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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Relating Predator Community Ecology And Duck Nest Survival In Eastern South Dakota, Samantha R. Fino Jan 2023

Relating Predator Community Ecology And Duck Nest Survival In Eastern South Dakota, Samantha R. Fino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As conversion of native grasslands and wetlands to croplands continues in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), managers are tasked with maintaining sustainable waterfowl populations. Mesopredator community dynamics is a hypothesized mechanism driving spatiotemporal variation of waterfowl nest survival in the PPR, yet studies often lack detailed information on mesopredator species occurrence and abundance. Therefore, understanding spatial and temporal variation in behaviors of mesopredators provides valuable insights for understanding predator-prey interactions between mesopredators and upland duck nests. Further, differences in a predator community resulting from lethal removal of dominant species may influence composition and space use patterns of subordinate and non-target …


Phytoremediation Of Saline-Sodic Soils In East Central South Dakota Utilizing Perennial Grass Mixtures, Douglas J. Fiedler Jan 2020

Phytoremediation Of Saline-Sodic Soils In East Central South Dakota Utilizing Perennial Grass Mixtures, Douglas J. Fiedler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Several decades of above average precipitation in South Dakota has increased the area of saline and sodic soils, which reduce crop yields and inhibit sensitive plant growth. Saline and sodic soils are difficult to remediate using traditional agricultural crops. Establishing salt tolerant perennial species may restore productivity to salt affected areas. Two perennial grass mixtures (mix 1: slender wheatgrass, beardless wildrye; mix 2: slender wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, green wheatgrass, creeping meadow foxtail) were dormant frost seeded along a topographic gradient in Clark Co., SD. Soils were Forman-Cresbard loam and a Cresbard-Cavour loam with surface electrical conductivity (EC1:1) that …


Understanding How Agricultural Intensification Impacts Ring-Necked Pheasant Distribution And Survival In Eastern South Dakota, Hilary R. Kauth Jan 2020

Understanding How Agricultural Intensification Impacts Ring-Necked Pheasant Distribution And Survival In Eastern South Dakota, Hilary R. Kauth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Historically, pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) have thrived in South Dakota in conjunction with successful land retirement programs or early farming practices through the 1950s, which created interspersions of agriculture and native landscapes that were ideal for pheasants. Recently, the Prairie Pothole ecosystem has undergone rapid agroeconomic expansion, effectively reducing ideal interspersions of native prairie and cropland into agriculturally homogeneous landscapes. Indices of pheasant abundance have suggested persistent population declines since 2008, raising concerns regarding landscape suitability. Our goal was to understand how agriculture intensification impacts pheasant ecology. The objectives were to: 1) estimate overwinter hen probability of survival, resource …


Characterizing Spatiotemporal Patterns Of White Mold In Soybean Across South Dakota Using Remote Sensing, Confiance L. Mfuka Jan 2019

Characterizing Spatiotemporal Patterns Of White Mold In Soybean Across South Dakota Using Remote Sensing, Confiance L. Mfuka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soybean is among the most important crops, cultivated primarily for beans, which are used for food, feed, and biofuel. According to FAO, the United States was the biggest soybeans producer in 2016. The main soybean producing regions in the United States are the Corn Belt and the lower Mississippi Valley. Despite its importance, soybean production is reduced by several diseases, among which Sclerotinia stem rot, also known as white mold, a fungal disease that is caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is among the top 10 soybean diseases. The disease may attack several plants and considerably reduce yield. According to …


Food Availability, Including Traditional Foods, In Grocery And Convenience Stores In 6 High Obese Counties In South Dakota, Including Native American Reservations, Francesca Willard Jan 2018

Food Availability, Including Traditional Foods, In Grocery And Convenience Stores In 6 High Obese Counties In South Dakota, Including Native American Reservations, Francesca Willard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Native American populations are disproportionately affected by obesity and its associated chronic diseases. Rural areas are also disproportionately affected by obesity and face significant challenges related to their food environment, food security, and food availability. The combination of these barriers make it challenging for rural, NA reservations to combat these health disparities and have opportunities to make healthy food choices. The lack of access to healthy and traditional foods in these areas is of great concern. The purpose of this study is to determine the food availability, including traditional foods, in grocery and convenience stores in six high obese counties …


Quantifying The Short-Term Impacts Of Cover Crops And Grazing On Soil Health Under An Integrated Crop-Livestock System In South Dakota, Vishal Seth Jan 2018

Quantifying The Short-Term Impacts Of Cover Crops And Grazing On Soil Health Under An Integrated Crop-Livestock System In South Dakota, Vishal Seth

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cover crops and grazing under Integrated Crop-Livestock System (ICLS) can impact the rhizosphere nutrient cycling and may have potential to increase the long-term sustainability and economic profitability of agricultural production system. In South Dakota, crop production practices and livestock husbandry are both common which provide the opportunity for ICLS to be successful in this region. However, little is known about the impacts of the cover crops and grazing under ICLS on soil properties in this region. The present study was conducted at South Dakota State University Research Farm (44°20'34.8"N, 96°48'14.8"W), Brookings, SD, to quantify the impacts of cover crops and …


Insecticidal Seed And In-Furrow Treatment Recommendations For Soybean And Sunflower, Brady Hauswedell Jan 2018

Insecticidal Seed And In-Furrow Treatment Recommendations For Soybean And Sunflower, Brady Hauswedell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Throughout the 2016 and 2017 growing season, field research experiments were replicated across South Dakota. Many times seed treatments are used prophylactic, which is neither good for the producers or the environment. Producers will be able to reduce production costs, if they only use a seed treatment when necessary. The purpose of the first experiment was to determine the effects of seed treatments in combination with planting date and seeding rate on soybean yield. To determine the effects, two years of field data from four eastern South Dakota locations were compared. Within each year and location we compared two planting …


Adoption Of Conservation Practices And Precision Technologies In South Dakota: An Empirical Analysis, Allen P. Deutz Jan 2018

Adoption Of Conservation Practices And Precision Technologies In South Dakota: An Empirical Analysis, Allen P. Deutz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Advances in conservation agriculture and precision agriculture technology practices have contributed to the adoption of conservation practices that reduce externalities from agricultural production, but this conversion was usually coupled with economic incentive, whether from increases in fertility and yield, or payments for on farm retirement or restoration practices. This study expands on this theme, evaluating the connection between conservation and the increased use of various precision agriculture technologies. The study uses survey data collected from South Dakota farmers and ranchers, with responses from 28 counties and over 500,000 acres of crop, pasture, and range land to address the following three …


Western Prairie Stream Fisheries: An Assessment Of Past And Present Fish Assemblage Structure, Biotic Homogenization, And Population Dynamics In Western South Dakota Streams, Stephen Jones Jan 2018

Western Prairie Stream Fisheries: An Assessment Of Past And Present Fish Assemblage Structure, Biotic Homogenization, And Population Dynamics In Western South Dakota Streams, Stephen Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Biodiversity is declining globally, especially in in aquatic systems. Prairies are one of the most endangered ecosystem types in North America, and their conversion into agriculture or development as a result of urbanization has had negative effects on prairie stream fish communities. Continued monitoring of fish assemblage change and the population dynamics of prairie stream fishes will provide researchers and managers with valuable information needed to detect and mitigate past and future negative impacts on prairie stream aquatic ecosystems. Sampling was conducted in the mainstem and tributaries of the Grand, Moreau, Cheyenne, Bad, and White rivers within western South Dakota. …


An Evaluation Of Deer And Pronghorn Surveys In South Dakota, Kristopher W. Cudmore Jan 2017

An Evaluation Of Deer And Pronghorn Surveys In South Dakota, Kristopher W. Cudmore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To properly manage white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and the American pronghorn antelope (Antilocapridae americana), wildlife managers must identify population perimeters, sample size, age and sex ratios of these three species. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate age and sex ratios and determine a minimum sample size for each study area for all deer species and pronghorn, in addition to deriving a methodology and population estimate for white-tailed deer in the Black Hills. Sample size needed for both species of deer and pronghorn ranged from 60-70 groups of does. Age ratios calculated from daylight …


Improving Survey Methodology To Monitor Rare Grassland Birds In South Dakota, Kassondra Hendricks Jan 2017

Improving Survey Methodology To Monitor Rare Grassland Birds In South Dakota, Kassondra Hendricks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data for grassland bird species has shown the most rapid population decline of any other bird group. Current roadside survey techniques, however, may fall short of providing accurate numbers of rare grassland bird species such as chestnut-collared longspur (Calcarius ornatus), lark bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys), Sprague’s pipit (Anthus spragueii), and Baird’s sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii). Trends resulting from roadside data for grassland birds are oftentimes determined to be statistically insignificant because many grassland bird species occur on too few routes, occur in low numbers per route, and show high annual fluctuations in number. It is possible roadside surveys …


Evaluation Of The Deadwood Bighorn Sheep Herd Translocation, Ty J. Werdel Jan 2017

Evaluation Of The Deadwood Bighorn Sheep Herd Translocation, Ty J. Werdel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

From 2015-2017, we evaluated a newly established bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) herd in the Deadwood Region of the Black Hills, South Dakota. Our objectives were to 1a) determine annual survival rates, 1b) determine cause-specific mortality, 1c) estimate population size, 2a) assess genetic diversity, 2b) assess disease prevalence, 3) evaluate movement patterns post-release, 4a) evaluate 3rd-order habitat selection, and 4b) estimate herbaceous biomass at foraging sites post-release of translocated bighorn sheep. In February 2015, we captured and translocated 26 bighorn sheep from the Luscar Mine near Hinton, Alberta, Canada to the Deadwood Region of the Black Hills, South Dakota. Overall annual …


Indexing Walleye Recruitment In Eastern South Dakota Natural Lakes, Todd M. Kaufman Jan 2017

Indexing Walleye Recruitment In Eastern South Dakota Natural Lakes, Todd M. Kaufman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Because of the popularity of Walleyes and the need for recurrent supplemental stockings, substantial resources are allocated to their management in eastern South Dakota. For nearly 20 years, fall night electrofishing has been used to monitor age-0 Walleye population parameters, and index future year-class strength in select waters but with limited evaluation. Additionally, knowledge of recruitment patterns and factors that influence those patterns were of interest. Thus, the objectives of this study were: 1) to determine the utility of fall electrofishing age-0 Walleyes to index future year-class strength; 2) to explore whether measures of fall age-0 body size or condition …


Swift Foxes In Southwestern South Dakota: Assessing The Current Status Of A Reintroduced Population, Sarah Ann Nevison Jan 2017

Swift Foxes In Southwestern South Dakota: Assessing The Current Status Of A Reintroduced Population, Sarah Ann Nevison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Swift foxes (Vulpes velox) were reintroduced into Badlands National Park between 2003 and 2006 after being nearly extirpated from South Dakota in the early 1900’s. Genetic analysis provided strong evidence that the reintroduction was successful, but viability analysis indicated the population may be in jeopardy with a high probability of extinction. Recently, the population has declined due to various biotic and abiotic factors (e.g., recent weather patterns, effects of plague [Yersinia pestis], and increased coyote [Canis latrans] numbers). No information on the status of swift foxes has been collected since 2009. Between 2014 and 2016, the objectives of this study …


Evaluation Of Tillage, Crop Rotation, And Cover Crop Impacts On Corn Nitrogen Requirements In Southeastern South Dakota, Sara Louise Berg Jan 2016

Evaluation Of Tillage, Crop Rotation, And Cover Crop Impacts On Corn Nitrogen Requirements In Southeastern South Dakota, Sara Louise Berg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen (N) is a vital factor of corn (Zea mays) production. Previous work in South Dakota has shown that there is uncertainty as to whether nitrogen requirements are the same for corn raised under no-till (NT) versus conventional till (CT) production systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether N requirements continue to be greater under long-term NT versus CT production systems in southeastern South Dakota, while also considering effects from cover crops and crop rotation. This was a two year study conducted at the SDSU Southeast Research Farm near Beresford, SD; it was superimposed on a long-term …


Assessing Freshwater Mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) In South Dakota And Identifying Drivers Of Assemblage Variation, Kaylee L. Faltys Jan 2016

Assessing Freshwater Mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) In South Dakota And Identifying Drivers Of Assemblage Variation, Kaylee L. Faltys

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Native freshwater mussels (Family: Unionidae) are among the most threatened groups of freshwater fauna on Earth. Approximately 35 species have gone extinct since the 1900s and 72% of remaining species are considered endangered, threatened, or species of special concern. Unionid research can begin by establishing species presence and distributions via surveys. Objectives for this study were to 1) implement the first comprehensive unionid survey for South Dakota to assess distribution, composition, and decline, 2) estimate assemblage density and determine local versus broad scale habitat drivers of assemblage variation, and 3) determine areas of unionid conservation priority in South Dakota. Mussels …


Evaluation Of Bobcat (Lynx Rufus) Survival, Harvest, And Population Size In The West-Central Region Of South Dakota, Brandon M. Tycz Jan 2016

Evaluation Of Bobcat (Lynx Rufus) Survival, Harvest, And Population Size In The West-Central Region Of South Dakota, Brandon M. Tycz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent concern regarding bobcat (Lynx rufus) population status has prompted researchers and managers to gather additional information about bobcats in South Dakota. From 2012–2015, we assessed population dynamics of bobcats occupying the west-central region of South Dakota. Our objectives were to: 1) estimate annual survival rates; 2) determine cause-specific mortality; 3) estimate a population size for the western prairie region of South Dakota; 4) estimate home range size of individually marked bobcats; 5) evaluate reproductive status; and 6) build a population model. We captured and radio-collared 51 (24 male, 27 female) bobcats with VHF collars. Annual survival was 65.1% (95% …