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Articles 1 - 8 of 8
Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Vegetation Characteristics Associated With Small Mammal Populations In The Las Vegas Wash, Christine Therese Herndon
Vegetation Characteristics Associated With Small Mammal Populations In The Las Vegas Wash, Christine Therese Herndon
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Percent litter, average litter depth, percent bare ground, vegetation density, vegetation canopy, and distance to an ecotone boundary were measured and compared to small mammal capture locations in the Las Vegas Wash. Neotoma lepida appear to be greatly dependent upon the foliage litter of T. ramosissima. Alternatively, ecotone boundaries appear to be the most important factor affecting Dipodomys merriami distributions. Peromyscus eremicus distributions may be predicted based on vegetation density and increased canopy during shorter, winter torpor periods. Chaetodipus penicillatus were consistently associated with dense, seed-bearing vegetation, although C. penicillatus is extremely opportunistic and vegetation density should not limit their …
Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Simulation-Based Instruction About Water Resources In Las Vegas, Stephanie Fincher
Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Simulation-Based Instruction About Water Resources In Las Vegas, Stephanie Fincher
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
This study compared the effectiveness of simulation-based instruction to traditional teacher-directed instruction about water resource management in Las Vegas. Subjects, undergraduate students recruited from Psychology and Environmental Studies departments, participated in one of two treatments. All participants were given a pretest prior to instruction, a post-test immediately following instruction, and a retention-test 4 weeks after instruction. Evaluation instruments provided overall scores, gauged student learning in topic areas and different question difficulty-levels as well as attitudes toward the environment and water management. The treatments differed only in how students interacted with the system after receiving background information on Las Vegas valley’s …
A Study Of Invasive Species Cover Near Roads In A Red Rock Canyon Blackbrush Community, Christopher Keough
A Study Of Invasive Species Cover Near Roads In A Red Rock Canyon Blackbrush Community, Christopher Keough
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The monitoring of Mojave Desert plant communities during and following disturbance is an important process that could provide invaluable information about disturbance/recovery regimes in similar arid environments across the globe. Blackbrush communities are of particular interest because of their low replacement rate, which makes them highly susceptible to disturbance. Roads in the Mojave Desert have been associated with soil compaction resulting in a lack of vegetation as well as an increase in invasive species cover in the immediate proximity. To investigate these statements, eight fifty-foot line transects were established in each of three plot types (perpendicular to dirt roads, perpendicular …
Habitat Preferences Of Four Species Of Lizards Found At The Las Vegas Springs Preserve, Scott Garncarz
Habitat Preferences Of Four Species Of Lizards Found At The Las Vegas Springs Preserve, Scott Garncarz
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Developing an understanding of the habitat usage of reptiles is important when trying to develop a management or restoration plan that is compatible with what is known of the reptile species that are being investigated. There are many lizard species found in the Mojave Desert, but there are only four known to inhabit the Las Vegas Springs Preserve (LVSP) in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the LVSP, sites are going to be restored with native Mojave Desert vegetation. Since there are many habitat types in the Mojave Desert, we must determine which types would be best suited for the four species …
Defining Soil Type And Habitat Characteristics Of The Arctomecon Californica, Philip S. Childers
Defining Soil Type And Habitat Characteristics Of The Arctomecon Californica, Philip S. Childers
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
A. californica can be considered a rare endemic species, which is believed to be restricted by unique soil relationships. These relationships make the species vulnerable to anthropogenic habitat disturbance. Although A. californica is listed as critically endangered by the state of Nevada, further research is needed before the species can be listed as federally endangered or threatened. This study used primary observational data and secondary GIS compatible data to characterize A. californica habitat. Representative sampling techniques were used to select observations from derived soil types. Although a majority of A. californica populations were found to occur in gypsic soil types, …
The Effects Of Off-Road Vehicle Use In Desert Tortoise (Gopherus Agassizii) Habitats, Brent D. Clark
The Effects Of Off-Road Vehicle Use In Desert Tortoise (Gopherus Agassizii) Habitats, Brent D. Clark
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) populations have been in decline and have been placed on the endangered species list. No single factor is ultimately responsible for the tortoise decline. It is a combination of events that collectively have a negative impact. I chose to focus my study on only one factor, off-road vehicles. By evaluating the damage done to the terrain by off-road vehicles, a better understanding of their impact on the tortoise populations can be assessed and protective measures taken.
The amount of available vegetation does not seem to play a role in their decisions of which plants to …
Effects Of Residential Xeriscape Conversions On Property Values: A Baseline Case Study, Andréa E. Baker
Effects Of Residential Xeriscape Conversions On Property Values: A Baseline Case Study, Andréa E. Baker
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The conversion of grass lawns to xeriscape has become more prevalent in the desert Southwest, including here in the Las Vegas Valley. The purpose of this thesis was to determine whether the conversion of residential landscapes from grass lawn to xeriscape influences the property value of a home. This case study involved the comparison of property values for residential homes that had participated in the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Water Smart Landscapes rebate program and non-participant homes with similar amenities before and after the landscape conversion. The results of the analysis show that xeriscape dose have a potentially positive impact …
The Effects Of Environmentally Relevant Doses Of Perchlorate (Clo4-) On Rana Pipiens Metamorphosis And Development, Andrea N. Golli
The Effects Of Environmentally Relevant Doses Of Perchlorate (Clo4-) On Rana Pipiens Metamorphosis And Development, Andrea N. Golli
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of perchlorate on the development and growth of Rana pipiens. Ammonium perchlorate is a rocket fuel oxidizer that is known to interfere with the function of the thyroid gland and some of the highest United States surface water concentration exists in the Las Vegas Wash, NV. Perchlorate not only blocks the body’s ability to incorporate iodine into T3 and T4 hormones through the sodium iodine symporter system, but also depletes the thyroid glands’ internal stores of iodine. Many of the steps that regulate metamorphosis in amphibians …