Life Sciences Commons^™

Grasslands, Communicating The Benefits, D. Keeney

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The multiple benefits of perennial agriculture , including forages and grasslands, for building soil quality, protection of natural resources, enhancement of biodiversity and wildlife, are well known to us, but little understood by the public. This is not a situation where “more education” would necessarily increase recognition. Rather, we must build in the public a desire for the enhancement of green space, clean water and air, and diverse landscapes that multiple purpose agriculture can bring. We seek such environments intuitively and now that much of the world’s people are “trapped” in urban settings of steel and concrete, this desire is …

Herbaceous Vegetation Dynamic After Cut And Burn Shrub Plants In Southern Brazil, A. M. Girardi-Deiro, M. L. Porto, J. Riboldi

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

A savanna area at "Serra do Sudeste" in southern Brazil, was studied during four years to evaluate the influence of cutting and burning shrub plants on dynamic of herbaceous vegetation. The cover of each species in 44 permanent quadrats (0,25 m²) and in each area (cut and burned) was evaluated. The results suggested that grasses and legumes were favored by cutting shrub plants. Burning favored forbs in the first years after disturbance and retarded the development of native forage species desirable for grazing.

Effects Of Management Strategies On Seed Production And Seedling Recruitment In Birdsfoot Trefoil-White Clover Mixtures, W. Ayalá, M. Carámbula, D. F. Risso, J. Hodgson, Peter D. Kemp

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The effects of grazing management on seed production, seed bank size and seedling emergence patterns of Trifolium repens cv. Zapicán (WC) and Lotus corniculatus cv. San Gabriel (BFT) oversown swards were evaluated. A complete randomized block design with 4 replicate blocks was used, in which 4 grazing strategies (grazing all year (SI), summer spelling for seed production (S2), winter rest plus summer spelling (S3) and autumn rest plus summer spelling (S4)), were combined with two defoliation severalties (4 and 10 cm height post-grazing residuals). Plots of 110 m² were grazed monthly by sheep. Seed production, soil seed bank and …

Joint Management Of Upland & Aquatic Habitat For The California Red-Legged Frog & California Tiger Salamander, Kyle E. Verblaauw

Master's Projects and Capstones

As federally and state protected amphibians, the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) and the California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) are recipients of ample management focus. Both species face a variety of threats, including habitat loss and alteration, introduction of non-native species, spread of disease, and effects of climate change. While management plans for the California tiger salamander and California red-legged frog exist, they frequently do not consider both species in tandem and often contain multiple shortcomings. This document aims to address the shortfalls of current management by providing practical recommendations for jointly managing the upland and …

Alfalfa, J. H. Bouton

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Cultivated alfalfa or lucerne (Medicago sativa spp. sativa) is the most important forage legume in the world with approximately 32 million hectares cultivated mainly in the temperate regions of both the northern and southern hemispheres. Intensive research has been conducted on the management and physiology of the crop and a major seed industry has developed world wide. Since insect and disease pests are numerous in alfalfa, development of cultivars with the proper fall dormancy and a broad genetic base for pest resistance has been pursued in order to provide increased adaptation, persistence, and yield. There has been a …

Willingness Of Non-Industrial Private Forest Landowners To Obtain A Private Versus Public Consultation, Erika Largacha

LSU Master's Theses

Promoting conservation practices among family forests landowners play a critical role to enhance forest health and ecosystem services. Several certification programs recognize such efforts, but participation among landowners varies based on their characteristics, program requirements, and incentives. One crucial step of certification is to obtain a forest management plan, but acquisition among landowners remains extremely low. Several studies suggest connecting landowners with foresters as the key element towards the adoption of forest management plans. Because foresters are typically employed by public forestry agencies or as private self-employed consultants, landowners' willingness to work with either may differ. As far as we …

Status, Management, And Governance Of The Communal Grasslands Of Ethiopia’S Highlands: A Disappearing Asset For Mixed Crop-Livestock Livelihood Systems, Bedasa Eba, Fiona Flintan, Tesfa Getachew, Jason Sircely

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

There is little documentation about the status, management, and governance of the communal grasslands of Ethiopia’s highlands. However, research being carried out by ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute) in northern Shewa, Amhara region, is highlighting their importance as a critical resource for those farmers engaged in mixed crop-livestock livelihood systems across the highland areas. These grassland areas range from 2 to 200 hectares and can be used by up to four different villages or ‘kebele’ and providing on average 10-20% of livestock feed for local farmers. However, this important resource is rapidly disappearing with encroachment of farming and tree-planting with …

The State Of Grasslands Across Inner Mongolia And Mongolia, Guodong Han, David R. Kemp, Bulgamaa Densambuu, Zhiguo Li, Cuiping Gao, Zhongwu Wang, Zhiqiang Qu, Mengli Zhao, G. Udval, Qian Wu, Naya, Linxi Hu

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Grasslands across Inner Mongolia and Mongolia, with their long history of nomadic livestock grazing, are very important natural resources for animal husbandry and environmental services. The main types of grasslands are meadow steppe (forest steppe), typical steppe (steppe) and desert steppe. Most of the grasslands are degraded due to over-grazing, which reduces animal production and the values of environmental services. Overgrazing decreases plant production, species biodiversity, ecosystem stability, soil fertility & structure, and lowers animal productivity leading to reduced household incomes. In pastoral areas across Inner Mongolia and Mongolia, degraded grasslands can be rehabilitated by better managing stocking rates. Our …

Visual Assessment Of Soil Structure As An Early Indicator Of Soil Quality In Response To Intensive Rotational Grazing, N. Teutscherova, E. Vazquez, D. Baquero, N. E. Velasquez-Ruiz, M. Pulleman, Jacobo Arango

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Grasslands can play a crucial role in mitigation of global warming by serving as carbon sink. Nevertheless, to achieve the grasslands’ potential, sustainable management is of the utmost importance as it determines system’s productivity and ecosystem services. Due to the increasing demand for animal products in developing countries, grazed areas increase exponentially in the tropics, mainly due to unsustainable management leading to low productivity and soil degradation. We evaluated the impact of intensive rotational grazing management (IRG) on early indicators of soil quality following land-use change based on on-farm observations of visual soil characteristics using two different widely used assessment …

Pre- And Post-Degradation Management Of Rangelands: Implications For Sustainable Management, S. K. Tuffa, A. C. Treydte

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Rangeland degradation directly affects livestock production, resulting in food insecurity and ecological instability. A shift in vegetation from grass to woody plants has severely affected cattle production in Ethiopian rangelands. Those grass species that are perceived by the pastoralists as highly palatable and desirable are currently decreasing in both quality and quantity. A reason for this decline has been claimed to be degradation owing to overgrazing and climate change. While appropriate management of livestock density in rangelands is essential for sustainable production and grassland ecosystem health, the management of dryland ecosystems is mired in controversy due to the complexity of …

How To Effectively Reach Farmers And Assist Them In Reaching Their Precision Management Goals, Courtney Nelson

Honors Theses

Precision and digital agriculture have been popular buzz words floating around the last several years. These broad terms cover a plethora of topics including GPS ear tags for livestock, soil moisture probes, and aerial imagery. With such a wide number of technological advances at their fingertips, it can be overwhelming for farmers to know where to start.

A study conducted by Purdue University in 2019 took a deeper look at data and software usage across 800 farms larger than 1000 acres (DeLay et al, 2020). Their research revealed that over half of farmers who don’t use farm data or software …

Saturated Field Hydraulic Conductivity Variation In Intensively Managed Tropical Pastures, O. Primavesi, A. C. Primavesi, S. R. Vieira

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Saturated field hydraulic conductivity was measured, using a Guelph permeameter, at the depths of 10, 20 and 60 cm, to verify the effect of intensively managed, compared to extensively managed ones, beef cattle production systems on pastures grown on three soils (Hapludox, Eutrudox, Paleudalf), in São Carlos, SP, Brazil, under tropical altitude climate. Significant differences occurred within depths (P < 0.05). However, differences decreased with years and, therefore, differences among soils and between management systems were also reduced. Highest mean conductivity values occurred at 60-cm depth and at the extensively managed sward on the sandy Hapludox. Intensively managed Paleudalf showed high resistance to reduction of conductivity at 10-cm depth. A general year effect appeared claiming for more studies on this matter.

Defoliation And Water Deficit: Their Influence On Pasture Growth And Water Use Of White Clover, F. H. Santiñaque

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

With the objective of understanding the physiological basis of defoliation and water use relationships of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) pastures during water deficits, an experiment in controlled conditions was carried out. Outdoors nine liters pots were filled with a loam-clay soil with a water content at field capacity (FC), of 35%(w/w), at a bulk density of 1.1 g/cm³. Pre-germinated and inoculated clover seeds were transplanted, and the number of plants was adjusted to permit the development of full plant cover. The level of P in the soil did not limit plant establishment or growth. The …

Effects Of Patch Size, Fragmentation, And Invasive Species On Plant And Lepidoptera Communities In Southern Texas, James A. Stilley, Christopher A. Gabler

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Simple Summary

Introduction Of Forage Legumes Into Pastures Of Three Different Grasses, Maria T. Colozza, Joaquim C. Werner, Luciana Gerdes, E. A. Schamass, J. C. T. Freitas

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

It was evaluated the introduction of a mixture of calopo, galaxia, perennial soybean, guata and stylo broadcsted into marandu, setaria and tanzania half-plots already established in three cafeterias, each one located inside a paddock of each grass. The legumes were seeded in the end of the Spring (12/07/98), after the plots had been cut down and fertilized. The cafeterias were grazed intermittently by buffaloes maintained in the three paddocks. The occurrence of the five legume plants was avaluated by countings (#/m²) effected in the middle of Autumn, Winter and Spring of 1999 and Summer of 2000. Along with …

Grassland Resources In Liaoning Province Of China: Problems And Management Strategies, Guijuan Du, Jiaming Zheng

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Cats And Wildlife: An Animal Welfare Perspective., John Hadidian

Management - General

While there is no question that outdoors cats have an impact on wildlife, the extent and significance of this impact is the subject of considerable debate. The controversy surrounding outdoor cats can be traced back at least a century, with contemporary claims of threats to global biodiversity bringing animal welfare and conservation interests directly into opposition, largely over the means of managing conflicts. The irony in this is that cat defenders and cat detractors generally agree that it is in the best interests of cats that they should be shielded from the vagaries of outdoor life. While there are practical …

The Adoption Of Sustainable Grazing Land Management Practices In The Burdekin Rangelands Of Northern Australia, Robert N. Shepherd

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Improving The Economic And Environmental Performance Of A New Zealand Hill Country Pastoral Catchment, Michael B. Dodd, M. E. Wedderburn, T. G. Parminter, B. S. Thorrold, J. M. Quinn

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Quantification And Repeated Measurements Of Conformation Traits In Replacement Females To Optimize Sow Longevity, Melanie D. Trenhaile Grannemann

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objectives were to 1) assess the reliability of objective conformation trait measurements between evaluators, 2) evaluate effects of dietary energy and lysine during development and housing system during first gestation on longevity, reproductive performance, and conformation, 3) characterize conformation changes throughout life, 4) identify phenotypic associations between conformation and longevity, 5) estimate heritability of conformation traits, and 6) assess genetic relationships between conformation traits measured throughout life in sows. Sows (n = 622) were fed a standard, energy restricted, or standard energy with increased lysine diet during gilt development and housed in either a group pen or stall during …

Comparing Management Programs To Reduce Red–Tailed Hawk Collisions With Aircraft, Brian Washburn, Craig K. Pullins, Travis L. Guerrant, Gregory J. Martinelli, Scott F. Beckerman

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife-aircraft collisions (wildlife strikes) pose a serious safety risk to aircraft. Raptors (i.e., hawks and owls) are one of the most frequently struck guilds of birds within North America. Although raptors (most notably red-tailed hawks [Buteo jamaicensis]) are commonly managed at most airports and military bases, there is no scientific information available regarding comparisons of the efficacy of raptor management programs for reducing raptor-aircraft collisions. Therefore, we conducted a study to examine the efficacy of 2 raptor hazard management programs implemented at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD). The first raptor management program (Phase I) occurred during January 2010–June 2013 and …

Controlling Woody Vegetation For The Underplanting And Reintegration Of Shortleaf Pine Into Upland Hardwood Forests Of The Southeast, Max Street

Masters Theses

Shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) has the widest distribution of any pine species in the southeastern United States. Shortleaf pine is an important softwood commercial timber species, second only to loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). The amount of shortleaf pine has diminished dramatically beginning in the early 19^th century.

The decline of shortleaf pine has been attributed to several, primarily societal factors. Old field abandonment has declined which provided optimum seed bed conditions for the establishment of shortleaf pine. The timber industry began to favor the faster-growing loblolly pine with shorter stand rotations at the expense of …

Invasion Ecology And Response To Fire Of The Nonnative Fern Lygodium Microphyllum In The South Florida Everglades, Nicole Sebesta

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lygodium microphyllum (Old World Climbing Fern (OWCF)) is a climbing fern native to tropical and subtropical regions of Australia, Asia, and Africa. First introduced to Florida as an ornamental in the 1960s, the fern has become a serious invasive in numerous Florida habitats, severely degrading native herbaceous and woody vegetation and altering fire behavior. One area with the greatest increase in OWCF cover is the sawgrass marsh of southern Everglades National Park (ENP), where prescribed fire is used for both maintenance of sawgrass marshes and management of OWCF infestations. However, the efficacy of OWCF control using fire in this habitat …

Historical Ecology Of The San Diego Sport Fishery: Catch Composition, Species Trends, And Fishing Effort From 1959 To 2011, Rebecca Schwartz Lesberg

Theses

Like ocean systems around the world, species targeted by the San Diego sportfishery are subject to myriad threats from human activity, with several species already showing documented decline. However, long-term fisheries datasets are often lacking, limiting natural resource managers’ ability to appropriately manage these ecologically and economically important species. Therefore, this study used daily reports published in two Southern California newspapers to examine changes in catch composition, effort, and catch per unit effort (CPUE) from 1959-2011 for the San Diego commercial passenger fishing vessel (CPFV) sportfishery. This study then tested the relationship between those patterns and three large scale oceanographic …

The Integral Of Education Technology In The Society, Prof. Iwasan D. Kejawa Ed.D

School of Computing: Faculty Publications

Abstract

Are there ways people can better utilize technology to suit their needs in the society of ours? It has been inferred that without technology, our lives would be miserable. The societal factors of using technology are an important area of the technical education system in the world. Are we really learning and using technologies to our advantage? Does technology provide the necessary ingredients or proper ways for the education of all in the society? A look into what constitutes the means and how technology education can be improved and be implemented is explored and emphasized in this work. The …

Management As Factor Of Quali‐Quantitative Changes In Rangeland Communities North Western Santa Fe Province, Argentine, Guillermo Chiossone

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

From Coast To Coast To Coast: Ecology And Management Of Eelgrass Systems Across Canada, Sarah Joy Bittick

Biology Faculty Works

Seagrass meadows are among the most productive and diverse marine ecosystems, providing essential structure, functions, and services. They are also among the most impacted by human activities and in urgent need of better management and protection. In Canada, eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows are found along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic coasts, and thus occur across a wide range of biogeographic conditions. Here, we synthesize knowledge of eelgrass ecosystems across Canada’s coasts, highlighting commonalities and differences in environmental conditions, plant, habitat, and community structure, as well as current trends and human impacts. Across regions, eelgrass life history, phenology, and general species …

Pinyon-Juniper Ecology And Management, Gabrielle Harden, Darren Mcavoy

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes pinyon-juniper ecology, expansion, and management.

Rangeland Management And Livestock Production System In Changthang, Ladakh India, Phunchok

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Understanding Metrics Of Stress In The Context Of Invasion History: The Case Of The Brown Treesnake (Boiga Irregularis), Natalie Claunch, Ignacio Moore, Heather L. Waye, Laura Schoenle, Samantha J. Oakey, Robert N. Reed, Christina Romagosa

Biology Publications

Invasive species can exert rapid depletion of resources after introduction and, in turn, affect their own population density. Additionally, management actions can have direct and indirect effects on demography. Physiological variables can predict demographic change but are often restricted to snapshots-in-time and delayed confirmation of changes in population density reduces their utility. To evaluate the relationships between physiology and demography, we assessed metrics of individual and demographic stress (baseline and 1-h corticosterone (CORT), body condition and bacterial killing ability) in the invasive snake Boiga irregularis on Guam collected in intervals of 10–15 years. We also assessed potential discrepancies between different …