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Evaluation Of Aquatic Plant Survey Methods For Efficacy In Invasive Species Detection, Izaac Cooper

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Aquatic invasive plants can often be ecologically devastating to ecosystems where they are introduced. This devastation has been widely apparent in the United States, including many locations in New York State over many decades, following anthropogenic transport of species from their native ranges. Due to the difficulty involved in eradicating these plants once they have become fully established, there is keen interest in strategies for early detection to assist with prevention and monitoring to mitigate future management costs. Invasive species detection research aims to find methods for detecting new invaders more effectively. I evaluated three detection methods for their effectiveness …

Collection Of Local Kyrgyzstan Melon Genotypes And Determination Of Morphologicalrelationships Between Some Anatolian Melons, Hasan Can, Önder Türkmen

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Collection, characterization, and protection of genetic resources are among the high-priority issues of increasing importance throughout the world, especially for the breeding and release of novel cultivars. To understand and describe the characteristics of germplasm, the morphological status of genetic resources must accurately represent their agricultural applications. In this study, the genotypes of melon in Kyrgyzstan were collected by visiting several regions and contacting farmers. The genetic diversity of 35 Kyrgyz and 13 Turkish melon accessions was characterized based on the corresponding phenotypes. The morphological characterizations were largely based on the IPGR and, to some extent, UPOV standards. The genotypes …

Morphological And Agronomic Characterization Of Turkish Vaccaria Hispanica (Mill.) Rauschert Populations, Esi̇n Ari, Nedi̇m Mutlu, İnanç Soylu, Hi̇lal Bedi̇r, İlker Genç, İsmai̇l Gökhan Deni̇z

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Vaccaria hispanica (Mill) Rauschert, also known as cow cockle, is an important candidate for industrial crop species that has yet to be fully domesticated. Therefore, characterization of germplasms is crucial to initiate and select for economic use. The study reports cultivation, characterization, and seed production of 66 wild V. hispanica genotypes, collected throughout Turkey that represent the available genetic pool. The study was carried out in an unheated greenhouse in Antalya, under Mediterranean climate from December to early June. The populations were evaluated for 21 morphological and 6 agronomic traits. The highest coefficient of variation (CV) for morphological traits was …

Phenotypic Strategies For Jasione L. Or The Challenge That Taxonomy Face To Recent Floristic Responses Along Western Eurasia, João Rocha, Paulo Almeida, Rubén Ramírez-Rodríguez, Fátima Sales, Francisco Amich, Antonio Crespi

Turkish Journal of Botany

Jasione L. (Campanulaceae) is regarded as one of the recent floristic responses in western Eurasia. The characterization of the morpho-environmental fluctuating asymmetries (FA) to describe the phenotypic responses for Jasione L. is here exposed. Continuity is pointed out to describe these morpho-environmental responses, as a redundancy effect (RE), in accordance with the significant similarity involved. In this case, 327 individuals and 14 species were investigated (J. sphaerochephala Brullo, Marcenò & Pavone and J. idaea Stoj. synonymized as J. montana L. var. montana and J. supina Sieber ex Spreng. subsp. pontica (Boiss.) Damboldt). J. montana L. and J. heldreichii Boiss. & …

The Chromosomal Evolution And Analyses Of Turkish Cousinia Species, Tuna Uysal, Osman Tugay, Kuddi̇si̇ Ertuğrul, Meryem Bozkurt, Deni̇z Ulukuş, Hakki Demi̇relma

Turkish Journal of Botany

In this study, Turkish Cousinia species were examined in point of chromosome number and morphology. To our knowledge, this work is the first comprehensive chromosomal study regarding Turkish Cousinia as a whole, especially for endemics. As consistent with previous reports, the chromosome numbers are mostly 2n = 26 and have been determined also as 2n = 24 for only the members of Cynaroideae and Sphaerocephalae sections. An interesting result of this paper is that there is not any polyploid species in this taxonomic group and all of them are diploids. Concerning the chromosome evolution of the Cousinia species, we concluded …

Heterogeneity Of Recreationists In A Park And Protected Area, Olivia A. Darugna, Mark A. Kaemingk, Christopher J. Chizinski, Kevin L. Pope

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Limited information and resources have caused many parks and protected areas (PPAs) to functionally manage recreationists as a single homogeneous group, despite potential negative social and ecological consequences. We aimed to evaluate the homogeneity of recreationists at the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) by 1) quantifying frequencies of consumptive (i.e., hunting), intermediate-consumptive (i.e., fishing), and non-consumptive recreational-activity groups (e.g., wildlife viewing), and 2) evaluating sociodemographic differences among these groups. We used onsite surveys to determine that Valentine NWR supports heterogeneous groups of recreationists. The intermediate-consumptive group was most frequent (77% of all parties). All three recreational-activity groups varied in party …

Honor Thyself, Alonzo O. Williams

Dance (MFA) Theses

The black male experience and identity in America are filled with complexity. We struggle to know ourselves. We work to see the way of love and the peace of an unviolated free spirit. We want to engage with ourselves with the highest degree of freedom and comfort, not to continue to question our identity in a life-threatening white patriarchal masculinity ideal. Honoring oneself from the lenses of the Reconstruction era of the United States is essential. Reconceptualizing this history explores the significance of emphasizing Reconstruction in my life as a black male to go through a process of self-discovery and …

Effects Of Drought On Habitat Quality For Native Bees In Residential Gardens Of Claremont, Ca, Max Proctor

CMC Senior Theses

Over 1,500 of the 4000 bee species found in North America inhabit California. Native bees are declining however, largely due to climate change and agricultural intensification. Previous research shows that cities can sustain diverse bee communities, due to the diversity of ornamental flowers. Urban green space represents an opportunity for native bee conservation. Residential gardens provide lots of green space and are urban pollinator hotspots. Managing yards for increased floral resources and nesting habitat can benefit native bee communities. Turfgrass provides few floral or nesting resources and negatively correlates with bee diversity. The 2011-2017 California drought caused many homeowners to …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, January 2022, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 3, Issue 1

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards & Recognition
Page 3 Outreach in Harrisburg, SD
Page 4 Geography Alumni Named Among 'Highly Cited Researchers', 53rd Annual Geography Convention
Page 5 Geography Convention Speakers, Brookings/SDSU Day
Page 6 Media Coverage of Natural Sciences
Page 7 Open PRAIRIE Data
Page 8 Fall 2021 Dean's List
Page 9 Fall 2021 Dean's List, cont.

Drivers Of 20th Century Sea-Level Change In Southern New Zealand Determined From Proxy And Instrumental Records, Ed Garrett, W. Roland Gehrels, Bruce W. Hayward, Rewi Newnham, Maria J. Gehrels, Craig J. Morey, Sönke Dangendorf

CCPO Publications

In this paper we present new proxy-based sea-level reconstructions for southern New Zealand spanning the last millennium. These palaeo sea-level records usefully complement sparse Southern Hemisphere proxy and tide-gauge sea-level datasets and, in combination with instrumental observations, can test hypotheses about the drivers of 20th century global sea-level change, including land-based ice melt and regional sterodynamics. We develop sea-level transfer functions from regional datasets of salt-marsh foraminifera to establish a new proxy-based sea-level record at Mokomoko Inlet, at the southern tip of the South Island, and to improve the previously published sea-level reconstruction at Pounawea, located about 110 km to …

Social Determinants Of Disease: Hiv And Covid-19 Experiences, Raiza M. Beltran, Ian W. Holloway, Chenglin Hong, Ayako Miyashita, Luisita Cordero, Elizabeth Wu, Katherine Burris, Paula M. Frew

Epidemiology & Biostatistics Faculty Research

Purpose of Review: The differential impact of the COVID-19 and HIV pandemics on marginalized communities has renewed calls for more robust and deeper investigation into structural and social causes of health inequities contributing to these infections, including underlying factors related to systematic racism. Using the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) framework, we analyzed parallel and divergent factors associated with COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS and the prevalence of disparate disease in diverse communities. We utilized PRISMA guidelines to identify relevant literature (N = 210 articles) that resulted in a review of 125 articles included in our synthesis. Recent Findings: With racial health …

Increasing Detection Sensitivity For Rare And Endangered Species In Kansas Through Development Of An Aquatic Environmental Dna Sampling Protocol, Sarah Hallyburton

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Anthropogenic global climate change is forcing the mass extinction of wildlife across the globe. Humans depend on freshwater ecosystems for many aspects of life including agricultural production, sanitation, and recreation. Healthy levels of biodiversity in freshwater environments ensure economically beneficial ecosystem services are maintained. Freshwater ecosystems are hotspots for biodiversity and have higher levels of imperiled organisms compared to terrestrial and marine systems. Within freshwater systems, freshwater mussels (Family: Unionidae) are the most imperiled with over 70% of North American species assigned to a conservation class as judged by state or federal management agencies. The objective of this study was …

Efficacy Of Non-Lethal Molecular Methods In Elucidating Distribution Of Gray Treefrog Complex (Hyla Chrysoscelis/Versicolor) In Kansas, Nora K. Lazerus

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Globally, amphibians are the most imperiled vertebrate taxa in part because they rely on both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Specifically, their permeable skin makes them uniquely susceptible to habitat degradation and alteration. Cope’s Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) and the Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor) are a diploid-tetraploid, morphologically indistinguishable sister pair of cryptic anurans native to Kansas. Since 1987, the distribution of gray treefrogs in Kanas has extended west but the status of each species in the complex in Kansas is not known beyond its documented combined western expansion. Currently, species identification cannot be determined by nonlethal …

A Flora Of Coyote Ridge And Flat, Inyo County, California, Martin Purdy

CGU Theses & Dissertations

California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range contains a disproportionate share of the state’s plant diversity and is one of the most floristically diverse regions of its size in the United States. The high Sierra Nevada, in particular, has been identified as an important center of species richness and endemism within California. Anthropogenic climate warming is expected to disproportionately affect mountain ecosystems, and models have predicted serious habitat contraction and extirpation for many alpine plant taxa. A specimen-based inventory of the vascular and non-vascular plants of Coyote Ridge and Flat was conducted to establish baseline data for one such sensitive alpine and …

Small Tech, High Touch: A Permutation, Victor Christianto, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

In an earlier paper published in a neutrosophic math journal (IJNS), we discussed a new approach to technology, which may be called as ‘opti-realism’ or ‘pess-optimism’ as alternative to utopianism based on technocracy, which may lead the world into global techno-totalitarianism. In this article, we submit a new approach to Nature and technology, which is more modest and humble, rather than a techno-utopianism version of reality that most futurists argue for. Our proposed approach resembles more to Myer-Briggs 16 types of personality, including IJNS, IFNS etc. In our scheme, there are 8 characters of approach toward technology which can lead …

Geomorphic Gradients In Shallow Seagrass Carbon Stocks, Jahson Berhane Alemu, Siti Maryam Yaakub, Erik S. Yando, Rachel Yu San Lau, Cheng Chang Lim, Jun Yu Puah, Daniel A. Friess

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Seagrass meadows are important sinks of organic carbon (C_org), in particular the near-surface C_org pool (≤ 15 cm) compared to deeper sediments. Near-surface carbon is highly susceptible to disturbance and loss to the atmosphere, however, inadequate accounting for variability in this pool of carbon limits their uptake into carbon accounting frameworks. We therefore investigated the spatial variability in seagrass near-surface C_org and biomass C_org across different geomorphic (estuary, lagoonal and reef-associated) and community typologies (pioneer and persistent). Near-surface C_org stock in vegetated areas (25.78 Mg C_org ha⁻¹ ± 26.64) was twice that …

“It’S Just Part Of Our Hospitality:” Examination Of Cultural Factors That May Inform Future Initiatives To Improve Health Outcomes In A Rural Appalachian Community, Lauren Cassidy Batey

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

Diet and physical activity are influenced by a person’s culture and may contribute to the presence of health disparities within a geographic region. Health disparities are evident in Appalachia where a unique cultural identity exists. Culture-based initiatives focused on improving diet quality and increasing physical activity have improved health outcomes in diverse groups, yet interventions considering geographically tied cultures, like Appalachia, are limited. This study aims to identify specific aspects of Appalachian culture that influence health outcomes to inform and increase success of health focused interventions. Five focus groups were conducted in one rural Appalachian community in summer 2021. Grounded …

Activity Patterns Among Head-Started Juvenile Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys Temminckii), Parker R. Golliglee

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

In contrast to many species of aquatic turtle, Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys temminckii) are putatively nocturnal. Data supporting this assertion are chiefly anecdotal, however, and two recent studies cast doubt on this generalization. Differences in activity patterns may be related to variability in temperature and photoperiod across the species’ range and may be influenced by ontogenetic changes, as well. To assess this, I equipped juvenile Alligator Snapping Turtles spanning a range of different ages with activity data loggers. I used 4-year-old turtles were to measure latitudinal differences in activity which were reared in hatchery ponds spanning the species’ …

Assessment Of Genetic Variation Of Natural Populations Of Wild Cherry (Prunus Avium L.)Via Ssr Markers, Burcu Uzan Eken, Emrah Kirdök, Ercan Veli̇oğlu, Yelda Özden Çi̇ftçi̇

Turkish Journal of Botany

Wild cherry (Prunus avium L, syn. Cerasus avium L. Moench.) is a widely spread forest tree that has ecological and economical importance. However, the genetic diversity of this species is threatened for many reasons. Therefore, a breeding and conservation program should be established in order to minimise the loss of genetic diversity. In this study, we aimed to understand the genetic structure of 440 individual wild cherries sampled from 22 different populations in Turkey using 10 SSR molecular markers. With the molecular variance analysis, we found that the genetic diversity within the population is approximately 88.5% and the genetic diversity …

Sustainable Computing In Smart Agriculture: Survey And Challenges, Jing Nie, Yi Wang, Yang Li, Xuewei Chao

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Research on sustainable computing in agriculture has a great potential as an effective way to solve most agricultural technology bottlenecks, save resource costs, and drive sustainable agricultural development. This paper provides a systematic introduction to the data collection, data mining and evaluation, classification and application of sustainable algorithms involved in the field of sustainable computing in agriculture. At the same time, the paper provides an insightful discussion on its challenges and future trends. The purpose of this work is to help researchers review the current status and pressing issues of sustainable algorithms in agriculture, and to provide a referenceable direction …

Assessment Of The Effect Of Land Use Change On Bioclimatic Comfort Conditions In Uşak Province, Ahmet Erkan Meti̇n, Savaş Çağlak

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Bioclimatic comfort is the state of people in which they feel comfortable, happy, and fit in the atmospheric environment they are. The bioclimatic comfort conditions of cities have changed depending on anthropogenic factors. The aim of this study is to compare the bioclimatic comfort conditions of Uşak city between 1990 and 2018. In the first stage, the bioclimatic comfort conditions of the city centre between 1990 and 2018 were determined according to the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) index obtained from the RayMan model by using hourly data of the meteorological station in the city centre; air temperature (°C), relative humidity …

Comparative Study Of Phenolic Compounds In Olive Oils From Differentgeographic Regions, Şeyma Şi̇şi̇k Oğraş

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

In this study, the effect of cultivar, harvest year, and the geographic regions (Mediterranean, Aegean, Southeastern Anatolia, Marmara, and the Black Sea) on phenolic compounds of virgin olive oils were investigated. Tyrosol was the major phenolic compound in the Mediterranean, Southeastern, and Black Sea regions. Hydroxytyrosol showed the highest value (2.07 mg/kg) in the Southeastern Anatolia region and the lowest value (0.75 mg/kg) in the Marmara region. Among the phenolic acids, vanillic acid had an important place in phenolic compounds (p < 0.01). This phenolic acid gave higher values in the Marmara region compared to other regions. Flavonoids were determined as important groups of phenolic compounds in olive oils. The oils from the Southeastern Anatolia region separated from other oils with the highest levels of flavonoids such as quercetin, luteolin, and apigenin. All phenolic compounds, except transcinnamic acid and quercetin, increased in the second harvest year. Vanillic acid was the highest phenolic compound in the first year, in contrast, tyrosol had higher values than vanillic acid in the second year. Many phenolic compounds were affected by olive cultivar. Memecik has a higher content of tyrosol, vanillic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and quercetin in the Aegean region. However, this variety showed higher values for hydroxytyrosol, transcinnamic acid, luteolin, and apigenin in the Marmara region. Gemlik, Ayvalık, Çelebi, Domat and Memecik from Marmara regions had higher vanillic acid. Butko, Otur and Kızıl Satı showed higher tyrosol. Principal component analysis showed that phenolic compounds could play an important role in the separation of regions and cultivars.

Decadal Reevaluation Of Sugar Maple Dieback Etiology Across The Upper Great Lakes Region, Mattison E. Brady

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is a foundational tree species in northern hardwood forests of the United States and Canada. Though previous work has documented areas of substantial stress for this species in eastern North America, increasing reports of crown dieback in the Upper Great Lake states through the early 2000’s highlighted the relative lack of understanding of regional trends and causes. A 120-plot network of maple forest health monitoring sites was established and annually visited across Upper Michigan, northern Wisconsin, and eastern Minnesota between 2009 and 2012 to catalog and understand the regional phenomenon.

Results from the project’s …

Ellenberg Ecological Indicator Values, Tolerance Values, Species Niche Models For Soil Nutrient Availability, Salinity, And Ph In Coastal Dune Vegetation Along A Landward Gradient (Euxine, Turkey), Hamdi̇ Güray Kutbay, Burak Sürmen

Turkish Journal of Botany

Coastal dunes are characterised by plant species adapted to harsh conditions. Salinity and other factors (soil pH, nutrients, and climate events) vary along the landward gradient. The current study investigated the effects of environmental factors on the occurrence and composition of coastal dune plants. Ellenberg ecological indicator values (EIVs), species tolerance values (TVs), and species niche models for salinity, nutrient availability, and soil reaction were determined. EIVs were estimated using weighted averages based on the species cover-abundance for each plot. Species TVs were calculated considering the cover-abundance and EIVs (pH, nutrient, and salinity). Species niche models were determined with the …

Conservation In Ecuador's Sangay-Podocarpus Connectivity Corridor: A Study Of Coproductive Capacities, Gabriel Isaac Oppler

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Connectivity conservation, a growing topic across science, policy, and management, is considered an important supplement to protected areas. A diversity of ecological corridors is emerging to restore fragmented landscapes, preserve intact habitats, protect biodiversity, and improve resilience to climate change. Despite increasing expertise and resources for planning corridors, many initiatives face challenges mobilizing science and governance to implement corridors on the ground. In many cases, biophysical science is supplemented with social science to better understand the human elements of connectivity. Similarly, collaboration and partnership are heralded as essential for effective governance of corridors. However, less is known about how these …

"Rusticall Chymistry": Alchemy, Saltpeter Projects, And Experimental Fertilizers In Seventeenth-Century English Agriculture", Justin Niermeier-Dohoney

Arts and Communication Faculty Publications

As the primary ingredient in gunpowder, saltpeter was an extraordinarily important commodity in the early modern world. Historians of science and technology have long studied its military applications but have rarely focused on its uses outside of warfare. Due to its potential effectiveness as a fertilizer, saltpeter was also an integral component of experimental agricultural reform movements in the early modern period and particularly in seventeenth-century England. This became possible for several reasons: the creation of a thriving domestic saltpeter production industry in the second half of the sixteenth century; the development of vitalist alchemical theories that sought a unified …

An Assessment Of Geographic And Taxonomic Biases In Research On Climate Change-Related Range Shifts, Evan J. Parker

Library Map Prize

Geographic and taxonomic biases in ecological literature inhibit the ability of research to be generalized or translated to other systems. This is particularly true with research on climate change-related range shifts, where a diverse and representative set of observations is needed to understand the significant heterogeneity of range shifts and improve models. A literature review was conducted and biases were assessed by examining the geographic location of study areas, the taxonomic makeup of study species, and the location of study areas within species ranges. A substantial geographic skew towards terrestrial, mid-latitude North America and Europe was observed. However, taxonomic coverage …

Wilderness And The Geotag: Exploring The Claim That "Geotagging Ruins Nature" In The Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Wa, Mara Gans

All Master's Theses

This research explores the claim that “geotagging ruins nature” by quantifying and qualifying patterns in geotag use and visitors’ experiences in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, in Washington, United States. Many have raised concerns that geotags increase recreational visitation to public lands, which subsequently contributes to negative resource impacts. Others, however, claim that geotagging has made the outdoors more accessible to less privileged communities and raise concerns that condemning geotags will perpetuate the exclusion of certain groups from outdoor recreation. This debate is studied within federally designated Wilderness, which is legally defined as “untrammeled by man,” a definition rooted in problematic …

Characterizing And Predicting Beaver Pond Habitat In Kittitas County, Washington, Kylie Vroman

All Master's Theses

North American Beavers (Castor canadensis) are important ecosystem engineers in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), as they provide ecosystem services and create habitats that benefit aquatic species, watersheds, and riparian vegetation. Even though the species has been coined a “nuisance” in some settings, it is common for environmental agencies to capture beavers and relocate them to areas where it is less likely for them to cause damage. This study geospatially modeled the Kittitas County landscape to identify areas of suitable habitat. Nine existing beaver ponds in Kittitas County were investigated; three of which were prior relocation sites that had failed, three …

Effects Of Unpaved Roads On Relative Abundance And Epigenetics Of Early Successional Lizards, David Tevs

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Unpaved roads may provide uniform microhabitat characteristics and impart edge effects in the adjacent landscape that mediate environmental pressures acting on small vertebrates. These features may allow species that are associated with recent disturbance to persist in aging forest patches. Further, epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation may provide these species the phenotypic plasticity necessary to occupy multiple habitats with different environmental conditions. To understand how small vertebrates use unpaved roads, the relative abundance and occurrence of Florida scrub lizards (Sceloporus woodi) and six-lined racerunners (Aspidoscelis sexlineata) were quantified using visual encounter surveys along unpaved roads …