Digital Commons Network^™

Winter Ecology Of Buggy Creek Virus (Togaviridae, Alphavirus) In The Central Great Plains, Charles R. Brown, Stephanie A. Strickler, Amy T. Moore, Sarah A. Knutie, Abinash Padhi, Mary Bomberger Brown, Ginger R. Young, Valerie A. O'Brien, Jerome E. Foster, Nicholas Komar

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

A largely unanswered question in the study of arboviruses is the extent to which virus can overwinter in adult vectors during the cold winter months and resume the transmission cycle in summer. Buggy Creek virus (BCRV; Togaviridae, Alphavirus) is an unusual arbovirus that is vectored primarily by the swallow bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae: Oeciacus vicarius) and amplified by the ectoparasitic bug’s main avian hosts, the migratory cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) and resident house sparrow (Passer domesticus). Bugs are sedentary and overwinter in the swallows’ mud nests. We evaluated the prevalence of BCRV and extent of …

A South County Almanac: Recollections And Observations Of The Outdoors In Southern Rhode Island, Nevan Richard

Senior Honors Projects

Since its publication in 1949, “A Sand County Almanac: With Sketches Here and There” has served as the benchmark for writing about the environment and nature. “Sand County” was written by famed environmentalist Aldo Leopold, who for most of his lifetime worked towards the conservation of wildlife and natural resources. In “Sand County,” Aldo Leopold recounts his experiences and observations in various essays and journal entries from his many years of living in Wisconsin, as well his travels across the North American continent. With its publication after Mr. Leopold’s death, it changed the face of the American conservation movement, later …

Toward A Synthesis Of Conservation And Animal Welfare Science, David Fraser

Conservation Biology and Animal Welfare Collection

Conservation biology and animal welfare science are multidisciplinary fields of research that address social concerns about animals. Conservation biology focuses on wild animals, works at the level of populations, ecological systems and genetic types, and deals with threats to biodiversity and ecological integrity. Animal welfare science typically focuses on captive (often domestic) animals, works at the level of individuals and groups, and deals with threats to the animals’ health and quality of life. However, there are many areas of existing or potential overlap: (i) many real-life problems, such as environmental contamination, urban development and transportation, create problems for animals that …

Degradation Of Chlorophenols In Swine Waste, Srilatha Gangula

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Naturally occurring plant derived phenols can be degraded through bacteria in swine waste. Chlorinated phenols, which are not naturally present in the environment, are toxic and generated from industrial activities as such petrochemical, pharmaceutical, plastic, rubber, pesticide, iron, steel, paper production, coal conversion, wood preserving, and cellulose bleaching. Large scale coal gasification and carbonization plants are another source of chlorinated phenols. Although not normally present in the environment, chlorinated phenols are structurally similar to many plant derived phenolics.

It is our hypothesis that bacteria located in swine wastes may also have the ability to degrade chlorinated phenols. Identifying situations (and …

Results From The April 2009 Gulf Of Alaska Line Transect Survey (Goals) In The Navy Training Exercise Area, B. K. Rone, A. B. Douglas, A. N. Zerbini, L. Morse, A. Martinez, P. J. Clapham, J. Calambokidis

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

Little is known about the present-day occurrence of cetaceans found in offshore waters in the Gulf of Alaska; however, whaling records and a few recent surveys have shown this area to be important habitat. The U.S. Navy maintains a maritime training area in the central Gulf of Alaska, east of Kodiak Island, and has requested additional information on marine mammal presence and use of this area. To describe the occurrence and distribution of marine mammals in and around the U.S. Navy training area, a line transect visual and acoustic survey was conducted 10-20 April 2009 from the NOAA ship Oscar …

Refuge Update – May/June 2010, Volume 7, Number 3

RefugeUpdate (USFWS-NWRS)

Table of Contents:

After Rehab, Vessel Starts Over in Alaska The latest addition to the Refuge System’s fleet of vessels in Alaska spent much of its life on the wrong side of the law.

In Arizona, Refuges Are Oases for Fish Fish in the desert? Yes. At San Bernardino and Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuges, protecting fish is in the establishing mission.

FOCUS: Marine National Monuments The four marine national monuments are among the Refuge System’s most distinctive components. As such, they present special challenges, rare opportunities and unparalleled beauty.

Can You Hear Me Now? Looking for a low-cost way …

Mobility Of Plutonium In Zea Mays (Corn): Determination Of Transport Velocities, Spatial Distribution And Correlations With Iron., Shannon Thompson

All Dissertations

Understanding the environmental behavior of plutonium (Pu) is essential for proper radioactive waste disposal or for remedial activities following an accidental release of Pu. The environmental behavior of Pu is influenced by physical, chemical, and biotic factors, such as the simultaneous existence of multiple Pu species, redox transformations at mineral surfaces, colloid formation, and the potential of microbes and plants to affect its sorption to soil. Plant Pu studies have been conducted for quantifying bioaccumulation or phytoremediation. Until now, experimental studies have not focused on the capacity of plants to affect the transport behavior and distribution of Pu in the …

Vegetation Trends On A Waste Rock Repository Cap In The Northern Black Hills, Andrew C. Korth, Gary E. Larson, Lan Xu, Thomas E. Schumacher

The Prairie Naturalist

We assessed successional trends, long-term vegetation sustainability, and soil surface protection during the 2005-2007 growing seasons on the 32-ha Ruby Gulch Waste Rock Repository cap. The cap consisted of 150 cm of rock and soil covering a polyethylene membrane which in turn covered mining waste rock in order to prevent leaching of heavy metals and acidic water into streams. Following construction in 2003, a contractor applied a grass-forb seed mixture to provide soil-surface protection especially for steeply sloped portions of the cap. In 2005, we established 56, 1-m² plots, and 20, 20-m transects to annually measure canopy cover, basal …

A South County Almanac, Nevan Richard

Senior Honors Projects

Since its publication in 1949, “A Sand County Almanac: With Sketches Here and There” has served as the benchmark for writing about the environment and nature. “Sand County” was written by famed environmentalist Aldo Leopold, who for most of his lifetime worked towards the conservation of wildlife, forests, and other natural resources. In “Sand County,” Aldo Leopold recounts his experiences and observations in various essays and journal entries from his many years of living in Wisconsin, as well his travels across the North American continent. With its publication following Mr. Leopold’s death, it changed the face of conservation, later inspiring …

Talus Slope Processes In The Appalachian : An Analysis Of Rock Size And Shape On The Shawangunk Ridge, Northwestern New Jersey, Muhammad Hamidul Haque

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Sphericity, hardness, roundness, and size of talus boulders were analyzed to understand the mass wasting process on the Shawangunk Ridge in northwestern New Jersey. Similar studies have been conducted in other localities (e.g., Lassen Peak, California and Spitsbergen, Sweden) but few works were carried out in the eastern United States, particularly in the Appalachian region. During the Pleistocene, ice sheets advanced in North America, and glacial and periglacial (soil and rock affected by ice) environments existed throughout the Appalachians. Although the periglacial climate is not present in this region right now, rock falls are still active where weak joints are …

Fire Effects On Wildlife In Tallgrass Prairie, Maria Gaetani, Kayla Cook, Sherry Leis

United States National Park Service: Publications

Abstract

In the tallgrass prairie region of North America, grasslands are often burned on a rotational schedule to prevent the encroachment of woody species and maintain the vigor of plant communities. Although prescribed fire practitioners often consider the effects of fire on plant communities, the effects of fire on wildlife are also important. Practitioners as well as park visitors inquire about the effects of fire on birds, deer, and other animals of interest. Many wildlife species focus on vegetation structure in choosing suitable habitats, and fire can temporarily alter that structure. Wildlife species have varying habitat needs, and therefore, a …

Time To Get Real: A Food Assessment Of Dining At Pomona College, Samantha Meyer

Pomona Senior Theses

Pomona College is an institution deeply committed to sustainability and student well being; however these commitments are not reflected in the College’s food purchases. Before this study, an assessment of purchasing had not been conducted at Pomona College. Using the Real Food Calculator – a metric designed to evaluate food purchasing at academic institutions – I tracked all food purchased by one of the College’s dining halls over the course of one month. Each food item was assessed based on the potential health concerns of its ingredients and whether the item was locally produced, ecologically sound and/or humane to determine …

Seasonal Variation In Terrestrial Insect Subsidies To Tropical Streams And Implications For The Diet Of Rivulus Hartii, David C. Owens

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Terrestrial invertebrates subsidize fish diets in lotic ecosystems. Seasonality strongly influences terrestrial invertebrate abundance in temperate regions and alters their delivery to streams. Seasonal changes in the tropics are characterized by distinct wet and dry periods, with marked variation in invertebrate abundance. However, little is known about how these seasonal changes affect invertebrate subsidies and their ecological consequences for tropical streams. We measured the effect of rainfall and canopy density on terrestrial invertebrate falling input, as well as seasonal variation in falling input, benthic and drifting invertebrate, and Rivulus hartii (Hart’s Rivulus) diet composition during both the wet and dry …

Development Of A Spatialy Explicit Habitat Patch Model (C-Pan) And Comparative Analysis Of Patch Modeling Techniques: The Crafting Of A New Tool For Conservation Planners, Ryan Perkl

All Dissertations

ABSTRACT
Ecological theories including island biogeography, intermediate disturbance, metapopulation and metacommunity all suggest that habitat patches of larger size and those comprised of substantial configurations of interior or core habitat possess the greatest potential for long-term species viability. As a direct means of mitigating edge encroachment and fragmentation's other adverse effects, there is a growing consensus among conservation planners that assembling larger, more cohesive tracts with substantial core area is of ecological value in conservation planning. Larger and more cohesive patches are believed to sustain larger and more viable local populations, enhance overall biodiversity, incorporate a wider array of natural …

A Study Of The Sustainability Of Wild Capture Salmon In The Pacific Northwest, Justin D. Hansen

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Avian Piscivores As Vectors For Myxobolus Cerebralis In The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Todd M. Koel, Billie L. Kerans, Scott C. Barras, Katie C. Hanson, John S. Wood

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Myxobolus cerebralis, the cause of whirling disease in salmonids, has dispersed to waters in 25 states within the USA, often by an unknown vector. Its incidence in Yellowstone cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri within the highly protected environment of Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, is a prime example. Given the local abundances of piscivorous birds, we sought to clarify their potential role in the dissemination of M. cerebralis. Six individuals from each of three bird species (American white pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, double-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus, and great blue heron Ardea herodias) were fed known-infected or …

Solar Radiation Investigations; A Foundation Study, Alanna Maguire

Doctoral

Skin cancer is a global epidemic that is increasing annually. However, our knowledge of the mechanisms involved in skin carcinogenesis is relatively poor. Investigative studies to date have predominantly employed fluorescent UV A and I or UVB lamps. The information gained from such studies has pioneered this area of research effectively, however, the typical unimodal Gaussian distribution of such irradiators do not reflect that of solar radiation nor do they account for potential waveband interactions. Advancing technologies in solar simulation have opened up this field to more environmentally and biologically relevant exposures, not only in terms of distribution but also …

A Spatio-Temporal Analysis Of Landscape Change Within The Eastern Terai, India: Linking Grassland And Forest Loss To Change In River Course And Land Use, Tanushree Biswas

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Land degradation is one of the most important drivers of landscape change around the globe. This dissertation examines land use-land cover change within a mosaic landscape in Eastern Terai, India, and shows evidence of anthropogenic factors contributing to landscape change. Land use and land cover change were examined within the Alipurduar Subdivision, a representative of the Eastern Terai landscape and the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected area nested within Alipurduar through the use of multi-temporal satellite data over the past 28 years (1978 – 2006).

This study establishes the potential of remote sensing technology to identify the drivers of landscape …

Keeping Wetlands Wet: The Human Hydrology Of Wetlands In The Bear River Basin, Rebekah Downard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research seeks to understand how wetlands maintain a water supply in the Bear River Basin, where water is generally scarce. Research was conducted through semi-structured interviews with wetland and water experts in the basin and archival research of historical documents and water rights.

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages three refuges on the Bear River, and has obtained water rights portfolios for each. Holding water rights does not ensure that there will be water available for refuge wetlands. Instead, position in relation to other powerful water users is the most important factor in determining the security of …

Ecology And Seasonal Habitat Use Patterns Of Columbian Sharp-Tailed Grouse In Northern Utah, Ron D. Greer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus: hereafter sharp-tailed grouse) populations have been declining. These declines have been attributed to a number of factors, including habitat loss due to agriculture, habitat fragmentation, overgrazing by livestock, and the loss to fire.

To gather information about their status in northern Utah, I radio-marked sharp-tailed grouse in 2003 (n=15) and 2004 (n=20) in two research areas. The study areas were located on the south end of Cache County and in eastern Box Elder County. In the Cache study area, I monitored 7 males and 1 female in 2003, and 6 males and …

Stormwater Monitoring And Resident Behavior In A Semi-Arid Region, Jennifer Abraham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The combined effect of land-use alterations and introduced diffuse anthropogenic pollutants to the earth's surface in suburban/urban zones often sparks a decrease in stormwater quality in the area, and contributes to nonpoint source pollution in receiving waters. The ponds at the Utah Botanical Center (UBC) located in Kaysville, UT, regularly experience algal blooms, which in turn cause low dissolved oxygen levels in the waters, indicating high concentrations of inflowing pollutants. The goal of this thesis paper was to describe the findings from the water quality monitoring implemented at both the inlet and outlet of the UBC ponds in order to …

Critique Of A Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Method Applied To Residential Open Space, Sarah Rigard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

To this date, little research has been done evaluating the quality of wildlife habitat provided by open space in residential areas. Quality wildlife habitat for the purposes of this study is defined as those areas which contain the physical and biological characteristics necessary to support native wildlife species of the region. This thesis critiqued a wildlife habitat assessment method used in a nationwide study of residential open space for the purpose of better understanding the research conducted by the study and to inform similar, future habitat evaluations of landscapes altered by human activity to accommodate residential land use. The methodology …

The Effects Of Spruce Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) On Fuels And Fire In Intermountain Spruce-Fir Forests, Carl Arik Jorgensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In spruce-fir forests, there are many biotic and abiotic disturbances that can alter stand structure and composition. Many of these disturbances can produce high percentages of tree mortality at different scales. Spruce beetle has been considered a devastating disturbance agent, capable of creating high levels of mortality that will alter fuel complexes that may affect fire behavior. For comparison, stand data were gathered in endemic (near Loa and Moab, UT), epidemic (near Loa and Fairview, UT), and post-epidemic (near Salina and Loa, UT) condition classes of spruce beetle activity. Generally, fine fuels were higher during the epidemic and returned to …

Maternal Effects In Transmission Of Self-Medicative Behavior From Mother To Offspring In Sheep, Udita Sanga

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Mammals begin learning food preferences in utero and maternally mediated influences early in life help offspring develop their feeding habits. Mammals also learn by individual experience to ingest medicinal compounds such as polyethylene glycol (PEG), which attenuates the negative post-ingestive effects of tannins, a group of potentially toxic plant secondary compounds. The objective of this study was to investigate the transmission of acquired self-medicative behavior from mother to offspring using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a medicine to relieve malaise caused by tannins. I hypothesized that: 1) mothers trained to associate the beneficial effects of PEG while consuming tannins will pass …

Nutrient Utilization From Anaerobic Digester Effluent Through Algae Cultivation, Shantanu Wahal

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nutrients present in digested animal waste can be utilized for algae cultivation under suitable conditions. Algal growth, however, depends on the chemical forms and speciation of these nutrients. In this study a chemical equilibrium model was first used to describe nutrient speciation and predict conditions that enhance the solubility of nutrients in anaerobic digester effluent. Dilution with water and separation of large particulates greatly improved nutrient availability and light penetration - conditions favorable for algal cultivation. Algae growth was tested using three strains - Scenedesmus dimorphous (UTEX # 417), Chlorella vulgaris (UTEX# 265), and an algal isolate (designated as LLAI …

Biology And Ecology Of Lake Sturgeon Acipenser Fulvescens In The Grasse River, New York, Drew Trested

All Dissertations

The objectives of this dissertation were to (1) evaluate the age, growth, mortality, and abundance of lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens in the Grasse River, New York; (2) characterize seasonal movement patterns and mesohabitat use for adult and juvenile lake sturgeon in the Grasse River, New York; and (3) quantify the immediate and delayed post-procedure mortality for shovelnose sturgeon after insertion of an endoscope through an incision. I determined age for 196 of 211 lake sturgeon by examination of sectioned pectoral fin rays. Ages ranged from 0 -32 years and the annual mortality rate for fish between ages 7 and 14 …

Guide To Stakeholder Groups For Great Basin Sagebrush Steppe Restoration, Scott Hoffmann, Mark W. Brunson, Summer Olsen

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

As efforts are made to restore the health and functioning of sagebrush ecosystems within the Great Basin, various stakeholder interest groups have the potential to offer partnerships as well as adversarial involvement with land managers tasked with restoration. Given that greater than 60% of the Great Basin is publicly owned and managed by the Bureau of Land Management and other federal agencies, it is critical for those working in restoration to understand the views held by key stakeholder groups that may enhance or impair such efforts (Brunson and Peterson 2007). Gaining knowledge about and familiarity with those interest groups active …

Adaptive Management Of Complex Environmental Problems – Comparison Of National Nuclear Waste Management Policies, Carmel Letourneau

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Many of today's challenging environmental problems, to the point of manifesting themselves on a scale that has global, political consequences, likely result from long-term evolutionary developmental processes. The degree to which humans can manage the evolution of these problems remains an open question. Faced with such challenges, since the mid 1980s, an increasing number of scholars have developed other forms of management, in particular, adaptive management. Scholars suggest that improving the performance of adaptive management requires that environmental problems be understood as 'complex', open, evolving systems of interacting social and environmental subsystems. To date, narrative has been the primary approach …

Filtration And Growth Rate Of Lake Mead Quagga Mussels (Dreissena Bugensis) In Laboratory Studies And Analyses Of Bioaccumulation, Carolyn Louise Link

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In January of 2007, Quagga Mussels (Dreissena bugensis) were identified in Lake Mead, Nevada. An aquatic invasive species, these mussels can significantly alter ecosystems. This study sought to quantify three ecological traits of the species through a series of laboratory experiments and analyses, providing information both for comparison with Dreissena in other locations, as well as for limnologic management decisions. Filtration rate of quagga mussels was quantified using algal strains and natural seston. Two strains of green algae, Nannochloris and Scenedesmus were used to determine mussel filtration rates with a spectrophotometer. Quagga filtration rates of collected Lake Mead seston were …

Characterization Of Plutonium Particles Originating From The Bomarc Accident -1960, Richard Charles Gostic

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Within the U.S. arsenal, 32 accidents with nuclear weapons were reported between 1950 and 1980. One of these accidents occurred at McGuire AFB in 1960. A BOMARC missile armed with a nuclear warhead caught on fire and as a result the warhead was destroyed. Sub-millimeter particles consisting of weapons grade plutonium (WGPu) produced by this accident were distributed around the site and remained in the environment for 47 years. Soil cores known to contain WGPu particles produced by this accident were obtained. The particles were localized and removed from the soil with the aid of high resolution computed tomography. The …