Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Louisiana State University

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 9421 - 9450 of 13618

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Ecology Of Lesser Scaup Amphipods In The Upper-Midwest: Scope And Mechanisms Of The Spring Condition Hypothesis And Implications For Migration Habitat Conservation, Michael Jason Anteau Jan 2006

Ecology Of Lesser Scaup Amphipods In The Upper-Midwest: Scope And Mechanisms Of The Spring Condition Hypothesis And Implications For Migration Habitat Conservation, Michael Jason Anteau

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

I tested the scope of the Spring Condition Hypothesis in explaining the continental population decline of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis; hereafter scaup) and explored potential mechanisms affecting female body condition to assist conservation efforts for population recovery. Lipid reserves of females currently are lower than historical values during spring migration throughout Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota; females catabolized lipids throughout this area (indexed by concentrations of plasma-lipid metabolites, which accounted for 75% of the variation in mass change). My results indicate that a large segment of the continental scaup population likely is affected by decreased lipid reserves, which could cause …

Go to article

Using The Rod: Education, Punishment, And The New Woman In Fin De Siã¨Cle British Literature, Kristin C. Ross Jan 2006

Using The Rod: Education, Punishment, And The New Woman In Fin De Siã¨Cle British Literature, Kristin C. Ross

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between female education and punishment in the British novel of the fin de siécle. It considers the “New Woman” (the emancipated, intellectualized, and unmarried prototypical feminist appearing in late nineteenth-century culture) in light of how female education affects fictional characterizations of her. Female education in the “New Woman” and her fictional counterparts worked to destabilize class and gender hierarchies for Victorian Society, producing anxiety in its culture and texts. To defuse this anxiety, authors frequently demonstrated the consequences of espousing the feminism driving the “New Woman” and the education producing her. The education she desired/received …

Go to article

Measuring The Degree Of Market Power In The Export Demand For Soybean Complex, Dwi Susanto Jan 2006

Measuring The Degree Of Market Power In The Export Demand For Soybean Complex, Dwi Susanto

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Previous studies on market power hypothesis strictly assumed that the data used in the analysis were a stationary process. This assumption has been argued that not all time series exhibit a stationary process such that conventional asymptotic theory cannot be applied. This study adopts the “New Empirical Industrial Organization” (NEIO) approach developed by Bresnahan (1982) and Lau (1982) to measure the degree of market power in the export market for soybean complex. The non-stationary properties of the data were accommodated by formulating the model in an error correction framework (ECM) developed by Bårdsen (1989) and applied by Steen and Salvanes …

Go to article

Assessment Of Interactions Amoung Viruses Infecting Sweetpotato, Charalambos D. Kokkinos Jan 2006

Assessment Of Interactions Amoung Viruses Infecting Sweetpotato, Charalambos D. Kokkinos

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Viral diseases, especially those caused by mixed infections, are among the economically most important diseases of sweetpotato. Real-time PCR assays were developed for the detection and quantification of the potyviruses Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV), Sweet potato virus G (SPVG), Ipomoea vein mosaic virus (IVMV); the crinivirus Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV), and the begomovirus Sweet potato leaf curl virus (SPLCV) directly from infected sweetpotato plants. Titers of SPFMV, IVMV, and SPVG were lower in singly-infected sweetpotato plants compared to singly-infected plants of the standard indicator host Brazilian morning-glory (Ipomoea setosa) and the standard propagation host I. nil …

Go to article

Genetically Modified Ifn-Alpha For Gene Therapy Treatment Of Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Ryan Craig Jan 2006

Genetically Modified Ifn-Alpha For Gene Therapy Treatment Of Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Ryan Craig

LSU Master's Theses

In the last twenty years, interferon-α (IFN-α) has gained success as an immunotherapy for treating such cancers as hairy cell leukemia, malignant melanoma, and renal cell cancer. Our goal was to improve the effectiveness of IFN-α therapy by genetically modified the IFN-α gene to encode a tumor-targeting peptide fused to a functional IFN-α protein. To ensure the targeting peptide worked, a genetically modified reporter gene encoding a secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) gene and different mini-peptides were used to determine distribution and targeting ability. The DNA fragment encoding the most effective peptide was selected to modify the IFN-α gene construct for …

Go to article

College Student's Motivation For Physical Activity, Lori Lynn Delong Jan 2006

College Student's Motivation For Physical Activity, Lori Lynn Delong

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine college students' motivations to be physically active by merging the perspectives of self-determination theory and the transtheoretical model. The secondary purpose was to examine the effects of a required physical activity course on college students' levels of physical activity. The premise is that both the theory and model can be used to help predict physical activity outcomes. Participants were 277 male and female students at a small private college. Motivation, self-determination, stage of change, self-efficacy, decisional balance, and leisure time activity levels were assessed using an online survey. Results revealed that activity …

Go to article

Datum Is Only Skin Deep: In Vivo Measurements Of Facial Tissue Thickness In Chimpanzees, Julia Rose Hanebrink Jan 2006

Datum Is Only Skin Deep: In Vivo Measurements Of Facial Tissue Thickness In Chimpanzees, Julia Rose Hanebrink

LSU Master's Theses

This study is an ultrasonic investigation of chimpanzee (Pan troglodyte) facial tissue depth variability as well as a comparison between chimpanzee tissue depth standards and modern human (Homo sapiens) tissue depth standards. This research intends to broaden the extent of knowledge available regarding nonhuman primate anatomy. In addition, this research hopes to provide valuable information regarding facial reconstructions of early hominins. The subjects utilized for this study were 44 male and female chimpanzees between the ages of two to forty-five years. The chimpanzees were made available by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette New Iberia Research Center (NIRC) in New …

Go to article

Influence Of Surface Chemistry On The Aggregation Of Beta Amyloid Peptide, Mariah Joan Wooldridge Mcmasters Jan 2006

Influence Of Surface Chemistry On The Aggregation Of Beta Amyloid Peptide, Mariah Joan Wooldridge Mcmasters

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurological ailment affecting 4.5 million aging Americans. The disease is characterized by the presence in the brain of self-assembled fibrils consisting of beta amyloid protein (Aβ). Soluble Aβ protein is present in normal human cerebrospinal fluid, but it is unclear what makes the protein aggregate into insoluble plaques. There is evidence that the Aβ fibril assembly is affected by interactions with biological surfaces, such as neuronal membranes. Here, surfaces consisting of self-assembled alkanethiol monolayers with different end groups were used to test the effect of surface chemistry on the structure and morphology of aggregates formed …

Go to article

Infrared Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry: Fundamental And Applications, Mark Little Jan 2006

Infrared Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry: Fundamental And Applications, Mark Little

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation on infrared laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry encompasses fundamental studies of the desorption/ionization process and direct-from-gel laser desorption/ionization applications. Understanding of the fundamentals behind desorption and ionization can lead to improvements in the technique and to new applications. Experiments aimed at advancing this goal are wavelength studies and two-laser infrared/ultraviolet matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization experiments. The direct-from-gel laser desorption/ionization application in which infrared laser desorption/ionization of analytes directly ionized after gel electrophoretic separation will also be presented. Protein and peptide standards were used as test analytes and the infrared lasers used were a 10.6 micrometers carbon-dioxide laser and a mid-IR …

Go to article

Two-Dimensional And High-Throughput Electrophoretic Separation Of Proteins Using Polymeric Microchips, Hamed Shadpour Jan 2006

Two-Dimensional And High-Throughput Electrophoretic Separation Of Proteins Using Polymeric Microchips, Hamed Shadpour

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A major task in proteomics is to identify proteins from a biological sample using two-dimensional (2-D) separation prior to mass spectrometry of peptides generated via proteolytic digestion of the proteins. For 2-D separations, microfluidic devices are superior to bench top and capillary-based systems since they potentially provide higher separation efficiencies due to the minimal dead volumes produced during peak transfer between the two separation dimensions. In addition, fast separations can be envisioned because the column lengths are typically shorter in microfluidic platforms without scarifying peak capacity. High-throughput capabilities are extremely desirable for many types of bio-analytical analyses, such as understanding …

Go to article

The Sleep Problems Inventory: A Measure For The Assessment Of Sleep Problems In Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Dennis R. Dixon Jan 2006

The Sleep Problems Inventory: A Measure For The Assessment Of Sleep Problems In Adults With Intellectual Disabilities, Dennis R. Dixon

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Sleep problems can have a broad impact across the day-to-day functioning of an individual. Persons with intellectual disabilities are at a particular risk for developing sleep problems, with prevalence estimates much higher than is found in the general population. Nonetheless, the assessment of sleep problems in persons with intellectual disabilities has been widely overlooked. The Sleep Problems Inventory (SLEEPY) was created to measure various factors related to sleep problems in persons with intellectual disabilities. The present study represents the first steps in establishing the reliability and validity of the SLEEPY in adults with intellectual disabilities.

Go to article

Nutrient-To-Cost Comparisons Of Daily Dietary Intake, Food Security Status, And Body Mass Index In Female Food Stamp Recipients Residing In Southeast Louisiana, Shanna Lundy Jan 2006

Nutrient-To-Cost Comparisons Of Daily Dietary Intake, Food Security Status, And Body Mass Index In Female Food Stamp Recipients Residing In Southeast Louisiana, Shanna Lundy

LSU Master's Theses

Diets are typically poorer and risk of chronic disease is greatest in low-income populations. A relationship has been established in the literature between food costs and diet quality, where lower cost diets are generally those of the poorest quality. Food group intake, energy/nutrient intake, and diet cost were assessed in 64 female food stamp recipients in Southeast Louisiana. From one 24-hour dietary recall collected at the beginning of the monthly resource cycle (Day 1) and one at the end (Day 2), nutrient intakes and diet costs were able to be analyzed between different time frames. Participants were divided among food …

Go to article

Design And Evaluation Of Automated, Continuous Culture Techniques For Brachionus Rotundiformis, Zhengzhong Zhang Jan 2006

Design And Evaluation Of Automated, Continuous Culture Techniques For Brachionus Rotundiformis, Zhengzhong Zhang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A 40-L recirculating rotifer turbidostat (RRT) pilot system consisting of a rotifer reactor, biofilter, foam fractionator, feed container, harvester, and two air-lift pumps was designed to produce B. rotundiformis, a small (S-type) rotifer, that is increasingly demanded for production of small-gape marine finfish larvae. The system’s automatic monitoring (turbidity, pH, conductivity and temperature) and controlling (turbidity, pH, feeding and harvesting) were performed by a Rugid™ computer. A 4 (temperature) x 3 (salinity) study indicated that a 30oC/15 ppt treatment is the most favorable to the growth of B. rotundiformis. Under these conditions, the effect of harvest rate on rotifer system …

Go to article

Interactions Between Formosan Subterranean Termites, Brown Rot Fungus (Gloeophyllum Trabeum) And Some Of The Fungi Present On The Termite Integument And Gut, Poornima Jayasimha Jan 2006

Interactions Between Formosan Subterranean Termites, Brown Rot Fungus (Gloeophyllum Trabeum) And Some Of The Fungi Present On The Termite Integument And Gut, Poornima Jayasimha

LSU Master's Theses

Although the brown rot fungus, Gloeophyllum trabeum (Pers.:Fr.) Murrill, has been shown to be attractive and beneficial to subterranean termites, including Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, to date no research has been conducted to determine if the association is mutualistic. We first set out to determine if the fungus could be spread by termites. This would represent an obvious benefit to the fungus. We found that C. formosanus does not spread G. trabeum. Unexpectedly, Formosan subterranean termites were found to suppress the growth of G. trabeum. To further investigate this finding, Formosan subterranean termite workers were released into Petri dishes with wood …

Go to article

Vegetational Change And Land Degradation In The Lake Baringo Area, Kenya, During The Late Holocene: Evidence From The Paleorecord And Remote Sensing, Lawrence Morara Kiage Jan 2006

Vegetational Change And Land Degradation In The Lake Baringo Area, Kenya, During The Late Holocene: Evidence From The Paleorecord And Remote Sensing, Lawrence Morara Kiage

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the history of vegetational changes and land degradation in the Lake Baringo area, Kenya, East Africa, during the Late Holocene. It uses 14C -and 210Pb-dated fossil pollen, fungal spores, microscopic charcoal, and stratigraphic record from lake-sediment cores to reconstruct the paleoenvironment in the East African region. More recent changes in the Lake Baringo are examined using remote sensing imagery. These data provide one the first high-resolution late Holocene pollen records from the semi-arid region of Kenya (and one of only a handful from East Africa in general). Lake Baringo records a sedimentation rate of 1 cm yr-1, …

Go to article

Sva Elements: Hominid Specific Retrotransposons, Hui Wang Jan 2006

Sva Elements: Hominid Specific Retrotransposons, Hui Wang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

SVA is a composite repetitive element named after its main components, SINE, VNTR and Alu. There are ~3000 SVA elements in the human genome. A genomic distribution analysis indicates that SVA elements are enriched in G+C-rich regions but have no preferences for inter- or intra-genic regions. A phylogenetic analysis of these elements resulted in the recovery of six subfamilies that were named SVA_A to SVA_F. The composition, age and genomic distribution of the different subfamilies have been examined. Subfamily age estimates indicate that the expansion of four SVA subfamilies (SVA_A, SVA_B, SVA_C and SVA_D) began before the divergence of human, …

Go to article

An Adaptive Multi-Scale Computational Method For Modeling Nonlinear Deformation In Nanoscale Materials, Wenming Wang Jan 2006

An Adaptive Multi-Scale Computational Method For Modeling Nonlinear Deformation In Nanoscale Materials, Wenming Wang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation a coupled multi-scale computational model for simulating nonlinear deformation processes in crystalline metals at finite temperatures is developed. The computational model uses the finite element method to model the coarse scale response of the material. The constitutive response in the finite element will be modeled through interatomic potentials acting on the underlying homogeneous crystal lattice that characterizes its nanostructure. An adaptive remeshing technique is proposed to automatically delineate regions of severe deformation where homogeneity of the microstructure/deformation is violated. In these regions the finite element will be replaced by a set of deformed atoms which interact with …

Go to article

Investigation Of Protein-Dna Contacts In The Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Rna Polymerase Iii Recruitment Factor (Tfiiib) Complex And Effects Of Promoter Topology On Transcription, Nick Dimitrios Tsihlis Jan 2006

Investigation Of Protein-Dna Contacts In The Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Rna Polymerase Iii Recruitment Factor (Tfiiib) Complex And Effects Of Promoter Topology On Transcription, Nick Dimitrios Tsihlis

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The TATA-binding protein (TBP) is required for transcription by all three nuclear RNA polymerase systems. TBP binds the TATA box (consensus sequence TATAa/tAa/tN) and induces an ~80° bend in the DNA. To achieve recruitment of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA polymerase III, TBP is associated with two additional factors, Brf1 and Bdp1, to form initiation factor TFIIIB. This study focuses on interactions between the proteins and DNA in TFIIIB, and effects of promoter topology on transcription. Previous data suggests that the structure or dynamics of the TBP-DNA complex may be altered upon entry of Brf1 and Bdp1 into the complex. Here, an …

Go to article

Tropical Pyramids: Dung Beetle Richness, Abundance, And Biomass, Meghan Gabrielle Radtke Jan 2006

Tropical Pyramids: Dung Beetle Richness, Abundance, And Biomass, Meghan Gabrielle Radtke

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Volume is a proxy for biomass in hard bodied arthropods (P < 0.0001). I constructed biomass-volume equations for Neotropical (P < 0.0001), temperate (P < 0.0001) and 12 Neotropical genera of scarabs, of which 11 were highly significant. The effect of short term (< 1 year) alcohol storage on volume was negligable. I found scarab volume on geologically old soils in the Amazon was one-third that of the geologically young Amazon (P < 0.0001). Species richness (P = 0.0002), Chao 1 (P = 0.0003), Fisher’s  (P = 0.008) and Margalef indices (P = 0.0003) were greater on young soils. Menhinick (P = 0.54), Simpson (P = 0.54) and rarefied species richness (P = 0.24), which correct for sample size differences, indicated no difference in diversity. Young Amazonian soils likely support a higher volume and abundance of scarabs than old soils, but diversity across Amazonia may be similar. I compared beta-diversity of scarab communities across Amazonia. Species rank-abundance curves did not differ among sites whereas volume-abundance distributions and volume-rank abundance curves indicated a larger range of scarab sizes in Brazil than Ecuador. At local levels (<62 km), communities were similar whereas at large distances (>1750 km), they were different. Differences between Brazil and Ecuador may be explained by varied soil age and productivity. I examined the effects of tropical forest fragmentation on scarabs, comparing my results with three other studies from the same site. Among 1, 10, and 100-ha fragments and continuous forest, I found two important trends; beetle biomass and species richness increased with fragment area per sampling effort. Comparing all four studies, diversity increased with fragment size, and by my rarefaction analyses, two studies demonstrated beetle volume increased with fragment size. …

Go to article

Separation Anxieties: Representations Of Separatist Communities In Late Twentieth Century Fiction And Film, Brett Alan Riley Jan 2006

Separation Anxieties: Representations Of Separatist Communities In Late Twentieth Century Fiction And Film, Brett Alan Riley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the late 20th century and beyond, American social movements advocating equality have increased national attention to issues of exclusion, inclusion, and multiculturalism within communities. As a result, studying the nature of communities—how the term "community" might be defined, who belongs to a given group or social structure, who does not belong, and why—has become increasingly important. American artists have responded by exploring these sites of social, political, and personal change in their works. Separation Anxieties: Representations of Separatist Communities in Late Twentieth Century Fiction and Film analyzes seven fictional works in which some group is philosophically and/or geographically isolated—sometimes …

Go to article

Synthesis, Characterization And Properties Of Cooper(Ii) Beta-Diketonate Macrocycles, Sylvester Burton Jan 2006

Synthesis, Characterization And Properties Of Cooper(Ii) Beta-Diketonate Macrocycles, Sylvester Burton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation deals with the synthesis and properties of multidentate β-diketone ligands and their transition-metal complexes. (1) We prepared two bis(β-diketones), C1BAH2 and p-XBAH2 (see sketch below), determined their crystal structures, and studied their reactions with copper(II). We envisioned that they would form macrocyclic complexes with 3-6 metal atoms. In both cases, although the initial products are soluble, as expected for the desired molecular products, we were unable to isolate well-behaved molecular solids. In the case of C1BAH2, this may be because the cyclic product requires an unusual combination of conformations of …

Go to article

Characterization Of Equine Pulmonary Endothelin Receptors In Health And Disease, Sumanth Polikepahad Jan 2006

Characterization Of Equine Pulmonary Endothelin Receptors In Health And Disease, Sumanth Polikepahad

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been implicated in allergic type of respiratory inflammatory diseases in various species of animals including horses. This peptide elicits its actions by acting through endothelin-A (ET-A) and endothelin-B (ET-B) receptor sub-types. In this project, we have hypothesized that endothelin receptors (both ET-A and ET-B) are altered in terms of affinity and expression, in the lungs of summer pasture-associated obstructive pulmonary disease (SPAOPD)-affected horses. Objective of this dissertation was to determine the alterations in the affinity and expression of endothelin receptors in the lungs of healthy and SPAOPD-affected horses. To pursue our hypothesis, we have employed pharmacological, immunohistochemical …

Go to article

Aerobic Degradation Assessment For The Fungicide Bas 505 Using Batch And Intact Soil Core Methodologies, Jason Allan Mcdonald Jan 2006

Aerobic Degradation Assessment For The Fungicide Bas 505 Using Batch And Intact Soil Core Methodologies, Jason Allan Mcdonald

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Although registration protocol stipulates that pesticide degradation be quantified using homogeneous soil, research suggests that degradation in intact soil may give results more consistent with field data. This project examined degradation of the turf and cereal fungicide BAS 505 [N-methyl-(E)-2-methoxyamino-2-(2-((2,5-dimethylphenoxy)methyl)phenyl) acetamide]. Yearlong and four-month-long incubation studies compared degradation rates in intact cores and homogeneous (batch) samples of Ruston fine sandy loam (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic Typic Paleudults) soil. Recovery of BAS 505 in methanol extracts was measured 12 times over the 360 d incubation by HPLC-LSC analysis, and declined to 36 % and 57 % of the amount applied in cores …

Go to article

The Antipodes: On Rebellion, Michael Scott Robinson Jan 2006

The Antipodes: On Rebellion, Michael Scott Robinson

LSU Master's Theses

This essay argues that the term rebellion applies to two similar but distinguishable experiences representative of the limits to human action and capacity. The political rebel is a man who rebels against an oppressive political regime. Opposing him is the metaphysical rebel whose action is inspired by a grievance against the nature of existence generally, as a human being, which he has interpreted to be oppressive. These contradicting inspirations are matched by juxtaposing consequences, exemplified through a literary analysis of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novels, and a historical analysis of Václav Havel and the Velvet Revolution.

Go to article

Theory Of Curvature-Dependent Disjoining Pressure And Its Application To Liquid Films, Jin Zhang Jan 2006

Theory Of Curvature-Dependent Disjoining Pressure And Its Application To Liquid Films, Jin Zhang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A liquid film of thickness h < 100 nm is subject to additional intermolecular forces, which are collectively called disjoining pressure Pi. Since Pi dominates at small film thicknesses, it determines the stability and wettability of thin films. Current theory for uniform films gives Pi = Pi(h). It becomes unbounded as h -> 0. We present a theory of curvature-dependent disjoining pressure. The new Pi depends on the curvature hxx, slope hx, and h. When this theory is implemented for Lennard-Jones liquid films, the new Pi is bounded as h -> 0. We show that this Pi captures three regimes of drop behavior (complete wetting, partial wetting, and pseudo partial wetting) without altering the signs of the long and short-range interactions. We also find that a drop with a uniform film is linearly stable, whereas a drop without a uniform film is unstable. Evaporating thin films is …

Go to article

Tomotherapy For Post-Mastectomy Radiotherapy (Pmrt): Comparison With Conventional Electron Beam Technique, Michael Sissay Ashenafi Jan 2006

Tomotherapy For Post-Mastectomy Radiotherapy (Pmrt): Comparison With Conventional Electron Beam Technique, Michael Sissay Ashenafi

LSU Master's Theses

Purpose: TomoTherapy, capable of delivering intensity-modulated, image-guided radiotherapy with a helical fan-beam, multileaf-collimated beam and detector array mounted on a CT ring, is challenging the treatment techniques commonly used in today's radiotherapy clinic. The present works investigates the potential of using TomoTherapy in lieu of electron beams for treatment of the chest wall in post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT). It is hypothesized that TomoTherapy can plan dose distributions for PMRT patients, that a pre-selected radiation oncologist judges to be equal to or better than that of a conventional plan treated with electron beams. Methods: A patient database of retrospective conventional PMRT treatment …

Go to article

Phytoremediation Of A High Phosphorus Soil By Summer And Winter Hay Harvest, Veronica A. Ryan Jan 2006

Phytoremediation Of A High Phosphorus Soil By Summer And Winter Hay Harvest, Veronica A. Ryan

LSU Master's Theses

Phosphorus (P) loading into surface water from runoff and subsurface flow leaving soils subjected to long-term applications of poultry litter (PL) will degrade water quality. A practical way to reduce such loading is to remove soil P through plant uptake and harvest removal. The primary field study presented here examined the effectiveness of hay harvest utilizing a double-cropped system - perennial warm-season forage grass, common bermudagrass (CB; Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.), overseeded with annual ryegrass (ARG; Lolium multiflorum Lam.), a cool-season forage, in reducing soil P from a Ruston fine-sandy loam impacted by PL amendments. A secondary field study similarly …

Go to article

Quantifying Changes In Fish Habitat Use In Coastal Waters Of Louisiana, Usa: A Hydroacoustic Approach, Kevin Mershon Boswell Jan 2006

Quantifying Changes In Fish Habitat Use In Coastal Waters Of Louisiana, Usa: A Hydroacoustic Approach, Kevin Mershon Boswell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The development of reliable tools for identifying essential fish habitat (EFH) has proven problematic. Knowledge of the distribution and biomass of fishes over discrete habitat types is a prerequisite for effective use of EFH in the management of important commercial and recreational fish species. Resolution of the influence of habitat type and environmental factors on the distribution of fishes is confounded by limitations of traditional sampling gears. To date, hydroacoustic technology has been widely accepted as a tool for surveying fishery resources; however few studies have implemented acoustics in ultra shallow (<2 m) coastal waters. Efforts should be made to utilize hydroacoustics for quantifying changes in fish distributions within estuarine environments given the benefits provided through acoustic technology (e.g. ease of deployment, reduced sampling effort, and non-invasive sampling attributes). A technique was developed for acoustically sensing fishes in the shallow, turbid waters of Barataria Bay, Louisiana. A robust and lightweight remotely-controlled transducer platform was designed for deploying acoustic gear. Sources of scattering within the bay were identified through a series of exclosure net experiments designed to quantify potential effects of plankton and suspended solids on acoustic scattering. Analysis filters were developed to reduce the effects of bubble-induced noise, often observed during periods when wind speeds were greater than 4.5 m s-1. Side-aspect acoustic target strength-length and target …

Go to article

Breeding Waterbird Use Of Rice Fields In Southwestern Louisiana, Sergio Pierluissi Jan 2006

Breeding Waterbird Use Of Rice Fields In Southwestern Louisiana, Sergio Pierluissi

LSU Master's Theses

Rice fields are agricultural wetlands concentrated in several areas in the U.S., including southwestern Louisiana. Rice fields are flooded for much of the year and support thick emergent vegetation, potentially providing high-quality habitat for several species of breeding waterbirds. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine relative nest density, nest success, and habitat associations of breeding waterbirds in southwestern Louisiana rice fields and (2) determine the effectiveness of callback surveys as a monitoring tool. In the summers of 2004 and 2005, marsh bird surveys and nest searches were conducted in Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Vermilion, and Acadia Parishes in …

Go to article

A Neural Network Model For Classification Of Coastal Wetlands Vegetation Structure With Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (Modis) Data, Evaristo Joseph Liwa Jan 2006

A Neural Network Model For Classification Of Coastal Wetlands Vegetation Structure With Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (Modis) Data, Evaristo Joseph Liwa

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Mapping coastal marshes is an important component in the management of coastal environments. Classification of marshes using remote sensing data has traditionally been performed by employing either parametric supervised classification algorithms or unsupervised classification algorithms. The implementation of these conversional classification methods is based on the underlying distributions concerning the probability density functions (PDF). Neural networks provide a practical approach to this classification because they are essentially non-parametric data transformations that are not restricted by any underlying assumptions. The major objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of neural networks using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) data to …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last