Digital Commons Network^™

Improving The Representation Of Roots In Terrestrial Models, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Melissa S. Lucash, M. Luke Mccormack, Gajan Sivandran

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Root biomass, root production and lifespan, and root-mycorrhizal interactions govern soil carbon fluxes and resource uptake and are critical components of terrestrial models. However, limitations in data and confusions over terminology, together with a strong dependence on a small set of conceptual frameworks, have limited the exploration of root function in terrestrial models. We review the key root processes of interest to both field ecologists and modelers including root classification, production, turnover, biomass, resource uptake, and depth distribution to ask (1) what are contemporary approaches for modeling roots in terrestrial models? and (2) can these approaches be improved via recent …

Ecology Of A Declining Great Plains Fish, Fundulus Sciadicus, In The Missouri Ozarks, Gregory Travis Thompson

Masters Theses

"Anthropogenic habitat disturbances are of growing concern due to their impacts on native biota, especially in freshwater ecosystems. Damming, channelization, urbanization, wetland draining, and non-native fish introductions all play large roles in habitat homogeneity, fragmentation, and species competition. This has negative effects on native fish and invertebrate species. In the Midwestern United States, the plains topminnow (Fundulus sciadicus) has been declining across its range, to the point of becoming a species of special concern in Missouri. This is possibly due to a combination of the above anthropogenic habitat disturbances. To better understand the ecology of the plains topminnow …

Integrating Societal Perspectives And Values For Improved Stewardship Of A Coastal Ecosystem Engineer, Steven B. Scyphers, J. Steven Picou, Robert D. Brumbaugh, Sean P. Powers

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Oyster reefs provide coastal societies with a vast array of ecosystem services, but are also destructively harvested as an economically and culturally important fishery resource, exemplifying a complex social-ecological system (SES). Historically, societal demand for oysters has led to destructive and unsustainable levels of harvest, which coupled with multiple other stressors has placed oyster reefs among the most globally imperiled coastal habitats. However, more recent studies have demonstrated that large-scale restoration is possible and that healthy oyster populations can be sustained with effective governance and stewardship. However, both of these require significant societal support or financial investment. In our study, …

Shifting Environmental Controls On Ch4 Fluxes In A Sub-Boreal Peatland, Thomas G. Pypker, P. A. Moore, John A. Hribljan, Rodney Chimner

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

We monitored CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes using eddy covariance from 19 May to 27 September 2011 in a poor fen located in northern Michigan. The objectives of this paper are to: (1) quantify the flux of CH₄ from a sub-boreal peatland, and (2) determine which abiotic and biotic factors were the most correlated to the flux of CH₄ over the measurement period. Net daily CH₄ fluxes increased from 70 mg CH₄ m⁻² d⁻¹ to 220 mg CH₄ m⁻² d⁻¹ from mid May to mid July. After July, CH_{4 …}

Whooping Cranes Consume Plains Leopard Frogs At Migratory Stopover Sites In Nebraska, Keith Geluso, Brad T. Krohn, Mary J. Harner, Michael J. Assenmacher

The Prairie Naturalist

Whooping cranes (Grus americana) currently consist of a single, wild population that migrates annually from breeding grounds at Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada, to wintering grounds on and around the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge along the Texas coast, USA (NRC 2005). This population reached a low of less than 20 individuals in 1941 (Allen 1952) but has rebounded to over 250 individuals (Chavez-Ramirez and Wehtje 2012, Gil-Weir et al. 2012). Whooping cranes migrate approximately 4,000 km each spring and autumn, traversing much of the North American Great Plains (Lewis 1995) and periodically landing along rivers, wetlands, and other …

Ecology And Impacts Of Coyotes (Canis Latrans) In The Southeastern United States, Cady Etheredge

All Dissertations

Recent coyote (Canis latrans ) colonization of the southeastern United States has prompted speculation on the top-down effects of a new top predator on systems which have gone without a strong predator presence since the extirpation of the red wolf (Canis rufus ). This dissertation reports on the results of a series of investigations of the potential impact of coyotes on raccoons (Procyon lotor ) and other management issues related to coyotes in the Southeast. Chapters 1-3 present indirect field tests of the Mesopredator Release Hypothesis. Chapter 4 presents an overview of the current knowledge of the …

For Logs, For Traditional Purposes And For Food: Identification Of Multiple-Use Plant Species Of Northern Amazonia And An Assessment Of Factors Associated With Their Distribution, Anthony Ravindra Cummings

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation examines the multiplicity of uses associated with tree and palm species of the Rupununi, Southern Guyana and the factors associated with their distribution. As tropical forests continue to decline the most significant response has been to understand the implications for the carbon cycle, with the impacts on forest dwelling peoples and wildlife, inadequately addressed. Multiple-use plants, individual species which at their most critical level provide food for wildlife, non-timber forest products and are commercially logged, provide a suitable lens for appreciating additional ecosystem services that may be compromised as tropical forests decline. I completed a plant inventory in …

Bailey’S Eastern Woodrat (Neotoma Floridana Baileyi): Species Conservation Assessment, Melissa J. Panella

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The primary goal in development of at-risk species conservation assessments is to compile biological and ecological information that may assist conservation practitioners in making decisions regarding the conservation of species of interest. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the Bailey’s eastern woodrat (Neotama floridana baileyi) as a Tier I at-risk species. Provided are some general management recommendations regarding Bailey’s eastern woodrats. Conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment for specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and site-specific conditions. This resource was designed to provide an overview of our current knowledge of Bailey’s eastern woodrats and may aid in …

Assessing The Performance Of A Northern Gulf Of Mexico Tidal Model Using Satellite Imagery, Stephen C. Medeiros, Scott C. Hagen, Naira Chaouch, Jesse Feyen, Marouane Temimi, John F. Weishampel, Yuji Funakoshi, Reza Khanbilvardi

Publications and Research

Tidal harmonic analysis simulations along with simulations spanning four specific historical time periods in 2003 and 2004 were conducted to test the performance of a northern Gulf of Mexico tidal model. A recently developed method for detecting inundated areas based on integrated remotely sensed data (i.e., Radarsat-1, aerial imagery, LiDAR, Landsat 7 ETM+) was applied to assess the performance of the tidal model. The analysis demonstrates the applicability of the method and its agreement with traditional performance assessment techniques such as harmonic resynthesis and water level time series analysis. Based on the flooded/non-flooded coastal areas estimated by the integrated remotely …

Global Trends In Seasonality Of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (Ndvi), 1982–2011, J. Ronald Eastman, Florencia Sangermano, Elia Axinia Machado, John Rogan, Assaf Anyamba

Publications and Research

A 30-year series of global monthly Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) imagery derived from the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) NDVI3g archive was analyzed for the presence of trends in changing seasonality. Using the Seasonal Trend Analysis (STA) procedure, over half (56.30%) of land surfaces were found to exhibit significant trends. Almost half (46.10%) of the significant trends belonged to three classes of seasonal trends (or changes). Class 1 consisted of areas that experienced a uniform increase in NDVI throughout the year, and was primarily associated with forested areas, particularly broadleaf forests. Class 2 consisted of areas experiencing …

Incorporating Satellite Derived Cloud Climatologies To Improve High Resolution Interpolation Of Daily Precipitation., Adam M. Wilson, Benoit Parmentier, Brian Mcgill, Rob Guralnick, Walter Jetz

Yale Day of Data

Conservation of biodiversity demands comprehension of evolutionary and ecological patterns and processes that occur over vast spatial and temporal scales. A central goal of ecology is to understand the factors that control the spatial distribution of species and this has become even more important in the face of climate change. However, at global scales there can be enormous uncertainty in environmental data used to model species distributions. Even ‘simple’ metrics such as mean annual precipitation are difficult to estimate in areas with few weather stations and available data sets do not quantify uncertainty in these surfaces. We are developing a …

Flavonol-Rich Dark Cocoa Significantly Decreases Plasma Endothelin-1 And Improves Cognition In Urban Children, Partha S. Mukherjee

Mathematics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Air pollution exposures are linked to systemic inflammation, cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity and mortality, neuroinflammation and neuropathology in young urbanites. In particular, most Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) children exhibit subtle cognitive deficits, and neuropathology studies show 40% of them exhibiting frontal tau hyperphosphorylation and 51% amyloid-β diffuse plaques (compared to 0% in low pollution control children). We assessed whether a short cocoa intervention can be effective in decreasing plasma endothelin 1 (ET-1) and/or inflammatory mediators in MCMA children. Thirty gram of dark cocoa with 680 mg of total flavonols were given daily for 10.11 ± 3.4 days (range 9–24 …

Biofouling : A Means Of Aquatic Species Transfer, Anne Bouyssou, Josefin Madjidian

NSBWO

Ships carry seawater in their ballast tanks when they are not fully loaded with cargo, in order to maintain adequate trim, draught and stability, adjust list and limit stresses on the hull. It is now well documented that the water pumped into the ship contains aquatic organisms – which can also sink to the sediments at the bottom of tanks – and that these organisms are thereby transferred from the port of origin to the destination. But it is seldom mentioned that aquatic organisms are also found on the outside of ships, attached on their hulls and appendages, as a …

The Use Of The Ostracode Cyprideis Americana (Sharpe) As A Proxy For Salinity In Bahamian Lake Systems, Rachel E. Bowles

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Ostracodes, bi-valved crustaceans, are potentially excellent proxies for salinity.They are abundant, react to changes in salinity, and secrete low-magnesium calcite shells that preserve information about their host water chemistry. Changes in valve trace element concentration, stable isotope composition, and sieve pore shape values have been linked to changes in salinity. This study analyzed the response of the euryhaline ostracode, Cyprideis americana, to salinity in six lakes from two Bahamian islands across two seasons. The purpose of this work was to determine which compositional and morphological variables in C. americana are the most useful for paleosalinity reconstructions.Ostracode and water samples were …

Population Dynamics Of Pseudo-Nitzschia Species (Bacillariophyceae) In The Near Shore Waters Of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Charles Lugomela

Tanzania Journal of Science

The genus Pseudo-nitzschia is a chain-forming diatom comprising about 30 species some of which are known to produce domoic acid (DA) that causes amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP). The current study aimed at assessing the population dynamics of Pseudo-nitzschia in the near shore waters of Dar es Salaam. Samples were collected between August 2008 and July 2009 from two stations. The first station was located in the open waters off Mbudya Island and the second was located at a point in-between Kunduchi and Mbudya Island. Three Pseudo-nitzschia species, i.e., Pseudo-nitzschia pungens, Pseudo-nitzschia seriata and Pseudo-nitzschia cuspidata were encountered with Pseudo-nitzschia pungens …

Vertical Ecology Of The Pelagic Ocean: Quantified Patterns And New Perspectives, Tracey Sutton

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

Applications of acoustic and optical sensing and intensive, discrete-depth sampling, in concert with collaborative international research programs, have substantially advanced our knowledge of pelagic ecosystems in the 17 years since the last Deep-water Fishes FSBI Symposium. Although the epipelagic habitat is the best-known, and remote sensing and high-resolution modeling allow near-synoptic investigation of upper layer biophysical dynamics, ecological studies within the mesopelagic and deep-demersal habitats have begun to link lower and upper trophic level processes. Bathypelagic taxonomic inventories are far from complete but recent projects (MAR-ECO and CMarZ, supported by the Census of Marine Life program) have quantitatively strengthened distribution …

Length Structure Of Deep-Pelagic Fishes Sheds New Light To Their Life Histories, M. Heino, David S. Boukal, Tone Falkenhaug, Uwe Piatkowski, F. M. Porteiro, Tracey Sutton

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

Here we use a new technique to study life history variation in deep-pelagic fishes from a mid-ocean ridge system. Shape of length distribution in a population is to a significant extent determined by the degree to which an average individual approaches its asymptotic maximum size. Analysing the material from the pelagic trawl hauls taken during the 2004 Mar-Eco expedition along the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, we show that length distributions in many deep-pelagic fish species are characterised by negative skew (the left tail of the distribution is longer). In other words, a large proportion of individuals had a size close to …

Advocacy For Marine Management: Contributions To A Policy Advocacy Initiative In The Maldives, Neal Collins

Capstone Collection

On June 5, 2009 a 42-­‐km2 area of coral reef situated in the Alif Dhaalu (South Ari) atoll of the Republic of Maldives was designated the South Ari Atoll Marine Protected Area (S.A. MPA) due to a globally significant whale shark aggregation site. The whale shark is notorious for its gargantuan size and docile nature, which has led to a burgeoning tourist industry that gives people the opportunity to swim with the gentle giants in tropical sites such as the Maldives. The S.A. MPA receives tens of thousands of visitors a year that engage in whale shark excursions, however, there …

Evaluation Of Dormant-Season Herbicide Treatment Methods For Chinese Privet At Congaree National Park, Karen Vaughn

All Theses

Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense Lour.) is a non-native invasive shrub that has become ubiquitous throughout the southeastern United States. There is a large infestation of privet at Congaree National Park in South Carolina, and the National Park Service is interested in controlling it with dormant-season foliar herbicide treatments. The primary objective of this study was to determine which combination of herbicide and applicator provides the most effective control of privet, while minimizing damage to non-target plants. Another objective was to document impacts of privet invasion on Congaree's plant communities.
Seven vegetation plots were installed in each of five large privet …

The Extent Of Wetland Vegetation And Wetness Change At Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge From 1984-2012 Examined Using Landsat Thematic Mapper And Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus Imagery, Jeremy M. Henning

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Wetlands provide functions such as reducing flooding of surrounding areas and acting as a rest stop for migrating birds. Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge in Alabama has a natural wetland and six artificial wetlands that are differentiated by how they are drained. Remote sensing derived normalized difference vegetation index and normalized difference wetness indexes were used to obtain information about vegetation and wetness at the wetlands from 1984-2011. A correlation analysis was performed to assess the degree of association between vegetation and wetness as a function of management practices. An ANOVA and agglomerative hierarchical clustering were performed to assess the degree …

Understanding Effects Of Changes In Land Use, Environmental Parameters, Habitat Characteristics On The Great Basin Aquatic Invertebrates Using Ecological Stoichiometric Theory, Knut Mehler

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Many freshwater ecosystems in the Great Basin have undergone dramatic alteration over the past decades due to groundwater withdrawal, water diversion and changes in land use. These changes have affected benthic food web dynamics by altering the availability of chemical key elements for primary and secondary producers, by loss of biodiversity and extinction of endemic species. However, only few studies are available that addresses the link between changes in land use, habitat characteristics and its effects on benthic macroinvertebrates (BMI) communities comprehensively and little attention has been given to integrating physiochemical aspects to link ecosystem functions.

This dissertation analyzes the …

Exstream Ecology: A Survey Of The Rumford River

Watershed Access Lab Projects

The students of Mansfield High School performed a water quality study on the Rumford River on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 in Mansfield, Massachusetts. The study location consisted of one site on the Town of Mansfield Conservation Commission property on Fischer Lane.

The purpose of this study was to introduce benthic macroinvertebrates and their role as indicators for evaluating stream water quality. Students utilized state of the art methods and techniques during all aspects of this study.

The Rumford River is listed on the Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA) National Priority List (NPL). The river was polluted with dioxins, furans and phenols …

Mathematical Modelling And Control Of Echinococcus In Qinghai Province, China, Liumei Wu, Baojun Song, Wen Du, Jie Lou

Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

In this paper, two mathematical models, the baseline model and the intervention model, are proposed to study the transmission dynamics of echinococcus. A global forward bifurcation completely characterizes the dynamical behavior of the baseline model. That is, when the basic reproductive number is less than one, the disease-free equilibrium is asymptotically globally stable; when the number is greater than one, the endemic equilibrium is asymptotically globally stable. For the intervention model, however, the basic reproduction number alone is not enough to describe the dynamics, particularly for the case where the basic reproductive number is less then one. The emergence of …

Analysis Of Beetle Cuticular Hydrocarbons, Elizabeth A. Williams , '13

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

The insect cuticle, commonly known as the exoskeleton, consists of two layers: a bottom layer called the procuticule and a thin outer waxy coating called the epicuticle. The epicuticle contains hydrocarbons that prevent desiccation and are used for chemical communication both inter- and intra- specifically. For some insects, these compounds are important sociochemicals involved in recognizing nestmates and predators as well as identifying the sex of other insects. The established procedure to extract cuticular hydrocarbons is lethal, directly introducing the insects to toxic solvents. The goal of this study is to develop a non-lethal procedure to extract the cuticular hydrocarbons …

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius Ludovicianus): Species Conservation Assessment, Melissa J. Panella

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The primary goal in the development of at-risk species conservation assessments is to compile biological and ecological information that may assist conservation practitioners in making decisions regarding the conservation of species of interest. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) as a Tier I at-risk species. Here, I provide some general management recommendations regarding Loggerhead Shrikes. However, conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment for specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and site-specific conditions. This resource provides available knowledge of Loggerhead Shrikes that may aid in the decision-making process or in identifying research needs …

Potential Effects Of Hydrogen Sulfide And Hydrocarbon Seeps On Mammoth Cave Ecosystems, Rick Olson

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Recently, Mammoth Cave Guide Bruce Hatcher reported what appeared to be contaminated water seeping into Marianne’s Pass. I visited the site and concluded that it was not likely due to pollution, and that it was a natural phenomenon. To be sure, I sampled the water for fecal coliform and E. coli analyses since sewer lines are in the area. The results were <1 mpn/100ml in both cases. A sulfur spring is mentioned at this site in Rambles in the Mammoth Cave, which was published in 1845, and this predates any well drilling that could lead to hydrocarbon and sulfide pollution. Another line of evidence that the seeps are natural is that they are all deeply weathered into the bedrock, which takes a long time. The seeps support thousands of springtails, which feed on the microbial mats, and crickets are common as well. A possible effect on biodiversity will be discussed.

Spill Retention And Routine Runoff Filtration Structures On Interstate 65 In The Vicinity Of Mammoth Cave National Park, Rick Olson

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

In the early 70’s, I conducted an ecological study on the Doghill-Donahue Cave System in Southern Indiana. This cave remained relatively un-impacted until Highway 37 was widened near Bedford, and the cave was engineered to be a storm sewer for highway runoff . The consequences of facilitated water entry and easy access for spelunkers via an ungated culvert entrance were severe. Sediments washed into the cave smelled like putrid rubber when disturbed, habitat for cave life was trampled, and beautiful delicate mineral features were smashed. Anticipating that I-65 would someday be widened, I was concerned about possible consequences to Mammoth …

Antibiotic Resistance And Substrate Utilization By Bacteria Affi Liated With Cave Streams At Diff Erent Levels Of Mammoth Cave, Petra Byl, Shannon R. Trimboli, Rick Toomey, Jacob Byl, David Solomon, Tom Byl

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Located in south-central Kentucky, Mammoth Cave is one of the most unique National Parks in the United States. The surface landscape includes complex relationships between the flora and fauna along with human influences. However, the primary ecological focus is concealed below ground. Over four-hundred miles of cave passages, created by fl owing groundwater over millions of years, host a variety of macro and micro organisms. The Green River has cut into the limestone formation over geologic time, creating a complex network of passages that are stacked, one below the other, with the newer levels of cave lying near the bottom. …

Using Lidar To Link Forest Canopy Structure With Bat Activity And Insect Occurrence: Preliminary Findings, Luke E. Dodd, Nicholas S. Skowronski, Matthew B. Dickinson, Michael J. Lacki, Lynne K. Rieske

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

Bats are an imperiled, yet ecologically-important group of vertebrate predators. Our ongoing research focuses on testing hypotheses about the relationships between the effects of fire on canopy structure and insect prey availability, and how these factors relate to use of foraging space by bats during the pre- and post-hibernation periods at Mammoth Cave National Park (MCNP). LiDAR-derived data (October 2010) were intersected with spatially explicit sampling of bat and insect populations (2010-2011) in order to characterize relationships between canopy structure, insect abundance, and bat activity. A canonical correspondence analysis for bat data suggested that forest canopy structure has a strong …

New Economy : Assessment Of The Institutionalization Of An Emerging Paradigm And Academic Field Through Inquiry Into Prominent Boundary Organizations, Jeanine Cava Rodgers

Theses

It is increasingly acknowledged that in order to reach global and regional sustai nabi l ity goals, economic growth and consumption levels in wealthy developed nations will need to stabilize or reverse. Organizations and projects of a wide variety have emerged and expanded to take on this challenge, and shape the so-called, "new economy". The purpose of this research is to gain a clearer picture of the impacts of efforts to develop a shared new-economy knowledge framework on the broader sustai nabi l ity conversation, and to assess the intellectual institutionalization of same. This thesis focuses in on the influence …