Life Sciences Commons^™

Lamprey Watershed Education And Outreach, Lamprey River Watershed Association, Dawn Genes, Lamprey River Watershed Association. Lamprey River Nominating Committee

PREP Reports & Publications

The Lamprey River Nomination Committee sought the assistance of the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) to complete an extensive and detailed information package to nominate the Lamprey River and its major tributaries to the NH Rivers Management and Protection Program. The nomination package was due at DES on June 1, 2010, was reviewed and accepted by the State Rivers Management Committee in September and forwarded to the Commissioner of DES. The nomination is now working through the NH legislature with hearings anticipated during the spring 2011 session. If passed, the bill should be signed by Governor Lynch in July of …

Low Endemism, Continued Deep-Shallow Interchanges, And Evidence For Cosmopolitan Distributions In Free-Living Marine Nematodes (Order Enoplida), Holly M. Bik, W. Kelley Thomas, David H. Lunt, P. John D. Lambshead

Hubbard Center for Genome Studies (HCGS)

Background: Nematodes represent the most abundant benthic metazoa in one of the largest habitats on earth, the deep sea. Characterizing major patterns of biodiversity within this dominant group is a critical step towards understanding evolutionary patterns across this vast ecosystem. The present study has aimed to place deep-sea nematode species into a phylogenetic framework, investigate relationships between shallow water and deep-sea taxa, and elucidate phylogeographic patterns amongst the deep-sea fauna. Results: Molecular data (18 S and 28 S rRNA) confirms a high diversity amongst deep-sea Enoplids. There is no evidence for endemic deep-sea lineages in Maximum Likelihood or Bayesian phylogenies, …

Watershed Survey And Pilot Lcc Project, Norman Turgeon, Three Ponds Protective Association

PREP Reports & Publications

This describes two projects accomplished in 2010 by the Three Ponds Protective Association (TPPA) and several partners to identify and reduce soil erosion due to storm water runoff into the Milton Three Ponds

Simple Sequence Repeat Variation In The Daphnia Pulex Genome, Way Sung, Abraham Tucker, R. Daniel Bergeron, Michael Lynch, W. Kelley Thomas

Molecular, Cellular & Biomedical Sciences

Background: Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are highly variable features of all genomes. Their rapid evolution makes them useful for tracing the evolutionary history of populations and investigating patterns of selection and mutation across gnomes. The recently sequenced Daphnia pulex genome provides us with a valuable data set to study the mode and tempo of SSR evolution, without the inherent biases that accompany marker selection. Results: Here we catalogue SSR loci in the Daphnia pulex genome with repeated motif sizes of 1-100 nucleotides with a minimum of 3 perfect repeats. We then used whole genome shotgun reads to determine the average …

Fertilizer And Stormwater Runoff Outreach Program In Newcastle, Nh, David Anderson

PREP Reports & Publications

The New Hampshire Coastal Protection Partnership (NH Coast) implemented a year long pilot public education and outreach program in the Town of New Castle aimed at reducing nitrogen pollution from lawn fertilizers and promoting rain gardens as a solution to storm water runoff and nonpoint source pollution. A total of 77 landowners representing 138 acres of land pledged to either not use lawn fertilizers or use only low phosphorus, slow release nitrogen brands. The program also resulted in the installation of New Castle’s first demonstration rain garden.

Analysis Of Nitrogen Loading Reductions For Wastewater Treatment Facilities And Non-Point Sources In The Great Bay Estuary Watershed, Philip Trowbridge, Thomas S. Burack, Michael J. Walls, Harry T. Stewart

PREP Reports & Publications

In 2009, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) published a proposal for numeric nutrient criteria for the Great Bay Estuary. The report found that total nitrogen concentrations in most of the estuary needed to be less than 0.3 mg N/L to prevent loss of eelgrass habitat and less than 0.45 mg N/L to prevent occurrences of low dissolved oxygen. Based on these criteria and an analysis of a compilation of data from at least seven different sources, DES concluded that 11 of the 18 subestuaries in the Great Bay Estuary were impaired for nitrogen. Under the Clean Water …

Moving Towards A Complete Molecular Framework Of The Nematoda: A Focus On The Enoplida And Early-Branching Clades, Holly M. Bik, P. John D. Lambshead, W. Kelley Thomas, David H. Lunt

Hubbard Center for Genome Studies (HCGS)

Background: The subclass Enoplia (Phylum Nematoda) is purported to be the earliest branching clade amongst all nematode taxa, yet the deep phylogeny of this important lineage remains elusive. Free-living marine species within the order Enoplida play prominent roles in marine ecosystems, but previous Molecular phylogenies have provided only the briefest evolutionary insights; this study aimed to firmly resolve internal relationships within the hyper diverse but poorly understood Enoplida. In addition, we revisited the Molecular framework of the Nematoda using a rigorous phylogenetic approach in order to investigate patterns of early splits amongst the oldest lineages (Dorylaimia and Enoplia). Results: Morphological …

Evolutionary Rates And Gene Dispensability Associate With Replication Timing In The Archaeon Sulfolobus Islandicus, Kenneth M. Flynn, Samuel H. Vohr, Philip J. Hatcher, Vaughn S. Cooper

Molecular, Cellular & Biomedical Sciences

In bacterial chromosomes, the position of a gene relative to the single origin of replication generally reflects its replication timing, how often it is expressed, and consequently, its rate of evolution. However, because some archaeal genomes contain multiple origins of replication, bias in gene dosage caused by delayed replication should be minimized and hence the substitution rate of genes should associate less with chromosome position. To test this hypothesis, six archaeal genomes from the genus Sulfolobus containing three origins of replication were selected, conserved orthologs were identified, and the evolutionary rates (dN and dS) of these orthologs were quantified. Ortholog …

Detection Of Poliovirus By Icc/Qpcr In Concentrated Water Samples Has Greater Sensitivity And Is Less Costly Using Bgm Cells In Suspension As Compared To Monolayers, Helene B. Balkin, Aaron B. Margolin

Molecular, Cellular & Biomedical Sciences

The integrated cell culture quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (ICC/qRT-PCR) method is used in our lab to detect enteroviruses in environmental waters. Typically we utilize monolayers of 3 cell lines; buffalo green monkey kidney (BGM), human colonic carcinoma (CACO-2) and African rhesus monkey kidney (MA104) with the intent of providing one or more permissive hosts to a wide range of enteroviruses. In this study the BGM cell line was used to compare poliovirus infectivity in conventional monolayer cultures to BGM cells in suspensions. Propagated virus was subsequently amplified by qRT-PCR. Our PCR data showed lower cycle threshold (Ct) values in the …

Foodshed Foundations: Law's Role In Shaping Our Food System's Future, Margaret Sova Mccabe

Law Faculty Scholarship

[. . .] This symposium Article analyzes how we can rethink the architecture of law based on a foodshed model to provide a greater role for local, state, and regional government in the American food system. In turn, greater roles for different levels of government may help America achieve greater efficiencies in domestic food safety, nutrition and related public health issues, sustainability, and international trade.

Americans need a greater voice in the food system. The foodshed model is a powerful vehicle that allows us to conceptualize change, allowing greater citizen participation and a more nuanced approach to food policy. The …

Conserving The Pawtuckaway River Focus Area And Kennard Hill Focus Area : Final Report, Brian Hart

PREP Reports & Publications

The Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership provided $8,000 to support the Southeast Land Trust of New Hampshire’s land conservation work within the Pawtuckaway River and Kennard Hill Focus Areas, two areas identified by the Land Conservation Plan for New Hampshire’s Coastal Watershed. Through this grant, the Southeast Land Trust has: permanently conserved two parcels totaling 90.55 acres within the Pawtuckaway River Focus Area; entered into four agreements to acquire and conserve 221.4 acres within the Pawtuckaway River Focus Area and 190 acres within the Kennard Hill Focus Area; and facilitated, through the Wetlands Reserve Program, the protection of 60 acres within …

Eelgrass Distribution In The Great Bay Estuary For 2009 : Final Report, Frederick T. Short

PREP Reports & Publications

Eelgrass in the Great Bay Estuary in 2009 was once again present only in Great Bay itself and in Portsmouth Harbor. For the second year in a row, there was no eelgrass in Little Bay or in the Piscataqua River. In 2009, there was a continued loss of eelgrass biomass in Great Bay; there has been a 66.4% loss of biomass in Great Bay since 1996 and distribution is 30% less than in 1996. Although eelgrass distribution in Great Bay itself increased between 2008 and 2009, primarily due to continued expansion from natural seeding of bare areas, the Bay’s eelgrass …

Results Of The Gulfwatch 2010 Samples : Memorandum, Matthew A. Wood

PREP Reports & Publications

The purpose of this memorandum is to document the sample collection activities for Gulfwatch 2010. .

Modeled Nitrogen Loading To Narragansett Bay: 1850 To 2015, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Steven P. Hamburg, Donald Pryor

Earth Systems Research Center

Nutrient loading to estuaries with heavily populated watersheds can have profound ecological consequences. In evaluating policy options for managing nitrogen (N), it is helpful to understand current and historic spatial loading patterns to the system. We modeled N inputs to Narragansett Bay from 1850 to 2000, using data on population, human waste disposal, livestock, fertilizer, and atmospheric deposition. We found that total N loading to the bay increased 250% from 1850 to 2000, and 80% from 1900 to 2000. Loading to the upper bay increased far more than that to the lower bay, and the most important source shifted from …

Meta-Analysis Of Fertilization Experiments Indicates Multiple Limiting Nutrients In Northeastern Deciduous Forests, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur

Earth Systems Research Center

It is widely accepted that nitrogen limits primary production in temperate forests, although co-limitation by N and P has also been suggested, and on some soils Ca and base cations are in short supply. I conducted a meta-analysis to assess the strength of existing experimental evidence for limitation of primary production by N, P, and Ca in hardwood forests of the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada, using data from 35 fertilization experiments in deciduous forests on glaciated soils across the region.

There is strong evidence for N limitation (formal meta-analysis weighted mean response ratio = 1.51, p < 0.01; simple mean = 1.42, p < 0.001). Forest productivity also tends to increase with additions of P (simple mean = 1.15, p = 0.05) and Ca (simple mean = 1.36 p < 0.001). Across all treatments, 85% of response ratios were positive. Multiple-element additions had larger effects than single elements, but factorial experiments showed little evidence of synergistic effects between nutrient additions. Production responses correlated positively with the rate of N fertilization, but this effect was reduced at high rates of ambient N deposition.

Parks, People And Pixels: Evaluating Landscape Effects Of An East African National Park On Its Surroundings, Jane Southworth, Joel N. Hartter, Michael W. Binford, Abraham Goldman, Colin A. Chapman, Lauren J. Chapman, Patrick Omeja, Elizabeth Binford

Geography

Landscapes surrounding protected areas, while still containing considerable biodiversity, have rapidly growing human populations and associated agricultural development in most of the developing world that tend to isolate them, potentially reducing their conservation value. Using field studies and multi-temporal Landsat imagery, we examine a forest park, Kibale National Park in western Uganda, its changes over time, and related land cover change in the surrounding landscape. We find Kibale has successfully defended its borders and prevents within-park deforestation and other land incursions, and has maintained tree cover throughout the time period of the study. Outside the park there was a significant …

Nitrogen, Phosphorus, And Suspended Solids Concentrations In Tributaries To The Great Bay Estuary Watershed In 2009, Ted Walsh, Philip Trowbridge

PREP Reports & Publications

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loads to the Great Bay Estuary are a growing concern. The Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) calculates the nitrogen load from tributaries to the Great Bay Estuary for its State of the Estuaries reports. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to collect representative data on nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended sediment concentrations in tributaries to the Great Bay Estuary in 2009. The study design followed the tributary sampling design which was implemented by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services between 2001 and 2007 and by the University of New Hampshire in 2008, so as to …

Shoreland And Riparian Buffer Regulations For The Town Of Raymond Prep Local Grants Program 2008 Final Project Report, Town Of Raymond, New Hampshire, Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission

PREP Reports & Publications

In September of 2007, SNHPC applied to PREP’s Local Grant Program seeking $5,000 to help develop local shoreland protection ordinances consistent with the state’s Comprehensive Shoreland Protection Act regulations. This project was modeled on similar PREP-supported projects completed in the towns of Candia and Deerfield. The Raymond Conservation Commission served as the primary municipal board involved with this project. PREP funded the project and ensured that it was coordinated with other natural resource planning efforts underway with the town via the Natural Resources Outreach Coalition.

River Road New Castle Marsh Restoration Recommendations, Rockingham County Conservation District

PREP Reports & Publications

PREP’s 2009 (YR 13) workplan allocated $30,000 of EPA 320 funds for restoration project funding (Workplan ID 09-D-2). $9,500 of this allocation went to the Rockingham County Conservation District (RCCD) to fund planning work on two separate salt marsh restoration projects: 1. Stuart Farm (Stratham, NH) 2. River Road Marsh (New Castle, NH)

Town Of Hampton Stormwater Management Prep Natural Resources Outreach Coalition Grant Final Project Report, Town Of Hampton, New Hampshire, Natural Resources Outreach Coalition

PREP Reports & Publications

PREP provided $3,500 towards the project which was matched by municipal funds to pay for consulting advice on improving the regulations. The Planning Board provided exceptional in-kind match on the project, with many hours of work spent by a volunteer engineer serving on the Board. On February 12th 2009, Hampton’s Innovative Land Use Team, in coordination with NROC, hosted a community workshop on stormwater issues that was well attended by municipal officials, town staff, and members of the public. After many revisions, the Planning Board formally adopted the approved stormwater management provisions into the town site plan and subdivision regulations …

The Land Conservation Plan For Maine’S Piscataqua Region Watersheds, Steve Walker, Tin Smith, Paul Schumacher, Jason Czapiga, Derek Sowers, Jamie Oman-Saltmarsh, Paul Dest

PREP Reports & Publications

The Piscataqua River/Great Bay estuary is a shared coastal embayment that forms the southernmost boundary between the states of Maine and New Hampshire. This rich coastal bay provides critical ecological, economic, and social benefits to the southern Maine and coastal New Hampshire region. The Great Bay estuary is such an important coastal resource that it is officially recognized as a coastal area of national significance by both the federal National Estuary Program and the federal National Estuarine Research Reserve program. The Piscataqua River/Great Bay estuary is fed by many rivers in New Hampshire, and by the Salmon Falls River, Great …

The Economic Importance Of Draught Oxen On Small Farms In Namibia's Eastern Caprivi Region, Andrew B. Conroy, Mogos Yakob Teweldmehidin

Natural Resources & the Environment

The main aim of this study was to analyse and document the value of smallholder farmers’ use of Draught Animal Power (DAP) systems in the Eastern Caprivi Region and to test the economic viability of DAP usage versus using tractors. This study applied Rapid Rural Appraisal techniques (RRA), including a survey. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 312 farmers at their farms and data was gathered on the use of and economics related to the draught animal power system. Crop enterprise budgets, project reports, expert opinions and group discussions were analysed. The research found that the use of animal power performs …

An Examination Of Targeted Gene Neighborhoods In Strawberry, Thomas M. Davis, Melanie E. Shields, Qian Zhang, Denise Tombolato-Terzić, Jeffrey L. Bennetzen, Ana C. Pontaroli, Hao Wang, Qin Yao, Phillip Sanmiguel, Kevin M. Folta

Biological Sciences

This report details the structure and content of targeted regions of the strawberry genome. The data indicate that the strawberry genome is gene-dense, with an average of one protein-encoding gene or pseudogene per 5.9 kb. Current overall EST coverage is sparse. The unexpected gene duplications and their differential patterns of EST support suggest possible subfunctionalization or pseudogenization of these sequences. This report provides a high-resolution depiction of targeted gene neighborhoods that will aid whole-genome sequence assembly, provide valuable tools for plant breeders and advance the understanding of strawberry genome evolution.

Shoreland Protection In Maine Communities Of The Piscataqua River Estuary, Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission

PREP Reports & Publications

The Management Plan for the Piscataqua Rive r Estuary Program’s (PREP) includes several action plans to improve municipal regulatory protections for stream and wetland buffers. This project objective was to identify and prioritize appropriate shoreland areas for protection within Maine towns that are within the PREP region, and inform municipalities and land trusts about these areas, and the importance for protecting them.

Implementation Of The Great Works River Non-Point Source Pollution Watershed Management Plan, Tin Smith

PREP Reports & Publications

This project was a collaboration between the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, Great Works Regional Land Trust, and the Great Works River Watershed Coalition to implement five of the “Highest Priority” tasks from the Action Plan of the Great Works River Nonpoint Source Pollution Watershed Management Plan (2007). The Great Works River drains 6 towns in southwest coastal Maine flowing into the estuary portion of the Salmon Falls and Piscataqua Rivers. The project included involving a steering committee of stakeholders, a buffer outreach effort, updating water quality data, invasive species education, improving access to information, and developing a plan for …

Town Of Brentwood Stormwater Management Project, Vanasse Hangen & Brustlin

PREP Reports & Publications

Vanasse Hangen & Brustlin (VHB) worked with the Brentwood Planning Board to develop and adopt a stormwater management ordinance intended to improve development practices primarily for commercial sites and new subdivisions.

Stonehouse Pond Conservation, Gregg Caporossi

PREP Reports & Publications

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is partnering with New Hampshire Fish and Game, the Town of Barrington, and Strafford Rivers Conservancy to complete the Stonehouse Pond Conservation Project - a collaborative effort to protect 241 forested acres surrounding Stonehouse Pond in New Hampshire's fast growing coastal region. The property, located within a 4,200-acre block of unfragmented forest, has been recognized as a conservation priority in the NH Wildlife Action Plan and the Land Conservation Plan for the NH's Coastal Watersheds, and is part of TPL's broader Coastal Conservation Initiative. TPL has secured an option to purchase the properties …

The Loss Of Species: Mangrove Extinction Risk And Geographic Areas Of Global Concern, Beth A. Liu, Kent A. Carpenter, Lorna Collins, Norma C. Duke, Aaron M. Ellison, Joanne C. Ellison, Elizabeth J. Farnsworth, Edwino S. Fernando, Kandasamy Kathiresan, Nico E. Koedam, Suzanne R. Livingstone, Toyohiko Miyagi, Gregg E. Moore, Vien Ngoc Nam, Jin Eong Ong, Jurgenne H. Primavera, Severino G. Salmo Iii, Jonnell C. Sanciangco, Sukristijono Sukardjo, Yamin Wang, Jean Wan Hong Yong

Biological Sciences

Mangrove species are uniquely adapted to tropical and subtropical coasts, and although relatively low in number of species, mangrove forests provide at least US $1.6 billion each year in ecosystem services and support coastal livelihoods worldwide. Globally, mangrove areas are declining rapidly as they are cleared for coastal development and aquaculture and logged for timber and fuel production. Little is known about the effects of mangrove area loss on individual mangrove species and local or regional populations. To address this gap, species-specific information on global distribution, population status, life history traits, and major threats were compiled for each of the …

Why Genes Evolve Faster On Secondary Chromosomes In Bacteria, Vaughn S. Cooper, Samuel H. Vohr, Sarah C. Wrocklage, Philip J. Hatcher

Molecular, Cellular & Biomedical Sciences

In bacterial genomes composed of more than one chromosome, one replicon is typically larger, harbors more essential genes than the others, and is considered primary. The greater variability of secondary chromosomes among related taxa has led to the theory that they serve as an accessory genome for specific niches or conditions. By this rationale, purifying selection should be weaker on genes on secondary chromosomes because of their reduced necessity or usage. To test this hypothesis we selected bacterial genomes composed of multiple chromosomes from two genera, Burkholderia and Vibrio, and quantified the evolutionary rates (dN and dS) of all orthologs …

Joanne Curran-Celentano, Professor Of Animal And Nutritional Sciences, Jennifer Lee

Inquiry Journal 2010

No abstract provided.