Life Sciences Commons^™

Natural Resource Decisions: Discount Rates, Time Horizons, And Evaluations, Amanda Hyman

Doctoral Dissertations

As effects from climate change accelerate, there is a pressing need for research that can improve people’s lives and safeguard the environment. Billions of dollars are invested annually in such projects. To invest that money wisely, we need to understand the effects of assumptions that underpin decisions but often go unstated, such as assumptions about discount rates and time horizons. We also need to understand how project design choices affect the management of natural resources, prioritization of conservation actions, and success of climate adaptation projects. My dissertation explores these topics. I ask if and how local natural resource users and …

Conservation Status Assessment Of The Egg-Mimic Darter (Percidae: Etheostoma Pseudovulatum) Using A Multi-Faceted Approach, Zachary L. Wolf, John W. Johansen, Rebecca E. Blanton

Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings

The imperiled Egg-mimic Darter (Etheostoma pseudovulatum) is a headwater-adapted fish restricted to an area less than 1000 km² in Tennessee. It is found in only six tributaries of the Duck River and the large, mainstem of this system may act as a barrier to dispersal, restricting population connectivity. The only status assessment of this species was over two decades ago; genetic diversity and the degree of population connectivity have never been evaluated. We conducted a conservation status assessment using a multi-faceted approach to better inform conservation management plans, including examining its current distribution, assessing habitat quality, estimating …

Costs Of Protected Areas In The United States, Diane Le Bouille

Doctoral Dissertations

Protected areas, or land owned in fee by agencies and non-profits to further conservation goals, have traditionally been the go-to choice for conservation interests. The UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre estimates that, currently, close to 15% of all terrestrial and inland water areas are protected. This figure falls short of the Aichi Biodiversity Target of 17% in 2020, that was added to the Convention on Biological Diversity by its 196 signatories in 2010. But as the Convention prepares to set new post-2020 targets, this percentage is expected to keep increasing. Although acquiring a parcel of land is only one …

Summer Foraging Range And Diurnal Roost Selection Of Tri-Colored Bats, Perimyotis Subflavus., Dustin Bradley Thames

Masters Theses

Tri-colored bat populations are declining in eastern North America where the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans has been introduced. The pathogen causes disease and mortality in cave hibernating bats. Once considered a common species in Tennessee, tri-colored bats are now being considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act. There is a paucity of research examining the basic ecology of tri-colored bats. Research to fill these knowledge gaps is needed to inform conservation plans and to define critical habitat. The first objective of my research was to characterize the summer diurnal roosts of tri-colored bats and to examine roost selection at …

Identifying Extinction Risk Patterns In Pollination Networks And Conservation Planning To Reduce The Cost Of Management-Necessitated Travel, Christine Elise Dumoulin

Doctoral Dissertations

Extinction rates are currently far above background levels, as a result of human activity. Although conservation spending is substantial, there is a shortfall between the cost of meeting biodiversity targets and the resources available to do so. Consequently, decision-makers are faced with the task of identifying which taxonomic groups and geographical regions are of greatest concern, and prioritizing approaches with the greatest conservation benefit. In this dissertation, I develop novel approaches in both of these areas.

First, I take a stochastic, community dynamic approach to modeling extinction risk patterns in pollination networks. Despite the ecological and agricultural importance of pollination …

Essays On Protected Area Size: Effects On Ecological And Economic Effectiveness, Kristen Marie Thiel

Masters Theses

Faced with continuing threats to biodiversity, governments are increasingly seeking to expand protected areas. Financial resources are limited, which often spurs conservation planners to prioritize locations for future protection. Thus, prioritization of protected areas is increasingly being evaluated based on the return on investment (ROI) they offer. This thesis consists of two essays analyzing the land acquisitions made by the world’s largest conservation organization, The Nature Conservancy (TNC). In the first essay, entitled “Effects of Protected Area Size on Conservation Return on Investment,” the increase in effective mesh size per dollar invested to acquire a parcel was greater for larger …

Regional Assessment Of The Relationships Of Conservation Practices To Northern Bobwhite And Other Priority Grassland Bird Breeding Populations, Christopher Manuel Lituma

Doctoral Dissertations

I documented populations of Northern Bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) and other priority grassland and early successional birds in the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region (CHBCR), and determined whether conservation practices have been effective in positively impacting species occupancy and abundance. I designed and implemented a roadside survey by randomly locating five 15-km routes with 5-min unlimited distance point counts (30 counts/route), along secondary roads within Northern Bobwhite focal counties (n = 37) in the CHBCR. I also developed a survey to assess roadside biases for estimates of relative abundance (a), occupancy (ψ), detection probability (p), and associated …

Producers Willingness To Adopt A Prescribed Grazing System East Of The 100th Meridian, Caroline Elizabeth Holt

Masters Theses

With the climate change concerns facing the United States, the contributions of the beef industry to greenhouse gasses are difficult to overlook. The agriculture industry is estimated to be the largest producer of methane emissions in the United States, and within agriculture, livestock are the largest contributor with cattle producing 73 percent of the methane emissions from all livestock (Johnson and Johnson 1995).

This thesis focuses on factors influencing beef cattle producers’ east of the 100th meridian interest in adopting prescribed grazing; including how a government cost share system could enhance adoption. Information was obtained for the study through a …

High Variance In Reproductive Success Generates A False Signature Of A Genetic Bottleneck In Populations Of Constant Size: A Simulation Study, Sean M. Hoban, Massimo Mezzavilla, Oscar E. Gaggiotti, Andrea Benazzo, Cock Van Oosterhout, Giorgio Bertorelle

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- General Biology

Background

Demographic bottlenecks can severely reduce the genetic variation of a population or a species. Establishing whether low genetic variation is caused by a bottleneck or a constantly low effective number of individuals is important to understand a species’ ecology and evolution, and it has implications for conservation management. Recent studies have evaluated the power of several statistical methods developed to identify bottlenecks. However, the false positive rate, i.e. the rate with which a bottleneck signal is misidentified in demographically stable populations, has received little attention. We analyse this type of error (type I) in forward computer simulations of stable …

Pelagic Larval Duration Links Life History Traits And Species Persistence In Darters (Percidae: Etheostomatinae), Morgan Jessica Douglas

Masters Theses

Pelagic larval duration (PLD) likely influences evolutionary processes including dispersal, genetic connectivity, and extinction in aquatic organisms. PLD has been well studied in marine systems, but very few freshwater species have been studied. Darters are a diverse group of freshwater North American fish with available information on the length of this stage from propagation efforts. There is surprising variation in the length of this stage ranging from 0 to 60 days. By compiling information from Conservations Fisheries, Inc. (Knoxville, TN) and the literature, we were able to make comparisons between the PLD of 23 species and other life history characteristics. …

Federal Conservation Spending Allocated By Agency, Emily Clare Manneschmidt

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Patterns Of Ecological Performance And Aquatic Insect Diversity In High Quality Protected Area Networks, Jason Lesley Robinson

Doctoral Dissertations

Protected areas are at the heart of plans for biodiversity conservation. Networks of protected areas may provide opportunities to protect conservation targets or objectives not attainable for single parcels of land. The landscape of potential decisions available to conservation planners is constrained by uncertainty about the form of future climate states. New methods are available that can provide objective assessments of the direction and magnitude of shifts in climate regimes that are not first filtered through theoretical responses of biodiversity. Successful predictions of where, in protected area networks, climates are most likely to change, or most likely to remain in …

Number 52 (December 2010), Southern Fishes Council

Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings

(December 2010) - Comparative Conservation Genetics of Two Endangered Darters, Percina rex and Percina jenkinsi By Anna L. George, David Neely, and Richard Mayden

Invasion of Gulf Menhaden in the Alabama River By T. Heath Haley, R. Kyle Bolton, and Carol E. Johnston

Southeastern Fishes Council State Reports

Minutes, Business Meeting, 35th Annual Meeting, Southeastern Fishes Council

2009 Treasurer's Report for the Southeastern Fishes Council

Steps Toward Butternut (Juglans Cinerea L.) Restoration, Sunshine L. Brosi

Doctoral Dissertations

Butternut (Juglans cinerea L.), a lesser-known relative of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.), is a native tree species beneficial for wildlife, valuable for timber, and part of the great diversity of species in the eastern forests of North America. Populations of butternut are being devastated by butternut canker disease, caused by the fungus Sirococcus clavigignenti-juglandacearum (V.M.G. Nair, Kostichka, & Kuntz), which is thought to be introduced to North America. The disease causes multiple branch and stem cankers that eventually girdle trees. Small population sizes, lack of sprouting, and shade intolerance exacerbates the disease and results in permanent losses of butternut …

W103- Closure & Rehabilitation Of Waste Storage Facilities, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

No abstract provided.

W097-Permit Termination Template, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

No abstract provided.

W096-Name Of Persons And Or Firms Removing Litter, Manure And/Or Process Wastewater From Cafos, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension

Animals/Livestock

No abstract provided.

W095-Agreement For The Removal Of Litter, Manure And/Or Process Wastewater From A Cafo, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

No abstract provided.

W094-Tennessee Phosphorus Risk Index, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

In a waterbody, P is required for algae growth. In most waterbodies, the limited supply of P limits algae growth. Large amounts of P promote rapid growth of large amounts of algae or algae "blooms." This excess algae damages aquatic habitats by reducing sunlight penetration, reducing dissolved oxygen levels and promoting the growth of a toxic form of microscopic marine life. In short, it can result in fish kills, reduce aesthetic value and could make the water less desirable for livestock watering. An example of actions taken to prevent P enrichment of surface water is the lowering of phosphate levels …

W093-Procedures For Manure And Litter Sampling, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Nutrient composition of manure varies with a number of factors, including animal type, bedding, ration, storage and handling, environmental conditions, field application method, age of manure, timing of sampling and sampling technique. This variability makes book values (or averages) an unreliable source for determining application rates of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Each livestock production operation and manure management system is unique, and an individual farm’s manure analysis can vary from average values by 50 percent or more. Testing manure may better indicate how animal management and other factors actually affect nutrient contents and will allow for more accurate calculation of …

W092-Terminating A Permit, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

A CAFO covered under a general permit must notify the TDEC when the CAFO is no longer in operation. The TDEC retains the right to deny termination of coverage until receipt of the necessary notice and information from the permittee.

CAFO operators should remember that a closure/rehabilitation plan for the waste system was submitted as part of the original permitting process. That closure plan should have met NRCS standards and addressed the maintenance of the facility until proper closure is completed within 360 days. The TDEC may not consider the CAFO closed or terminate the permit until the closure plan …

W091-Annual Report, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

All CAFOs must submit an annual report to TDEC and TDA between January 1 and February 15.

W090-Recordkeeping, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Recordkeeping is an essential component of a CAFO permit. A producer must keep records current to satisfy the requirements of the regulations. Additionally, without current records, inspectors cannot determine and producers cannot prove the nutrient Management plan (NMP) has been implemented as approved. All records required by the regulation must be maintained for five years, and must be made available to TDEC or EPA upon request.

W089-Discharge Events, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

All wastewater discharges from a CAFO to waters of the state of Tennessee are prohibited. For existing CAFOs, new dairy CAFOs and new cattle CAFOs, an exception will be made when either chronic or catastrophic rainfall events cause an overflow from a facility properly designed, constructed, maintained and operated to contain all process wastewater from the operation (such as wash water, parlor water, watering system overflow, etc.), plus all runoff from a 25-year, 24-hour rainfall event. For new swine and poultry CAFOs, the exception will be made if the facility was properly designed, constructed, maintained and operated to contain all …

W088-Cafo Inspections, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

As a condition of the permit, the producer must allow personnel from the TDEC or the U.S. EPA to inspect the regulated CAFO. They are required to present their credentials and will only inspect a facility “at reasonable times.” This does not mean that they may only inspect the facility at the owner’s convenience. It simply means that most inspections will be conducted during normal business hours. Large CAFOs are required to undergo a yearly inspection at a minimum. Medium CAFOs may be inspected less often.

W087-New Construction On Cafos And Construction Of New Cafos, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

Any liquid waste management system that is constructed, modified, repaired or placed into operation after April 13, 2006 must be designed, constructed, operated and maintained in accordance with final design plans and specifications that meet or exceed standards in the NRCS Field Office Technical Guide and other guidelines as accepted by the Departments of Environment and Conservation, or Agriculture.

W086-Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

A Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) is a group of conservation practices and management activities that will ensure both production and natural resource protection goals are achieved. A CNMP will contain actions that address water quality criteria for the feedlot, production area and land on which the manure will be applied. It addresses natural resource concerns dealing with soil erosion, manure and organic by-products, and their potential impacts on water quality.

W084-Transferring Manure, Litter Or Wastewater To A Third Party, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

No abstract provided.

W085-Nutrient Management Plans, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

All Large CAFOs with dry litter operations, all Medium CAFOs and all designated CAFOs are required to develop, submit for state approval, implement and keep on site a site-specific Nutrient Management Plan (NMP). These NMPs are very different than the plans previously required by regulations. They are extensive and focus on many aspects of livestock operations, from application of manure to conservation practices.

W083-No Potential To Discharge Determination, The University Of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service

Animals/Livestock

AFO that does not land apply manure, litter or process wastewater may request that it be determined to have no potential to discharge. If approved, the CAFO would not have to be permitted. In Tennessee, the only type of operation that could potentially meet the “No Potential to Discharge” requirements would be poultry operations that have covered litter storage and remove all litter from their operation. Any CAFO that land applies litter, manure or wastewater cannot meet the requirements. Dairy and swine operations typically do not remove all waste and wastewater from their operation because of the enormous expense of …