Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Moab Local Food Guide 2024, Roslynn Mccann, Shiree Duncan

All Current Publications

Thank you for picking up this Moab Utah Local Food Guide. Those growing and producing food within a 100 mile radius from Moab have been included in this guide to help YOU make locally sourced purchasing decisions!

Data From: Climate Change-Driven Cumulative Mountain Pine Beetle-Caused Whitebark Pine Mortality In The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, William W. Macfarlane

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In 2018-2019 the Landscape Assessment System (LAS), an aerial survey method was used to assess mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae; MPB) - caused mortality of whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (59000 km2; GYE). This consisted of 11,942 km of flightlines, along which 4,434 geo-tagged, oblique aerial photos were captured and processed. A mortality rating of none to severe (0 to 4 nt attack or 5.0 5.4 old attack) was assigned to each photo based on the amount of red (recent attack) and gray (old attack) trees visible. The method produced a photo inventory of 74 percent …

Relation Between Halogen Bond Strength And Ir And Nmr Spectroscopic Markers, Akhtam Amonov, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The relationship between the strength of a halogen bond (XB) and various IR and NMR spectroscopic quantities is assessed through DFT calculations. Three different Lewis acids place a Br or I atom on a phenyl ring; each is paired with a collection of N and O bases of varying electron donor power. The weakest of the XBs display a C–X bond contraction coupled with a blue shift in the associated frequency, whereas the reverse trends occur for the stronger bonds. The best correlations with the XB interaction energy are observed with the NMR shielding of the C atom directly bonded …

Are Plant–Soil Feedbacks Caused By Many Weak Microbial Interactions?, Julia K. Aaronson, Andrew Kulmatiski, Leslie E. Forero, Josephine Grenzer, Jeanette M. Norton

Wildland Resources Student Research

We used high-throughput sequencing and multivariate analyses to describe soil microbial community composition in two four-year field plant–soil feedback (PSF) experiments in Minnesota, USA and Jena, Germany. In descending order of variation explained, microbial community composition differed between the two study sites, among years, between bulk and rhizosphere soils, and among rhizosphere soils cultivated by different plant species. To try to identify soil organisms or communities that may cause PSF, we correlated plant growth responses with the microbial community composition associated with different plants. We found that plant biomass was correlated with values on two multivariate axes. These multivariate axes …

Insights Into The Characteristics Of Outdoor Recreationists In Utah From A Statewide Survey, Jordan W. Smith, Nate Trauntvein, Casey Trout

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Understanding the characteristics and preferences of outdoor recreationists in Utah can inform the administrative, funding, and management decisions of the many entities who provide outdoor recreation opportunities within the state. There is currently a lack of data on characteristics, preferences, and opinions of the state’s outdoor recreating public. As one component of the analysis supporting the development of the state’s outdoor recreation strategic plan, we launched a short online survey to begin to address this need. The survey was administered in spring of 2023 to an online panel of individuals who indicated that they are current residents of Utah and …

C···O And Si···O Tetrel Bonds: Substituent Effects And Transfer Of The Sif3 Group, Zhihao Niu, Qiaozhuo Wu, Qingzhong Li, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The tetrel bond (TB) between 1,2-benzisothiazol-3-one-2-TF₃-1,1-dioxide (T = C, Si) and the O atom of pyridine-1-oxide (PO) and its derivatives (PO-X, X = H, NO₂, CN, F, CH₃, OH, OCH₃, NH₂, and Li) is examined by quantum chemical means. The Si···O TB is quite strong, with interaction energies approaching a maximum of nearly 70 kcal/mol, while the C···O TB is an order of magnitude weaker, with interaction energies between 2.0 and 2.6 kcal/mol. An electron-withdrawing substituent on the Lewis base weakens this TB, while an electron-donating group has the opposite …

Evaluation Of Bio-Friendly Formulations From Siderophore-Producing Fluorescent Pseudomonas As Biocontrol Agents For The Management Of Soil-Borne Fungi, Fusarium Oxysporum And Rhizoctonia Solani, Gaber Attia Abo-Zaid, Ahmed Salah Abdullah, Nadia Abdel-Mohsen Soliman, Ebaa Ebrahim El-Sharouny, Abdulaziz A. Al-Askar, Yiming Su, Ahmed Abdelkhalek, Soraya Abdel-Fattah Sabry

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Secretion of siderophores by Pseudomonas aeruginosa F2 and P. fluorescens JY3 was evaluated on chrome azurol S (CAS) agar plates and their inhibitory effect was inspected against Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizoctonia solani. Production of siderophores as biocontrol agents from F2 and JY3 was accomplished in two optimized media. Afterward, cell-free supernatants of the bacterial cultures containing siderophores were used for the preparation of two bio-friendly formulations for the management of F. oxysporum and R. solani under greenhouse conditions. The investigated bacterial isolates, F2 and JY3, showed antagonistic activity in vitro against F. oxysporum and R. solani and produced siderophores …

Impacts Of Irrigation Technology, Irrigation Rate, And Drought-Tolerant Genetics On Silage Corn Production, Tina Sullivan, Matt Yost, Dakota Boren, Earl Creech, Boyd Kitchen, Randall Violett, Burdette Barker

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Many studies have examined individual water-saving management practices for corn (Zea mays L.), but few studies have looked at how combinations of practices might further enhance water optimization. The research objectives of this paper were to evaluate the impact of irrigation technology, irrigation rate, and crop genetics, as well as their interactions, on silage corn yield and forage quality. Trials were conducted in three Utah locations from 2019 through 2021. The results from five site-years indicated that the best water optimization practices varied by site-year. Low-elevation sprinklers commonly applied water more efficiently, with four of the five site-years having …

Allocation Of U.S. Biomass Production To Food, Feed, Fiber, Fuel And Exports, Christopher L. Lant, Suman Paudel, Kaeli Mueller, Grace Larson, Gustavo A. Ovando-Montejo, Jennifer E. Givens

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

This paper analyzes the end uses—food, feed, fiber, fuel, and exports—of biomass production in the U.S. in 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012. They are also analyzed at the state level in 2012. Biomass production is measured as human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP), an ecological footprint measured as carbon fixed through photosynthesis, derived from data on crop, timber and grazing yields. HANPP was allocated to end uses using publicly available sources from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and internet-based sources publishing data on agricultural trade. HANPP was 717–834 megatons (MT) of carbon per year, which comprised 515–615 MT of …

Ambient Electromagnetic Radiation As A Predictor Of Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) Traffic In Linear And Non-Linear Regression: Numerical Stability, Physical Time And Energy Efficiency, Vladimir Kulyukin, Daniel Coster, Anastasiia Tkachenko, Daniel Hornberger, Aleksey V. Kulyukin

Computer Science Faculty and Staff Publications

Since bee traffic is a contributing factor to hive health and electromagnetic radiation has a growing presence in the urban milieu, we investigate ambient electromagnetic radiation as a predictor of bee traffic in the hive’s vicinity in an urban environment. To that end, we built two multi-sensor stations and deployed them for four and a half months at a private apiary in Logan, Utah, U.S.A. to record ambient weather and electromagnetic radiation. We placed two non-invasive video loggers on two hives at the apiary to extract omnidirectional bee motion counts from videos. The time-aligned datasets were used to evaluate 200 …

Agriculture Water Use And Economic Value In The Great Salt Lake Basin, Cody Zesiger, Burdette Barker, Sarah Null, Earl Creech, Matt Yost, Ryan Larsen, Joshua Dallin

All Current Publications

This fact sheet briefly describes human impacts on GSL water volume, human population growth, surface water withdrawals, and agricultural water use from 1985 and 2015 in the GSL Basin. Finally, agriculture’s economic impact and food production in the GSL Basin are summarized.

Digital Atlas Of The Vascular Plants Of Utah, R. Douglas Ramsey, Leila M. Shultz, Wanda Lindquist, Chris Garrard, Mindy Wheeler

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Locations of 74,755 vascular plant vouchers representing 2,425 species were digitized into a spatial database from the Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Utah (Albee et al. 1988). Source maps consisted of 1:6,000,000-scale shaded relief maps of Utah with points representing collection locations by species. Location points, representing 1 or more specimens, were transposed onto these maps from the approximately 400,000 herbarium records of 3 major universities and federal land management agencies.

Pariette Wetlands Water, Sediment And Plant Total Selenium Concentration, Colleen P. Jones, Paul R. Grossl, Astrid R. Jacobson

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We measured total Selenium in plants from July through November of 2012 and in water, macroinvertebrates, plants, and sediments from July of 2014 from Pariette Wetlands, Utah, U.S.A. to test for spatial, temporal, plant species and plant tissue distribution of Selenium.

Structural And Functional Studies Of Mtr4 And The Tramp Rna Surveillance Complex, Sean Johnson

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Editorial: Mammalian Responses To Climate Change: From Organisms To Communities, Johan T. Du Toit, Robyn S. Hetem, M. Denise Dearing

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Mammals have displayed spectacular evolutionary success ever since an asteroid impact caused the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event ~66 million years ago, when the non-avian dinosaurs disappeared. Now another mass extinction event is underway because of another major planetary disturbance, but this time it is directly caused by just one over-achieving species among all those mammals: Homo sapiens.

Range-Wide Sources Of Variation In Reproductive Rates Of Northern Spotted Owls, Jeremy T. Rockweit, Julianna M. Jenkins, James E. Hines, James D. Nichols, Katie M. Dugger, Alan B. Franklin, Peter C. Carlson, William L. Kendall, Damon B. Lesmeister, Christopher Mccafferty, Steven H. Ackers, L. Steven Andrews, Larissa L. Bailey, Jesse Burgher, Kenneth P. Burnham, Tara Chestnut, Mary M. Conner, Raymond J. Davis, Krista E. Dilione, Eric D. Forsman, Elizabeth M. Glenn, Scott A. Gremel, Keith A. Hamm, Dale R. Herter, J. Mark Higley, Rob B. Horn, David W. Lamphear, Trent L. Mcdonald, Janice A. Reid, Carl J. Schwarz, David C. Simon, Stan G. Sovern, James K. Swingle, J. David Wiens, Heather Wise, Charles B. Yackulic

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

We conducted a range-wide investigation of the dynamics of site-level reproductive rate of northern spotted owls using survey data from 11 study areas across the subspecies geographic range collected during 1993–2018. Our analytical approach accounted for imperfect detection of owl pairs and misclassification of successful reproduction (i.e., at least one young fledged) and contributed further insights into northern spotted owl population ecology and dynamics. Both nondetection and state misclassification were important, especially because factors affecting these sources of error also affected focal ecological parameters. Annual probabilities of site occupancy were greatest at sites with successful reproduction in the previous year …

Collaborative Research: Developing Advanced Magnesium Electrolytes Toward Low Cost, High Energy Density Mg Batteries, Tianbiao Liu

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Storing Water For The Environment: Operating Reservoirs To Improve California’S Freshwater Ecosystems, Sarah Null, Jeffrey Mount, Brian Gray, Kristen Dybala, Gokce Sencan, Anna Sturrock, Barton Thompson, Harrison Zeff

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

California’s freshwater ecosystems—its lakes, rivers, floodplains, meadows, natural and managed wetlands, and estuaries—are a vital part of the state’s natural infrastructure. These ecosystems provide numerous benefits, including water supply, hydropower, flood control, fisheries, recreation, and cultural and aesthetic value. They are also home to the nation’s most diverse array of plant and animal communities, with numerous freshwater species found only in California (Jensen et al. 1993; Grantham et al. 2017).

Collaborative Research: Surface-Specific Aerosol Chemistry: Direct Observations, Kinetics, And Environmental Impact, Yi Rao

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Decline In Successful Cattle Pregnancies, Andre Tu Nguyen

Research on Capitol Hill

USU junior Andre, a local Loganer, studies computer science and biology.He has been working in an animal science lab. Over time, we have seen a decline in successful dairy cattle pregnancies. This is a huge cause for concern for Utah, with milk sales at an estimated value of $405 million in 2020. Andre’s work has been in studying a certain protein in pregnant cattle; now that he has determined there is a decrease in this protein over the course of the pregnancy, he hopes to see whether that might impact its viability. Andre got involved in research in a high …

Precipitation Is A Strong Predictor Of Airborne Ammonia Levels., Bridger Jorgensen, Casey Olson, Connor Snow

Research on Capitol Hill

USU senior Connor has lived in the Uintah Basin all his life and studies kinesiology. Senior Casey, a Cache Valley native, studies climate science and works at the Utah Climate Center. Junior Bridger, also of Cache Valley, studies nutrition science. They led and funded this project through a student grant. Casey was alarmed by the ammonia data he was collecting at the Climate Center. “I immediately began to wonder how this issue would evolve over the coming decades.” The three teamed up to take a look at how Logan’s record-breaking amount of ammonia in our air is impacting those who …

Far-Red Photography For Measuring Plant Growth: A Novel Approach, Cole Webb, F. Mitchell Westmoreland, Bruce Bugbee, Xiaojun Qi

Techniques and Instruments

A critical part of agricultural studies is determining plant stress and growth rate. Modern computer vision provides a series of tools that can be applied to derive this data. In this paper, we will show our findings, analyze their accuracy, and define a system capable of deriving this data with near-human accuracy in a fraction of the time. Denoising techniques applicable to this system will be discussed, as will our discoveries and findings. Finally, suggestions for further research opportunities will be provided.

Data From: Yellow Air Day Advisory Study, Arthur J. Caplan

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Using a dataset consisting of daily vehicle trips, PM2.5 concentrations, along with a host of climactic control variables, we test the hypothesis that “yellow air day” advisories provided by the Utah Division of Air Quality resulted in subsequent reductions in vehicle trips taken during northern Utah’s winter-inversion seasons in the early 2000s. Winter inversions occur in northern Utah when climactic conditions are such that PM2.5 concentrations (derived mainly from vehicle emissions) become trapped in the lower atmosphere, leading to unhealthy air quality (concentrations of at least 35 µg/m3) over a span of what are called “red air days”. When concentrations …

Moderate Plant–Soil Feedbacks Have Small Effects On The Biodiversity–Productivity Relationship: A Field Experiment, Josephine Grenzer, Andrew Kulmatiski, Leslie Forero, Anne Ebeling, Nico Eisenhauer, Jeanette Norton

Wildland Resources Student Research

Plant–soil feedback (PSF) has gained attention as a mechanism promoting plant growth and coexistence. However, most PSF research has measured monoculture growth in greenhouse conditions. Translating PSFs into effects on plant growth in field communities remains an important frontier for PSF research. Using a 4-year, factorial field experiment in Jena, Germany, we measured the growth of nine grassland species on soils conditioned by each of the target species (i.e., 72 PSFs). Plant community models were parameterized with or without these PSF effects, and model predictions were compared to plant biomass production in diversity–productivity experiments. Plants created soils that changed subsequent …

Understanding The Effects Of Climate Change Via Disturbance On Pristine Arctic Lakes—Multitrophic Level Response And Recovery To A 12-Yr, Low-Level Fertilization Experiment, Phaedra Budy, Casey A. Pennock, Anne E. Giblin, Chris Luecke, Daniel L. White, George W. Kling

Watershed Sciences Student Research

Effects of climate change-driven disturbance on lake ecosystems can be subtle; indirect effects include increased nutrient loading that could impact ecosystem function. We designed a low-level fertilization experiment to mimic persistent, climate change-driven disturbances (deeper thaw, greater weathering, or thermokarst failure) delivering nutrients to arctic lakes. We measured responses of pelagic trophic levels over 12 yr in a fertilized deep lake with fish and a shallow fishless lake, compared to paired reference lakes, and monitored recovery for 6 yr. Relative to prefertilization in the deep lake, we observed a maximum pelagic response in chl a (+201%), dissolved oxygen (DO, −43%), …

Plant-Soil Feedbacks Help Explain Biodiversity-Productivity Relationships, Leslie E. Forero, Andrew Kulmatiski, Josephine Grenzer, Jeanette M. Norton

Wildland Resources Student Research

Species-rich plant communities can produce twice as much aboveground biomass as monocultures, but the mechanisms remain unresolved. We tested whether plant-soil feedbacks (PSFs) can help explain these biodiversity-productivity relationships. Using a 16-species, factorial field experiment we found that plants created soils that changed subsequent plant growth by 27% and that this effect increased over time. When incorporated into simulation models, these PSFs improved predictions of plant community growth and explained 14% of overyielding. Here we show quantitative, field-based evidence that diversity maintains productivity by suppressing plant disease. Though this effect alone was modest, it helps constrain the role of factors, …

Evaluating The Relationship Between Meander-Bend Curvature, Sediment Supply, And Migration Rates, Mitchell Donovan, Patrick Belmont, Zoltán Sylvester

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

River meander migration plays a key role in the unsteady “conveyor belt” of sediment redistribution from source to sink areas. The ubiquity of river meandering is evident from remotely sensed imagery, which has allowed for long-term, high-resolution studies of river channel change and form-process relationships. Empirical, experimental, and theoretical research approaches have described two distinct relationships between channel curvature and river channel migration rates. In this study, we employ a novel application of time-series algorithms to calculate migration rates and channel curvature at sub-meander bend length scales using 6 decades of aerial imagery spanning 205 km of the Minnesota River …

Data For "Arch_Covid_Crowding_Vc", Wayne Freimund, Zachary D. Miller

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Monitoring of visitor use in Arches National Park to assess social distancing behaviors of visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021 Report To The Governor On Utah's Land, Water, And Air, Janet Quinney Lawson Institute For Land, Water, And Air

Reports

This report serves as a 2021 snapshot of key issues and concerns with Utah’s shared resources. It highlights gathered data that is available to provide context to these issues, as well as identifies areas where more study is needed. Addressing these challenges will enable Utah policymakers and other statewide leaders to make informed decisions for the future. Under the authorship of 43 researchers and experts and the general guidance of 32 advisory committee members, the report outlines 25 issues and trends to pay attention to in the coming months and years.

Sequenced-Based Paternity Analysis To Improve Breeding And Identify Self-Incompatibility Loci In Intermediate Wheatgrass (Thinopyrum Intermedium), Jared Crain, Steve Larson, Kevin Dorn, Traci Hagedorn, Lee Dehaan, Jesse Poland

Forage and Range Research Laboratory Publications

Key Message

Paternity assignment and genome-wide association analyses for fertility were applied to a Thinopyrum intermedium breeding program. A lack of progeny between combinations of parents was associated with loci near self-incompatibility genes.

Abstract

In outcrossing species such as intermediate wheatgrass (IWG, Thinopyrum intermedium), polycrossing is often used to generate novel recombinants through each cycle of selection, but it cannot track pollen-parent pedigrees and it is unknown how self-incompatibility (SI) genes may limit the number of unique crosses obtained. This study investigated the potential of using next-generation sequencing to assign paternity and identify putative SI loci in IWG. Using …