Digital Commons Network^™

Nitrogen And Media Assessment For First-Year Pot-In-Pot Production Of Container And Bare Root Liners In The Intermountain West, Jaydee Gunnell, Paul R. Grossl, Roger Kjelgren

CWEL Publications

We investigated optimum nitrogen rates and different growth substrates for short-term fi nish production of container and bare root shade tree liners in a pot-in-pot production system in the Intermountain West. In one study, nitrogen ranging from 0–27 g N·tree–1(0–36 lbs N·1000 ft–2) as urea was applied to quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), ‘Autumn Blaze’ maple (Acer × freemannii ‘Autumn Blaze’), ‘Chanticleer’ flowering pear (Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’), and ‘Canada Red’ chokecherry (Prunus virginiana ‘Canada Red’). Twenty-six liter liners (#7 container) were transplanted into 57 liter (#15) containers in a retail nursery finishing pot-in-pot system. Trunk diameter growth and shoot-tip elongation measurements …

Science Excel: An Effective Teacher Recruitment Program For Rural Schools?, Kimberly H. Lott

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

This study explored the possibility of using an Excel program to identify and recruit teachers into the profession at the secondary level.

Experiments Station Service Project Update And Annual Report, 2007, Deevon Bailey

Economic Research Institute Study Papers

The research activities described in this document were supported by the Utah State University Economics Research Institute in 2007. The Economics Research Institute was founded in 1965 to provide training opportunities for graduate students and to assist in the solution oflocal, regional, and national economic problems. UAES has provided ongoing support for the ERr since 1972 under project number UTA-686. The project has provided the Department of Economics 'with resources to search out new developments in economics to analyze new and complex issues in public and private decision making processes. Boldface type is used to identify Utah State University Economics …

Voices: On Stage And In Print, 2008-2009, Utah State University Department Of English

Voices of USU

This collection of student writing represents the voices of over 2,000 students who enroll each academic year in Utah State University’s second-year composition course, Intermediate Writing: Research Writing in a Persuasive Mode. Voices of USU celebrates excellence in writing by providing undergraduate students of diverse backgrounds and disciplines the opportunity to have their work published.

Epistemological Pluralism: Reorganizing Interdisciplinary Research, Thaddeus R. Miller, Timothy D. Baird, Caitlin M. Littlefield, Gary Kofinas, F. Stuart Chapin, Iii, Charles L. Redman

All UNF Research

Despite progress in interdisciplinary research, difficulties remain. In this paper, we argue that scholars, educators, and practitioners need to critically rethink the ways in which interdisciplinary research and training are conducted. We present epistemological pluralism as an approach for conducting innovative, collaborative research and study. Epistemological pluralism recognizes that, in any given research context, there may be several valuable ways of knowing, and that accommodating this plurality can lead to more successful integrated study. This approach is particularly useful in the study and management of social–ecological systems. Through resilience theory's adaptive cycle, we demonstrate how a focus on epistemological pluralism …

N-Transfer Through Aspen Litter And Feather Moss Layers After Fertilization With Ammonium Nitrate And Urea, N A. Startsev, V J. Lieffers, S M. Landhausser, A Velazquez-Martinez

Aspen Bibliography

When fertilizer is broadcast in boreal forest stands, the applied nutrients must pass through a thick layer of either feather moss or leaf litter which covers the forest floor. In a growth chamber experiment we tested the transfer of N through living feather moss or aspen litter when fertilized with urea ((NH2)2CO) or NH4NO3 at a rate of 100 kg ha−1 and under different watering regimes. When these organic substrates were frequently watered to excess they allowed the highest transfer of nutrients through, although 72% of the applied fertilizer was captured in the substrates. In a field experiment we also …

Measurement Of Concentrations Of Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites In Free-Ranging African Elephants Within The Kruger National Park, J. J. Viljoen, A. Ganswindt, R. Palme, H. C. Reynecke, Johan T. Du Toit, W. R. Langbauer

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

During the past several years, non-invasive monitoring of steroid metabolites in faeces of elephants has become an increasingly popular technique to generate more information about the causal relationship between hormones and behaviour in both living elephant species. This is important knowledge which can be used to optimise local conservation and wildlife management by finding new strategies for better elephant population management and control. In this context, however, information about an actual involvement of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis during assumable stressful events is still limited, especially for wildlife populations. One difficulty in discovering such information is often the lack of reliable data …

Trans Fatty Acids Provide Evidence Of Anthropogenic Feeding By Black Bears, Gregory W. Thiemann, Randal S. Stahl, Sharon Baruch-Mordo, Stewart W. Breck

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Bears (Ursus spp.) that become conditioned to anthropogenic food sources pose a risk to human safety and generally need to be relocated, rehabilitated, or destroyed. Identifying food-conditioned bears may be difficult if the animal is not captured or killed while immediately engaged in the nuisance behavior. Fatty acid signature analysis has been used to examine the dietary habits of bears and other carnivores and is based on the predictable incorporation of ingested fatty acids into the consumer’s fat stores. Unusual fatty acids that are available in only a few food types may be particularly useful dietary markers. In this …

Parker Mountain Adaptive Resources Management Group, Michael R. Guttery, D. Dahlgren, M. Monsen, Terry A. Messmer

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Season- And Herbivore-Dependent Competition And Facilitation In A Semi-Aridsavanna, Kari E. Veblen

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Empirical and theoretical evidence suggests that facilitation between plants, when it occurs, is more likely during periods of abiotic stress, while competition predominates under more moderate conditions. Therefore, one might expect the relative importance of competition vs. facilitation to vary seasonally in ecosystems characterized by pronounced dry (abiotically stressful) and wet (benign) seasons. Herbivory also varies seasonally and can affect the net outcome of plant-plant interactions, but the interactive effects of seasonality and herbivory on the competition-facilitation balance are not known. I experimentally manipulated neighboring plants and herbivory during wet and dry periods for two species of grass: Cynodon plectostachyus …

Landscape And Traffic Factors Influencing Deer–Vehicle Collisions In An Urban Enviroment, Janet W. Ng, Charlene Nielsen, Colleen Cassady St. Clair

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) are steadily increasing across North America. The increase is particularly pronounced in urban green spaces where deer (Odocoileus spp.) populations and road densities are high. In the greater city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, 333 DVCs occurred from 2002 to 2004. To identify landscape and traffic correlates of these collisions, we built 3 statistical models. The first model assessed the importance of local variables and was based on a spatial precision of the nearest intersection to which collisions were referenced. The second model was based on landscape characteristics and used the nearest township intersection to aggregate collisions. …

Deer–Vehicle Collision Prevention Techniques, Lauren L. Mastro, Michael R. Conover, S. Nicole Frey

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Every year in the United States approximately 1.5 million deer–vehicle collisions (DVCs) occur resulting in >29,000 human injuries, >200 human fatalities, 1.3 million deer fatalities, and >1 billion dollars worth of property damage. Despite the magnitude of this problem, there are relatively few well-designed studies that have evaluated techniques that can be used to reduce DVCs. Techniques to reduce DVCs fall into 4 categories: reducing the number of deer (Odocoileus spp.), reducing the number of vehicles, modifying deer behavior, and changing motorist behavior. Techniques to reduce the number of deer include decreasing the deer population or excluding deer from …

Gnrh Immunocontraception Of Male And Female White-Tailed Deer Fawns, Lowell A. Miller, James P. Gionfriddo, Jack C. Rhyan, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Donald C. Wagner, Gary J. Killian

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Immunocontraceptive vaccines based on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) have been tested in adult white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), but their effects on fawns are unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine if early immunization against GnRH would induce a long-lasting immune response in fawns, and if it would delay or prevent sexual development. We gave primary and subsequent booster injections of a KLH-GnRH/Freund’s vaccine to 6 male and 6 female fawns. This vaccine contained the same active ingredients as GonaCon™ vaccine, but it contained Freund’s adjuvant instead of AdjuVac™ adjuvant. Two 450-μg injections were given 1 month apart …

Demographics Of Non-Hunted White-Tailed Deer Populations In Suburban Areas, Anthony J. Denicola, Dwayne R. Etter, Thomas Almendinger

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Burgeoning deer populations in urban and suburban areas, along with the inherent problems stemming from this increase, are becoming increasingly widespread. To address these problems, wildlife biologists need quality baseline data of herd composition for harvest and treatment forecasts for management and fertility control research programs. In this study, we provide white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population data from 4 areas where localized suburban white-tailed deer populations were substantially reduced utilizing sharpshooting as a management tool. In each area, legal hunting was nonexistent for >10 years preceding the sharpshooting program. The areas ranged in size from 300 ha to …

Commentary Impacts Of The Black Bear Supplemental Feeding Program On Ecology In Western Washington, Georg J. Ziegltrum

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.

Ethylene Synthesis And Sensitivity In Crop Plants, Joseph F. Romagnano

Publications

The gaseous plant hormone ethylene is a small molecule that regulates developmental change. Research was conducted in three areas: sensitivity, synthesis, and alterations to synthesis. Vegetative pea plants were more sensitive than radish plants to atmospheric ethylene. Light intensity did not affect ethylene sensitivity. Ethylene synthesis rates were measured for unstressed cotton, corn, soybean, and tomato plants. The per-plant ethylene synthesis rate ranged from 0.1-80 pmol plant-1 s-1. However, when normalized to net photosynthetic rate, this range was 1-4 µmol of ethylene synthesis per mol of CO2 uptake. Diurnal cycles in ethylene synthesis were present in all crops studied. These …

Statistical Issues In The Normalization Of Multi-Species Microarray Data, John R. Stevens, Balasubramanian Ganesan, Prerak Desai, Sweta Rajan, Bart C. Weimer

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

Several species of bacteria are involved in the production of cheese, including Lactobacillus brevis and Lactococcus lactis. A custom-designed Affymetrix microarray was recently developed to study gene expression in three organisms on a single chip. This array contains only perfect match features for the coding and non-coding regions in the genomes of all three sequences. The multi-species nature of this array version raises interesting questions regarding the preprocessing or normalization strategies for the analysis of gene expression data. We present and evaluate several possible strategies using both cDNA dilution data and experimental expression data from a repeated measures design. …

Youth Competitors Gain Benefits From Horse Show Judges' Training Program, Pat Evans, S. Mckendrick, J. Wesley, J. Smith

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

This article details how youth benefit from a horse show judges’ training program. While judging is subjective, with training, judges can be more consistent in their placings, with the better horses and/or riders being placed at the top of the class. With qualified judges, youth can be more confident that they will be evaluated in a fair and consistent manner during each show all season long.

Teaching Risk Management Principles To Livestock Producers Through Production-Oriented Workshops, C Kim Chapman

All Current Publications

This bulletin explains how to effectively marry risk management education, which producers do not have a natural affinity for, and production-oriented education, which is usually very popular with producers. The Beehive Master Beef Manager Program is used as a model.

Meeting The Energy Needs Of The Horse, Patricia Evans, Yvette Connely

All Current Publications

This publication describes energy and how it affects the horse from a nutritional aspect.

Fleas, Erin W. Hodgson, Jay B. Karren, Alan H. Roe

All Current Publications

Fleas transmit disease and parasitic worms, and cause allergic dermatitis to humans and animals. There are about 2,000 different flea species in the world and at least 325 species in North America, all belonging to the order Siphonaptera. Fleas are not likely to be confused with other insects because adults are flattened dorsal-ventrally, or side-to-side.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda, December 10, 2007, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Council on Teacher Education Report
• Retention and FYE Report
• Scholarship Advisory Board Report
• BFW Items
• Conflict of Interest Recommendations
• LEEDS Certification
• Course Evaluation Form
• Faculty Forum Attendance
• Salary Compression

Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes, December 6, 2007, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences

• New Course

Department of Economics

• Title Change, Course Description Change

Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education

• Title Change, Course Description Change
• Title Change, Credit Hour Change, Course Description Change
• Course Description Change

Department of Elementary Education

• Credit Hour Change
• Title Change, Multiple List Change, Prerequisite Change, Course Description Change

Department of Family, Consumer, and Human Development

• New Course
• Title Change, Prerequisite Change, Course Description Change

Department of Instructional Technology

• New Course
• Course Description Change
• Course Number Change
• Title Change, Course Description Change
• Title Change, Prerequisite Change, Course Description Change
• Title Change, Course …

Can Collective Action And Capacity Building Reduce Vulnerability Among Settled Pastoralists?, D. Layne Coppock, Solomon Desta, Getachew Gebru, Seyoum Tezera

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

In 2001 PARIMA and her partners began to create collective-action groups among illiterate, settled pastoralists in southern Ethiopia. These groups—dominated by women—focused on savings-led microfinance, small business, and livestock marketing to increase incomes and diversify livelihoods. Fifty-nine groups with over 2,100 members were formed using intensive capacity- building methods. After six years we wanted to compare group members with their neighbors who never participated in the PARIMA program. We surveyed 180 individuals from groups and paired control (traditional) communities. Respondents were asked to assess the extent that they perceived positive, negative, or no change in their lives over the past …

Diffusion Of Collective-Action Innovations Among Pastoralists In Liben District, Ethiopia, D. Layne Coppock, Solomon Desta, Getachew Gebru, Getachew Kassa, Seyoum Tezera

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

In 2001 PARIMA and her partners began to create collective-action groups among illiterate, settled pastoralists in Ethiopia. These groups—soon dominated by women—focused on savings-led microfinance, small business activity, and livestock marketing to increase incomes and diversify livelihoods. Fifty-nine groups with over 2,100 members were formed using intensive training methods, and they have subsequently merged into legally recognized cooperatives. We regard this approach as successful and sustainable. We were curious, however, if “the word has spread” and collective-action has spontaneously arisen beyond our immediate project area. Preliminary findings from recent surveys of settlements in Liben District indicate that diffusion of collective-action …

Stakeholder Alliance Facilitates Re-Introduction Of Prescribed Fire On The Borana Plateau Of Southern Ethiopia, D. Layne Coppock, Getachew Gebru, Solomon Desta, Lemma Gizachew, Dadhi Amosha, Feyissa Taffa

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

The implementation of a new prescribed fire program to restore bush-encroached rangelands in southern Ethiopia—and hence increase herbaceous forage supplies for livestock—is given as an example of an integrated action involving multiple institutions to address resource-management problems. The resumption of planned fire—traditionally conducted over hundreds of years by pastoralists until the 1970s—was preceded by key activities including mobilization of the pastoral community, review of government proclamations regarding use of fire, interaction with policy makers, capacity building among pastoralists and agency personnel on how to implement and manage planned fires, development of an overall prescribed burn plan, selection of geo-referenced sites, …

Collective Action Among Agro-Pastoralists In Baringo District, Kenya: Identifying And Nurturing The Entrepreneurs, D. Layne Coppock, Mark N. Mutinda, Stellamaris K. Muthoka, Abdillahi A. Aboud

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

The rural population of Baringo District in the Rift Valley of north-central Kenya faces numerous challenges including widespread environmental degradation and poverty. The region has endured decades of failed development projects, proliferation of food aid, and has been studied extensively. We have recently undertaken a different approach focused on bottom-up participatory action research and outreach among the Il Chamus and Tugen ethnic communities. The objective is to explore new ways to empower local people via provision of information, novel experiences, and initial access to resources to allow them to envision an alternative future and implement their own activities to better-manage …

Building Effective Community Participation And Stakeholder Partnerships To Promote Positive Change In The Southern Ethiopian Rangelands, D. Layne Coppock, Solomon Desta, Getachew Gebru, Seyoum Tezera, Dadi Amosha

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Recently there has been increased recognition that authentic community participation and creating strong inter-institutional partnerships are both important in the process of capacity building, generating innovation, and sustaining development achievements in rural Africa. Here we summarize a process of community participation and formation of institutional partnerships in support of pastoral risk-management interventions over the past seven years on the Borana Plateau. Community involvement has been stimulated using Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) methods. This has resulted in the proliferation of pastoral collective-action groups that have diversified livelihoods, engaged markets, and improved incomes. Implementing and sustaining positive change, however, has also been …

Parker Mountain Adaptive Resource Management Group 2007 Annual Report, Michael Guttery, David Dahlgren, Michael Monsen, Terry Messmer

All Current Publications

No abstract provided.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda, November 19, 2007, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Brown Bag Lunch with President Canceled on December 5
• Faculty Code Review Committee
• Commencement
• Cultural Activities Council Annual Report
• Libraries Advisory Council Report
• Honors Program Annual Report
• EPC Annual Report
• Committee on Committee Report
• PRPC Items
• Representation of Extension and RCDE on Faculty Senate (2nd reading)
• Reasons of Non-Renewal (1st reading)
• Old Versions of Code