Y Chromosome Strategy (TYC) is an extremely well investigated biological control method for controlling invasive populations with an XX-XY sex determinism. In [35, 36] various dynamical properties of the system are analyzed, including well posedness, boundedness of solutions, and conditions for extinction or recovery. These results are derived under the assumption of positive solutions. In the current manuscript, we show that if the introduction rate of trojan fish is zero, under certain large data assumptions, negative solutions are possible for the male population, which in turn can lead to finite time blow-up in the female and male populations. …

Arachidin 3 Modulation Of Lipid Metabolism In Rotavirus Infections, Stormey Wisdom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rotavirus (RV) can cause severe and deadly gastroenteritis in young children, infants, and immunocompromised individuals. Previous studies have shown that arachidin 3 (A3) inhibits RV replication, and that RV replication is dependent on the presence of lipids. This study investigated the alteration of lipid metabolism by A3 in RV infected HT29.f8 cells. A decrease in the RV regulation of lipid biosynthesis genes was observed with the addition of A3 using qRT-PCR. Also, immunofluorescent and histochemical staining for neutral fats, a major component of cellular lipid droplets, revealed an increased accumulation with both RV and RV+A3 when compared to no virus …

Molecular Characterization Of The Putative Nucleotide- Binding And Hydrolyzing Activities Of The Ellis Van Creveld (Evc) Protein, Giang Nguyen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ellis–van Creveld (EvC) syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder that is characterized by short-limb dwarfism, extra fingers or toes, malformed teeth and nails, and congenital heart defects. Mutations in two genes, EVC and EVC2, which are located on chromosome 4, have been shown to be responsible for EvC syndrome. The protein products of these genes, EVC and EVC2 physically interact and together, they are tethered to the base of the primary cilium of cells. This multi-protein assembly positively regulates the Sonic and Indian hedgehog signaling pathways by promoting downstream processes after activation of the smoothened receptor (Smo), by the …

Generation Of Full-Length Wild-Type Gata4 Protein And Characterization Of Its Binding To Unc-45 Domains, Morgan Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Striated muscle UNC-45 (SM UNC-45) protein acts as a chaperone for cardiac and skeletal muscle myosins; regulating their folding, assembly into thick filaments, interaction with other sarcomeric proteins, and degradation. GATA4 is an important transcription factor that regulates the expression of several cardiac muscle proteins, including myosin. A previous study demonstrated for the first time that SM UNC-45 (also known as UNC-45B) physically interacted with GATA4. The major revelation from this study is that SM UNC-45 has the potential to exert both short-term (protein level) and long-term (gene level) controls over myosin and therefore muscle structure and function. The aim …

Comparison Of An Acute Bout Of Exercise To A Sugary Snack On Energy, Mood And Cognitive Performance, Erica Knowles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Low perceived energy and a decline in cognitive performance throughout the day are common issues, though exercise and food consumption are suggested to improve mood and cognition. The present study compares effects of acute exercise to consuming sugar on mood, energy, and cognitive performance. Subjects underwent blood glucose testing, completed an Abbreviated Profile of Mood States Questionnaire, and Automated Operation Span (OSPAN) and Digit Span tests to measure memory and attention. On two separate days subjects consumed candy or walked on a treadmill for 10 minutes, then measurements were repeated at 30-min, 60-min, and 120-min post. Two-way ANOVA over time …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Student Persistence In A Bachelor Of Science In Forestry Program, Maxwell Holmes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Educational leaders in forestry have been challenged to increase and diversify the pipeline of ‘society ready’ foresters. To meet these challenges, leaders must shift their focus to student retention. By understanding the factors that influence student engagement and persistence, these leaders will be better positioned to support students in forestry programs, thus positively impacting retention. This qualitative case study investigated student persistence of second-year forestry students in an undergraduate forestry program. The study was guided by Social Cognitive Theory and Social Capital Theory and explored the malleable psychosocial mechanisms of self-efficacy, sense of belonging, emotion, and well-being proposed by Kahu …

Outdoor Education’S Relationship To Adolescent Behavior And Academic Performance In Two East Texas Middle Schools, Trenton Stiefel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Historically, a key part of a child’s development was their exposure to and relationship with the world outdoors – nature. The current movement to promote the inclusion of environmental and outdoor education into curricular and extracurricular activities stems from the mounting evidence that experiences in the outdoors may improve a child’s behavior and mood, as well as improve their academic performance. This mixed-methods study hoped to discover whether or not, on average, children improve their academic performance and/or their individual behavior in school when provided with outdoor education learning experiences. The mindset used in outdoor education research may have to …

Using The Forestry Reclamation Approach For Reclaimed Surface Mineland In The Western Gulf: Effects On Pinus Taeda Seedling Growth And Survival, Cassie Phillips, Jeremy Stovall, Hans Williams, Kenneth Farrish

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While land reclamation efforts of surface mines have considerably increased soil stability since the implementation of SMCRA (Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act), research suggests that resulting soil compaction hinders the productivity of forests post-mining. The Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) was developed to improve forest health in the Appalachian region through a five-step process that minimizes soil compaction and establishes a productive forest. The FRA has not yet been tested in the western Gulf Coastal Plain (GCP). The higher clay content of some GCP soils and the dearth of coarse fragments (e.g. cobbles, stones and boulders) may affect reclamation practices …

Comparison Of Post-Activation Potentiation Methods On Power And Sprint Acceleration, Aaron Piper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Post-activation potentiation (PAP) is a stimulus used to enhance performance by performing specific interventions prior to subsequent explosive movements. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of different PAP methods on power and sprint acceleration in resistance trained, college-aged men and women. A total of 13 subjects participated in the study. After determining back squat 1 repetition max, subjects returned for testing on separate days to complete one of four interventions (dynamic resistance, weighted plyometric, isometric, or control) in a randomized order. A standardized warmup was given, followed by a baseline countermovement jump (CMJ) and 20-meter sprint. …

The Transesterification Of Hickory Nuts Into Biodiesel Fuel, Hannah Trauger, Madilynn Dewell, Jahida A. Mendoza

Undergraduate Research Conference

• Biodiesel fuels can be produced from a fat and an alcohol via transesterification

• Hickory nuts have a high fat content (~60 % by weight)

• Can nuts from shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) be used to produce a biodiesel fuel using existing acidcatalyzed transesterification methods?

Longitudinal Study Of Lanana Creek, Bayler Barnes, Jackson T. Ortiz, Trace Washburn

Undergraduate Research Conference

A longitudinal study was done to collect data on the various conditions of LananaCreek in Nacogdoches, Texas over a seven week span from September 14 to November 2, 2018. The part of the creek studies is a 3.5 mile stretch from East Austin Street to Hoya Soccer Complex, mostly located on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University. There were 6 different testing sites selected along this expanse. Collection of samples was performed by the General Chemistry I Honors class as part of the laboratory experience. Once collected, the samples were transported back to the lab for testing. The …

Chemophobia And The Relation To Names, Justin Crow

Undergraduate Research Conference

Chemophobia is a recently identified cultural phenomena where people are afraid of chemicals in their lives, whether "chemicals" are in their food, their medicines, vaccinations, and other products. An increasing amount of people have a concern about the risk associated with chemicals in their everyday life. Chemistry professionals find this a bit strange as Chemistry states that all matter is made up of chemicals. Chemistry has many systems of naming and understanding chemicals which can exclude people from understanding the risk or lack thereof attributed to materials that are common in daily life. This effect could be accentuated by educational …

Impact Of Heart Rate Intensity On Shooting Accuracy During Games In Ncaa Division I Women Basketball Players, James Hutson, Courtney Elliott, Casey Pederson

Undergraduate Research Conference

Shooting accuracy in basketball is key to winning games. While there are various factors as to why a team either makes or misses their shots, the intensity of play is likely a contributing factor. A player who has played the majority of the game would likely have a higher, more intense heart rate (HR). Depending on the athlete, this could impact shooting accuracy. Examining the relationship between HR intensity and shooting accuracy has not been looked at in a real game setting before. Therefore, we set out to determine the impact heart rate intensity has on shooting accuracy in a …

Extraction And Quantification Of Hydrolyzable Tannins In Acorns From Different Species Of Oak Trees (Quercus Spp.), Sarah Browning, Marshall E. Woodruff

Undergraduate Research Conference

Do white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) prefer to eat certain types of acorns based on tannin content?

Hydrolyzable tannins consist of gallate groups connected via ester linkages to a carbohydrate (D-glucose)

The Prussian Blue method was used to determine hydrolyzable tannin content

The Relationship Between Objective And Subjective Markers Of Training Stress In Ncaa Division I Women Basketball Players, Casey Pederson, Courtney Elliott, James Hutson

Undergraduate Research Conference

An athlete’s training stress score (TSS) is an objective marker of overall training volume and can be determined by tracking total time spent at specific heart rate (HR) zones. Additionally, an athlete’s power factor (PF) or explosive strength is an important marker of performance and can be measured objectively with power testing equipment. While these measures of training stress and performance are important, a coach with limited resources may not have access to the equipment or expertise to measure these variables. On a subjective level, perceived recovery status (PRS) prior to practice and the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during …

Food Insecurity Awareness, Acknowledgment, And Actions On A University Campus, Heather Adams

Undergraduate Research Conference

The purpose of this pilot study was to understand student awareness of food insecurities. Subjects for the study were students enrolled in a Foundations in Human Sciences course at a university located in East Texas (n=55). Students were asked to complete an online survey concerning knowledge of food insecurities, impacts of budgeting on food buying, previous personal food insecurity, skipped or had less nutritious meals due to the cost, and the food pantry on campus.

Comparison Of Heart Rate Intensity In Practice, Conditioning, And Games In Ncaa Division I Women Basketball Players, Courtney Elliott, Casey Pederson, James Hutson

Undergraduate Research Conference

Background: An athlete’s heart rate (HR) is an important variable in quantifying the intensity of exercise. Workouts that increase HR are an important stimulus for training adaptations and conditioning. At other times, workouts that do not overly stress the HR may be desired to allow for recovery. The principle of specificity emphasizes that athletes should train specific to the way they will need to perform in competition. Because of this, monitoring HR during training and competition can be a useful tool. While exercise intensity in endurance sports has been previously investigated, less is known regarding the HR response in team …

Effectiveness Of Plant Species For Removing Atmospheric Ammonia, Marife B. Anunciado, Sheryll B. Jerez, Hans Williams, Joey Bray, Dean W. Coble, Rena Saito

Faculty Publications

Six plant species of Yaupon, Eastern red cedar, American holly, Arizona cypress, Arborvitae and Roughleaf dogwood were utilized to determine their effectiveness in the removal of atmospheric ammonia. All species were exposed to three ammonia levels (1, 5 and 10 ppm) in an environmental chamber. Foliar ammonia content was quantified using an enzymatic technique. The effects of exposure to ammonia on the physiological responses (e.g. photosynthetic activity, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate) of plants in ambient condition were also determined using an open design photosynthetic gas exchange system. Foliar ammonia content was significantly different among the six plant species (p<0.0001) with Eastern red cedar exhibiting the highest content. The physiological responses differed significantly depending on the plant species and the ammonia treatment level. The photosynthetic response of plants to the presence of ammonia was mixed. At low exposure level, all species except Arborvitae had decreased photosynthetic activity, reducing by as much as 44.5% for Yaupon. At the highest concentration, however, Yaupon’s photosynthetic activity improved by about 10%. Exposure to ammonia caused increased stomatal conductance and transpiration rate on American holly and Arizona cypress, making them more susceptible to water loss.

Move It Or Lose It: Interspecific Variation In Risk Response Of Pond-Breeding Anurans, Philip Matich, Christopher M. Schalk

Faculty Publications

Changes in behavior are often the proximate response of animals to human disturbance, with variability in tolerance levels leading some species to exhibit striking shifts in life history, fitness, and/or survival. Thus, elucidating the effects of disturbance on animal behavior, and how this varies among taxonomically similar species with inherently different behaviors and life histories is of value for management and conservation. We evaluated the risk response of three anuran species—southern leopard frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus), Blanchard’s cricket frog (Acris blanchardi), and green tree frog (Hyla cinerea)—to determine how differences in microhabitat use (arboreal vs …

Positional Precision Analysis Of Orthomosaics Derived From Drone Captured Aerial Imagery, I-Kuai Hung, Daniel Unger, David Kulhavy, Yanli Zhang

Faculty Publications

The advancement of drones has revolutionized the production of aerial imagery. Using a drone with its associated flight control and image processing applications, a high resolution orthorectified mosaic from multiple individual aerial images can be produced within just a few hours. However, the positional precision and accuracy of any orthomosaic produced should not be overlooked. In this project, we flew a DJI Phantom drone once a month over a seven-month period over Oak Grove Cemetery in Nacogdoches, Texas, USA resulting in seven orthomosaics of the same location. We identified 30 ground control points (GCPs) based on permanent features in the …

Weed Control And Overstory Reduction Improve Survival And Growth Of Under‐Planted Oak And Hickory Seedlings, Luke B. Oliver, Jeremy Stovall, Chris E. Comer, Hans Williams, Matt E. Symmank

Faculty Publications

Weed control and overstory reduction are important silvicultural treatments for improving survival and growth of under‐planted oak and hickory seedlings. Mast‐producing trees in the bottomland forests of the blackland prairie and Post Oak Savannah ecoregions of Texas have declined in abundance. Oaks and hickories have been replaced by more shade‐tolerant species, including green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall) and sugarberry (Celtis laevigata Willd.), which do not produce significant hard mast for priority wildlife species. A split‐plot experiment design was installed on three sites at Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area in Freestone County, Texas, studying the effects of canopy coverage …

Variation In Carbon Concentrations And Allocations Among Larix Olgensis Populations Growing In Three Field Environments, Jiang Ying, Yuhi Weng, Brian P. Oswald, Hanguo Zhang

Faculty Publications

Key message Variation in carbon concentration among Larix olgensis A. Henry provenances and tree tissues was significant, suggesting importance of such variation to carbon stock calculation. Provenance variation in carbon allocation was only significant in allocations to some tissues, including stem wood, and was strongly site-specific. Some allocation patterns correlated significantly with provenance growth and were related to geographic/climatic variables at the provenance origins.

Context Understanding variation in carbon concentrations and allocations to tree tissues among genetic entries is important for assessing carbon sequestration and understanding differential growth rates among the entries. However, this topic is poorly understood, in particular …

Correlates Of Snake Entanglement In Erosion Control Blankets, Sarah E. Ebert, Kasey L. Jobe, Christopher M. Schalk, Daniel Saenz, Cory K. Adams, Christopher E. Comer

Faculty Publications

In road construction projects across the United States, erosion control methods (e.g., erosion control blankets [ECBs]), are mandated to stimulate seedbed regeneration and prevent soil loss. Previous reports have suggested that snakes are vulnerable to entanglement in ECBs. We conducted a literature review, field surveys, and an entanglement experiment to examine what factors increase a snake’s risk of ECB entanglement. Our literature review produced reports of 175 reptiles entangled in mesh products, 89.1% of which were snakes, with 43.6% of snake entanglements occurring in erosion control products. During our field surveys, we found 10 entangled snakes (n = 2 alive; …

Temporal Changes In Fruit Production Between Recurrent Prescribed Burns In Pine Woodlands Of The Ouachita Mountains, Tamara B. Wood, Christopher E. Comer, Roger W. Perry, Brian P. Oswald

Faculty Publications

The use of prescribed fire is integral to the restoration of open woodlands and savannas, including shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) woodlands in the Ouachita Mountains of Oklahoma and Arkansas. Fire offers many potential benefits to numerous wildlife; however, short-term implications for understory fruit production are not fully understood, especially in stands subjected to frequent, recurrent burns. We examined the effects of dormant season prescribed burns on woody fruit production (kg ha−1) and fruit producing vegetative cover in the understory of restored pine woodlands. We inventoried 32 stands during four temporal periods after dormant season prescribed fires: 1, 2, …

Individual Tree And Stand-Level Carbon And Nutrient Contents Across One Rotation Of Loblolly Pine Plantations On A Reclaimed Surface Mine, Hannah Z. Angel, Jeremy S. Priest, Jeremy P. Stovall, Brian P. Oswald, Hans M. Williams

Faculty Publications

While reclaimed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations in east Texas, USA have demonstrated similar aboveground productivity levels relative to unmined forests, there is interest in assessing carbon (C) and nutrients in aboveground components of reclaimed trees. Numerous studies have previously documented aboveground biomass, C, and nutrient contents in loblolly pine plantations; however, similar data have not been collected on mined lands. We investigated C, N, P, K, Ca, and Mg aboveground contents for first-rotation loblolly pine growing on reclaimed mined lands in the Gulf Coastal Plain over a 32-year chronosequence and correlated elemental rates to stand age, stem …