Environmental Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Bison On Cattle Winter Range In The Henry Mountains Of South Central Utah: Resolving A Conflict, Ian M. Ware

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The American Bison in the Henry Mountains are one of the last free-roaming, genetically pure herds of bison remaining in North America. Over the last decade, the herd has used a cattle winter range during the summer and early fall, creating a conflict between the wildlife officials who manage the bison population, and Bureau of Land Management officials and local ranchers who manage the rangeland. At the heart of this conflict is the question of whether bison are negatively impacting the rangeland resource, potentially reducing the abundance of preferable plant species. Negative impacts could include reduced forage availability in the …

Sustainable Ski Resorts In The State Of Utah: Working Toward The Future, Andrew Call

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Utah State University Extension branch funded a research project designed to meet an identified need and create a baseline in knowledge of the implementation of environmentally sustainable practices among Utah ski resorts. Because of the potential impacts of climate change and unsustainable practices that negatively impact both the biophysical and human/cultural aspects of these environments, the ski resort industry is facing an uncertain future both environmentally and economically. However, very little is known about this issue, or how to address it. Collecting baseline information on the subject of environmental sustainability amongst Utah area ski resorts is crucial to ensure …

Carbon Sequestration On Utah Rangelands: A Landowner Perspective, Seth Cook

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Carbon sequestration is the removal of carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in plants and soil through natural processes. Rangelands can be managed to sequester carbon and mitigate climate change. Supported by the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, this study assessed Utah rangeland owners’ perceptions of carbon sequestration and explored factors influencing their likelihood of participation in relevant programs. Data were collected through interviews and a statewide survey of Utah rangeland owners. Over two-thirds of respondents were aware of carbon sequestration and viewed it positively. Those who thought the climate had been changing over the past 30 years tended …

Environmental Assessment Of Streams: Linking Land Use, Instream Stressors, And Biological Indices To Infer Likely Causes Of Ecological Impairment, Jacob J. Vander Laan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

To protect and restore stream biota, managers need to be able to both detect biological degradation and infer likely causes of impairment. Managers commonly develop indices based on stream biota to assess the biological condition of streams. However, the performance of these indices dictates the ability to detect degradation, and although index performance varies widely, the sources of this variation are often unclear. In addition, bioassessments do not identify causes of impairment. My thesis research had two general goals: 1) develop indices to measure biological condition in Nevada streams and 2) quantify relationships between land uses, stressors, and biological condition …

The Survival And Growth Of Adult Bonneville Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus Clarkii Utah) In Response To Different Movement Patterns In A Tributary Of The Logan River, Utah, Jared W. Randall

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the past many inland trout species were believed to be sedentary, only occupying small stream segments (20 meters) during their life span. Recently it has been found that cutthroat trout do move and many populations do contain both mobile and non-mobile strategies. Most organisms move to attain greater growth rates, but movement also leads to higher detection by predators. Both mobile and non-mobile strategies have been observed in Spawn creek, a tributary of the Logan River in Northern Utah. My research evaluated the movement patterns, survival, and growth of adult Bonneville cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii Utah. My objectives …

Integrating Remote Sensing And Ecosystem Models For Terrestrial Vegetation Analysis: Phenology, Biomass, And Stand Age, Gong Zhang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Terrestrial vegetation plays an important role in global carbon cycling and climate change by assimilating carbon into biomass during the growing season and releasing it due to natural or anthropogenic disturbances. Remote sensing and ecosystem models can help us extend our studies of vegetation phenology, aboveground biomass, and disturbances from field sites to regional or global scales. Nonetheless, remote sensing-derived variables may differ in fundamental and important ways from ground measurements. With the growth of remote sensing as a key tool in geoscience research, comparisons to ground data and intercomparisons among satellite products are needed. Here I conduct three separate …

Water Infrastructure Challenges In Urbanizing Environments: A Case Study Of The 2009 Logan Canal Landslide, Kathryn Davis Henderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In July, 2009 in Logan, Utah, a wet, steep hillside failed, leveling a home below and destroying an irrigation canal that ran along the hill. Three people were killed. The event and the resulting policy changes present an opportunity to uncover how frames, or social constructions, play into the policy development cycle. This case also uncovers the nuances involved when old infrastructure takes on new social meanings. Planners and policymakers that pay attention to frames and social dimensions may be able to minimize conflict.

The landslide received immediate media attention and spurred state legislation on canal safety. The event had …

Factors Influencing The Distribution Of Brown Trout (Salmo Trutta) In A Mountain Stream: Implications For Brown Trout Invasion Success, Christy Meredith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Brown trout (Salmo trutta), one of the world’s most successful introduced species in river and lake systems, negatively impacts native species through predation, competition, and systemwide effects. Thus, there is a need to understand factors controlling the distribution of brown trout, in order to prioritize and develop conservation and management strategies. Within the context of invasion success, I investigated how the physical characteristics of the Logan River influence the distribution of brown trout, as well as the potential for brown trout predation on a native fish, the mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdi).

In chapter 1, I evaluated …

The Influence Of Geology And Other Environmental Factors On Stream Water Chemistry And Benthic Invertebrate Assemblages, John R. Olson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Determining if a stream has been degraded by human activities requires knowing what that stream’s natural water quality and freshwater species composition would likely be without any alteration. However stream natural conditions vary greatly from stream to stream, making predicting natural conditions difficult. To determine natural stream conditions, I developed models to predict natural stream water chemistry at individual streams across the western USA. Specifically, the models predict a stream’s electrical conductivity (a measure of the amount of solids dissolved in water), acid neutralization capacity, and concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sulfate, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen. These models predict chemistry …

Instances Of Conflict And Cooperation: An Exploration Into The Role Of Competition Between Usda-Wildlife Services And Wildlife Control Operators, Gary J. Bezzant Jr.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In early 1994 the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal Damage Control agency implemented a directive providing guidance to help avoid competition between themselves and private businesses, known as Wildlife Control Operators (WCOs) engaging in similar work. Nearly two decades later some WCOs still complain about having to compete with the Animal Damage Control agency, now named Wildlife Services. Other businesses report enjoying a cooperative relationship with the agency.

I analyzed four policies that regulate competition between Wildlife Services and WCOs and found that there is a good amount of guidance given to Wildlife Services in regards to their competitive …