Digital Commons Network^™

Transcriptional Reprogramming Of Gene Expression In Bovine Somatic Cell Chromatin Transfer Embryos, N. Rodriguez-Osorio, Zhongde Wang, G. P. Page, J. M. Robl, E. Memili

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Background Successful reprogramming of a somatic genome to produce a healthy clone by somatic cells nuclear transfer (SCNT) is a rare event and the mechanisms involved in this process are poorly defined. When serial or successive rounds of cloning are performed, blastocyst and full term development rates decline even further with the increasing rounds of cloning. Identifying the "cumulative errors" could reveal the epigenetic reprogramming blocks in animal cloning. Results Bovine clones from up to four generations of successive cloning were produced by chromatin transfer (CT). Using Affymetrix bovine microarrays we determined that the transcriptomes of blastocysts derived from the …

Showing Utah 4-H Dressage, Rebecca Lewis, Patricia Evans

All Current Publications

This publication gives information on Dressage which teaches understanding between horse and rider. Dressage develops the horse's physical and mental condition.

Showing The 4-H Hunter, Rebecca Lewis, Patricia Evans

All Current Publications

This publication gives important information to consider when preparing to compete in a 4-H Hunter competition.

Agrosecurity - Protecting America's Food Supply, An Introduction To Agrosecurity Challenges, C Kim Chapman, Kerry A. Rood

All Current Publications

This fact sheet intends to introduce the topic of agrosecurity.

Encyclopedic History Of Utah State University, Robert Parson

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

From "A-day" to "Women's Athletics", this encyclopedic history of Utah State University by USU University Archivist Robert Parson covers people, buildings, programs, events, organizations, songs, school colors, traditions, and more.

Commentary Human-Wildlife Conflicts: Emerging Challenges And Opportunities, Terry A. Messmer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wildlife management has been defined as the art and science of applying scientific knowledge and ecological principles to manage wildlife populations for human objectives. Historically, wildlife managers have sought to maintain or increase desirable wildlife species (e.g., game fi sh, birds, and mammals) to meet human food and recreational needs by directly manipulating their habitats or the populations themselves. However, many contemporary rural and urban environments are inhabited by much larger populations of wildlife than were present a century ago. As local wildlife populations increase, so can the damage caused by them. Additionally, because many rare species inhabit private lands, …

The Eradication Of Invasive Mammal Species: Can Adaptive Resource Management Fill The Gaps In Our Knowledge?, Sugoto Roy, Graham C. Smith, James C. Russell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Invasive alien species (IAS) threaten global biodiversity; they are the major cause of species extinction on offshore islands. Management of IAS requires data on the ecology of species in their new environment, how these species respond to management, and how these processes interact. Often, however, there is a paucity of information on key biological parameters that are critical to making management decisions. We sent a questionnaire to professionals and organizations managing invasive species and asked the respondents to prioritize a list of information they required to carry out eradication of invasive species. We analysed responses to assess the level of …

House Cats As Predators In The Australian Environment: Impacts And Management, Christopher R. Dickman

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This paper provides an overview of the predatory activities of the house cat (Felis catus) in Australia, focusing principally on the interactions of domestic and stray cats with native species of prey. Like their free-living, or feral, counterparts, domestic cats take a broad range of prey, with small mammals, birds, and human-derived foods forming the bulk of the diet. Domestic and stray cats have contributed to declines of suburban populations of eastern barred bandicoots (Perameles gunnii) and superb lyrebirds (Menura novaehollandiae) in Victoria, Australia. The effects of cats on prey communities remain speculative. In …

External Characteristics Of Houses Prone To Woodpecker Damage, Emily G. Harding, Sandra L. Vehrencamp, Paul D. Curtis

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Woodpecker (Picidae spp.) damage to houses and buildings is a widespread and locally severe problem, yet the probability and type of damage has never been quantified and related to home characteristics. Woodpeckers excavate holes in homes for a several reasons, mainly for building nest and roost cavities, drumming, and foraging for insects. We examined the external characteristics of houses that were contributing factors in attracting woodpeckers to bore holes in house siding and trim. From March 2001 through April 2002, we surveyed 1,185 houses in the town of Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York. Of the houses visited, 33% had …

Deterring Cliff-Swallow Nesting On Highway Structures Using Bioacoustics And Surface Modifications, Jaclyn S. Conklin, Michael J. Delwiche, W. Paul Gorenzel, Robert W. Coates

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) are migratory birds that breed in colonies and frequently nest on highway structures. Protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, swallows in their active nests cannot be harmed by nesting-control methods. This causes problems and delays in maintenance of structures by divisions of many departments of transportation. We evaluated 2 aversion strategies, bioacoustic deterrents and surface modifications, for their effect on cliff swallow nesting behavior. The bioacoustic deterrents consisted of sonic devices that broadcast 8 unique recordings of alarm and distress calls of cliff swallows. We made surface modifications, mounting high-density polyethylene …

Forensic Bird-Strike Identification Techniques Used In An Accident Investigation At Wiley Post Airport, Oklahoma, 2008, Carla J. Dove, Nor Faridah Dahlan, Marcy Heacker

Human–Wildlife Interactions

On March 4, 2008, a Cessna Citation 1 (Model 500) crashed in a wooded area near Wiley Post Airport, Oklahoma, killing all 5 people on board. This paper describes the detailed forensic methods and expertise used by the Smithsonian Institution’s Feather Identification Lab to identify the bird that caused this bird-strike incident. We used standard methods of whole-feather analysis, microscopic examination, and DNA barcoding in this case to identify American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) as the bird species involved in this fatal crash. We also report the importance of proper field investigation and evidence collection for accurate results, …

Role Of Near-Miss Bird Strikes In Assessing Hazards, Matt W. Klope, Robert C. Beason, Timothy J. Nohara, Michael J. Beiger

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Management of problem wildlife within the airfield environment is a difficult job. Today’s Bird–Animal Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) program managers require as much information as possible to accomplish their tasks. Bird censuses and actual bird-strike events in and around the air operations area are used to make airfield management decisions and to assess the risk of bird hazards to aircraft. Both types of information are sampled rather sparsely. Avian radar is now being used as a new tool to provide continuous sampling of bird activity that significantly supplements visual censuses. The measure of risk used today is commonly expressed as …

Personal And Corporate Liability In The Aftermath Of Bird Strikes: A Costly Consideration, Larry A. Dale

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This paper details liability issues inherent in bird–aircraft collisions (bird-strike) incidents at airports and discusses how airport managers and operators must strive to conduct accurate assessments and develop and implement an effective wildlife management plan. Such efforts are mandated by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, and failure to follow them may result in loss of human life and property, as well as large financial penalties for managers and operators and adverse media attention and public criticism for the airport authority.

Using Wedelia As Ground Cover On Tropical Airports To Reduce Bird Activity, Michael A. Linnell, Michael R. Conover, Tim J. Ohashi

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Bird–aircraft collisions (i.e., bird strikes) are a major problem at airports worldwide, often because birds are attracted to airfields to feed on seeds, insects, or rodents that abound in the grassy areas near runways and taxiways. We compared an alternative ground cover, wedelia (Wedelia trilobata), to existing vegetation (control plots) on the airfield at Lihue Airport, Kauai, Hawaii, to determine if bird populations on the airport could be reduced by eliminating their forage base. We studied wedalia because it is a low-growing plant that did not need mowing, was easily established in plots, and out-competed other plants, resulting …

Survival And Productivity Of A Low-Density Black Bear Population In Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, Roger A. Baldwin, Louis C. Bender

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Historically, Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) has supported a small black bear (Ursus americanus) population of low productivity. Increased visitor use of the park and development around its periphery could lead to a reduction in population viability of RMNP’s bear population or could increase the potential for human–bear conflict. Therefore, we investigated contemporary survival and productivity parameters for RMNP’s black bear population from 2003 to 2006 and compared these values to historic levels (1984–1991) and population means throughout the western United States to clarify the current status of RMNP’s bear population. The contemporary black bear population showed signs …

Coexisting With Cougars: Public Perceptions, Attitudes, And Awareness Of Cougars On The Urban-Rural Fringe Of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Clarisse Thornton, Michael S. Quinn

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Interactions between humans and cougars (Puma concolor) have been steadily increasing over the past 20 years largely due to human encroachment into cougar habitat and an increase in the human population. We determined the attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions toward cougars by residents in the urban-rural fringe of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, an area populated by both cougars and humans. We sent a survey to a stratified, random sample of 1,508 residents. Survey analysis included a potential for conflict index (PCI) to help provide quantitative direction for future cougar management. We analyzed and tested for differences among 7 variables: livestock …

Observations Of Neck-Collared Canada Geese Near John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, Thomas W. Seamans, Scott E. Clemons, Allen L. Gosser

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Canada geese (Branta canadensis) often cause significant damage when they strike aircraft. They are responsible for a reported minimum of $2.6 million in damage per year to civil aviation in the United States. Knowledge of goose movements in relation to airports would allow wildlife managers to allocate time and funds to manage those populations that pose the greatest threat to aircraft. We placed alpha-numeric neck collars on 300 Canada geese within 8 km of both John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFKIA) and LaGuardia Airport in New York, New York. We conducted weekly observations for 2 years within a …

Direct And Indirect Effects Of Climate Change On A Prairie Plant Community, Peter B. Adler, James Leiker, Jonathan M. Levine

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Background

Climate change directly affects species by altering their physical environment and indirectly affects species by altering interspecific interactions such as predation and competition. Recent studies have shown that the indirect effects of climate change may amplify or counteract the direct effects. However, little is known about the the relative strength of direct and indirect effects or their potential to impact population persistence.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We studied the effects of altered precipitation and interspecific interactions on the low-density tiller growth rates and biomass production of three perennial grass species in a Kansas, USA mixed prairie. We transplanted plugs of each …

Vegetation Of Utah, R. Douglas Ramsey, Neil E. West

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

In order to organize and facilitate management of Utah’s ecosystems, generalization of the ecological variation found across the state is necessary. Ecosystems involve complex interactions between environment and biota, and there have been many efforts to generalize and categorize these interactions in order to gain a better understanding of their structure and organization. The most common method of categorizing ecological variations across large landscapes today incorporates the ecoregion concept. Ecoregions are geographic delineations of landscapes containing ecosystems linked by similar climatic, geologic, soil, and landform characteristics. The primary characteristics used to delineate ecoregions vary depending on the overall goal of …

Inducible Bronchus-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Elicited By A Protein Cage Nanoparticle Enhances Protectionin Mice Against Diverse Respiratory Viruses, J. A. Wiley, L. E. Richert, S. D. Swain, A. Harmsen, Dale L. Barnard, T. D. Randall, M. Jutila, T. Douglas, C. Broomell, M. Young, A. Harmsen

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Destruction of the architectural and subsequently the functional integrity of the lung following pulmonary viral infections is attributable to both the extent of pathogen replication and to the host-generated inflammation associated with the recruitment of immune responses. The presence of antigenically disparate pulmonary viruses and the emergence of novel viruses assures the recurrence of lung damage with infection and resolution of each primary viral infection. Thus, there is a need to develop safe broad spectrum immunoprophylactic strategies capable of enhancing protective immune responses in the lung but which limits immune-mediated lung damage. The immunoprophylactic strategy described here utilizes a protein …

Utah Adaptive Resources Management Greater Sage-Grouse Local Working Groups 2008-2009 Accomplishment Report, Terry A. Messmer, T. Black, Shandra Nicole Frey, S. Lupis, R. Hart

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Forestry Camp At The Crossroads: Future Scenarios For Environmental Learning At An Historic University Site, D. Transtrum, G. Nelson, S. Mcarthur, D. Trauntvein, E. Andrus, A. Chadwick, D. Frazier, S. Hunt, K. Mitchell, C. Wirick, Paul C. Rogers

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Climate Of Utah, Robert R. Gillies, R. Douglas Ramsey

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Climate in Utah is greatly influenced by its location within the North American Continent with significant local modifications due to topography. Northern, higher-latitude locations are generally cooler than southern, lower-latitude locations. Likewise, higher-elevation locations are typically cooler and wetter than lower-elevation locations.

Molecular Monitoring Of African Swine Fever Control Areas: Adult-Tick Targeted Re-Evaluation Of Mkuze Game Reserve, South Africa, L. F. Arnot, Johan T. Du Toit, A. D.S. Bastos

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

The Mkuze Game Reserve (MGR), in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa is an African swine fever virus (ASF) controlled area. In a survey conducted in 1978, ASF prevalence in warthogs and Ornithodoros ticks in MGR was determined to be 2% and 0.06%, respectively. These values, acknowledged as being unusually low compared to other East and southern African ASF-positive sylvatic-cycle host populations, have not been assessed since. The availability of a sensitive PCR-based virus detection method, developed specifically for the sylvatic tampan host, prompted a re-evaluation of ASF virus (ASFV) prevalence in MGR ticks. Of the 98 warthog burrows inspected for …

Watersheds Of Utah, R. Douglas Ramsey, Roger E. Banner, Ellie Leydsman Mcginty

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS), as part of a national effort, have generated watershed, or hydrologic, boundaries for the United States. Hydrologic boundaries define the aerial extent of surface water drainage to a point. Hydrologic units, through four levels, were created in the 1970s. Since the 1970s, the USGS developed a hierarchical hydrologic unit code (HUC) for the United States. The hierarchical system divides the country into 21 regions, 222 sub-regions, 352 basins, and 2,149 sub-basins. During the late 1970s, the NRCS initiated a national program to divide the sub-basins into …

Differences In Nitrate Uptakeamong Benthic Algal Assemblages In A Mountain Stream, Michelle A. Baker, G. De Guzman

Biology Faculty Publications

We evaluated how benthic algal assemblages that vary in composition, richness, and other diversity metrics remove NO 3 -N from the water column of a mountain stream. Ecological theory and empirical studies suggest that ecosystem process rates should increase as richness increases because of niche separation or activity of dominant taxa. Accordingly, we predicted that algal assemblages with highest richness would show the highest rates of NO 3 -N uptake. To test this prediction, we transplanted 225 rocks representing 3 patch types (green, yellow, and brown) that differed macroscopically in algal composition from a lake outflow stream to a lake …

Selective Herbivory By The Woodrat (Neotoma Lepida) On Joshua Trees (Yucca Brevifolia), M P. Stanford, Nancy J. Huntly

Biology Faculty Publications

We studied herbivory by the desert woodrat (Neotoma lepida) on Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) in the Mojave Desert to determine whether N. lepida fed selectively based on leaf nitrogen content. We measured leaf nitrogen content and the location and amount of herbivory by woodrats on Y. brevifolia trees in southwestern Utah, USA. Neotoma lepida removed the outer tips of leaves (1/3 to 2/3 of total leaf length) but left leaf bases, which had lower nitrogen content, uneaten. Herbivory by N. lepida also was concentrated on rosettes that were oriented south, and these had significantly higher nitrogen content than rosettes that …

The Taxonomic Designation Of Eriogonum Corymbosum Var. Nilesii (Polygonaceae) Is Supported By Aflp And Cpdna Analyses, M. W. Ellis, J. M. Roper, R. Gainer, J. P. Der, Paul G. Wolf

Biology Faculty Publications

We examined populations of perennial, shrubby buckwheats in the Eriogonum corymbosum complex and related Eriogonum species in the subgenus Eucycla, to assess genetic affiliations of the recently named E. corymbosum var. nilesii. The known populations of this varietyare all located in Clark County, Nevada, U. S. A. We compared AFLP profiles and chloroplast DNA sequences of plants sampled from populations of E. corymbosum var. nilesii with those of plants representing other E. corymbosum varieties and related Eriogonum species from Colorado,Utah, northern Arizona, and northern New Mexico. We found evidence of genetic cohesion among the Clark County populations as well astheir …

Conservation Of Selection On Matk Following An Ancient Loss Of Its Flanking Intron, A. M. Duffy, S. A. Kelchner, Paul G. Wolf

Biology Faculty Publications

The chloroplast gene trnK and its associated group II intron appear to be absent in a large and ancient clade that includes nearly 90% of fern species. However, the maturase protein encoded within the intron (matK) is still present and located on the boundary of a large-scale inversion. We surveyed the chloroplast genome sequence of clade-member Adiantum capillus-veneris for evidence of a still present but fragmented trnK intron. Lack of signature structural domains and sequence motifs in the genome indicate loss of the trnK intron through degradation in an ancestor of the clade. In plants, matK preferentially catalyzes splicing of …

Applications Of Modern Classification Methods To Predict Occurrences Of Rare And Invasive Plant Species, Stacey Reynolds

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Statistical classification methods are among the most widely used statistical procedures in ecology. Applications include vegetation mapping by remote sensing (Steele 2000), discrimination of subspecies using morphological measurements (Fisher 1936, 1938; Conner and Schenk 2003), and species distribution modelling (Guisan and Zimmerman 2000). Examples of the last application abound in the ecological literature and include predicting the distribution or characteristics of plant species (see, e.g., Austin et al. 1990), predicting presence and absence aquatic biota in streams (Hawkins et al. 2000), and habit at relationships of terrestrial animal species (Welch and MacMahon 2005). Over the last 20 years two mainstays …