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Movements And Dive Patterns Of A Rehabilitated Risso’S Dolphin, Grampus Griseus, In The Gulf Of Mexico And Atlantic Ocean, Randall Wells, Charles Manire, Lynne Byrd, David Smith, Janet Gannon, Deborah Fauquier, Keith Mullin

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) occur throughout the world in tropical and temperate waters. The best estimates of abundance for Risso’s dolphins are 1,589 (CV = 0.27) for the northern Gulf of Mexico and 20,479 (CV = 0.59) for the U.S. Atlantic Ocean (Waring et al. 2006). G. griseus is the fourth most abundant cetacean species in the oceanic waters of the northern Gulf and is found in all seasons (Mullin et al. 1994, 2004; Maze-Foley and Mullin 2006).
Risso’s dolphins typically can be found over the continental shelf edge and the upper continental slope, where sea surface temperatures …

A Trans-Holocene Archaeological Record Of Guadalupe Fur Seals (Arctocephalus Townsendi) On The California Coast, Torben Rick, Robert Delong, Jon Erlandson, Todd Braje, Terry Jones, Douglas Kennett, Thomas Wake, Phillip Walker

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

Guadalupe fur seals (Arctocephalus townsendi) were decimated by 19th century commercial sealers in the northeastern Pacific and thought to be extinct until 1928 when commercial fishermen caught two adult males at Isla de Guadalupe from a group of up to 60 adults and pups (Wedgeforth 1928, Huey 1930). These two animals were brought to the San Diego Zoo, prompting several zoological expeditions to Isla de Guadalupe in the 1930s and 1940s, but none successfully located Guadalupe fur seals. In 1949, a single male was seen on San Nicolas Island, California (Bartholomew 1950), and in 1954, a small breeding …

Alaska Marine Mammal Stock Assessments, 2008, R. P. Angliss, B. M. Allen

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

This report provides information on the marine mammal stocks of Alaska under the jurisdiction of the National Marine Fisheries Service. Each stock assessment includes, when available, a description of the stock’s geographic range, a minimum population estimate, current population trends, current and maximum net productivity rates, optimum sustainable population levels and allowable removal levels, and estimates of annual human-caused mortality and serious injury through interactions with commercial fisheries and subsistence hunters. These data will be used to evaluate the progress of each fishery towards achieving the MMPA’s goal of zero fishery-related mortality and serious injury of marine mammals. The Stock …

Water Current, Volume 41, No. 2, Spring 2009

Water Current Newsletter

Fall Symposium: Platte River Basin Science and Resource Management – October 14 and 15 in Kearney
WRAP Exploring Critical Issues
Meet the Faculty: Jesse Korus, Mehmet Can Vuran
UNL to Announce Formation of the Global Water Institute Engineering
Emerging Contaminants in Natural Waterways: Where is the Smoking Gun?
Featured Partner: NACEE: Nebraska Alliance for Conservation and Environmental Education
Protect State’s Legacy of Living Rivers
Zellmer Authors Book Chapter
Sixth Annual University of Nebraska–LincolnWater Law, Policy and Science
Conference:“Blue Gold: When Water Meets Money”April 29, 30Embassy Suites Hotel, Lincoln
Rain Gardens and Urban Stormwater Management Education in Nebraska
UNL Presenters at …

Potential Role Of Micro-Algae On Global Energy Supply, Sage Callaway-Keeley, Stephanie Huynh

Student Research Posters

The most effective ways to reduce CO2 emissions are to improve the energy efficiency of each economic sector and to reduce the cutting of tropical and temperate forests around the world. These options, however, may not fully reach their technical and economic potential due to various political and socioeconomic. The most practical of these is to increase CO2 sinks through photosynthesis in both standing tree biomass and in ocean primary producers. The use of marine algae as CO2 sinks is for large-scale CO2 mitigation: the use of phytoplankton through Fe fertilization and macro algal (kelp) farms, which can be used …

Scwds Briefs: Volume 25, Number 1 (April 2009), Gary L. Doster , Editor, Scwds Briefs, Michael J. Yabsley

Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study: Publications

Table of Contents:

USDA Seeks Comments on New CWD Rule

Some of the Intricacies of CWD

3rd International CWD Symposium

White Nose Syndrome Update

Wildlife Poisoning in Kansas

Salmonellosis in Your Backyard

Trichomonosis in Songbirds

Dr. Al Franzmann

Staff & Student Recognition

Water Quality Variability In A Bioswell And Concrete Drainage Pipe, Southwest Lincoln, Nebraska, Jessica Shortino

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract The goal of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of bioswells in protecting water quality from urban runoff. The hypothesis tested in this project is that water in bioswells improves water quality. Water quality in both a bioswell and an underground concrete lined ditch, both containing ground and surface water, were tested for certain water quality parameters. These parameters consisted of: Dissolved Oxygen, pH, water temperature, weather temperature, Total Dissolved Solids, Specific Conductivity, Alkalinity, Total Dissolved Carbon, Chemical Oxygen Demand, and depth and width of the sampling site. An additional contaminant that was looked at was motor oil. …

Impacts Of Plant Size, Density, Herbivory, And Disease On Native Platte Thistle (Cirsium Canescens), Deidra Jacobsen

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract. Based on prior field observations, we hypothesized that individual and interacting effects of plant size, density, insect herbivory, and especially fungal disease, influenced seedling and juvenile plant growth in native Platte thistle populations (Cirsium canescens Nutt.). We worked at Arapaho Prairie in the Nebraska Sandhills (May - August 2007), monitoring plant growth, insect damage, and fungal infection within different density thistle patches. In the main experiment, we sprayed half of test plants in different density patches with fungicide (Fungonil© Bonide, containing chlorothalonil) and half with a water control. Fungal infection rates were very low, so we found no difference …

A Survey Of Western United States Instream Flow Programs And The Policies That Protect A River's Ecosystem, Kyle Jackson

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The Western United States can best be described as a vast, varying land, with the high plains to the east and the jagged horizons of Rockies to the west. However there is one common trait shared by these states: the lack of water resources. With the continued development of this land, the fact that water is scarce is becoming more real. This issue became more difficult to handle as the public became more aware that many competing uses existed for the finite resource, and those different uses were degrading the natural environments of the surface waters. With this realization instream …

A Multidisciplinary Approach On Swiss Organic Food And Agriculture, Jae In Kim

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The organic food movement in Switzerland owes its success to the trust relationship among producers, retailers and consumers alike. The higher quality of organic food compared to those of neighboring countries, as well as the visible effort to maintain the quality with highly-recognized label certification scheme, allowed organic food to find a secure niche in supermarket shelves despite a higher price in an already expensive country. The market structure—Bio Suisse as an association of organic producers who set the criteria, and separate institutions for each research, inspection and distribution—maintains the careful balance in the market which explains the stability of …

Development Of Wildlife Damage Management: A Personal Perspective, Walter E. Howard

Human–Wildlife Interactions

During my professional career, many changes have occurred in the management of wildlife damage and human–wildlife conflicts, including some dramatic changes in people’s attitudes. ... Vertebrate pest control has now become a sophisticated scientific field. It is recognized that the factors responsible for some species of birds and mammals becoming pests are many. A species can overpopulate due to changes in habitat, lessening of predation, lack of competition with other species, or by transmitting disease. Additionally, the National Academy of Sciences’ National Research Council Agricultural Board recognized that wildlife and other competitors of agriculture are important to the economy of …

Comparative Ecology And Conservation Status Of Procambarus (Pennides) Gibbus And Procambarus (Pennides) Versutus In Marion County, Georgia, Joann Chadwick

Theses and Dissertations

Two crayfish species, whose conservation status was of concern, Procambarus (Pennides) gibbus Hobbs and Procambarus (Pennides) versutus Hagen, and one relatively common crayfish, Procambarus (Pennides) spiculifer LeConte were studied at nine creek sites in Marion County, Georgia. Major objectives of the yearlong study were to 1) compare the habitats of these species, looking for environmental differences that might account for their isolated distributions within the county and 2) assess the current conservation status of P. gibbus and P. versutus. Each study site was characterized by a one-time assessment of floodplain width, stream width, water velocity, stream depth and assessment of …

Gently Modified Operations: How Environmental Concerns Addressed Through Customs Procedures Can Successfully Resolve The Us-Eu Gmo Dispute, David E. Sella-Villa

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

No abstract provided.

Low-Level Pharmaceuticals And Personal Care Products In The Waters Of Michigan, Lisa M. Anderson

Dissertations

The results of this research are the product of a two year study funded by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality with monies from the Clean Michigan Initiative. Low-level (part per billion range) pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the waters of Michigan were investigated. Five rivers in the State were sampled; including the Clinton, Grand, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, and Saginaw. Groundwater samples were obtained from two shallow municipal water wells also; one on the Grand River and one on the Kalamazoo River. The wells were sampled to determine if PPCPs in the river water were being drawn in by …

Deer Guards And Bump Gates For Excluding White-Tailed Deer From Fenced Resources, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Nathan Seward, Michael J. Lavelle, Justin W. Fischer, Gregory Phillips

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) causing damage is a reoccurring theme in the realm of wildlife damage management, especially regarding human safety, disease transmission, and agricultural losses. Fences often are the only reliable long-term nonlethal means of controlling deer damage. The efficacy of fences, however, relies on their weakest link: human-operated gates. Although not overly time-consuming, the act of closing a gate appears to be a burden to individuals, resulting in open-access to an otherwise protected resource. We examined the efficacy of 2 alternatives to traditional gates to evaluate their potential to be used for excluding or containing deer. …

Translocation Of Nine-Banded Armadillos, Daniel J. Gammons, Michael Mengak, L. Michael Conner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

During the last 150 years, nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) have increased their range and abundance in the southeastern United States. When foraging, armadillos cause damage to agricultural crops as, as well as cause structural damage to driveways and foundations. Homeowners frequently use translocation to reduce local armadillo abundance. Despite its popularity with the general public, however, the appropriateness of nuisance wildlife translocation presents concerns for biologists. Our objective was to address some of these concerns by examining survival and movements of translocated armadillos. We translocated 12 armadillos (9 male, 3 female) equipped with radio-transmitters and compared their survival …

Interagency Science And Research: Final Project Report, Jennell M. Miller, Craig J. Palmer, Margaret N. Rees

Interagency Science and Research Strategy

The major accomplishment of this project was the development of the SNAP Science and Research Strategy: an 11-chapter document designed to integrate and coordinate scientific research programs in Southern Nevada and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of these programs. The Strategy is intended to inform and guide SNAP agencies in identifying and articulating highest priority science and research needs, sharing resources and funds from other sources, and eliminating redundancy between research programs within their focus areas. The major focus areas of the Strategy are Fire, Invasive Species, Watersheds and Landscapes, Biodiversity, Cultural Resources, Historic Content, Recreation, Land Use, and Education. …

Limnological Assistance For The Lake Mead National Recreation Area In Meeting The Challenge Of The Water 2025 Initiative: Quarterly Report, Period Ending April 1, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Limnological Studies

Project 1: Technical input has been provided at two advisory team meetings attended this quarter.

Project 2: Surface Water Monitoring for Indicator Bacteria in High-use Sites of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area (poster) was presented at the Lake Mead Science Symposium; a journal article is in preparation.

Project 3: A draft document titled “Interagency Monitoring Action Plan (I-MAP): Quagga Mussels in Lakes Mead and Mohave” has been subdivided into four major sections and corresponding sub-groups have been formed to provide review and input. Six oral presentations related to quagga mussels were presented at the Lake Mead Science Symposium. Two …

Env 492 Undergraduate Research Symposium, Scott R. Abella

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

In spring semester since January, UNLV Environmental Studies and Biology students in ENV 492 (Undergraduate Research) have conducted a wide variety of ecological research projects.

Colorado College State Of The Rockies Report Card, Walter E. Hecox, Elizabeth L. Kolbe, Matthew K. Reuer

Publications (SD)

This year’s Report Card content is largely focused upon wildlife, one of the key natural treasures of the Rockies and a distinguishing aspect to the wildness and beauty we cherish. A related section evaluates the Wild and Scenic River system in the Rockies and how this federal act has protected certain reaches in the West compared to other federal designations and unprotected streams. A key variable for the Rockies’ future is a growing population affecting our natural resources, and in this Report Card we consider the concentration of population growth within large metropolitan areas, a demographic trend known as a …

Inside Unlv, Shane Bevell, Diane Russell, Michelle Mouton, Gian Galassi

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Mojave Applied Ecology Notes Spring 2009, Russell Scofield, Michele Slaton Ph.D, Alexis Suazo, Donovan J. Craig

Mojave Applied Ecology Notes

California desert managers group, vegetation monitoring in Death Valley, undergraduate research symposium at UNLV, response of Sahara mustard to water and disturbance, JFS update

Unlv Magazine, Michelle Mouton, Tony Allen, Afsha Bawany, Shane Bevell, Phil Hagen, Greg Lacour, Erin O'Donnell, Karyn S. Hollingsworth

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Volume 02, Joseph A. Mann, Kathryn J. Greenly, Scott E. Jenkins, Andrew E. Puckette, Daniel M. Honey, Jeffery P. Ravenhorst, Jamie Elizabeth Mesrobian, Thomas Scott, Jay Crowell, Sarah Spangenberg, Amy S. Eason, Kenny Wolfe, Liz Hale, Rachel Bouchard, Will Semonco, Carley York, Ryan Higgenbothom, Adrienne Heinbaugh, Melissa Dorton, Madeline Hunter, June Ashmore, Clark Barkley, Jay Haley

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction from Dean Dr. Charles Ross

Mike's Nite: New Jazz for an Old Instrument by Joseph A. Mann

Investigation of the use of Cucumis Sativus for Remediation Of Chromium from Contaminated Environmental Matrices: An Interdisciplinary Instrumental Analysis Project by Kathryn J. Greenly, Scott E. Jenkins, and Andrew E. Puckette

Development of GC-MS and Chemometric Methods for the Analysis of Accelerants in Arson Cases by Scott Jenkins

Building and Measuring Scalable Computing Systems by Daniel M. Honey and Jeffery P. Ravenhorst

Nomini Hall: A Case Study in the Use of Archival Resources as Guides for Excavation at An Archaeological Site by …

Differential Response Of Amp Activated Protein Kinase (Ampk) And Hsp70 To Temperature Stress In The Gastropod, Nucella Lapillus, Emily Zimmermann

All Theses And Dissertations

Populations of the gastropod Nucella lapillus are polymorphic for shell color, with light-colored shells predominating on warmer, wave-protected shores and dark-colored shells limited primarily to cooler, wave-exposed shores. During thermal stress, darker shells attain higher body temperatures than lighter shells. These results suggest that heat stress may determine field distribution patterns. However, there is currently little evidence of physiological consequences of thermal stress in these organisms. Following the guiding hypothesis that heat stress leads to cellular energy depletion, we explored whether the central energy regulator AMP-activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) is activated by heat stress. We compared this response in both …

The Role Of The Local Community In Integrated Conservation With Development Projects: A Case Study Of The Phu My Lepironia Conservation Project, Marion Boulicault

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Recognizing the connection between local communities and conservation areas, Integrated Conservation with Development Projects (ICDPs) are being developed across the world to simultaneously address conservation and local development goals. Through a case study of the Phu My Lepironia Conservation Project (an ICDP) in Kien Giang Province, Vietnam, this study aimed to examine the nature of the role of the local community in ICDPs, the factors affecting this role and the impact this role is having on the conservation project. Participant observation and open-ended interview techniques were used to achieve this aim.

The study found that, despite the goal of the …

Pomacea Canaliculata In Tram Chim National Park: An Examination Of The Golden Apple Snail Within Local Vegetation Populations, Justin Loiseau

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The golden apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) is an invasive species that was first introduced into Southeast Asia in the 1980’s. Nearly three decades later, Pomacea canaliculata has become a widespread pest that threatens several key crops of the region, including Vietnam’s expansive rice fields. Although the economic implications of the spread of Pomacea canaliculata throughout Vietnam are disastrous, the environmental implications are also quite shocking. In Tram Chim National Park, the golden apple snail has shown its ability to survive and thrive off of local grasses and wild rice. To better understand the threat level of Pomacea canaliculata to Tram …

The Amphibian And Reptile Diversity Of Tràm Chim National Park, Đống Tháp Province, Việt Nam, Alex Krohn

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The herpetofauna of the Mekong Delta Region of Vietnam is not as frequently studied as the fauna of the Central and Northern Highlands Regions of the same country. Tram Chim National Park is situated in the Mekong Delta Region in Đồng Tháp Province and is one of the last remaining intact areas of the “Plain of Reeds” ecosystem that once used to cover this now mainly agricultural land. Although studies on the bird fauna, vegetation and ecological management of Tram Chim National Park are common, there has never been a study of the parks reptiles and amphibians. Moreover, by comparing …

Using Gis To Locate Areas For Growing Quality Coffee In Honduras, Ellen Mickle

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Small-scale coffee producers worldwide remain vulnerable to price fluctuations after the 1999-2003 coffee crisis. One way to increase small-scale farmer economic resilience is to produce a more expensive product, such as quality coffee. There is growing demand in coffee-producing and coffee-importing countries for user-friendly tools that facilitate the marketing of quality coffee. The purpose of this study is to develop a prototypical quality coffee marketing tool in the form of a GIS model that identifies regions for producing quality coffee in a country not usually associated with quality coffee, Honduras. Maps of areas for growing quality coffee were produced …

White-Tailed Deer Attacking Humans During The Fawning Season: A Unique Human–Wildlife Conflict On A University Campus, Ryan D. Hubbard, Clayton K. Nielsen

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Human–wildlife conflicts associated with suburban white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations have increased in the last 20 years. Primary threats to human health and safety associated with overabundant deer populations include deer–vehicle collisions, attacks on humans, disease, and damage to native and ornamental vegetation. During the fawning seasons (May–June) of 2005 and 2006, 13 confirmed incidences of white-tailed deer attacking humans occurred on the campus of Southern Illinois University–Carbondale. To our knowledge, no report exists that documents free-ranging does attacking humans during the fawning season. The attacks occurred at multiple locations on campus, with injuries to humans, including minor …