Digital Commons Network^™

User-Based Pasture Management In Kyrgyzstan: Achievements, Challenges, And Trends, Andrei Dörre, Ulan Kasymov

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In Kyrgyzstan, a high mountain country in Central Asia, grasslands occupy almost half of the territory. These extensive resources represent the basis for seasonally mobile animal husbandry, which is relevant for both individual households and the national economy. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Kyrgyzstan’s transition into a market economy, these formerly state-owned grasslands were parceled out and privatized. Considerable socio-economic distortions and ecological problems occurred during this process. In order to meet such unintended effects, a legal framework for user-based pasture management was established in the course of an institutional learning process. This package of measures corresponded …

Knowledge About And Knowledge With: Contributions From Feminist Research To Knowledge Co-Production For Pastoral Systems, F. Ravera, María Fernández-Giménez, E. Oteros-Rozas

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Globally, the gender dynamics of rangeland social-ecological systems have received scant attention. Further, research paradigms, methods and methodologies that leave little room for equitable engagement with research participants and genuine action-oriented research-practice partnerships dominate in pastoralist/rangeland studies. Our research is informed by a feminist philosophy of science and based on decolonial and feminist political ecology studies that focus on gendered science and knowledge production. Feminist research calls for reflection on who produces knowledge and how such knowledge is used and shared. Feminist practices such as reciprocity, care, and positionality, cultivate awareness of the power dynamics embedded in the research process …

Brazilian Pampa Rangelands: Challenges In The Face Of Soybean Expansion, J. G. Moriera, R. G. Maciel, Paulo D. Waquil, J. F. Tourrand

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The Pampa biome extends throughout the Uruguayan territory, part of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. It is characterized by being a natural pastoral ecosystem, in which livestock represents the best option for sustainable use for food production purposes, and favors the conservation of its rangelands. In addition to contributing to the conservation of natural pastures, it was along with livestock activities that the gaucho's way of life was developed. However, the cultivation of soybeans and eucalyptus plantations in the Pampa in all its extension is the localized version of the global dynamics of valuing the production of agricultural commodities affecting various …

Social-Ecological Innovations And Outcomes Of Community-Based Conservation In Africa: Implications For The Future, K. A. Galvin

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Community-based conservancies (CBCs) are growing in numbers throughout Africa, particularly in the arid and semi-arid (ASAL) regions where pastoralists raise livestock and live among much of Africa’s remaining wildlife. CBCs emerge around national parks and other protected areas of wildlife spaces apart from people. Community conservancies, in contrast to national parks, are land tenure and land use governance arrangements to conserve wildlife while providing for the livelihoods of African pastoralists. Some conservancies develop by communities in partnership with public agencies, while others are associated with non-government organizations and/or the private sector. Others are more top-down in origin, supported by large …

Public Awareness And Support For Use Of Wastewater For Sars-Cov-2 Monitoring: A Community Survey In Louisville, Kentucky., Rochelle H. Holm, J. Michael Brick, Alok R. Amraotkar, Joy L. Hart, Anish Mukherjee, Jacob Zeigler, Adrienne M. Bushau-Sprinkle, Lauren B. Anderson, Kandi L. Walker, Daymond Talley, Rachel J. Keith, Shesh N. Rai, Kenneth E. Palmer, Aruni Bhatnagar, Ted Smith

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The majority of sewer systems in the United States and other countries, are operated by public utilities. In the absence of any regulation, public perception of monitoring wastewater for population health biomarkers is an important consideration for a public utility commission when allocating resources for this purpose. In August 2021, we conducted a survey as part of an ongoing COVID-19 community prevalence study in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY. The survey comprised of seven questions about awareness of and privacy concerns and was sent to 32,000 households randomly distributed within the county. A total of 1,220 sampled adults participated in the probability …

Thinking And Implementation Approach Of Science And Technology Strategy Of Well Raising Black Soil—Overall Idea And Implementation Planning Of Strategy Priority Research Program Of Chinese Academy Of Sciences On Black Soil Conservation And Utilization, Ming Jiang, Ya Wen, Ming Sun, Hongsheng Wang, Yan Zeng, Yongbin Han, Xiujun Li, Haitao Wu, Lujun Li, Shangqi Xu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The Science and Technology Innovation Project of Black Soil Conservation and Utilization (Black Soil Granary) is a Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), it is the core measure of the "Science and Technology (Sci-Tech) Campaign for Black Soil Granary" launched by CAS together with provinces and autonomous region of Northeast China, and also the core measures to implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's series guiding principle relating to well utilize and protect the black soil in Northeast China. Better utilization and protection of black soil is crucially important to the national food security, and the program of …

Black Soil Protection And Utilization Based On Harmonization Of Mountain-River-Forest-Farmland-Lake-Grassland-Sandy Land Ecosystems And Strategic Construction Of Ecological Barrier, Jiabao Zhang, Bo Sun, Jiaojun Zhu, Jingkuan Wang, Xicai Pan, Tian Gao

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The black soil in northeast China presents a trend of thinning, hardening, impoverishment, and acidification under the longterm high-intensity utilization, and faces the water resources shortage and ecological environment imbalance. Thus, the coordination between soil and water resources and environment has become the bottleneck of sustainable agricultural development in northeast China. The black soil protection and utilization is not only a problem of cultivated land system itself, but also a problem of harmonization of mountain-river-forest-farmland-lake-grassland-sandy land ecosystem. To achieve the goal of sustainable use of the black soil, it is necessary to give full play to the function of soil …

Agricultural Simulator: Using Intelligent Technology To Get Data Flow For Black Land Protection, Ninghui Sun, Yucheng Zhang, Hongsheng Wang, Zichen Liu, Haihua Chen, Guangming Tan

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Information technology is deeply penetrating into all walks of life. Through the acquisition of massive data, modeling and analysis in the information space, it has become an effective means to solve practical problems in the information society. At present, China is vigorously implementing black soil conservation projects. Aiming at the complex system protection engineering, it is necessary to rely on the strength of information technology to carry out problem modeling and algorithm solving in the process of black soil utilization and protection, and find the best protection way through simulation and emulation. Based on the analysis of the black land …

Main Achievements, Challenges, And Recommendations Of Black Soil Conservation And Utilization In China, Xiaozeng Han, Wenxiu Zou, Fan Yang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The conservation and utilization of black soil have achieved remarkable results under effective measures and active promotion taken by different departments in China. At present, the conservation and utilization of black soil have been upgraded to national strategy and incorporated into related planning and outline, major scientific advances have been achieved. The black soil conservation and utilization have also been listed into the important governmental schedules in Heilongjiang Province, Jilin Province, Liaoning Province, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in Northeast China. The promotional mechanisms of black soil conservation and utilization have been established, approaches of black soil conservation and utilization …

Research And Practice Of Conservation Tillage In Black Soil Region Of Northeast China, Man Ao, Xudong Zhang, Yixin Guan

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Compared with soil degradation of black soil of other areas in the world, which caused by conventional tillage regarding as ploughed with residue return, soil degradation in Northeast China caused by rotary-till and residue remove or burning is more serious. Conservation tillage with residue cover and no or reduced tillage is one of the most important techniques for the protection and utilization of black soil. This paper briefly presents the derivation and definition of conservation tillage, and its main techniques in the world, as well as the issue of application and extension in China. Over the past 15 years, the …

Revisiting The Reciprocity Of Human-Ecological Systems: Integrating Extensive Agriculture And Transhumant Pastoralism In The Northern States Of India, Aayushi Malhotra, Sailaja Nandigama

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

India’s primary sector is characterised by the age-old practices of agriculture and pastoralism that have traditionally remained symbiotic in nature. However, these relationships are dwindling in the light of uneven development focus and increasing climatic hazards. The current mode of local development practices is directly affecting the overall environment while simultaneously increasing the vulnerability of the resource-dependent communities. Pastoralism, along with the agricultural enterprise that is expanding with the support of irrigation network, is recognised as a major community-based occupation in the northern region of India. Despite that, pastoralism remains highly neglected in policy circles, whereas agriculture persists to be …

On The Move – Do Domestic And Wild Ungulate Species Distributions Overlap In The Mongolian Gobi?, L. M. Michler, P. Kaczensky, O. Ganbaatar, A. C. Treydte

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area (Great Gobi B), wild and domestic ungulates seasonally share the forage of the semi-desert and desert habitat. Around 130 herder families are grazing their livestock, mainly goats and sheep, in the protected area in winter. Wild ungulates of global significance in Great Gobi B include the reintroduced Przewalski’s horse (Equus ferus przewalskii),which had previously been extinct in the wild. To determine potential habitat overlaps between Przewalski’s horses and livestock, we mapped the movements of 19 livestock herds monitored via GPS collars and ranger observations of Przewalski’s horse herds over a …

Linking Demand With Supply For Tropical Forage Genetic Resources To Reach Impact At Scale, M. Peters, S. Burkart, U. Ohmstedt, C. Castiblanco, E. Stern, A. Nicolayevsky, K. Enciso, M. Díaz, S. Mwendia, S. Douxchamps, A. O. Notenbaert, B. Lukuyu, K. Fuglie

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Over the last decades a wealth of information on tropical forage genetic resources has been collated and is accessible to users ranging from farmers, development practitioners and researchers to decision makers and academia, e.g. through online tools such as Tropical Forages: An interactive selection tool (www.tropicalforages.info). However, while genetic diversity is being conserved by international gene banks, adoption of improved tropical forages is still far from reaching its full potential. Major bottlenecks in our view include lack of awareness of available forage genetic resources, confirmation of adaptation in a wide range of bio-physical, socio-economic, political and cultural contexts …

Rebuilding A Tropical Forages For The Future Network – A Call For Resuscitating Enthusiasm For A Commodity With Great Prospects And Innovation Potential, B. C. Pengelly, B. L. Maass

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A series of Forages for the Future newsletters, outlining some of the latest tropical and subtropical forage (TSTF) research and development impacts and expertise, has been published since 2016. Amongst the research highlights were Brazilian scientists’ focus on grasses such as Urochloa, Megathyrsus maximus, Paspalum and Cenchrus purpureus, and on legumes, especially Arachis and Stylosanthes. Argentinian researchers are similarly targeting Acroceras macrum and Setaria sphacelata; while Indian and ILRI (East Africa) researchers are using plant breeding to overcome disease constraints in Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus and associated hybrids). Also demonstrated were successfully using genetic …

Exploring The Information Base Needed For Sustainable Management Of Rangeland Resources For Improved Livelihoods, K. I. Johnsen, M. Niamir-Fuller, A. Bensada, A. Waters-Bayer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Pastoralism is one of the most sustainable production systems worldwide and plays a major role in safeguarding ecosystem services and biodiversity in rangelands. The unique biological and cultural diversity of rangelands contributes to goods, services and knowledge that benefit humans also beyond the herding communities.

Yet data currently available on grassland, forestry, agriculture and livestock are inadequate for informing policymaking on rangeland-based livestock systems. A review of global environmental assessments, online databases, peer-reviewed literature and international project documents showed that available information seldom disaggregates rangelands from other ecosystems or pastoralists from other rural dwellers. Few peer-reviewed publications address pastoral and …

Land-Use Dynamics Associated With Mangrove Deforestation For Aquaculture And The Subsequent Abandonment Of Ponds, Aslan Aslan, Abdullah F. Rahman, Scott M. Robeson, Muhammad Ilman

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Highlights

• SAR data is useful for tracking dynamic changes in mangrove ecosystem.

• Time series SAR data can be used to estimate lifespan of pond.

• During 22+ years, over half of the mangrove forest in Mahakam Delta has been converted to aquaculture.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatiotemporal dynamics of large area mangrove deforestation, aquaculture pond building, and the subsequent abandonment of ponds in a large delta in Indonesia, namely the Mahakam Delta. So, we developed and applied a novel methodology for exploring the lifespan of aquaculture ponds. Using historical multispectral and radar data, the …

Cultivation Of Common Bacterial Species And Strains From Human Skin, Oral, And Gut Microbiota., Elizabeth Fleming, Victor Pabst, Zoe Scholar, Ruoyun Xiong, Anita Y Voigt, Wei Zhou, Amelia Hoyt, Rachel Hardy, Anna Peterson, Ryan Beach, Yvette Ondouah-Nzutchi, Jinhong Dong, Lucinda Bateman, Suzanne D Vernon, Julia Oh

Faculty Research 2021

BACKGROUND: Genomics-driven discoveries of microbial species have provided extraordinary insights into the biodiversity of human microbiota. In addition, a significant portion of genetic variation between microbiota exists at the subspecies, or strain, level. High-resolution genomics to investigate species- and strain-level diversity and mechanistic studies, however, rely on the availability of individual microbes from a complex microbial consortia. High-throughput approaches are needed to acquire and identify the significant species- and strain-level diversity present in the oral, skin, and gut microbiome. Here, we describe and validate a streamlined workflow for cultivating dominant bacterial species and strains from the skin, oral, and gut …

Profile Of Producers And Production Of Dry-Aged Beef In Brazil, Jonatã Henrique Rezende-De-Souza, Flavio Andre Bolini Cardello, Ana Paula Moraes De Paula, Felipe A. Ribeiro, Chase C. Calkins, Sérgio Bertelli Pflanzer

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

No information is currently available on the profile of producers and production process of dry-aged beef in Brazil, to the best of the authors’ knowledge. We surveyed 37 Brazilian companies that were producing dry-aged beef in 2020 to investigate this market. The absolute and relative frequency of responses was calculated to obtain the sum, average, minimum, and maximum values. From the respondents, dry-aged beef was first produced in 2009, and most producers are located in big cities. Most respondents control and monitor chamber temperature; however, humidity and air velocity only are monitored. The aging period (mostly between 22 to 60 …

Climate Variability In The Woodbush Granite Grasslands Of South Africa: Effects On Grassland Diversity, M. Muller, F. Siebert, A. Linstädter, D. I. Thompson, S. J. Siebert

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

South African old-growth grasslands are hyper-diverse ecosystems which evolved under naturally occurring rainfall variability. It is predicted that future precipitation patterns will become more variable, which could lead to increased frequencies of extreme and prolonged drought events. This study aimed to investigate the effects of climate variability on plant diversity of the fragmented pristine, mistbelt grasslands of the Woodbush Granite Grasslands (WGG) at Haenertsburg, South Africa. It has been reported that species composition has changed substantially in this area, as disturbance-tolerant species enter these systems or existing competitor species become more dominant. A Temporal Beta-diversity Index (TBI) was used to …

Algal Biodiversity Survey Of The Middle Chattahoochee River Using Dna Metabarcoding, Amanda Howell

Theses and Dissertations

Aquatic plants play vital roles in water systems by providing ecological services, and one group that is understudied is algae. Algae play a crucial role in water systems as bioindicators and primary producers. They can be challenging to identify with the naked eye, so researchers have been using DNA metabarcoding, where DNA belonging to specific taxa can be isolated and identified from water samples. The objective of this study was to conduct an algal biodiversity survey on the middle Chattahoochee River system in Georgia. Water samples (1L) were filtered and sent to RTL Genomics for sequencing and processing; the data …

2021 Celebration Of Scholarship, Creativity, And Engagement, Todd Bruns, Beth Heldebrandt

Programs

At this annual celebration, we, as a shared community, are pleased that the important work of faculty continues and evolves as faculty have broadened and redefined the boundaries of scholarship, creativity, and innovation throughout the COVID, late-COVID, and soon-to-be post-COVID eras. While we are pleased to return to more familiar campus-based traditions, functions, and activities, the experiences of 2020-2021 have contributed to the development of new forms and strategies for scholarship and creativity that reflect the core principles of faculty life and ensure that student learning remains central to the mission of Eastern Illinois University.

For that reason, our faculty, …

Short-Term Canopy And Understory Nitrogen Addition Differ In Their Effects On Seedlings Of Dominant Woody Species In A Subtropical Evergreen Broadleaved Forest, Jun Wang, Dafeng Hui, Hai Ren, Nan Liu, Zhongyu Sun, Long Yang, Hongfang Lu

Biology Faculty Research

As atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition continues to increase, information on how N deposition affects seedling performance of tree species is critical for predicting forest regeneration. In this study, we examined the effects of canopy N addition at 25 and 50 kg ha−1 year−1 of N (CAN25 and CAN50), and understory N addition at 25 and 50 kg ha−1 year−1 of N (UAN25 and UAN50) on the survival, physiology, and growth of seedlings of two dominant woody species (Schima superba and Ardisia quinquegona) that were transplanted into a subtropical evergreen broadleaved forest. At two years after transplanting, understory N additon greatly …

Can Providing Positive Interactions With Snakes Change A Person’S Perception Of Dangerous Wildlife Interactions?, Bethany Walker

Theses

Due to a long co-evolutionary history between placental mammals and reptiles, primates demonstrate aversive responses to snakes. In humans, this can result in ophidiophobia, or the fear of snakes which can arise due to cultural backgrounds, traumatic experiences, or fear instilled by others. However, these reptiles fill essential roles in ecosystems. Conservation and outreach efforts are important to help our population understand snakes’ role in our lives and the state’s broader biodiversity. Negative experiences or preconceptions about snakes can make this message hard to share with the public. Educators can help prevent intentional harm to some of these organisms through …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, October 2021, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 2, Issue 10

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards and Recognition; Introducing Natural Sciences Student Ambassadors
Page 3 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 4 Spooky Science Outreach
Page 5 The BIG Event Outreach
Page 6 Geography Club Road Trip
Page 7 Aamlid Family Anatomy Lab
Page 8 Hobo Day Recap
Page 10 Open PRAIRIE Data; Grants Awarded in CNS

Remote Detection Of Disturbance From Motorized Vehicle Use In Appalachian Wetlands, Walter Smith

Virginia Journal of Science

Wetland disturbance from motorized vehicle use is a growing concern across the Appalachian coalfields of southwestern Virginia and portions of adjacent states, particularly as both extractive industries and outdoor recreation development expand in regional communities. However, few attempts have been made in this region or elsewhere to adapt approaches that can assist researchers and land managers in remotely identifying and monitoring wetland habitats disturbed by motorized vehicle use. A comparative analysis of wetlands impacted and unimpacted by off-road vehicle activity at a public recreation area in Tazewell County, Virginia was conducted to determine if and how a common, satellite-derived index …

A Biological Assessment Of Water Quality In El Placer, Ecuador: The Effect Of Agriculture On Stream Health And The Quality Of Historical Versus Current Drinking Water Sources, Danielle Kleinberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Although fresh water is one of Ecuador’s most abundant resources, high quality drinking water for its inhabitants is scarce (Wingfield et al., 2021). The most prevalent sources of water pollution in Ecuador are domestic waste, silver and gold mining, oil production, and agricultural chemicals (Buckalew et al., 1997). El Placer, a village located in Tungurahua, Ecuador, is highly dependent on agriculture as a source of income. The first objective of this study was to determine the effect of agriculture on the El Placer’s Tía Anita Stream through comparing the water quality at three sites with varying agricultural influence. The second …

The Future Of Wildlife Conservation Funding: What Options Do U.S. College Students Support?, Lincoln R. Larson, Markus Nils Peterson, Richard Von Furstenberg, Victoria R. Vayer, Kangjae Jerry Lee, Daniel Y. Choi, Matt Kelly, Richelle Winkler, Et. Al

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Insufficient funding is a major impediment to conservation efforts around the world. In the United States, a decline in hunting participation threatens sustainability of the “user-pay, public benefit” model that has supported wildlife conservation for nearly 100 years, forcing wildlife management agencies to contemplate alternative funding strategies. We investigated support for potential funding options among diverse college students, a rapidly expanding and politically active voting bloc with a potentially powerful influence on the future of conservation. From 2018 to 2020, we surveyed 17,203 undergraduate students at public universities across 22 states. Students preferred innovative approaches to conservation funding, with 72% …

Assessing The Impacts Of Sea Level Rise On Land-Use Across The North-Eastern Parts Of The Uae Coastal Areas Using Remote Sensing Technology, Khawla Ali Mohammed Albedwawi

Theses

The consequences of global warming and climate change would result in a considerable rise in sea level. Other larger consequences on coastal lands, agriculture, buildings, and facilities are expected. The goal of this study is to assess the effects of Sea-Level Rise (SLR) on various land uses in the UAE's North-Eastern coastal districts (Fujairah and Kalba cities). Four SLR scenarios will be developed through the QGIS platform and the Landsat images that have been acquired from the USGS Earth Explorer. The area will be observed over 20 years (2000 – 2020). The second goal of this study is to develop …

Satellite-Detected Ammonia Changes In The United States: Natural Or Anthropogenic Impacts, Yaqian He, Rongting Xu, Stephen A. Prior, Di Yang, Anni Yang, Jian Chen

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Ammonia (NH3) is the most abundant alkaline component and can react with atmospheric acidic species to form aerosols that can lead to numerous environmental and health issues. Increasing atmospheric NH3 over agricultural regions in the US has been documented. However, spatiotemporal changes of NH3 concentrations over the entire US are still not thoroughly understood, and the factors that drive these changes remain unknown. Herein, we applied the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) monthly NH3 dataset to explore spatiotemporal changes in atmospheric NH3 and the empirical relationships with synthetic N fertilizer application, livestock manure production, and climate factors across the entire US …

Interaction Of Contact Herbicides And Timing Of Dicamba Exposure On Soybean, Mason C. Castner, Jason K. Norsworthy, L. Tom Barber, Trenton L. Roberts, Edward E. Gbur

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Dicamba residues in sprayers are difficult to remove and may interact with subsequent herbicides, including contact herbicides labeled for use in soybean. Without proper tank cleanout, applicators treating dicamba-resistant and non–dicamba resistant crops are at risk of contaminating the spray solution with dicamba residue from previous applications. Experiments were conducted in Fayetteville, AR, in 2018 and 2019, with the first experiment evaluating consequences of dicamba tank contamination with contact herbicides and the second experiment addressing the impact of dicamba exposure on a glufosinate-resistant soybean cultivar relative to a contact herbicide application. Experiments for tank contamination and timing of dicamba exposure …