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Varmints And Victims: Predator Control In The Ameri- Can West. Frank Van Nuys., Phil Mastrangelo

The Prairie Naturalist

Having recently retired after 30+ years working in the field of human-wildlife conflicts, including predator conflicts with livestock, I looked forward to reading Varmints and Victims: Predator Control in the American West by Frank Van Nuys. As a wildlife biologist with an interest in the history of wildlife management in North America, I was further intrigued by the subject matter selected by Van Nuys.

In the book’s introduction, Van Nuys explains how the issue of mountain lion (Puma concolor) management in his home state of South Dakota sparked his interest in further exploring the history of predators and their management …

Sustainable Intensification Of Agricultural Systems In The Central African Highlands: The Need For Institutional Innovation, Marc Schut, Piet Van Asten, Chris Okafor, Cyrille Hicintuka, Sylvain Mapatano, Nsharwasi Léon Nabahungu, Desire Kagabo, Perez Muchunguzi, Emmanuel Njukwe, Paul M. Dontsop-Nguezet, Murat Sartas, Bernard Vanlauwe

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

This study identifies entry points for innovation for sustainable intensification of agricultural systems. An agricultural innovation systems approach is used to provide a holistic image of (relations between) constraints faced by different stakeholder groups, the dimensions and causes of these constraints, and intervention levels, timeframes and types of innovations needed. Our data shows that constraints for sustainable intensification of agricultural systems are mainly of economic and institutional nature. Constraints are caused by the absence, or poor functioning of institutions such as policies and markets, limited capabilities and financial resources, and ineffective interaction and collaboration between stakeholders. Addressing these constraints would …

Isotopes From Fecal Material Provides Evidence Of Recent Diet Of Prairie Deer Mice, John W. Doudna, Brent J. Danielson

The Prairie Naturalist

Prairie deer mice are important predators in many agricultural systems, and through their diet they can help to regulate pest insect and weed populations. Our objective was to test whether fecal material is an effective means of detailing the foraging ecology of small mammals. We conducted three studies to evaluate the efficacy of this technique: 1) field-collected fecal material from unknown deer mice from late winter to early spring, 2) fecal material collected in an enclosure with mice fed a mix of C3 and C4 plant seeds, and 3) fecal material from tagged female mice in the field. We detected …

Sage Grouse Groceries: Forb Response To Piñon-Juniper Treatments, Jonathan D. Bates, Kirk W. Davies, April Hulet, Richard F. Miller, Bruce Roundy

Articles

Juniper and piñon coniferous woodlands have increased 2- to 10-fold in nine ecoregions spanning the Intermountain Region of the western United States. Control of piñon-juniper woodlands by mechanical treatments and prescribed fire are commonly applied to recover sagebrush steppe rangelands. Recently, the Sage Grouse Initiative has made conifer removal a major part of its program to reestablish sagebrush habitat for sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and other species. We analyzed data sets from previous and ongoing studies across the Great Basin characterizing cover response of perennial and annual forbs that are consumed by sage grouse to mechanical, prescribed fire, …

Frémont Island: Great Salt Lake, Utah, Stanley L. Welsh, Dale Gardner, Steve Durtschi

Books by Faculty of the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum

Abstract

This account is based mainly on two historical records of pioneering attempts that reached Frémont Island, i.e., Report of the Exploring Expeditions to the Rocky Mountains in the year 1842, and to Oregon and Northern California in the years 1843-‘44, by Brevet Captain J. C. Frémont of the Topographical Engineers Under the orders of Co. J. J. Abert, Chief of the Topographical Bureau. Printed by order of the Senate of the United States. Washington: Gales and Seaton Printers, 1845, and especially pages 151–159 of that report, as presented in narrative form in pages 43–47 of the John Charles …

Regeneration: An Overlooked Aspect Of Trait-Based Plant Community Assembly Models, Julie Larson, Jennifer L. Funk

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Despite the disproportionate influence that propagule production, dispersal, seed to seedling recruitment, and vegetative reproduction can have on plant population and community dynamics, progress has been slow in the directed collection of regeneration traits to inform community assembly outcomes.

While seed mass is globally available and linked to growth and reproductive output, there are limits to its explanatory ability. In this essay, we call for expanded efforts to integrate a more diverse set of regeneration traits into community assembly models.

First, we extend an existing community assembly framework to conceptualize regeneration as a series of transitional processes whose outcomes are …

Genetic Engineering And Sustainable Crop Disease Management: Opportunities For Case-By-Case Decision-Making, Paul Vincelli

Plant Pathology Faculty Publications

Genetic engineering (GE) offers an expanding array of strategies for enhancing disease resistance of crop plants in sustainable ways, including the potential for reduced pesticide usage. Certain GE applications involve transgenesis, in some cases creating a metabolic pathway novel to the GE crop. In other cases, only cisgenessis is employed. In yet other cases, engineered genetic changes can be so minimal as to be indistinguishable from natural mutations. Thus, GE crops vary substantially and should be evaluated for risks, benefits, and social considerations on a case-by-case basis. Deployment of GE traits should be with an eye towards long-term sustainability; several …

Preserving Biodiversity For A Climate Change Future: A Resilience Assessment Of Three Bay Area Species--Adenostoma Fasciculatum (Chamise), Arctostaphylos Canescens (Hoary Manzanita), And Arctostaphylos Virgata (Marin Manzanita), Alison S. Pollack

Master's Projects and Capstones

Anthropogenic climate change is an undeniable threat to the future of the natural world and human civilization. These shifts will have profound impacts on vegetation, especially for species endemic to isolated regions or sensitive to climate change factors. However, species resilience can predict success into the next century. Resilience is defined as the ability to withstand climate change factors, whereas vulnerability is defined as susceptibility to climate induced stress or damage.

Chaparral and coastal scrub ecosystems within the Bay Area of California provide a unique context for examining resilience, as many species are adapted to high temperatures, drought, and wildfire—all …

Hands Of The Future, Inc; Junior Nature Club; Living Schoolyards, Zonda K. Bryant

Purdue P-12 Networking Summit & Poster Session

Programs to connect children to nature

Dawn Or Doom: The Risks And Rewards Of Emerging Technologies, Diana Hancock, Steve Tally, Gerry Mccartney, Michele Arthur

Purdue P-12 Networking Summit & Poster Session

Dawn or Doom is a free and open to the public conference at Purdue where we focus on benefits and risks surrounding some of the technologies that are both the most disruptive to current practices and being adopted the fastest. A collection of Purdue faculty experts and some outside speakers showcase their many perspectives related to this technology explosion, explore conditions that will foster innovation and investment into the next generation, and address the big-picture issues where both optimism and pessimism are warranted.

Compost Land Management And Soil Carbon Sequestration, Kylene A. Hohman

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Extensive fossil fuel burning has released carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Under proper ecological conditions plants convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into stable soil organic matter, a natural and efficient means of mitigating climate change. In the symbiotic relationship between mycorrhizae and plants, mycorrhizae provide plants with essential nutrients in exchange for carbon sugars leaked from the plants. Mycorrhizae convert carbon sugars to an exudate called glomalin, a protein that assists in developing soil aggregates composed of sand, silt, and clay. These aggregates, called humus, store carbon for hundreds of years under healthy ecological conditions. Compost prompts soil microbes to aerobically …

The Impacts Of Elephant Grazing On Plant Succession In Tropical Forests Of Africa, Nadia Swit

The Downtown Review: An Interdisciplinary Journal Written and Peer-Reviewed by Mandel Honors College Students at Cleveland State University

Succession occurs in an ecosystem when there is a change in the species structure and diversity in an ecological community over time. While this can allow for greater biodiversity, occasionally diversity can be stunted based on the level of disturbance and the invasiveness of the first pioneering species. As in the case of arrested succession, continual disturbance prohibits changes in the environment and suppresses species establishment. The effects of this continued disturbance are seen in the tropical forests in national parks in Uganda and Tanzania in Eastern Africa with African elephants (Loxodonta africana). The continuous browsing on trees …

Establishment And Trends In Persistence Of Selected Perennial Cool-Season Grasses, Craig W. Rigby

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The choice of plant materials is an important factor in restoration or revegetation of disturbed rangelands. To better identify plant materials that could be adapted to increased competition from invasive grasses and fluctuations in temperature and precipitation, there is a need to understand potential seedling establishment, plant persistence, and dry-matter yield (DMY) as a measure of plant vigor in the newly developed varieties across a wide range of environmental conditions. Experiments were conducted on four semiarid range sites to compare these traits in 14 perennial cool-season grass species currently used for revegetation in the Western U.S.A. There were location differences, …

Forage News [2016-05], Department Of Plant And Soil Sciences, University Of Kentucky

Forage News

• Looking Ahead to Plant Annuals
• 2016 Kentucky Grazing School Planned for May
• Heart of America Grazing Conference Highlight: Grazing Alfalfa: Producer Bob Hall Perspective
• Forage News Quote of the Month: "Cutting Late Increases Hay Weight; Cutting Early Increases Animal Weight"
• Windrow Moisture Testing Made Easy
• Featured Publication: Understanding Forage Quality
• Forage Trip Planned to New Zealand

Effects Of Abscisic Acid (Aba) On Germination Rate Of Three Rangeland Species, Turmandakh Badrakh

Theses and Dissertations

Seeds sown in the fall to restore sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) steppe plant communities could experience high mortality when they germinate and seedlings freeze during the winter. Delaying germination until the risk of frost is past could increase seedling survival. We evaluated the use of abscisic acid (ABA) to delay germination of Elymus elymoides, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Linum perenne. The following treatments were applied: uncoated seed, seed coated with ABA at 2.2, 4.4, 8.8, 13.2, and 17.6 g of active ingredient kg-1 of seed, and seed coated with no ABA. The influence of seed treatments on germination were tested at five …

Nebline, May 2016

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: Emerald Ash Borer is Getting Closer

Food & Health

Family Living

Farm & Acreage

Horticulture

Pests & Wildlife

4-H & Youth

Extension Calendar

and other extension news and events

Development Of A Biofilm Model For Evaluating Poultry Drinking Water Sanitation Procedures, Pramir Maharjan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Enclosed water system has created a minimal sanitation focus leading to biofilm issues which are a source of flock health challenges. A series of in vitro tests were conducted to evaluate biofilm growth on polyvinylchloride (PVC) surfaces when exposed to treated/untreated water sources (test water) that are typically supplied in commercial barns. PVC test coupons (15.16 cm2) were immersed in test water in beakers to grow biofilm. Test water supplies were characterized for microbial, mineral and pH content. Temperature of test water was set at 90 °F (32.2 ᵒC) on d1 and then dropping 1°F each day over 7-day period …

Evaluation Of Rusle 2 To Estimate Soil Loss From Pastures, Stasha Katrina Balkissoon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The accurate estimation of soil erosion by the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation version 2 (RUSLE2) is critical for several conservation assessments, least of which is its use in the Phosphorus Index (PI) to identify and rank the vulnerability of agricultural fields to phosphorus (P) runoff. Earlier versions of RUSLE reported a soil loss overestimation, which were revised to give RUSLE2, where biomass production in different climatic regions was more accurately represented. RUSLE version 2.0, which contains the new vegetative biomass production routine, was evaluated using two performance indices, the Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency Index (NSE) and Index of Agreement (D) …

Impairing The Insect Immune System With Plant-Derived Substances, Katherine Haszcz

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Worldwide resistance to current insecticides continues to grow at an alarming rate, with the danger of pesticide overuse reducing acceptable doses. Alternative strategies for insect pest management are therefore imperative. By compromising the insect immune system with plant-derived substances and studying the detailed processes involved in hemocyte-mediated responses, one can develop improved methods for insect control. Hemocyte numbers change in response to stress. This allows essential defense mechanisms such as phagocytosis and encapsulation to take place. In this thesis, plant-derived substances were used to challenge larval-stage Galleria mellonella (Family: Lepidoptera) due to their nontoxic nature and high value in pest …

The State Of Tobacco : A Remote Sensing Approach To Understanding Tobacco Crop Production In Kentucky., Laura Krauser

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Agricultural policy allows for governing bodies to better control the landscape, economy, and security of resources. Because of this power, it is essential for policy and its effects to be thoroughly understood. This study examines the Tobacco Transition Payment Program (TTPP, “tobacco buyout”), in effect from 2005 to 2014, using a mixed methods approach. The TTPP lifted the existing geographic restrictions of tobacco production and deregulated market prices formerly controlled by the government. Kentucky’s economic, social, and agricultural landscapes changed significantly in the wake of this legislation. To explore these changes, this study employs semi-structured interviews and remote sensing analyses …

Greater Bud Outgrowth Of Bromus Inermis Than Pascopyrum Smithii Under Multiple Environmental Conditions, Jacqueline P. Ott, Jack L. Butler, Yuping Rong, Lan Xu

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Tiller recruitment of perennial grasses in mixed-grass prairie primarily occurs from belowground buds. Environmental conditions, such as temperature, soil moisture and grazing can affect bud outgrowth of both invasive and native perennial grasses. Differential bud outgrowth responses of native and invasive species to climate change and grazing could alter competitive interactions that have implications for future land management. The aims of this work were to (i) compare how spring temperature altered bud outgrowth of native Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) Á. Löve (western wheatgrass) and introduced Bromus inermis Leyss.(smooth brome), (ii) compare how watering frequency altered bud outgrowth of these two species …

Identification Of N-Acylethanolamine Hydrolyzing Enzyme In Solanum Lycopersicum, Derek A. Stuffle

Undergraduate Honors Theses

N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) are fatty acid derivatives that occur naturally in plant and animal systems. In mammals, they regulate physiological functions, including neurotransmission, immune responses, vasodilation, embryo development and implantation, feeding behavior, and cell proliferation. NAEs are metabolized by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), which belongs to the amidase signature family. It is hypothesized that putative FAAH functions as the catalyst in the metabolism of N-acylethanolamine in tomato plants. To test the hypothesis, FAAH protein homologs were identified in tomato via in silico analysis. Among the six homologs identified, FAAH1 and FAAH2 were selected for further validation. This study …

Consumer Willingness To Pay For Genetically Engineered Edamame, Elijah John Wolfe

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effect of GM labeling on consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for edamame. It also investigated how people reacted to different messages and whether the order of receiving positive or negative information about GM technology impacted their willingness to pay (WTP). The study had three components: (1) a sensory test of GM and non-GM labeled products; (2) a non-hypothetical experimental auction to assess WTP for GM, non-GM and unlabeled products; and (3) a questionnaire to collect demographics and other information from the participants. Results of the sensory evaluation revealed no statistically significant difference between GM and non-GM …

Grazing Method Effects On Forage Production, Utilization, Animal Performance And Animal Activity On Nebraska Sandhills Meadow, Torie Lindsey

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A study was conducted on a subirrigated meadow in the Nebraska Sandhills to determine differences in aboveground plant production, utilization, trampling, harvest efficiency, ground cover, plant functional group composition and animal performance among four grazing treatments. Grazing treatments included ultrahigh stocking density, four-pasture rotation with one occupation (4-PR-1), and four-pasture rotation with two occupations (4-PR-2). Pastures were grazed from May to August in 2014 and 2015 at equal stocking rates within years but varied among years. Stocking densities were 225,000 kg ha^-1 for ultrahigh stocking density, 7,000 kg ha^-1 for 4-PR-1, and 5,000 kg ha^-1 for 4-PR-2. …

Vascular Flora Of The Possum Walk Trail At The Infinity Science Center, Hancock County, Mississippi, Hanna M. Miller

Honors Theses

The North American Coastal Plain contains some of the highest plant diversity in the temperate world. However, most of the region has remained unstudied, resulting in a lack of knowledge about the unique plant communities present there. This flora catalogues the vascular plant species along the Possum Walk Trail on the southeast corner of the Infinity Science Center in Hancock County, Mississippi. Additionally, interpretive signs have been developed to display information about engaging species and phenomena to increase public interest in native plant life and involve them conservation efforts. The site was surveyed from spring of 2015 to spring of …

Screening Strawberry Clones For Anthracnose Disease Resistance Using Traditional Techniques And Molecular Markers, Melinda A. Miller-Butler

Dissertations

Cultivated strawberry, Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne, is host for many pathogens. One of the most destructive diseases of strawberry is anthracnose, whose symptoms include fruit rot, leaf and petiole lesions, crown rot, wilt, and death. Three species of Colletotrichum are considered causative agents of anthracnose diseases of strawberry. Colletotrichum acutatum causes anthracnose fruit rot, has a broad host range, and occurs in most areas of the world where strawberries are grown. Colletotrichum fragariae, the primary causal fungus of anthracnose crown rot, may infect all aboveground parts of the strawberry plant, and has restricted host and geographic ranges. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides …

Selenate Uptake By Symphyotrichum Ascendens Western Aster, Nathan Hankes

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Symphyotrichum ascendens is a native forb species responsible for selenium poisoning of livestock grazing on mine wastes in the American Intermountain West. While S. ascendens has long been assumed to be a Se accumulator species, this report details the first investigation into its Se uptake, affinity, partitioning, and growth in response to selenate fertilization. The study was performed in a hydroponic growth environment at selenate concentrations of 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mM selenate. Symphyotrichum ascendens absorbed selenate in percentage concentrations, with the highest tissue concentration of 3.6% Se. Symphyotrichum ascendens exhibited signs of stress, producing 69.2% less biomass at …

Agricultural Nitrogen Management Affects Microbial Communities, Enzyme Activities, And Functional Genes For Nitrification And Nitrogen Mineralization, Yang Ouyang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Improved understanding of nitrogen cycling in agriculture is essential for increasing fertilizer use efficiency and sustainable food production. The availability and mobility of nitrogen are largely determined by the processes of nitrogen mineralization and nitrification. Nitrification is mediated by ammonia oxidizing bacteria, ammonia oxidizing archaea, and nitrite oxidizing bacteria. Our understanding of the controls on the relative activity of these nitrifying organisms in soil is limited. A wide variety of soil microorganisms produce enzymes that mineralize nitrogen from organic matter, but we have limited knowledge about links between enzyme activity and the microbes that work in soil. The main objective …

Intraspecific Variation In The Response Of Elymus Elymoides To Competition From Bromus Tectorum, Rebecca K. Mann

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the western United States, thousands of acres of degraded rangelands are dominated by aggressive invasive species such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), and are seeded by managers with native plants in an attempt to restore species diversity, wildlife habitat, and ecosystem services. There are many options for obtaining seeds of native plants; for instance, they can be collected from the region where restoration is to occur, or they may be purchased through commercial producers. For a given plant species, managers may also select seeds from unique subspecies, cultivars, and populations. Genetic differentiation among these within-species groups can not only affect …

Utah Lotus: North American Legume For Possible Use In Rangeland Revegetation In The Southern Great Basin Of The Western United States, Jason M. Stettler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis project explored the production and forage quality characteristics of Utah lotus (Lotus utahensis Ottley) and scrub lotus (L. wrightii (A. Gray) Greene) seed collections during a two-year period. The variation of 14 Utah lotus and five scrub lotus seed collections was evaluated by measuring important plant characteristics at three common garden sites in northern Utah. In addition, the genetic structure of the collections was determined by molecular biological techniques. Large variation was observed among collections for all phenotypic traits measured, with Utah lotus and scrub lotus being phenotypically quite different. Two collections of Utah lotus (LU-5 …