Digital Commons Network^™

Integrating Agriculture And Ecosystems To Find Suitable Adaptations To Climate Change, Anastasia W. Thayer, Aurora M. Vargas, Adrian A. Castellanos, Charles W. Lafon, Bruce A. Mccarl, Daniel L. Roelke, Kirk O. Winemiller, Thomas E. Lacher

Applied Economics Faculty Publications

Climate change is altering agricultural production and ecosystems around the world. Future projections indicate that additional change is expected in the coming decades, forcing individuals and communities to respond and adapt. Current research efforts typically examine climate change effects and possible adaptations but fail to integrate agriculture and ecosystems. This failure to jointly consider these systems and associated externalities may underestimate climate change impacts or cause adaptation implementation surprises, such as causing adaptation status of some groups or ecosystems to be worsened. This work describes and motivates reasons why ecosystems and agriculture adaptation require an integrated analytical approach. Synthesis of …

Educational Policies Committee Minutes, January 9, 2020, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Subcommittee Reports
• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee
• Course Approvals

Educational Policies Committee Agenda, January 9, 2020, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Subcommittee reports
• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda, January 9, 2020, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Approval of 5 December 2019 Minutes

Program Proposals

College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

• Offer a Minor in Community-Based Education

Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services

• Suspend Specialization in Program

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

• Create a Certificate

College of Sciences

• Add an Emphasis to Existing BA Degree

Semester Course Approval Reviews

Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes, January 9, 2020, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Approval of 5 December 2019 Minutes

Program Proposals

College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

• Offer a Minor in Community-Based Education

Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services

• Suspend Specialization in Program

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

• Create a Certificate

College of Sciences

• Add an Emphasis to Existing BA Degree

Semester Course Approval Reviews

Other Business

• Curriculog will be shutting down on March 18 and will reopen the first part of July.
• Will be discussing curriculum complexity in the EPC Committee today.

Biological Engineering Undergrad To Represent Usu At Women In Engineering Conference, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

LOGAN, UTAH — Jan. 8, 2020 — Utah State University undergraduate student Morgan Bishop was selected as an undergraduate finalist for the Women in Engineering Local Collegiate Competition to be held in Salt Lake City, Feb. 7-8. Bishop will compete in an onsite technical poster competition as well as a lightning talk and will be recognized as an outstanding contributor to engineering at the conference. Bishop is in her final semester at Utah State, earning a bachelor’s degree in biological engineering.

Engineering Education Phd Student To Represent Usu At Women In Engineering Conference, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

LOGAN, UTAH — Jan. 7, 2020 — Utah State University PhD student Lori Caldwell was selected as a graduate student finalist for the Women in Engineering Local Collegiate Competition to be held in Salt Lake City, Feb. 7-8. Caldwell will be recognized as an outstanding graduate student contributor in engineering at the conference. Caldwell earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in biological engineering from USU and is now in the second year of her PhD program under the direction of Dr. Angela Minichiello, assistant professor in the Department of Engineering Education.

Faculty Senate Agenda, January 6, 2020, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• EPC Monthly Report - December 5, 2019
• Interim Day Expectations for Faculty
• Student Analytics Report
• Council on Teacher Education (One Pager) - Annual Report
• Scholarship Advisory Board Annual Report
• 401.3.3 Tenured and Tenure-Eligible Faculty (first reading)
• 405.3.1 Tenure and Promotion: Criteria for Librarians (first reading)
• 407.2 | 407.4 Procedures for Sanctions and other Reprimands (first reading)

Mariana Serpentinite Mud Volcanism Exhumes Subducted Seamount Materials: Implications For The Origin Of Life., Patricia Fryer, C. Geoffrey Wheat, Trevor Williams, Christopher Kelley, Kevin Johnson, Jeffrey Ryan, Walter Kurz, John W. Shervais, Elmar Albers, Barbara Bekins, Baptiste Debret, Jianghong Deng, Yanhui Dong, Philip Eickenbusch, Emanuelle Frery, Yuji Ichiyama, Richard Kevorkian, Et Al.

Geosciences Faculty Publications

The subduction of seamounts and ridge features at convergent plate boundaries plays an important role in the deformation of the overriding plate and influences geochemical cycling and associated biological processes. Active serpentinization of forearc mantle and serpentinite mud volcanism on the Mariana forearc (between the trench and active volcanic arc) provides windows on subduction processes.  Here, we present (1) the first observation of an extensive exposure of an undeformed Cretaceous seamount currently being subducted at the Mariana Trench inner slope; (2) vertical deformation of the forearc region related to subduction of Pacific Plate seamounts and thickened crust; (3) recovered Ocean …

Early Goose Arrival Increases Soil Nitrogen Availability More Than An Advancing Spring In Coastal Western Alaska, Ryan T. Choi, Karen H. Beard, Katharine C. Kelsey, A. Joshua Leffler, Joel A. Schmutz, Jeffrey M. Welker

Ecology Center Publications

An understudied aspect of climate change-induced phenological mismatch is its effect on ecosystem functioning, such as nitrogen (N) cycling. Migratory herbivore arrival time may alter N inputs and plant–herbivore feedbacks, whereas earlier springs are predicted to increase N cycling rates through warmer temperatures. However, the relative importance of these shifts in timing and how they interact to affect N cycling are largely unknown. We conducted a 3-year factorial experiment in coastal western Alaska that simulated different timings of Pacific black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) arrival (3 weeks early, typical, 3 weeks late, or no-grazing) and the growing season …

Cereus Fun: An Introduction To Microbiological Techniques, Holly Ahern, Jessica Habashi

Course Materials

Microbiology is a field of science devoted to the study of organisms that are too small to see; therefore, an engaging laboratory experience is often the key to capturing students' interest. It was with this in mind that this book was first conceived and developed. The goal was to provide undergraduate microbiology students with an engaging and meaningful laboratory experience that nurtured a sense of discovery and encouraged greater interest in microbiology as a topic, a field of study, or a career.

This lab manual – which has been field-tested by hundreds of microbiology students over several years – builds …

In Or Out? Perceptions Of Inclusion And Exclusion Among Ais Members, Jaime Windeler, Stacie Petter, Kathy Chudoba, Emma Coleman, Grace Fox, Thomas A. Chapman

Data Analytics & Information Systems Faculty Publications

People want a sense of community, a benefit that a professional association such as the Association for Information Systems (AIS) can provide to members. When attempts to create a shared experience fall short and we feel excluded, we disengage and stop further attempts to participate. In this paper, we lay a foundation for individual and association inclusion practices in the AIS. First, we describe the current state of inclusion practices in the academy and in the AIS. Then, we describe findings from a survey of AIS members that measured their perceptions about inclusion and exclusion and factors that cultivated these …

"Let's Go On A Gym Raid Tonight!": Video Game Affinity Spaces In English Language Instruction, Marta Dominika Halaczkiewicz

Languages, Philosophy, and Communication Studies Faculty Publications

The present article describes a study that analyzed practical applications of informal online spaces in formal instruction. It was conducted in an intermediate ESL course at an American University. The concept of affinity spaces was used to guide the research. Students in the course were instructed to play the video game, Pokémon Go as an inspiration for their writing. This qualitative study examined the types of affinity space participation, the participant attitudes toward those spaces and to using video games in formal instruction. The data sources consisted of weekly gaming journals and interview transcripts. The findings showed that the participants …

A Pedagogical Retrospective: Gamifying The Konza Prairie Through An Interdisciplinary Studio, Howard Hahn, Brent C. Chamberlain

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Faculty Publications

Recently we embarked on developing an interdisciplinary pedagogical approach that integrates concepts of virtual reality and gaming design to leverage these technologies’ potential to influence how we interpret, visualize, design and analyze environments. The approach was developed as part of an advanced studio at Kansas State University led by two professors and represented by students across three different disciplines: landscape architecture, education and computer science. The entire project consisted of a core studio, buttressed by a seminar and technical module. We refer to the courses and project as “Studio Konza.” This retrospective paper highlights why this effort was undertaken, what …

Re-Legitimizing The Unfaithful Bastard Traitor: Re-Productive And Contestatory Intertextuality In Andrés Bello’S Gramática And Orlando, Angela Delutis-Eichenberger

Decimonónica

Conceived prior to his parents’ matrimony in Venezuela, Andrés Bello (1781-1865) was later accused of fathering an illegitimate child from an adulterous liaison in Chile. By then, some had also considered him a traitor of the patriots for his supposed deviant behavior at the onset of the revolution in Caracas in 1810. Following his departure from Venezuela that year, Bello had begun an unforeseen nineteen-year residency in England (1810-1829) that ended with his relocation to Chile (1829-1865). These “exiles” were marked by impressive strides in politics and scholarship. His grammatical studies advanced in London persisted in Santiago, and culminated in …

¡Mi Hijo Es Mío, Puñales! Excessive Paternal Devotion In Benito Pérez Galdós’S Torquemada Novels, Gabrielle Miller

Decimonónica

While Margaret Mead’s provocative statement that “motherhood is a biological necessity, but fatherhood is a social invention” may be inherently problematic, it successfully underlines “the role of the father” as a culturally-inscribed rather than universal construct (cited in Garbarino 13). In industrialized Western countries of the nineteenth century, the dominant gender ideology of the so-called separate spheres defined the “good father” as a “distant breadwinner” who, as unequivocal family patriarch, provided for his family’s material needs through monetarily-compensated work (Lupton and Barclay 14). Unsurprisingly, the dominant model of fatherhood that emerged in Spain in the second half of the nineteenth …

Patterns Of Epiphytic Lichen Abundance On Aspen Stands In Proximity To Roads Of Varying Vehicular Traffic, D. Aragon, C. Castillo, J. Moffroid, G. Thomas

Aspen Bibliography

Although present in nearly any wild space with available moisture and on a wide variety of substrates, lichen, and its importance as a bioindicator for an ecosystem, is often overlooked. As air pollution becomes a greater concern for flora, fauna, and even humans, the story told by lichen growth becomes more useful as we try to make sense of the downstream effects of anthropogenic contributions to poor air quality. One such human-driven pollutant is the level of emissions that result from vehicular travel. The Jackson Hole area has experienced a large increase in vehicular traffic in the past five to …

Pando Clone Recovery: Repeat Photos 2014-2019, Mary O'Brien, Marc Coles-Ritchie

Aspen Bibliography

The world's largest known clone of aspen (Populus tremuloides), called the "Pando Clone" is located in the Fishlake National Forest in central Utah. For many decades, significant pressure from ungulate (deer and cattle) browsing has prevented growth of young aspen stems in to trees that would replace the mature trees as they die of natural causes. There has been concern that this impressive 104-acre Pando Clone could be lost altogether due to the excessive browsing of young aspen stems. In 2013, 16 acres of this clone were fenced to exclude all ungulates (deer and cattle) so that recovery …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Perfectionism And Neurological Functioning, Julie M. Petersen, Clarissa W. Ong, Allison S. Hancock, Ronald B. Gillam, Michael E. Levin, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Clinical perfectionism is the rigid pursuit of high standards, interfering with functioning. Little research has explored neural patterns in clinical perfectionism. The present study explores neural correlates of clinical perfectionism, before and after receiving ten 50-minute, weekly sessions of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), as compared to low-perfectionist controls, in specific cortical structures: the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), right inferior parietal lobule (IPL). Participants in the perfectionist condition (n = 43) were from a randomized controlled trial evaluating ACT for clinical perfectionism and low-perfectionist controls were undergraduate students (n = 12). Participants completed three tasks (editing …

A Preliminary Investigation Of The Effect Of Acceptance And Commitment Therapy On Neural Activation In Clinical Perfectionism, Clarissa W. Ong, Allison S. Hancock, Tyson S. Barrett, Eric B. Lee, Nicholas Wan, Ronald B. Gillam, Michael E. Levin, Michael P. Twohig

Psychology Faculty Publications

Clinical perfectionism is associated with various cognitive processes including performance monitoring and emotion regulation. This exploratory study analyzed neurological data from a randomized controlled trial for clinical perfectionism that compared acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to a waitlist control. The objective was to assess the effect of ACT on neural activation. Twenty-nine participants underwent a functional near-infrared spectroscopy assessment during which they completed behavioral tasks designed to elicit error detection and error generation at pre- and posttreatment. The hemodynamic response function (HRF) in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, and right inferior parietal lobe was analyzed using mixed effects …

Collective Effect Of Landfills And Landscape Composition On Bird–Aircraft Collisions, Morgan B. Pfeiffer, Bradley F. Blackwell, Travis L. Devault

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Ninety-three percent of all reported bird strikes occur below 1,067 m, which based on the typical approach and departure angles of aircraft is within 8–13 km of an airport. Concomitantly, the Federal Aviation Administration and the International Civil Aviation Organization recommend that any feature that would attract hazardous wildlife to the approach and departure airspace be restricted. Thus, preventing the establishment of wildlife attractants, such as municipal solid waste landfills (MSWLFs) within 8 km or 13 km extents (U.S. and international recommendations, respectively) of airports, has been recommended to mitigate the risk of bird–aircraft collisions (strikes). However, robust evidence linking …

Table Of Contents

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is the table of contents.

Management Of The Brown-Headed Cowbird: Implications For Endangered Species And Agricultural Damage Mitigation, Brian D. Peer, Barbara E. Kus, Mary J. Whitfield, Linnea S. Hall, Stephen I. Rothstein

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater; cowbird) is unique among North American blackbirds (Icteridae) because it is managed to mitigate the negative effects on endangered songbirds and economic losses in agricultural crops. Cowbird brood parasitism can further affect species that are considered threatened or endangered due to anthropogenic land uses. Historically, cowbirds have often been culled without addressing ultimate causes of songbird population declines. Similar to other North American blackbirds, cowbirds depredate agricultural crops, albeit at a lower rate reported for other blackbird species. Conflicting information exists on the extent of agricultural damage caused by cowbirds and the effectiveness …

Field Guarding As A Crop Protection Method: Preliminary Implications For Improving Field Guarding, Leah J. Findlay, Russell A. Hill

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Negative interactions between crop farmers and wild primates are an issue of significant concern. Despite many crop farmers using field guards as a method of crop protection against foraging primates, there are very few published accounts of how effective this technique is and how it might be improved. To bridge this knowledge gap, we used direct observations from a hide to collect the behaviors of field guards, chacma baboons (Papio ursinus; baboons), and vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus; vervets) foraging in a 1-ha butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) field for 4 months (May to August) in …

Why Advertise In Hwi?

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The benefits of advertising with Human–Wildlife Interactions and how to do so.

Can Farmers And Bats Co-Exist? Farmer Attitudes, Knowledge, And Experiences With Bats In Belize, Hannah G. Shapiro, Adam S. Willcox, Mallory Tate, Emma V. Willcox

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Bats (Chiroptera) are often viewed negatively by the public. Negative public perceptions of bats may hinder efforts to conserve declining populations. In Belize, the presence of vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus and Diphylla ecaudata) exacerbates the potential for conflicts with humans because of the increased rabies transmission risks. To mitigate these risks, the Belize government provides farmers with assistance to trap and remove vampire bats. In June 2018, we surveyed farmers (n = 44) in and adjacent to the Vaca Forest Reserve in Belize to learn more about their attitudes, knowledge, and experiences with bats. This information may …

Remote Sensing Applications For Abating Aircraft–Bird Strike Risks In Southeast Brazil, Natalia S. Novoselova, Alexey A. Novoselov, Arthur Macarrão, Guilherme Gallo-Ortiz, Wesley Rodrigues Silva

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The rising number of aircraft collisions with birds requires the development of appropriate mitigation measures to control their populations in the vicinity of airports. The black vulture (Coragyps atratus; vultures) is considered one of the most dangerous species for aviation in Brazil. To better understand the spatial distribution patterns of flying vultures and the risks they may pose to aviation, we studied natural and anthropogenic superficial factors and then numerically estimated and mapped the risk of collision with birds over the Airport Safety Area (ASA) for the Amarais Airport and Presidente Prudente Airport in the southeast part of …

Application Of A Self-Disinfecting Surface For Hemodialysis, Jace Parkinson, Katelyn Parkinson, Alice Pack, Tara Pendleton, Andrew Gagon

Biological Engineering

Hemodialysis mimics kidney function for patients with chronic kidney failure (Figure 1). Infection is the second leading cause of death in patients with end stage renal disease and sepsis accounts for more than 75% of these infectious deaths. In order to treat dialysis patients with bacterial infection, TiO₂ nanoparticles (Degussa P25, 25 nm diameter) may be incorporated into the hollow fiber membrane, in the vascular access, or be suspended in the dialysate. TiO₂ nanoparticles combined with UVA light are used to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Design Of A Mobile Dialysis Kit For Use In Emergency Situations, Nate Barney, Rachel Israelsen, James Vandermeyden, Norah Visker

Biological Engineering

Without hemodialysis (HD), water and waste quickly build up in a renal patient’s bloodstream. HD is typically performed 3 times a week for 3-5 hours per session and consumes large amounts of power and water. Emergencies put strain on an already difficult schedule. There may be a struggle to provide the resources and locations necessary for dialysis treatments in these situations. Our solution to this problem is a mobile, self-sufficient, hemodialysis kit. It requires a battery capable of storing power for multiple dialysis sessions, a water purifying system, the NxStage System One home-dialysis unit, and a vehicle to transport everything. …

Fabric Hip Brace For Hip Replacement Postoperative Use, Jacob Barney, Laurel Hendricksen, Evan Perez

Biological Engineering

A well-recognized complication associated with hip replacement surgery is the dislocation of the hip joint following surgery. The risk of dislocation is highest in the first few months following surgery. To reduce risk of dislocation, the patient is required to wear a metal hip abduction brace. The function of the brace is to regulate flexion, extension, and abduction (forward, backward, and sideway) movements in the hip.

The aim of this project is to develop an alternative design to current post-operative hip braces, presented in the form of a mockup. The main specifications were to remove the metal pieces and replace …