Digital Commons Network^™

What Constitutes A Natural Fire Regime? Insight From The Ecology And Distribution Of Coniferous Forest Birds In North America, Richard L. Hutto, Courtney J. Conway, Victoria A. Saab, Jeffrey R. Walters

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Bird species that specialize in the use of burned forest conditions can provide insight into the prehistoric fire regimes associated with the forest types that they have occupied over evolutionary time. The nature of their adaptations reflects the specific post-fire conditions that occurred prior to the unnatural influence of humans after European settlement. Specifically, the post-fire conditions, nest site locations, and social systems of two species (Bachman's sparrow [Aimophila aestivalis] and red-cockaded woodpecker [Picoides borealis]) suggest that, prehistorically, a frequent, low-severity fire regime characterized the southeastern pine system in which they evolved. In contrast, the patterns …

The Age, Function, And Distribution Of Keyhole Structures In The Upper Susquehanna River Valley, Douglas H. Macdonald

Anthropology Faculty Publications

This paper provides a summary of current data regarding the age, geographical distribution, and function of keyhole structures in the upper Susquehanna River Valley of north-central Pennsylvania and south-central New York. Keyhole structures have been identified at 11 sites in the West and North Branches of the Susquehanna River Valley. The feature type likely originated in the West Branch Valley from which it spread to the north, south, and east. Their main period of use was during the latter portion of the Late Woodland period, between approximately 1230 and 1670 A.D. Given the locations of the sites along major waterways, …

Flaws And Idiosyncrasies In Mathematicians: Food For The Classroom, Ted Eisenberg

The Mathematics Enthusiast

This paper raises an ethical question: should aspects of a mathematician’s personality, political beliefs, physical handicaps, and the ironies surrounding their life be mentioned parenthetically or otherwise in our lessons? What about the political and social norms of the times in the countries in which they lived? There are no hard and fast guidelines on this other than to use good taste; but what is in good taste to one is often in bad taste to another. At the very least this paper presents tidbits of information and innuendo about mathematicians the reader might not know. But hopefully this paper …

Tme Volume 5, Number 1

The Mathematics Enthusiast

No abstract provided.

Comparisons In The Cranial Form Of The Blackfeet Indians: A Reassessment Of Boas' Native American Data, Jenee Caprice Gesler

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Franz Boas proposed almost one hundred yeas ago that cranial plasticity explained the differences in cranial form between European-born immigrants and their American-born children. Plasticity refers to the idea that the body responds to environmental forces during growth and development. If the environment does affect cranial growth and development, than differences should be seen in populations living under different ecological conditions. In this study anthropometric measurements will be used to test for differences in head and face measurements of members of the Blackfeet Nation using multivariate statistics. The tests are designed to detect differences between the three tribes of the …

The Edge Effect: Lateral Habitat Ecology Of An Alluvial River Flood Plain, Michelle Louise Anderson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

We describe the ecology of off-channel or "lateral" habitats as key attributes of the Shifting Habitat Mosaic (SHM) of a river flood plain at the Nyack Research Natural Area in northwestern Montana. Our working hypothesis was that lateral habitats are important to the cycling of energy and materials within the SHM and contribute greatly to the productivity and biodiversity of the floodplain ecosystem. We produce a quantitative description of temperature variation across aquatic and terrestrial habitats at Nyack. Thermal patterns across lateral habitats indicate vast differences exist between lateral habitats in habitat suitability for aquatic organisms over an annual cycle. …

El Milagro De Almeria, Espana: A Political Ecology Of Landscape Change And Greenhouse Agriculture, Robert Tyrell Wolosin

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate changes in the landscape of Almería in southeastern Spain, particularly in relation to the emergence of the 80,000-acre greenhouse sector. This thesis questions why the province of Almería has the highest concentration of greenhouses in the world and determines what processes led to this industry. The research focuses on local-global scale interactions and environmental history analysis within a political ecology framework. The methods for data collection included literature review of secondary sources and four months living in Almería conducting interviews and field observations. Located in Europe’s driest desert, the greenhouses of Almería …

Sage-Grouse And Energy Development: Integrating Science With Conservation Planning To Reduce Impacts, Kevin Eric Doherty

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Effective conservation planning in the face of rapid land use change requires knowledge of which habitats are selected at landscape scales, where those habitats are located, and how species ultimately respond to anthropogenic disturbance. I assessed sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) large scale habitat ecology and response to energy development in the winter and nesting seasons using radio-marked individuals in the Powder River Basin, Montana and Wyoming, USA. Landscape scale percent sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) cover at 4-km2 was the strongest predictor of use by sage-grouse in winter. After controlling for vegetation and topography, the addition the density of coal-bed natural gas wells …

Spatial Population Dynamics Of Western Painted Turtles In A Wetland Ecosystem In Northwestern Montana, Kathleen Ann Griffin

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Population dynamics are driven by the interplay between the positive forces of births and immigration and the negative forces of deaths and emigration. Understanding dynamics at the local and metapopulation level is key in wildlife conservation. Although data on turtle survival and movement rates are available, few studies use rigorous statistical analyses and none include examination of stage-specific seasonal survival simultaneous with movement estimates. I used capture-mark-recapture methods to estimate apparent survival rates and movement probabilities of adult and juvenile western painted turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii) across space and time in a wetland ecosystem in northwestern Montana. All wetlands within …

Material And Social Relations In Friedrich Von Hardenberg's Heinrich Von Afterdingen, Robert Earl Mottram

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In an attempt to widen interpretations, this study first explores the myths associated with Friedrich von Hardenberg, commonly known as Novalis, which have resulted in the neglect of material interpretations of his works. After an introduction to Hardenberg's theory of the Self and Karl Marx's theory of alienation, an analysis of Hardenberg's most widely read work, Heinrich von Afterdingen, demonstrates how Hardenberg was as concerned with the material and the social relations among human beings and their labor as he was with their spiritual endeavors. The self-development of Heinrich, the main character in Afterdingen, is chronicled in this study with …

Zooxanthellae, Christine Bown

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Using Noninvasive Genetic Sampling To Assess And Monitor Grizzly Bear Population Status In The Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, Jeffrey Brian Stetz

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Wildlife managers need reliable estimates of population size, trend, and distribution to recover at–risk populations, yet obtaining these estimates is costly and often imprecise. The threatened grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) population in northwestern Montana has been managed for recovery since 1975, yet no rigorous data were available to evaluate the program’s success. We assessed population status using data from a large noninvasive genetic sampling project and 33–years of physical captures. Our abundance estimate, Nˆ= 765 (CV = 3.8%), was more than double the working estimate. Based on our results, the total known, human–caused mortality rate was 4.6%, slightly above the …

A Phenomenological Study Of Reiki Practitioners And Their Perceptions Of Reiki As It Relates To Their Personal Health, Tannis Mardece Hargrove

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The purpose of this study was to understand the essence of becoming a Reiki practitioner and Reiki’s relationship to an individual’s personal health. The phenomenological research perspective utilized in this study allowed the data to speak for itself and represented the essence of Reiki and Reiki practitioners in Missoula, Montana. Ten Reiki practitioners were interviewed about their personal experience with Reiki. Interviewees were all volunteers, over the age of 18, who were trained in Reiki II or higher and had more than three years of experience practicing Reiki. Participants had practiced Reiki either on themselves or someone else regularly, which …

Main Hall To Main Street, January 2008, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

Main Hall to Main Street, 2005-2010

This is volume 14, number 1 of Main Hall to Main Street.

The Span Of An Octave, Jenna Williams

CutBank

No abstract provided.

In Darness Light-Headed, Matt Hart

CutBank

No abstract provided.

Cutbank 68

CutBank

No abstract provided.

Yellowstone, Baird Harper

CutBank

No abstract provided.

Conservation And Status Of Markhor (Capra Falconeri) In The Northen Parts Of North West Frontier Province, Pakistan, Sajjad Ali

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Pakistan is blessed with a great variety of wild flora and fauna, including a rich diversity of wild Caprinae (sheep and goats) represented by 7 species divided into 12 subspecies. These animals are found in Balochistan and Sindh in the south and the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Northern Areas in the north. Markhor is a wild goat which belongs to the family Bovidae and sub family Caprinae. In 1992, it was transferred from Appendix II to Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). The inclusion of markhor in …

Monitoring Programs To Assess Reintroduction Efforts: A Critical Component In Recovery, Erin Muths, Victoria J. Dreitz

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

Reintroduction is a powerful tool in our conservation toolbox. However, the necessary follow–up, i.e. long–term monitoring, is not commonplace and if instituted may lack rigor. We contend that valid monitoring is possible, even with sparse data. We present a means to monitor based on demographic data and a projection model using the Wyoming toad (Bufo baxteri) as an example. Using an iterative process, existing data is built upon gradually such that demographic estimates and subsequent inferences increase in reliability. Reintroduction and defensible monitoring may become increasingly relevant as the outlook for amphibians, especially in tropical regions, continues to …

A Literature Review Of The Effects Of Energy Development On Ungulates: Implications For Central And Eastern Montana, Mark Hebblewhite

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

A literature review of >160 scientific and technical reports was conducted to review the effects of energy development ungulates, separated by important seasonal and habitat types. Effects of energy development and human activity in general were assessed for elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, moose, bighorn sheep and woodland caribou. Weaknesses of the existing literature in addressing and providing guidelines for the management of energy development are presented. A recommended course of action for management oriented research is presented. Finally, a searchable electronic database is developed of the literature including abstracts and digital copies to aid in evaluating future energy development …

Lions And Prions And Deer Demise, Michael W. Miller, Heather M. Swanson, Lisa L. Wolfe, Fred G. Quartarone, Sherri L. Huwer, Charles H. Southwick, Paul M. Lukacs

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

Background: Contagious prion diseases – scrapie of sheep and chronic wasting disease of several species in the deer family – give rise to epidemics that seem capable of compromising host population viability. Despite this prospect, the ecological consequences of prion disease epidemics in natural populations have received little consideration.

Methodology/Principal Findings: Using a cohort study design, we found that prion infection dramatically lowered survival of free-ranging adult (.2-year-old) mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus): estimated average life expectancy was 5.2 additional years for uninfected deer but only 1.6 additional years for infected deer. Prion infection also increased nearly fourfold the rate of …

Scientific Review For The Identification Of Critical Habitat For Woodland Caribou (Rangifer Tarandus Caribou), Boreal Population, In Canada, Mark Hebblewhite, Environment Canada

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Boreal Population (herein referred to as boreal caribou), are formally listed as Threatened under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). The Act requires the Minister of Environment to prepare a Recovery Strategy for the species that includes, to the extent possible and based upon the best available information, an identifi cation of its Critical Habitat and/or, if there is insuffi cient information available, a Schedule of Studies to determine that information. In August 2007, Environment Canada (EC) launched a science-based review with the mandate to identify Critical Habitat to the extent possible, using the …

Comparison Of Silica Polyamine Composites And Crosslinked Polystyrene Resins, Jessica Lee Wood

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The development of silica polyamine composites (SPC) was inspired by the need for more environmentally benign ways of extracting and recovering technologically important and environmentally dangerous metals from waste streams. These solid phase adsorbents are designed to endure the extreme conditions associated with environmental remediation and the metal processing industry. In order for the silica polyamine composites to be viable in industry, their performance must meet or exceed the current methods of metal extraction from aqueous media. A study was undertaken to compare three silica polyamine composites: WP-2, BPAP, and CuWRAM, with their closest crosslinked polystyrene resin analogs. The studies …

Hierarchical Summer Habitat Selection By The North American Porcupine In Western Montana, Katie Ann Mally

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) has continually been a species of low priority for research and conservation efforts in the western United States. While many porcupine populations have been studied in North America, little to no research has been done on porcupines in western Montana or habitats of similar composition. More recently it has been noted that porcupine sightings have become rare in western Montana is areas where sightings were once common. Due to the overall lack of information about western porcupine populations it is imperative to gather basic natural history information in order to make informed management decisions. …

Redeveloping A Montana Food Processing Industry: The Role Of Food Innovation Centers, Jessica Babcock

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Montana produces a staggering amount of food crops, yet the state struggles to enjoy the fruits of this abundance. The majority of Montana crops and livestock are shipped out of state as raw commodities, a practice that retains very little of the added value of the crop. Processing these crops within the state would help retain more of their value; however, Montana’s food processing industry has undergone changes that have resulted in decreased availability of food processing facilities and services to agricultural growers and producers. Over the past 70 years, there has been a simultaneous decline in decentralized food manufacturing …

Studies Of The Dimerization And Packaging Signals In Hiv-2 Rna, Tayyba Tabassum Baig

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The investigation of sequences and structures in the 5' untranslated leader region (5'UTR) of HIV genomic RNA is essential for understanding viral replication because the 5'UTR regulates several essential functions by the alternate presentation and sequestration of signals through conformational changes. Our main focus in this study was to understand those sequences and structures that are involved in dimerization and packaging of HIV-2 RNA. Progressing from previous findings, we studied in detail a 10-nucleotide palindrome sequence (pal; 5'-GGAGUGCUCC-3') of the 5'UTR, located within the major packaging signal, upstream of the dimerization signal (SL1: stem loop-1). Pal has been shown to …

"Blackfeet Belong To The Mountains": Blackfeet Relationships With The Glacier National Park Landscape And Institution, David R. Craig

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

National Parks are home to many landscapes of great significance to Native American peoples. The eastern half of Glacier National Park is considered a homeland by the Blackfeet people, and has historically been very important to their material, cultural, and spiritual well-being. This relationship, like those of many other Native peoples, has been severely disrupted by the establishment and presence of the national park, resulting in prolonged conflict between tribes and parks. Blackfeet relationships with this cultural landscape require interaction and engagement in order to realize the full extent of its benefits. Often, these practices serve distinct material needs, however, …

Around The World And Back: A Discovery In India, Charlie L. Gaare

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The impetus for my journey was the desire to learn more about another culture, and pursue the idea of the old cliché: be the change I wanted to see in the world. This journey fulfilled the requirements of the project in multiple ways. It was a major risk to travel to another country with a language barrier on my own. The amount of work it took to prepare for the trip and face the challenges of the experience itself was very labor intensive. I had to do this because I needed to see that I could make a difference. I …

Lessons To Learn From All Out Invasion: Life History Of Brown Trout (Salmo Trutta) In A Patagonian River, Sarah Louise O'Neal

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Brown trout (Salmo trutta) are widely introduced throughout Patagonia, though their distribution and impact in the region remain poorly documented. Life history flexibility, and particularly partial migration play a major role in the ability of this species to adapt to Patagonian rivers. Consequently, this study explored habitat, distribution and life history of a partially migratory population of brown trout in the Rio Grande in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. It described what is known of the history of the invasion. Physical, chemical, and biological habitat data were collected for comparison between sites supporting resident fish with those supporting anadromous fish. Additionally, …