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Consistent Nest Site Selection By Turtles Across Habitats With Varying Levels Of Human Disturbance, Molly Folkerts Caldwell, Jorge E. López-Pérez, Daniel A. Warner, Matthew E. Wolak

Biology Student Research

Human disturbance impacts the breeding behavior of many species, and it is particularly important to understand how these human-caused changes affect vulnerable taxa, such as turtles. Habitat alteration can change the amount and quality of suitable nesting habitat, while human presence during nesting may influence nesting behavior. Consequently, both habitat alteration and human presence can influence the microhabitat that females choose for nesting. In the summer of 2019, we located emydid turtle nests in east-central Alabama, USA, in areas with varying levels of human disturbance (high, intermediate, low). We aimed to determine whether turtles selected nest sites based on a …

Comfrey In The Garden, Emmalee Rolfe, Dan Drost

All Archived Publications

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is a very hardy perennial herb adaptable to most conditions. Comfrey grows best in partial to full sun in moist, fertile soil. Comfrey is propagated by root cuttings or crown divisions. Comfrey can be planted throughout the growing season but establishes best when planted in the spring. Maintain moderate soil moisture, especially when plants are young. Once established, comfrey outcompetes weeds and does not have any reported insect or disease issues in Utah. Some leaves and roots are harvested after the first year of growth. It should be noted that consuming high doses or excessive …

Factors Influencing Dietetic Interns' Dietary Habits During Supervised Practice, Courtney Weese, Katie M. Thompson, Adalyn White, Brianne Oronoz, Karli Breinholt, Dawson V. Croxall, Kelzie Devitt, Marin Easton, Madison L. Gunter, Breann Mcfarlane, Kaitlyn Reich, Jenna Sacks, Lacie Peterson, Rebecca Charlton, Holly Hopkins, Katie N. Kraus

Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science Student Research

Supervised practice is a prerequisite to becoming a registered dietitian. Research suggests that environmental and social factors may affect dietary choices. This focus group research aimed to gather opinions from dietetic interns to understand what factors related to supervised practice, if any, affected their dietary habits. Qualitative data were collected via seven recorded virtual focus groups in which trained moderators facilitated a discussion using a series of controlled questions. Participants, dietetic interns (n = 42) who were currently completing or had completed their supervised practice within the previous six months, attended one of seven virtual focus groups. Each focus …

Emotional Support Animal Partnerships: Behavior, Welfare, And Clinical Involvement, Jillian Ferrell, Susan L. Crowley

Psychology Student Research

The present study gathered information about the characteristics of individuals and dogs in Emotional Support Animal (ESA) partnerships, instances of service-animal misrepresentation, animal welfare and behavior, dimensions of bond quality, and health professional involvement. Seventy-seven adults (53 female, 24 male) with a canine ESA were surveyed via Qualtrics panel services. Data were analyzed for descriptive data, as well as correlational analyses among variables. Participants reported high frequencies of misrepresentation of emotional support animals, access law violations, and problematic instances including ESAs with a history of aggression and times when participants were unable to care for their dog. The majority of …

Dynamic Fecal Microbiota Transfer From Mice With Western Diet-Induced Severe Colitis And Colon Tumorigenesis Did Not Exacerbate Colitis Symptoms Or Colon Tumorigenesis In Recipient Mice Fed Either The Ain93g Diet Or The Total Western Diet, Abby D. Benninghoff

Browse all Datasets

Consumption of the total Western diet (TWD) in mice has been shown to increase gut inflammation, promote colon tumorigenesis, and alter the fecal microbiome composition in mice as com-pared to mice fed a healthy diet, AIN93G (AIN). However, it is unclear whether the gut micro-biome contributes directly to colitis-associated CRC in this model. The objective of this study was to determine whether dynamic fecal microbiota transfer (FMT) from host mice fed either AIN or TWD basal diets would alter colitis symptoms or colitis-associated CRC in recipient mice, which were fed either AIN or TWD directly using a 2x2 factorial experiment …

The Utah Statesman, January 30, 2023, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Phytoremediation Is An Important Tool For Reducing Mining Pollution, Sabrina Allen

Research on Capitol Hill

In 2019, community fishponds were established near two towns in Eastern Uganda by Ideal Life Vision Uganda with the support of Rotary International. The ponds are stocked with African Sharp-tooth Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) and Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and are used as a source of both nutritious food and income for the local communities. Unfortunately, commercial and artisan gold mining in the surrounding regions have led to high amounts of mercury pollution within the ponds, negatively impacting both fish production and overall community health, presenting a major threat to the success and functionality of the ponds and the well-being of …

The Utah Statesman January 16, 2023, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Transfer Effects Of A Multiple-Joint Isokinetic Eccentric Resistance Training Intervention To Nontraining-Specific Traditional Muscle Strength Measures, Steven Spencer, Brennan J. Thompson, Eadric Bressel, Talin Louder, David C. Harrell

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Relatively few investigations have examined the transfer effects of multiple-joint isokinetic eccentric only (MJIE) resistance training on non-specific measures of muscle strength. This study investigated the transfer effects of a short-term MJIE leg press (Eccentron) resistance training program on several non-specific measures of lower-body strength. Fifteen participants performed Eccentron training three times/week for four weeks and were evaluated on training-specific Eccentron peak force (EccPF), nontraining-specific leg press DCER one-repetition maximum (LP 1 RM), and peak torques of the knee extensors during isokinetic eccentric (Ecc30), isokinetic concentric (Con150) and isometric (IsomPT) tasks before and after the training period. The training elicited …

Voices Of Usu: An Anthology Of Student Writing, Vol. 16, 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.

A Case Study Comparing The Life Skills Development And Knowledge In Youth Participants Of Horseless And Traditional Horse Programs In Utah, Haley M. Johnson, Kelsey L. Hall, Benjamin Scow

Applied Sciences, Technology and Education Faculty Publications

This study compared four horseless and seven traditional horse participants from Washington County 4-H in Utah for horse knowledge gained and for the development of 10 life skills from Hendricks's Targeting Life Skills Model: leadership, teamwork, self-responsibility, personal safety, problem-solving, decision-making, critical thinking, goal setting, communication, and concern for others. This study's mixed methods design employed interviews to learn about life skill development and quantitative data from a 20-item horse knowledge quiz and demographic survey. The traditional horse youth showed greater development of leadership, self-responsibility, decision-making, goal setting, and communication than the horseless youth. Roughly half of the participants in …

Sheep Ingestive Behavior And Tannin Selection In Pampa Grassland And Feedlot, Marina Terra Braga

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

The Pampa grassland biome has high plant biodiversity, some with significant secondary compound concentrations such as tannins. Tannin inclusion in ruminant diets may improve meat quality and productivity. However, voluntary intake of this phenolic compound can be a challenge. This dissertation includes three studies within this context. The first study documented whether sheep consume tannin-rich Desmodium incanum (DI), the most common Pampa herbaceous legume species. The second study evaluated how forage tannin and protein concentration influenced sheep feedlot feed selection and the diet affects performance parameters. The third study evaluated sheep feeding behavior in a Pampa native pasture, and how …

2023 Report To The Governor And Legislature On Utah's Land, Water & Air, Janet Quinney Lawson Institute For Land, Water & Air

Reports

This report serves as a 2023 snapshot of key issues and concerns with Utah’s shared resources. It highlights gathered data that is available to provide context to these issues, as well as identifies areas where more study is needed. Addressing these challenges will enable Utah policymakers to make informed decisions for the future. Under the authorship of 43 researchers and experts and the general guidance of 49 advisory committee members, the report outlines 32 issues and trends to pay attention to in the coming months and years.

Chapter 10- Mindful Teaching, Leadership, And Reflection Practices, Jessie Koltz

Habits of Mind

Feeling confident and excelling personally or professionally may come off as a challenge for educators and students who do not have stress-reducing skills to fall back on. Negative academic or professional stress could then have effects on many aspects of an individual’s life, such as mental health, substance use, sleep, physical health, lackluster achievement in academics and/or personal success, and even school dropout or professional burnout (Proctor, Guttman-Lapin, & Kendrick-Dunn, 2020). How can we engage our students in pedagogical practices focused on how to support mindfulness-based learning, leadership strategies, and reflection practices within higher education settings? How can educators integrate …

Sea-Ice Conditions Predict Polar Bear Land Use Around Military Installations In Alaska, Eric V. Regehr, Kristin L. Laidre, Todd C. Atwood, Harry L. Stern, Benjamin Cohen

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are threatened by sea-ice loss due to climate change, which is concurrently opening the Arctic to natural resource extraction and a broader scope of national security responsibilities. Mitigating the risk of human–bear conflicts is an emerging challenge as many polar bears spend longer ice-free summers on land where they have limited access to food and come into more frequent contact with people. We investigated a suite of physical and ecological variables that influence the timing of polar bear arrival on, and departure from, land using remote-sensing data on sea-ice extent and satellite telemetry data …

Grizzly Bears And Humans At Alpine Moth Sites In Wyoming, Usa, Erika A. Nunlist, Dan Tyers, Andrew Pils, Bok F. Sowell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Army cutworm moths (Euxoa auxiliaris; moths) are an important seasonal higher elevational food source for grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis; bears) in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, USA). Increased human interaction with bears at moth sites is an important management issue because of the potential for displacing bears and the concern for human safety. Managers will need better information regarding human–bear interactions at high-density moth sites that are also accessible to humans to mitigate potential conflicts. In the summers of 2017 and 2018, we studied human–bear interactions at 2 of the most human …

Variation In Space Use And Movements Of Individual Mule Deer And Bighorn Sheep In Response To Shed Antler Hunting, Steven B. Bates, Jericho C. Whiting, Brock R Mcmillan, Steven L. Petersen, Randy T. Larsen

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Shed antler hunting can affect the movements and space use of ungulates. We evaluated space use and movements of 12 mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and 25 bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) during shed antler hunting for up to 4 years. Twenty-five percent of mule deer and 44% of bighorn sheep changed space use in relation to their home range in response to shed antler hunters across 2 years. Four deer were tracked for 3 or 4 consecutive years and responded differently to shed antler hunting across years. Mean distance moved by mule deer in response to shed …

Moab Local Food Guide 2023, Roslynn Mccann, Shiree Duncan

All Current Publications

Thank you for picking up this Moab Utah Local Food Guide, last updated in May 2023. Those growing and producing food within a 100 mile radius from Moab have been included in this guide to help YOU make locally sourced purchasing decisions!

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 …

Pavement Ants (Tetramorium Immigrans Santschi), Ryan S. Davis, Lori R. Spears, Austin Taylor

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describes pavement ants. It covers identification, biology and habits, and management.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda, December 12, 2022, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order: Approval of Minutes- Nov 14, 2022
• University Business
• Information: Educational Policies Committee
• Reports: Council on Teacher Education; Scholarship Advisory Board
• Old Business: Athletic Spending
• New Business: Divestment Proposal
• Adjourn

Assessing The Impact Of Storage Time And Shape Of The Block On The Slicability Of Commercial Cheddar Cheese, Nathan Pace

Fall Student Research Symposium 2022

Cheddar cheese is one of the world's most popular cheeses and is consumed in blocks and slices. The slicability of cheddar cheese can depend on textural and rheological properties. Understanding these characteristics can enhance desirability and reduce material loss occurring during slicing. In this study, we focused on four main parameters: slice thickness, cheese shape, storage period, and cheese type. Four thicknesses (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mm) and two shapes (triangular and square) of mild, medium, sharp, and extra sharp were selected. Cheeses were purchased from Walmart and the Utah State University creamery. At first, cheese blocks were cut …

The Effect Of The Plant-Based Diet On Athletes And Its Limitations, Dylan Hill

Fall Student Research Symposium 2022

In this study, I was hoping to learn more about the differences between the omnivore diet and plant-based diet in relation to the effects on an athlete. Research was conducted using library and internet resources to locate both primary and secondary research. For this study, personal accounts and experiences of athletes who had experimented with a plant based diet were examined. Research showed that although a very enticing option for a healthy diet for athletes, the plant-based diet is just as effective as a balanced omnivore diet but much more difficult to do properly and is much less accessible to …

The Utah Statesman, December 5, 2022, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Evaluating The Utah Agriculture In The Classroom Preservice Teacher Seminar, Amelia J. Miller, Zak A. Konakis, Emily Yoshikawa-Ruesch, Debra M. Spielmaker, Denise Stewardson

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Utah Agriculture in the Classroom hosts preservice teacher seminars in partnership with five universities across the state. From 2017-2021, approximately 600 college students participated in these seminars. The preservice seminars provided agriculture-themed lessons aligned to state educational standards for future teachers to use as they build resources for their classrooms.

Reducing The Stigma Surrounding Mental Illness In Box Elder County, April Litchford

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

Targeted efforts to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness in Box Elder County provided education and resources to identify and treat individuals suffering from these issues. Utah State University Extension’s efforts to address mental health reached thousands of individuals and generated new partnerships with county organizations.

Outcomes Of The Thriving Hives Beginning Beekeeping Extension Education, Andree' Walker Bravo

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

The Thriving Hives Beginning Beekeeping Education program caters to novice beekeepers to promote best practices, confidence in beekeeping skills, and healthy apiaries around the state. A major objective of the program is to educate participants on the management of Varroa mites in their hives.

Relationship Between Protein And Secondary Metabolite Content In Congeneric Tropical Shrubs, Anna Billings

Fall Student Research Symposium 2022

Secondary metabolites are important defensive compounds found in plants which deter pests and pathogens and play an important role in defending against herbivory and seed predation. The role of secondary metabolites in fruits is complex as plants must defend the costly fruits while also successfully attracting dispersers. Protein investment into fruits is costly for plants but can serve as a reward to dispersers. In this experiment, we examined the protein content of plant tissues and compared it with the secondary metabolite content. We extracted and measured protein content of leaf and fruit pulp tissues from 15 species of Psychotria (a …

Interview With Sean Damitz, Utah State University Special Collections & Archives

Utah State University COVID-19 Oral History Collection

No abstract provided.

Interview With Janet Anderson, Utah State University Special Collections & Archives

Utah State University COVID-19 Oral History Collection

No abstract provided.