Digital Commons Network^™

Drivers Of Long-Term Invertebrate Community Stability In Changing Swedish Lakes, Hannah B. Fried-Petersen, Yimen G. Araya-Ajoy, Martyn N. Futter, David G. Angeler

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Research on ecosystem stability has had a strong focus on local systems. However, environmental change often occurs slowly at broad spatial scales, which requires regional-level assessments of long-term stability. In this study, we assess the stability of macroinvertebrate communities across 105 lakes in the Swedish “lakescape.” Using a hierarchical mixed-model approach, we first evaluate the environmental pressures affecting invertebrate communities in two ecoregions (north, south) using a 23 year time series (1995–2017) and then examine how a set of environmental and physical variables affect the stability of these communities. Results show that lake latitude, size, total phosphorus and alkalinity affect …

Editorial: Operationalizing The Concepts Of Resilience And Resistance For Managing Ecosystems And Species At Risk, Jeanne C. Chambers, Craig R. Allen, Samuel A. Cushman

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Ecological resilience is essential for maintaining ecosystem services in an era of rapid global change, but successful attempts to operationalize it for managing ecosystems at risk have been limited. Clear formulation and application of ecological resilience concepts can guide ecosystem management so that it enhances the capacity of ecosystems to resist and recover from disturbances and provides adaptive space for periods of ecological reorganization. As originally defined, ecological resilience measures the amount of perturbation required to change an ecosystem from one set of processes and structures to a different set of processes and structures, or the amount of disturbance that …

Geographic Variation In The Prnp Gene And Its Promoter, And Their Relationship To Chronic Wasting Disease In North American Deer, Robert M. Zink, Nadje Najar, Hernan Vazquez-Miranda, Brittaney Buchanan, John Loy, Bruce W. Brodersen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

PRNP genotypes, number of octarepeats (PHGGGWGQ) and indels in the PRNP promoter can influence the progression of prion disease in mammals. We found no relationship between presence of promoter indels in white-tailed deer and mule deer from Nebraska and CWD presence. White-tailed deer with the 95 H allele and G20D mule deer were more likely to be CWD- free, but unlike other studies white-tailed deer with the 96S allele(s) were equally likely to be CWD-free. We provide the first information on PRNP genotypes and indels in the promoter for Key deer (all homozygous 96SS) and Coues deer (lacked 95 H …

Uncovering Unique Plasticity In Life History Of An Endangered Centenarian Fish, Martin J. Hamel, Jonathan J. Spurgeon, Kirk D. Steffensen, Mark A. Pegg

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

the ability to adapt to changing environments is fundamental for species persistence. Both plasticity and genetic selection are potential drivers that allow for traits to be advantageous, thus leading to increases in survival or fitness. Identifying phenotypic plasticity in life history traits of long-lived organisms can be difficult owing to high survival, long generation times, and few studies at sufficient spatial and temporal scales to elicit a plastic response within a population. to begin to understand phenotypic plasticity of a long-lived freshwater fish in response to environmental conditions, we used a long-term data set consisting of over 1,200 mark-recapture events …

Catfish Population Characteristics Among River Segments With Altered Fluvial Geomorphic Conditions In The Missouri River, Nebraska, Usa, Martin J. Hamel, Jonathan J. Spurgeon, Mark A. Pegg

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Alteration of river systems around the world has created novel environments that have been fragmented, homogenized, or transformed from their natural state, thus posing challenges for understanding how fish populations function. The Missouri River has undergone significant alteration through reservoir construction and channelization. Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus and Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris both reside in various fragmented sections of the river, and there is a substantial gap in knowledge of how catfishes synchronously function in this modified system. From 2009 to 2018, we assessed catfishes with baited hoop nets and low-frequency electrofishing among four different areas: upper and lower unchannelized …

Panarchy: Opportunities And Challenges For Ecosystem Management, Ahjond Garmestani, Dirac Twidwell, David G. Angeler, Shana Sundstrom, Chris Barichievy, Brian C. Chaffin, Tarsha Eason, Nick Graham, Dean Granholm, Lance Gunderson, Melinda Knutson, Kirsty L. Nash, R John Nelson, Magnus Nystrom, Trisha L. Spanbauer, Craig A. Stow, Craig R. Allen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Addressing unexpected events and uncertainty represents one of the grand challenges of the Anthropocene, yet ecosystem management is constrained by existing policy and laws that were not formulated to deal with today’s accelerating rates of environmental change. In many cases, managing for simple regulatory standards has resulted in adverse outcomes, necessitating innovative approaches for dealing with complex social–ecological problems. We highlight a project in the US Great Plains where panarchy – a conceptual framework that emerged from resilience – was implemented at project onset to address the continued inability to halt large-scale transition from grass-to-tree dominance in central North America. …

Camera Traps Detect Prey Of Northern Carnivores, David A. Keiter, Brent R. Patterson, Carol Dersch, Bob Elliott, Arthur R. Rodgers, John F. Benson

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Use of camera traps for non-invasive data collection is increasingly common in wildlife studies. This technique presents a valuable, but generally unexploited, opportunity to learn about carnivore diet through direct observations of predators with prey. To highlight this potential, we present a collection of photographic observations from Michipicoten Island, ON, Canada, that improve our knowledge of the diets of northern carnivores. These include the first documentation of Vulpes vulpes (Red Fox) consumption of a Colaptes auratus (Northern Flicker) and the first photographic evidence of wintertime consumption of a Lithobates sp. (frog) by a Mustela erminea (Short-tailed Weasel). We discuss the …

Survival And Competing Mortality Risks Of Mountain Lions In A Major Metropolitan Area, John F. Benson, Jeff A. Sikich, Seth P.D. Riley

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Understanding natural and human-caused mortality for top predators persisting in human-dominated landscapes is critical for conserving their populations. We estimated survival and cause-specific mortality rates and investigated factors influencing mortality risk of mountain lions by radio-tracking 58 individuals (33 males, 25 females) across the highly fragmented landscape in greater Los Angeles, California from 2002 to 2019. Mortality risk did not differ strongly between subadults (annual survival [ŝ]=0.68, SE=0.08) and adults (ŝ=0.81, SE=0.04). However, the different age-classes were subjected to mortality risks from different sources as subadults were more likely to be killed by conspecifics, whereas adults were more likely to …

Cigarette Butt Disposal Behavior: A Case Study Of A Public Beach On Jekyll Island, Georgia, Usa, Maranda R. Miller, Mark E. Burbach

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Improperly discarded cigarette butts are a substantial environmental problem. This study explored factors influencing cigarette butt discarding behavior on a public beach on Jekyll Island, Georgia, USA. A mixed-mode design utilized quantitative and qualitative data to study improper cigarette butt disposal. We surveyed smokers regarding their place attachment, environmental attitudes, environmental awareness, and habit as predictors of improper cigarette butt disposal. Environmental attitudes, environmental awareness, and habits were significant predictors of improper cigarette butt disposal behavior. A qualitative inquiry further explored the phenomenon of cigarette butt disposal from the smokers’ perspectives. Interviews illustrated that “improper disposers” experienced themes involving uncertainty …

Nutrient Cycling In Forage Production Systems, David A. Wedin, Michael P. Russelle

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

In most forage production systems, the nutrients needed for plant growth are provided by the microbially-mediated breakdown and release of plant-available mineral nutrients from dead plant tissues, livestock excreta, soil organic matter, and geochemically-bound mineral forms. Even in fertilized forage systems, determining appropriate fertilizer or manure application rates requires a “systems” approach on the part of the manager (Rotz et al. 2005; Wood et al. 2012). Fertilizer additions are simply one input in the system of inputs, outputs, pools, and fluxes that characterize nutrient cycling in a particular ecosystem.

Decoding The Corn Field: Building Third-Grade Students’ Ideas About Plant Inheritance And Variation, D. Cisterna, E. Ingram, D. Bhattacharya, R. Roy, C. Forbes

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Drought Management Norms: Is The Middle East And North Africa (Mena) Region Managing Risks Or Crises?, T. Jedd, C. Knutson, M. Hayes, M. Svoboda, S. Fragaszy, M. Belhaj Fraj, R. Mcdonnell

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ecotour Guide Training Program Characteristics And Methods: A Case Study From The African Bush, N.Q. Lackey, L. Pennisi

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Peregrine Falcon Survival Rates Derived From A Long-Term Study At A Migratory And Overwintering Area In Coastal Washington, D.E. Varland, L.A. Powell, J.B. Buchanan, T.L. Fleming, C. Vanier

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Liberalizing Harvest Regulations On Canada Goose (Branta Canadensis) Demography In Nebraska, T. Lyons, L. Powell, M. Vrtiska

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Nc3 Nebraska Climate Summary, M. Shulski

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Genetic And Evolutionary Considerations Of The Chronic Wasting Disease – Human Species Barrier, Robert M. Zink

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies can jump species barriers. In relatively few cases is the possible route of transmission thought to be known, mostly involving humans, cattle and sheep. It is thought that sheep might be the cause of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in cervids, and that humans might have gotten prion disease (e.g., vCJD) from eating meat from BSE+ cows. A looming societal question is whether humans will acquire a prion disease from ingesting prions from CWD+ deer. On an evolutionary tree of the PRNP gene in mammals, deer, sheep and cow are relatively closely related, …

A Review Of Vegetation Phenological Metrics Extraction Using Time-Series, Multispectral Satellite Data, Linglin Zeng, Brian D. Wardlow, Daxiang Xiang, Shun Hu, Deren Li

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Vegetation dynamics and phenology play an important role in inter-annual vegetation changes in terrestrial ecosystems and are key indicators of climate-vegetation interactions, land use/land cover changes, and variation in year-to-year vegetation productivity. Satellite remote sensing data have been widely used for vegetation phenology monitoring over large geographic domains using various types of observations and methods over the past several decades. The goal of this paper is to present a detailed review of existing methods for phenology detection and emerging new techniques based on the analysis of time-series, multispectral remote sensing imagery. This paper summarizes the objective and applications of detecting …

Effects Of Surface Heterogeneity Due To Drip Irrigation On Scintillometer Estimates Of Sensible, Latent Heat Fluxes And Evapotranspiration Over Vineyards, Hatim M. E. Geli, José González-Piqueras, Christopher M. U. Neale, Claudio Balbontín, Isidro Campos, Alfonso Calera

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Accurate estimates of sensible (H) and latent (LE) heat fluxes and actual evapotranspiration (ET) are required for monitoring vegetation growth and improved agricultural water management. A large aperture scintillometer (LAS) was used to provide these estimates with the objective of quantifying the effects of surface heterogeneity due to soil moisture and vegetation growth variability. The study was conducted over drip-irrigated vineyards located in a semi-arid region in Albacete, Spain during summer 2007. Surface heterogeneity was characterized by integrating eddy covariance (EC) observations of H, LE and ET; land surface temperature (LST) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data from Landsat …

Treenuts And Groundnuts In The Eat-Lancet Reference Diet: Concerns Regarding Sustainable Water Use, Davy Vanhama, Mesfin Mekonnen, Arjen Y. Hoekstra

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

The EAT-Lancet universal healthy reference diet recommends an increase in the consumption of healthy foods, among which treenuts and groundnuts. Both are, however, water-intensive products, with a large water footprint (WF) per unit of mass and protein and already today contribute to blue water stress in different parts of the world. The envisaged massive required increase in nut production to feed a global population with this reference diet, needs to occur in a water-sustainable way. In this paper, we identify and quantify where current nut production contributes to local blue water stress and discuss options for water-sustainable nut production. We …

Center For Grassland Studies, Volume 26, Issue 4, Winter 2020

Center for Grassland Studies: Newsletters

Workshop Focused on Improving Beef Production Systems

Director’s Column

Brad Goetsch Receives Omtvedt Innovation Award

Scholarships and Fellowship Applications Now Open

Spring Prescribed Burning Season

Beth Hildebrant to Intern at Pinehurst Resort

Center Develops Online Resource Page

Congratulations to December 2020 Graduates!

Evaluation of an Alternative Cow-Calf System

Looking for Continuing Education Units?

Incels, Compulsory Sexuality, And Fascist Masculinity, Casey Ryan Kelly, Chase Aunspach

Department of Communication Studies: Faculty Publications

Incel, the now-widely circulated portmanteau for involuntary celibacy, denotes a growing community of mostly cisgender men who are unable to find sexual partners or forge romantic relationships. Organizing in online networks, these men blame their exile from sexual relations on everything from feminism and sexual liberation to genetics and natural laws of attraction. In this essay, we offer an asexual critique of compulsory sexuality in online incel communities to illustrate how the sexual imperatives that animate fascism and the politics of the alt-right rest on myths of an insatiable male sex drive. We argue that incel discourse repurposes liberal conceptions …

6th Grade: English Level 3, Learning Packet #5 • Theme: Aztecs, Mayans, & Incas, Amanda Mclaughlin, Lauren Gatti, Alexa Yunes

ICMEE Learning Packets: Level 3 of English Proficiency (K-12)

This week you will travel back in time to the civilizations of the Aztec, Maya, and Inca. These three civilizations built great cities throughout Central America and South America, also known as Mesoamerica. Their inventions and culture can still be found in these regions today!

Day 1 • Ancient Mesoamerica Vocabulary, Mesoamerica: Where Civilizations Flourished, and Crashed, Repeatedly, Map of Mesoamerica Scavenger Hunt, What is PEMDAS?

Day 2 • Aztec Primary Source, Mayan Xocolatl, Order of Operations

Day 3 • Suspension Bridges, Mayan Girls use their language skills to help immigrants from Guatemala, Roll an equation

Day 4 • Math …

7th–8th Grade: English Level 3, Learning Packet #4 • Theme: Disasters #4, Caryn G. Jones, Lauren Gatti, Alexa Yunes

ICMEE Learning Packets: Level 3 of English Proficiency (K-12)

Exploring Survivor Stories, Grades 7-8

We've already explored a few survivor stories, but we're going to look at a few other experiences. This week we are going to take a look at the stories of people, kids in particular, who have experienced disasters and lived to tell about them. We're going to take a look at their encounters with natural disasters to understand how they withstood these dangers.

Lesson 1 • It's going to BLOW!, Mountain of fire, Meetings challenges

Lesson 2 • Too hot to handle, Lost in Death Valley, Meeting challenges

Lesson 3 • Cold enough for you?, …

6th Grade: English Level 3, Learning Packet #3 • Theme: China, Amanda Mclaughlin, Aaron P. Johnson, Alexa Yunes

ICMEE Learning Packets: Level 3 of English Proficiency (K-12)

Thinking Skills Glossary

Question Words

Ancient China Vocabulary

A Look at China's Ruling Dynasty's Throughout History

Natural Barriers in Ancient China

Intro to Percentages

Chinese Zodiac

The Ballad of Mulan

Finding Percentages

Tangrams

Ancient Chinese Dynasties

Finding Percentages: Riddle

The Silk Road

Giant Panda vs. Red Panda

Discounts, Tips, and Taxes

Vocabulary Story

Chinese Philosophy: What Would They Do?

Percent Mystery Picture

Weekly Reflection

My Packet Journal

Reference Sheet

Answer Keys

11th–12th Grade: English Level 3, Learning Packet #2 • Theme: Space, Katie Loughrist, Lauren Gatti, Alexa Yunes

ICMEE Learning Packets: Level 3 of English Proficiency (K-12)

Lesson 1 • Space: Outer space and inner space, Vocabulary

Lesson 2 • Get some space! Strengthen your body & clear your mind

Lesson 3 • Measuring distances to galaxies by Jonathan D. Davis

Lesson 4 • X= space: using algebra to study the solar system, Use PEMDAS to simplify the expressions

Lesson 5 • Lonely as a cloud: poetry inspiring art, Reflection: a focus on space

Reference Sheet

Answer Keys

11th–12th Grade: English Level 3, Learning Packet #1 • Theme: Sleep, Katie Loughrist, Lauren Gatti, Alexa Yunes

ICMEE Learning Packets: Level 3 of English Proficiency (K-12)

Lesson 1 • Accessing prior knowledge, Vocabulary preview and game, Sleep: dreams of a dream

Lesson 2 • Why sleep? by Dara S. Manoach & Robert Stickgold

Lesson 3 • X = sleep: using PEMDAS for order of operations, Move to rest: exercises for a good's night's rest

Lesson 4 • Dream big: figurative language through music

Lesson 5 • Express yourself to sleep well: dreams, desires, & the Mandala, Reflection: a focus on sleep

Reference Sheet

Answer Keys

2nd-3rd Grade: English Level 3, Learning Packet #1 • Theme: Space, Samantha Monter, Tricia Gray, Kara Mitchell Viesca, Alexa Yunes

ICMEE Learning Packets: Level 3 of English Proficiency (K-12)

These packets are self-contained. Everything a child will need to be successful with the activities is provided in the packet. Students will only need a writing utensil. Additional tools like crayons or scissors can be used, but do not have to be.

Day 1 • - Solar System Mini Book - Vocabulary Dictionary - Explore the Solar System - Math Word Problems

Day 2 • - Learn about Astronauts - If I were an astronaut writing. - Label the Astronaut - Match the Vocabulary

Day 3 • - Read about Constellations - Draw a constellation - Compare 2 planets - …

4th-5th Grade: English Level 3, Learning Packet #1 • Theme: Space, Nicole M. Ponti, Tricia Gray, Kara Mitchell Viesca, Alexa Yunes

ICMEE Learning Packets: Level 3 of English Proficiency (K-12)

These packets are self-contained. Everything a child will need to be successful with the activities is provided in the packet. Students will only need a writing utensil. Additional tools like crayons or scissors can be used, but do not have to be.

Day 1 • ELA: Read Space Expedition Sections: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Math: Moon Multiplication math facts, Science: Create Space Trading cards (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Art: Make yourself an astronaut

Day 2 • ELA: Read Space Expedition Sections: Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Math: Moon Multiplication math facts, Science: Create Space trading cards (Mars, Jupiter, Saturn)

Day 3 • ELA: Read …

2nd-3rd Grade: English Level 3, Learning Packet #3 • Theme: Taking Care Of Myself, Samantha Monter, Tricia Gray, Kara Mitchell Viesca, Alexa Yunes

ICMEE Learning Packets: Level 3 of English Proficiency (K-12)

My Plan for the Week

Choose activities from the different content areas to complete each day. You can choose one or two activities from different areas to do during the day. Below is a list of the activities in each content area.

Reading - Food Groups - What we eat - Handwashing

Writing/ Grammar - How do you take care of yourself - How To Writing - Exercise Journal - Suffix Organizer - Suffix Matching

Vocabulary - Dictionary - Vocabulary Matching - Vocabulary Sentences

Physical Education - Yoga - Create a Workout - Walk around Your Neighborhood

Math - Crack …