Digital Commons Network^™

City, Krista Alletto

Children's Book and Media Review

City takes the reader along for a colorful and comprehensive tour of town. Stops include the bookstore, the zoo, the train station, and the city pool, among others. On the way, readers pass city landmarks such as bridges, crosswalks, streetlamps, and fountains. Readers also see animals and people around town like birds and dogs, construction workers and cyclists. At the end of the tour, readers end up at one of the most important buildings of all: the school.

A Sick Day For Amos Mcgee, Jessica Reynolds

Children's Book and Media Review

Every morning for Amos McGee is the same. He wakes up early to go work at the City Zoo. He always has a lot to do, but he makes sure to visit all his friends. As he visits a few animals in the zoo, he takes care of each of their specific needs. However, one day Amos McGee wakes up so sick that he stays in bed. When his friends realize he is not coming, they head to his home, where they take care of Amos in the same interesting ways that he takes care of them.

Dress Like A Girl, Cynthia Phillips

Children's Book and Media Review

People will tell you to “dress like a girl,” but what do they mean? This book follows a group of girls through their playtime as they dress up and act out their imaginative play. The narrative and illustrations weave a scene of exploring careers. From being bakers to astronauts, police officers to jungle animals, the advice is to make sure your look is complete from head to toe. Express yourself as a unique individual.

Animal Babies Like To Play, Jazmin Gomez

Children's Book and Media Review

Join twenty-six babies on a day full of play. Each baby is dressed as a different animal, and they enjoy a variety of activities. Whether it’s books, blocks, ice cream, or pie, there is always something fun to fill the day. The baby animals creatively play together or on their own. However, yak baby has spent his time looking for his friend. Nobody has seen zebra baby, but he finally comes out and joins the others in the end.

Fergal And The Bad Temper, Jessica Mellor

Children's Book and Media Review

Fergal is a nice dragon, but when someone tell him what to do, he gets very, very angry. Coming down for dinner when he wants to keep playing and eating his vegetables when he wants dessert all make him snort fire. Fergal’s anger gets him in all kinds of trouble, and there are always consequences. After all of Fergal’s friends have had enough, mom swoops in to give some tips for him to control his temper. Fergal now begins to recognize how all the other animals have their own way to calm down and that there is a better way …

Livestock Depredation By Jaguars Associated With Dry-Season Core-Use Areas In A Northeastern Mexico Agrolandscape, Adrián Silva-Caballero, Louis C. Bender, Octavio C. Rosas-Rosas

Western North American Naturalist

Predation by jaguars (Panthera onca) on livestock can foster human intolerance and drive human–jaguar conflicts. Understanding distributional patterns that characterize depredation can help guide strategies to ameliorate these interactions, which is important because human conflicts are the main threat to the endangered jaguar in Mexico. We used clusters of satellite telemetry locations to evaluate spatial patterns of jaguars and jaguar predation/scavenging sites of livestock and wild ungulates in the Sierra del Abra-Tanchipa Biosphere Reserve (RBSAT) and surrounding agrolandscape of northeastern Mexico, where livestock composed 66% of the biomass of jaguar diets. Distribution of livestock sites was significantly associated …

Confronting Barriers To Human-Robot Cooperation: Balancing Efficiency And Risk In Machine Behavior, Tim Whiting

Theses and Dissertations

In strategically rich settings in which machines and people do not fully share the same preferences, machines must learn to cooperate and compromise with people to establish mutually successful relationships. However, designing machines that effectively cooperate with people in these settings is difficult due to a variety of technical and psychological challenges. To better understand these challenges, we conducted a series of user studies in which we investigated human-human, robot-robot, and human-robot cooperation in a simple, yet strategically rich, resource-sharing scenario called the Block Dilemma, a game in which players must balance fairness, efficiency, and risk. While both human-human and …

Climate Variation Influences Flowering Time Overlap In A Pair Of Hybridizing Montane Plants, Kelly A. Carscadden, Daniel F. Doak, Nancy C. Emery

Western North American Naturalist

Flowering time is sensitive to climatic conditions and has been a frequent focus of climate change research, yet the implications of phenological shifts for hybridization within plant communities have seldom been explored. Reproductive overlap between interfertile species is a key requirement for the production of hybrid (interspecies) offspring, and climate change may influence the opportunities for hybrid production through changes to species’ flowering time, duration, and overlap with other species. To test how climate variation influences flowering overlap between hybridizing species, we analyzed 45 years of flowering phenology data on 2 common plants in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado that …

Observations Of Greater Sage-Grouse At A Solar Energy Facility In Wyoming, Michael B. Gerringer, Kurt T. Smith, Karl L. Kosciuch

Western North American Naturalist

Photovoltaic, utility-scale solar energy (PV USSE) development is expected to expand in the United States over the next decade and has the potential to impact wildlife through direct mortality and habitat loss. However, the current understanding of wildlife responses, including responses of Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse), to solar energy development is limited, resulting in uncertainty about potential impacts associated with development and operation. During bird and bat carcass searches at a PV USSE facility in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, we opportunistically observed sage-grouse foraging and loafing inside the facility. We recorded 19 groups of live sage-grouse, representing …

Scavenging Of Western Diamond-Backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus Atrox) By Desert Blonde Tarantula (Aphonopelma Chalcodes) In Arizona, Brian R. Blais

Western North American Naturalist

Scavenging appears to be a conserved but flexible characteristic among spiders. Although scavenging behavior is well documented in captivity, observations in the wild are rarely witnessed. During a road ecology survey on 6 September 2021, I observed an adult male desert blonde tarantula (Aphonopelma chalcodes) scavenging upon a road-killed neonate western diamond-backed rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox). The tarantula did not react defensively to my slow approach, and I observed its chelicerae working into the snake’s soft tissue. Observations of theraphosids scavenging are quite rare, and this may be the first reported instance of tarantula scavenging upon a …

Spatiotemporal Patterns Of San Joaquin Kit Foxes And An Urban Canid Guild, Nicole A. Deatherage, Brian L. Cypher, Tory L. Westall, Erica C. Kelly

Western North American Naturalist

The federally endangered and California State–threatened San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica) forms an ecological guild with coyotes (Canis latrans), red foxes (V. vulpes), gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), and domestic dogs (C. familiaris) in the city of Bakersfield, California, USA. Where these species are sympatric in natural environments, interference competition occurs, resulting in spatiotemporal avoidance or changes in behavior to avoid conflict. We analyzed camera survey data from 2015 to 2019 from 111 1-km2 grid cells throughout Bakersfield to investigate spatial associations between San Joaquin kit foxes and canid …

Presence Of Neotropical Otter (Lontra Longicaudis) At High Elevation Between Watersheds, Juan Pablo Esparza-Carlos, Pablo César Hernández-Romero, Jaime Antonio Escoto Moreno

Western North American Naturalist

The neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis) is associated with freshwater systems and is generally found at elevations lower than 1500 m asl. Its diet is based on fish and crustaceans. We present 3 photorecords of the neotropical otter at the divide between 2 hydrological basins in the Sierra de Manantlán Biosphere Reserve, Jalisco, México. The photos were taken at an altitude near 2000 m asl, and one of them was >600 m from a water source. The area does not present optimal conditions for the presence of otter since water flows are low, fish are absent, and crustaceans are …

Improving Capture Methods For Neonate Ungulates, Matthew T. Turnley

Theses and Dissertations

The capture of neonate ungulates has played an integral role in studies of habitat selection, phenology, survival, and other topics of ecological interest. However, neonates can be difficult for researchers to locate and capture. Neonate ungulates are born in habitats with reduced visibility, frequently spend time in a concealed, prone position, and may display cryptic coloration. In an attempt to improve researchers' likelihood of locating and capturing neonate ungulates, multiple capture methods have been developed. Much remains unknown about biases associated with capture methods and how to further improve capture methods once biases are understood. Our objectives were to determine …

An Observation Of Spring Mating In Silver-Haired Bats, Jeff Clerc, Elizabeth J. Rogers, Emma Kunkle, Nathan W. Fuller

Western North American Naturalist

The mating behavior of North American tree bats (Lasiurus spp. and Lasionycteris noctivagans) is not well understood. The majority of records suggest that this group of species mates during the autumn migratory period and that females store sperm throughout the winter before resuming the reproductive cycle in spring. On 16 May 2019, while mist-netting in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, USA, we observed a male and female silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) copulating on the ground. Both individuals were captured and processed to obtain further details on reproductive status. To our knowledge this is the first published record …

Seasonal Phenology And Colony Longevity Patterns In A Predatory Social Wasp, David T. Rankin, Kevin J. Loope, Erin E. Wilson-Rankin

Western North American Naturalist

Social wasps play critical ecological roles in an ecosystem, providing a diversity of services and some disservices. Yellowjacket wasps (Vespula spp.) in particular are well known for shaping arthropod communities via predation and competition for resources. In part due to their sociality and large colony sizes, Vespula can have a profound ecological impact on local communities. Such effects can be magnified when colonies exhibit a perennial life history, in which a colony will overwinter, persist for more than one year, and become orders of magnitude larger in size compared to typical annual colonies. Despite growing interest in the factors …

Dietary And Energetic Trends Of The Invasive Asian Shore Crab, Tanner Reese, Blaine D. Griffen

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2022

The Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus , is an invasive crab species that lives on the East Coast of the United States. It has become an important part of its invaded ecosystems and their energetic interactions. We studied this species’ energetics to better understand how they vary across season and latitude.

• The ratio of gut width to carapace width (“standardized gut size”) is indicative of long term diet quality in crabs (a larger gut corresponds to a lower average diet quality) (Griffen & Mosblack 2011)
• We measured standardized gut size and gut energy content to examine how this species’ diet …

Reviewing The Effects Of Human-Induced Limb Damage In Crabs, Jacob B. Spencer, Blaine D. Griffen

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2022

Limb damage in crabs comes in various forms, each with unique consequences. Brachyuran crabs shed limbs as a defensive reflex, with natural breakage occurring along a plane, otherwise known as autotomy. In addition to autotomy, crabs commonly lose limbs due to fishing practices such as declawing. In many areas, taking the limbs and releasing the crab is a common practice. The logic is that the populations won’t decline if the crab is put back. Other practices such as nicking, or cutting the main claw tendon, are used to restrict claw movement. Various effects of these fishery practices have been documented …

New Treatment For Multiple Sclerosis Could Halt Disease Progression Without Weakening Immune System, Carter Helquist, Dario Mizrachi

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2022

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating neurological and autoimmune disease in which immune cells cause demyelination of axons in nervous tissue.
• Current treatments for the disease are principally aimed at weakening the immune system to therefore weaken the autoimmune attack on the brain. This leaves patients prone to other sicknesses.
• We seek a treatment that prevents the immune cells from entering the central nervous system (CNS) thereby protecting its cells.
• We can prevent immune cells from entering the CNS by strengthening the blood brain barrier through targeting claudin 5 proteins in the tight junctions.
• This new treatment could mean increased …

Rangeland Legacies Of Utah, Ethan Ostraff, Amber Johnson, Samuel Knuth, Rebecca Black

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2022

In the heart of Utah lies a rich history of rangeland sciences and land use. Ephraim, Utah and the surrounding mountains and valleys have long been a valuable source of shelter and food for the peoples that have inhabited the region. Bands of Paiute and Ute Native Americans called this valley home until the 1850’s when Scandinavian pioneers began settling it. European settlers brought farming techniques that transformed the landscape.

From The President, Hana Kim

Journal of East Asian Libraries

No abstract provided.

Jeal 174 Full Issue

Journal of East Asian Libraries

No abstract provided.

Trophic Relationships In Larval California Newts (Taricha Torosa), Michael P. Marchetti, Kirsti Dunkel, Charlotte Moxley

Western North American Naturalist

The larval stage of the California newt (Taricha torosa) has been little studied despite the presence and abundance of the species throughout much of California. During the 2017–2018 time period, the diet and life history characteristics of this cohort of stream-dwelling newt larvae were examined, using gut contents and stable isotopes, in order to better understand the ecological niche and trophic relationships of the life stage. Our results suggest that the newt larvae consume Chironomidae as a major part of their diet and that this reliance decreases as the larvae age. Newt larvae also feed more widely and …

God, Me, And Thee: Associations Between Religion, Sexuality, And Marital Connection, Rebecca Walker Clarke

Theses and Dissertations

There is a well-established and positive association between religiosity and marital satisfaction. What is less clear is the effect of religiosity on marital sexual outcomes, with research findings that have run the gamut from negative to positive. Given that most religions teach that marriage is the divinely appointed context for a sexual relationship, religious persons who are married and in sexual relationships could have a different experience with sex than those who are not in a marital sexual relationship. Although the majority of the population in the United States is religious, sex in religious marriages has received scant research attention. …

“Truth Is The Only Ground”: How Journalism Contributes To Good Government, Edward L. Carter

Faculty Publications

Now, after twenty years of teaching journalism as a college professor and fifteen years of periodically representing journalists as a lawyer, I believe the viability of our system of government at local, state, and national levels depends more than ever on good journalism. But amid rapid and unsettling social and technological change, journalism and government are degenerating. Journalists and public officials need to do better, and I believe informed community members should influence reforms and innovations while insisting on adherence to core values. Doing so will require community members to set aside some selfish interests and ask the same of …

Decline Of The Northern Long-Eared Myotis (Myotis Septentrionalis) In The Eastern Great Plains After The Arrival Of White-Nose Syndrome, Jeremy A. White, Patricia W. Freeman, Madelene I. Shehan, Cliff A. Lemen

Western North American Naturalist

The northern long-eared myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) has declined sharply in the eastern United States due to the disease white-nose syndrome (WNS), which is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). However, less is known about the species’ status in the central and western parts of its range where WNS has arrived more recently. Here we report the timing of the arrival of Pd and WNS to eastern Nebraska and examine acoustic and capture data of M. septentrionalis to determine the initial impact of the disease on this species. We sampled bats for the presence of Pd …

The Battle Of Dornach 1499: A Contest Between Two Early Tactical Infantries, Albert Winkler

Swiss American Historical Society Review

In July of 1499, two well-trained tactical infantries fought

at the Battle of Dornach when the Swiss peasants and Swabian

mercenaries or Landsknechte met in a major engagement for the first

time. The Swiss infantry had been dominating battlefields in many

parts of Europe for decades, but the Battle of Dornach was a close

contest demonstrating that Swiss dominance might be over and a new

age of infantries was soon to begin. While tactical infantries had been

deployed on the field of battle for centuries, this was one of the few

times in the Middle Ages that two of them …

Full Issue

Swiss American Historical Society Review

No abstract provided.

Variation In Trophic Niches Of Fish In Lake Powell Prior To Full Colonization By Quagga Mussel (Dreissena Rostriformis Bugensis), Joshua A. Verde, Nathan R. St. Andre, Mark C. Belk

Western North American Naturalist

Invasive species can cause disruption of the trophic niche of resident species such that patterns of energy flow through ecological systems are altered. Quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis Andrusov, 1897, a notorious invasive species, was introduced to Lake Powell (Utah and Arizona, USA) in 2012 and colonized the entire reservoir by 2017. To help understand potential effects of this invasive species on the trophic niche of fishes in Lake Powell, we characterized trophic niche of fishes and other organisms, as well as sources of variation in trophic niche, using stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen prior to full colonization …

Flood Warning: A Generalized Approach To Forecast The Impacts Of Flooding Events Using Arcgis Pro, Qgis, And Python, Robert Evan Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Floods are the most common global natural disaster, and 1 billion people live in floodplains worldwide adding to the impactful damage that inundation causes. Disaster managers strive to mitigate damages to their communities but need to know what the impact of a potential flood may be. GEOGloWS ECMWF Streamflow Services estimates forecasted streamflow around the world. These forecasted streamflow's can be used to create predicted flood extent maps using Height Above Nearest Drainage (HAND) or Sedimentation and River Hydraulics - Two Dimension (SRH-2D). Another method to obtain a flood map is using Setinel-1 satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery. Flood …

Wash Practices In Mozambique, Karsyn Britsch

Ballard Brief

Although there has been improvement over the years, Mozambique severely lacks basic access to WaSH facilities. WaSH is a collective term for water, Sanitation and Hygiene - which refers to access to clean water, improved sanitation facilities, and basic hygiene materials like soap for handwashing. WaSH is an issue in Mozambique due to a declining number of natural water sources, a high amount of contaminated water resources, a lack of proper toileting facilities, and issues with governmental corruption hindering individuals from having access to clean water resources. These hindrances result in water-borne diseases. unsafe drinking water, bacteria ridden agriculture, and …