Life Sciences Commons^™

Phenology Of The Invasive Balsam Woolly Adelgid, Adelges Piceae (Ratz.) (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), On Subalpine Fir In Northern Utah, Elizabeth L. Rideout

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Balsam woolly adelgid (BWA) is an invasive true fir pest in North America. Native to Europe, BWA was first discovered in Utah attacking subalpine fir in 2017. Recent BWA-caused subalpine fir mortality in northern Utah has prompted the need for baseline biological research to support pest management. Small-bodied and blending easily with its environment, BWA is a challenging pest to detect and study. Phenology, or the timing and characteristics of life stages through the year, of BWA varies depending on elevation and climate and is unstudied in Utah. This research focuses on defining aspects of BWA’s phenology, including the number …

Restoration Strategies For Wetlands In The Arid West: Seeding And Planting Approaches For Lakeshore Ecosystems, Jes Braun

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Wetlands are widely recognized for their valuable benefits such as providing habitat, improving water quality, and reducing the impacts of flooding. However, wetlands face threats from development, drought, and invasive species. This is particularly apparent in the arid west, where upstream water use and drought make water scarcer and contribute to dramatically changing water levels. Here, I investigated revegetation techniques for lakeshore wetlands, using Utah Lake as a case study. Although recent management efforts have minimized invasive Phragmites cover, the desired plant communities are not returning as quickly as needed, highlighting the need to research restoration techniques. Through my research, …

Fractally Sampling Diversity-Environment Relationships To Understand Plant Assemblage Health Across Spatial Scales, Elizabeth G. Simpson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Humans influence the health of ecosystems and rely on healthy ecosystems to support their livelihoods and well-being. By looking at how the parts of ecosystems interact we can understand and improve ecosystem health. Ecosystem interactions change across spatial scales or different size patches of area. For example, individual organisms interact with each other at small spatial scales, while at large spatial scales, communities of organisms interact with weather conditions. However, many research studies do not look at how ecosystem interactions change across spatial scales. To address this gap in ecological research, I use a fractal sampling design which samples at …

Avian Species Distribution Models: Using Location Data To Inform Management Decisions, Marilyn E. Wright

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Both state and federal wildlife agencies strive to conserve and protect wildlife and their habitats as an important public resource. Applied management decisions often rely on being able to obtain data that can efficiently and effectively enhance the understanding of these systems for informing management actions. Wildlife managers often focus efforts on a small subset of species from an ecosystem, typically called focal species, who can serve as surrogates for understanding the health and function of the system. Models that consider how these focal species interact with the ecosystem are often used to better understand important aspects of their life …

Forest Grouse Ecology And Management In The Bear River Range Northern Utah, Skyler Y. Farnsworth

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

To better manage dusky grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) and ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus), hereafter forest grouse, managers require better information on forest grouse population status and habitat selection. To address this need, from 2015-2017, I conducted research on a sympatric populations inhabiting the Bear River Range of northern Utah to develop a breeding survey protocol, assess habitat selection, evaluate dusky grouse response to livestock grazing, and determine hunter harvest rates.

The breeding census protocol that I developed compared listening intervals with and without electronic playback calls at designated survey stop locations. Using digital mapping software, I plotted …

Integrating Black Bear Behavior, Spatial Ecology, And Population Dynamics In A Human-Dominated Landscape: Implications For Management, Jarod D. Raithel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The American black bear (Ursus americanus) has made a robust recovery within the human-dominated, social-ecological systems characterizing the Mid-Atlantic United
States. For example, in northwestern New Jersey (NJ), USA, black bear abundance increased from an estimated 450-500 in 1996 to 3200-3400 in 2010. Bear recovery
coincided with increasing human populations, coupled with shifting settlement patterns toward sprawling suburban communities. Consequently, conflicts have rapidly proliferated over the past three decades and resulted in >1400 incidents of verified property damage, >400 livestock kills, >250 pet attacks and/or kills, seven human attacks and one human fatality since 2001. The New Jersey …

Aligning Conservation Goals And Management Objectives For Bonneville Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus Clarki Utah) In The Logan River, Utah, Harrison E. Mohn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Rivers are often managed without informed knowledge of how sportfish use different areas of the river to reproduce, and rarely take into account the relationship between fish movement and how they are distributed within the river when making management decisions. The population of native Bonneville cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki utah) within the Logan River is the largest documented population remaining for this imperiled species, and still maintains extremely high numbers of fish in the upper river. Currently, fishing is not allowed in the upper 20 kilometers of the Logan River watershed during spawning, based on the assumption that …

Integrated Management Of Downy Brome (Bromus Tectorum L.) Infested Rangeland, Heather Elwood

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Invasive weed species are a threat to the health and functionality of many rangeland systems. Downy brome (Bromus tectorum) is an invasive annual grass that affects the productivity of rangelands by decreasing the grazing capacity for livestock as well as altering the wildfire cycle and competing against more desirable vegetation for limited resources.

In 2006, an Invasive Plant Management Plan and Environmental Assessment was approved for Dinosaur National Monument, calling for prioritization of invasive species management on high value wildlife habitat, vector areas, and for species with a high ecological impact. The Cub Creek Watershed was identified as a priority …

Social Organization And Decision Making In North American Bison: Implications For Management, Ryan A. Shaw

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Social organization varies widely among herbivores, and the level of social organization in bison is widely debated. I hypothesized that when mother-daughter relationships are allowed to develop, bison form long-term associations. In my study, 25 treatment mothers were selected from a free-ranging herd and kept together with their calves, while 25 control females had their calves forcefully removed. Treatment mothers and offspring had by far the greatest number of associations with a greater percentage of individuals with a half weight index (HWI) > 0.50. The strongest associations (HWI > 0.31) were among treatment mothers and their offspring. Moreover, these associations persisted over …

Riparian Bird-Habitat Association Models: A Framework For Informing Management And Developing Restoration Guidelines In Utah, Hillary M. White

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Approximately 75% of the avian species in Utah use riparian habitats at some time during their life cycles and at least 80% of this habitat in Utah has been lost or altered since settlement; currently 0.6% of land cover in Utah is considered riparian. In 1992, with the support of Utah Partner's in Flight, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources began a statewide neotropical migratory bird (NTMB) and habitat monitoring program to assess the status of bird populations at 31 sites. Additional sites (up to 52) were added in later years; bird and habitat assessments at 37 riparian sites have …

Process-Based Management Of Downy Brome In Salt Desert Shrublands: Assessing Pre- And Post- Rehabilitation Soil And Vegetation Attributes, Merilynn Carol Hirsch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As an ecosystem driver, downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.) presents obstacles to land rehabilitation efforts, including restoring desirable species cover. Because damaged ecosystems may have crossed both abiotic and biotic thresholds, ecologically-based control strategies may assist with altering successional trajectories and restoring desirable plant species. My thesis research had three objectives: 1) assess soil and vegetation relationships in degraded salt desert ecosystems prior to implementing downy brome control treatments, 2) determine the effects of control treatments on soil properties and resident plant species, and 3) evaluate the relative importance of shrubland soil type, herbicide type, and herbicide rate on seedling …

Application Of Electrified Fladry To Decrease Risk Of Livestock Depredation By Wolves (Canis Lupus), Nathan J. Lance

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wolf (Canis lupus) predation on livestock can cause economic and emotional hardships for livestock producers, complicating the balance of wolf conservation with other human interests. New management tools that decrease risk of predation may offer additional flexibility or efficiency for both livestock producers and management agencies. I examined 1) the efficacy of electrified fladry compared to fladry at protecting a food source from wolves in captivity, 2) the efficacy of electrified fladry for reducing wolf use of pastures and preventing depredations, and 3) the applicability of electrified-fladry. In captivity I tested the reaction from 15 groups (46 wolves) …

Greenstrip Establishment And Management In The Intermountain West, Brenda Kristine Younkin-Kury

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Greenstrips were established at two sites in Utah to determine if seeded, grazed cool-season, perennial grasses would change fire behavior characteristics in areas currently dominated by Bromus tectorum. Frequency data were collected for both grazed and ungrazed seeded species and resident weed species. Moderate spring grazing did not negatively impact the establishment of seeded species at Camp Williams. Grazing at Promontory Point decreased Agropyron desertorum frequency and increased the frequency of Pascopyrum smithii. Biomass data collected for grazed and ungrazed treatments in both years indicated that moderate spring or winter grazing the first two years of establishment did …

Management Of Microbial Nitrate Production In Agricultural Soils, Wei Shi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nitrate (NO₃^-) is of central importance in the internal soil nitrogen (N) cycle. While animal wastes and nitrification inhibitors have been used in modern agriculture for decades, their effects on soil NO₃^- concentrations in relation to microbial NO₃^- production have not been well characterized. The objective of this research was to determine microbial NO₃^- production in relation to ammonium (NH₄⁺) availability and nitrifier population activity in agricultural soils receiving animal wastes or nitrification inhibitors.

Several laboratory and field studies assessed the impacts of variously treated dairy wastes and …

Grazing Systems As Management Tools To Meet Multiple Objectives, Lacy Nicole Hadley

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Grazing systems have in the past been developed to increase or maintain livestock production without degrading the land (Archer and Smeins, 1991). A grazing system is a "specialization of grazing management which defines the periods of grazing and non-grazing" (Jacoby, 1989). However, these systems can be developed for other uses besides just livestock. Grazing systems can be used as management tools by manipulating vegetation in specific directions to meet desired objectives. This is done by the livestock themselves because they act as "ecosystem regulators" by having a direct impact on the vegetation (Holechek et al., 1995). Livestock can alter the …

Assessing The Relative Utility Of Models Of Vegetation Dynamics For The Management Of Sagebrush Steppe Rangelands, Paul E. Hosten

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The literature, long-term temporal data sets, and spatial data points surrounding livestock watering pints within rangeland communities wearer used to examine common assumptions and concepts used in models of vegetation dynamics. Of the stability concepts examined, the constancy concept was invalidated using long-term relict area data, whereas long-term data following disturbance indicated that sagebrush-dominated areas could be considered as resilient under circumstances examined. Pioshpere as well as relict and post-disturbance data indicated that the individualistic notion of vegetation change was favored. Species showing the most predictability (based on repeatability of abundance curves, and spatial and temporal serial correlations) were sagebrush …

A Walk On The Wild Side: Conceptual Master Plan And Vegetation Management Plan For The Ogden Nature Center, Beth G. Pyle

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This report provides an introduction describing: 1) Ogden Nature Center site planning history; 2) background of the problem a) lack of a conceptual master plan which responds to current management objectives, b) lack of a vegetation management plan, and; 3) thesis objectives and methodology for the creation of conceptual master plan and vegetation management plan for the Ogden Nature Center. Chapter 2 presents a written discussion of the Ogden Nature Center site inventory drawings and site analysis. Chapter 3 delineates strategies for management of weedy vegetation including; a general discussion of management techniques, general criteria for the selection of weedy …

An Analysis Of Institutional Approaches For Management Of Common Rangeland Resources In Sub-Saharan Africa, Mohale Gabriel Sekoto

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The purpose of this report is to address the issues that are relevant to the management of common rangeland resources in Sub-Saharan Africa. I feel that the issues presented here are among some of those which are important and need to be considered in order to understand the kind of performance perceived about the efforts to develop the range and livestock in pastoral societies. In this report, three case studies have been reviewed, regarding institutional approaches tried to manage common rangelands. These case studies are about group ranches in Kajiado District, Kenya and in Upper Volta and the Sehlabathebe Grazing …

Development Of A Management Plan For Grey Goral: Lessons From Blackbuck And Cheer Pheasant Reintroduction Attempts, Maqsood Anwar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A study of grey goral (Nemorhaedus goral) in the Margalla Hills National Park, Pakistan, was conducted to develop a management plan for this animal. Goral are listed as endangered in Pakistan and elsewhere. They are confined to the steep slopes and difficult terrain that cover 28 percent of the total park area. Another 21 percent of the park area has similar habitat, but currently no goral occur there. Forty to 60 animals are estimated to be living in the park. Groups of two to three animals are common. During observation, goral spent most of their time in feeding, …

Factors Affecting The Sprouting Response Of Woody Caatinga Species And Their Implications For Improved Caatinga Management, Linda Howell Hardesty

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In northeast Brazil grazing is a major use of much of the semiarid woodlands (caatinga). Animal production is limited by lack of dry season forage, primarily deciduous tree leaves. Management is constrained by the persistence of undesirable trees that sprout from the stump (coppice). This study evaluates the possibility of manipulating coppicing trees to improve caatinga management, particularly dry season forage production.

The season of cutting can influence coppicing. Trees were cut early and late in the wet and dry seasons. After two years, trees of all species cut in the late wet season produced less biomass than those cut …

Investigation Of Selected Aspects Of Kokanee (Onchorhynchus Nerka) Ecology In Porcupine Reservoir, Utah, With Management Implications, Paul Joel Janssen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Several aspects of kokanee (Onchorhynchus nerka) ecology were studied in the fluctuating, 80ha Porcupine Reservoir, Utah in order to determine optimum management strategies. In 1981, escapement was enumerated and estimates of egg deposition were made. An estimate of the resulting fry recruitment was also attempted and was successful up to the arrival of spring runoff. In 1982, escapement was enumerated and estimates of egg deposition were made, with subsequent estimates of egg deposition and percent survival to the advanced eyed stage. Age and growth rates were determined and survival rates estimated.

Escapement for 1981 and 1982 was 5,463 …

Economic Analysis Of Long-Term Management Strategies For Two Sizes Of Utah Cattle Ranches, Roger E. Banner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Utah cattle ranchers realize relatively little profit from ranch ownership and management. This study represents an attempt to identify ranch management strategies that produce more profit over time than do conventional strategies.

To identify optimum management strategies for the long term, analyses of ranches under both normal and adverse ranch operation conditions using the COPLAN linear programming model were made for strategy comparison. To depict these ranch business environmental conditions, production levels were estimated from available biological data and price levels were estimated by indexing 1977 ranch product prices (the most current budget data available for Utah). The variability of …

Natural Pastures Of The Macquarie Region Of New South Wales: Their Origin, Composition And Management, David Leslie Michaelk

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Two experiments were conducted in the semi-arid (400 millimeter annual rainfall) Macquarie region of New South Wales, Australia, at the Trangie Agricultural Research Station (31° 59'S; 147° S7'E), to examine (a) the way botanical parameters can be used to separate grazing and climatic impacts on range vegetation, and (b) how this delineation affects application of range science tenets (site, condition and trend) to different pasture types.

Two range sites were studied: Site 1, a light soil type, was dominated by annual grasses, legumes and forbs, whereas perennial grasses (mainly Chloris acieularis and Chloris truncata) dominated the heavy soils of …

An Economic Analysis Of Range Improvements On Saddle Creek Allotment And Curlew National Grasslands--With Special Consideration On The Effects Of Improvements On Wildlife Management, Jerry Russell Meyers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Range improvements for livestock were analyzed for the Curlew National Grassland and Saddle Creek Allotment. Increases in aum's which were a result of range improvements were calculated and valued at $4.00 each. Internal rates of return for both study areas were computed with a 15-year project life span for estimated grazing capacity and permitted grazing. Rate of return was then set at 10 percent to calculate project life span for both permitted grazing and estimated grazing capacity for the two areas.

Effects of range improvements for livestock on wildlife habitat were studied. Due to a lack of quantitative data, values …

The Abundance, Migration And Management Of Mule Deer In Dinosaur National Monument, Robert W. Franzen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Dinosaur National Monument, in northwestern Colorado and northeastern Utah, is comprised of 206,409 acres and contains several deer winter ranges. A need for deer studies developed because of winter deer mortality and deteriorating range conditions on some parts of the Monument.

Approximately 500 deer winter on the Yampa Bench and approximately 300 deer winter on the Island Park winter range. These are the two main winter ranges within the Monument.

Deer on the Yampa Bench migrated an average of 7.3 air miles to the south and summered on the Blue Mountain Plateau during the summer of 1966. This Plateau is …

A Comparison Of Daughters Of Sires In Artificial Breeding At Different Levels Of Management, Richard C. Cook

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

One of the largest problems facing the successful dairyman of today is selection of proper sires to mate to his high producing cows. Many breeders and dairymen have the impression that proven sires will give the same increase in production regardless of the dam's production or the level of environment present. Even though sires come from high producing herds, some as high as 600 pounds of butterfat, the average production of all cows in the state of Utah remains at a much lower figure. The average for all cows in Utah is about 250 pounds of butterfat and the average …

The Cinnamon Teal (Anas Cyanoptera Vieillot): Its Life History, Ecology, And Management, Howard E. Spencer Jr.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It takes but a perusal of literature pertaining to waterfowl to realize the paucity of information regarding the Cinnamon Teal. The Redhead, Blue-winged Teal, and Canvasback have all been exhaustively studied by Low (1941). Bennett (1938), and Hochbaum (1944), respectively; and other species are now receiving attention from other workers. In order to help round out these studies of particular species, the writer undertook the project of a detailed study of the life history, ecology, and management of the Cinnamon Teal.

A Management Study Of The Idaho-Utah Interstate Deer Herd With Special Reference To The Sublett, Black Pine, And East Raft River Mountain Unit, Kenneth L. Diem

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Extensive deer migrations have been observed for many, years in western mountain regions. More recently several complex interstate migrations have become the objects of careful study and the subjects of special wildlife movement programs. The interstate deer migrations between the Sublett-Black Pine, Idaho, areas and the East Raft River Mountain, Utah, area are not exceptional. These migrations are now of such a magnitude that they are creating management problems of increasing importance to the 2 states involved.