Digital Commons Network^™

The Ground Baiting Component Of The Gough Island House Mouse Eradication Attempt In 2021, Araceli Samaniego, Andrew Callender, Pete Mcclelland

Human–Wildlife Interactions

House mice (Mus musculus; mice) are among the most widespread invasive species. On Gough Island (6,500 ha), mice preying on at least 19 bird species triggered a mouse eradication attempt. Gough Island is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean and part of Tristan da Cunha, a UK Overseas Territory. From June to August 2021, an expert team applied an anticoagulant rodenticide (active ingredient brodifacoum at a concentration 20 ppm) island-wide, predominantly via aerial broadcast using helicopters, as the island is mainly uninhabited. However, hand-baiting was also required because of the presence of a staffed meteorological station. …

Rat Biosecurity Surveillance And Response Following Eradication On A Tropical Atoll, David Ringler, Richard Griffiths, Frank Murphy, Baudouin Des Monstiers, James C. Russell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Biosecurity is a key element following any eradication operation, employing tools that allow both the identification and elimination of survivors or the early detection of new invaders. Eradication managers must ensure the surveillance strategy is correctly adapted to the spatial context and that the potential causes of a pest’s presence are understood to optimize their operational plans. We used the case of the eradication of black (Rattus rattus) and Pacific rats (Rattus exulans) from Honuea and Onetahi islets (Tetiaroa Atoll, French Polynesia) in 2020 to test an approach that combines rapid eradication assessment modelling and genetic …

Economic Impacts Of Wild Pigs On Livestock Producers In 13 States, Sophie C. Mckee, Ryan S. Miller, Jeremiah L. Psiropoulos, Stephanie A. Shwiff

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are an invasive species in the mainland United States, where they are responsible for a wide range of negative impacts including damage to crops, livestock depredation as well as disease transmission, destruction of property and ecosystems, and depredation of wildlife. This manuscript summarizes a recent survey-based effort to estimate wild pig damage and control costs incurred by livestock producers by state and livestock type. The survey was distributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistical Service in the summer of 2021 to a sample of livestock producers in the 13-state region. Findings …

Falconer Perceptions Of, And Support For, Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Biosecurity Actions, Hannah G. Shapiro, Elizabeth F. Pienaar

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2) is a highly contagious virus that primarily infects wild and domestic rabbits and hares (lagomorphs). In the United States, state wildlife agencies rely on stakeholders to report RHDV2-related mortalities and engage in voluntary biosecurity actions to prevent the spread of RHDV2. However, stakeholder perceptions of RHDV2 and relevant biosecurity actions have not been evaluated. We conducted the first study in the United States on how falconers’ risk perceptions, knowledge, trust in state wildlife agencies to manage RHDV2, hunting behaviors, and demographic characteristics influenced their willingness to engage in voluntary biosecurity actions and support potential …

Asiatic Black Bear Microsite Selection In A Human-Dominated Landscape In The Central Alps, Japan: Implications For Mitigating Human–Bear Conflicts, Tomoki Mori, Shigeyuki Izumiyama

Human–Wildlife Interactions

With the rapid expansion of human development and associated changes in landscape use, opportunities for human land sharing with large mammalian carnivores, such as those belong to the family Ursidae is increasing, especially in human-dominated landscapes. Consequently, this increased coexistence has also led to an increase in human–bear (Ursus spp.) interactions. It is important to understand the spatial and temporal reactions (e.g., interactions between cover, time, and humans) of bears to mitigate human–bear conflicts and facilitate coexistence. However, managers often need better information regarding bear microsite habitat selection in areas with higher levels of human–bear encounter risks. We explored …

Optimal Spacecraft Guidance, Matthew W. Harris, M. Benjamin Rose

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

This book is designed for a one-semester course at Utah State University titled MAE 6570 Optimal Spacecraft Guidance. The class meets for 75 minutes, twice per week, for 14 weeks. There are no prerequisites other than graduate standing in engineering. Proficiency in calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, and computer programming is required. Students find that previous experience in space dynamics, linear multivariable control, or optimal control is helpful.

The goal of the book and course is for students to develop fundamental skills needed to do professional work in the area of spacecraft guidance. After working through the book, students should …

Strategies To Secure Water For Great Salt Lake, Lisa W. Welsh, Joanna Endter-Wada, Karin M. Kettenring

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Great Salt Lake is the largest saline lake in the Western Hemisphere (Wilsey et al. 2017) and plays an important role in Utah’s economy, environment, and ecology (Baxter and Butler 2020; Great Salt Lake Advisory Committee 2021). It has a long history of commercial and recreational activities including mineral production, brine shrimp harvesting, waterfowl hunting, boating, and sightseeing (Utah Department of Natural Resources 2013a, 2013b). The Great Salt Lake ecosystem supports over 10 million birds representing 338 species and acts as an important stopover for migratory birds between North and South America (Great Salt Lake Ecosystem Program; Wilsey et al. …

Co-Designing Elementary-Level Computer Science And Mathematics Lessons: An Expansive Framing Approach, Umar Shehzad, Jody Clarke-Midura, Kimberly Beck, Jessica Shumway, Mimi Recker

Publications

This study examines how a rural-serving school district aimed to provide elementary-level computer science (CS) by offering instruction during students’ computer lab time. As part of a research-practice partnership, cross-context mathematics and CS lessons were co-designed to expansively frame and highlight connections across – as opposed to integration within – the two subjects. Findings indicated that most students who engaged with the lessons across the lab and classroom contexts reported finding the lessons interesting, seeing connections to their mathematics classes, and understanding the programming. In contrast, a three-level logistic regression model showed that students who only learned about mathematics connections …

Using Peer-Support Coaching To Improve Adherence To Online Act Self-Help For College Mental Health: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Korena S. Klimczak, Michael P. Twohig, Gretchen G. Peacock, Michael E. Levin

Psychology Student Research

Online self-help programs such as the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Guide address significant barriers to receiving therapy but suffer from low adherence rates. Peer-delivered coaching, using undergraduate students as coaches, is an innovative alternative to traditional coaching methods which may improve adherence in a more scalable format. To test the efficacy of peer-support coaching for college students using ACT Guide in a naturalistic setting, we conducted a pragmatic randomized controlled trial with three conditions (phone coaching, text message coaching, and a no support control group; N = 230). Participants were block randomized, and program adherence (i.e., number of modules …

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda, January 5, 2023, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Approval of Minutes – December 1, 2022
• Program Proposals
• Semester Course Approval Reviews: https://usu.curriculog.com/
• Other Business QCNR CIP Code Changes
• Adjourn: 3:00 pm

Aspen Leaves As A "Chemical Landscape" For Fungal Endophyte Diversity - Can Nitrogen And Herbivory Shape The Community Composition In Controlled Conditions?, Johanna Witzell, Vicki Huizu Guo Decker, Marta Agostinelli, Carmen Romeralo Tapia, Michelle Cleary, Benedicte Riber Albrectsen

Aspen Bibliography

The endophytic microbiome may influence the ecological performance of plants, including forest trees. Various abiotic and biotic factors may shape the endophyte communities directly but also indirectly, by modifying the quality of host plants as a substrate. We hypothesized that potentially antifungal or fungistatic condensed tannins (CTs) would determine the quality of aspen (Populus tremula) leaves as a substrate for endophytic fungi. By subjecting the plants to nitrogen fertilization (N) or herbivory (H; leaf beetles) we aimed to change the internal “chemical landscape”, especially the CT levels, in aspen leaves. We expected that this would lead to changes in the …

Effects Of Exposure To Atmospheric Humidity On Breakdown Field Strength Measurements Of Polymers, Megan Loveland Dewaal

Physics Capstone Projects

This study investigates the effects of absorbed water introduced via exposure to atmospheric humidity on electrostatic breakdown field strength measurements of polymers. Conducting breakdown tests under sample conditions appropriate for different applications is essential. If the breakdown field strength is overestimated for an application, an insulator may be used inappropriately in high electric fields where they are more likely to break down. Comparisons are made between: sets of pristine samples, samples that underwent a thorough vacuum bake out to remove absorbed water, and samples subject to subsequent incremental prolonged atmospheric exposure. These investigated the effects of absorbed water and determined …

Invasive Species Handbook: A Resource For Educators - Grades 3-8, Natalie D'Souza, Marion Murray, Lori R. Spears

All Current Publications

This handbook includes six chapters that discuss invasive species and their environmental, economic, and health impacts. It also reviews pathways of invasive species spread and prevention, monitoring, and control. The handbook is a resource for educators teaching children in grades 3 through 8. Learning objectives, activities, and vocabulary are also included.

The Utah Statesman, December 12, 2022, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Keep Calm And Carry On: The Relationships Between Cognitive Flexibility, Social Support & Anxiety In Students Transitioning To College, Max Buck, Rebecca Thornley, Mara Smuin

Fall Student Research Symposium 2022

The current study sought to understand the correlations between cognitive flexibility, social support, and anxiety. A hypothesized model, developed using the Social Skills Deficiency Vulnerability Framework, was tested and verified using bivariate analysis. The findings of this research indicate that increased cognitive flexibility is correlated with decreased symptoms of anxiety and increased perceived social support. Additionally, increased social support is found to correlate with decreased symptoms of anxiety. Keywords: cognitive flexibility, social support, anxiety

Chicanos' Negotiation Of Language And Culture With Standard English In Cache Valley, Ut, Vanessa Garcia Vazquez

Fall Student Research Symposium 2022

Gloria Anzaldúa theorized that the Chicano English, which she felt best depicted her identity, is seen by educators and American society as an "illegitimate, bastard language" (1987). The stereotypical view on various language variations and vernaculars has contributed to this idea that non-standard English is "illegitimate" or wrong. A Chicano's first language is essentially both English and Spanish. They typically begin speaking Spanish at the beginning of their lives and shortly after they begin to learn English at school. However, this new language is introduced before they can learn the first—which produces a mix of both languages and is commonly …

Homelessness Among Utah Women, Candice B. Pierucci, Emily S. Darowski, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

In 2020, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness reported that an estimated 3,131 Utah residents experienced homelessness on any given day.¹ And, according to data shared by the Office of Homeless Services under the Utah Department of Workforce Services,² 24,037 people accessed homelessness services in Utah sometime during 2021. Clearly, homelessness is a grave concern for many Utah women and families. As the Utah Women & Leadership Project seeks to strengthen the impact of all Utah girls and women, understanding homelessness for female residents is important. This research snapshot focuses on three key areas:

1. An overview of …

Temporal Expectations In Delay Of Gratification, Jeremy M. Haynes, Mariah E. Willis-Moore, D. Perez, Devanio J. Cousins, Amy L. Odum

Psychology Faculty Publications

We examined how temporal expectations influence preference reversals in a delay of gratification task for rats based on a hypothesis of Rachlin (2000), who suggested that preference for a larger-later reward may shift in favor of a smaller-immediate reward as a result of changes in when that larger reward is expected. To explore Rachlin’s hypothesis, we pre-exposed two groups of rats to the delays associated with a larger-later reinforcer from a delay of gratification task. One group experienced the delays as a function of their choices in an intertemporal choice task and the other group experienced delays yoked from the …

Unintentional Or Not, It's Racist, Logan Andrews

Fall Student Research Symposium 2022

No one should have to live in a world where they are mistreated and hurt simply because of the color of their skin.

The Stigma Against Elderly Drivers And An Analysis Of The Effects Of Age On Driving Ability, Alexander Lee

Fall Student Research Symposium 2022

Elderly drivers are not as big of a danger on the road as the general population believes. This was preliminary research into the significance of elderly drivers on the road and the statistical data on whether they are a hazard on the road. They are among the minority of people that are in car accidents and most elderly people still on the road are more experienced and drive safer to compensate for ailments they may experience from their age. Elderly that can not drive safely or can pose a hazard on the road usually remove themselves from driving or are …

Liquid Sandbox For Rapidly Optimizing The Thermal Management Of High-Power Wireless Charging Systems, Conner Sabin

Fall Student Research Symposium 2022

Wireless charging is currently being researched as an alternative to plug in charging for electric vehicles. These systems are tested in concrete and asphalt highways. A current limitation in research is understanding how to manage the heat that these systems produce in the roadway.Prototyping wireless charging systems in concrete or asphalt is time intensive and expensive. An alternative way to test the thermal management of these systems is to prototype the systems in sand and use the results of sand experiments in combination with thermal simulation software to predict how systems will perform in concrete.My project consists of two parts.I …

When Death Strikes: How The Criminal Justice System Lets Members Of Marginalized Communities Be Victimized By Serial Killers, Crius Paulus

Fall Student Research Symposium 2022

The variables within criminal investigations predispose members of marginalized populations to be victimized by serial killers. In this paper secondary and primary sources from the Merrill-Cazier library and internet were studied to understand the variables in and out of law enforcement control within criminal homicide investigations. Primarily, the focus was on the variables in police control–highly focused on cognitive biases. Police biases surrounding a victim's identity(ies) impacts their perceptions and responses to an investigation. Racism, misogyny, homophobia, and transphobia within law enforcement can have explicit negative effects on investigations. The case studies of Samuel Little, the West Mesa Murders, and …

Methodology For Calculating The Response Of Porous Media For Evaluating Grass Response To Overtopping Loads, Myron Von Damme, Dennis Den Ouden-Van Der Horst

Protections Conference

Grass covers offer a level of erosion protection against hydrodynamic loads induced by overtopping waves. The development of an accurate failure criterion for grass covers has been hampered by the lack of understanding of how grass fails. Methods have been developed to predict the hydrodynamic loads that act on the levee surface and consequently are transmitted to the porous grass cover and subsoil. However, it is unknown how these hydrodynamic surface loads on the soil are distributed amongst the pore water pressures and effective stresses, thereby offering a significant challenge for engineers to simulate the transmission of stresses into the …

Field Testing Of The Overflow Erosion Of Rhone River Levees, Christophe Picault, Fabrice Campette, Stéphane Bonelli, Sylvie Nicaise, Naim Chaouch, Faustine Byron, Yves Gremeaux, Alexis Doghmane, Mathys Garoui, Jordan Herbeck, Frédéric Golay

Protections Conference

It is important to quantify the soil resistance against erosion caused by the overflow of dikes and levees. Small-scale tests are not recommended, as they do not provide a correct representation of the actual soil in place and do not take into account the geometry of the structure. For this reason, the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE) developed an on-site overflow device in 2015. The procedure followed is based on ASTM-D6460 standard. Two tests were performed in May 2022 on a Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) dike near Avignon (France). The dike is 6.2 m high; …

Interview With Taylor Ashcraft, Utah State University Special Collections & Archives

Utah State University COVID-19 Oral History Collection

No abstract provided.

Interview With Ian Nemelka, Utah State University Special Collections & Archives

Utah State University COVID-19 Oral History Collection

No abstract provided.

Interview With Wendy Keller, Utah State University Special Collections & Archives

Utah State University COVID-19 Oral History Collection

No abstract provided.

Interview With Shawn Whiteman, Utah State University Special Collections & Archives

Utah State University COVID-19 Oral History Collection

No abstract provided.

Interview With Patrick Belmont, Utah State University Special Collections & Archives

Utah State University COVID-19 Oral History Collection

No abstract provided.

Interview With John Bostock, Utah State University Special Collections & Archives

Utah State University COVID-19 Oral History Collection

No abstract provided.