Digital Commons Network^™

Perennializing Marginal Croplands: Going Back To The Future To Mitigate Climate Change With Resilient Biobased Feedstocks, Salvador Ramirez Ii, Marty R. Schmer, Virginia L. Jin, Robert B. Mitchell, Catherine E. Stewart, Jay Parsons, Daren D. Redfearn, John J. Quinn, Gary E. Varvel, Kenneth P. Vogel, Ronald F. Follett

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Managing annual row crops on marginally productive croplands can be environmentally unsustainable and result in variable economic returns. Incorporating perennial bioenergy feedstocks into marginally productive cropland can engender ecosystem services and enhance climate resiliency while also diversifying farm incomes. We use one of the oldest bioenergy-specific field experiments in North America to evaluate economically and environmentally sustainable management practices for growing perennial grasses on marginal cropland. This long-term field trial called 9804 was established in 1998 in eastern Nebraska and compared the productivity and sustainability of corn (Zea mays L.)—both corn grain and corn stover—and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum …

Regional And Landscape Scale Examination And Attribution Of Vegetation Changes To Social-Environmental System Drivers In Kazakhstan, Venkatesh Kolluru

Dissertations and Theses

Kazakhstan (KZ) experienced widespread changes in ecosystem structure and function. The country is a climate and land cover/use change “hotspot” owing to political reforms, intensified grazing, and extreme climatic events. Despite their importance, there is a lack of consensus about vegetation changes, trends, and drivers in KZ. Addressing this knowledge gap is crucial for effectively managing and restoring grassland ecosystems. However, a pressing challenge is discerning anthropogenic-driven vegetation changes from climate variability and decomposing the responses to the complex human-environmental forcings. Motivated by these challenges, I employed statistical and machine learning algorithms to detect and attribute vegetation changes to social-environmental …

Crowdsourcing Geospatial Data For Earth And Human Observations: A Review, Xiao Huang, Siqin Wang, Di Yang, Tao Hu, Meixu Chen, Mengxi Zhang, Guiming Zhang, Filip Biljecki, Tianjun Lu, Lei Zou, Connor Y. H. Wu, Yoo Min Park, Xiao Li, Yunzhe Liu, Hongchao Fan, Jessica Mitchell, Zhenlong Li, Alexander Hohl

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

The transformation from authoritative to user-generated data landscapes has garnered considerable attention, notably with the proliferation of crowdsourced geospatial data. Facilitated by advancements in digital technology and high-speed communication, this paradigm shift has democratized data collection, obliterating traditional barriers between data producers and users. While previous literature has compartmentalized this subject into distinct platforms and application domains, this review offers a holistic examination of crowdsourced geospatial data. Employing a narrative review approach due to the interdisciplinary nature of the topic, we investigate both human and Earth observations through crowdsourced initiatives. This review categorizes the diverse applications of these data and …

Landscape-Scale Epidemiological Dynamics Of Sars-Cov-2 In White-Tailed Deer, Joshua Hewitt, Grete Wilson-Henjum, Derek T. Collins, Timothy J. Linder, Julianna B. Lenoch, Jonathan D. Heale, Christopher A. Quintanal, Robert Pleszewski, Dillon S. Mcbride, Andrew S. Bowman, Jeffrey C. Chandler, Susan A. Shriner, Sarah N. Bevins, Dennis J. Kohler, Richard B. Chipman, Allen L. Gosser, David L. Bergman, Thomas J. Deliberto, Kim M. Pepin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Understanding pathogen emergence in new host species is fundamental for developing prevention and response plans for human and animal health. We leveraged a large-scale surveillance dataset coordinated by United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and State Natural Resources Agencies to quantify the outbreak dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in North American white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; WTD) throughout its range in the United States. Local epidemics in WTD were well approximated by a single-outbreak peak followed by fade out. Outbreaks peaked early in the northeast and mid- Atlantic. Local effective reproduction ratios of SARS-CoV-2 were between …

What Is Known, Unknown, And Needed To Be Known About Damage Caused By Wild Pigs, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Kim M. Pepin, Seth M. Cook, Sophie Mckee, Abigail Pagels, Keely J. Kohen, Ingrid A. Messner, Michael P. Glow, Nathan P. Snow

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Damage assessments provide evidence for initiating and evaluating management programs that protect natural resources and human livelihoods against invasive species. Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) cause extensive damage in their native and non-native ranges, but the extent of current damage and efficacy of management of the damage (i.e., population control of wild pigs, exclusion fencing, etc.) remains poorly described. We conducted a systematic review of physical damage caused by wild pigs to summarize what is known and identify knowledge gaps for damage assessment. Wild pig damage assessments have been overwhelmingly qualitative (84% of studies) and measured differently across studies, …

Tracking Sero-Molecular Trends Of Swine Brucellosis In Hawai'i And The Central Pacific, Thi Hai Au La, Ian A. Mcmillan, Prashant Dahal, Andrew H. Burger, Mahdi Belcaid, Darrin M. Phelps, Samuel M. Goldstein, Vienna R. Brown, Michael H. Norris

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Introduction

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of mammals caused by bacterial species of the Brucella genus. The reservoir for disease is typically mammals, with species of Brucella found infecting amphibians, bats, and marine mammals. Brucella spp. can pass directly to humans through contact with infected animals or their products. Brucella spp. can cause chronic debilitating infections in mammals, including humans, and is associated with spontaneous abortions in infected animals, causing reduced fecundity. In Hawai‘i, terrestrial species that could harbor Brucella spp. include swine, cattle, horses, and axis deer among others. The numerous feral swine in Hawai‘i are known to carry …

The North American Trumpeter Swan Survey: Retain Or Find Something New?, Mark P. Vrtiska, J. A. Dubovsky, M. G. Anderson

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Exploring Recruitment, Retention, And License Purchase Probability Of Waterfowl Hunters Using A Mark-Recapture Approach, K. A. Graham, Mark P. Vrtiska, D. H. Humburg, Larkin A. Powell, A. H. Raedeke, P. K. Devers, Christopher J. Chizinski

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Antibiotic Resistance In A Coastal River In Mississippi, Usa – Potential Drivers, Shuo Shen, Wei Wu, Eric A. Saillant, Darrell Jay Grimes

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are major sources of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in water bodies. Most studies on the impact of WWTPs on antibiotic resistance have focused on freshwater systems, with little information on coastal and estuarine waters with variable salinity. This study monitored seasonal levels of ARGs at the effluent and downstream of the Pascagoula— Moss Point WWTP in the lower Pascagoula River, a coastal river in southeastern Mississippi, USA. Surface water samples were collected seasonally at upstream, outflow, and 3 downstream sites from February to November 2016. Bacterial resistance to sulfamethazine, tetracycline, and …

Genetic Tracking Of A Rabid Coyote (Canis Latrans) Detected Beyond A Rabies Enzootic Area In West Virginia, Usa, Matthew W. Hopken, Crystal Gigante, Amy T. Gilbert, Richard B. Chipman, Jordana D. Kirby, Rene Edgar Condori, Samuel Mills, Chelsea Hartley, John Forbes, Lisa Dettinger, Dongxiang Xia, Yu Li, Bridgett Vonholdt

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife translocation and cross-species transmission can impede control and elimination of emerging zoonotic diseases. Tracking the geographic origin of both host and virus (i.e., translocation versus local infection) may help determine the most effective response when high-risk cases of emerging pathogens are identified in wildlife. In May 2022, a coyote (Canis latrans) infected with the raccoon (Procyon lotor) rabies virus variant (RRV) was collected in Lewis County, West Virginia, USA, an area free from RRV. We applied host population genomics and RRV phylogenetic analyses to determine the most likely geographic origin of the rabid coyote. Coyote …

Chemical Control Of Turfgrass Diseases 2024, Bruce B. Clarke, Paul Vincelli, Paul Koch, Ming-Yi Chou

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

Turfgrasses under intensive management are often subject to outbreaks of infectious diseases. Diseases usually are most damaging when weather or cultural conditions favor the disease-causing agent but not plant growth and vigor. Cultural conditions that predispose turfgrass to diseases include close mowing, inadequate or excessive fertility, light or frequent irrigation, excessive thatch, poor drainage, and shade. Good turf management practices often greatly reduce the impact of disease by promoting healthy plants that are better able to resist infections. Even under good management, however, diseases sometimes cause excessive damage to highly managed turfgrasses. The proper use of fungicides in these instances, …

Pleated Plasma Membrane Complex In Spermatids Of The Western Siren, Siren Nettingi (Caudata: Sirenidae), S.E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I investigated the pleated plasma membrane complex of linear folds and biflagellar entities in developing spermatids of the Western Siren, Siren nettingi. My primary goal was to reveal the ultrastructural morphology of these distinctive cellular folds (usually 8 in number) as they support the flagellar formation of biflagellated sperm found in this salamander and in other members in the family Sirenidae. My results reveal that the biflagellar components (2 sets of axonemes, undulating membranes, and axial fibers), termed biflagellar complex, develop between folds or are attached onto these folds. The folds themselves are transitory and do not directly contribute to …

Evaluating The Trojan Y Chromosome Strategy For The Removal Of Invasive Sacramento Pikeminnow From The Eel River, Ca, Alexander W. Juan

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The recent introduction and spread of Sacramento Pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus grandis) in Northern California’s Eel River Basin represents a significant threat and impediment to the recovery of several threatened native fish species. This study was undertaken to evaluate the Trojan Y Chromosome Strategy (TYC) for the extirpation of pikeminnow from the basin. TYC is a genetic biocontrol method that relies on the production and stocking of fish with YY sex chromosomes, which may be phenotypically male (YY male) or female (YY female). These YY fish produce all-male offspring when mating with their wild conspecifics and TYC can lead to …

Investigating The Effects Of Three Trace Metals On The Viability, Embryonic Development, And Locomotor Behavior Of The Seminole Ramshorn Snail At Environmentally Relevant Concentrations, Talia Tanner, Leanna Giancarlo, Tyler Frankel

Earth and Environmental Sciences

Trace metal contamination is a widespread issue due to its many natural and anthropogenic sources and known carcinogenic, teratogenic, and reproductive effects. As previous invertebrate trace metal research has primarily focused on model species (Daphnia magna, Chironomidae, etc.), our understanding of effects on non-model invertebrate species remains relatively poor. As such, this study assessed the exposure effects of cadmium, arsenic, and lead on viability, locomotor behavior, and embryonic development of the Seminole ramshorn snail (Planorbella duryi). Exposure treatments of CdCl₂, Na₂HAsO₄ • 7H₂O, or Pb (NO₃)_{2 …}

Speaking For The States: A Response To The Proposal Of Subnational Forest Federalization, Joseph White

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Solar Radiation On Perchlorate Formation In The Atmosphere: Evidence From Ice Core Measurements, Bishnu Kunwar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Perchlorate, which derives from both anthropogenic and natural sources in the current environment, poses a substantial health hazard to humans as it competes with iodine uptake in the thyroid gland. Consequently, there has been considerable concern about minimizing human exposure to environmental perchlorate by restricting its release from man-made sources. However, the absence of a clear understanding regarding the respective contributions of man-made and natural sources has hindered widespread regulation efforts. A 300-year (1700–2007) Summit, Greenland ice core record from a previous study showed relatively stable perchlorate concentrations in Greenland snow prior to 1980, with some elevated perchlorate levels associated …

Species Distribution Modeling Of Aquilegia Brevistyla (Ranunculaceae): A Critically Imperiled Black Hills Disjunct Species, Eric Daniel Puetz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Unchecked human activity is contributing to rising levels of greenhouse gas emissions, changes in land use, altered disturbance/fire regimes, spread of invasive species, and loss of biological diversity and related breakdown of ecosystem services. Additionally, climatic shifts may lead to phenological mismatches between species and their environments if these changes outpace a species’ ability to adapt or migrate to a more suitable habitat. Isolated mountain populations are particularly threatened by unpredictable climatic conditions, as they may have limited migration corridors and often lower levels of genetic diversity to move or adapt, respectively. As these negative feedbacks compound on the landscape, …

Beyond The Cage: A Story Book For Children, Seemi Batool, Fozia Parveen

Institute for Educational Development Pakistan (IED-PK) Archives

This is an open and free resources created for parents and teachers to use in homes and classrooms.

Effects Of Low-Cost, Low-Tech Tools For Riparian Restoration On Prairie Streams In Western South Dakota, James Andrew Joseph Bolyard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite making up less than two percent of the overall landscape in the arid and semi-arid western US, riparian areas are a crucial resource for agriculture, livestock, and wildlife. However, many have impaired function and reduced riparian cover. Low-Cost, Low-Tech Tools (LCLTT) are a subset of Process-Based Restoration (PBR) used for riparian restoration that were chosen for their cost-effectiveness and minimal technical requirements. LCLTT has been tested in mountainous areas of the western US but only recently implemented in the Northern Great Plains (NGP). Given their novelty as an approach toward restoration for the region, professional restoration and landowner communities …

Co-Location Of Seaweed Farming With Offshore Wind Energy: A Quick Scoping Review, Brianna Coffey, Cortni Borgerson, Pankaj Lal, Colette J. Feehan

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Seaweed farming is increasingly recognized as a sustainable marine resource management opportunity, but it also poses socioeconomic and environmental risks that require careful evaluation. This quick scoping review (QSR) examines the current state of knowledge on upscaling seaweed farming through co-location with offshore wind energy production. A total of 240 published records from 2001 to 2022 were analyzed, including studies on general seaweed farming and its integration with offshore wind energy, both of which have shown a significant increase in annual publication rates over time. Geographically, the majority of studies on general seaweed farming were conducted in Asia, while most …

Carbon Neutral By 2030 - Katanning Research Station, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Climate Science Published Reports

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's (DPIRD) Katanning Research Station (KRS) is developing practical techniques and methods for mitigating carbon emissions from the livestock industry.

This research will help the livestock industry in Western Australia (WA) access anticipated future markets for carbon neutral food and fibre products.

Herbicide Management Alters Fungal Biomass And Community Composition In Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands, Erica Danae Lathers

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Wetlands provide many ecosystem services, and invasive species and their management can alter these services. Plant responses to wetland management actions are typically monitored, but less is known about how soils respond. Phragmites australis, an invasive wetland plant, can alter soil conditions, potentially impacting soil microbial structure and function. We sampled soil communities in Great Lakes coastal wetlands in southeastern Michigan dominated by Phragmites and sites that had been previously invaded by Phragmites then treated with herbicide from 2011-2017, to understand how herbicide management alters soil fungal communities. We assessed microbial and fungal biomass, fungal community composition, greenhouse gas emissions, …

Africa’S Overlooked Top Predator: Towards A Better Understanding Of Martial Eagle Feeding Ecology In The Maasai Mara, Kenya, Richard Stratton Hatfield, Allison G. Davis, Ralph Buij, John J. Cox, Shiv Kapila, Lemein Parmuntoro, Simon Thomsett, Munir Z. Virani, Peter Njoroge, Frank Van Langevelde

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Raptors exert top-down influences on ecosystems via their effects on prey population dynamics and community composition. Most raptors are sympatric with other predators, thus complicating our understanding of their relative influence in these systems. Estimates of kill rates and prey biomass recycling have been used as predation metrics that allow quantitative comparison among species and assessment of the relative role of single species within complex food webs. Few studies have produced findings of kill rates or prey biomass recycling for raptors. We used a supervised machine learning algorithm to behaviourally classify high resolution accelerometer informed GPS locations of tagged adult …

Threading Unity Throughout Itaa: A Collaboration Of Fashion Academics Across Content Threading Unity: Apparel, Marketing, Beauty And Interior Design Within The Fashion Industry, Alyssa Dana Adomaitis, Carter Gabriel Averbeck, Kendel Bolton, Denise Sutton

Publications and Research

Sustainability has been an academic research topic of late that impacts more than just the fashion industry for apparel. Besides the apparel industry, marketing, beauty, and interior design are aware of the promise of sustainability for both the environment and consumers. Sustainability reduces its environmental impacts of pollutants such as carbon footprints and unsold inventory, protecting workers who create garments, and animal welfare (Biela-Weyenberg, 2023) which can impact the supply chain. “The United Nations established the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion in 2019 to hold fashion brands to a higher standard to create environmentally friendly apparel” (2023, p.1). Through modern …

Industrial Hemp Production And Potential Risks In Kentucky, Hoyeon Jeong

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Since the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2014 and 2018 legalized Industrial Hemp (Cannabis Sativa. L), interest in grain, fiber, and floral hemp production has seen growing pains. As an emerging crop, there is a research gap in the impact of weather and agronomic conditions on hemp production including THC (Delta 9 Tetrahydrocannabinol) and pollen drift as risks in hemp cultivation. The first essay aims to measure the impact of weather and agronomic factors on hemp grain, fiber, and floral yields in Kentucky using a yield-weather model with information on field locations. The results show that heat conditions during the growing …

The Ltar Grazing Land Common Experiment At Platte River High Plains Aquifer, M. Khorchani, M. Schmer, A. Freidenreich, T. Awada, G. Birru, S. Christofferson, R. Drijber, G. Erickson, V. Jin, R. Mcdermott, A. Suyker, A. Watson, B. Woodbury, Y. Xiong, J. Hiller, X. Sun, L. Li

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) consists presently of 18 sites within the contiguous United States that are managed by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and its partners. The LTAR network focuses on developing national strategies for more efficient, resilient, and profitable agricultural production systems, improved environmental quality, and enhanced rural prosperity. The Platte River High Plains Aquifer (PRHPA) LTAR site is managed jointly by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) and USDA-ARS and is one of the LTAR sites that conduct research on both integrated cropping and grazing systems. The PRHPA region …

A Road Map For Place Based Collaboration For Conflict Reduction, Joseph L. Zecher

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

Improving Accessibility And Understanding: Studying The Impact Of Human Activities And Dam Removals On Anadromous Fish Species In The Pacific Northwest, Adia F. Bennett

Scripps Senior Theses

Human activities in North American watersheds have significantly impacted anadromous fish, causing some species of salmon and steelhead to become threatened and endangered. These fish hold ecological, cultural, and economic importance, yet factors such as habitat destruction, overfishing, pollution, climate change, and hydroelectric dams continue to degrade populations. Dams are particularly harmful to anadromous fish, sparking a recent movement advocating for dam removals. This study uses NOAA’s 2022 Biological Viability Assessment to examine the response of anadromous fish to recent dam removals in the Pacific Northwest. Four populations were selected to analyze due to their interaction with sites that had …

Project Final Report Watershed Center Of Excellence, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute

KWRRI Research Reports

With the goal of providing a structured foundational background for watershed management to Kentucky’s watershed coordinators and other water quality professionals, the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute developed the Kentucky Watershed Academy, a six-module series of core training content. The modules address the following subject areas:

• Module 1: The Clean Water Act & Related Water Quality Laws

• Module 2: Water Quality Basics

• Module 3: Dealing with Data

• Module 4: Land Use Impacts & Related Best Management Practices

• Module 5: Likely Partners

• Module 6: Effective Communications

As a result of this project, a total of …

Assessment Of Avian Community Structure And Habitat Connectivity In The Fanno Creek Corridor Bird Surveys, Habitat Assessment, And Management Recommendations, Grace Hall

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Urbanization can significantly impact habitat quality and connectivity for avian communities, decreasing species richness and diversity. However, in highly fragmented habitats, urban parks and riparian zones can provide important habitat corridors for birds that facilitate movement and access to essential resources. On the west side of greater Portland, Oregon, Fanno Creek may serve as a habitat corridor for birds and other local wildlife.

Fanno Creek is a 25-kilometer tributary of the Tualatin River that runs through the cities of Portland, Beaverton, Tigard, and Durham in northwestern Oregon. The land surrounding the creek includes residential, commercial, and industrial properties as well …