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An Exploration Of Ethnobotanically Significant Plants To The Native American Tribes Of Montana, Margaret I. Magee

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

An Exploration of Ethnobotanically Significant Plants to the Native American Tribes of Montana

Ethnobotany is the study of the human uses of plants; for the Native Tribes of Montana these uses refer to everything from food, to ceremony, to medicine and everything in between. As a collaboration with the Payne Family Native American Center Ethnobotanical gardens, I conducted research on the various plants and their uses that are of particular significance to the 12 Tribes and 7 reservations across the state of MT. I collected information from first-hand experience working as an intern at the ethnobotanical garden, through discussions lead …

Conservation Nonprofits And Communication Of Values, Madeline Damon, Libby Metcalf, John Chandler

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how effectively conservation nonprofits communicate their values, or beliefs linked to emotional effect, to the public. This study compares the basic values embedded in mission, vision, and values statements (MVVs) to the values embedded in tweets. The similarity between MVVs and tweets will be compared based on organization size in order to identify any relationship between the size of a nonprofit and how well they communicate values. Finally, the values found in tweets and MVVs will be used to identify a current audience each nonprofit connects to most. The primary method of …

Improving Population Monitoring Of Wolverines By Integrating Noninvasive Genetic Monitoring And Remote Camera Trapping, Nicole Bealer, Kylie Paul, Jessie Golding, Kristy Pilgrim, Mark Hebblewhite, Kevin Scot Mckelvey

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Wolverines (Gulo gulo) are a rare species of conservation concern that inhabit high-elevation montane climates in North America. Because of their remote habitat and rarity, wolverines are difficult to monitor and there is limited information on the population status of wolverines. Scientists are concerned that wolverines may be adversely affected by climate change as they rely on persistent spring snowpack, which increases the need for effective wolverine monitoring. Wolverines in the Bitterroot National Forest (BNF) were monitored for six years (2014-2020) with noninvasive genetic sampling via hair snag and individual identification via remote camera trap, which allowed for …

The Origin Of Nitrogen Fixation Genes In Cyanobacterium Acaryochloris Marina, Jacob J. Baroch

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Biological nitrogen (N) fixation involves the reduction of atmospheric N₂ to biologically available ammonia (NH₃) and is performed by a wide variety of prokaryotic microorganisms. Fixed N is often the limiting nutrient in ecosystems; therefore, microorganisms that can fix N₂, such as some cyanobacteria, are an important source of biologically available N in N-limited habitats. Acaryochloris marina is a Chlorophyll d-producing cyanobacterium that lives attached to red algae or colonial ascidians along the intertidal zone of marine environments. Through comparative genomics, we recently found that an A. marina clade consisting of three strains – …

Distant Early Warning In Alarm Responses In Chickadees And Nuthatches – Do Birds Use Their Avian Neighbors As Sentinels?, Graydon William Prosser Hidalgo

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Chickadees and nuthatches are known for their ability to avoid predation through complex alarm calls and communication between species within a flock. Very little is known about their ability to listen to and understand alarm calls of other birds with whom they do not usually associate. My research explores the interspecific listening abilities of chickadees and nuthatches, and specifically if they use Townsend’s solitaires and downy woodpeckers as sentinel species. I conducted experimental call playback experiments at bird feeders in western Montana. I played three different acoustic stimuli on a speaker to mixed-species flocks composed mainly of various species of …

Teaching Methods And The Biology Student’S Perspective Of The Transition To Virtual Learning Due To Covid-19, Alexander R. Stuczynski

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

In the spring of 2020, the rise of a novel coronavirus swept across the globe and disrupted anatomy education across the globe. Through previous studies, it is known that the transition from traditionally taught classes to strictly virtual generally negatively impacted students, but it is not known what methods and approaches were best suited to anatomy students. Therefore, it is essential to identify which tools and approaches supported anatomy students and those of which did not support anatomy students via analysis of student perception of the transition. Online surveys were gathered from anatomy students in the BIOH 370 Anatomy and …

Analyzing Interactions Among Migratory Elk And Semi-Permeable Fences On The Blackfeet Reservation, Landon Magee

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Since the beginning of the last decade, the Blackfeet Reservation has experienced intense habitat fragmentation in the northern regions of the reservation, particularly in prime elk habitat that is believed to be along a migration corridor. One source of fragmentation has been the erection of a semi-permeable fence associated with a large bison ranch. The purpose of my study was to preliminarily assess potential interactions of elk (Cervus canadensis) and the semi-permeable bison fence as a precursor for further study. I worked in collaboration with the Blackfeet Fish and Game Department and the University of Montana, who will …

Differential Diagnosis Of Abnormal Muscle Gross Anatomy Of A Male Cadaver, Audrey V. Broffman, Carley R. Carpenter

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

The ability of healthcare providers to carefully consider all presentations of illness and injury, draw upon research and knowledge to develop a list of potential diagnoses, and further investigate systems expected to be impacted by these diagnoses, is crucial for accurate identification of a condition and subsequent treatment plans to improve the welfare of patients. In order to determine a possible cause for unusual anatomic changes in multiple regions of the male cadaver used in the University of Montana’s Anatomy and Physiology lab, we performed a differential diagnosis.This research is exempt from IRB approval because the individual is no longer …

Using C. Elegans As A Model Organism To Study Genes Linked To Alzheimer’S, Ketch Jacobson

University of Montana Conference on Undergraduate Research (UMCUR)

Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that affects millions of people the world over. This is a growing problem, especially in developed countries where people are living longer. Over time, more and more young people will be tasked with taking care of their elderly family members, who can no longer take care of themselves. The causes leading up to the disease are still poorly understood, but by looking at certain genes that are associated with Alzheimer’s, we can gain a better understanding of the disease and the pathways that lead to it. Luckily, humans share lots of their genes with other …

Montana Kaimin, April 8, 2021, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Friends Of The Philip L. Wright Zoological Museum, No. 37, University Of Montana--Missoula. Philip L. Wright Zoological Museum

Philip L. Wright Zoological Museum (UMZM) Newsletters

From the Curator: A Busy Spring in the Museum -- 2021 Graslie Curiosity Intern -- Summer Marmot Madness -- Hands-On Learning in the Museum: Spotted Skunk Surprise -- Museum Memories -- Bird Data Harmonization -- Who's in the Museum -- Miscellany

The Pearl Diver, Rebecca Moon Ruark

CutBank

No abstract provided.

Department Of Mathematical Sciences Newsletter, Spring 2021, University Of Montana--Missoula. Department Of Mathematical Sciences

Newsletters from the Department of Mathematical Sciences at UM

Icosahedrons on the Oval?! / Matt Roscoe -- Professor William Derrick 1938 – 2020 / Leonid Kalachev -- Notes from the Chair / Emily Stone -- Introducing our Next Chair: Professor John Bardsley / Nikolaus Vonessen -- Rural Montana Sheds Light on Productive Problem Solving / Sara Killeen -- Greg St. George Retires / Seth Braver -- Fred Peck Wins Cox Award / Matt Roscoe -- UM Undergraduates Study the Geometry of Hyperbolic Knots and Links / Eric Chesebro -- Honor Roll of Donors -- Spring 2021 Scholarship & Award Winners -- Degree Recipients 2020-2021 -- Math Major is Top-Ranked …

2021 Friends Of The University Of Montana Herbarium Newsletter, Peter Lesica

Newsletters of the Friends of the University of Montana Herbarium

Stagebrush Steppe: Lessons from the Idaho National Laboratory / Matt Lavin -- Notes from the Board / Justina Dumont -- Virginia Vincent, an Herbarium Hero, 1930-2020 / Peter Lesica -- Exploring MONTU Specimen Data / Peter Donati -- A Truly Unique Year at MONTU / Shannon Kimball

Examining Natural Resource Conservation: In The Classroom, Through Collaborative Conservation, And Across Public Communication Platforms, Shauni Seccombe

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

April 2021 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Montana’S House Bill 113: Knocking On The Door Of Youth Transgender Dignity, Anne M. Lewis

Montana Law Review Online

No abstract provided.

Montana Kaimin, March 17, 2021, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

Food Spoilage In Beeswax Impregnated Cotton Cloth Wraps Compared To Standard Storage Methods, Dawn E. Beck, Kevin M. Lane, Christine A. Shiel, Karl F. Welke

Beekeeping Certificate Program

Beeswax food wraps have gained popularity as a sustainable, natural alternative to single use options such as plastic bags, plastic wrap, and wax paper. Despite limited evidence, sellers advertise beeswax wraps as having antimicrobial benefits that help food stay fresh longer. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the ability of beeswax impregnated cotton cloth to inhibit food spoilage relative to traditional methods. We designed a prospective trial in which strawberry, bread, and cheese specimens were wrapped in one of the 3 materials: 1) beeswax impregnated cotton cloth, 2) wax paper, or 3) plastic bags alone and followed for …

Mapping Of Wetland And Riparian Habitat For The National Wetlands Inventory: East-Central Utah, Sara K. Owen, Eric J. Dressing, Ryhan T. Sempler, Nomi Sherman, Heidi Anderson, Rachel Hamre, Samuel Isham, Kay L. Hajek, Linda Vance

EMMA Publications

No abstract provided.

March 2021 News Releases, University Of Montana--Missoula. Office Of University Relations

University of Montana News Releases, 1928, 1956-present

No abstract provided.

Montana Kaimin, February 24, 2021, Students Of The University Of Montana, Missoula

Montana Kaimin, 1898-present

Student newspaper of the University of Montana, Missoula.

A Wolf In Fox’S Clothing? Using Stable Isotopes To Quantify Ecological Replacement, Tyler James Clark

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

During the Anthropocene, human-induced extinctions, especially of large predators and herbivores, have resulted in catastrophic ecosystem collapses. Recently, conservation tools such as rewilding (e.g., re-introducing a species to its native habitat) have been used to mitigate the effects of extinction. Another increasingly popular conservation tool, ecological replacement, proposes to introduce functionally similar, non-native species to fill the ecological roles of extinct, native species, thereby restoring ecosystems towards their pre-Anthropocene state. For example, the non-native Aldabra giant tortoise was introduced to the Mauritian island of Ile aux Aigrettes to replace the ecological role of extinct Cylindraspis giant tortoises. However, the …

Quantifying The Effects Of Beaver Dam Analogs On Fish Habitat And Communities, Andrew B. Lahr

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Beaver-based restoration has shown to be an effective restoration strategy for turning incised streams into complex and dynamic systems. However, there are still uncertainties regarding the pros and cons of beaver and beaver dam analogs (BDAs) as it pertains to whole system effects. Concerns focus on whether these impoundments increase temperatures beyond thermal tolerances of cold-water species, reduce stream connectivity, and exacerbate negative effects of non-native species. In order to provide more context surrounding these concerns, we began a multiyear Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) study on three pairs of streams (one restored with BDAs and one control) across Western Montana. In each …

Quantifying Subsurface Parameter Uncertainties With Surrogate Modeling And Environmental Tracers, Nicholas E. Thiros, Payton Gardner

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Identifying the uncertainty in predictions made by groundwater flow and transport numerical models is critical for effective water resource management and contaminated site remediation. In this work, we combine physics-based groundwater reactive transport modeling with data-driven machine learning techniques to quantify hydrogeologic model uncertainties for a site in Wyoming, USA. We train a deep artificial neural network (ANN) on a training dataset that consists of groundwater hydraulic head and environmental tracer concentration (³H, SF₆, and CFC-12) fields generated using a high-fidelity groundwater reactive transport model. Inputs of the training dataset and reactive transport model include variable …

Coordination Of Transboundary Marine Protected Areas In The Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape, Lindsey Ellett

UM Graduate Student Research Conference (GradCon)

Transboundary protected areas consist of clearly defined protected areas which are connected across one or more international boundaries and involve cooperation between multiple countries. The number of transboundary protected areas has experienced a dramatic increase in recent decades, and there are currently over 200 transboundary conservation initiatives worldwide. However, relatively few transboundary protected areas have been established for marine environments. Transboundary conservation approaches are integral to managing marine areas due to migratory species and issues like marine pollution and over-exploitation often crossing political boundaries. The development of transboundary marine protected areas (TBMPAs) may strengthen management and conservation by facilitating increased …

Leucine Carboxyl Methyltransferase 1 Overexpression Protects Against Cognitive And Electrophysiological Impairments In Tg2576 App Transgenic Mice, Madhumathi Gnanaprakash, Agnieszka Staniszewski, Hong Zhang, Rose Pitstick, Michael P. Kavanaugh, Ottavio Arancio, Russell E. Nicholls

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: The serine/threonine protein phosphatase, PP2A, is thought to play a central role in the molecular pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and the activity and substrate specificity of PP2A is regulated, in part, through methylation and demethylation of its catalytic subunit. Previously, we found that transgenic overexpression of the PP2A methyltransferase, LCMT-1, or the PP2A methylesterase, PME-1, altered the sensitivity of mice to impairments caused by acute exposure to synthetic oligomeric amyloid-β (Aβ).

Objective: Here we sought to test the possibility that these molecules also controlled sensitivity to impairments caused by chronically elevated levels of Aβ produced in vivo. …

Supplemental Ascorbate Diminishes Dna Damage Yet Depletes Glutathione And Increases Acute Liver Failure In A Mouse Model Of Hepatic Antioxidant System Disruption, Colin G. Miller, Jean A. Kundert, Justin R. Prigge, Julie A. Amato, Allison E. Perez, Lucia Coppo, Gabrielle N. Rizzo, Michael P. Kavanaugh, David J. Orlicky, Colin T. Shearn, Edward E. Schmidt

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Faculty Publications

Cellular oxidants are primarily managed by the thioredoxin reductase-1 (TrxR1)- and glutathione reductase (Gsr)-driven antioxidant systems. In mice having hepatocyte-specific codisruption of TrxR1 and Gsr (TrxR1/Gsr-null livers), methionine catabolism sustains hepatic levels of reduced glutathione (GSH). Although most mice with TrxR1/Gsr-null livers exhibit long-term survival, ~25% die from spontaneous liver failure between 4- and 7-weeks of age. Here we tested whether liver failure was ameliorated by ascorbate supplementation. Following ascorbate, dehydroascorbate, or mock treatment, we assessed survival, liver histology, or hepatic redox markers including GSH and GSSG, redox enzyme activities, and oxidative damage markers. Unexpectedly, rather than providing protection, ascorbate …

Evolutionary Dynamics And Structural Consequences Of De Novo Beneficial Mutations And Mutant Lineages Arising In A Constant Environment, Margie Kinnersley, Katja Schwartz, Dong Dong Yang, Gavin Sherlock, Frank Rosenzweig

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Microbial evolution experiments can be used to study the tempo and dynamics of evolutionary change in asexual populations, founded from single clones and growing into large populations with multiple clonal lineages. High-throughput sequencing can be used to catalog de novo mutations as potential targets of selection, determine in which lineages they arise, and track the fates of those lineages. Here, we describe a long-term experimental evolution study to identify targets of selection and to determine when, where, and how often those targets are hit. Results: We experimentally evolved replicate Escherichia coli populations that originated from a mutator/nonsense suppressor ancestor …

Wild 563.R01: Advanced Topics In Habitat Ecology, Mark Hebblewhite

University of Montana Course Syllabi

No abstract provided.