Digital Commons Network^™

Spatiotemporal Analysis Of Variability In Soil Volumetric Water Content And Spatial Statistical Methods For Management Zone Delineation For Variable Rate Irrigation, Isak Lars Larsen

Theses and Dissertations

Irrigated agriculture is the largest user of freshwater in a world experiencing increased water scarcity and water demands. Variable rate irrigation (VRI) aims to use water efficiently in crop production, resulting in good yields and water conservation. With VRI, the grower is able to employ custom irrigation rates for different parts of a field. Adoption of VRI has been limited due to the complexity of matching irrigation to spatiotemporal crop water needs and the cost/benefit economics of VRI equipment. The goal of this study was to quantify spatiotemporal variability of VWC in a field that has uniform soil type and …

Tree Effects On Urban Microclimate: Diurnal, Seasonal, And Climatic Temperature Differences Explained By Separating Radiation, Evapotranspiration, And Roughness Effects, Naika Meili, Gabriele Manoli, Paolo Burlando, Jan Carmeliet, Winston T. L. Chow, Andres M. Coutts, Matthias Roth, Erik Velasco, Enrique R. Vivoni, Simone Fatichi

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Increasing urban tree cover is an often proposed mitigation strategy against urban heat as trees are expected to cool cities through evapotranspiration and shade provision. However, trees also modify wind flow and urban aerodynamic roughness, which can potentially limit heat dissipation. Existing studies show a varying cooling potential of urban trees in different climates and times of the day. These differences are so far not systematically explained as partitioning the individual tree effects is challenging and impossible through observations alone. Here, we conduct numerical experiments removing and adding radiation, evapotranspiration, and aerodynamic roughness effects caused by urban trees using a …

Patterns And Determinants Of Open Defecation Among Urban People, Vera Yulyani, Christin Angelina Febriani, Shaharuddin Ms, Dessy Hermawan

Kesmas

At the present time, an estimated of 673 million people defecate in the open space, not in private. Indonesia is a densely populated country with a lot of open defecation (OD) both in urban (37%) and rural areas (43%). Tanjung Karang Pusat Subdistrict is an area in Bandar Lampung City with the highest percentage of OD practice (45%). This study aimed to explore and explain the patterns and determinants of OD among urban people in the Tanjung Karang Pusat Subdistrict in- volving 377 respondents for quantitative analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using the chi square and regression analysis. After controlling …

Research Of The Extraction Process And Stock Of Phenolic Compounds Of Localized Wine-Technical Red And White Varieties Of Grapes, Abdullayev Umid

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The aim of the study was to determine the technological stock of phenolic compounds in European technical grape varieties grown in the climatic conditions of Uzbekistan, used to produce white and red wines. UV-Vis spectrophotometric method determined the total content of phenolic compounds in localized wine-technical grape varieties. Using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), the qualitative and quantitative content of groups and subgroups of phenolic compounds was studied, biologically active components obtained in the process of their extraction were identified, and studies were carried out to analyze the types of phenolic compounds by chromatographic separation in certain wine-technical grape varieties. …

Hemp Production Network Effects: Are Producers Tipped Toward Suboptimal Varietal Selection By Their Neighbors?, Tanner Mccarty, Jeffrey Young

Journal of Applied Farm Economics

The 2018 farm bill removed industrial hemp from the Schedule 1 Controlled Substance List. In response, states scrambled to enact hemp legislation. Some hemp flower producers report their hemp fields were cross- pollinated by a neighbor growing a different hemp cultivar. For hemp flower crops, cross- pollination reduces cannabinoid concentration levels within the flower; these concentration levels dictate flower price. We show that in a repeated game, once a sufficiently large percentage of growers decide to plant hemp fiber/seed crops, cross-pollination forces flower growers to convert to fiber/seed to avoid the negative network externality. Over time, a stable, suboptimal Nash …

Comparison Of A Smartfin With An Infrared Sea Surface Temperature Radiometer In The Atlantic Ocean, Robert J. W. Brewin, Werenfrid Wimmer, Phillip J. Bresnahan, Tyler Cyronak, Andreas J. Andersson, Giorgio Dall’Olmo

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

The accuracy and precision of satellite sea surface temperature (SST) products in nearshore coastal waters are not well known, owing to a lack of in-situ data available for validation. It has been suggested that recreational watersports enthusiasts, who immerse themselves in nearshore coastal waters, be used as a platform to improve sampling and fill this gap. One tool that has been used worldwide by surfers is the Smartfin, which contains a temperature sensor integrated into a surfboard fin. If tools such as the Smartfin are to be considered for satellite validation work, they must be carefully evaluated against state-of-the-art techniques …

Biotic Homogenization Or Riparian Refugia? Urban And Wild Land Snail Assemblages Along A Subtropical Precipitation Gradient, Kathryn E. Perez, Briante S. Lewis Najev, Bradley O. Christoffersen, Jeffrey C. Nekola

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

A noted impact of urbanization is the tendency for biotic homogenization, or the increase of similarity of geographically disparate communities. On the other hand, some urban habitats harbor biodiversity native to their region, a role potentially important in xeric landscapes, with irrigation increasing the coverage and availability of mesic habitats in an otherwise water-limited landscape. We assessed the relative importance of urban yards as agents of biotic homogenization or riparian refugia by characterizing community composition of Tamaulipan thornforest land snail assemblages across a pronounced precipitation gradient in far south Texas, USA. We quantified α- and β-diversity and assessed whether the …

The Road Ahead, Chloe Tilley

Bryant University Undergraduate Journal

The creative project that I chose to make is a visual representation on the website “Creately” where I created a map of categorizations. I call the map that I created “The Road Ahead.” There are three sections, “where we were”, “where we are”, and “where we’re going”, and within these grounds I made a bank of major concepts and key terms that we have studied and explored throughout this semester; the map is essentially a word bank and concept organization of all the ideas from this course that were discussed and were threaded through the readings. The structure that I …

How A Low-Cost Method For Cumulative Water-Sampling Shows Need For Improvement Of Legal Public-Contact Standards In The United States, Samuel C. Kessler

Grawemeyer Colloquium Papers

Across the world, it is estimated that 4.5 billion people live near water sources “impaired” for use or contact. Standards for human-interaction are established by international organizations such as the WHO, and legislative bodies from national to local levels with jurisdiction over the quality of our waterways to ensure public & environmental health. Standards are often assessed from “grab-samples” taken from a waterbody at a certain time, with a minimum number analyzed. Water-quality standards in the United States are enforced under the Clean Water Act (CWA) via the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), applying to “waters of the United States” (WOTUS). …

A Synopsis Of The Flat Bugs (Heteroptera: Aradidae) Of Michigan, Daniel R. Swanson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

An overview of the 28 species of Aradidae found in Michigan is presented, along with an identification key, distribution maps, and relevant literature. Eleven new state records are presented for the following species: Aradus approximatus Parshley, Aradus duzeei Bergroth, Aradus falleni Stål, Aradus insolitus Van Duzee, Aradus intectus Parshley, Aradus montanus Bergroth, Aradus proboscideus Walker, Aradus shermani Heidemann, Aradus uniformis Heidemann, Quilnus niger (Stål) (all Aradinae), and Neuroctenus simplex (Uhler) (Mezirinae).

West Chester Borough Urban Forest: An Environmental Benefit For All, Michael B. Dunn, Joan Welch

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

No abstract provided.

Forest Structure And Climate Change Mitigation Potential: A Case Of Wilolesi And Ikonongo Forested Hills In Iringa Municipality, Tanzania, Evarist Fundisha, Hamidu Seki, Anasia Saria

Tanzania Journal of Science

Vegetation plays major roles in carbon storage and ecosystem functioning by modifying the rate of carbon fluxes thereby mitigating climate change. However, the focus of assessing the potentials for different vegetation on climate change mitigation has for so long been conducted outside cities, towns and municipalities. This study was conducted in Wilolesi and Ikonongo hills located in Iringa as representative of the Municipality forested hills in Tanzania to assess vegetation structure and their potential for climate change mitigation. Random sampling technique was employed to establish 20 rectangular plots of 20 m x 40 m (0.08 ha) in each hill to …

Full Issue For Tgle Vol. 53 Nos. 3 & 4

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Full issue for TGLE Vol. 53 Nos. 3 & 4

Evolution Of Realized Eltonian Niches Across Rajidae Species, Oliver N. Shipley, Joseph B. Kelly, Joseph J. Bizzarro, Jill A. Olin, Robert M. Cerrato, Michael Power, Michael G. Frisk

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The notion that closely related species resemble each other in ecological niche space (i.e., phylogenetic dependence) has been a long-standing, contentious paradigm in evolutionary biology, the incidence of which is important for predicting the ecosystem-level effects of species loss. Despite being examined across a multitude of terrestrial taxa, many aspects of niche conservatism have yet to be explored in marine species, especially for characteristics related to resource use and trophic behavior (Eltonian niche characteristics, ENCs). We combined ENCs derived from stable isotope ratios at assemblage- and species-levels with phylogenetic comparative methods, to test the hypotheses that benthic marine fishes (1) …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, February 2021, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 2. Issue 2

Contents:

[Page] 1 Dean's Message
[Page] 2 Awards and Recognition
[Page] 3 Geography Convention
[Page] 4 Open PRAIRIE Data
[Page] 5 Where did your interest in science begin?
[Page] 6 Research Spotlight: Dr. Lopez-Mosqueda
[Page] 7-8 Fall 2020 Dean's List

Protocol For Monitoring Aquatic Invertebrates Of Small Streams In The Heartland Inventory & Monitoring Network, Version 2.1, David E. Bowles, Michael H. Williams, Hope R. Dodd, Lloyd W. Morrison, Janice A. Hinsey, J. Tyler Cribbs, Gareth A. Rowell, Michael D. Debecker, Jennifer L. Haack-Gaynor, Jeffrey M. Williams

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

The Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network (HTLN) is a component of the National Park Service’s (NPS) strategy to improve park management through greater reliance on scientific information. The purposes of this program are to design and implement long-term ecological monitoring and provide information for park managers to evaluate the integrity of park ecosystems and better understand ecosystem processes. Concerns over declining surface water quality have led to the development of various monitoring approaches to assess stream water quality. Freshwater streams in network parks are threatened by numerous stressors, most of which originate outside park boundaries. Stream condition and …

Can Public Online Databases Serve As A Source Of Phenotypic Information For Cannabis Genetic Association Studies?, Matthew L. Aardema, Rob Desalle

Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The use of Cannabis is gaining greater social acceptance for its beneficial medicinal and recreational uses. With this acceptance has come new opportunities for crop management, selective breeding, and the potential for targeted genetic manipulation. However, as an agricultural product Cannabis lags far behind other domesticated plants in knowledge of the genes and genetic variation that influence plant traits of interest such as growth form and chemical composition. Despite this lack of information, there are substantial publicly available resources that document phenotypic traits believed to be associated with particular Cannabis varieties. Such databases could be a valuable resource for developing …

From Coast To Coast To Coast: Ecology And Management Of Eelgrass Systems Across Canada, Sarah Joy Bittick

Biology Faculty Works

Seagrass meadows are among the most productive and diverse marine ecosystems, providing essential structure, functions, and services. They are also among the most impacted by human activities and in urgent need of better management and protection. In Canada, eelgrass (Zostera marina) meadows are found along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic coasts, and thus occur across a wide range of biogeographic conditions. Here, we synthesize knowledge of eelgrass ecosystems across Canada’s coasts, highlighting commonalities and differences in environmental conditions, plant, habitat, and community structure, as well as current trends and human impacts. Across regions, eelgrass life history, phenology, and general species …

Isolation And Characterisation Of Antimicrobial / Antifungal Activity Produced By Bifidobacterium Longum Itt 13, Taylor Duff

Masters

Bifidobacteria are a species of GRAS organism present in the human gut flora which are claimed to confer various health benefits on the host. The antimicrobial activity of Bifidobacterium longum ITT 13, isolated from the neonatal gut, was evaluated in relation to both the contribution of organic acids produced by the strain and potential bacteriocin production. Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides produced by bacteria. This study focuses on the characterisation of the antimicrobial activity produced by B. longum ITT 13.

Heat-inactivated fermentate produced by ITT 13 has shown antimicrobial activity against a variety of pathogenic and food spoilage associated bacterial and …

Influence Of Land Use Intensity And Management On Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi-Avocado Symbiosis, Pushpa Soti, Bulent Toprak, Nina De La Rosa, Krish Jayachandran

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

This study was done to assess the effect of soil disturbance on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi spore abundance and root colonization in avocado (Persea americana Mill.). Rhizosphere soil and root samples of avocado were collected from different farms in south Florida and analyzed for degree of mycorrhizal colonization in roots, spore density and diversity in soil along with soil characteristics. There was significant difference in the soil characteristics among the different farms. Similarly, there was a significant difference in the degree of mycorrhizal colonization in the roots and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi spore morphotypes among different land use and management practices. …

Spatio-Temporal Variation Patterns Of Bird Community In The Oasis Ecosystem Of The North Of Algerian Sahara, Lasad Chiheb, Bensaci Ettayib, Nouidjem Yassine, Hadjab Ramzi

Journal of Bioresource Management

The spatial and temporal variation patterns of birds were investigated in the Oasis ecosystem of the North of Algeria Sahara. This contribution aimed to investigate the poorly studied bird fauna of Bousaâda oasis. The direct observation method was used for bird counts, adopted only during the breeding period. A total of 53 species of birds from 29 families and 16 orders were assessed in the different habitats of the Oasis (palm, fruit trees and, cultivated crops). The Passeriformes order was the most abundant represented by 35 species and 16 families. The relative abundance and species richness were recorded during our …

Diversity, Ecology And Therapeutic Properties Of The Medicinal Plants In Ziban Region (Algeria), Nouidjem Yassine, Hadjab Ramzi, Khammar Hichem, Merouani Sakina, Bensaci Etayeb

Journal of Bioresource Management

With the aim to assess the floristic population diversity, distribution and therapeutic properties in the Ziban region (Algeria), a survey was conducted along two successive study years in the main area. The objective of this study was to contribute to the knowledge and description of this plant groups with exhaustive inventory spontaneous vegetation. In order to study the dynamics of medicinal plants, we used a quantitative method based essentially on the classic technique of linear surveys and floristic inventory using the minimum area method. The results showed that the floristic procession of medicinal plants is represented by 21 species belonging …

Future Dominance By Quaking Aspen Expected Following Short-Interval, Compounded Disturbance Interaction, Robert A. Andrus, Sarah J. Hart, Niko Tutland, Thomas T. Veblen

Aspen Bibliography

The spatial overlap of multiple ecological disturbances in close succession has the capacity to alter trajectories of ecosystem recovery. Widespread bark beetle outbreaks and wildfire have affected many forests in western North America in the past two decades in areas of important habitat for native ungulates. Bark beetle outbreaks prior to fire may deplete seed supply of the host species, and differences in fire‐related regeneration strategies among species may shift the species composition and structure of the initial forest trajectory. Subsequent browsing of postfire tree regeneration by large ungulates, such as elk (Cervus canadensis), may limit the capacity …

The Hiv Epidemic In Colombia: Spatial And Temporal Trends Analysis, Jhon Freddy Montana, Glenda Roberta Oliveira Naiff Ferreira, Carlos Leonardo Figueiredo Cunha, Ana Angelica Rego De Queiroz, Wellington Augusto Andrade Fernandes, Sandra Helena Isse Polaro, Lucia Hisako Takase Goncalves, Danielle Costa Carrara Couto, Elucir Gir, Renata Karina Reis, William Sorensen, Elia Pinheiro Botelho

Health & Kinesiology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Colombia has the fourth highest incidence rate of HIV/AIDS among all Latin American countries and it has been increasing since the 1980s. However, the number of studies that addresses this trend is limited. Here, we employed spatial and temporal trend analyses to study the behaviour of the epidemic in the Colombian territory. Methods: Our sample included 72,994 cases of HIV/AIDS and 21,898 AIDS-related deaths reported to the National Ministry of Health between 2008 and 2016. We employed the joinpoint regression model to analyse the annual HIV/AIDS incidence and AIDS mortality rates. In the spatial analysis, we used univariate autocorrelation …

Intervention Of Climate‐Smart Practices In Wheat Under Rice‐ Wheat Cropping System In Nepal, Jamma Jaya Gairhe, Mandeep Adhikari, Deepak Ghimire, Arun Kjatri-Chhetri, Dinesh Panday

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Besides a proper agronomic management followed by Nepalese farmers, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production has been severely affected by changing climate. There are many interventions, including climate‐smart practices, to cope with this situation and possibly enhance crop and soil productivity. Field experiments were set up in a randomized complete block design with six treatments (TRT) with four replications in three locations (LOC) during wheat‐growing seasons in Nepal from 2014 to 2016. Treatments included (i) Controlled Practice (CP), (ii) Improved Low (IL), (iii) Improved High (IH), (iv) Climate Smart Agriculture Low (CSAL), (v) Climate Smart Agriculture Medium (CSAM), and (vi) Climate …

Several Key Points In Territorial Ecological Restoration, Bojie Fu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The coupled Human-Natural System thinking is considered as an important theoretical basis for territorial ecological restoration. The relationships between ecological space, production space, and living space show three evolution stages in territorial governance: coordinated arrangement, systematic governance, and human-nature harmony. In this regard, coupled Human-Natural System research is necessary to set the perspectives of coupling indicators, coupling hierarchies, coupling effects and coupling models to identify the primary evaluation indicators, delineate hierarchical nested regions, decouple the spatio-temporal relationship of socialecological effects, and develop human-natural coupling models, so as to systematically support the territorial ecological restoration and facilitate the national and regional …

Thoughts On Future Development Of Field Observation And Research Network Of Chinese Academy Of Sciences, Ping Yang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Acting as a distributed field science and technology infrastructure, the field station network of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has evolved to be an important scientific and technological infrastructure with comparative advantage in China. Especially, the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) leads the construction and development of the national ecosystem station network. The top-level design and overall layout have been paid more attention in the construction of the field scientific observation and research network of CAS during the 14th Five-Year Plan, and the orientation and objectives of the field station network is highlighted further. The main tasks include improving the …

A New Vine Snake (Reptilia, Colubridae, Oxybelis) From Peru And Redescription Of O. Acuminatus, Robert C. Jadin, Michael J. Jowers, Sarah A. Orlofske, William E. Duellman, Christopher Blair, John C. Murphy

Publications and Research

The Brown Vine Snake, Oxybelis aeneus, was until recently considered a single species, distributed from southern Arizona through the Neotropics into southeastern Brazil. However, newly conducted research restructured the species with a substantial taxonomic revision, recognizing five additional taxa (i.e. O. koehleri, O. microphthalmus, O. potosiensis, O. rutherfordi, O. vittatus) in this species complex. This revision focused on populations in North America, Central America, and northern South America while neglecting the southern portion of its distribution. Here, we examine the taxonomic history of the complex and use it along with specimen data to resurrect O. acuminatus from southeastern Brazil. Finally, …

A Record Of Vapour Pressure Deficit Preserved In Wood And Soil Across Biomes, Adrian Broz, Gregory J. Retallack, Toby M. Maxwell, Lucas C.R. Silva

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The drying power of air, or vapour pressure deficit (VPD), is an important measurement of potential plant stress and productivity. Estimates of VPD values of the past are integral for understanding the link between rising modern atmospheric carbon dioxide (pCO₂) and global water balance. A geological record of VPD is needed for paleoclimate studies of past greenhouse spikes which attempt to constrain future climate, but at present there are few quantitative atmospheric moisture proxies that can be applied to fossil material. Here we show that VPD leaves a permanent record in the slope (S) of least-squares …

Coupled Ecological And Management Connectivity Across Administrative Boundaries In Undeveloped Landscapes, Clare E. Aslan, Mark W. Brunson, Benjamin A. Sikes, Rebecca S. Epanchin-Niell, Samuel Veloz, David M. Theobald, Brett G. Dickson

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Human-induced ecological boundaries, or anthropogenic ecotones, may arise where administrative boundaries meet on undeveloped lands. Landscape-level ecological processes related to factors such as fire, invasive species, grazing, resource extraction, wildlife, and water may be affected due to unique management strategies adopted by each administrative unit. Over time, different management can result in discernible ecological differences (e.g., species composition or soil characteristics). Thus, fragmentation in the management landscape can correspond to ecological fragmentation. Different ecological patterns may emerge due to an increase in the number of management units in a region, or due to an increase in the number of different …