Life Sciences Commons^™

Forestry Report, P. Sims, G. Steneker, K. Fronting, C. Kirby, P. Van Eck, H. Johnson, N. Walker, R. Bohning, L. Carlson, I. Bella, W. Johnstone, R. Waldron, L. Brace

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Salinity On Glycogen Content In The Brine Shrimp, Artemia Salinas, Of Great Salt Lake, Christon H. Merkley

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The brine shrimp, Artemia salinas, is one of the few organisms to be found in the hostile environment of the Great Salt Lake. Salt concentrations in the lake are found to exceed those in the oceans. In such an environment, the utilization of energy, even after it has been procured, presents a problem. The life inhabiting the lake has developed extraordinary adaptations to this and similar problems.

Electron micrographs produced by Dr. Nabil Youssef of Utah State University have revealed that unusual quantities of glycogen can be found in the muscle of brine shrimp taken from the Great Salt Lake. …

Integration Of Forage Production And Range Improvement In The Irrigated Gezira Scheme In The Sudan, Abdel Gader Ahmed Osman

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

The Gezira is an area of land, a part of the Democratic Republic of the Sudan, which lies between the Blue Nile and the White Nile. The area extends in a triangular shape from the junction of the two Niles at Khartoum on the north to the city of Sennar on the south (Figure 1). The area of this extremely flat plain is approximately two million hectares, one million of which are irrigable. It is considered the largest farm under one management in the world (Barbour, 1961).

Determining A Crop Production Function For Corn As Influenced By Irrigation And Salinity Levels, Timothy E. Sullivan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Production functions were generated for dry matter and grain yields of corn, A continuous variable plot design replicated four times was established in the spring of 1974 in Vernal, Utah. Each replication included ten salt treatments and twenty irrigation levels. The salt treatments resulted in an average root zone salinity ranging from 2 . 7 to 14.9 mmhos/cm. Irrigation levels ranged from 4.2 to 45.0cm of water applied. Dry matter (Kg/ha) yield showed an 83 percent reduction over the range of salt applied and a 52 percent reduction over the range of water applied. Grain yield declined 96 and 64 …

The Radiative And Conductive Heat Exchange Of A Cold Desert, Luis R. Martinez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The heat exchange during dry conditions in Curlew Valley for selected clear days is determined from recordings in 10 minute intervals. The two heat budget components, radiative exchange and heat flow in the soil, are studied in detail.

Maximum surface temperature due to radiative exchange above, assuming no heat loss by other components, is determined.

Reduction of surface temperature by heat conduction into the ground was calculated as a second step to solve the heat budget equation.

Substantial heat flow throughout a day is restricted to the upper 10 cm of the soil. Diffusivity of the soil was determined from …

In Situ Nitrogen Fixation In Cold Desert Soil-Algae Crust In Northern Utah, Darwin Levoy Sorensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nitrogen fixation, as measured by the acetylene-ethylene assay, in the surface soils of southern Curlew Valley, Utah-Idaho was studied. The removal of nitrogen from the surface soil by precipitation runoff water was also studied, and the role of the soil-algae crust in preventing erosive loss of nitrogen was evaluated.

Nitrogen fixation during the study year was estimated to be less than 10 kg/ha. This level is probably sufficient to maintain steady-state on an annual basis in standing crop nitrogen in this environment.

Well structured, lichenous crusts had improved infiltration of precipitation and lowered erosive loss of nitrogen. Poorly structured and …

Structure Of Songs And Organization Of Singing In Fox Sparrows Breeding In Northern Utah And Southern Idaho, Dennis John Martin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Structure of songs and organization of singing in 133 Fox Sparrows Passerella iliaca were studied during 2 breeding seasons in 3 geographically separate populations in northern Utah and southern Idaho. The structure of songs was analyzed with the aid of an audiospectrograph. The organization of the singing of songs in 56 birds was analyzed by applying Markov chain analyses to the sequences of songs uttered.

Songs were composed of syllable-types, of which 49 were recognized. Syllable-types could occur singly or be serially repeated within songs, but they were never fractured so that only a portion of one would be in …

Breeding Ecology Of The Ferruginous Hawk In Northern Utah And Southern Idaho, Richard P. Howard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Forty-three and 54 Ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis) pairs were found occupying territories in northern Utah and southeastern Idaho during 1972 and 1973, respectively. Of these 38 and 27 nesting pairs laid eggs. Nesting success was 77.1 percent in 1972 and 74.6 percent in 1973. for successful nests, an average of 2.9 and 2.6 young hatched and 2.7 and 2.3 young fledged during the respective years. This population is reproductively comparable to others in Utah and Colorado. Analysis of prey items collected from the nests indicated that black-tailed jack-rabbits (Lepus californicus) constitute 86 percent of the biomass …

The Influence Of Climate On Biomass And Mineralomass Of A Crested Wheatgrass Community In Northern Utah, Randall S. Shinn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Aboveground biomass, litter biomass and root biomass of a crested wheatrgrass (Agropyron desertorum [Fisch.] Schult.) dominated community were inventoried in the fall of 1971, 1972, and 1973. In addition, energy, nitrogen, fats and ash determinations were made on the materials collected in 1972 and 1973.

The sampling methods used generated data sufficiently precise to detect significant differences (α = .10) among biomass components among years. The chemical contents of the components were similar in the fall of 1972 and the fall of 1973 despite the large differences in growing season precipitation.

A simple linear regression formula was generated from …

The Effect Of Environment And Cultural Practices On The Cold Hardiness Of Peach Wood, Larry A. Sagers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Studies were conducted to better understand the effect of temperature, photoperiod, cultural practices, and growth regulators on the hardening and dehardening of peach tree wood.

Greenhouses were constructed to control temperatures to which peach trees were exposed. It was noted that hardening and dehardening usually followed the temperature fluctuation fairly closely. However, trees exposed to temperatures above 60 F (15.6 C) became hardy to 0 F (-17.8 C).

A photoperiodic response in regard to an increase or decrease in hardiness was not definitely observed in peach wood. Extended photoperiod did not produce any significant effect on hardiness. Defoliation, bloom date, …

An Interregional Competition Study Of Utah Agriculture Using The Linear Programming Technique, Douglas Lee Andersen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purposes of this paper were to inventory the available agricultural production resources in Utah, to determine how those resources could be allocated most efficiently, and to provide information to aid the crop and livestock producing sectors in Utah in making informed production and marketing decisions.

Utah was divided into eight agricultural production and product consumption regions and the rest of the country was regionalized into product supply and market areas. Input and output coefficients, production costs, and market prices for the major Utah crop and livestock production enterprises and their products were developed. A linear program was then used …

Effect Of Zinc Nutriture And Contraceptive Steroid Injection On Body Composition Of Young Female Rats, Sang Ai Hahn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Forty-nine female rats initially weighing about 95 grams were used in this experiment to determine the effect of contraceptive hormones on body composition in zinc deficient and zinc supplemented rats. Four treatment groups were: 2 ppm of dietary zinc with daily contraceptive steroid injections, or with placebo injection, and 140 ppm of dietary zinc with contraceptive steroid injection or with placebo. The daily injected steroids consisted of 0.1ug of Ethynyl Estradiol and 0.1mg of Medroxyprogesterone in 0.1ml of corn oil. Non-hormone treated groups received 0.1ml of plain corn oil. All injections were administered into the Gluteus Maximus muscle. Food intake, …

Experimental Avian Botulism Studies On Sewage Oxidation Ponds In Utah, Daniel W. Moulton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objective of this study was to field-test the "microenvironment concept" of avian botulism epizootiology. The "microenvironment concept" hypothesizes that aquatic invertebrate carcasses may serve both as a substrate for toxin production by Clostridium botulinum type C in nature and as a vehicle for toxin transmission to waterbirds. This concept has become the generally accepted, but inadequately tested, working hypothesis of type C botulism epizootiology.

This study attempted to experimentally induce type C botulism in sentinel flocks of mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) and American coots (Fulica americana) on sewage oxidation ponds in northern Utah. The three …

Economics Of Land Use Planning: A Case Study Of Annexation In Heber Valley, Utah, Lyle C. Summers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Some theories and methodologies applicable to land use planning problems were reviewed along with the history of land use and land use legislation in the United States and Utah. This review served to point out that federal land use policy is moving away from the incentive approach to controlling land use and toward a more mandatory approach aimed at giving increased emphasis to environmental quality and less to economic efficiency.

A model for conceptualizing and analyzing annexation problems was developed and applied to a problem in Heber City, Wasatch County, Utah. The analysis demonstrated that annexation is feasible by showing …

Carbon, Nitrogen And Algal Biomass In Cold Desert Soil Crusts, Mary Cleave Vogelsberg

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The algal biomass, total organic carbon, total nitrogen and percent soil moisture of soil crusts for a ten month period are presented for the Curlew Valley region of northern Utah. The estimates establish a significant relationship among these parameters.

A method involving chlorophyll extraction to determine the biomass of soil algae has been developed, and from this method the following conclusions are suggested: the revegetation of soil surfaces by algal crusts after lethal treatment, without physical disruption, appears to be rapid; there is no apparent relationship between the amount of algal biomass and the type of vascular vegetation present.

The Reproductive Cycle Of Male Uinta Ground Squirrels And Its Relationship To Pineal N-Acetyltransferase And Monoamine Oxidase In The Testes, Hypothalamus And Pituitary, Robert Alexander Palmer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A study was made of the reproductive cycle of male Uinta ground squirrels (Spermophilus armatus) during the activity seasons of 1973 and 1974 and during the aestivation/hibernation (A/H) period of 1973-1974. Physiological data collected were compared to changes in monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity of the testes, pituitary and hypothalamus and to pineal N-acetyltransferase activity.

Male Uinta ground squirrels began emerging from their burrows on April 12, 1973, and April 8, 1974, with average body weights of 302 g and 301 g, respectively. Body weight did not increase greatly during breeding, but rose rapidly to over a 500 g …

Nitrogen Fixation In Arid Western Soils, Robert Charles Rychert

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nitrogen fixation by blue-green algae-lichen crusts from South Curlew Valley, Utah, in the Great Basin Desert, was studied using the acetylene reduction technique. A molar ratio of 3 moles C₂H₄ produced/mole of N₂ fixed was used to estimate nitrogen (N₂) fixation by acetylene reduction. Nostoc was found to be present in many of the lichen thalli examined microscopically. Crust nitrogen fixation decreased rapidly below -1/3 bar pressure (water potential) which indicated that nitrogen fixation occurs only when the crust is wet. This would suggest that most of the crust nitrogen fixation in the Great …

Regulation Of Rabbit Testicular Capsular Motility: The Interaction Of Prostaglandins, Acetylcholine And Sympathomimetic Agents, James L. Hargrove

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The regulation of the contractility and intratesticular pressure of rabbit testes was studied. The effects of, and interactions among, prostaglandins (PGs) E₁ and F_2α testosterone, acetylcholine, epinephrine and norepinephrine were ascertained both in vitro and in vivo. All of these compounds, except for high concentrations of PGE₁ and testosterone, stimulated the testicular capsule to contract. PGE₁ at low concentrations potentiated the contractions produced by epinephrine and acetylcholine. Above 10^-7M, PGE₁ inhibited contractions caused by PGF_2α epinephrine or acetylcholine. Testosterone inhibited contractions caused by PGF_2α in vitro.

Preinjections of rabbits …

Factors Relating To Diapause In The Alfalfa Weevil Parasite Bathyplectes Curculionis (Thomson), David S. Parrish

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Biological and ecological factors regulating diapause in the ichneumonid parasite of the alfalfa weevil, Bathyplectes curculionis (Thomson), were studied. In most experiments, both parasites and weevil larvae were maintained in the environmental conditions under study from the emergence of the adult parasite until the evaluation of results.

The factors either preventing or inducing diapause in B. curculionis were found to be an interaction of environmental factors. A long scotophase with cool temperatures prevented diapause. The percentage of nondiapausing parasites increased as the scotophase was increased to 15 hours. Over 15 hours of scotophase, fewer nondiapausing parasites were produced. The optimum …

Effect Of Processing On Aliphatic Aldehyde Content Of Turkey Meat, Carolyn G. Ponce

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nitrite at the level found in turkey frankfurter formulations vii did not interfere in the hydrazone test as developed by Andrews (1975). The aldehyde levels of frankfurters made principally from MD turkey meat were, on the average, twice as high as the levels in the raw meat. Aldehyde levels generally increased as the frozen storage time of the raw meat increased. There were some variations from this trend due to variation in the fat content of the raw meat. Sixty days was recommended as a maximum frozen storage time. However, because of variation in the fat content from sample to …

Influence Of Environment And Cultural Practices On Rest, Cold Hardiness, And Abscisic Acid Concentration Of Gleason Elberta Peach Buds, Ronald H. Walser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The effects of temperature, defoliation, light, and certain fall cultural practices on rest and hardiness of Gleason Elberta peach buds were studied. The influence of these factors on abscisic acid concentration in peach buds and a possible role of ABA in rest and hardiness of peach buds were also investigated.

Peach leaf buds enter rest in early fall, reach a rest intensity peak in early winter, then break rest as a chilling requirement is met. Complete defoliation before rest has begun will cause some leaf and flower buds to grow, while defoliation after rest has begun will not cause visible …

Seedling Rust Of Safflower -- Its Influence On The Performance Of Selected Varieties And Partial Hybrids, Jon James Jensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Rust-infested and uninfested seedlots of 14 safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) entries (4 resistant lines, 4 moderately or fully susceptible lines, and six F₁ hybrids from crosses between rust-susceptible females and rust-resistant males), were planted in replicated field trials. The four infested entries resistant to seedling rust incited by Puccinia carthami Cda. exhibited average stand losses of 2.4, 8.4, 18.4, and 27.7%. Stand reduction in the resistant entries was not greater than the inherent compensating ability of the surviving plants; consequently, the yield of these entries was not significantly reduced. Plots from the rusted seedlots of the moderately and …

An Analysis Of Sound Communication In The Water Vole, Microtus Richardsoni (Rodentia: Microtinae), Dane R. Tang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Adult members of the species Microtus richardsoni were used to study the importance of acoustic communication in these voles. Tests were run with single individuals and nonbreeding pairs of voles to obtain recordings and sonagraphs of sounds emitted during exploration of a new cage, agonistic encounters, encounters with a potential predator and in response to miscellaneous aversive stimuli. Of the four groups of tests conducted, sounds were used by M. richardsoni during the last three. The results of this study showed that the water vole emitted ten different call types or sounds. These sounds were separated by similarity into Group …

Monoamine Oxidase As A Target Enzyme In Pineal And Testicular Tissue: Adrenal Cortical Steroids And Arginine Vasotocin, Randall James Merrill

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of the research was twofold: (a) To ascertain what effects the adrenal glucocorticoids and catecholamines have on pineal N-acetyltransferase and monoamine oxidase activity, and (b) to observe what effect arginine vasotocin (a pineal polypeptide) has on testicular monoamine oxidase activity.

Rat pineal N-acetyltransferase activity was numerically increased when rats were injected with cortisol. It was increased significantly when the animals were injected with cortisol plus norepinephrine. Adrenal demedullation significantly increased N-acetyltransferase activity in starved rats when compared with intact control animals. Moreover, bovine pineal monoamine oxidase activity was markedly inhibited in a dose-dependent manner when incubated in vitro …

Milk Protein Analysis By Automated Ultraviolet Spectroscopy, R. Ford Wilkinson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An automated continuous flow analysis for milk protein utilizing ultraviolet spectroscopy resulted in a correlation coefficient of 0.972 and a standard estimate of error of 0.082 percent protein when 30 samples were compared with the acid orange 12 dye binding method. Milk was solubilized in 95-105 volumes of acetic acid using the Technicon Auto Analyzer II and measured for absorbance at 274 nanometers. No deviation from the standard method due to mastitis and varying milk fat concentration was observed. A theoretical model indicated a possible standard estimate of error 0.059 percent protein due to inter- and intra-breed variation in milk …

Evaluation, Assay, Distribution, And Survey Of Staphylococcus Aureus Thermonuclease In Milk And Cheese Products, Gene Leong Hong

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The metachromatic agar-diffusion test of Lachica, Hoeprich, and Genigeorgis (1971) was modified by adding 17 ml of the agar medium to a 100 by 15 mm plastic petri dish, using 5 µl samples and 3 mm wells. The test detected 0.5 ng/ml of thermonuclease in 3 hr at 37 C. This was equivalent to 10⁶ to 10⁷ cells/ml of Staphylococcus aureus strains 196 E, 14458, and 19095 grown in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) broth. The test sensitivity was decreased ten fold in raw and pasteurized milk.

One-half gram of cheese was dissolved in 4.5 ml of 0.1 M …

Factors Influencing Germination And Seedling Survival Of Several Varieties Of Astragalus Lentiginosus Dougl., Paul Ziemkiewicz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Astragalus lentiginosus, which consists of 36 varieties, is one of the principal locoweeds of western North America. The objectives of this study included identification of some of the major factors affecting germination of the seed and survival of the newly established seedlings for several of these varieties.

The seeds of the varieties studied exhibited two mechanisms for dormancy. One is a seed coat that is impermeable to water, and the other is a water-leachable inhibitor. The presence or absence of low-intensity incandescent light (in 14-hour day lengths) had no effect on germination. Of three temperature regimes studied, the regime …

The Effects Of Gully Plugs And Contour Furrows On Erosion And Sedimentation In Cisco Basin, Utah, Dee B. Thomas

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Soil surface treatments consisting of gully plugs and contour furrows were constructed as a means of reducing erosion and holding sediment on site.

To measure the effectiveness of the gully plugs and furrows, angle iron stakes and profile transects were installed to measure soils loss and accompanying change in the soil profile. The profile transects gave a reliable measure of the change in the height of the soil surface in constructed pits and across contour furrows. Because of the shrinking and swelling of the soil, the change in height of the angle iron stakes was found to be much more …

Evaluation Of A Vapor Pressure Osmometer For Determination Of Added Water In Milk, Kietipong Pensiripun

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A Wescor Vapor Pressure Osmometer measured the osmolality of a solution by sensing the vapor pressure above the solution in a closed chamber. The instrument sensing element comprised a precision thermocouple which measured the dew point temperature depression, a function of the water vapor pressure in the chamber. It used approximately 5-7 microliter samples to saturate a 0.64 cm filter paper disc. The instrument fixed a milliosmolal digital reading and signaled test completion in 110 seconds. The instrument weighed approximately 3. 62 kilograms, was 26. 7 x 24. 1 x 10. 2 cms in size and had a range of …

A Fine-Structural Study Of Aberrant Meiotic Cytokinesis In An Autosomal Male Sterile Mutant (Ms(2)3r) Of Drosophila Melonogaster, Laura J. Laughran

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The ultrastructure of abnormal meiotic cytokinesis in an autosomal male sterile mutant of Drosophila melanogaster is described. In the mutant ms(2)3R mitotic cytokinesis proceeds normally, but abnormal meiotic divisions give rise to four spermatids developing in one cytoplasmic mass. The contractile ring which is responsible for cell constriction during cytokinesis appears to form and function normally during meiosis. Ring canals which form intercellular bridges between synchronously developing spermatids are also apparently normal. However, there is an apparent adhesion and subsequent disintegration of the furrow membranes after division is completed. In addition to double membrane fragments in areas of open …