Digital Commons Network^™

Modelling Appropriate Use Of Trypanocides To Restrict Wide-Spread Multi-Drug Resistance During Chemotherapy Of Animal African Trypanosomiasis, Ibrahim I. Wangwe, Sarah A. Wamwenje, Caroline Mirieri, Nicodemus M. Masila, Lillian Wambua, Benard W. Kulohoma

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Trypanocide resistance remains a huge challenge in the management of animal African trypanosomiasis. Paucity of data on the prevalence of multi-drug resistant trypanosomes has greatly hindered optimal veterinary management practices. We use mathematical model predictions to highlight appropriate drug regimens that impede trypanocide resistance development in cattle. We demonstrate that using drugs in decreasing resistance order results in a negligible increase in number of cattle with resistant infection, in contrast to a more pronounced increase from trypanocide use in increasing resistance order. We demonstrate that the lowest levels of trypanocide resistance are achieved with combination therapy. We also show that …

Amphibian And Reptile Community Responses To Forest And Riparian Disturbance, Jacquelyn Christine Guzy

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Riparian zones are transitional, semi-terrestrial areas regularly influenced by freshwater. These areas serve as dispersal corridors for many animal and plant species and ultimately function as important reservoirs of biodiversity in altered landscapes. While much of the riparian habitat in the United States has been affected by anthropogenic activities, management actions may mitigate potentially negative influences of these activities. For example, Streamside Management Zones (i.e., riparian buffers; SMZs) are commonly implemented within managed forests to protect water quality, but may also provide habitat for riparian-associated wildlife. Yet, little research has rigorously addressed the value of SMZs for wildlife, particularly cryptic …

Cool And Warm Season Climate Signals In Tree Rings From North America, Max Carl Arne Torbenson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Earlywood (EW) and latewood (LW) ring-width chronologies have become an increasingly important proxy in paleoclimate reconstructions. These subannual variables can provide estimates of past hydroclimate variability for seasonal windows that total ring-widths cannot resolve. The strength of the relationship between EW and LW series may influence what type of paleoclimate information is embedded within the tree-ring series. High correlations (> 0.70) between EW and LW are recorded for much of the continent but the magnitude of correlation varies greatly across space and species boundaries. Using four LW chronologies from shortleaf pine, the North American conifer species displaying the lowest EW-LW …

Analysis And Conservation Of Native Forests At Kessler Mountain Fayetteville, Arkansas, Alan James Edmondson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Kessler Mountain in Fayetteville Arkansas has long been recognized for its beauty and natural resources. Parts of Kessler Mountain have been homesteaded and developed in the past, but most of the mountain has remained relatively undisturbed. The planned development of over 4,000 housing units to cover Kessler Mountain stimulated controversy and consideration of other management alternatives. A twist of fate involving an economic recession, a dedicated group of outdoor recreation enthusiasts, and environmental conservationists led to the permanent protection of 384 acres in the Kessler Mountain Regional Park. To help evaluate the natural resources at Kessler Mountain, forest composition, structure, …

Daily To Seasonal Moisture Signals Present In Sub-Annual Tree-Ring Data, Ian Howard

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In recent decades, there has been an increase in the development of sub-annual earlywood (EW) and latewood (LW) width tree-ring chronologies that have been used to make long-term inferences about discrete seasonal moisture variability for different regions of North America. This doctoral research developed a new network of EW, LW, and adjusted latewood (LWa) tree-ring chronologies from the western Great Plains. These chronologies were used to reconstruct 300+ years of spring and summer moisture variability over the northern and southern Plains. The reconstructions document new information about the long-term seasonal climate history of the Great Plains, including the unusual nature …

Phylogenomics And Geometric Morphometrics Define Species Flocks Of Snowtrout (Teleostei: Schizothorax) In The Central Himalayas, Binod Regmi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Schizothorax (Snowtrout) is a genus of medium-sized minnows (Cypriniformes) inhabiting glacier-fed streams, rivers, and lakes in the Himalayas. There are more than 30 species of Schizothorax across the region. The speciation and diversity of the Snowtrout in the vast hinterlands of the Himalayan Region has not been fully explored. Three species in Lake Rara, Western Nepal are considered a species flock, comprising endemic ecotypes that are morphologically differentiated and reproductively isolated.

My dissertation research examined the diversity of Schizothorax in the Central Himalayan region and evolutionary relationships among species distributed in the Tibet, Central and Southeast Asia. Chapter I describes …

Bayesian Inference Of Hydraulic Properties In And Around A White Fir Using A Process-Based Ecohydrologic Model, Elias C. Massoud, A. J. Purdy, Bradley O. Christoffersen, L. S. Santiago, C. Xu

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

We present a parameter estimation study of the Soil-Tree-Atmosphere Continuum (STAC) model, a process-based model that simulates water flow through an individual tree and its surrounding root zone. Parameters are estimated to optimize the model fit to observations of sap flux, stem water potential, and soil water storage made for a white fir (Abies concolor) in the Sierra Nevada, California. Bayesian inference is applied with a likelihood function that considers temporal correlation of the model errors. Key vegetation properties are estimated, such as the tree's root distribution, tolerance to drought, and hydraulic conductivity and retention functions. We find …

Lianas Have A Seasonal Growth Advantage Over Co‐Occurring Trees, Stefan A. Schnitzer, Geertje M. F. Van Der Heijden

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The seasonal growth advantage hypothesis posits that plant species that grow well during seasonal drought will increase in abundance in forests with increasing seasonality of rainfall both in absolute numbers and also relative to co‐occurring plant species that grow poorly during seasonal drought. That is, seasonal drought will give some plant species a growth advantage that they lack in aseasonal forests, thus allowing them attain higher abundance. For tropical forest plants, the seasonal growth advantage hypothesis may explain the distribution of drought‐adapted species across large‐scale gradients of rainfall and seasonality. We tested the seasonal growth advantage hypothesis with lianas and …

A Snapshot Of The Age, Growth, And Reproductive Status Of Gray Triggerfish (Balistes Capriscus, Gmelin 1789) On Three Artificial Reefs In The Northwest Gulf Of Mexico, Adam M. Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Age, growth, and reproductive status of gray triggerfish (Balistes capriscus) were identified from 2015-2016 on artificial reefs in the northwest Gulf of Mexico. Individuals ranged from 232-432 mm fork length with and a mean fork length of 319 mm. Individuals from age 0.2 to 5.2 yrs were observed with a weight to length relationship of Wg = 1.1 x -104 x FL2.7 (r2 = 0.94, n = 112), where FL = fork length (mm) and Wg = weight (g). A von Bertalanffy growth equation of Lt = 326(1 - e - 0.9 (t + 1.71)) was calculated irrespective …

Evaluating Michigan's Food, Agriculture, And Resources In Motion (Farm) Science Lab As A Modality For Agricultural Literacy, Amelia J. Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Michigan’s Food, Agriculture, and Resources in Motion (FARM) Science Lab is a 40-foot mobile classroom outfitted with 10 learning stations including scientific equipment and iPads. This quasi-experimental study analyzed preexisting data provided by Michigan Agriculture in the Classroom to evaluate the effectiveness of the FARM Science Lab mobile classroom as a method of teaching agriculture-themed, standards-based lessons to third- through fifth-grade students in order to increase their understanding of agriculture. From January through June 2018, more than 1,258 students participated in these lessons and completed the pretest and posttest and 72 teachers completed the post survey. Research questions not only …

Cultural Heritage Preservation In The Context Of Climate Change Adaptation Or Relocation: Barbuda As A Case Study, Martha B. Lerski

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This case study introduces an arts camp methodology of engaging communities in identifying their key cultural heritage features, thus serving as a meta study. It presents original research based on field studies on the climate-vulnerable Caribbean island of Barbuda during 2017 and 2018. Its Valued Cultural Elements survey, enabling precise identification of key tangible and intangible art forms and biocultural practices, may serve as a basis for further studies. Such approaches may facilitate future research or planning as climate-vulnerable communities harness Local or Indigenous Knowledge for purposes of biocultural heritage preservation, or towards adaptation or relocation. I report on findings …

Taxonomy And The History Of Science: A Critical Analysis Of Four Historic Publications, Christopher M. Rogers

KSU Journey Honors College Capstones and Theses

The history of taxonomy is not usually taught in modern biology classes, but it is necessary to understand the history of classification and science as a whole in order to better understand the processes of classification and thinking that are commonly taught at the college level. Through the exploration of the difficulties of publishing, Linnaeus' Species Plantarum, and three pre-Linnaean works from Pliny the Elder, Nehemiah Grew, and Rembert Dodoens, I have found that the history of the sciences has been largely distorted. The distortion appears to be of many factors, including the replacement of ideas, censorship from scholarly …

State Record For Stenamma Foveolocephalum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) In Missouri, Angela D. Pierce, Diane L. Wood

The Great Lakes Entomologist

We report the first known collection of Stenamma foveolocephalum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Missouri. Two specimens were collected in pitfall traps during a field study at Sand Prairie Conservation Area, Scott County, Missouri.

Ecophysiology Of Ponderosa Pine Seedlings After Severe Fire: The Effect Of Tree Canopy, Lauren Michele Bansbach

Biology ETDs

Ponderosa pine forests evolved with low-severity surface fires to maintain forest structure and process. However, increasingly common high-severity fires often result in complete overstory canopy loss and a shift from forest to shrub- and grass-dominated vegetation that may persist as an alternate stable state due to limited rates of ponderosa seedling regeneration in severely burned areas. Though overstory tree canopy is an important driver of understory plant response, little is known about how the absence of tree canopy following severe fires interacts with changes in year-to-year climate to affect the physiological function of ponderosa pine seedlings. This field study tested …

Reduced-Impact Logging For Climate Change Mitigation (Ril-C) Can Halve Selective Logging Emissions From Tropical Forests, Anand Roopsind

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Selective logging causes at least half of the emissions from tropical forest degradation. Reduced-impact logging for climate (RIL-C) is proposed as a way to maintain timber production while minimizing forest damage. Here we synthesize data from 61 coordinated field-based surveys of logging impacts in seven countries across the tropics. We estimate that tropical selective logging emitted 834 Tg CO₂ in 2015, 6% of total tropical greenhouse gas emissions. Felling, hauling, and skidding caused 59%, 31%, and 10% of these emissions, respectively. We suggest that RIL-C incentive programs consider a feasible target carbon impact factor of 2.3 Mg emitted per …

Nitrate Removal And Patterns Of Ph-Induced Flocculation In High-Lipid Producing Algae Ochromonas Danica, Abigail E. Armstrong, Timothy Gsell Dr.

Research Days

Algae have grown in popularity as a source for biofuels as some algae species, like Ochromonas danica, can produce energy-rich lipids for biofuels while simultaneously removing nutrients from wastewater. As such, use of biologic systems to mitigate pollutants are an attractive method of pollution control. Given the unique metabolic properties of O. danica, this organism is a promising candidate organism for this purpose. This study seeks to characterize the basic metabolic parameters of these algae as well as their population behaviors with attention to their growth rates and nitrate removal at varying pH over time. To do this, live cultures …

Program And Proceedings: Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2019, 139th Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Twenty-Ninth Annual Meeting, April 12, 2019

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program

Aeronautics and Space Science

Collegiate Academy: Biology

Biological and Medical Sciences

Chemistry and Physics

Teaching and Learning the Dynamics of Cellular Respiration Using Interactive Computer Simulations Workshop

Life After College: Building Your Resume for the Future Workshop

Collegiate Academy: Chemistry and Physics

Aeronautics and Space Science, Poster Session

Maiben Memorial Lecture: David Swanson

Anthropology

Applied Science and Technology

Earth Science

Environmental Sciences

Teaching of Science and Math

Lumen Apposing Metal Stents In Drainage Of Pancreatic Walled-Off Necrosis, Are They Any Better Than Plastic Stents? A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Studies Published Since The Revised Atlanta Classification Of Pancreatic Fluid Collections, Babu P. Mohan, Mahendran Jayaraj, Ravishankar Asokkumar, Mohammed Shakhatreh, Parul Pahal, Suresh Ponnada, Udayakumar Navaneethan, Douglas G. Adler

School of Medicine Faculty Research

Lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) are increasingly being used in the drainage of pancreatic walled-off necrosis (WON). Best choice of stent is subject to argument, and studies are varied in the reported outcomes between LAMS and plastic stents (PS) to this end. We conducted a comprehensive search of multiple electronic databases and conference proceedings including PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases (earliest inception through July 2018) to identify studies that reported on the use of LAMS and PS in WON drainage. Studies published since the release of the revised Atlanta classification for pancreatic fluid collections (2014 to current) were included …

Publication Reform To Safeguard Wildlife From Researcher Harm, Kate A. Field, Paul C. Paquet, Kyle A. Artelle, Gilbert Proulx, Ryan K. Brook, Chris T. Darimont

Professional Science Research Ethics Collection

Despite abundant focus on responsible care of laboratory animals, we argue that inattention to the maltreatment of wildlife constitutes an ethical blind spot in contemporary animal research. We begin by reviewing significant shortcomings in legal and institutional oversight, arguing for the relatively rapid and transformational potential of editorial oversight at journals in preventing harm to vertebrates studied in the field and outside the direct supervision of institutions. Straightforward changes to animal care policies in journals, which our analysis of 206 journals suggests are either absent (34%), weak, incoherent, or neglected by researchers, could provide a practical, effective, and rapidly imposed …

Increased Dust Deposition In New Zealand Related To Twentieth Century Australian Land Use, Janice Brahney, Ashley P. Ballantyne, Marcus Vandergoes, Troy Baisden, Jason C. Neff

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Mineral aerosols (dust) generated in the dryland regions of Australia have the potential to reach New Zealand through atmospheric transport. Although a large portion of dust in New Zealand originates in Australia, little is known about how dust deposition has varied over time in New Zealand or what may have caused this variation. We used geochemical dust proxies to examine the recent history of dust deposition to two alpine lakes in Kahurangi National Park, South Island, New Zealand. Geochemical indicators suggest that dust deposition began to increase around 1900, with the greatest deposition rates occurring from ~1920 to ~1990. In …

Oxygen And Hydrogen Isotopes In Human Hair And Tap Water: Modeling Relationships In A Modern Mexican Population, Chelsey A. Juarez, Robin Ramey, David T. Flaherty, Belinda Akpa

Human Biology Open Access Pre-Prints

This study investigates the relationship between O and H isotopes in samples of Mexican hair and drinking water. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, we wanted to quantify the relationship between isotopes in Mexican hair and tap water to understand the impact of water stress and differing socioeconomic status on accurate predictions of drinking water. Second, we wanted to determine whether currently existing semi mechanistic models could accurately represent the relationship between hair and tap water. For this study, we used a subset of paired (N = 62) human hair and (N = 76) tap water samples. Isotope …

Genetic And Spatial Structuring Of Populus Tremuloides In A Mixed-Species Forest Of Southwestern Utah, Usa, Matthew Bishop, Tucker J. Furniss, Karen E. Mock, Jim A. Lutz

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Populus tremuloides Michx. (aspen) is an iconic species of the southwestern United States, where it is known for its extensive clonality. The size of clones and pattern of clonal distribution within and among stands can provide important clues to the species' evolution and ecology, but there are very few studies that have conducted the type of sampling necessary to define these features. We examined the genetic composition and habitat associations of aspen in a mixed-species forest in Cedar Breaks National Monument on the Markagunt Plateau, southwestern Utah. Genetic analysis of 94 stems ≥1 cm diameter at breast height (dbh) selected …

Population Identifiability From Forensic Genetic Markers: Ancestry Variation In Latin America, Cris E. Hughes, Bridget F.B. Algee-Hewitt, Lyle Konigsberg

Human Biology Open Access Pre-Prints

The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) loci are a standard microsatellite marker set widely used for distinguishing among individuals in forensic DNA identity testing for medico-legal casework in the United States and in other countries. In anthropological genetic research, CODIS markers have become an important tool for uses extending beyond case investigations to quantify ancestry proportions, reveals patterns of admixture and trace population histories. These investigations are especially prevalent in studies of Latin American population structure. Nevertheless, the accuracy of the ancestry estimates computed from the CODIS loci for highly admixed Latino populations has not been formally tested. Long-standing arguments …

Documenting Evolution: Comparing And Contrasting Late Mesozoic And Late Cenozoic Molluscan Patterns, Joshua Slattery

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite major advances, evolutionary theory still has numerous shortcomings in terms of fully understanding the controls on speciation and diversification. A major factor limiting our knowledge is how biology and paleobiology view speciation from separate micro- and macro-evolutionary perspectives, respectively. Biologists typically examine microevolutionary changes within species from various biogeographic, behavioral, morphological, and genetic perspectives, which contrasts to the macroevolutionary approach of most paleobiologists, who have examined the same phenomena at larger scales but with the standpoint of time, have also concentrated on aspects of global or regional diversification (e.g., richness, origination rates, and extinction rates) over the long-term. Noticeably …

Identifying Roadkill Hotspots Using A Running Average, Kori A. Ogletree, Alfred J. Mead, Evan R. Boitet

Georgia Journal of Science

The identification of roadkill hotspots is necessary prior to the consideration of wildlife road mortality mitigation measures. In a previous study, 178 roadkill specimens were tallied via a driving survey along 21.4 km (13.3 mi) on three connected roadways in Baldwin County, Georgia. Roadkill locations were recorded to the nearest 0.16 km (0.1 mi) using the vehicle odometer. In the current study, location data were used to generate three graphical displays of roadkill distribution: 1) a linear graph of roadkills per 0.16 km (0.1 mi) bin; 2) a linear graph of roadkills per 0.8 km (0.5 mi) bin; and 3) …

Genetic Diversity In The Leucoagaricus Cultivar Fungus Of Trachymyrmex Septentrionalis Fungus-Growing Ants, Lee Deininger

MCB Articles

No abstract provided.

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 60 Number 2, Spring 2019 [Print Issue V. 60:1], Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

28 - TECHNOLOGY, WONDER & US We’re at the epicenter of the biggest ecosystem of information exchange in history. How do we ensure tech fosters human flourishing? By Dorian Llywelyn, S.J. Illustrations by Derek Brahney.

36 - QUERY RESULTS What questions should we be asking about ethics and AI? Here are six. By Irina Raicu J.D. ’09. Illustrations by Paul Blow.

40 - A CURIOUS CASE If you want to innovate for the world, you need the room to do it. Sanjiv Das and a tale of machine learning, mortgages, and mistaken identity. By Deborah Lohse. Illustrations by Ellen Weinstein. …

Climate And Lawn Management Interact To Control C4 Plant Distribution In Residential Lawns Across Seven U.S. Cities, Tara L. E. Trammell, Diane E. Pataki, Christopher J. Still, James R. Ehleringer, Meghan L. Avolio, Neil Bettez, Jeannine Cavender-Bares, Peter M. Groffman, Morgan Grove, Sharon J. Hall, James Heffernan, Sarah E. Hobbie, Kelli L. Larson, Jennifer L. Morse, Christopher Neill, Kristen C. Nelson, Jarlath O'Neil-Dunne, William D. Pearse, Et Al.

Ecology Center Publications

In natural grasslands, C₄ plant dominance increases with growing season temperatures and reflects distinct differences in plant growth rates and water use efficiencies of C₃ vs. C₄ photosynthetic pathways. However, in lawns, management decisions influence interactions between planted turfgrass and weed species, leading to some uncertainty about the degree of human vs. climatic controls on lawn species distributions. We measured herbaceous plant carbon isotope ratios (δ¹³C, index of C₃/C₄ relative abundance) and C₄ cover in residential lawns across seven U.S. cities to determine how climate, lawn plant management, or interactions between …

How Virtual Reality Impacts The Landscape Architecture Design Process During The Phases Of Analysis And Concept Development At The Master Planning Scale, Todd Johnson, Benjamin H. George, Drew M. Hill

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

Virtual reality (VR) can offer many benefits for designers. In the field of landscape architecture, the technology is primarily being used as a tool for design review in the late stages of the design process, yet many of the benefits that make VR valuable in the later stages of the design process suggest that VR may be equally valuable when used in earlier stages such as analysis and concept development. This research examined incorporating VR into the design phases of analysis and concept development, and integrated its use with traditional landscape architecture methods to measure its impacts on a large …

Regenerative Grazing And The Benefits Of Livestock On Soils In Northern New South Wales, Raymond Mooney

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Conventional cattle grazing has received criticism for environmental degradation in the past. Regenerative grazing and the principles of regenerative agriculture show encouraging signs that proper livestock management and planned grazing can reverse degradation and mitigate climate change. An emphasis on soil health and increasing soil carbon and organic matter levels reveals positive feedback for environmental health, the economic security of farmers, and nutritional health of consumers.

In this study I looked to investigate the benefits of regenerative agriculture, reasons why it is being practiced, and the extent it is practiced within the grazing in comparison to traditional methods within Northern …