Life Sciences Commons^™

The Sociocultural Significance Of Maine's Oyster Based On Media Coverage Analysis, Syeira Clark

Honors College

Throughout the last decade, the oyster aquaculture industry in Maine has boomed, with 6 million pounds of oysters being harvested in 2021, about the amount that was harvested in 2016 (Cough, 2022). According to the founders of the Maine Oyster Trail, there are over 150 oyster farms currently operating on Maine’s coast, which is about twice as many as there were in 2016 (Maine Sea Grant). With this boom in the industry has come a wave of opportunity, as well as news coverage about the shellfish. This study examines the socio-cultural significance to the state of Maine. While the oyster …

Assessing State Communication Of Resources And Education Effectiveness For Well Owners In Northern Maine: A Case Study, James Greenwood

Honors College

Private well water is an essential resource in the state of Maine, as over 38% of

the state’s population relies on it every day (Johnson et al. 2020). Unprotected by the provisions of the national Clean Water Act of 1974, which keeps public drinking water sources safe through regulation, well owners have to protect themselves against harmful environmental contaminants that threaten their water. However, as noted by research and leaders in the drinking water field, well owners generally have low well testing behaviors, leaving their safety up to fate. A common reason for this, as research as observed more than …

The Incidence Of Staphylococcus Aureus Mastitis In Maine Dairy Cattle, Morgan Belvin

Honors College

This project investigated the factors surrounding the incidence of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) mastitis in Maine dairy cattle. This type of mastitis is driven by an antibiotic resistant pathogen that is very contagious among cattle, though farmers are often unaware of how common this type of mastitis is and that it could be present in their herds. My hypothesis was that specific farm factors, like milkers performing other tasks during milking, as well as the act of pre-dipping versus not pre-dipping, would explain the increase in SA mastitis. A thirty-seven-question IRB-approved survey was subsequently distributed to farmers in the University of …

Envisioning A Bold Food Waste Policy For Maine: A Mixed-Methods Study Into The Context Of Landfill Diversion Of Food Waste, Dominique Danielle Dispirito

Honors College

Landfilled organics waste both natural and financial resources by discarding usable materials that could bolster food security programs and composting efforts. According to the Drawdown Project, one-third of the food we produce in the United States goes to the landfill without ever reaching someone’s plate, contributing to leachate at disposal sites and accounting for more greenhouse gasses than the entire airline industry. As communities across the state struggle to support the 1 in 6 Mainers experiencing food insecurity with dwindling financial resources and limited personnel, food waste diversion provides a local solution that bolsters resilience at low cost. The absence …

Covid-19 Affects Coping Strategies And Food Access For Maine Adults, Tara Whiton, Kathryn Yerxa, Rachel E. Schattman

Food Science and Human Nutrition Faculty Scholarship

Food-coping strategies (FCS) are often measured as direct indicators of food insecurity, as they allow for an assessment of the vulnerability and sustainability of attempts to maintain a sufficient food supply by limited-resource individuals. They are often easier to assess than other household indicators of sufficiency, including income and food consumption. Because vulnerability is considered, food-security policies and programs that account for FCS can broaden their efforts from addressing current constraints to food consumption, to include actions that also address future threats to food security. Households may employ any one or a combination of the four types of coping strategies, …

Shopping, Eating, And Dietary Behaviors Of Maine Adults As A Result Of Covid-19: A Focus On Older Adults, Rachel E. Schattman, Kathryn Yerxa

Food Science and Human Nutrition Faculty Scholarship

Through a survey conducted in 2020, we investigated changes in eating, shopping, and dietary behaviors of Maine adults by age group before COVID-19 (prior to March 2020) and during COVID-19 (August/September 2020). This investigation was part of a larger investigation to assess food security, access, and food systems during COVID-19.6 The survey was conducted in Maine between August and September 2020 and illustrates responses from a sample of 618 Maine adults aged 18 years and older. Findings include:

• Respondents who were 55 years and older were less likely to reduce fruit, vegetable and seafood consumption during COVID-19.

• Respondents in all …

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Scallop Aquaculture Research Collaborative Meeting, Meggan Dwyer

Miscellaneous Publications

No abstract provided.

Tapping The Sweet Spot: Predicting The Suitability Of A Woodlot’S Potential To Transition Into A Productive Sugarbush In Maine, Deven M. Teisl

Non-Thesis Student Work

Through conversations with Dr. Sara Velardi, a postdoctoral research associate who has been doing research on maple producers’ scale management decisions in Maine, most current owners and operators in the maple syrup industry have the common interest of expanding their current operations, but they are unsure of how to approach that problem. Due to these current issues, my research focused on creating a sugarbush assessment tool. This assessment tool consists of a set of guidelines which can be utilized by current or future producers and can be used to easily assess woodlots without having to hire a consulting forester to …

Characterizing The Range Shifts Of Two Peromyscus Species In Maine, Molly Bennett

Honors College

In a changing climate, two species of mice in Maine (Peromyscus maniculatus and Peromyscus leucopus) are currently undergoing range shifts. The objective of my thesis is to determine the historical and current range of each species within the state of Maine. I used two approaches. I assembled ear biopsies collected this summer in Acadia National Park and throughout the state by the Gardner and Levesque labs to genotype the mice as either P. maniculatus or P. leucopus. Additionally, I summarized research that denotes where the two species were historically present around the state. These species are functionally impossible to tell …

Communication On Cultural And Environmental Implications Of The Emerald Ash Borer Invasion In Maine, Salvatore Magnano Iii

Honors College

The introduction of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis, in the United States in the early 1990’s, has resulted in a wave of ecological, economic, and cultural impacts that will forever leave a scar in the forests of North America. The primary goal of this project is to highlight the importance of regulating EAB as a pest species and to develop a comprehensive plan to promote education and regulation of EAB to the public. Additionally, this project aims to involve public outreach efforts through the Wabanaki tradition of basketmaking. A communication outreach plan involves utilizing a travel plan from …

An Analysis Of The History And Current Treatment Trends Of The Parasitic Mite Varroa Destructor (Acari: Varroidae) In Maine Beekeeping, Patrick Hurley

Honors College

Varroa mites, Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae), are a parasitic mite of honey bee colonies worldwide. Varroa mites feed on both adult honey bees and developing brood, easily spread between colonies, and can kill European honey bee colonies within just a few years. Beekeepers must apply mite treatments to maintain healthy colonies. This thesis is an overview of the currently available mite treatments in the United States and how they relate to Maine Beekeeping. There are three main research components of this thesis. The first is the analysis of two surveys that Maine beekeepers completed in 2019. The second is a …

Effects Of Repeated Intensive Harvesting Practices, Prescribed Burning, And Browsing On Northern Hardwood Forest Plant Communities, Michaela Kuhn

Honors College

When extracting large volumes of biomass from our nation’s forests, it is imperative to consider the sustainability of these intensive harvesting practices on future forests and timber products, and wildlife habitat and populations. The goal of this study was to assess if plant density and ecological integrity are affected by strip-cut harvesting silvicultural practices, prescribed burning on slash left on site and slash residue left unburned, and mammalian browse. A summer 2019 inventory of plant species throughout Compartment 33 on the Penobscot Experimental Forest, a management unit that recently was harvested for the second time in the past 55years, which …

Maine's Climate Future: 2020 Update, Ivan J. Fernandez, Sean Birkel, Catherine V. Schmitt, Julia Simonson, Bradford Lyon, Andrew Pershing, Esperanza Stancioff, George L. Jacobson, Paul Andrew Mayewski Dr.

Climate Change Institute Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Study Of The Perceived Risks Of The Impacts Of Moose-Winter Tick Interactions On Human Health, Maine Economy, And Maine Culture, Asha Dimatteo-Lepape

Honors College

In order to answer the question of how people perceive the interactions between winter ticks and moose, and the impacts that these interactions may have on culture, economy, and recreational practices in Maine, interviews were conducted with participants from four stakeholder groups: hunters, outfitters, Wabanaki citizens, and wildlife managers. By using a case study methodology, I was able to explore moose health risk perceptions as described by participants from the four stakeholder groups, and the likely impacts on recreation behavior, livelihoods and economic viability, cultural maintenance, and wildlife management. In this study, multiple data generation techniques (i.e., semi-structured interviews, archival …

How Acidic Sediments And Seawater Affect Interactive Effects Of Predation On Survival, Growth, And Recruitment Of Wild And Cultured Soft-Shell Clams, Mya Arenaria L., Along A Tidal Gradient At Two Intertidal Sites In Eastern Maine, Brian F. Beal, William Otto

Miscellaneous Publications

No abstract provided.

Red Abalone Hemocyanin As An Alternative Hapten-Carrier For Vaccine Production, Isaiah N. Mansour

Honors College

Vaccines protect millions of human lives per year from otherwise fatal illnesses. Vaccination promotes immunity by simulating infection with a non-pathogenic representative of the disease, an antigen, to prepare and train an immune response. Vaccine-safe antigens are often too small to elicit an immune response. These non-immunogenic molecules are referred to as haptens and are introduced to the immune system by hapten-carriers, large immune-stimulating proteins. Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH), a respiratory protein of the giant keyhole limpet (Megathura crenulata), is the industry standard hapten-carrier. KLH is a potent yet safe immune-stimulant relied upon in research, available human medications, and emerging …

Estimating Ecosystem Services From Harvested And Unharvested Ascophyllum Nodosum On The Maine Coast, Ashley E. Sarra

Honors College

Ascophyllum nodosum, better known as rockweed, is a commercially important, harvested intertidal brown alga species common in coastal Maine. Rockweed sea vegetable harvesting is a lucrative wild harvest fishery, that has also proved to be socially contentious and whose future management is uncertain. A. nodosum is an intertidal macroalgal species that may also be impacted by sea level rise. Through a combination of biomass estimation, newspaper analysis, and interview data collection, this project seeks to (a) develop a typology of ecological services of A. nodosum in harvested and unharvested areas in the state of Maine; and (b) assess the …

Bees Of Maine, With A State Species Checklist, Alison C. Dibble, Francis A. Drummond, Constance Stubbs, Michael Veit, John S. Ascher

Biology and Ecology Faculty Scholarship

We present a new county checklist developed from bee research in Maine since the 1800s. The list contains 278 bee species in 37 genera and 6 families, of which all but 8 are native, with ≥50 taxa each in Andrena and Lasioglossum. Data for 16 counties from publications, museum collections, and recent surveys varied in number of species from 8 (Androscoggin) to 197 (Hancock). Research since 1930 on Vaccinium angustifolium (Lowbush Blueberry) led to many records. Twenty-one species are considered unusual, including 3 first recorded in 2016: Epeoloides pilosulus, Melitta melittoides, and Holcopasites calliopsidis. Maine records …

A Study Of Teacher Practices And Perspectives On Nutrition Education In Maine Elementary Schools, Alexandra J. Courtney

Honors College

The purpose of this study was to identify how multiple influencing factors on nutrition education, relating to professional development, teacher self-efficacy, teacher beliefs, program use, wellness policies, and environmental factors, influence the amount of time elementary educators spend teaching nutrition in their classrooms. The primary tool for data collection was a comprehensive survey developed using Qualtrics software. The survey was distributed to Maine superintendents and principals who were asked to pass the survey along to K-5 teachers. Out of 270 responses collected before the survey end date, 233 were used for statistical analyses. The factors that influenced time teaching nutrition …

Aquaculture In Shared Waters Fact Sheet: Getting To Know Your Water, Dana Morse, Samuel Belknap, Rebecca Clark Uchenna

Maine Sea Grant Publications

Aquaculture businesses must operate on sound environmental principles, most especially because marine aquaculture occurs in an open system: the ocean. While all farming activities, on land or at sea, have some degree of environmental interaction, farmers should understand these processes, with best management practices to minimize negative impacts. Successful farms must cope effectively with any changes to the marine system, and an organized system of monitoring and recordkeeping will improve your chances of business success, while maintaining a healthy environment. This fact sheet provides a summary of direct and indirect environmental factors that may affect your marine aquaculture business; more …

Aquaculture In Shared Waters Fact Sheet: The Business Of Aquaculture, Richard Clime

Maine Sea Grant Publications

Maine has significant potential to benefit from the successful integration of commercial fishing and the seafood business in the form of aquaculture and you have a chance to be involved in the beginning stages of this promising field. Aquaculture can be seen as a way to diversify on-the-water income and can easily complement existing fisheries businesses. There are risks associated with any business, however if managed properly aquaculture can be profitable.

Aquaculture In Shared Waters Fact Sheet: Aquaculture In Maine, Dana Morse, James Crimp, Rebecca Clark Uchenna

Maine Sea Grant Publications

This series of “Aquaculture in Shared Waters” fact sheets is intended to help fishermen or others in Maine’s coastal communities interested in starting a small-scale aquaculture business as we move towards achieving this potential in a way that is best for our people and the environment.

Aquaculture In Shared Waters Fact Sheet: Husbandry, Dana Morse, Samuel Belknap, Rebecca Clark Uchenna

Maine Sea Grant Publications

When people think of sea farming, it’s usually the husbandry part that they have in mind: tending the crop, working on the boat, etc. Husbandry is a rewarding part of the aquaculture process, and good husbandry is critical to success. Paired with strong financial management and sales and marketing, husbandry is where the rubber meets the road. Your goal as the farmer is very simple, but difficult to do well: Successful aquaculturists keep their animals and plants at optimum health. Another way to think about this is to keep the crop at minimum stress: low stress equals faster growth, improved …

Remote Sensing For Oyster Aquaculture In Maine, Jordan Snyder

Miscellaneous Publications

No abstract provided.

The Cost Of Alcohol And Drug Abuse In Maine, 2015, Marcella H. Sorg, Jamie A. Wren

Health & Public Safety

No abstract provided.

Forward Not Back: Young People's Search For Community And Farming In Maine, Danielle Walczak

Honors College

In Maine there is a growing body of statistics pointing to the growth of agriculture in the state. Yet with one of the oldest populations in the country, Maine is always asking: how do we bring young people to the state? Farming may be a start. The number of farmers age 34 and under increased 40 percent between 2007 and 2012. Maine is bucking the trend. While most of the country’s farms are decreasing in number and getting bigger in size, Maine farms are increasing in number while staying small. Behind each of these statistics there is a person, a …

Um Marine And Freshwater Sciences Before Wentworth Point, Part 2: (1939), Um Marine Biological Lab At Lamoine, Randy Lackovic

Darling Marine Center Historical Documents

This is picture album of the University of Maine Marine Biological Laboratory at Lamoine, Maine during the summer session in 1939.

Um Marine And Freshwater Sciences Come To Wentworth Point (1960s), Randy Lackovic

Darling Marine Center Historical Documents

This history recounts the formation of the Darling Marine Center from 1963 - 1966.

Um Marine And Freshwater Sciences Before Wentworth Point, Part 1: (1865-1965), Randy Lackovic

Darling Marine Center Historical Documents

This is a history of the marine and freshwater sciences activity at the University of Maine from 1865 - 1965.

An Overview Of Human Health Issues, Marcella H. Sorg

Anthropology Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.