Digital Commons Network^™

Ecological Restoration And Ecosystem Memory Of Wildlife Forage And Understory Diversity In A Young Pine Monoculture Plantation In Central-Interior British Columbia, Julia Claire Bizon

Aspen Bibliography

Ecological restoration has recently taken center stage in the rehabilitation of degraded forest ecosystems to improve multifunctionality, biodiversity, and wildlife habitat conservation. The research summarized herein assessed the efficacy of variable stand density thinning (200, 400, and 600 stems/ha) and artificial canopy gaps (0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 ha in size) as potential restoration treatments to enhance wildlife forage and native biodiversity in a young lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm. ex S. Wats.) forest in central-interior British Columbia. Field data collection was conducted from May-August, 2023 to assess the early response (1-3 years post-treatment) of the forest …

Utah State University’S Role In Latino Youth Leadership Development, Celina Wille, Lendel K. Narine

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

This evaluation study explores the impact of the Latinos in Action (LIA) leadership boot camps on Latino youth development. Since 2018, these programs have improved participants' communication, teamwork, and goal-setting skills, fostering civic engagement and academic success among middle and high school students within Utah's growing Latino population.

Cultivating Community And Commerce: A Summary Of The Statewide Social And Economic Impacts Of Utah Farmers Markets, Jaclyn Pace, Bryn Watkins, Roslynn Mccann, Steven Price

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Data collected from six markets throughout the market seasons between 2023 and 2024 highlights the transformative impact of Utah’s farmers’ markets on the state’s economy, health, and sense of community. According to market patrons, Utah’s farmers' markets are vital economic and social hubs supporting local agriculture, small businesses, and community well-being.

Rethinking Behavior - Spring 2025, Midwest Symposium For Leadership In Behavior Disorders

ReThinking Behavior Magazine

A magazine for professionals serving children and youth with behavioral needs.

Spring 2025, Volume 8, Issue 3

Faculty Senate Agenda March 31, 2025, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes March 3, 2025
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:35 Information
• EPC Report - March 6, 2025
• 3:40 Report
• Budget and Faculty Welfare Committee
• Sustainability Council
• Policy 323, 378, 389
• 4:00 Old Business
• 4:05 New Business
• 2025-2026 Calendar and Committee Reports
• President-Elect Nominations
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Bird Richness As A Mediator Between Greenspace And Mental Health Relationships, Sihao Chena, Huaqing Wang, Wenyan Xu

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

Neighborhood greenspaces are widely known to benefit bird diversity and human mental health. However, whether bird richness mediates the relationship between greenspace and mental health is unknown. We ascertain such mediation effects in 294 census tracts in Los Angeles City. We obtained greenspace data from one-meter resolution satellite imagery, bird species data from eBird citizen science datasets, and prevalence of poor mental health from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mediation analysis combined with spatial error models was used to assess the mediating effects while controlling for geographic, demographic, and socio-economic factors. We found that the higher greenspace …

The Utah Statesman, March 31, 2025, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Prey Size Mediates Interference Competition And Predation Dynamics In A Large Carnivore Community, Jack W. Rabe, Wesley J. Binder, Colby B. Anton, Connor J. Meyer, Matthew C. Metz, Brian J. Smith, Toni K. Ruth, Kerry M. Murphy, Joseph K. Bump, Douglas W. Smith, Daniel R. Stahler

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Direct competition for resources is especially fierce among predators, leading to disproportionately strong effects on fitness and functional roles. These competitive effects are exacerbated in complex predator guilds with dominance hierarchies that have clear winners and losers. The direct costs of losing these competitions are well understood, but the drivers of such interactions, and their indirect effects on prey, are not. We evaluate the drivers of interference competition for cougars, and how such competition affects cougar-prey dynamics, by leveraging 23 years of cougar predation data from Yellowstone National Park, USA. We show that the effect of prey size is context-dependent, …

Buyer Beware: Pay-For-Play Research Outreach Services, Erica Finch, Cameron Nielsen

Library Faculty & Staff Presentations

Shortly after completing a groundbreaking study, a researcher receives an email from a science news website offering to promote their findings to a wider audience. But there’s a fee attached, and they want to know if the library will help cover the cost …

Improving Wetland Revegetation In The Intermountain West: Wetland Manager And Native Plant Vendor Insights And Challenges, Annie L. Henry, Rae Robinson, Kate Sinnott, Mark W. Brunson, Emily E. Tarsa, Adrienne Ernst, Karin M. Kettenring

All Current Publications

Diverse native vegetation supports the many ecosystem services that wetlands provide to society. In degraded wetlands, the native vegetation often needs to be reseeded or replanted as part of the restoration process. However, such wetland revegetation practices of managers are relatively undocumented and the availability of native plants for wetland restoration from vendors has been unclear. We conducted surveys of wetland managers and wetland native plant vendors in the Intermountain West in 2023 to understand their practices, challenges, and perspectives. We found that wetland managers in the Intermountain West revegetate diverse habitats for important ecosystem services despite very limited budgets …

Development Of A Low-Cost Stem Dendrometer For Irrigation Scheduling In Fruit Trees, Anderson Luiz Dos Santos Safre, Alfonso Torres-Rua, Brent Black

Spring Runoff Conference

Motivation 

• Irrigation scheduling in water scarce regions. 
• Water stress evaluation in tart cherry orchards.
• Plant-based methods more suitable for tree crops. 
• Elevated cost of commercial dendrometers (> 1,000 USD). 

Awe Mission Overview, Ludger Scherliess, Michael J. Taylor, Jonathan Snively, Jeffrey M. Forbes, David Fritts, Stephen Eckermann, Diego Janches, Hanli Liu, Burt Lamborn

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

AWE is the first dedicated NASA mission to investigate the global properties of gravity waves (GWs) in the upper atmosphere and their impacts on the ionosphere- thermosphere-mesosphere (ITM)

Machine Learning Shows A Limit To Rain-Snow Partitioning Accuracy When Using Near-Surface Meteorology, Keith S. Jennings, Meghan Collins, Benjamin J. Hatchett, Anne Heggli, Nayoung Hur, Sonia Tonino, Anne W. Nolin, Guo Yu, Wei Zhang, Monica M. Arienzo

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

Partitioning precipitation into rain and snow with near-surface meteorology is a well-known challenge. However, whether a limit exists to its potential performance remains unknown. Here, we evaluate this possibility by applying a set of benchmark precipitation phase partitioning methods plus three machine learning (ML) models (an artificial neural network, random forest, and XGBoost) to two independent datasets: 38.5 thousand crowdsourced observations and 17.8 million synoptic meteorology reports. The ML methods provide negligible improvements over the best benchmarks, increasing accuracy only by up to 0.6% and reducing rain and snow biases by up to -4.7%. ML methods fail to identify mixed …

The Utah Statesman, March 24, 2025, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Multi-Sensor Integration And Machine Learning For High-Resolution Classification Of Herbivore Foraging Behavior, Bashiri Iddy Muzzo, Kelvyn Bladen, Andres Perea, Shelemia Nyamuryekung’E, Juan J. Villalba

Wildland Resources Student Research

This study classified cows’ foraging behaviors using machine learning (ML) models evaluated through random test split (RTS) and cross-validation (CV) data partition methods. Models included Perceptron, Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, KNearest Neighbors, Random Forest (RF), and XGBoost (XGB). These models classified activity states (active vs. static), foraging behaviors (grazing (GR), resting (RE), walking (W), ruminating (RU)), posture states (standing up (SU) vs. lying down (LD)), and posture combinations with rumination and resting behaviors (RU_SU, RU_LD, RE_SU, and RE_LD). XGB achieved the highest accuracy for state classification (74.5% RTS, 74.2% CV) and foraging behavior (69.4% CV). RF outperformed XGB in …

Short Duration Relationship And Marriage Education (Rme) During Covid-19: Outcomes And Future Directions, Pamela B. Payne, Naomi Brower, Melanie Jewkes

Transforming Communities

Abstract

COVID-19 reshaped short duration relationship marriage education (RME), requiring that previously in person programs, including the Utah Marriage Celebration (UMC) move to remote formats. It is critical that outcomes of such transitions are evaluated and assessed. Marriage Celebration 2021 included 348 participants who responded after participating in the virtual event and 148 participants who responded to a one month follow up. Results indicate that like prior Marriage Celebration events, participants indicated their perceived relationship knowledge increased. Commitment to change was evaluated for the first time and showed significant results related to age and issues being covered. Implications for RME …

Increasing Electric Vehicle Charger Availability With A Mobile, Self-Contained Charging Station, Robert Serrano, Arifa Sultana, Declan Kavanaugh, Hongjie Wang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Student Research

As the transition to sustainable transportation has accelerated with the rise of electric vehicles (EVs), ensuring drivers have access to charging to maximize the electric miles driven is critical to lowering carbon emissions in the transportation sector. Limited charging station capacity and poor reliability, especially during peak travel times, long distance travels, holidays, and events, have hindered the adoption of EVs and threaten the progress toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Adaptive, flexible deployment strategies combined with innovative approaches integrating mobility and renewable energy are essential to address these systemic challenges and bridge the current infrastructure gap. To address these challenges, …

Home, Health, Community, & Allyship: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, And Attitudes, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

During the fall of 2023, Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) researchers conducted a statewide study to establish a baseline for public perceptions related to the awareness, understanding, and attitudes about challenges that Utah women and girls face. In early 2024, we published 20 short research summaries that shared the results of this comprehensive study. Then, in the fall of 2024, we administered the survey, with slight refinements, around the state of Utah. We now share the results of the 2024 data by releasing six white papers; this is the fifth in the series.

Overall, this comprehensive study was designed …

Bryce Canyon Aspen: Recent Trends, Future Actions, Paul C. Rogers

Aspen Bibliography

In cooperation with Bryce Canyon National Park, we undertook a survey of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) conditions throughout the Park with the intention of better understanding conditions and prescribing corrective measures where needed. There are clear disparities within the Park between sustainable aspen conditions and failing stands. Based on condition of mature trees, but most importantly regeneration and recruitment of juvenile stems, most aspen forests within Bryce Canyon are in poor condition. Aspen recruitment—generally sapling-sized trees that have survived browsing ungulates—is the most important metric of future stand resilience and here we found 83% of all aspen sample …

Herbivory In A Low Arctic Wetland Alters Intraspecific Plant Root Traits With Consequences For Carbon And Nitrogen Cycling, Emily A. Chavez, Jaron Adkins, Bonnie G. Waring, Karen H. Beard, Ryan T. Choi, Lindsay Miller, Taylor Saunders, Trisha B. Atwood

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

1. High latitude wetlands are ecologically important ecosystems due to their large carbon (C) storage capacity and because they serve as breeding and nesting habitat for large populations of migratory birds. Goose herbivory in wetland meadows affects leaf chemical and morphological traits and also influences soil properties by increasing soil temperature and depositing faeces. Grazing-induced changes to above-ground traits and soil properties impact C cycling, but the influence of grazing on root-mediated C and nitrogen (N) cycling has not been explored.

2. We investigated how goose herbivory in a low-Arctic coastal wetland in western Alaska affected root morphological, physiological and chemical traits …

Familiar New Histories: Promenade Theatre And Local Amateur Actors In A Creative Heritage Project, Jayne Gold

Theatre Arts Faculty Publications

Building upon previous work in the creative heritage sector, in this paper I analyse A Time Traveller’s Guide to Theatrical Brecon, a promenade production funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, performed on the streets of Brecon in mid Wales, UK in 2021. The performance involved local amateur actors from Brecon Little Theatre and was accompanied by a map and educational resources and workshops for local schools. It brought to life stories from Brecon’s theatre history for its local residents. Brecon Little Theatre members created and performed the promenade performance, creatively engaging with historical material to write, direct, rehearse, …

Solar Flare Prediction Using Multivariate Time Series Of Photospheric Magnetic Field Parameters: A Comparative Analysis Of Vector, Time Series, And Graph Data Representations, Onur Vural, Shah Muhammad Hamdi, Soukaina Filali Boubrahimi

Computer Science Student Research

The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive resource for the selection of data representations for machine learning-oriented models and components in solar flare prediction tasks. Major solar flares occurring in the solar corona and heliosphere can bring potential destructive consequences, posing significant risks to astronauts, space stations, electronics, communication systems, and numerous technological infrastructures. For this reason, the accurate detection of major flares is essential for mitigating these hazards and ensuring the safety of our technology-dependent society. In response, leveraging machine learning techniques for predicting solar flares has emerged as a significant application within the realm of …

Using Thermal Camera Drones In Beef Cattle Roundup, Justin Wyatt Clawson, Eric Galloway, Shalyn Drake, Shawn Barstow, Ross Israelsen, Michael Pate

All Current Publications

Using drones with thermal sensors can be an effective tool in finding and collecting livestock from summer mountain ranges in the West. Drones can complete searches in much less time than required on horseback in demonstrated areas. Using drones reduces the workload of the rider and horse, saving time and energy and reducing the risk of injury. With proper training and certification, livestock producers can use drones to locate cattle and perform many other cost-cutting operations.

The Utah Statesman, March 17, 2025, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda, March 17, 2025, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - February 18, 2025
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:35 Information
• EPC Report - March 6, 2025
• 3:40 Report
• Budget of Faculty Welfare Committee
• Sustainability Council
• Policy 323, 378, 389
• 4:00 Old Business
• 4:05 New Business
• 2025-2026 Faculty Senate Calendar
• Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Forb Diversity Globally Is Harmed By Nutrient Enrichment But Can Be Rescued By Large Mammalian Herbivory, Rebecca A. Nelson, Lauren L. Sullivan, Erika I. Hersch-Green, Eric W. Seabloom, Elizabeth T. Borer, Pedro M. Tognetti, Peter B. Adler, Lori Biederman, Miguel N. Bugalho, Maria C. Caldeira, Juan P. Cancela, Luísa G. Carvalheiro, Jane A. Catford, Chris R. Dickman, Aleksandra J. Dolezal, Ian Donohue, Anne Ebeling, Nico Eisenhauer, Kenneth J. Elgersma, Anu Eskelinen, Catalina Estrada, Magda Garbowski, Pamela Graff, Daniel S. Gruner, Nicole Hagenah, Sylvia Haider, W. Stanley Harpole, Yann Hautier, Anke Jentsch, Nicolina Johanson, Sally E. Koerner, Lucíola S. Lannes, Andrew S. Macdougall, Holly Martinson, John W. Morgan, Harry Olde Venterink, Devyn Orr, Brooke B. Osborne, Pablo L. Peri, Sally A. Power, Xavier Raynaud, Anita C. Risch, Mani Shrestha, Nicholas G. Smith, Carly J. Stevens, G. F. Ciska Veen, Risto Virtanen, Glenda M. Wardle, Amelia A. Wolf, Alyssa L. Young, Susan P. Harrison

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Forbs (“wildflowers”) are important contributors to grassland biodiversity but are vulnerable to environmental changes. In a factorial experiment at 94 sites on 6 continents, we test the global generality of several broad predictions: (1) Forb cover and richness decline under nutrient enrichment, particularly nitrogen enrichment. (2) Forb cover and richness increase under herbivory by large mammals. (3) Forb richness and cover are less affected by nutrient enrichment and herbivory in more arid climates, because water limitation reduces the impacts of competition with grasses. (4) Forb families will respond differently to nutrient enrichment and mammalian herbivory due to differences in nutrient …

Exploring The Social Validity And Diffusion Potential Of Common Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention Strategies Implemented In Community Preschools, Sophia R. D'Agostino, Trenton J. Landon, Alyssa Roylance, Avery Briggs, Naima Bhana-Lopez

Special Education and Rehabilitation Counseling Faculty Publications

It is imperative that researchers include the perspectives from key voices regarding early support practices, yet very few studies have included direct assessment of autistic individuals and parents of young autistic children. Despite emerging evidence of effectiveness of naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention (NDBI) strategies, it is currently unknown whether autistic adults and parents of autistic individuals know about NDBI and if they view NDBI strategies as socially valid practice. We aimed to explore the perceptions of autistic adults and parents of young autistic children regarding the social validity of NDBI strategies implemented in community preschool classrooms and their dissemination potential. …

Ethics Of Care: Applying Cultural Protocols To Indigenous Sound Recordings, Jolene D. Manus

Journal of Western Archives

The University of New Mexico, College of University Libraries and Library Sciences, endorsed The Protocols for Native American Archival Materials in 2020. This case study explores the use of an Ethics of Care approach, prioritizing Indigenous cultural protocols for Indigenous sound recordings housed within the archival collections of the Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections (CSWR). The CSWR staff sought guidance from local tribal nations when CSWR patrons requested the duplication of cultural songs, cultural oral histories, and/or interviews. Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, tribal cultural rights departments, and specified tribal persons identified by tribes as cultural experts reviewed the …

Psychosocial And Audiological Characteristics In Misophonia: An Interdisciplinary Comparison Study Of Adults With Misophonia To Healthy Controls, Mercedes G. Woolley, Hailey E. Johnson, Emily M. Bowers, Doris Velasquez, Julie M. Petersen, Karen Muñoz, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Student Research

Despite the increasing investigation into misophonia, its classification remains debated due to symptom overlap with audiological and psychological conditions, as well as methodological limitations in existing studies. In the present study, we compared a clinical sample of adults seeking treatment for misophonia with a non-treatment-seeking sample of age- and gender-matched healthy controls. In these two samples, we examined the psychological and audiological features of misophonia by assessing key psychological processes (anger, disgust, OCD symptoms, anxiety, depression, stress, wellbeing, and psychological inflexibility) and audiological features (hearing, hyperacusis, and tinnitus). We found that individuals with misophonia exhibit higher levels of psychological inflexibility …

Recognizing Individual Variability In Misophonia: Identifying Symptom-Based Subgroups With Gaussian Mixture Modeling, Mercedes G. Woolley, Amanda M. Ramos, Emily M. Bowers, Karen Muñoz, Julie M. Petersen, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Student Research

Misophonia is characterized by intense emotional and physiological reactions to everyday sounds such as chewing and tapping. While previous researchers have focused on defining and characterizing the disorder, limited attention has been given to the variability in symptom presentations across individuals. In this study, we sought to identify distinct subgroups of individuals with misophonia by applying a Gaussian finite mixture model to explore the heterogeneity of symptom profiles. Sixty treatment-seeking participants completed the Duke Misophonia Interview, which assessed the presence and severity of various behavioral, affective, and cognitive symptoms. Items from this measure served as model indicators. Two clusters were …