Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Registration Of ‘Newell’ Smooth Bromegrass, K P. Vogel, R B. Mitchell, B L. Waldron, M R. Haferkamp, J D. Berdahl, D D. Baltensperger, Galen Erickson, T J. Klopfenstein

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

No abstract provided.

A Social–Ecological Systems Approach To Non-Native Species: Habituation And Its Effect On Management Of Coqui Frogs In Hawaii, Emily A. Kalnicky, Mark W. Brunson, Karen H. Beard

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Non-native species introductions have the ability to affect both ecological and social systems, thus to address those outcomes both ecological and social influences on an invasion need to be understood. We use a social–ecological systems approach to investigate connections between human and ecological factors that affect efforts to control the non-native coqui frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui) on the island of Hawaii. The coqui frog is recognized as a ‘pest’ and ‘injurious wildlife’ by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Because the coqui occurs on many small private properties across the island, it is necessary to enlist private citizens in control efforts. Control …

Citizen Science Reveals Widespread Negative Effects Of Roads On Amphibian Distributions, Bradley J. Cosentino, David M. Marsh, Kara S. Jones, Joseph J. Apodaca, Christopher Bates, Jessica Beach, Karen H. Beard, Kelsie Becklin, Jane Margaret Bell, Christopher Crockett, George Fawson, Jennifer Fjelsted, Elizabeth A. Forys, Kristen S. Genet, Melanie Grover, Jaimie Holmes, Katherine Indeck, Nancy E. Karraker, Eran S. Kilpatrick, Tom A. Langen, Stephen G. Mugel, Alessandro Molina, James R. Vonesh, Ryan J. Weaver, Anisha Willey

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Landscape structure is important for shaping the abundance and distribution of amphibians, but prior studies of landscape effects have been species or ecosystem-specific. Using a large-scale, citizen science-generated database, we examined the effects of habitat composition, road disturbance, and habitat split (i.e. the isolation of wetland from forest by intervening land use) on the distribution and richness of frogs and toads in the eastern and central United States. Undergraduates from nine biology and environmental science courses collated occupancy data and characterized landscape structure at 1617 sampling locations from the North American Amphibian Monitoring Program. Our analysis revealed that anuran species …

Improving The Resilience Of Mixed-Farm Systems To Pending Climate Change In Far Western Nepal: Baseline Survey Report, D. Layne Coppock

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

This report provides a summary of the main results of a household baseline survey carried out in late 2013 in four village development committees (VDC) in Bajura District. A total of 320 households were surveyed with 80 per VDC. Two of the VDCs have been subsequently targeted for interventions related to climate change adaptation, while two VDCs have voluntary agreed to serving as paired “controls.” This baseline survey was undertaken as part of a study entitled, ‘Improving the Resilience of Mixed Farm Systems to Pending Climate Change in Far Western Nepal’, conducted by USU and HKI. The baseline survey was …

Warming, Competition, And Bromus Tectorum Population Growth Across An Elevation Gradient, Aldo Compagnoni, Peter B. Adler

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is one of the most problematic invasive plant species in North America and climate change threatens to exacerbate its impacts. We conducted a two‐year field experiment to test the effect of warming, competition, and seed source on cheatgrass performance across an elevation gradient in northern Utah. We hypothesized that warming would increase cheatgrass performance, but that warming effects would be limited by competing vegetation and by local adaptation of cheatgrass seed sources. The warming treatment relied on open top chambers, we removed vegetation to assess the effect of competition from neighboring vegetation, and we reciprocally …

Can Bush-Clearing, Deferred Grazing, Or Camels Help Mitigate Climate-Change And Population Effects For Borana Pastoralists? An Economic Analysis Of Potential Interventions, Brigham Forrest, Deevon Bailey, Ruby Ward, D. Layne Coppock

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

An economic analysis of strategies to increase the resiliency of pastoral communities on the Borana Plateau is presented. Populations of people and livestock have grown in recent decades in this area. As a result of overgrazing and lack of fire, woody bush has proliferated and reduced grass forage for cattle. Droughts here are also perceived to be more frequent and severe as a result of climate change. One consequence of an increasing population and more frequent drought is that food aid has become pervasive in the system, and pastoral communities have become less resilient to drought. This analysis is based …

Sustainable Pastoralism In Ethiopia: Preliminary Results From Participatory Community Assessments On The North-Central Borana Plateau, D. Layne Coppock, Seyoum Tezera, Bedasa Eba, Jaldessa Doyo, Demisachew Tadele, Derege Teshome, Nizam Husein, Meiso Guru

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

The Borana Plateau is an important rangeland for Ethiopia. Livestock production has supported pastoralists here for many generations, and animals are now supplied to a variety of domestic and export markets. The aim of this Livestock Innovation Lab project is to find ways to improve the sustainable productivity of the pastoral system. This is a big challenge, as the rangelands have been badly degraded by decades of heavy pressure from growing human and livestock populations. As a result, there has been extensive bush encroachment on the grasslands and a recent acceleration of gully erosion. The research team used Participatory Rural …

Adapting Small-Farm Systems To Climate Change: Preliminary Results From Participatory Community Assessments In Bajura District, Nepal, D. Layne Coppock, Mahesh Shrestha, Nirmala Pandey, Arjun Basnet, Divakar Duwal, Dale Davis, Robert Gillies

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Western Nepal is a remote region that is home to a wide variety of small farm and livestock production systems. Communities here lack direct access to a suitable road infrastructure, and thus are isolated from the modern world. Farm families are often poverty stricken. Western Nepal is also enduring significant climate change, resulting in warmer and drier conditions that affect crop and livestock productivity. Our research team used Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) to convene the members of four small-farm communities in Bajura District, identify their priority problems and analyze how the production systems function. We then connected the prioritized problems …

Recovering The Moca River: An Exploration Through Sustainable Strategies For Developing Countries, Marleny Santana Diaz

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

Natural watercourses are being negatively affected by growing urbanization in different cities of the world. Within these circumstances the concept of river restoration has gained relevance, becoming a worldwide priority in water management. In developing countries, river restoration plans, conditioned by social and economic limitations, are mainly focused on a single approach, typically relying on short-term, low technology strategies.

In the long term, these strategies tend to fail because they usually avoid integral solutions that address the interconnected factors contributing to river degradation. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to develop a framework of river restoration planning for developing …

Geomorphic Change Detection Using Multi-Beam Sonar, James Hensleigh

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

The emergence of multi-beam echo sounders (MBES) as an applicable surveying technology in shallow water environments has expanded the extent of geomorphic change detection studies to include river environments that historically have not been possible to survey or only small portions have been surveyed. The high point densities and accuracy of MBES has the potential to create highly accurate digital elevation models (DEM). However, to properly use MBES data for DEM creation and subsequent analysis, it is essential to quantify and propagate uncertainty in surveyed points and surfaces derived from them through each phase of data collection and processing. Much …

Understanding Local Perceptions And The Role Of Historical Context In Ecotourism Development: A Case Study Of St. Kitts, Amber Greening

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Ecotourism is a popular tool for the conservation of fragile ecosystems and local development of the communities surrounding them. It is widely argued that the key to effective and sustainable ecotourism programs relies on the depth of community involvement and support. This research reveals a better understanding of community members’ perceptions of ecotourism and conservation, and how these perceptions potentially influence participation in current and future ecotourism projects within the villages of Cayon and Keys on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts. Data were collected through several qualitative methods including: face-to-face surveys with Cayon and Keys villagers; interviews with government …

Exploring Visitor Attitudes Toward The Proposed Greater Canyonlands National Monument: A Survey In Utah's Indian Creek Corridor, Chase C. Lamborn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In August of 2012, the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) sent a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to designate the Greater Canyonlands National Monument (GCNM). The proposed 1.4 million acre national monument would surround the already present 337,570 acre Canyonlands National Park, and would include public lands/waterways from five Utah counties. The OIA’s goal for the GCNM is to preserve the landscape for quality outdoor recreation by decreasing the amount of off-highway vehicle use and to eliminate the possibility of oil/gas drilling and mining. Given the proposal highlights outdoor recreation use benefits as the main catalyst for justification of …

The Human Dimensions Of Climate Change: Smallholder Perception And Adaptation In The Loess Plateau Region Of China, Morey Burnham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Climate change poses problems for agriculture in the Global South. Smallholders in the Global South are often considered highly vulnerable to climate change as a result of their farms being located in marginal environments, their insecure land tenure and lack of technology, and their participation in unpredictable regional and world markets. Analyzing how smallholders perceive climate change and attendant risk, the factors that enable and constrain their adaptive capacity, and the social impacts of state led projects designed to mitigate the impacts of climate change may provide crucial insights for developing effective climate adaption projects and policies. This research examined …

Are Experimentally Derived Estimates Of Thermal Tolerance Useful In Interpreting Species Distribution Models, Iva Sokolovska

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Species distribution models are frequently used in ecology to predict the spatial and temporal occurrence of organisms. Direct interpretation of these models assumes that the relationships between the organisms and their environment are manifestations of causal mechanisms. However, in general, the mechanisms producing these associations have not been experimentally validated, which questions our confidence in their interpretation and application. Temperature is one of the most important factors influencing the fitness and distribution of aquatic organisms, and studying the thermal physiology of aquatic invertebrates could provide a useful approach for validating predictions of the species distribution models.

Experimental thermal tolerance studies, …

Sustainable Pastoralism On The Borana Plateau: An Innovation Systems Approach, D. Layne Coppock, Seyoum Tezera, Bedasa Eba, Jaldessa Doyo, Demisachew Tadele, Derege Teshome, Nizam Husein, Meiso Guru

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Nitrogen Content Of Lichens As An Indicator Of Inversion-Based Deposition, Brianne Palmer

UCUR

Inversions have plagued the valleys in Utah resulting in built up pollution carpeting the cities and spreading into surrounding ecosystems. The ecological impact of these inversions is unknown. Inversion-based pollution events deposit nutrients and pollutants in the ecosystems. The purpose of this study is to determine if lichens, due to their unique physiology, preserve a record of inversion-based nitrogen deposition in order to assess the ecological impact of the inversions. In June and July of 2013 we collected 111 samples of lichens from sites exposed to the inversions, along Red Butte Creek and on an elevation gradient on Grandeur Peak …

Plant-­‐Soil Feedback Of Native And Exotic Species In The Intermountain West, Molly Van Engelenhoven

UCUR

For thousands of years farmers have known that soil organisms can destroy crops but only in the past ten years have researchers begun to understand that complex interactions among soil organisms and plants can determine plant diversity and productivity. Much of the research in this young field of study has come from qualitative greenhouse experiments and separately from simple mathematical models. Here, we report findings from a six-year plant-soil feedback (PSF) field experiment that assessed the effects of soil organisms on the growth of twelve plant species common to the intermountain west. Initially, twelve native and exotic species were randomly …

Waterfowl Population Trends, Pariette Wetlands, Utah 1980-­‐2010, David Baird

UCUR

We obtained from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 30 years of monthly waterfowl population surveys completed at Pariette Wetlands in the Uintah Basin, Utah between 1980 and 2010. The Pariette Wetlands are the largest wetlands managed by the BLM within the lower-48 states and are comprised of 4,033 acres of land. Pariette Wetlands is surrounded by about 6,000 square miles of land where oil and gas production is the major activity. This waterfowl refuge is a significant location for migrating waterfowl species within the Pacific Flyway and provides important summer habitat for resident waterfowl. Our objectives were to determine …

A More Social Science: Barriers And Incentives For Scientists Engaging In Policy, Gerald G. Singh, Jordan Tam, Thomas D. Sisk, Sarah Klain, Megan E. Mach, Rebecca G. Martone, Kai M. A. Chan

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Scientists are increasingly called upon to engage in policy formulation, but the literature on engagement is strong on speculation and weak on evidence. Using a survey administered at several broadly “ecological” conferences, we investigated: (1) the extent to which respondents engage in policy‐related activities (including reporting scientific results, interpreting science for policy makers, integrating science into decision making, taking a position on a policy issue, and acting as a decision maker); (2) what factors best explain these types of engagement; and (3) whether respondents' activity levels match their stated beliefs on such activities. Different factors explain different forms of participation. …

Practicing Environmental Etiquette In Utah's Deserts, Jordan Burningham, Roslynn Brain

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Warming, Soil Moisture, And Loss Of Snow Increase Bromus Tectorum’S Population Growth Rate, Aldo Compagnoni, Peter B. Adler

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

Climate change threatens to exacerbate the impacts of invasive species. In temperate ecosystems, direct effects of warming may be compounded by dramatic reductions in winter snow cover. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is arguably the most destructive biological invader in basins of the North American Intermountain West, and warming could increase its performance through direct effects on demographic rates or through indirect effects mediated by loss of snow. We conducted a two-year experimental manipulation of temperature and snow pack to test whether 1) warming increases cheatgrass population growth rate and 2) reduced snow cover contributes to cheatgrass’ positive response to …

Water Quantity And Quality In The Columbia Basin Trust Region, Janice Brahney

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

This report collects the documents generated as part of a two year effort to catalogue the variety of water quality and quantity data that has been collected in the Columbia Basin Trust region of British Columbia. Through the cataloguing effort, a number of important data and knowledge gaps were identified and specific recommendations developed. The available water quantity and climate data was then used in a number of analyses focused on understanding the relationship between changing climate conditions and stream discharges.

One overall finding is that there is a large variety of data collected and held by various different entities. …

Monitoring Of Livestock Grazing Effects On Bureau Of Land Management Land, Kari E. Veblen

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Public land management agencies, such as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), are charged with managing rangelands throughout the Western United States for multiple uses such as livestock grazing and conservation of sensitive species and their habitats. Monitoring of condition and trends of these rangelands, particularly with respect to effects of livestock grazing, provide critical information for effective management of these multi-use landscapes. We therefore investigated the availability of livestock grazing-related quantitative monitoring data and qualitative region-specific Land Health Standards (LHS) data across BLM grazing allotments in the Western United States. We then queried university and federal rangeland science experts …