Digital Commons Network^™

Pollinator Communities And Their Ecosystem Services At Conservation Grasslands And Adjacent Croplands, Araceli Gomez Villegas

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Pollinators are intrinsically linked to the success of unmanaged and managed ecosystems by providing pollination services that aid in the reproduction of wildflowers and many crops. Land use change, habitat loss, fragmentation, and related landscape-level phenomena (for example, increased pesticide exposure) threaten pollinators and have been associated with population declines. In the Midwestern region of the United States, land conversion of native prairies and grasslands to row-crop agriculture has been one of the largest contributors to pollinator habitat loss. Conservation programs, such as the Conservation Reserve Program, have worked towards removing environmentally sensitive lands from agriculture production and enrolling them …

Water Quality Assessment For San Luis Obispo Creek And Stenner Creek, Brent Flemmer

Master of Science in Environmental Sciences and Management Projects

Water quality was assessed in five stream segments in San Luis Obispo and Stenner Creeks in Spring of 2023. Two of the five sites were located along San Luis Obispo Creek, and three located along Stenner Creek. Criteria to evaluate these aquatic systems was provided by the Standard Operating Procedures of the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program, formulated by the State Water Resources Control Board. These procedures describe the methodology surrounding the collection of chemical, physical, and biological parameters of stream systems; streamflow, substrate, flow habitat, chemical water quality, and benthic macroinvertebrates are some of the criteria collected that allows …

Future-Proofing The Past: Artificial Intelligence In The Restoration Of Andalusian Architectural Heritage: A Case Study Of The Alhambra Palace, Granada, Spain, Kholoud Bader Hasan Ghaith

Theses

This thesis explains the contribution of artificial intelligence in heritage restoration as an icon of Andalusian architecture by using the Alhambra as an example. The task of sustaining heritage is increasing dramatically due to the accumulation of heritage assets and the need for modern and innovative operations to cope with preservation tasks. Therefore, this thesis reviews the role of artificial intelligence in improving the restoration operation to improve accuracy and efficiency. I applied the case study as a scientific methodology to explain this work to overcome scientific and subjective obstacles, such as scarce data and software integration while explaining the …

Pcor Partnership Atlas, Wesley D. Peck, Kari Suedel, Kyle A. Glazewski, Kevin C. Connors, James A. Sorensen, Charles D. Gorecki, Brian P. Kalk, John A. Harju

EERC Maps and Infographics

The Plains CO₂ Reduction (PCOR) Partnership Atlas provides a profile of CO₂ sources and potential storage locations across the PCOR Partnership region. The revised sixth edition of the Atlas provides an up-to-date look at PCOR Partnership initiative activities, including additional regional characterization and updates on commercial projects. Additional background information on carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is included to give a better understanding of how CCUS addresses concerns about climate change while allowing future energy needs to be met.

Procedures For Rangeland Condition Assessment In The Kimberley 2022, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development

Natural resources published reports

This report defines the procedures used in 2022 by DPIRD to complete rangeland condition assessment (RCA) in the Kimberley region which has grass-based pastures. For the rest of the pastoral estate, DPIRD uses the Procedures for RCA in the Pilbara and southern rangelands which have predominantly shrub pastures.

RCA is the process DPIRD uses to make systematic, lease-level assessment of rangeland. Rangeland condition considers both the condition of pastures (as defined in the 'Pasture condition guide for the Kimberley') and soils as determined by erosion, using the erosion assessment method on pastoral lands in Western Australia (WA). The methods have …

Soil Nitrate Prediction Using Ftir-Atr, Vis-Nir, And Raman Spectroscopy, Sabiha Ferdous

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) combined with Attenuated total reflectance (ATR), Visible-Near Infrared spectroscopy (Vis-NIR), and Raman spectroscopy (RS) are non-destructive techniques for rapid determination of nitrogen compounds in soil. Leveraging FTIR-ATR and Vis-NIR spectra using partial least squares regression (PLSR) modeling, the study aims to predict soil nitrate content and explored the feasibility of Raman spectroscopy to detect nitrate (NO₃^-), nitrite (NO₂^-), and ammonium (NH₄⁺) in soil. Soil samples were collected from four different fields, dried, sieved (2mm), and then used for collecting spectra (FTIR-ATR and Vis-NIR). Laboratory analysis was …

Hearing Iterative And Recursive Behavior: Sonification Improves Student Understanding, Joel C. Adams, Hayworth Anderson

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Abstract topics such as recursion are challenging for many computer science students to understand. In this experience report, we explore function sonification-the addition of sound to a function to communicate information about the function's behavior in real-time as it runs-as a pedagogical approach for improving students' understanding of recursion. We present several example iterative and recursive function sonifications, plus spectrograms that illustrate their different sonic behaviors. We also present experimental evidence that using these sonifications significantly improved the understanding of recursion for students who used them, compared to students who used silent (i.e., traditional) versions of the same functions. Based …

Possible Role Of Correlation Coefficients And Network Analysis Of Multiple Intracellular Proteins In Blood Cells Of Patients With Bipolar Disorder In Studying The Mechanism Of Lithium Responsiveness: A Proof-Concept Study, Keming Gao, Marzieh Ayati, Nicholas M. Kaye, Mehmet Koyutürk, Joseph R. Calabrese, Eric Christian, Hillard M. Lazarus, David Kaplan

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Background: The mechanism of lithium treatment responsiveness in bipolar disorder (BD) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the utility of correlation coefficients and protein-to-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses of intracellular proteins in monocytes and CD4+ lymphocytes of patients with BD in studying the potential mechanism of lithium treatment responsiveness. Methods: Patients with bipolar I or II disorder who were diagnosed with the MINI for DSM-5 and at any phase of the illness with at least mild symptom severity and received lithium (serum level ≥ 0.6 mEq/L) for 16 weeks were divided into two groups, responders (≥50% …

Advanced Nanostructured Materials For Water Harvesting And Energy Storage, Ahmed Elsir Ali

Theses

This thesis presents the work done developing nanotechnology-based compositions contributing to the advancement of two main sectors: Water and Energy. For they present vital impact and correspondence for sustainability and development worldwide. Composites constituted following the most recent trends in material science and nanotechnology while revolving around Manganese Oxide as the material of investigation. Water security is one of the most important challenges in our current times. Moreover, reports warn of the predicted restricted access to clean water by 2050, which is expected to impact more than half the population. Thus, many scientists and societies are exerting efforts to develop …

Health And Safety Plan (Hasp) Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit, Woodard & Curran

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Reconnecting A Stream Channel To Its Floodplain: Implications For Benthic Diatoms And Macroinvertebrate Trophic Structure, Patrick M. Edwards, Nicole C. Popp, Yangdong Pan, Christine L. Weilhoefer, Aspen Peterman, Lauren Mork, Matthew F. Johnson, Megan Colley, Multiple Additional Authors

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Streams systems draining upland landscapes provide valuable ecosystem services, but they are vulnerable to incision and channelization caused by anthropogenic disturbance. Restoring a degraded stream to its pre-disturbance condition by reconnecting the channel to its historical floodplain aims to recover lost hydro-morphological processes and functions. Seeking evidence to indicate whether that aim is met in practice, we examined diatoms and the stream macroinvertebrate trophic structures in three reaches of Whychus Creek, Oregon, United States. Two reaches were reconnected to their pre-disturbance floodplains in 2012 and 2016. The third, control reach, was not restored and was selected to represent the degraded …

Performance Of Humans And Agents In A Systems Modeling Language V2 Task: A User-Centered Evaluation Approach, Allen W. Dukes

Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense is adopting Digital Engineering practices for its workforce. Simultaneously, the larger Systems Engineering community strives to modernize and define those Digital Engineering practices. These efforts to move from traditionally document-based approaches to pure digital implementations will require enhanced capabilities to manage and digitally track the lifecycle of a program or product. However, this growth must address tool design through an iterative process focusing on usability for many user types. Many tools and technologies exist but often lack an assessment of usability when engineers design tools for other engineers. Including usability when developing solutions for Digital Engineering …

Advanced Oxidation Of Tert-Butanol With Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diodes And Hydrogen Peroxide, Lauren R. Mainolfi

Theses and Dissertations

Tert-butanol (TBA), a versatile chemical widely used in industrial processes, poses exposure risks through inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact. Environmental contamination, often from industrial activities, emphasizes the importance of robust waste management and monitoring to protect water supplies from potential TBA migration and ensure drinking water safety. This study employed hydrogen peroxide (H2O2): TBA molar ratios of 100, 200, 400, and 500:1 in a Continuous Flow Stirred-Tank Reactor (CSTR) with UV-LED as the TBA degradation mechanism in an Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP). The UV-LEDs and H2O2 were synergistically employed to generate hydroxyl radicals in an advanced oxidation process. Gas chromatography–mass …

Advanced Oxidation Of Methyl Tert Butyl Ether With Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diodes, Aaron R. Neal

Theses and Dissertations

Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) is a volatile, soluble, organic compound introduced to gasoline within the United States as a fuel oxygenator in 1979. MTBE is a common groundwater pollutant due to its high water solubility and resistance to bio-degradation; it commonly infiltrates groundwater sources via leaking underground storage tanks or fuel spills. This research employed ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) induced advanced oxidation process (AOP) to treat MTBE contaminated water at the bench scale. Using four H₂O₂:MTBE molar peroxide ratios (100:1, 200:1, 400:1, 500:1), MTBE degradation was induced …

Single Particle Analysis Of Operation Roller Coaster Environmental Samples, Caleb J. Sapp

Theses and Dissertations

The release of plutonium and other actinides into the environment following a nuclear detonation or accident, poses a health risk to biological systems. The spread, or transportation of that plutonium and its daughter products through environmental and meteorological means increases the potential affect and inherent danger within the surrounding area. In the 1960’s, a study was conducted in a joint effort by the US and Great Britain to collect information regarding the spread of plutonium released into the environment through a sub-critical detonation. Soil samples from these tests were collected by the USAF in 2015, approximately 50 years after these …

Environmental Dna Metabarcoding Of Pan Trap Water To Monitor Arthropod-Plant Interactions, Joshua H. Kestel, David L. Field, Philip W. Bateman, Nicole E. White, Karen L. Bell, Paul Nevill

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Globally, the diversity of arthropods and the plants upon which they rely are under increasing pressure due to a combination of biotic and abiotic anthropogenic stressors. Unfortunately, conventional survey methods used to monitor ecosystems are often challenging to conduct on large scales. Pan traps are a commonly used pollinator survey method and environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding of pan trap water may offer a high-throughput alternative to aid in the detection of both arthropods and the plant resources they rely on. Here, we examined if eDNA metabarcoding can be used to identify arthropods and plant species from pan trap water, and …

Environmental Analysis Of Codfish Production And Consumption In Portugal, Ayla Frost, Joana Almeida, Joana Dionisio, Radu Godina, Cátia Magro

Journal of Critical Global Issues

Codfish, a typical dish consumed frequently in Portugal, is fished in the cold Northern Atlantic waters far from the Portuguese coast. Thus, regional tensions and the environmental impacts of Portuguese codfish importation and production are significant current issues. The present study uses a life cycle assessment methodology to evaluate the array of environmental impacts of the production of 1 kg of codfish, following a cradle to gate approach. The life cycle inventory was grouped into catch and preprocessing, transit, and curing stages. The data collection of products and processes in each stage was based on scientific peer reviewed documents, technical …

Use Of The Grazing Animal In Forage Breeding, J H. Bouton, C S. Hoveland, R N. Gates

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of these studies was to determine, in the context of a forage breeding program, the effect of cattle grazing on survival of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). Different cultivars of each species were compared in grazed and ungrazed areas. Results consistently demonstrated that grazing reduced plant stands when compared to ungrazed conditions for each species tested. In alfalfa, however, cultivars developed for grazing tolerance showed much better grazing survival. Infection with the fungal endophyte, Acremonium coenophialum Morgan-Jones & Gams, likewise substantially increased grazing survival in …

Selection Of Stylosanthes Guianensis For The Cerrados Of Brazil, B Grof, C D. Fernandes, A V. Dos Santos, C B. Almeida

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Progenies of intervarietal hybrid stylos (Stylosanthes guianensis var.vulgaris x S.guianensis var.pauciflora) with mid-season maturity date (early-and mid-June), high dry matter and seed yields have been identified at the National Beef Cattle Research Center (CNPGC), Campo Grande, MS, Brazil. Dry matter yields of the best selections were comparable to those of the late-flowering control, cv. Mineirão. Several mid-season hybrids produced 150 to 200 kg/ha of seed-inpod and a single plant selection yielded in excess of 300 kg/ha. The high degree of resistance to anthracnose observed in the advanced generations is attributed to the immense genetic diversity of these …

Differential Energy Allocation Among 15 New Guineagrass (Panicum Maximum Jacq.) Hybrids, J A. Usberti Jr, R Usberti, R S. Paterniani

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The main aim of this research work was to determine trends of energy allocation among newly developed guineagrass (Panicum maximum Jacq) hybrids, ranging from very-early to late-flowering genotypes. Besides the flowering cycle, eight phenological and two seed quality traits were scored in a greenhouse randomized complete block experiment including plant height (PH), reproductive tiller number/overall tiller number (RTN/OTN), panicle number/reproductive tiller (PN/RT), leaf length (LL), leaf width (LW), panicle length (PL), fresh weight (FW), dry weight (DW), number of seeds/gram (NS/G) and seed sample physical purity (SPP). Very-early and early-flowering hybrids consistently showed the highest correlations values between flowering …

Improvement Of Forage Quality By Means Of Biotechnology: Stable Transformation Of Warm-Season Grasses By Particle Bombardment, C Yuge, R Akashi, O Kawamura

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

We have used a simple and inexpensive, self-built particle acceleration apparatus for direct delivery of DNA to cultured cells of warm-season grasses. High levels of transient expression of the b-glucuronidase gene were obtained following bombardment of embryogenic suspension cells and calli of bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge) and dallisgrass (Paspalum dilatatum Poir). Furthermore, stable transformed calli of both species have been obtained using this simple particle gun.

Transformation In Lotus Corniculatus: Towards Low-Lignin Pasture Through Antisense Rna, R Akashi, T Uchiyama, Y Sakatani, O Kawamura

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

We have developed a rapid and reproducible transformation system for bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) by using Agrobacterium-mediated T-DNA transfer and the incorporation of the antisense gene for cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) from Aralia cordata into Lotus for lignin reduction. The presence of the transferred antisense gene in regenerated plants has been confirmed by PCR analysis.

Possibility Of Selection For Mineral Concentration In Orchardgrass By X-Ray Microanalysis, S Saiga, Y Nishimura, K Izumi

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

To assess the ability of X-ray microanalysis for screening breeding populations of orchardgrass in mineral concentration, correlations between chemical and X-ray analysis were investigated. Six orchardgrass plants with high- and low-Mg concentrations were examined for three harvest dates in 1995. The samples were separated into leaf blade, leaf sheath, culm and head. Mg concentration in leaf and head were higher than in sheath and in culm. P concentration was highest in the head, and lowest in the sheath. Correlations between chemical and X-ray analysis were r=0.692***, 0.526***, 0.252* and 0.562*** for Mg, Ca, K and P, respectively. Correlation coefficients between …

How Do Cattle And Sheep Alter Ingestive Behaviour In Response To Changes In Sward State?, P D. Penning, R J. Orr, A J. Parsons, A Harvey

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Ingestive behaviour of yearling Friesian heifers continuously stocked on monocultures of Lolium perenne (G) or Trifolium repens (C) maintained at sward heights of 7-8 cm, was recorded. Bite masses, prehension biting and mastication rates were similar between treatments (211 vs. 230 mg DM prehension bite-1, 61 vs. 55 prehension bites and 11 vs. 13 mastications, min-1 for G and C, respectively). DM intake rates were 12.9 g min-1 for both treatments. Animals grazed longer (536 vs.436 min) and ruminated longer (526 vs. 267 min-1) on G compared with C. Daily intakes were 6.9 vs.5.6 kg DM for G and C. …

Effects Of Fasting On Ingestive Behaviour Of Sheep Grazing Grass Or White Clover Monocultures, P D. Penning, M Boval

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Effects of fasting sheep for 24 h (F), compared with controls (NF), on their ingestive behaviour and particle size in extrusa was investigated using oesophageally fistulated animals, grazing monocultures of Lolium perenne (G) or Trifolium repens (C). Bite masses tended to be lower on G than C and tended to increase with fasting (40, 64, 61 and 70 mg DM bite-1) for treatments GNF, GF, CNF and CF, respectively. Prehension rate was lower (52 vs. 69 bites min-1) and masticating rate was higher (106 vs.86 mastications min- 1) for G and C treatments, respectively. Over 24 h following fasting, NF …

Performance Of Dairy Cows, Feed Quality And N Balance On Pasture Systems With Or Without Mineral N Fertilizer, M Rodehutscord, Ina Hahner, H Spiekers, E Pfeffer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

In a 2 year experiment, two levels of mineral N fertilization (nil and 225 kg N/ha) on pasture were checked for their effects on pasture yield and quality as well as for performance of dairy cows. Twenty six cows were used in each treatment and the stocking density was adapted to previous results on pasture growth rates. Cows were kept on pasture during summer and grass silages were harvested from the respective experimental areas for winter feeding periods. Digestibility of organic matter in these silages, determined in wether sheep, was always higher in those silages harvested from pasture without mineral …

Effect Of Milk Yield, Sward Height And Concentrate Supplementation Level On Herbage Intake And Grazing Behaviour Of Set-Stocked Dairy Cattle In Spring, R Pulido, J D. Leaver

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

An experiment was carried out in spring over 42 days, with 48 multiparous Holstein Friesian cows, to examine the interrelationship of milk yield level, sward height and concentrate level. Two initial milk yield groups of 21.3 and 35.5 kg/day, two range of compressed sward heights of 3 to 5 cm, and 7 to 9 cm , and three concentrate levels of 0 and 6 kg/day and ad libitum were evaluated in a factorial design. Multiple regression analyses were carried out relating intake and behavioural dependent variables to the independent variables initial milk yield (IMY), sward height (SH) and concentrate intake …

Ruminal Fill Effect Of Forages: Prediction And Relationship With Voluntary Intake, R Baumont, A Barlet, J Jamot

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Voluntary dry matter intake (VDMI) and rumen fill were measured on sheep fed with 18 forages ranging from wheat straw to lucerne hay. In vivo fill effect (IVFE i.e. rumen DM pool divided by VDMI), in situ degradability, cell-wall composition, pepsin-cellulase digestibility and in vitro gas production were determined. In situ estimated fill effect (ISFE) was calculated as the retention time of insoluble potential degradable and undegradable fractions using a constant rate of passage. ISFE and IVFE were highly correlated (r2=0.89) but ISFE values were lower than IVFE values because in situ degradability does not integrate comminution time of …

Monitoring Of Intake And Energetic Efficiency Of The Grass In A Pasture Rotationally Grazed By Bulls Using Nirs Applied To The Faeces, Ph Lecomte, V Decruyenaere, P Limbourg, P Dardenne

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this approach was to characterise variations that one can observe in the course of a pasture season using near infrared spectrometry (NIRS) applied to the analysis of the grass and faeces collected during the season. Available grass and faeces of Belgian Blue White young bulls have been collected 3 times a week since the beginning of May until mid-October. The samples have been predicted in NIRS technique according to a calibration previously developed on the faeces of sheep fed ad libitum in cage with green grass. The NIRS provides a useful tool to provide a relative description …

Modeling Intake Of Grazing Cows Fed Complementary Feeds, D R. Buckmaster, L A. Holden, L D. Muller, R H. Mohtar

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A model suitable for predicting intake for grazing or non-grazing dairy cows is presented. The model integrates the potentially intake limiting factors of physical fill, physiological energy demand, wet mass, herbage availability, herbage cover, and grazing time. Integration of these factors with a simple set of linear ration balancing constraints yields a model suitable for predicting supplemental feed requirements as well as potential animal production from a grazed land. The model is semi-theoretical, being descriptive in structure, but containing empirical relationships.