Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Olfactory And Visual Predators On Nest Success And Nest-Site Selection Of Waterfowl In North Dakota, Jennifer Borgo

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

No abstract provided.

Chlorovirus-Mediated Membrane Depolarization Of Chlorella Alters Secondary Active Transport Of Solutes, Irina V. Agarkova, David Dunigan, James R. Gurnon, Timo Greiner, Julia Barres, Gerhard Thiel, James L. Van Etten

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus 1 (PBCV-1) is the prototype of a family of large, double-stranded DNA, plaque-forming viruses that infect certain eukaryotic chlorella-like green algae from the genus Chlorovirus. PBCV-1 infection results in rapid host membrane depolarization and potassium ion release. One interesting feature of certain chloroviruses is that they code for functional potassium ion-selective channel proteins (Kcv) that are considered responsible for the host membrane depolarization and, as a consequence, the efflux of potassium ions. This report examines the relationship between cellular depolarization and solute uptake. Annotation of the virus host Chlorella strain NC64A genome revealed 482 putative …

Analyzing The Effect Of Hurricanes On Structure And Growth In Southeast Texas Forests, Christopher M. Gentry

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hurricanes are a relatively common occurrence along the gulf coast of Texas. This research analyzed the effect hurricanes have on the growth and structure of forests in southeastem_Texas. Increment cores were taken from numerous species within the Neches Bottom Unit of the Big Thicket National Preserve and the Wier Woods Nature Preserve to analyze how hurricanes affect the structure of these forests. In the Turkey Creek Unit of the Big Thicket National Preserve and in the Angelina National Forest, Pi nus palustris (Longleaf pine) and P. taeda (Loblolly pine) was sampled in order to analyze how hurricanes affect the growth …

Aminoglycosides And Syringomycin E As Fungicides Against Fusarium Graminearum In Head Blight Disease, Yukie Kawasaki

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fusarium graminearum is one of the most problematic phytopathogens in US agriculture. This fungus causes head blight, foot rot, and damping off on wheat and barley. The infection lowers the grain yield and causes contamination of the grain product with mycotoxins. Effective control measures are lacking, and new fungicides that kill F. graminearum but remain safe and economical to use are needed. Newly synthesized aminoglycosides (JL22, JL38, JL39, JL40, NEOF004, NEOF005), classic aminoglycosides (amikacin, gentamicin, kanamycin A, kanamycin B, neomycin, and ribostamycin), and a lipopeptide, syringomycin E (SRE), were studied to determine their antifungal potential to control F. graminearum. …

Soil Moisture Responses In Traditional And Drought Adapted Landscapes In The Intermountain West, James Gregory

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Water conservation in the Intermountain West will be an important issue in the future as population and demand for limited water resources increases. In Utah, outdoor water use accounts for up to 60% of total per capita water use with 67% of that outdoor water being used to irrigate non native plant species to maintain a uniform green appearance. The objective of this study was to measure intra landscape changes in soil water potential during a 21.5 day dry down from DOY 215 to 236.5 in the summer of 2005 and 2006. Four, 2 x 2 replicated traditional and drought …

Combining Environmental History And Soil Phytolith Analysis At The City Of Rocks National Reserve: Developing New Methods In Historical Ecology, Lesley Morris

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Historical ecology is an emerging and interdisciplinary field that seeks to explain the changes in ecosystems over time through a synthesis of information derived from human records and biological data. The methods in historical ecology cover a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. However, methods for the more recent past (about 200 years) are largely limited to the human archive and dendrochronological evidence which can be subject to human bias, limited in spatial extent or not appropriate for non-forested systems. There is a need to explore new methods by which biological data can be used to understand historic vegetation …

Evaluation Of Competition Between Turfgrass And Trees In The Landscape, Christopher A. Hendrickson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Population growth in regions of the Intermountain West has resulted in rapid growth of residential neighborhoods. In Utah, the landscapes associated with these expanding neighborhoods consume vast quantities of treated water. This is a concern in all states of the Intermountain West, as water becomes increasingly scarce. Traditionally used turfgrasses, trees and other plants in Intermountain West landscapes require significant amounts of supplemental water considering the intense sunlight, dry winds and sparse rainfall typical of the region. Characterizing the interactions between turfgrass and tree species in these landscapes can aid in the identification of candidate species that consume less nutritional …

Biology And Ecology Of Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus Palmeri), Prashant Jha

All Dissertations

Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.) is a troublesome weed of crops in southeastern United States. This research highlights studies on the biology and ecology of Palmer amaranth. Following dispersal in fall, Palmer amaranth seeds require high mean temperatures of 25 to 40 C for germination, which is not likely to occur in South Carolina until the following spring. With dormancy reduction over winter, seeds can germinate at high temperatures (≥25 C) and thermal amplitudes of 15 C during late spring (May) in the presence of light. A majority (>90%) of the non-dormant population in the soil seedbank emerge …

Ecotypic Variation In Elymus Elymoides Subspecies Brevifolius Race C In The Northern Intermountain West, Matthew C. Parsons

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Little information is available on the extent of local adaptation for many native grass species. This is the case for squirreltail (Elymus section Sitanion), despite this group's prevalence and importance in rangeland restoration efforts. I evaluated 32 populations of E. elymoides ssp. brevifolius race C, a phylogenetic subdivision of bottlebrush squirreltail (E. elymoides) centered in the northern Intermountain West, for phenotypic variables and neutral genetic markers to measure their association with geographical origin. Phenotypic traits were measured in common field and greenhouse environments, and genetic diversity was assessed using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism. Three factors were extracted from the phenotypic …

Ethylene Synthesis And Sensitivity In Crop Plants, Joseph F. Romagnano

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The gaseous plant hormone ethylene is a small molecule that regulates developmental change. Research was conducted in three areas: sensitivity, synthesis, and alterations to synthesis. Vegetative pea plants were more sensitive than radish plants to atmospheric ethylene. Light intensity did not affect ethylene sensitivity. Ethylene synthesis rates were measured for unstressed cotton, corn, soybean, and tomato plants. The per-plant ethylene synthesis rate ranged from 0.1-80 pmol plant^-1 s^-1. However, when normalized to net photosynthetic rate, this range was 1-4 µmol of ethylene synthesis per mol of CO₂ uptake. Diurnal cycles in ethylene synthesis were present in …

Growing Wild: Crested Wheatgrass And The Landscape Of Belonging, Lafe Gerald Conner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Crested wheatgrass arrived in North America at the turn of the twentieth century through the foreign plant exploration missions sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture. During the first two decades of the new century, scientists tested the grass at agricultural experiment stations. They determined it was useful for grazing and particularly valuable because it could grow in drought conditions with little or no care and would continue to produce high quality feed even after several years of heavy use. Beginning in the 1930s federally sponsored land utilization and agricultural adjustment programs sponsored the use of crested wheatgrass for …

Seed Longevity Of Dominant Plant Species From Degraded Savanna In Semi-Arid Tanzania, Hvm Lyaruu

Tanzania Journal of Science

Artificially buried seeds were followed by periodic exhumation and germination during 21 months in Kondoa Irangi Hills, central Tanzania. Viable seeds from thirteen selected species were buried in polythene envelopes at a depth of 15 cm below woodland vegetation. Lethal germination, fungal decay and insect infestation were singled out as the most important contributors to loss of viability among seeds. Hierarchical clustering based on a seed’s mean viability, seed shape and presence or absence of dispersal appendages, produced three distinct groups: (1) non-dormant seeds (2) seeds with enforced dormancy and (3) seeds with seed coat imposed dormancy. The low decay …

Abundance And Diversity Of Seagrass And Macrofauna In The Intertidal Areas With And Without Seaweed Farming Activities In The East Coast Of Zanzibar, Thomas J Lyimo, Esther F Mvungi, Yunus D Mgaya

Tanzania Journal of Science

The diversity and abundance of seagrass and associated macrofauna were studied in transects with and without seaweed farms at Chwaka Bay and Jambiani, in the East Coast of Zanzibar. Eight seagrass species, namely Cymodocea rotundata, Cymodocea serrulata, Thalassia hemprichii, Thalassodendron ciliatum, Syringodium isoetifolium, Halodule uninervis, Halophila ovalis and Enhalus acoroides were recorded in the transects. The mean total biomass of seagrass at Chwaka Bay ranged from 142.4 ± 70.71 to 1652 ± 772.7 g dw/m2 and 212.9 ± 146.2 to 1829 ± 1692 g dw/m2 in station with and without seaweed farms, respectively. At Jambiani, the mean total biomass ranged …

The Performance Of Maize Crop During Acid Amelioration With Organic Residues In Soils Of Mtwara, Tanzania, Ae Majule, Jo Omollo

Tanzania Journal of Science

This study evaluated acid ameliorative potential and their effects on maize growth of four organic residues namely wild spikenard, cordia, cowpea and pigeon peas through incubations with or without sulphur. This was done in order to recommend potential organic residue source that could ameliorate soil acidity associated with sulphur dusting. Increased levels of sulphur in the soils reduced the growth and dry matter yields of maize due to intense acidification while maize growth and dry matter yields in soils which organic residues were incorporated was enhanced. Enhancement in maize performance may be a result of reduced soil acidity due to …

Genetic Change Following Fire In Populations Of A Seed-Banking Perennial Plant, Rebecca W. Dolan, Pedro F. Quintana-Ascencio, Eric S. Menges

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Disturbances such as fire have the potential to remove genetic variation, but seed banks may counter this loss by restoring alleles through a reservoir effect. We used allozyme analysis to characterize genetic change in two populations of the perennial Hypericum cumulicola, an endemic of the fire-prone Florida scrub. We assessed genetic variation before and 1, 2, and 3 years after fire that killed nearly all aboveground plants. Populations increased in size following fire, with most seedlings likely recruited from a persistent seed bank. Four of five loci were variable. Most alleles were present in low frequencies, but our large sample …

First Report Of Soybean Rust Caused By Phakopsora Pachyrhizi In Nebraska, S. R. Watson, L. J. Giesler, A. D. Ziems, T. E. Brovont

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Soybean rust caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi Sydow was first observed in the continental United States in Louisiana in November 2004 (2). As part of the national soybean rust monitoring effort, samples were collected on 3 October 2007 during the scouting of fields with green leaves in southeastern Nebraska. After incubation at room temperature for 24 h, uredinea and urediniospores were observed with microscopic examination. Urediniospores were obovoid, hyaline to pale brown, and measured 20 to 30 × 18 to 20 μm.

Technical Variables In High-Throughput Mirna Expression Profiling: Much Work Remains To Be Done, Peter T. Nelson, Wang-Xia Wang, Bernard R. Wilfred, Guiliang Tang

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Faculty Publications

MicroRNA (miRNA) gene expression profiling has provided important insights into plant and animal biology. However, there has not been ample published work about pitfalls associated with technical parameters in miRNA gene expression profiling. One source of pertinent information about technical variables in gene expression profiling is the separate and more well-established literature regarding mRNA expression profiling. However, many aspects of miRNA biochemistry are unique. For example, the cellular processing and compartmentation of miRNAs, the differential stability of specific miRNAs, and aspects of global miRNA expression regulation require specific consideration. Additional possible sources of systematic bias in miRNA expression studies include …

Nebline, Nov./Dec. 2008

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Make a Difference: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
2008 Crop Year in Review
Preserve Grain Quality with Aeration Management
Estimating Corn Drydown Time
It’s Not Easy Being Green During Nebraska’s Winters
Put on an Extra Blanket (Winter Mulching)
Avoid Stacking Firewood Next to House
The Keys to a Perfect Thanksgiving Meal
$tretch Your Food Dollar During the Holiday Season
Healthy Eating: Easy as Pie—Turkey Pot Pie
Family & Community Education (FCE) Clubs: Presidents’ Notes—Bonnie’s Bits
FCE News & Events
Household Hints: Keep Kitchen and Bathroom Clean During Guest Season
Skip the “Humbug!” 10 Tips to Relieve Holiday Stress
Housecleaning Ergonomics: How to …

101 Ways To Try To Grow Arabidopsis: What Light Intensity Worked Best In This Study? Can High Intensity Discharge Lights Be Used?, Robert Eddy, Daniel T. Hahn, Laura Aschenbeck

Purdue Methods for Arabidopsis Growth

This document is one entry in a series of questions and answers originally posted to the Purdue University Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture’s Plant Growth Facility Web site [http://www.hort.purdue.edu/hort/facilities/greenhouse/101exp.shtml] regarding best practices for Arabidopsis thaliana growth. Digital images showing treatment differences are included. A summary of recommendations; materials and methods description; and references list are available in separate documents.

Putative Gene Promoter Sequences In The Chlorella Viruses, Lisa A. Fitzgerald, Philip Boucher, Giane Yanai-Balser, Karsten Suhre, Michael Graves, James L. Van Etten

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Three short (7 to 9 nucleotides) highly conserved nucleotide sequences were identified in the putative promoter regions (150 bp upstream and 50 bp downstream of the ATG translation start site) of three members of the genus Chlorovirus, family Phycodnaviridae. Most of these sequences occurred in similar locations within the defined promoter regions. The sequence and location of the motifs were often conserved among homologous ORFs within the Chlorovirus family. One of these conserved sequences (AATGACA) is predominately associated with genes expressed early in virus replication.

University Of Nebraska Selected To Manage The New Sorghum/Millet And Other Grains Crsp, John Yohe, Kimberly Christiansen

INTSORMIL Impacts and Bulletins

Dr. John Yohe, INTSORMIL CRSP Program Director, has announced that the University of Nebraska (UNL) has been selected as the Management Entity for the new Sorghum/Millet and Other Grains CRSP. The award was based on national competition among U. S. universities. This CRSP is funded through a Leader with Associates Cooperative Agreement instrument as opposed to a grant under which INTSORMIL was funded since 1979. The INTSORMIL CRSP, Managed by UNL in partnership with Kansas State University, Purdue University, Texas A&M University, UNL and West Texas A&M University, ends June 30, 2007. The Leader with Associates Cooperative Agreement is effective …

Mammoth Cave International Center For Science And Learning, Rick Toomey, Shannon R. Trimboli, Bob Ward, Mike Adams, Blaine Ferrell

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

The Mammoth Cave International Center for Science and Learning (MCICSL) is a cooperative venture of Mammoth Cave National Park and Western Kentucky University. Funding, logistical support, and governance of MCICSL are shared equally by both entities. MCICSL is part of a national network of research learning centers located within the National Park Service.

The goals of MCICSL and the other research learning centers are to:

I. Facilitate the use of parks for scientific inquiry.

II. Support science-informed decision making.

III. Communicate the relevance of and provide access to knowledge gained through scientific research.

IV. Promote science literacy and resource stewardship. …

Contributions To Karst Science And Education From The Mammoth Cave Region, Chris Groves, William B. White

Mammoth Cave Research Symposia

No abstract provided.

Traversing Swanton Road, 1st Ed., James A. West

Academic, Government & Associated Organizational Research Resources

Situated at the northwest end of Santa Cruz County and occupying circa 30 square miles of sharply contrasted terrain, the Scott Creek Watershed concentrates within its geomorphological boundaries, at least 10-12% of California's flora, both native and introduced. Paradoxically, the use/abuse that the watershed has sustained over the past 140+ years, has not necessarily diminished the biodiversity and perhaps parallels the naturally disruptive but biologically energizing processes (fire, flooding, landslides and erosion), which have also been historically documented for the area for +60 years. This is an early edition of an extensive document by James A. West. Please visit the …

Center For Grassland Studies Newsletter, Fall 2008, Volume 14, No. 4

Center for Grassland Studies: Newsletters

Contents:
Managing Grasslands for Structural Heterogeneity by Alexander Smart, Department of Animal and Range Sciences, South Dakota State University
Yellow Nutsedge: The Scourge of Lawns and Landscapes in Nebraska by Roch Gaussoin, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, UNL
Targeting Habitat Dollars with Computers: Maximizing the Value of Data for Conservation by Drew Tyre, School of Natural Resources, UNL, with Naikoa Aguilar-Amustechegui, University of North Carolina-Wilmington and Max Post van der Burg, SNR, UNL
2008 Nebraska Grazing Conference Best Yet!

Tallgrass Prairie Center Newsletter, Fall 2008, University Of Northern Iowa. Tallgrass Prairie Center.

Tallgrass Prairie Center Newsletter

Inside This Issue:

-- The Tallgrass Prairie Center and UNI To Host 22nd NAPC in 2010
-- A Roaders Convention
-- Tallgrass Prairie Center Distributes Film to Iowa Classrooms
-- Restoration Guide Brochures Available
-- Adding Wildflowers to Prairie Grass Plantings: Ten Years Later
-- 2nd Annual Fall Seminar Series
-- Native Seed Harvest and Cleaning Workshop
-- Student Employees Restore A National Treasure

Enhanced Plant Nutrient Use Efficiency With Pgpr And Amf In An Integrated Nutrient Management System, A. O. Adesemoye, H. A. Torbert, J. W. Kloepper

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

A 3-year field study was conducted with field corn from 2005 to 2007 to test the hypothesis that microbial inoculants that increase plant growth and yield can enhance nutrient uptake, and thereby remove more nutrients—especially N, P, and K—from the field as part of an integrated nutrient management system. The field trial evaluated microbial inoculants, which include a commercially available plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF), and their combination across 2 tillage systems (no-till and conventional till) and 2 fertilization regimes (poultry litter and ammonium nitrate). Data were collected on plant height, yield (dry mass of ears and …

Convergence Of Agriculture And Energy: Iii. Considerations In Biodiesel Production, Jon Van Gerpen, Allan Gray, Brent H. Shanks, Beth Calabotta, Drew Kershen, Alan Weber, Richard Joost, Todd A. Peterson

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

Concern about rising prices and unstable sources of petroleum fuels is driving the search for U.S. domestically produced, renewable transportation fuels, such as biodiesel. Federal incentives of up to $1.10 per gallon have been supplemented by additional incentives and mandated biodiesel use in many states. The Renewable Fuel Standard in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 requires the domestic use of 1 billion gallons of biomass-based diesel fuel by 2012, most of which likely will be biodiesel.
U.S. biodiesel production is primarily from soybean oil, but recent high prices have forced many producers to use lower-cost feedstocks such …

Mojave Applied Ecology Notes Fall 2008, Alice Miller, Joshua Hoines, Scott R. Abella

Mojave Applied Ecology Notes

Effects of wildfires in Joshua Tree National Park, Blackbrush masting volunteer seed collection effort, new book chapter on Mojave revegetation, Natural Areas Association presentations.

Variations In Stomatal Traits Of 14 Bornean Tree Species Growing On Soils With Different Moisture Contents In Lambir Hills National Park, Whitney Logan Cannon

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The goal of this study was to look at variations in stomatal traits of tree species on soils with different moisture contents and fertility at Lambir Hills National Park. Stomates are important structures on the surface of leaves that mediate conduction of moisture and gassesin and out of the leaf. If stomatalt raits are important for regulation, then there should be variation in stomatal traits in regards to their soil specialization. The 14 Borneant ree speciess ampledi ncluded6 sandyl oam specialists6, clay specialistsa nd 2 generalistsfo und growing with equald istributionso n both sandyl oam and clay. Confocal microscopy was …