Digital Commons Network^™

Influence Of Induced Brumation On Health And Stress Indicators In Captive Thamnophis Elegans, Preston Papa

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Reptiles that live in temperate environments undergo prolonged periods of inactivity and reduced metabolism called brumation to survive seasonal periods of cold. Garter snakes (Thamnophis spp.) are known for congregations during seasonal brumation and are often held in captivity for research or as pets. Additionally, changing climate has influenced the brumation period of temperate reptiles including garter snakes all across North America. Understanding how natural populations may respond to changing environmental conditions such as shorter winters is important for conservation of the ecosystem. This study examined the health implications of artificially inducing brumation in garter snakes (Thamnophis …

Effects Of Cannabinoid Agonist Win 55-212-2 On Latent Inhibition, Ashley Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a modulatory system that helps regulate brain functions, including learning and memory, influencing processes such as latent inhibition (LI). LI refers to the slower association formed when a familiar event is paired with a new outcome, compared to the association of an unfamiliar event. LI is a process that is often disrupted in individuals with schizophrenia and is known as a cognitive symptom. This study aimed to determine whether the drug WIN-55-212-2 (WIN), which interacts with the ECS, influences the process of LI using a fear-conditioned response procedure. The results found no significant interaction among …

Learning About The Direct Experiences Of Very Young Children With Hearing Loss: A Feasibility Study, Jenni M. Funk

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

We aimed to explore the feasibility of employing a developmentally appropriate, modified puppet interview method to elicit thoughts and perspectives directly from very young children (ages 3 to 6 years old) who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Little is known about the direct experiences of children with hearing loss, making it difficult to improve care. In our field of speech and hearing sciences, there is no current method of gathering direct experiences of young children and placing them at the center of care. We proposed that researchers may be able to learn about the direct experiences of very young children who …

Understanding Vaccine Hesitancy In Veterinary Medicine: A Review Of Client Attitudes, Grace Moore

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Uncertainty toward vaccination, long recognized as a public health concern in human medicine, is increasingly recognized within veterinary contexts, posing risks to both animal and community health. This literature review examines the development, causes, and implications of reduced vaccine confidence in veterinary medicine, with emphasis on small animal and some large animal practices. The review combines historical and current research to explore how vaccination perceptions have evolved among veterinarians and clients, and how factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic have shaped current attitudes.

The literature highlights recurring themes surrounding vaccine reluctance in veterinary settings. Client perceptions of safety, efficacy, and …

Desert Deep: The Great Salt Lake's Evanesce And The Gravity Of Recovery, Avery Truman

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The Great Salt Lake has been shrinking since the mid-19th century for several reasons, primarily due to a higher evaporation rate caused by climate change and water diversion from the Bear, Weber, and Jordan rivers. This problem will cause mass ecosystem destruction, release toxic chemicals into the air, and strand migrating birds. As an environmental studies and geography major, I’ve spent a lot of time learning about the Great Salt Lake in my courses. I decided to write Desert Deep, a series of essays, after I took my first creative nonfiction writing class. The goal was to tell the …

A Mixed Methods Analysis On The Effect Of Active Learning On Extraneous Cognitive Load Within Undergraduate Statistics Courses, Michelle Brady Rich

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Students enrolled in college-level statistics courses often lack the foundational skills of statistical concepts which can potentially lead to increased mental load. Additionally, the curricula within undergraduate classes often focus on traditional theory with little student exploration or participation. This combination of increased mental load and passive lectures can be explored through the Cognitive Load Theory (CLT). CLT examines how new information enters the limited capacity of an individual’s working memory and how exceeding this capacity affects the ability to transfer the information to long-term memory. This research focused on the extraneous cognitive load, or the load imposed by the …

Freshwater Mussel Reintroduction And Recolonization Habitat Modeling Using Hydraulic, Sediment And Geomorphic Parameters, Megan Elizabeth Dinicola

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Freshwater mussels are an important group of aquatic animals that live within the riverbed, but their populations have been drastically reduced by habitat alteration and other anthropogenic activities. In an effort to bolster populations, river managers and biologists are using mussel reintroductions as part of their restoration efforts but there are gaps in our understanding of where to reintroduce mussels within a river to see them create self-sustaining populations. This research helps shrink this gap by better understanding the physical habitat needs and population expansion potential of subadult freshwater mussels, or the size of mussel that hatcheries grow for reintroduction, …

Impact Of Inhibiting Mitochondrial Calcium Uptake On Calcium Homeostasis And Postmortem Metabolism In Porcine Muscle, Fatema Rahaman Mishu

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

After harvesting the animal, pork muscle continues to undergo changes as it turns from muscle into meat. During this early period, the muscle uses up energy and produces acid, which lowers pH and can affect important quality traits such as color and how well the meat holds water. A key driver of these early changes is calcium, a natural mineral inside muscle cells that helps control contraction and energy use. In this study, we tested whether mitochondria (the cell’s “powerhouse”) help control calcium after harvest and, in turn, influence early postmortem changes in pork. We used a research compound (DS16570511) …

Effects Of Serum And Commercial Serum-Free Media On Development Of In Vitro Produced (Ivp) Embryos In Cattle, Kyla Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Serum-containing media has been shown to increase incidence of large offspring syndrome and to alter gene expression, protein synthesis, and cell signaling. These factors together can result in increased pregnancy loss when combined with assisted reproduction technologies. However, there are very few direct comparisons of commercial serum-free media (IVF Bioscience™) and serum-containing media on both IVF and cloned embryo development in cattle. The aim of this study was to determine the role of serum in oocyte maturation and subsequent embryo development. Three culture systems, including in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro culture (IVC), were used in this study. Both …

Effects Of Mineral Supplementation On Ovine Performance, Forage Selectivity, And Rangeland Utilization In Southern Utah, Ryan A. Spurling

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Sheep producers in the Intermountain West region of the US rely on productive rangeland ecosystems that vary widely in forage composition and nutrient availability. As such, supplementation is often necessary to offset dietary deficiencies. Soils and forages grown on rangelands are known to be highly variable in mineral content. Even so, a third to half of the producers in the Intermountain West choose not to provide a complete mineral supplement. Rangeland environments are often characterized by rugged geographical features that make optimal supplement placement difficult. New advances in technology have allowed us to measure individual animal intake on rangelands via …

Assessing Geomorphic Change From Large Wood Additions In An Intensively Monitored Watershed, Alexander Walt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Rivers across the American West are under stress. Over time, human activities have decreased riparian vegetation and removed naturally occurring large wood from fallen trees and beaver dams. Overgrazing, wetland drainage, and artificial barriers like levees and berms have further changed these ecosystems, leaving behind simple channels that lack varied habitat for aquatic species.

Efforts to restore rivers have made some progress, but many projects are small in scale and focus more on reshaping the river rather than restoring the natural processes that keep it healthy. This study evaluates a different approach—Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration (LTPBR)—which works with nature to rebuild …

Creating Sustainable School And Home Gardens: Zooming Into Nature With Digital Microscopes, Rita Hagevik, Kaitlin Campbell, Kathy Cabe Trundle, Lawrence Krissek

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides information about using digital microscopes in the garden. It discusses how they work, choosing the right digital microscope, uses in the garden, and activities. It is part of the Creating Sustainable School and Home Gardens resource sheet series from Utah State University Extension and Smart Foodscapes.

Fairhiveframes-1k: A Public Fair Dataset Of 1265 Annotated Hive Frame Images With Preliminary Yolov8 And Yolov11 Baselines, Vladimir Kulyukin, Reagan Hill, Aleksey Kulyukin

Computer Science Faculty and Staff Publications

In precision apiculture, the portable digital camera is a cost-effective sensor for capturing hive images or videos used to quantify different colony variables. Openly accessible, well-annotated, interoperable cell-level image datasets are still the exception rather than the norm. This shortage constitutes a major barrier to AI-driven approaches aimed at automating image-based comb analysis. In this article, we present FAIRHiveFrames-1K, a publicly available dataset of 1265 annotated hive frame images (1920 × 1080 PNG) designed to facilitate research in AI-intensive image-based comb analysis automation. The dataset, derived from a 2013–2022 U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service multi-sensor research reservoir, includes 124,669 …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda April 13, 2026, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - March 16, 2026
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:35 Reports
• Strategic Enrollment Management Annual Report
• Student Success Annual Report
• Committee on Committees Annual Report
• Calendar Committee Annual Report
• 4:00 Information
• EPC Report - April 2, 2026
• 4:15 Additional Business
• President-Elect
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Feeding Strategies And Milking Behavior In Robotic Milking Systems, Katherine M. Kennedy, Elizabeth French, Porter D. Ricks, Emma K. Lundgreen

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Adoption of automatic milking systems (AMS) in the US are expected to increase rapidly in the coming years driven primarily by a desire to improve labor efficiency and flexibility and decrease reliance on hired labor. As such, feeding and milking strategies to best optimize milk production and economic gains tailored to US dairy production systems are needed. Initially introduced as a method to encourage the cow to visit the AMS more frequently, offered feeds through the AMS provide an opportunity to individualize nutrient needs. Often, a pelleted concentrate is offered through the AMS due to its uniformity and customizable nature. …

Detection Of Lupine Alkaloids In Earwax Of Sheep, Clinton A. Stonecipher, Stephen T. Lee, Benedict T. Green, Daniel Cook

Poisonous Plant Research (PPR)

Lupines (Lupinus spp.) are a common plant species located on western U.S. rangelands. Most livestock death losses due to lupine toxicosis occur in sheep. Cattle are often affected due to the teratogenic nature of lupines in which crooked calf syndrome can occur. Earwax has been used to detect lupine alkaloids in cattle, but it is unknown if the alkaloids in lupine can be detected in the earwax of sheep. The objective of this study was to evaluate earwax as a noninvasive specimen to determine sheep exposure to lupine. Fifteen sheep (45 ± 3.8 kg body weight) were group housed …

25 Rules Of Thumb For Field Crops, Matt Yost, Niel Allen, Grant Cardon, Earl Creech, Ryan Larsen, Rhonda Miller, Mark Nelson, Claudia Nischwitz, Matthew Palmer, Steven Price, Ricardo Ramirez, Corey Ransom, Benjamin Scow, Randall Violett

All Current Publications

This article is not a comprehensive list of the practices farmers need to be successful in their operations, but it represents an attempt to capture 25 common tips or “rules” from a wide range of Extension experts throughout Utah, from seedbed preparation, to harvesting guidelines.

Sorghum-Sudangrass Production Guide, Dakota Boren, Matt Yost, Luree Johnson, Tina Sullivan, Earl Creech, Grant Cardon, Corey Ransom, Randall Violett, Cheyenne Reid, Cody Zesiger, Kalen Taylor, Jacob Hadfield, Michael Pace, Jody Gale

All Current Publications

Sudex is a warm-season forage crop that performs well in Utah’s dry climate due to its drought tolerance. It can be especially useful during drought years or when irrigation supplies are limited. As well as being a high-quality feed, Sudex has many benefits, including weed suppression and soil-building properties. Although there are concerns for prussic acid and nitrate poisoning, these concerns can be reduced and often eliminated with proper management. This fact sheet provides information to producers about using Sudex and best production practices. Much of the information may also apply to forage sorghum and a few of the major …

Small Grain Forage Production Guide, Matt Yost, Megan Baker, Earl Creech, Justin Wyatt Clawson, Michael Pace, Kalen Taylor, Cory Farnsworth, Jacob Hadfield, Corey Ransom, Steven Price, Claudia Nischwitz, Clara Anderson

All Current Publications

Small grain forages can be used for pasture, hay, and silage and have become more common in cropping systems in Utah and the western United States. The most common small grain species used for forage production are barley, oat, rye, triticale, and wheat. Although there has been an increase in the use of small grains for forage production in the western U.S., little published information is available on best management practices for small grain forage production. This guide will discuss the key production practices for small grains used for forage.

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda April 2, 2026, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes - March 5, 2026
• R401 - Program Proposals 
• Semester Course Approval Reviews
• Other Business
• Adjourn: 3:00 pm

Educational Policies Committee Agenda April 2, 2026, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Approval of Minutes - March 5, 2026

Subcommittee Reports

• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee
• Center for Civic Excellence

Other Business 

Adjourn: 4:00 pm

Screening Biostimulants To Enhance Early Growth Of Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.) Under Water-Limited Conditions, Claudia Garrido-Ruiz, James Frisby, Amita Kaundal, Youping Sun, Milena Maria Tomaz De Oliveira

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

Biostimulants offer a sustainable strategy to improve plant growth and stress resilience, particularly under limited water availability. We evaluated seven biostimulant treatments, including beneficial bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, seaweed extract with humic acid, and their combinations, on early growth and physiological responses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under well–watered and drought-stressed conditions. Plants were assessed before and after a seven-day controlled drought period using a range of morphological and physiological traits, including height, effective quantum yield of PSII (Φ_PSII), stomatal conductance (g_s), and leaf pigment profile. Results showed that microbial treatments that included Bacteria + …

Organic Management Of Pillbugs And Sowbugs In Strawberries And Other Fruits, Briger Carey, Marion Murray, Emilie Demard, Jennifer R. Reeve

All Current Publications

Pillbugs and sowbugs are collectively known as isopods that typically feed on soil organic matter, but under certain conditions, they can be a pest of many young plants and berries. This fact sheet reviews identification, life cycle, damage, and organic management strategies for pillbugs and sowbugs.

Faculty Senate Agenda March 30, 2026, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes March 2, 2026
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:35 Report
• Budget and Faculty Welfare
• Faculty Development and Educational Leadership
• Sustainability Council
• 3:55 Information
• EPC Report - March 5, 2026
• Employee Benefits
• Task Force Report
• 4:20 Additional Business
• 2026-2027 Faculty Senate Calendar
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Nutrient Inputs, Crop Removal, And Residual Soil Nitrogen Under Automated Surge Irrigation In Northen Utah, Ngoni Mufute

Spring Runoff Conference

Introduction

• Increasing pressure on already water scarce resources due to

• Climate Change and or variability

• Increasing demand and competition for water. E.g. due to -urban expansion

• Environmental concerns (Especially concerning the Great Salt Lake (GSL)-

• the shrinking of water levels in the GSL,

• increasing pollution levels in the GSL and

• the impact of these issues on industry,

• dust from the drying lakebed,

• increasing threat to both aquatic life and land animals

Microplastics As Physical Hubs Amplifying Antiobiotic Resistance Under Mixed-Contaminant Selection In Wastewater Systems, Liyuan Hou

Spring Runoff Conference

Microplastics (MPs) are tiny plastic particles within the range of (0.1 mm to 5 mm) in size

Integrating Hydrology And Human Water Footprints: A Case Study Of The Great Salt Lake Watershed, Rocky Lynne Seeley

Spring Runoff Conference

A new model, comprehensively integrating hydrologic, water footprint, and virtual water data

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Minutes March 16, 2026, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes
• University Business
• Faculty Senate Business
• Reports
• Budget and Faculty Welfare
• Faculty Development and Educational Leadership
• Sustainability Council
• Information
• EPC Report
• Center for Civic Excellence
• Employee Benefits
• Task Force Report
• Additional Business
• 2026-2027 Faculty Senate Calendar
• Adjourn: 4:41 PM

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda March 16, 2026, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes February 17, 2026
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:35 Reports
• Budget and Faculty Welfare
• Faculty Development and Educational Leadership
• Sustainability Council
• 3:55 Information
• EPC Report - March 5, 2026
• Employee Benefits
• Task Force Report
• 4:15 Additional Business
• 2026-2027 Faculty Senate Calendar
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Seeds Of Change - Building Community And Resilience With Plant Guilds, Roslynn Mccann, Liliane Dionne, Kevin White

All Current Publications

The goals of this Grade 6 living systems/biodiversity curriculum are to highlight Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) contributions to science, technology, and sustainable agriculture, with a focus on relational worldviews, permaculture practices, and respect for Mother Earth. Students will conduct plant experiments, learn Indigenous stories, make corn husk dolls, create a recipe, and enjoy eating their soup creation.