Digital Commons Network^™

Spectral Analysis Of Coastal Vegetation And Land Cover Using Aisa+ Hyperspectral Data, R. Jensen, P. Mausel, N. Dias, R. Gonser, C. Yang, J. Everitt, R. Fletcher

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

This paper describes a spectral analysis of several coastal land cover types in
South Padre Island, Texas using AISA₊ hyperspectral remote sensing data.
AISA₊ hyperspectral data (1.5 metre) were acquired throughout the area on 9
March 2005. Data over mangrove areas were converted to percent reflectance
using four 8 ×8 metre reflectance tarps (4%, 16%, 32% and 48%) and empirical
line calibration. These data were then compared to percent reflectance values of
other terrestrial features to determine the ability of AISA₊ data to distinguish
features in coastal environments. Results suggest that these data may be
appropriate to …

Genetic And Phenotypic Evolution In The Ornate Chorus Frog (Pseudacris Ornata): Testing The Relative Roles Of Natural Selection,, Jacob Degner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how migration, genetic drift, and natural selection interact to maintain the genetic and phenotypic variation we observe in natural populations is a central goal of population genetics. Amphibians provide excellent model organisms for investigating the interplay between these evolutionary forces because amphibians are generally characterized by limited dispersal abilities, high philopatry, and are obligately associated with the areas around suitable habitats (e.g. breeding ponds). Thus, on relatively small geographic scales, the relative effects of all of these evolutionary forces can be studied together. Here, we study the interaction of migration, genetic drift, natural selection, and historical process in the …

32 | Tel Mor: The Moshe Dothan Excavations, 1959–1960, Tristan J. Barako

IAA Reports—Monograph Series of the Israel Antiquities Authority

This is the final report of the excavations carried out by Moshe Dothan in 1959 at Tel Mor, a small tell in the coastal plain. Finds from the Middle Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period were uncovered, and some Roman-period and later finds as well. The principal remains date to the Late Bronze Age and early Iron Age, represented by a series of large buildings on the summit of the tell. Two of these buildings appear to be forts, and as they were accompanied by significant quantities of Egyptianized pottery, they may have functioned as Egyptian garrisons in Canaan. The …

Symposium: Effects Of Human Choices On Characteristics Of Urban Ecosystems, Loren Byrne

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Most urban ecology in cities remains an “ecology in cities” rather than an “ecology of cities.” Accomplishing the latter requires the inclusion of humans within the concept of “ecosystem,” both how humans alter the properties of urban ecosystems and how these alterations in turn influence human well-being. These influences are both direct (e.g., physiological and psychological influences on the human organism) and indirect, by influencing ecosystem sustainability.

For the 2007 ESA meeting, Larry Baker, Loren Byrne, Jason Walker, and Alex Felson organized a symposium to address the relationships among human choices and urban ecosystems. In the introductory talk of this …

Spatial Econometric Analysis Of Agglomeration Economies Associated With The Geographical Distribution Of The U.S. Biotech Industry, Pramod Reddy Sambidi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation analyzed spatial agglomeration economies associated with the geographical distribution of the U.S. biotech industry. Three location issues associated with the biotech industry were addressed in the study. The first study utilized a Bayesian spatial tobit model and examined the overall and regional differences in factors affecting the location of the U.S. biotech industry. The second study examined the inter- and intra-industry spatial association of biotech related research and development (R&D) and testing facilities across all contiguous U.S. counties employing a Spatial Two-Stage Least Squares model. Finally, the interdependence between different subsectors of the U.S. biotech industry was analyzed …

Mosquito Larval Habitats In A Semiarid Ecosystem In Eritrea: Impact Of Larval Habitat Management On Anopheles Arabiensis Population, Josephat Shililu, Charles Mbogo, Tewolde Ghebremeskel, John Githure, Robert Novak

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

This study investigated the impact of larval management and the temporal variation in larval productivity in Eritrea, a semiarid ecosystem. Results of this study show that mosquito breeding persists throughout the year mainly in stream bed pools. Anopheles arabiensis production in the ephemeral natural aquatic habitats such the streambed pools was high throughout the year and negatively associated with rainfall (r = -0.288, P = 0.047). High densities of An. arabiensis larvae were also recorded from canals and drainage channels at wells and communal water supply points. The numerous water supply locations and wells help sustain malaria transmission by serving …

Integrated Coastal Spatial Allocation And Planning Of Aquaculture In A Geographical Information System Approach, Andrew Ehiabhi Akhighu

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Sisters In Science: Conversations With Black Women Scientists On Race, Gender, And Their Passion For Science, Diann Jordan

Purdue University Press Books

Author Diann Jordan took a journey to find out what inspired and daunted black women in their desire to become scientists in America. Letting 18 prominent black women scientists talk for themselves, Sisters in Science becomes an oral history stretching across decades and disciplines and desires. From Yvonne Clark, the first black woman to be awarded a B.S. in mechanical engineering to Georgia Dunston, a microbiologist who is researching the genetic code for her race, to Shirley Jackson, whose aspiration led to the presidency of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Jordan has created a significant record of women who persevered to become …

Communicator, Dec. 2006, San Jose State University, Department Of Kinesiology

Communicator (Kinesiology)

Volume 19, Issue 2

The Qingdao Twin Registry: A Focus On Chronic Disease Research, C. Anderson Johnson, Zengchang Pang, Feng Ning, Jennifer B. Unger, Shaojie Wang, Qian Guo, Weihua Cao, Liming Lee

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

With the changing patterns of morbidity and mortality in China, noncommunicable chronic diseases have become the major threats to the health of the Chinese population. The causes of chronic diseases include genetic factors and behavioral risk factors such as the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, unhealthy dietary behaviors, and lack of physical activity. Twin studies offer a unique opportunity to disentangle the genetic and environmental risk and protective factors for chronic disease. The Qingdao Twin Registry (QTR) was initiated in 1998 as part of the National Chinese Twin Registry. Over 11,000 pairs of twins and multiples of all …

Biomass Estimation And Classification Of Secondary Succession Using Radar And Optical Remote Sensing Data Based On Textural And Spectral Analysis In Amazonia, Ping Jiang

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Deforestation that happened during past decades in the Amazon Basin has been potentially affecting the global climate and carbon-cycle by contributing a vast amount of carbon into the atmosphere. Above-ground biomass (AGB) estimation of secondary successional and mature forests using remote sensing technology has been attracting scientists' attention. Optical sensor data are sensitive to forest canopies only, and therefore have limitations in AGB estimation, especially for tropical forests with complex structures and abundant species. Radar signals have the ability to penetrate canopies to detect the sub-layers of forests, and therefore potentially have a better performance in AGB estimation. Based on …

Spring Ephemeral Plant Diversity As It Relates To Gap Dynamics In Vigo County, Indiana, Jodi K. Farrell Sparks

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During the course of 25 years, plant specimens from several local locations have been collected and deposited into the Indiana State University (ISU) Herbarium by plant taxonomy students. The locations of some of these plots were reestablished in the spring of 2004. In each plot, all woody and spring herbaceous plants were collected from 26 February 2004 to 12 May 2004. These specimens were identified and compared to previous collections to examine species change in the context of gap dynamics. I compiled a species list for each plot and each preserve. Objectives for this thesis were to document plant diversity …

Phylogenetics Of North American Psoraleeae (Leguminosae): Rates And Dates In A Recent, Rapid Radiation, Ashley N. Egan

Theses and Dissertations

The scientific discipline of phylogenetics involves understanding the diversity of life in the context of history. Technological advances in molecular biology and computational power have created an exponential increase in the number and kind of phylogenetic studies, allowing exploration of all manner of questions concerning the evolutionary history of a group. This dissertation research is focused on phylogenetic theory and applying these methods to the plant tribe Psoraleeae (Leguminosae; Fabaceae) with an emphasis on North American (NAm) members. First, theory of phylogeny estimation is explored in a review chapter focusing on strengths and weaknesses of phylogenetic methodology. Second, methods are …

Evidence Of Influenza A Virus Rna In Siberian Lake Ice, Scott O. Rogers, Gang Zhang, Dany Shoham, David Gilchinsky, Sergei Davydov, John D. Castello

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Influenza A virus infects a large proportion of the human population annually, sometimes leading to the deaths of millions. The biotic cycles of infection are well characterized in the literature, including in studies of populations of humans, poultry, swine, and migratory waterfowl. However, there are few studies of abiotic reservoirs for this virus. Here, we report the preservation of influenza A virus genes in ice and water from high-latitude lakes that are visited by large numbers of migratory birds. The lakes are along the migratory flight paths of birds flying into Asia, North America, Europe, and Africa. The data suggest …

31 | ‘En Esur (‘Ein Asawir) I: Excavatios At A Protohistoric Site In The Coastal Plain Of Israel, Eli Yannai

IAA Reports—Monograph Series of the Israel Antiquities Authority

‘En Esur is a large, multi-level protohistoric site with a sequence of settlements from the Neolithic, Early Chalcolithic, Late Chalcolithic periods and Early Bronze Age I. It grew up in an area of copious springs and rich alluvial fields in the northern Sharon Plain. A large-scale salvage excavation in 1993, and further excavations in 1999 and 2004, revealed exceptional architectural and material-cultural finds, including rich pottery, flint and groundstone assemblages.

A Sex-Linked Allele, Autosomal Modifiers And Temperature-Dependence Appear To Regulate Melanism In Male Mosquitofish (Gambusia Holbrooki), Lisa Horth

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

About 1% of male mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) express melanic (mottled-black) body coloration, which differs dramatically from the wild-type, silvery-gray coloration. Here, I report on the genetic inheritance pattern of melanic coloration, which indicates Y-linkage, and at least one autosomal modifier. Phenotypic expression of melanism is also affected by temperature. Expression is constitutive ( temperature insensitive) in some populations, inducible ( temperature sensitive) in others. Constitutive and inducible expression occur among geographically proximal populations. However, males from any single population demonstrate the same constitutive or inducible expression pattern as one another. The F1 males from inter-population crosses demonstrate temperature-related …

On The Use Of Modis Evi To Assess Gross Primary Productivity Of North American Ecosystems, Daniel A. Sims, Abdullah Rahman, Vicente D. Cordova, Bassil Z. El-Masri, Dennis D. Baldocchi, Lawrence B. Flanagan, Allen H. Goldstein, David Y. Hollinger, Laurent Misson, Russell K. Monson, Walter C. Oechel, Hans P. Schmid, Steven C. Wofsy, Liukang Xu

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

[1] Carbon flux models based on light use efficiency (LUE), such as the MOD17 algorithm, have proved difficult to parameterize because of uncertainties in the LUE term, which is usually estimated from meteorological variables available only at large spatial scales. In search of simpler models based entirely on remote‐sensing data, we examined direct relationships between the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and gross primary productivity (GPP) measured at nine eddy covariance flux tower sites across North America. When data from the winter period of inactive photosynthesis were excluded, the overall relationship between EVI and tower GPP was better than that between …

Trapping Phyllophaga Spp. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) In The United States And Canada Using Sex Attractants., Paul S. Robbins, Steven R. Alm, Charles D. Armstrong, Anne L. Averille, Thomas C. Baker, Robert J. Bauernfiend, Frederick P. Baxendale, S. Kris Braman, Rick L. Brandenburg, Daniel B. Cash, Gary J. Couch, Richard S. Cowles, Robert L. Crocker, Zandra D. Delamar, Timothy G. Dittl, Sheila M. Fitzpatrick, Kathy L. Flanders, Tom Forgatsch, Timothy J. Gibb, Bruce D. Gill, Daniel O. Gilrein, Clyde Gorsuch, Abner M. Hammond, Patricia D. Hastings, David W. Held, James L. Holliman, William G. Hudson, Michael G. Klein, Vera L. Krischik, David J. Lee, Charles E. Linn Jr., Nancy J. Luce, Kenna Mackenzie, Catherine M. Mannion, Sridhar Polavarapu, Daniel A. Potter, Daniel A. Potter, Wendell Roelofs, Brian M. Royals, Glenn A. Salsbury, Nathan M. Schiff, David J. Shetlar, Margaret Skinner, Beverly L. Sparks, Jessica A. Sutschek, Timothy P. Sutschek, Stanley R. Swier, Martha M. Sylvia, Neil J. Vickers, Patricia A. Vittum, Richard Weidman, Donald C. Weber, R. Chris Williamson, Michael G. Villani

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The sex pheromone of the scarab beetle, Phyllophaga anxia, is a blend of the methyl esters of two amino acids, L-valine and L-isoleucine. A field trapping study was conducted, deploying different blends of the two compounds at 59 locations in the United States and Canada. More than 57,000 males of 61 Phyllophaga species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) were captured and identified. Three major findings included: (1) widespread use of the two compounds [of the 147 Phyllophaga (sensu stricto) species found in the United States and Canada, males of nearly 40% were captured]; (2) in most species intraspecific male …

The Changing Structure Of Arkansas' Economy: A Shift-Share Analysis, Biswaranjan Das, Daniel V. Rainey

AAES Research Reports and Research Bulletins

The state of Arkansas enjoys the advantages of its unique central location in the nation, excellent natural surroundings, low cost of living, and one of the best business climates in the southern United States. It is home to several of the largest corporations in the world. Over the period 1980-2000, there was tremendous growth in the state’s economy. However, the growth was confined to specific regions that led to several socio-economic issues adversely affecting the state. To better understand the components and variations in economic growth, a county-wise shift-share analysis was conducted. Employment, a good indicator of economic growth, was …

Endangered Species Bulletin, November 2006 - Vol. Xxxi No. 3

Endangered Species Bulletin

In this issue:
4 States Working Together for Wildlife
8 Saving Saipan’s White-eye
12 Planning for Wildlife in the Lone Star State
14 Building on a Conservation Legacy
16 Tree Farmers Help Grow the Oregon Conservation Strategy
20 Ospreys and the Michigan Wildlife Action Plan
22 Nevada’s Blueprint for Wildlife Conservation
24 Monitoring Wildlife Action Plans: Minnesota’s Approach
26 Partners For Fish and Wildlife and State Plans
28 Integrating State Wildlife Action Plans and INRMPs
30 Partners for Pollinators
32 Focus on Refuges

Endangered Species Bulletin, November 2006 - Vol. Xxxi No. 3

Endangered Species Bulletin

In this issue:
4 States Working Together for Wildlife
8 Saving Saipan’s White-eye
12 Planning for Wildlife in the Lone Star State
14 Building on a Conservation Legacy
16 Tree Farmers Help Grow the Oregon Conservation Strategy
20 Ospreys and the Michigan Wildlife Action Plan
22 Nevada’s Blueprint for Wildlife Conservation
24 Monitoring Wildlife Action Plans: Minnesota’s Approach
26 Partners For Fish and Wildlife and State Plans
28 Integrating State Wildlife Action Plans and INRMPs
30 Partners for Pollinators
32 Focus on Refuges

30 | Bet Yeraḥ: The Early Bronze Age Mound Volume I: Excavation Reports, 1933–1986, Raphael Greenberg, Emanuel Eisenberg, Sarit Paz, Yitzhak Paz

IAA Reports—Monograph Series of the Israel Antiquities Authority

This is the first volume of a series describing the results of 11 excavation campaigns at Tel Bet Yeraḥ, a large mound situated at the exit of the Jordan River from the Sea of Galilee, which took place over some 50 years (1933–1986). This first volume presents the stratigraphic framework and the Early Bronze Age pottery. The second volume (IAA Reports 54) presents the Early Bronze Age artifact assemblages and a synthetic treatment of the results. The third volume (IAA Reports 61) describes the Hellenistic and Islamic finds.

The Effects Of The Makgadikgadi Wildlife Fence On Cattle Populations And Local Cattle Industry, Jenny Hazelhurst, Elliot Vander Kolk

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study was conducted to determine the effects of the erection of the Makgadikgadi wildlife fence along the western border of the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park on cattle populations and livestock owners to the west of the fence. Cattle foraging behavior and movement patterns were recorded using GPS and focal observation methods to determine resource use and pressures affecting the populations. Interviews were also conducted in the area of Meno-a-Kwena camp to examine the effects of the fence on the economics of the local cattle industry. Signs of resource stress were found in the continued selection of poor quality forage, …

Fire Making Fuel: How A Surface Fire In A Primary Forest Affected The Availability Of Potential Fuel One Year Later, Alex Leckie

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Fires affect millions of hectares of tropical forests around the world. These fires result in great environmental damage and economical losses. Many farmers are dependent on fire for managing their lands and many times their fires accidentally spread into forests via fuels on the forest floor. This study attempted to analyze and quantify the difference of potential fuel in a primary forest which burned one year before and an unburned part of the same forest at a primary forest fragment surrounded by farms and with a history of anthropogenic accidental fires burning it. This was done by making three sample …

Evaluating The Long-Term Metacommunity Dynamics Of Tree Hole Mosquitoes, Alicia M. Ellis, L. Philip Lounibos, Marcel Holyoak

Dartmouth Scholarship

Four different conceptual models of metacommunities have been proposed, termed “patch dynamics,” “species sorting,” “mass effect,” and “neutral.” These models simplify thinking about metacommunities and improve our understanding of the role of spatial dynamics both in structuring communities and in determining local and regional diversity. We tested whether mosquito communities inhabiting water-filled tree holes in southeastern Florida, USA, displayed any of the characteristics and dynamics predicted by the four models. The densities of the five most common species in 3–8 tree holes were monitored every two weeks during 1978–2003. We tested relationships between habitat variables and species densities, spatial synchrony, …

Intsormil Crsp: Sorghum, Millet And Other Grains Collaborative Research Support Program: Leader With Associates Cooperative Agreement No. Eep-A-00-06-0016-00; Award From The U.S. Agency For International Development To The University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, Joseph Schmidt

INTSORMIL Scientific Publications

Pursuant to the authority contained in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) hereby awards to University of Nebraska - Lincoln (hereinafter referred to as the "Recipient"), the sum of $9,000,000.00 to provide support for a program in Sorghum, Millet, and Other Grains Collaborative Research Support Program as described in the Schedule of this award and in Attachment B, entitled "Program Description."

This Leader with Associates Cooperative Agreement is effective and obligation is made as of 09-30-2006 and shall apply to expenditures made by the Recipient in furtherance of program objectives during …

Reflections On Wallace, Charles H. Smith

DLPS Faculty Publications

An unpublished paper has recently come to light, which shows that even at an early age, Alfred Russel Wallace was bold enough to approach the scientific establishment with his ideas.

Ecology, Biodiversity, Management, And Restoration Of Aspen In The Sierra Nevada, Wayne D. Shepperd, Paul C. Rogers, David Burton, Dale L. Bartos

Aspen Bibliography

This report was commissioned by the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit to synthesize existing information on the ecology and management of aspen (Populus tremuloides) in the Sierra Nevada of California and surrounding environs. It summarizes available information on aspen throughout North America from published literature, internal government agency reports, and experienced scientists and managers. The historic distribution, abundance, and ecologic role of aspen in the Sierra Nevada are discussed, along with the reproductive physiology of aspen. Issues that affect aspen health and vigor in the Sierra Nevada and elsewhere are covered, along with methodology for …

Biologic Cycling Of Silica Across A Grassland Bioclimosequence, S. W. Blecker, Rebecca L. Mcculley, O. A. Chadwick, E. F. Kelly

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

The dynamics of biologic Si cycling in grassland ecosystems are largely unknown and likely to impact mineral weathering rates regionally and diatom productivity globally; key regulatory processes in the global Si cycle are closely tied to the global carbon cycle. Across a bioclimatic sequence spanning major grassland ecosystems in the Great Plains, soil biogenic silica depth distributions are similar to that of soil organic carbon; however, unlike soil organic carbon, quantities of soil biogenic silica decrease with increasing precipitation, despite an increase in annual biogenic inputs through litterfall across the same gradient. Though comprising only 1–3% of the total Si …

Distribution, Morphology, And Genetic Affinities Of Dwarf Embedded Fucus Populations From The Northwest Atlantic Ocean, Arthur C. Mathieson, Clinton J. Dawes, Aaron L. Wallace, Anita S. Klein

New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station Publications

Dwarf embedded Fucus populations in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean are restricted to the upper intertidal zone in sandy salt marsh environments; they lack holdfasts and are from attached parental populations of F. spiralis or F. spiralis x F. vesiculosus hybrids after breakage and entanglement with halophytic marsh grasses. Dwarf forms are dichotomously branched, flat, and have a mean overall length and width of 20.3 and 1.3 mm, respectively. Thus, they are longer than Irish (mean 9.3 mm) and Alaskan (mean 15.0 mm) populations identified as F cottonii. Reciprocal transplants of different Fucus taxa in a Maine salt marsh confirm that …