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Molecular Gut-Content Analysis Reveals High Frequency Of Helicoverpa Zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Consumption By Orius Insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) In Sweet Corn, Julie A. Peterson, E. C. Burkness, James D. Harwood, W. D. Hutchison

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Management of corn earworm Helicoverpa zea in sweet corn grown for processing can be challenging due to the lack of effective transgenic and chemical control options. However, biological control by generalist predators can provide a significant impact on pests in this cropping system. One of the most ubiquitous predators of H. zea and other lepidopterans is the insidious flower bug, Orius insidiosus. This small hemipteran has been observed as an important mortality agent of H. zea in several cropping systems, but the strength of the trophic connection between these species has not been documented in sweet corn. Molecular gut-content …

Genome-Wide Analysis Of Grain Yield Stability And Environmental Interactions In A Multiparental Soybean Population, Alencar Xavier, Diego Jarquin, Reka Howard, Vishnu Ramasubramanian, James E. Specht, George L. Graef, William D. Beavis, Brian W. Diers, Qijian Song, Perry B. Cregan, Randall L. Nelson, Rouf Mian, J. Grover Shannon, Leah K. Mchale, Dechun Wang, William Schapaugh, Aaron J. Lorenz, Shizhong Xu, William M. Muir, Katy M. Rainey

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Genetic improvement toward optimized and stable agronomic performance of soybean genotypes is desirable for food security. Understanding how genotypes perform in different environmental conditions helps breeders develop sustainable cultivars adapted to target regions. Complex traits of importance are known to be controlled by a large number of genomic regions with small effects whose magnitude and direction are modulated by environmental factors. Knowledge of the constraints and undesirable effects resulting from genotype by environmental interactions is a key objective in improving selection procedures in soybean breeding programs. In this study, the genetic basis of soybean grain yield responsiveness to environmental factors …

Global Anthropogenic Phosphorus Loads To Freshwater And Associated Grey Water Footprints And Water Pollution Levels: A High-Resolution Global Study, Mesfin Mekonnen, Arjen Y. Hoekstra

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

We estimate the global anthropogenic phosphorus (P) loads to freshwater and the associated grey water footprints (GWFs) for the period 2002–2010, at a spatial resolution of 5 3 5 arc min, and com- pare the GWF per river basin to runoff to assess the P-related water pollution level (WPL). The global anthro- pogenic P load to freshwater systems from both diffuse and point sources is estimated at 1.5 Tg/yr. More than half of this total load was in Asia, followed by Europe (19%) and Latin America and the Caribbean (13%). The domestic sector contributed 54% to the total, agriculture 38%, …

Evaluation Of Acoustic Telemetry Grids For Determining Aquatic Animal Movement And Survival, Richard T. Kraus, Christopher M. Holbrook, Christopher S. Vandergoot, Taylor R, Stewart, Matthew D. Faust, Douglas A. Watkinson, Colin Charles, Mark A. Pegg, Eva C. Enders, Charles C. Krueger

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

1. Acoustic telemetry studies have frequently prioritized linear configurations of hydrophone receivers, such as perpendicular from shorelines or across rivers, to detect the presence of tagged aquatic animals. This approach introduces unknown bias when receivers are stationed for convenience at geographic bottlenecks (e.g. at the mouth of an embayment or between islands) as opposed to deployments following a statistical sampling design.

2. We evaluated two-dimensional acoustic receiver arrays (grids: receivers spread uniformly across space) as an alternative approach to provide estimates of survival, movement and habitat use. Performance of variably spaced receiver grids (5–25 km spacing) was evaluated by simulating …

2018 Platte River Basin Ecosystem Symposium Proceedings

Water Current Newsletter

CONTENTS

SESSION 1: WATERBIRD HABITAT . 3-9

SANDHILL CRANE ROOSTING HABITAT AND RIVER FLOWS, D.M. Baasch, P.D. Farrell*, A.J. Caven, K.C. King, J.M. Farnsworth, and C.B. Smith 3

HABITAT USE OF SANDHILL CRANES AND WATERFOWL ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH PLATTE RIVERS IN NEBRASKA, D.M. Varner*, A.T. Pearse, A.A. Bishop, J.I. Davis, J.C. Denton, R.C. Grosse, H.M. Johnson, E.J. Munter, K.D. Schroeder, R.E. Spangler, M.P. Vrtiska, and A.E. Wright 3

TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL SHIFTS: THE EFFECTS OF WINTER TEMPERATURES AND HABITAT CHANGE ON SANDHILL CRANE ROOSTING DISTRIBUTIONS IN THE CENTRAL PLATTE RIVER VALLEY, A.J. Caven*, E.M. Brinley Buckley, K.C. King, …

Feeding Immunity: Physiological And Behavioral Responses To Infection And Resource Limitation, Sarah A. Budischak, Christina B. Hansen, Quentin Caudron, Romain Garnier, Tyler R. Kartzinel, István Pelczer, Clayton E. Cressler, Anieke Van Leeuwen, Andrea L. Graham

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Resources are a core currency of species interactions and ecology in general (e.g., think of food webs or competition). Within parasite-infected hosts, resources are divided among the competing demands of host immunity and growth as well as parasite reproduction and growth. Effects of resources on immune responses are increasingly understood at the cellular level (e.g., metabolic predictors of effector function), but there has been limited consideration of how these effects scale up to affect individual energetic regimes (e.g., allocation trade-offs), susceptibility to infection, and feeding behavior (e.g., responses to local resource quality and quantity). We experimentally rewilded laboratory mice (strain …

Antral Follicular Count Is A Tool That May Allow The Selection Of More Precocious Bradford Heifers At Weaning, R. Santa Cruz, R. A. Cushman, C. Viñoles

Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center: Reports

Although antral follicle count is a repeatable parameter across life that is positively associated with fertility, its use at weaning as a tool to discard less fertile heifers has not been extensively evaluated. The hypotheses of this work are: 1) maximum antral follicle count (MAFC) is repeatable between weaning and pre breeding evaluations, allowing selection of more fertile heifers at an early age, 2) heifers with high MAFC have growth and development parameters linked to an earlier puberty and pregnancy, 3) MAFC has a positive correlation with AMH concentrations, so that both could be used inter changeably. In this study, …

Evaluation Of Bacillus Strains For Plant Growth Promotion And Predictability Of Efficacy By In Vitro Physiological Traits, Rufus J. Akinrinlola, Gary Y. Yuen, Rhae A. Drijber, Anthony O. Adesemoye

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Bacilli are commonly used as plant growth-promoting agents but can be limited in effectiveness to certain crop and soil environments. The objectives of this study were to (1) identify Bacillus strains that can be consistent in promoting the growth of corn, wheat, and soybean and (2) determine whether physiological traits expressed in vitro can be predictive of growth promotion efficacy/consistency and be used for selecting effective strains. Twelve Bacillus strains isolated from wheat rhizospheres were evaluated in greenhouse pot tests with nonsterile soil for their effects on the growth of corn, soybean, and wheat. The strains also were assessed in …

Octapartite Negative-Sense Rna Genome Of High Plains Wheat Mosaic Virus Encodes Two Suppressors Of Rna Silencing, Adarsh K. Gupta, Gary L. Hein, Robert A. Graybosch, Satyanarayana Tatineni

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

High Plains wheat mosaic virus (HPWMoV, genus Emaravirus; family Fimoviridae), transmitted by the wheat curl mite (Aceria tosichella Keifer), harbors a monocistronic octapartite single-stranded negative-sense RNA genome. In this study, putative proteins encoded by HPWMoV genomic RNAs 2–8 were screened for potential RNA silencing suppression activity by using a green fluorescent protein-based reporter agroinfiltration assay. We found that proteins encoded by RNAs 7 (P7) and 8 (P8) suppressed silencing induced by single- or doublestranded RNAs and efficiently suppressed the transitive pathway of RNA silencing. Additionally, a Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV, genus Tritimovirus; family Potyviridae …

Riverbank Filtration Impacts On Post Disinfection Water Quality In Small Systems—A Case Study From Auburn And Nebraska City, Nebraska, Matteo D'Alessio, Bruce Dvorak, Chittaranjan Ray

Nebraska Water Center: Faculty Publications

Small water systems can experience a fluctuating quality of water in the distribution system after disinfection. As chlorine is the most common disinfectant for small systems, the occurrence of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) represents a common problem for these systems. Riverbank filtration (RBF) can be a valuable solution for small communities located on riverbanks. The objectives of this study were to evaluate (i) the improvements in water quality at two selected RBF systems, and (ii) the potential lower concentrations of DBPs, in particular, trihalomethanes (THMs), in small systems that use RBF. Two small communities in Nebraska, Auburn and Nebraska City, using …

Rural Sense: Value, Heritage, And Sensory Landscapes: Developing A Design-Oriented Approach To Mapping For Healthier Landscapes, Judith Van Der Elst, Heather Richards-Rissetto, Lily Díaz-Kommonen

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

Landscape design needs a novel value system centred on human experience of the landscape rather than simply on economic value. Design-oriented research allows us to shift the focus from mechanistic paradigms towards new sense-making approaches that value both the sensual and the cognitive in human experience. To move in this direction, we investigate cultural and natural aspects of sensory experience in rural landscapes, arguing that: (1) rural (non-urban) regions offer diverse sensory experiences for optimising human health; and (2) spatial interconnectedness between rural and urban areas means that healthy rural regions are critical for urban development. Our key argument is …

Hybrid Speciation In Birds, With Special Reference To Darwin's Finches, G. E. Hill, R. M. Zink

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Understanding Deer, Bear, And Forest Trends In The North Georgia Mountains: The Value Of Long-Term Data, Andrew R. Little, Gino J. D'Angelo, Charlie H. Killmaster, Kristina L. Johannsen, Karl V. Miller

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Most state wildlife agencies collect harvest data to inform management decisions. However, these data are typically considered across relatively short time periods and are rarely revisited. We present a case study using historical records to investigate potential agents (i.e., harvest, predation, and forest change) influencing the declining white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population in the north Georgia mountains. We used long-term black bear (Ursus americanus) and deer harvest data, and indices of forest stand conditions from 1979–2015 on eight Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the north Georgia mountains. During 1979–2015, harvest of male and female deer declined by 85% and 97%, …

Effects Of Patch Size And Basal Area On Avian Taxonomic And Functional Diversity In Pine Forests: Implication For The Influence Of Habitat Quality On The Species–Area Relationship, Myung-Bok Lee, John P. Carroll

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Relationships between avian diversity and habitat area are assumed to be positive; however, often little attention has given to how these relationships can be influenced by the habitat structure or quality. In addition, other components of biodiversity, such as functional diversity, are often overlooked in assessing habitat patch value. In the Sandhills Ecoregion of Georgia, USA, we investigated the relationship between avian species richness and functional diversity, forest basal area, and patch size in pine forests using basal area as a surrogate for overstory structure which in turn impacts vegetation structure and determines habitat quality within a patch. We conducted …

Juvenile Rockfish Show Resilience To Co2-Acidification And Hypoxia Across Multiple Biological Scales, Brittany E. Davis, Lisa M. Komoroske, Matthew J. Hansen, Jamilynn B. Poletto, Emily N. Perry, Nathan A. Miller, Sean M. Ehlman, Sarah G. Wheeler, Andrew Sih, Anne E. Todgham, Nann A. Fangue

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

California’s coastal ecosystems are forecasted to undergo shifting ocean conditions due to climate change, some of which may negatively impact recreational and commercial fish populations. To understand if fish populations have the capacity to respond to multiple stressors, it is critical to examine interactive effects across multiple biological scales, from cellular metabolism to species interactions. This study examined the effects of CO₂-acidification and hypoxia on two naturally cooccurring species, juvenile rockfish (genus Sebastes) and a known predator, cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus). Fishes were exposed to two PCO₂ levels at two dissolved oxygen (DO) levels: ~600 …

Kori Bustards (Ardeotis Kori) Respond To Vegetation Density And Elevation In The Northern Tuli Game Reserve, Botswana L'Abondance De L'Outarde Kori (Ardeotis Kori) Varie Selon La Végétation Et L'Élévation Dans La Réserve De Chasse De Northern Tuli, Botswana, Kathryn R. Mccollum, Larkin A. Powell, Andrei Shyman, Mary Bomberger Brown, John P. Carroll

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Conservation planning and decision making for species of concern requires precise information on abundance and habitat associations. We conducted transect surveys throughout the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, Botswana during June–July 2014 and May– July 2015 to estimate the occupancy and abundance of Kori Bustards (Ardeotis kori). The probability of occupancy of Kori Bustards was greater in areas with tree canopy cover ≤ 50% (ψ2014 = 0.37, SE ± 0.09; ψ2015 = 0.39, SE ± 0.06) when compared with areas with tree canopy cover > 50% (ψ2014 = 0.00, SE ± 0.00; ψ2015 = 0.00, SE ± 0.00). Densities of Kori Bustards …

Population Genomic Analysis Of North American Eastern Wolves (Canis Lycaon) Supports Their Conservation Priority Status, Elizabeth Heppenheimer, Ryan J. Harrigan, Linda Y. Rutledge, Klaus-Peter Koepfli, Alexandra L. Decandia, Kristin E. Brzeski, John F. Benson, Tyler Wheeldon, Brent R. Patterson, Roland Kays, Paul A. Hohenlohe, Bridgett M. Von Holdt

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The threatened eastern wolf is found predominantly in protected areas of central Ontario and has an evolutionary history obscured by interbreeding with coyotes and gray wolves, which challenges its conservation status and subsequent management. Here, we used a population genomics approach to uncover spatial patterns of variation in 281 canids in central Ontario and the Great Lakes region. This represents the first genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) dataset with substantial sample sizes of representative populations. Although they comprise their own genetic cluster, we found evidence of eastern wolf dispersal outside of the boundaries of protected areas, in that the frequency …

Exploring The Role Of Relational Practices In Water Governance Using A Game-Based Approach, Piotr Magnuszewski, Karolina Krolikowska, Anna Koch, Michal Pajak, Craig R. Allen, Victoria Chraibi, Anil Giri, Danielle Haak, Noelle Hart, Michelle Hellman, Donald Pan, Nathan Rossman, Jan Sendzimir, Maggi S. Sliwinski, Joanna Stefanska, Tharsi Taillieu, Denise Marie Weide, Ilonka Zlatar

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The growing complexity and interdependence of water management processes requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders in water governance. Multi-party collaboration is increasingly vital at both the strategy development and implementation levels. Multi-party collaboration involves a process of joint decision-making among key stakeholders in a problem domain directed towards the future of that domain. However, the common goal is not present from the beginning; rather, the common goal emerges during the process of collaboration. Unfortunately, when the conflicting interests of different actors are at stake, the large majority of environmental multi-party efforts often do not reliably deliver sustainable improvements to policy …

Road Induced Edge Effects On A Forest Bird Community In Tropical Asia, Daphawan Khamcha, Richard T. Corlett, Larkin A. Powell, Tommaso Savini, Antony J. Lynam, George A. Gale

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Background: Edge effects cause changes in bird community richness, abundance, and/or distribution within a landscape, but the avian guilds most influenced can vary among regions. Although Southeast Asia has the highest rates of deforestation and projected species loss, and is currently undergoing an explosive growth in road infrastructure, there have been few studies of the effects of forest edges on avian communities in this region.

Methods: We examined avian community structure in a dry evergreen forest in northeastern Thailand adjacent to a five-lane highway. We evaluated the richness and abundance of birds in 11 guilds at 24 survey points on …

Extreme Group Sizes In A Colonial Bird Favored During A Rare Climatic Event, Charles R. Brown, Mary B. Brown

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

What maintains stasis in animal group-size distributions is an unresolved problem in behavioral ecology. One potential driver could be rare climatic events that favor certain group sizes in ways that do not occur in normal conditions. We investigated mortality among colonially nesting cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) during a rare climatic event in western Nebraska in 1996 that led to the starvation of thousands of adult birds. Colonies at the extreme end of the size distribution exhibited less size reduction (higher adult survival) than those of intermediate size. That this event resulted in disruptive selection on colony size was …

Enhancing Quantitative Approaches For Assessing Community Resilience, W. C. Chuang, A. Garmestani, T. N. Eason, T. L. Spanbauer, H. B. Fried-Peterson, C. P. Roberts, S. M. Sundstrom, J. L. Burnett, D. G. Angeler, B. C. Chaffin, L. Gunderson, D. Twidwell, C. R. Allen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Scholars from many different intellectual disciplines have attempted to measure, estimate, or quantify resilience. However, there is growing concern that lack of clarity on the operationalization of the concept will limit its application. In this paper, we discuss the theory, research development and quantitative approaches in ecological and community resilience. Upon noting the lack of methods that quantify the complexities of the linked human and natural aspects of community resilience, we identify several promising approaches within the ecological resilience tradition that may be useful in filling these gaps. Further, we discuss the challenges for consolidating these approaches into a more …

River Otter Distribution In Nebraska, Nathan R. Bieber, Samuel P. Wilson, Craig R. Allen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The river otter (Lontra canadensis) was extirpated from Nebraska, USA, in the early 1900s and reintroduced starting in 1986. Information is needed regarding the distribution of river otters in Nebraska before decisions can be made regarding its conservation status. Understanding distribution of a species is critically important for effective management. We investigated river otter distribution in Nebraska with occupancy modeling and maximum entropy (Maxent) modeling using 190 otter sign observations on Nebraska’s navigable rivers and 380 historical otter records from November 1977 to April 2014. Both methods identified the Platte River, Elkhorn River, central and eastern Niobrara River, …

The Distribution And Role Of Functional Abundance In Cross‐Scale Resilience, Shana M. Sundstrom, David G. Angeler, Chris Barichievy, Tarsha Eason, Ahjond Garmestani, Lance Gunderson, Melinda Knutson, Kirsty L. Nash, Trisha Spanbauer, Craig Stow, Craig R. Allen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The cross-scale resilience model suggests that system-level ecological resilience emerges from the distribution of species’ functions within and across the spatial and temporal scales of a system. It has provided a quantitative method for calculating the resilience of a given system and so has been a valuable contribution to a largely qualitative field. As it is currently laid out, the model accounts for the spatial and temporal scales at which environmental resources and species are present and the functional roles species play but does not inform us about how much resource is present or how much function is provided. In …

Ranchers: Perceptions Of Vegetation Heterogeneity In The Northern Great Plains, Maggi Sliwinski, Mark Burbach, Larkin A. Powell, Walter Schacht

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

African Lion (Panthera Leo) Space Use In The Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area, Andrei Snyman, Edward Raynor, Chris Chizinski, Larkin Powell, John Carroll

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

First U-Pb Zircon Ages For Late Miocene Ashfall Konservat-Lagerstatte And Grove Lake Ashes From Eastern Great Plains, Usa, Jon J. Smith, Elijah Turner, Andreas Moller, R.M. Joeckel, Rick E. Otto

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Coated Spiral Coils For Loss Reduction In Wireless Power Transfer Systems, Kamran Keramatnejad, Dawei Li, Hossein Rabiee Golgir, Loic Constantin, Xi Huang, Qiming Zou, Jean-Francois Silvain, Stephen Ducharme, Yongfeng Lu

Stephen Ducharme Publications

Realization of high efficiency and long transmission range in high-frequency wireless power transfer (WPT) systems has always been hindered by the increased resistance due to the eddy current loss occurring in the inductive coils. In this study, multi-walled carbon nanotube-coated copper (MWCNT-Cu) coils are successfully introduced to address this limitation by implementing the frequency-inert MWCNT channels along with using their high-surface areas to realize the electromagnetic shielding of the Cu substrate through multiple reflection mechanisms. At a frequency of 15 MHz, the resistance of the individual MWCNT-Cu coil was reduced to less than 40% of its original value for primitive …

Nebraska Invasive Plants Field Guide, Nebraska Invasive Species Program

Nebraska Invasive Species Program

Invasive species are plants, animals or pathogens that are non-native to an ecosystem. They cause harm to the economy, environment or human health. They negatively affect native species and ecosystems and interfere with outdoor recreation opportunities. This guide identifies federal and state-listed noxious weeds. Federal noxious weeds are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture; State noxious weeds are regulated by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Protection, Noxious Weed Program. Aquatic invasive species are listed and regulated by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

ABSINTH WORMWOOD • AMUR HONEYSUCKLE • AUTUMN OLIVE • BRITTLE NAIAD • CALLERY …

Center For Grassland Studies, Volume 24, Issue 4, Winter 2018

Center for Grassland Studies: Newsletters

Nebraska’s Prairie Heritage is an IANR Priority

Director's Comments

Alumni Spotlight: Kristin (Nollette) Schlueter

PGA Golf Management Students Compete in 2018 Jones Cup

Ron Hanson Receives Silver Eagle Award

Leu Lecturer: Dr. Chuck West

PGA Elects Female President

Crop Residue Exchange Connects Cattle Producer with Available Forage

Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition Hosts Jason Rowntree

Internship Experiences Highlighted

GLS Alumnus Shares Ranch Management Practices

Science Literacy: Using Research-Based Facts To Make Real-World Decisions, Shelby Cammack, Michael J. Boehm, Kathleen Lodl, Mark Balschweid, Mary Garbacz, Tiffany Heng-Moss, Katherine Mundorf, Charles Hibberd, Tala Awada, Emily Frenzen, Dirac L. Twidwell Jr., Riley Nichols, Nicholas Brozovic, Lindsay J. Hastings, Alexandria Lundvall, Brad Barker, Jamie Loizzo, Tiffany Messer, Scott Schrage, Abby Steffen, Ashu Guru, Jenny Keshwani, Jeyam Subbiah, Matt Kreifels, Jenny Dauer, Andrea Wach Tenney, Deepak Keshwani, Joesph Dauer, Sydney Everhart, Julie Obermeyer

Strategic Discussions for Nebraska

Science Literacy: Using Research-Based Facts to Make Real-World Decisions

As the next generation of leaders is entering the educational pipeline, it’s important to have an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to solve the grand challenge of feeding 9 billion people by 2050.