Digital Commons Network^™

Spatial Autocorrelation And Pseudoreplication In Fire Ecology, Amanda L. Bataineh, Brian P. Oswald, Mohammad M. Bataineh, Daniel Unger, I-Kuai Hung, Daniel Scognamillo

Faculty Publications

Fire ecologists face many challenges regarding the statistical analyses of their studies. Hurlbert (1984) brought the problem of pseudoreplication to the scientific community’s attention in the mid 1980’s. Now, there is a new issue in the form of spatial autocorrelation. Spatial autocorrelation, if present, violates the traditional statistical assumption of observational independence. What, if anything, can the fire ecology community do about this new problem? An understanding of spatial autocorrelation, and knowledge of available methods used to reduce the effect of spatial autocorrelation and pseudoreplication will greatly assist fire ecology researchers.

A Nuclear Rdna Phylogeny Of Smilax (Smilacaceae), Kenneth M. Cameron, Chengxin Fu

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Smilacaceae are a taxonomically confused, cosmopolitan family of Liliales characterized by climbing habit, reticulate leaf venation, paired petiolar tendrils, unisexual flowers, and superior ovaries. Deviations from this generalized morphology have led to the division of Smilacaceae into at least seven different genera and five sections within the large genus Smilax. In particular, taxa with connate tepals (Heterosmilax), more than six stamens (Pleiosmilax, Oligosmilax), or herbaceous habit (Hemexia) have been variously classified. Using DNA sequences of 96 taxa from the nuclear rDNA ITS gene region, parsimony analyses provide moderate resolution, but generally poor bootstrap support …

Nebraska Vine Lines, Volume Ix, Issue 1. January/February 2006.

Nebraska Vine Lines (2003–2006)

• Be Sure To Put The 9th Annual Forum on Your Calendar

• Trellis and Vine Training Field Day

• Making Wine with Frontenac By: Anna Katharine Mansfield,UM Enology Project Leader

• GREETINGS FROM PAUL READ IN TASMANIA

Gis-Based Analysis Of Ice-Breeding Seal Strandings In The Gulf Of Maine, David Harris Ph.D., Sat Gupta

Faculty Publications

Phoca groenlandica (harp seals) and Cystophora cristata (hooded seals), two species of ice-breeding seals, are being sighted more frequently onshore in the Gulf of Maine since 1990, but little is known about their behavior in this ecosystem. We obtained records of 904 ice-breeding seal stranding locations in the Gulf of Maine between 1996 and 2002 from NOAA Fisheries and used a geographic information system (GIS) to conduct group-wise comparisons by species (using non-parametric techniques), and to determine the predictors of high seal-stranding density (using ordinal logistic regression analysis). Compared to harp seals, hooded seals stranded closer to deep water, farther …

Artists' Depictions Of Catsteps In The Loess Hills Of Iowa: Evidence For Mid-Nineteenth Century Climate Change, Kimberly R. Dillon, Steven H. Emerman, Pamela K. Wilcox

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Catsteps are the staircase-like features common on hillslopes of the Loess Hills of western Iowa. The record of artistic depictions of the Loess Hills was examined to determine when catsteps appeared. George Catlin, Karl Bodmer, and John James Audubon traveled up the Missouri River m 1832, 1833 and 1843, respectively, and between them, produced 31 works of art depicting either the Loess Hills or the loess bluffs on the Nebraska side of the river. Only three works by Bodmer of Blackbird Hill on the Nebraska side possibly show catsteps. The Assistant State Geologist, Orestes St. John, produced six sketches of …

Speciation In Duckweeds (Lemnaceae): Phylogenetic And Ecological Inferences, Daniel J. Crawford, Elias Landolt, Donald H. Les, Rebecca T. Kimball

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Species of duckweeds (Letnnaceae) that were resolved as sister taxa in a phylogeny based on combined molecular and non-molecular data were compared for morphological, physiological, and ecological attributes to infer factors important in the initial divergence leading to speciation. The ability to survive extreme conditions such as desiccation and cold temperatures is the most common difference identified between species. Two morphological characters facilitating survival in extreme environments are production of special resting buds called turions and increased seed production. The prevalent geographic pattern for species pairs consists of one restricted species occurring on the periphery of a more widespread taxon; …

Gondwanan Origin Of Major Monocot Groups Inferred From Dispersal-Vicariance Analysis, Kåre Bremer, Thomas Janssen

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Historical biogeography of major monocot groups was investigated by biogeographical analysis of a dated phylogeny including 79 of the 81 monocot families using the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group II (APG II) classification. Five major areas were used to describe the family distributions: Eurasia, North America, South America, Africa including Madagascar, and Australasia including New Guinea, New Caledonia, and New Zealand. In order to investigate the possible correspondence with continental breakup, the tree with its terminal distributions was fitted to the geological area cladogram ((Eurasia, North America), (Africa, (South America, Australasia)) and to alternative area cladograms using the TreeFitter program. The results …

Phylogenetics Of The "Tiger-Flower" Group (Tigridieae: Iridaceae): Molecular And Morphological Evidence, Aaron Rodriguez, Kenneth J. Sytsma

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The phylogenetic relationships among 23 species of the tribe Tigridieae (lridaceae) were inferred using morphological data and nucleotide sequences from nuclear ITS and three intergenic spacers of the cpDNA: psbA-trnH, trnT-trnL, and trnL-trnF. Although all data sets supported a monophyletic Mexican-Guatemalan Tigridiinae including two taxa usually placed in Cipurinae (Cardiostigma longispatha and Nemastylis convoluta), neither morphology, cpDNA, nor ITS resolved phylogenetic relationships within this lineage. A graphical tree of trees analysis showed the cladograms derived from morphology to be the most topologically distinct within the set of all trees …

Molecular Studies Of Subfamily Gilliesioideae (Alliaceae), Michael F. Fay, Paula J. Rudall, Mark W. Chase

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

We present an analysis of relationships in Gilliesioideae (Alliaceae) based on a combined matrix of plastid rbcL, the trnL intron, the trnL-F intergenic spacer, and the rps16 intron and nuclear ITS ribosomal DNA sequences. The results are generally congruent with previous analyses, indicating two well-supported groups: Ipheion plus allied genera ("lpheieae" ined.) and Gilliesieae. They also provide higher bootstrap support for many patterns of relationships. Polyphyly of lpheion and Nothoscordum is confirmed. Increased taxon sampling (particularly in Gilliesieae) and additional molecular data would be desirable to provide further resolution and to allow an appropriate taxonomic revision …

Species Boundaries And Population Divergence In The Pyrenean Endemic Relict Genus Borderea (Dioscoreaceae) As Revealed By Microsatellite (Ssr) And Other Hypervariable Markers, José Gabriel Segarra-Moragues, Pilar Catalan

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Microsatellite alleles were used to delimit the genetic boundaries and divergence of the two relictual endemic Pyrenean taxa Borderea chouardii and B. pyrenaica (Dioscoreaceae), and to infer the different life histories followed by each species. Our study was conducted on the same populations previously analyzed with allozymes and RAPD markers. The three studied data sets were congruent in the inference of a single evolutionary scenario for the split of the two Borderea taxa from a common Tertiary ancestor in the Prepyrenees, thus supporting their taxonomic treatment as separate species. However, the more variable SSR and RAPD data provided better resolution …

Phylogeny Of Iridaceae Subfamily Crocoideae Based On A Combined Multigene Plastid Dna Analysis, Peter Goldblatt, T. Jonathan Davies, John C. Manning, Michelle Van Der Bank, Vincent Savolainen

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The phylogeny of Crocoideae, the largest of four subfamilies currently recognized in Tridaceae, has eluded resolution until sequences of two more plastid DNA regions were added here to a previously published matrix containing sequences from four DNA plastid regions. Sister to the core Nivenioideae, the woody Klattia, Nivenia, and Witsenia, Crocoideae are a climax group in lridaceae, comprising some 995 species, slightly more than half of the total in the family. Synapomorphies of Crocoideae include pollen exine perforate, pollen aperture operculate, ovule campylotropous (or hypotropous), root xylem vessels with simple perforations, cormous rootstock, inflorescence a spike, and plants deciduous. The …

Phylogenetic Analyses And Biogeography Of Trilliaceae, Susan B. Farmer

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Trilliaceae are plants of North Temperate forests with a holarctic distribution and a high degree of endemism. Molecular phylogenetic analyses are presented in order to examine the tribal, generic, and species-level classification of the family. These molecular studies, and earlier morphological studies, support the placement of the genus Pseudotrillium as basal in the family and sister to the tribes Trillieae and Parideae, which are monophyletic sister groups. Trillidium (Trillium) govanianum provides an unresolved problem: morphologically it is included within Parideae, but molecular data place it within Trillium as sister to T. undulatum. Within tribe Trillieae, clades are …

Our Places To Tell Stories: Making Connections With Our Audiences, Public Lands Institute

Our Places to Tell Stories

The idea for an annual Our Places Tell Stories conference was prompted by discussions that took place within a unique partnership of federal, state, university, and public organizations in southern Nevada. Members identified the need to share and learn from successful educational and interpretive strategies. Our increasingly urban surroundings and rapidly changing populations hinder personal connections between people and their natural environment. However, the right tools and techniques will help us inspire children and adults to understand, value, and take care of our shared natural places.

This first conference supports professionals in creating and evaluating effective educational programs and interpretive …

Spatiotemporal Patterns Of Host-Seeking Ixodes Scapularis Nymphs (Acari: Ixodidae) In The United States, M. A. Diuk-Wasser, A. G. Gatewood, M. Roberto Cortinas, S. Yaremych-Hamer, J. Tsao, Uriel Kitron, G. Hickling, J. S. Brownstein, E. Walker, J. Piesman, D. Fish

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The risk of Lyme disease for humans in the eastern United States is dependent on the density of host-seeking Ixodes scapularis Say nymphal stage ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. Although many local and regional studies have estimated Lyme disease risk using these parameters, this is the first large-scale study using a standardized methodology. Density of host-seeking I. scapularis nymphs was measured by drag sampling of closed canopy deciduous forest habitats in 95 locations spaced among 2° quadrants covering the entire United States east of the 100th meridian. Sampling was done in five standardized transects at each site and repeated …

Assessing Heterodera Glycines-Resistant And Susceptible Cultivar Yield Response, P. A. Donald, P. E. Pierson, S. K. St. Martin, P. R. Sellers, G. R. Noel, A. E. Macguidwin, J. Faghihi, V. R. Ferris, C. R. Grau, D. J. Jardine, H, Melakeberhan, T. L. Niblack, W. C. Stienstra, G. L. Tylka, T. A. Wheeler, D. S. Wysong

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The soybean cyst nematode Heterodera glycines (SCN) is of major economic importance and widely distributed throughout soybean production regions of the United States where different maturity groups with the same sources of SCN resistance are grown. The objective of this study was to assess SCN-resistant and -susceptible soybean yield responses in infested soils across the northcentral region. In 1994 and 1995, eight SCN-resistant and eight SCN-susceptible public soybean cultivars representing maturity groups (MG) I to IV were planted in 63 fields, either infested or noninfested, in 10 states in the north-central United States. Soil samples were taken to determine initial …

Strategies Of Sex And Survival In Hamadryas Baboons: Through A Female Lens, Larissa Swedell

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Estimation Of Incident Photosynthetically Active Radiation From Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer Data, Shunlin Liang, Tao Zheng, Ronggao Liu, Hongliang Fang, Si-Chee Tsay, Steven W. Running

Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences Faculty Publications

Incident photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is a key variable needed by almost all terrestrial ecosystem models. Unfortunately, the current incident PAR products estimated from remotely sensed data at spatial and temporal resolutions are not sufficient for carbon cycle modeling and various applications. In this study, the authors develop a new method based on the look-up table approach for estimating instantaneous incident PAR from the polar-orbiting Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) data. Since the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiance depends on both surface reflectance and atmospheric properties that largely determine the incident PAR, our first step is to estimate surface reflectance. The approach …

Subalpine And Alpine Flora Of Altındere Valley (Maçka, Trabzon), Seyran Palabaş Uzun, Rahi̇m Anşi̇n

Turkish Journal of Botany

The subalpine and alpine flora of Altındere Valley (Maçka, Trabzon) was investigated during 2000-2002. The study area is situated in the Colchis sector of the Euro-Siberian floristic area of the Holarctic region with regard to plant geography. In this area, 384 plant taxa belonging to 61 families and 190 genera were determined. The largest family is Asteraceae (39; 10%), and the second largest is Rosaceae (35; 9%). The rates of the taxa belonging to certain phytogeographical regions are as follows: 50.27% Euro-Siberian, 5.99% Irano-Turanian and 1.04% Mediterranean. Moreover, phytogeographically unknown taxa are 42.70%. Thirty-two endemic (8.3%) and 9 rare (2.3%) …

Prairie Wetlands And Climate Change - Droughts And Ducks On The Prairies, Glenn R. Guntenspergen, W.Carter Johnson, David E. Naugle

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) contains 5-8 million small wetlands and is one of the most ecologically valuable freshwater resources of the Nation. These wetlands provide abundant ecosystem services, including groundwater recharge, water for agriculture, water purification, and recreation. The PPR is best known as the “duck factory” of North America. By some estimates, this region produces over 50% of the ducks in North America.

Gis And 3d Analysis Applied To Sea Turtle Mortalities And Navigation Channel Dredging, Bradley A. Shellito, Keith B. Lockwood

Virginia Journal of Science

Between 2000 and 2003 there were an increased number of documented sea turtle mortalities related to hopper dredging in the channels of the Chesapeake Bay. A pilot study was undertaken to create a bathymetric surface and three-dimensional model of the Cape Henry Channel using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a visualization tool to examine sea turtle mortalities in relation to the dredging. In Fall 2003, the US Army Corps of Engineers dredged the Thimble Shoals Federal Navigation Channel, and a more refined model was developed using this data. This project examines the growing concerns over sea turtle mortality rates and …

The Evolutionary And Biogeographic Origin And Diversification Of The Tropical Monocot Order Zingiberales, W. John Kress, Chelsea D. Specht

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Zingiberales are a primarily tropical lineage of monocots. The current pantropical distribution of the order suggests an historical Gondwanan distribution, however the evolutionary history of the group has never been analyzed in a temporal context to test if the order is old enough to attribute its current distribution to vicariance mediated by the break-up of the supercontinent. Based on a phylogeny derived from morphological and molecular characters, we develop a hypothesis for the spatial and temporal evolution of Zingiberales using Dispersal-Vicariance Analysis (DIVA) combined with a local molecular clock technique that enables the simultaneous analysis of multiple gene loci with …

3rd Lone Star Regional Native Plant Conference, David Creech, Lijing Zhou, Dawn Stover, James Kroll, Greg Grant, Heinz Gaylord

Lone Star Regional Native Plant Conference

No abstract provided.

Rockfish Resources Of The South Central California Coast: Analysis Of The Resource From Partyboat Data, 1980-2005, John Stephens, Dean Wendt, Debra Wilson-Vandenberg, Jay Carroll, Royden Nakamura, Erin Nakada, Steven Reinecke, Jono Wilson

Biological Sciences

Rockfishes (Sebastes spp.) have historically comprised a large proportion of catches in the nearshore recreational fishery in California, but declining populations of some species have led to increasingly restrictive management of the resource. This report summarizes new and existing data on rockfishes of the south central coast of California. In 2003, the California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo placed observers on commercial passenger fishing vessels (partyboats) from the region. By the end of 2005, we had observed catches from 258 trips (8,839 fisher hours). We appended these data to partyboat catch statistics collected by the California Department of …

Red And Black Tides: Quantitative Analysis Of Water-Leaving Radiance And Perceived Color For Phytoplankton, Colored Dissolved Organic Matter, And Suspended Sediments, Heidi M. Dierssen, Raphael M. Kudela, John P. Ryan, Richard C. Zimmerman

OES Faculty Publications

Using field measurements and quantitative modeling, we demonstrate that red coloration of the sea surface is not associated with any particular group of phytoplankton and is strongly dependent on the physiology of the human visual system. Red or brown surface waters can be produced by high concentrations of most types of algae, colored dissolved organic matter, or suspended sediment. Even though light reflected by red tides commonly peaks in the yellow spectral region (570–580 nm), human color perception requires consideration of the entire spectrum of light relative to receptors within the human eye. The color shift from green to red …

Interview With Myo Demayo, Urbanstead Farm (Audio), Myo Demayo

All Sustainability History Project Oral Histories

Interview of Myo DeMayo by Tyler Anderson.

The interview index is available for download.

The year is estimated.

Effects Of Temperature On Development Of Phormia Regina (Diptera: Calliphoridae) And Use Of Developmental Data In Determining Time Intervals In Forensic Entomology, P. D. Nabity, Leon G. Higley, Tiffany M. Heng-Moss

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Precise developmental data for forensic indicator blow fly species are essential for accuracy in the estimate of the post-mortem interval (PMI). Why, then, does the determination of the PMI result in conflicting time frames when published conspecific developmental data are used? To answer this question, we conducted constant temperature trials between the developmental minimum temperature and upper threshold temperatures (8-32 degrees C) on the forensically important blow fly species Phormia regina (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Flies were reared using two designs to quantify sources of variation. We measured rearing container temperatures and internal growth chamber temperatures by using thermocouples to accurately …

Long-Distance Dispersal And Population Trends Of Moose In The Central United States, Justin D. Hoffman, Hugh H. Genoways, Jerry R. Choate

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Dispersal is a basic feature of the natural history of moose. Most information about moose dispersal pertains to short-distance movements because long-distance movements are uncommon and difficult to observe. Since the 1950s, moose populations have been increasing in Minnesota and North Dakota. This may have contributed to several long-distance dispersal events for moose that recently were reported in the central United States. These dispersal events provide an opportunity to investigate both the causes and the biological implications of this rare phenomenon. Herein, we review long-distance dispersal events based on information obtained from a variety of sources. Dispersal routes that could …

Microsatellite Genotyping To Distinguish Colonies And Intraspecies Genetic Variation In The Eastern Subterranean Termite, Reticulitermes Flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), Timothy J. Husen, Shripat T. Kamble, Julie M. Stone

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Microsatellite markers and fingerprinting techniques have demonstrated great potential for assessing colony affiliation in Reticulitermes species. This study utilized microsatellite allele fingerprints and examined variation at eight micro satellite loci within five different R. flavipes collection sites in each of Lancaster and Madison counties in Nebraska. In the termite populations from Lancaster County, five of the eight microsatellite loci (Rf 1-3, Rf 3-1, Rf 5-1 0, Rf 6-1, and Rf 24-2) provided informative genotypic variability allowing colony distinction. DNA sequence data at locus Rf24-2 also provided conclusive evidence that populations sampled were distinct colonies. Five micro satellite loci (Rf 3-1, …

Phylogenetics Of The Florally Diverse Andean Clade Iochrominae (Solanaceae), Stacey Dewitt Smith, David A. Baum

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Recent molecular phylogenetic studies of Solanaceae have identified many well-supported clades within the family and have permitted the creation of a phylogenetic system of classification. Here we estimate the phylogeny for Iochrominae, a clade of Physaleae sensu Olmstead et al. (1999), which contains 34 Andean species encompassing an immense diversity of floral forms and colors. Using three nuclear regions, ITS, the second intron of LEAFY, and exons 2 to 9 of the granule-bound starch synthase gene (waxy), we evaluated the monophyly of the traditional genera comprising Iochrominae and assessed the extent of interspecific hybridization within the clade. …

Prairie Suite: A Celebration, Twyla Hansen, Paul A. Johnsgard

Paul Johnsgard Collection

25 poems by Twyla Hansen, with illustrations by Paul A. Johnsgard, including:

Walk on the Prairie

There is mystery here, in the shapes of grass,
in the dim movements of an inland sea,
connections to an earlier time. Wander barefoot,
hypothesize the dance of millennia, the unbearable
carvings of the built environment, this ragtag escape.

Let its divine simplicity ooze into your pores.
Comb the steel from your hair, blanket your
tongue with orange. Your breathing will slow.
Breathing slow, unbutton the child within.
Give her permission to go fly a kite.