Life Sciences Commons^™

Hobo Spider, Kate V. Richardson, Ryan Davis

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes the hobo spider, its life cycle, habitat, medical significance, and management options.

Pando's Pulse: Vital Signs Signal Need For Course Correction At World-Renowned Aspen Forest, Paul C. Rogers

Aspen Bibliography

Upland aspen (Populus spp.) forests contribute significantly to biodiversity in their circumboreal role as keystone species. As aspen ecosystems flourish or diminish, myriad dependent species follow suit. The 43-hectare Pando aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) clone in Utah, USA, is thought to be the largest living organism on earth, but is faltering due to chronic herbivory. Long-term resilience in aspen communities, including Pando, rests on successful recruitment of vegetative suckers that are nutritiously desirable to browsing ungulates. Here, I evaluate aspen reproduction alongside numerous vital indicators of Pando's status in the first trend assessment of this embattled iconic forest. …

Dahlia Mosaic Virus On Dahlia, Savannah Gleeson, Melanie Stock, Claudia Nischwitz

All Current Publications

Dahlias are economically important crops in the cut flower industry, which is growing rapidly in US Mountain West. Dahlia stems can be sold at $4 to $5 each on wholesale markets, as locally produced dahlias are particularly sought after by florists due to their higher quality and longer vase life than imports. There are many different varieties of dahlias, and they can all be impacted by Dahlia Mosaic Virus (DMV), a widespread viral disease. DMV is causing significant losses in quality and yield of dahlias. This fact sheet details the symptoms, disease cycle, and management.

Pinyon-Juniper Ecology And Management, Gabrielle Harden, Darren Mcavoy

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes pinyon-juniper ecology, expansion, and management.

Fostering Community Supported Agriculture In Utah, Kelsey Hall, Roslynn Brain

All Current Publications

This curriculum contains seven modules that describe the fundamentals of CSA, CSA marketing and outreach, CSA management, CSA pricing, CSA crop planning, legal concerns for CSA operations, and additional resources.

Urban Garden Soils: Testing And Management, Melanie Stock, Tiffany Maughan, Paul R. Grossl

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides step-by-step instructions on selecting appropriate soil tests, sampling, and interpreting results. Soil tests measure plant nutrient needs and soil contamination, both important aspects of sustainable urban gardening. Although many garden centers sell home soil test kits, these tests are not recommended because they were developed outside of the Intermountain West with soils that have nearly opposite conditions. Soil tests conducted in local labs may cost more initially, but will provide results specific to Utah soils and management recommendations that balance long-term soil productivity, human health, and environmental sustainability. The Utah State University Analytical Labs (USUAL) is …

Restoring Lake Urmia: Moving Beyond A Uniform Lake Level (2-Page Summary), Somayeh Sima, Dory Rosenberg, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh, Sarah E. Null, Karin M. Kettenring

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

More than 5 million people live near Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran, one of the world's largest hypersaline lakes. Over the past two decades, the lake has lost 95% of its volume, lake level has dropped more than 7 m, and lake restoration has gained widespread interest. The government seeks a uniform "ecological" target lake level of 1274.1 m above sea level to lower salinity below 240 gL^-1 and recover brine shrimp (Artemia spp.) and flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus).

We have synthesized over 40 years of available data, defined 8 ecosystem services for human health, water quality, ecology, recreation, and …

Abiotic And Landscape Factors Constrain Restoration Outcomes Across Spatial Scales Of A Widespread Invasive Plant, Christine B. Rohal, Chad R. Cranney, Karin M. Kettenring

Ecology Center Publications

The natural recolonization of native plant communities following invasive species management is notoriously challenging to predict, since outcomes can be contingent on a variety of factors including management decisions, abiotic factors, and landscape setting. The spatial scale at which the treatment is applied can also impact management outcomes, potentially influencing plant assembly processes and treatment success. Understanding the relative importance of each of these factors for plant community assembly can help managers prioritize patches where specific treatments are likely to be most successful. Here, using effects size analyses, we evaluate plant community responses following four invasive Phragmites australis management treatments …

Wetland Plants Of Great Salt Lake, A Guide To Identification, Communities, & Bird Habitat, Rebekah Downard, Maureen Frank, Jennifer Perkins, Karin Kettenring, Mark Larese-Casanova

All Current Publications

Wetland Plants of Great Salt Lake: a guide to identification, communities, & bird habitat is a wetland plant identification guide, resulting from collaborative research efforts about Great Salt Lake (GSL) wetland conditions and bird habitat. Dr. Rebekah Downard collected dissertation field data from GSL wetlands during 2012–2015, the majority of which informed this work. Dr. Maureen Frank contributed her guide to GSL wetland vegetation and how to manage native plants as high-quality habitat for birds. The intended purpose in producing this guide was to create an informative source that could assist researchers, land managers, birders, and wetland enthusiasts in identifying, …

Dairy Herd - Level Prevalence Of Johne's Disease And Bvd In The Intermountain West Of The U.S.A. And Farm Management Practices And Characteristics For Test-Positive Herds, David J. Wilson, Kerry A. Rood, C. Whitehouse, J. Bunnell, G. M. Goodell, T. M. Byrem

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Herd-level prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), causative agent of Johne’s disease (JD) and Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) virus were estimated on dairy farms in Utah. Duplicate milks were collected at 3-4 day intervals on 5 dates from each bulk tank on participating farms. Samples were tested at separate laboratories for BVD (real-time, RT-PCR) and for JD/MAP (ELISA and qPCR). 151/209 (72%) eligible dairy farms participated. Farms detected positive were: 58 JD (38%) and 14 BVD (9%); 5 farms had both diseases. Follow up visited farms’ (n=22) means, medians: 778,420 milking cows; 20,052 lbs, 20,311 lbs 305d milk; 175,545/ml, …

Approaches For Studying Fish Production: Do River And Lake Researchers Have Different Perspectives? – Extended Abstract, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh, Nicholas A. Heredia, Brian G. Laub, Christy S. Meredith, Harrison E. Mohn, Sarah E. Null, David A. Pluth, Brett B. Roper, W. Carl Saunders, David King Stevens, Richard H. Walker, Kit Wheeler

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Biased perspectives of fisheries researchers may hinder scientific progress and effective management if limiting factors controlling productivity go unrecognized. We investigated whether river and lake researchers used different approaches when studying salmonid production and whether any differences were ecologically supported. We assessed 564 peer‐reviewed papers published between 1966 and 2012 that studied salmonid production or surrogate variables (e.g., abundance, growth, biomass, population) and classified them into five major predictor variable categories: physical habitat, fertility (i.e., nutrients, bottom‐up), biotic, temperature, and pollution. The review demonstrated that river researchers primarily analyzed physical habitat (65% of studies) and lake researchers primarily analyzed fertility …

Key Resources Of Ranch Management, Cody Butler, D. R. Zobell

All Current Publications

There are five essentials for successful ranch management. These essentials consist of: 1) A lifelong approach to management needs, both integrative and holistic. 2) Strive for continuous improvement of key resources. 3) Assemble and use good analysis and decision-making tools. 4) Wage war on cost. 5) Place an emphasis on marketing.

Phragmites Australis Management In The United States: 40 Years Of Methods And Outcomes, Eric L. G. Hazelton, Thomas J. Mozdzer, David M. Burdick, Karin M. Kettenring, Dennis F. Whigham

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Studies on invasive plant management are often short in duration and limited in the methods tested, and lack an adequate description of plant communities that replace the invader following removal. Here we present a comprehensive review of management studies on a single species, in an effort to elucidate future directions for research in invasive plant management. We reviewed the literature on Phragmites management in North America in an effort to synthesize our understanding of management efforts, identify gaps in knowledge and improve the efficacy of management. Additionally, we assessed recent ecological findings concerning Phragmites mechanisms of invasion and integrated these …

Management Of The Great Salt Lake Ecosystem: Water, Economic Values And Competing Interests, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Pest Management Decistion-Making: The Economic-Injury Level Concept, Diane G. Alston

All Archived Publications

No abstract provided.

Oregon Aspen Project, Forest Restoration Partnership

Aspen Bibliography

The Oregon Aspen Project was initiated in response to the decline of aspen groves in Oregon and throughout the Western United States, and the lack of information to guide managers interested in stewardship to enhance this resource. There were three central goals and accompanying objectives for this project which are listed below. The project accomplishments are provided below each bulleted objective

Examining The Compatibility Between Forestry Incentive Programs In The Us And The Practice Of Sustainable Forest Management, Steven E. Daniels, Michael A. Kilgore, Michael G. Jacobsen, John L. Greene, Thomas J. Straka

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

This research explores the intersection between the various federal and state forestry incentive programs and the adoption of sustainable forestry practices on non-industrial private forest (NIPF) lands in the US. The qualitative research reported here draws upon a series of eight focus groups of NIPF landowners (two each in Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina). Despite minor regional variations, the dominant theme that emerged is that these landowners’ purchase and management decisions are motivated by the “trilogy” of forest continuity, benefit to the owner, and doing the “right thing.” This trilogy is quite consistent with notions of sustainable forestry, but …

Shadetree Insect Pest Management, Diane Alston

Archived Gardening Publications

No abstract provided.

A History Of Moose Management In Utah, Michael L. Wolfe, Kent R. Hersey, David C. Stoner

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

During the first half of the 20th century a moose (Alces alces) population gradually established itself on the North Slope of Utah’s Uinta Mountains from founders in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Formal management of the species commenced with an aerial survey conducted in 1957, and the first legal hunt in 1958. From this small initial population moose have expanded into other areas of northern Utah and, augmented by transplants, the statewide population has increased to an estimated 3,200 animals as of 2009. In the northern portion of the state moose appear to prosper in riparian willow (Salix sp.) habitats as …

Piñon And Juniper Field Guide: Asking The Right Questions To Select Appropriate Management Actions, Robin J. Tausch, R. F. Miller, B. A. Roundy, J. C. Chambers

Reports

Piñon-juniper woodlands are an important vegetation type in the Great Basin. Old-growth and open shrub savanna woodlands have been present over much of the last several hundred years. Strong evidence indicates these woodlands have experienced significant tree infilling and major expansion in their distribution since the late 1800s by encroaching into surrounding landscapes once dominated by shrubs and herbaceous vegetation. Both infilling and expansion affects soil resources, plant community structure and composition, water and nutrient cycles, forage production, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and fire patterns across the landscape. Another impact is the shift from historic fire regimes to larger and more …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Grassbed Treatments As Habitat For Juvenile Black Bass In A Drawdown Reservoir, D. R. Ratcliff, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh, J. Zustak

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Many reservoirs in arid regions experience highly variable water levels caused by seasonal inflow fluctuations and designated outflow requirements. At Shasta Lake, California, managers plant cereal-grain grassbeds on exposed drawdown shorelines to increase juvenile fish habitat, localize productivity, and increase invertebrate fish prey. To determine the efficacy of these plantings, the abundance of juvenile black basses Micropterus spp. (20–55 mm standard length) and the amount of periphyton and macroinvertebrate prey were compared among three treatment types: (1) planted grassbeds of cereal barley Hordeum vulgare; (2) artificial rope grassbeds, which eliminated physical deterioration and nutrient release; and (3) nonplanted control sites …

Gauging The Acceptability Of Fuels Management: A Matter Of Trust, Mark W. Brunson

Articles

There is a significant gap between the acceptability of management practices in theory and the confidence that citizens have in land managers' abilities to use those practices safely and effectively. But since most citizens are willing to accept the use of multiple practices on a small scale, opportunities exist for land managers to build citizens’ confidence in their activities while gradually reducing the risk of wildfire to the Great Basin’s most susceptible communities.

Onion Thrips (Thrips Tabaci), Dan Drost, Diane Alston

All Current Publications

This publication includes a description and tips for management of onion thrips in Utah.

Public Priorities For Rangeland Management: A Regional Survey Of Citizens In The Great Basin, Bruce Shindler, Ryan Gordon, Mark W. Brunson

Reports

Healthy sagebrush communities in the Great Basin are rapidly disappearing due to invasion of non-native plants, catastrophic wildfires, and encroachment of pinyon-juniper woodlands. Land management options, including the use of prescribed fire, mechanical thinning, and herbicides can reduce the potential for wildfire and restore healthy plant communities. Public acceptance of management actions is a critical component of developing and implementing successful long-term land management plans. This study examined citizens' opinions and perceptions about rangeland management in the Great Basin.

Western Juniper Field Guide: Asking The Right Questions To Select Appropriate Management Actions, Richard F. Miller, Jonathan D. Bates, T. J. Svejcar, Frederick B. Pierson, L. E. Eddleman

Reports

Strong evidence indicates that western juniper has significantly expanded its range since the late 1800s by encroaching into landscapes once dominated by shrubs and herbaceous vegetation (fig. 1). Woodland expansion affects soil resources, plant community structure and composition, water, nutrient and fire cycles, forage production, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity. Goals of juniper management include an attempt to restore ecosystem function and a more balanced plant community that includes shrubs, grasses, and forbs, and to increase ecosystem resilience to disturbances. Developing a management strategy can be a difficult task due to uncertainty about how vegetation, soils, hydrologic function, and wildlife will …

Comparing Citizens' And Managers' Concerns About Sagebrush Management And Restoration In The Great Basin, Mark W. Brunson, Jennifer Peterson

Reports

The Great Basin sagebrush steppe ecosystem is among the most imperiled in the U.S. Cheatgrass invasion, conifer encroachment, and catastrophic wildfires are considered to be primary catalysts of decline. Efforts are underway to restore and increase the resiliency of this damaged ecosystem through broad-scale applications of fuel reduction and restoration treatments involving mechanical removal, prescribed fire, and herbicide application. While research points to the potential benefits of these treatments, controversy and challenge often surface when treatments are proposed on public lands. Therefore it is critical for land managers to understand the views held by key stakeholder groups concerning management and …

Managing The Growing Environment For Herbaceous Plant Soils, Larry A. Sagers

All Archived Publications

No abstract provided.

Integrated Pest Management, Larry A. Sagers

All Archived Publications

No abstract provided.

Eutrophication In Farmington Bay, Great Salt Lake, Utah 2005 Annual Report, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh, Amy M. Marcarelli

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Cooperation And Coordination Are Invasive Species: Important For Effective Management Of Invasive Weeds, U.S. Government Accountability Office

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

Invasive weeds, native or nonnative plant species, cause harm to natural areas such as rangelands or wildlife habitat and economic impacts due to lost productivity of these areas. While the federal investment in combating invasive species is substantial most has been concentrated on agricultural lands, not on natural areas. In this report, GAO describes (1) the entities that address invasive weeds in natural areas and the funding sources they use; (2) federal, state, and local weed management officials’ views on the barriers to weed management; and (3) their opinions about how additional resources for weed management could be distributed. GAO …