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Michigan Technological University

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2020

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Articles 1 - 30 of 48

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Evidence For Phytoremediation And Phytoexcretion Of Nto From Industrial Wastewater By Vetiver Grass, Abhishek Roychowdhury, Pallabi Mukherjee, Saumik Panja, Rupali Datta, Christos Christodoulatos, Dibyendu Sarkar Dec 2020

Evidence For Phytoremediation And Phytoexcretion Of Nto From Industrial Wastewater By Vetiver Grass, Abhishek Roychowdhury, Pallabi Mukherjee, Saumik Panja, Rupali Datta, Christos Christodoulatos, Dibyendu Sarkar

Michigan Tech Publications

The use of insensitive munitions such as 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one (NTO) is rapidly increasing and is expected to replace conventional munitions in the near future. Various NTO treatment technologies are being developed for the treatment of wastewater from industrial munition facilities. This is the first study to explore the potential phytoremediation of industrial NTO-wastewater using vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides L.). Here, we present evidence that vetiver can effectively remove NTO from wastewater, and also translocated NTO from root to shoot. NTO was phytotoxic and resulted in a loss of plant biomass and chlorophyll. The metabolomic analysis showed significant differences between treated and …

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Maize Microrna166 Inactivation Confers Plant Development And Abiotic Stress Resistance, Na Li, Tianxiao Yang, Zhanyong Guo, Qiusheng Wang, Mao Chai, Mingbo Wu, Xiaoqi Li, Weiya Li, Guangxian Li, Jihua Tang, Guiliang Tang Dec 2020

Maize Microrna166 Inactivation Confers Plant Development And Abiotic Stress Resistance, Na Li, Tianxiao Yang, Zhanyong Guo, Qiusheng Wang, Mao Chai, Mingbo Wu, Xiaoqi Li, Weiya Li, Guangxian Li, Jihua Tang, Guiliang Tang

Michigan Tech Publications

MicroRNAs are important regulators in plant developmental processes and stress responses. In this study, we generated a series of maize STTM166 transgenic plants. Knock-down of miR166 resulted in various morphological changes, including rolled leaves, enhanced abiotic stress resistance, inferior yield-related traits, vascular pattern and epidermis structures, tassel architecture, as well as abscisic acid (ABA) level elevation and indole acetic acid (IAA) level reduction in maize. To profile miR166 regulated genes, we performed RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analysis. A total of 178 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 118 up-regulated and 60 down-regulated genes. These DEGs were strongly enriched in cell …

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Training Future Agriculture Professionals In Landowner–Tenant Conservation Decision-Making, Andrea Basche, Angela Carter Dec 2020

Training Future Agriculture Professionals In Landowner–Tenant Conservation Decision-Making, Andrea Basche, Angela Carter

Michigan Tech Publications

The landowner–tenant relationship is important to the implementation of conservation on agricultural lands. Women own or co-own a significant portion of U.S. farmland yet are underrepresented in conservation research. The next generation of agriculture professionals can benefit from first-hand experience in assisting women landowners and their tenants in navigating the complexities of conservation decision-making. This article analyzes undergraduate student perceptions of landowner–tenant relationships in conservation management through their engagement in case studies with women landowner–tenant pairs in the Western Corn Belt. Student groups were asked to complete a management improvement plan that both incorporated the agronomic and conservation goals discussed …

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High-Purity Recycling Of Hematite And Zn/Cu Mixture From Waste Smelting Slag, Yang Huo, Xiang Song, Suiyi Zhu, Yu Chen, Xue Lin, Yaqiong Wu, Zhan Qu, Ting Su, Xinfeng Xie Dec 2020

High-Purity Recycling Of Hematite And Zn/Cu Mixture From Waste Smelting Slag, Yang Huo, Xiang Song, Suiyi Zhu, Yu Chen, Xue Lin, Yaqiong Wu, Zhan Qu, Ting Su, Xinfeng Xie

Michigan Tech Publications

In this study, Zn/Cu-bearing smelting slag was recycled via an integrated acid dissolution and hematite precipitation method. The slag was dissolved in nitric acid to generate an acid solution containing 23.5 g/L Fe, 4.45 g/L Zn and 2.81 g/L Cu, which was subjected to hydrothermal treatment with the addition of levulinic acid (LA). More than 99.95% of the initial Fe content was removed as hematite particles with diameters of approximately 200 nm, and the residual Fe concentration in the acid was 0.43 mg/L. The generated hematite contained 97.3% Fe2O3, 0.64% ZnO and 0.58% CuO. Greater than 99% of the initial …

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High-Quality De Novo Assembly Of The Eucommia Ulmoides Haploid Genome Provides New Insights Into Evolution And Rubber Biosynthesis, Yun Li, Hairong Wei, Jun Yang, Kang Du, Jiang Li, Ying Zhang, Tong Qiu, Zhao Liu, Yongyu Ren, Lianjun Song, Xiangyang Kang Dec 2020

High-Quality De Novo Assembly Of The Eucommia Ulmoides Haploid Genome Provides New Insights Into Evolution And Rubber Biosynthesis, Yun Li, Hairong Wei, Jun Yang, Kang Du, Jiang Li, Ying Zhang, Tong Qiu, Zhao Liu, Yongyu Ren, Lianjun Song, Xiangyang Kang

Michigan Tech Publications

We report the acquisition of a high-quality haploid chromosome-scale genome assembly for the first time in a tree species, Eucommia ulmoides, which is known for its rubber biosynthesis and medicinal applications. The assembly was obtained by applying PacBio and Hi–C technologies to a haploid that we specifically generated. Compared to the initial genome release, this one has significantly improved assembly quality. The scaffold N50 (53.15 MB) increased 28-fold, and the repetitive sequence content (520 Mb) increased by 158.24 Mb, whereas the number of gaps decreased from 104,772 to 128. A total of 92.87% of the 26,001 predicted protein-coding genes identified …

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The Modular Expression Patterns Of Three Pigmentation Genes Prefigure Unique Abdominal Morphologies Seen Among Three Drosophila Species, William A. Dion, Mujeeb O. Shittu, Tessa Steenwinkel, Komal K.B. Raja, Prajakta P. Kokate, Thomas Werner Dec 2020

The Modular Expression Patterns Of Three Pigmentation Genes Prefigure Unique Abdominal Morphologies Seen Among Three Drosophila Species, William A. Dion, Mujeeb O. Shittu, Tessa Steenwinkel, Komal K.B. Raja, Prajakta P. Kokate, Thomas Werner

Michigan Tech Publications

To understand how novel animal body colorations emerged, one needs to ask how the development of color patterns differs among closely related species. Here we examine three species of fruit flies – Drosophila guttifera (D. guttifera), D. palustris, and D. subpalustris – displaying a varying number of abdominal spot rows. Through in situ hybridization experiments, we examine the mRNA expression patterns for the pigmentation genes Dopa decarboxylase (Ddc), tan (t), and yellow (y) during pupal development. Our results show that Ddc, t, and y are co-expressed in modular, identical patterns, each foreshadowing the adult abdominal spots in D. guttifera, D. …

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Sex Differences In Self-Report Anxiety And Sleep Quality During Covid-19 Stay-At-Home Orders, Jeremy Bigalke, Ian Greenlund, Jason R. Carter Dec 2020

Sex Differences In Self-Report Anxiety And Sleep Quality During Covid-19 Stay-At-Home Orders, Jeremy Bigalke, Ian Greenlund, Jason R. Carter

Michigan Tech Publications

Background: COVID-19 and home isolation has impacted quality of life, but the perceived impact on anxiety and sleep remains equivocal. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders on self-report anxiety and sleep quality, with a focus on sex differences. We hypothesized that the COVID-19 pandemic would be associated with increased anxiety and decreased sleep quality, with stronger associations in women. Methods: One hundred three participants (61 female, 38 ± 1 years) reported perceived changes in anxiety and sleep quality due to stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic and were administered the Spielberger …

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Comparative Proteomic Analysis Of Leaves At Different Ages In Allotriploid Populus, Jiang Li, Yi Wang, Hairong Wei, Xiangyang Kang Nov 2020

Comparative Proteomic Analysis Of Leaves At Different Ages In Allotriploid Populus, Jiang Li, Yi Wang, Hairong Wei, Xiangyang Kang

Michigan Tech Publications

Triploid poplar trees have been shown to have a number of growth advantages, especially much bigger leaves that contribute greatly to the increased biomass. In this study, we focused on the relationships between leaf age and leaf metabolism in triploids. We performed comparative proteomic analysis of the 5th (FDR5), 10th (FDR10), and 25th (FDR25) leaves from the apical meristems in allotriploids originated from first-division restitution (FDR). A total of 1970, 1916, and 1850 proteins were identified in the FDR5, FDR10, and FDR25, respectively. Principle component analysis (PCA) and differentially accumulated protein (DAP) analysis showed that FDR10 and FDR25 displayed higher …

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A Review Of Integrative Imputation For Multi-Omics Datasets, Meng Song, Jonathan Greenbaum, Joseph Luttrell, Weihua Zhou, Chong Wu, Hui Shen, Ping Gong, Chaoyang Zhang, Hong Wen Deng Oct 2020

A Review Of Integrative Imputation For Multi-Omics Datasets, Meng Song, Jonathan Greenbaum, Joseph Luttrell, Weihua Zhou, Chong Wu, Hui Shen, Ping Gong, Chaoyang Zhang, Hong Wen Deng

Michigan Tech Publications

Multi-omics studies, which explore the interactions between multiple types of biological factors, have significant advantages over single-omics analysis for their ability to provide a more holistic view of biological processes, uncover the causal and functional mechanisms for complex diseases, and facilitate new discoveries in precision medicine. However, omics datasets often contain missing values, and in multi-omics study designs it is common for individuals to be represented for some omics layers but not all. Since most statistical analyses cannot be applied directly to the incomplete datasets, imputation is typically performed to infer the missing values. Integrative imputation techniques which make use …

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The Influence Of Thermal Alterations On Prefrontal Cortex Activation And Neuromuscular Function During A Fatiguing Task, Kevin Phillips, Derek Verbrigghe, Alex Gabe, Brittany Jauquet, Claire Eischer, Tejin Yoon Oct 2020

The Influence Of Thermal Alterations On Prefrontal Cortex Activation And Neuromuscular Function During A Fatiguing Task, Kevin Phillips, Derek Verbrigghe, Alex Gabe, Brittany Jauquet, Claire Eischer, Tejin Yoon

Michigan Tech Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation, neuromuscular function, and perceptual measures in response to a fatiguing task, following thermal alterations of an exercising arm. Nineteen healthy adults completed three experimental sessions. At baseline, participants performed maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) of the elbow flexors. Next, participants submerged their right arm in a water bath for 15 min. Cold (C), neutral (N), and hot (H) water temperatures were maintained at 8, 33, and 44◦C, respectively. Following water immersion, participants performed an isometric elbow flexion contraction, at 20% of their MVIC, for 5 min. Ratings of …

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Separation Of Realized Ecological Niche Axes Among Sympatric Tilefishes Provides Insight Into Potential Drivers Of Co-Occurrence In The Nw Atlantic, Jill A. Olin, Oliver N. Shipley, Robert M. Cerrato, Paul Nitschke, Cédric Magen, Michael G. Frisk Oct 2020

Separation Of Realized Ecological Niche Axes Among Sympatric Tilefishes Provides Insight Into Potential Drivers Of Co-Occurrence In The Nw Atlantic, Jill A. Olin, Oliver N. Shipley, Robert M. Cerrato, Paul Nitschke, Cédric Magen, Michael G. Frisk

Michigan Tech Publications

Golden and Blueline Tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps and Caulolatilus microps) are keystone taxa in northwest (NW) Atlantic continental shelf-edge environments due to their biotic (trophic-mediated) and abiotic (ecosystem engineering) functional roles combined with high-value fisheries. Despite this importance, the ecological niche dynamics (i.e., those relating to trophic behavior and food-web interactions) of these sympatric species are poorly understood, knowledge of which may be consequential for maintaining both ecosystem function and fishery sustainability. We used stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) to build realized ecological niche hypervolumes to serve as proxies for diet and production use patterns of L. …

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Enrollment Decision-Making By Students In Forestry And Related Natural Resource Degree Programmes Globally, T. L. Bal, M. D. Rouleau, T. L. Sharik, A. M. Wellstead Oct 2020

Enrollment Decision-Making By Students In Forestry And Related Natural Resource Degree Programmes Globally, T. L. Bal, M. D. Rouleau, T. L. Sharik, A. M. Wellstead

Michigan Tech Publications

A survey of 396 undergraduate and graduate students from 51 countries on 5 continents currently enrolled in Forestry or Related Natural Resource (FRNR) degree programmes was conducted of attendees to the International Union of Forest Research Organizations' (IUFRO) conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, 2014. These perspectives come from some of the most active students in their respective fields. We explored the motivating reasons for enrolling in their current FRNR programme, and conversely why they may have been hesitant to do so. Results indicate that enjoyment of nature was the most important factor on average driving the decision to enroll, …

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Climate, Snowmelt Dynamics And Atmospheric Deposition Interact To Control Dissolved Organic Carbon Export From A Northern Forest Stream Over 26 Years, Karl M. Meingast, Evan Kane, Ashley A. Coble, Amy Marcarelli, David Toczydlowski Oct 2020

Climate, Snowmelt Dynamics And Atmospheric Deposition Interact To Control Dissolved Organic Carbon Export From A Northern Forest Stream Over 26 Years, Karl M. Meingast, Evan Kane, Ashley A. Coble, Amy Marcarelli, David Toczydlowski

Michigan Tech Publications

Increasing concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) have been identified in many freshwater systems over the last three decades. Studies have generally nominated atmospheric deposition as the key driver of this trend, with changes in climatic factors also contributing. However, there is still much uncertainty concerning net effects of these drivers on DOC concentrations and export dynamics. Changes in climate and climate mediated snowfall dynamics in northern latitudes have not been widely considered as causal factors of changes in long-term DOC trends, despite their disproportionate role in annual DOC export. We leveraged long-term datasets (1988–2013) from a first-order forested tributary …

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Photosynthetic And Respiratory Acclimation Of Understory Shrubs In Response To In Situ Experimental Warming Of A Wet Tropical Forest, Kelsey R. Carter, Tana E. Wood, Sasha C. Reed, Elsa Schwartz, Madeline B. Reinsel, Xi Yang, Molly A. Cavaleri Sep 2020

Photosynthetic And Respiratory Acclimation Of Understory Shrubs In Response To In Situ Experimental Warming Of A Wet Tropical Forest, Kelsey R. Carter, Tana E. Wood, Sasha C. Reed, Elsa Schwartz, Madeline B. Reinsel, Xi Yang, Molly A. Cavaleri

Michigan Tech Publications

Despite the importance of tropical forests to global carbon balance, our understanding of how tropical plant physiology will respond to climate warming is limited. In addition, the contribution of tropical forest understories to global carbon cycling is predicted to increase with rising temperatures, however, in situ warming studies of tropical forest plants to date focus only on upper canopies. We present results of an in situ field-scale +4°C understory infrared warming experiment in Puerto Rico (Tropical Responses to Altered Climate Experiment; TRACE). We investigated gas exchange responses of two common understory shrubs, Psychotria brachiata and Piper glabrescens, after exposure …

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Vegetative And Edaphic Responses In A Northern Mixed Conifer Forest Three Decades After Harvest And Fire: Implications For Managing Regeneration And Carbon And Nitrogen Pools, R. Kasten Dumroese, Martin Jurgensen, Deborah S. Page-Dumroese Sep 2020

Vegetative And Edaphic Responses In A Northern Mixed Conifer Forest Three Decades After Harvest And Fire: Implications For Managing Regeneration And Carbon And Nitrogen Pools, R. Kasten Dumroese, Martin Jurgensen, Deborah S. Page-Dumroese

Michigan Tech Publications

Research Highlights: This experiment compares a range of combinations of harvest, prescribed fire, and wildfire. Leveraging a 30-year-old forest management-driven experiment, we explored the recovery of woody species composition, regeneration of the charismatic forest tree species Larix occidentalis Nutt., and vegetation and soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. Background and Objectives: Initiated in 1967, this experiment intended to explore combinations of habitat type phases and prescribed fire severity toward supporting regeneration of L. occidentalis. At onset of the experiment, a wildfire affected a portion of the 60 research plots, allowing for additional study. Our objective was to better understand …

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Overexpression Of Bplerd15 Enhances Drought Tolerance In Betula Platyphylla Suk, Kaiwen Lv, Hairong Wei, Jing Jiang Sep 2020

Overexpression Of Bplerd15 Enhances Drought Tolerance In Betula Platyphylla Suk, Kaiwen Lv, Hairong Wei, Jing Jiang

Michigan Tech Publications

In this study, we report the cloning and functional characterization of an early responsive gene, BplERD15, from Betula platyphylla Suk to dehydration. BplERD15 is located in the same branch as Morus indica Linnaeus ERD15 and Arabidopsis Heynh ERD15 in the phylogenetic tree built with ERD family protein sequences. The tissue-specific expression patterns of BplERD15 were characterized using qRT-PCR and the results showed that the transcript levels of BplERD15 in six tissues were ranked from the highest to the lowest levels as the following: mature leaves (ML) > young leaves (YL) > roots (R) >buds (B) >young stems (YS) >mature stems (MS). Multiple …

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Wetland And Hydric Soils, Carl C. Trettin, Randall K. Kolka, Anne S. Marsh, Sheel Bansal, Erik A. Lilleskov, Rodney Chimner, Et Al. Sep 2020

Wetland And Hydric Soils, Carl C. Trettin, Randall K. Kolka, Anne S. Marsh, Sheel Bansal, Erik A. Lilleskov, Rodney Chimner, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

Soil and the inherent biogeochemical processes in wetlands contrast starkly with those in upland forests and rangelands. The differences stem from extended periods of anoxia, or the lack of oxygen in the soil, that characterize wetland soils; in contrast, upland soils are nearly always oxic. As a result, wetland soil biogeochemistry is characterized by anaerobic processes, and wetland vegetation exhibits specific adaptations to grow under these conditions. However, many wetlands may also have periods during the year where the soils are unsaturated and aerated. This fluctuation between aerated and nonaerated soil conditions, along with the specialized vegetation, gives rise to …

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Evolution Of Breeding Plumages In Birds: A Multiple-Step Pathway To Seasonal Dichromatism In New World Warblers (Aves: Parulidae), Ryan S. Terrill, Glenn F. Seeholzer, Jared D. Wolfe Sep 2020

Evolution Of Breeding Plumages In Birds: A Multiple-Step Pathway To Seasonal Dichromatism In New World Warblers (Aves: Parulidae), Ryan S. Terrill, Glenn F. Seeholzer, Jared D. Wolfe

Michigan Tech Publications

Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd Many species of birds show distinctive seasonal breeding and nonbreeding plumages. A number of hypotheses have been proposed for the evolution of this seasonal dichromatism, specifically related to the idea that birds may experience variable levels of sexual selection relative to natural selection throughout the year. However, these hypotheses have not addressed the selective forces that have shaped molt, the underlying mechanism of plumage change. Here, we examined relationships between life-history variation, the evolution of a seasonal molt, and seasonal plumage dichromatism in the New World warblers (Aves: Parulidae), a …

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Comparing Human Activity Density And Green Space Supply Using The Baidu Heat Map In Zhengzhou, China, Shumei Zhang, Wenshi Zhang, Ying Wang, Xiaoyu Zhao, Peihao Song, Guohang Tian, Audrey L. Mayer Aug 2020

Comparing Human Activity Density And Green Space Supply Using The Baidu Heat Map In Zhengzhou, China, Shumei Zhang, Wenshi Zhang, Ying Wang, Xiaoyu Zhao, Peihao Song, Guohang Tian, Audrey L. Mayer

Michigan Tech Publications

Rapidly growing cities often struggle with insufficient green space, although information on when and where more green space is needed can be difficult to collect. Big data on the density of individuals in cities collected from mobile phones can estimate the usage intensity of urban green space. Taking Zhengzhou's central city as an example, we combine the real-time human movement data provided by the Baidu Heat Map, which indicates the density of mobile phones, with vector overlays of different kinds of green space. We used the geographically weighted regression (GWR) method to estimate differentials in green space usage between weekdays …

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Data Supporting The Paper “Greening The Grey Infrastructure: Green Adsorbent Media For Catch Basin Inserts To Remove Stormwater Pollutants”, Viravid Na Nagara, Dibyendu Sarkar, Kirk Barrett, Rupali Datta Aug 2020

Data Supporting The Paper “Greening The Grey Infrastructure: Green Adsorbent Media For Catch Basin Inserts To Remove Stormwater Pollutants”, Viravid Na Nagara, Dibyendu Sarkar, Kirk Barrett, Rupali Datta

Michigan Tech Research Data

Stormwater pollution is a major cause of water quality impairment. Much of the existing stormwater infrastructures provide little or no treatment, especially for dissolved pollutants. Due to the capital cost of installing new infrastructure, retrofitting existing grey infrastructures is a promising alternative to reduce stormwater pollution. In this study, aluminum-based drinking water treatment residuals (WTR), a byproduct from drinking water treatment was combined with other common supplies (sand and carbon material) and developed as adsorbent media for use in catch basin inserts to remove total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and dissolved Cu, Pb, and Zn from stormwater runoff. Hydraulic and treatment …

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Insights On Dissolved Organic Matter Production Revealed By Removal Of Charge-Transfer Interactions In Senescent Leaf Leachates, Karl M. Meingast, Brice K. Grunert, Sarah A. Green, Evan S. Kane, Nastaran Khademimoshgenani Aug 2020

Insights On Dissolved Organic Matter Production Revealed By Removal Of Charge-Transfer Interactions In Senescent Leaf Leachates, Karl M. Meingast, Brice K. Grunert, Sarah A. Green, Evan S. Kane, Nastaran Khademimoshgenani

Michigan Tech Publications

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a critical part of the global carbon cycle. Currently, it is understood that at least a portion of the chromophoric DOM (CDOM) character can be described through an electronic interaction of charge transfer (CT) complexes. While much work has been done to understand the influence of CT on soil and aquatic reference standard DOM, little is known about the influence of CT in fresh terrestrially derived DOM. In this study, leaf litter leachates from three tree species were treated (reduced) with sodium borohydride to determine the contribution of CT on a source of fresh terrestrial …

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Multiple Fgf4 Retrocopies Recently Derived Within Canids, Kevin Batcher, Peter Dickinson, Kimberly Maciejczyk, Kristin Brzeski, Sheida Hadji Rasouliha, Anna Letko, Cord Drögemüller, Tosso Leeb, Danika Bannasch Aug 2020

Multiple Fgf4 Retrocopies Recently Derived Within Canids, Kevin Batcher, Peter Dickinson, Kimberly Maciejczyk, Kristin Brzeski, Sheida Hadji Rasouliha, Anna Letko, Cord Drögemüller, Tosso Leeb, Danika Bannasch

Michigan Tech Publications

Two transcribed retrocopies of the fibroblast growth factor 4 (FGF4) gene have previously been described in the domestic dog. An FGF4 retrocopy on chr18 is associated with disproportionate dwarfism, while an FGF4 retrocopy on chr12 is associated with both disproportionate dwarfism and intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). In this study, whole-genome sequencing data were queried to identify other FGF4 retrocopies that could be contributing to phenotypic diversity in canids. Additionally, dogs with surgically confirmed IVDD were assayed for novel FGF4 retrocopies. Five additional and distinct FGF4 retrocopies were identified in canids including a copy unique to red wolves (Canis rufus). The …

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Tropical Understory Herbaceous Community Responds More Strongly To Hurricane Disturbance Than To Experimental Warming, Deborah K. Kennard, David Matlaga, Joanne Sharpe, Clay King, Aura M. Alonso-Rodríguez, Sasha C. Reed, Molly A. Cavaleri, Tana E. Wood Aug 2020

Tropical Understory Herbaceous Community Responds More Strongly To Hurricane Disturbance Than To Experimental Warming, Deborah K. Kennard, David Matlaga, Joanne Sharpe, Clay King, Aura M. Alonso-Rodríguez, Sasha C. Reed, Molly A. Cavaleri, Tana E. Wood

Michigan Tech Publications

Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The effects of climate change on tropical forests may have global consequences due to the forests’ high biodiversity and major role in the global carbon cycle. In this study, we document the effects of experimental warming on the abundance and composition of a tropical forest floor herbaceous plant community in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico. This study was conducted within Tropical Responses to Altered Climate Experiment (TRACE) plots, which use infrared heaters under free-air, open-field conditions, to warm understory vegetation and soils + 4°C above nearby control plots. Hurricanes …

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Hydrological Effects Of Urban Green Space On Stormwater Runoff Reduction In Luohe, China, Peihao Song, Jianhui Guo, Enkai Xu, Audrey L. Mayer, Chang Liu, Jing Huang, Guohang Tian, Gunwoo Kim Aug 2020

Hydrological Effects Of Urban Green Space On Stormwater Runoff Reduction In Luohe, China, Peihao Song, Jianhui Guo, Enkai Xu, Audrey L. Mayer, Chang Liu, Jing Huang, Guohang Tian, Gunwoo Kim

Michigan Tech Publications

This paper reveals the role of urban green space (UGS) in regulating runoff and hence on urban hydrological balance. The modeling software i-Tree Hydro was used to quantify the effects of UGS on surface runoff regulation and canopy interception capacity in four simulated land-cover scenarios. The results showed that the existing UGS could mitigate 15,871,900 m3 volume of runoff (accounting for 9.85% of total runoff) and intercept approximately 9.69% of total rainfall by the vegetation canopy. UGS in midterm goal and final goal scenarios could retain about 10.74% and 10.89% of total rainfall that falls onto the canopy layer, respectively. …

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Wood Decomposition After An Aerial Application Of Hydromulch Following Wildfire In A Southern California Chaparral Shrubland, Martin Jurgensen, Chris Miller, Deborah S. Page-Dumroese Jul 2020

Wood Decomposition After An Aerial Application Of Hydromulch Following Wildfire In A Southern California Chaparral Shrubland, Martin Jurgensen, Chris Miller, Deborah S. Page-Dumroese

Michigan Tech Publications

Severe wildfire can affect many soil processes, especially organic matter (OM) decomposition. Organic mulches are often applied on steep slopes to mitigate soil erosion, but little is known about how these surface organic additions affect subsequent soil OM decomposition. In 2003 the Cedar Fire burned 110,000 ha in southern California chaparral shrubland, after which hydromulch was aerially applied to reduce soil erosion. Subsequently, we established a 5-year study to assess the effect of hydromulch on OM decomposition at the burned soil surface and in the mineral soil using aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and pine (Pinus taeda L.) wood stakes as …

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Patterns Of Ecosystem Structure And Wildfire Carbon Combustion Across Six Ecoregions Of The North American Boreal Forest, Xanthe J. Walker, Jennifer L. Baltzer, Laura Bourgeau-Chavez, Nicola J. Day, Catherine M. Dieleman, Jill F. Johnstone, Evan Kane, Brendan M. Rogers, Merritt R. Turetsky, Sander Veraverbeke, Michelle C. Mack Jul 2020

Patterns Of Ecosystem Structure And Wildfire Carbon Combustion Across Six Ecoregions Of The North American Boreal Forest, Xanthe J. Walker, Jennifer L. Baltzer, Laura Bourgeau-Chavez, Nicola J. Day, Catherine M. Dieleman, Jill F. Johnstone, Evan Kane, Brendan M. Rogers, Merritt R. Turetsky, Sander Veraverbeke, Michelle C. Mack

Michigan Tech Publications

Increases in fire frequency, extent, and severity are expected to strongly impact the structure and function of boreal forest ecosystems. An important function of the boreal forest is its ability to sequester and store carbon (C). Increasing disturbance from wildfires, emitting large amounts of C to the atmosphere, may create a positive feedback to climate warming. Variation in ecosystem structure and function throughout the boreal forest is important for predicting the effects of climate warming and changing fire regimes on C dynamics. In this study, we compiled data on soil characteristics, stand structure, pre-fire C pools, C loss from fire, …

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Spatio-Temporal Dynamics Of Landscape Use By The Bumblebee Bombus Pauloensis (Hymenoptera: Apidae) And Its Relationship With Pollen Provisioning, Pablo Cavigliasso, Colin Phifer, Erika M. Adams, David J. Flaspohler, Gerardo P. Gennari, Julian A. Licata, Natacha P. Chacoff Jul 2020

Spatio-Temporal Dynamics Of Landscape Use By The Bumblebee Bombus Pauloensis (Hymenoptera: Apidae) And Its Relationship With Pollen Provisioning, Pablo Cavigliasso, Colin Phifer, Erika M. Adams, David J. Flaspohler, Gerardo P. Gennari, Julian A. Licata, Natacha P. Chacoff

Michigan Tech Publications

Understanding how bees use resources at a landscape scale is essential for developing meaningful management plans that sustain populations and the pollination services they provide. Bumblebees are important pollinators for many wild and cultivated plants, and have experienced steep population declines worldwide. Bee foraging behavior can be influenced by resource availability and bees' lifecycle stage. To better understand these relationships, we studied the habitat selection of Bombus pauloensis by tracking 17 queen bumblebees with radio telemetry in blueberry fields in Entre Ríos province, Argentina. To evaluate land use and floral resources used by bumblebees, we tracked bees before and after …

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Predicting Effects Of Climate Change On Productivity And Persistence Of Forest Trees, Russell D. Kramer, H. Roaki Ishii, Kelsey R. Carter, Yuko Miyazaki, Molly A. Cavaleri, Masatake G. Araki, Wakana A. Azuma, Yuta Inoue, Chinatsu Hara Jul 2020

Predicting Effects Of Climate Change On Productivity And Persistence Of Forest Trees, Russell D. Kramer, H. Roaki Ishii, Kelsey R. Carter, Yuko Miyazaki, Molly A. Cavaleri, Masatake G. Araki, Wakana A. Azuma, Yuta Inoue, Chinatsu Hara

Michigan Tech Publications

Global climate change increases uncertainty in sustained functioning of forest ecosystems. Forest canopies are a key link between terrestrial ecosystems, the atmosphere, and climate. Here, we introduce research presented at the 66th meeting of the Ecological Society of Japan in the symposium “Structure and function of forest canopies under climate change.” Old-growth forest carbon stores are the largest and may be the most vulnerable to climate change as the balance between sequestration and emission could easily be tipped. Detailed structural analysis of individual large, old trees shows they are allocating wood to the trunk and crown in patterns that cannot …

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Taxonomic Similarity Does Not Predict Necessary Sample Size For Ex Situ Conservation: A Comparison Among Five Genera, Sean Hoban, Taylor Callicrate, John Clark, Susan Deans, Michael Dosmann, Priyanka Dipak Kadav, Et Al. May 2020

Taxonomic Similarity Does Not Predict Necessary Sample Size For Ex Situ Conservation: A Comparison Among Five Genera, Sean Hoban, Taylor Callicrate, John Clark, Susan Deans, Michael Dosmann, Priyanka Dipak Kadav, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

Effectively conserving biodiversity with limited resources requires scientifically informed and efficient strategies. Guidance is particularly needed on how many living plants are necessary to conserve a threshold level of genetic diversity in ex situ collections. We investigated this question for 11 taxa across five genera. In this first study analysing and optimizing ex situ genetic diversity across multiple genera, we found that the percentage of extant genetic diversity currently conserved varies among taxa from 40% to 95%. Most taxa are well below genetic conservation targets. Resampling datasets showed that ideal collection sizes vary widely even within a genus: one taxon …

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The Making Of Transgenic, Mujeeb Olushola Shittu, Tessa Steenwinkel, Shigeyuki Koshikawa, Thomas Werner Apr 2020

The Making Of Transgenic, Mujeeb Olushola Shittu, Tessa Steenwinkel, Shigeyuki Koshikawa, Thomas Werner

Michigan Tech Publications

The complex color patterns on the wings and body of Drosophila guttifera (D. guttifera) are emerging as model systems for studying evolutionary and developmental processes. Studies regarding these processes depend on overexpression and downregulation of developmental genes, which ultimately rely upon an effective transgenic system. Methods describing transgenesis in Drosophila melanogaster (D. melanogaster) have been reported in several studies, but they cannot be applied to D. guttifera due to the low egg production rate and the delicacy of the eggs. In this protocol, we describe extensively a comprehensive method used for generating transgenic D. guttifera. Using the protocol described here, …

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