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The Relationship Between Measures Of Annual Livestock Disturbance In Western Riparian Areas And Stream Conditions Important To Trout, Salmon, And Char, Lindsey M. Goss, Brett B. Roper

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Managing livestock disturbance in riparian zones in a manner that provides economic returns to ranchers while protecting streams is an important aspect of rangeland management on public lands in the western United States. Attempts to balance economic and ecologic outcomes have been made more difficult due to the presence of several salmonid species that are protected under the Endangered Species Act. One approach to proper management of livestock use near streams has been to define the allowable limits of disturbance using 2 metrics, streambank alteration and stubble height. We evaluated 153 stream reaches within the Interior Columbia Basin to determine …

Building Up Biogeography: Pattern To Process, William D. Pearse, A. Marcia Barbosa, Susanne A. Fritz, Sally A. Keith, Luke J. Harmon, John Harte, Daniele Silvestro, Xiao Xiao, T. Jonathan Davies

Ecology Center Publications

Linking pattern to process across spatial and temporal scales has been a key goal of the field of biogeography. In January 2017, the 8th biennial conference of the International Biogeography Society sponsored a symposium on Building up biogeography—process to pattern that aimed to review progress towards this goal. Here we present a summary of the symposium, in which we identified promising areas of current research and suggested future research directions. We focus on (1) emerging types of data such as behavioral observations and ancient DNA, (2) how to better incorporate historical data (such as fossils) to move beyond what we …

Salt Tolerance Of Six Switchgrass Cultivars, Youping Sun, Genhua Niu, Girisha Ganjegunte, Yanqi Wu

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

Panicum virgatum L. (switchgrass) cultivars (‘Alamo’, ‘Cimarron’, ‘Kanlow’, ‘NL 94C2-3’, ‘NSL 2009-1’, and ‘NSL 2009-2’) were evaluated for salt tolerance in two separate greenhouse experiments. In experiment (Expt.) 1, switchgrass seedlings were irrigated with a nutrient solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 dS·m−1 (control) or a saline solution (spiked with salts) at an EC of 5.0 dS·m−1 (EC 5) or 10.0 dS·m−1 (EC 10) for four weeks, once a week. Treatment EC 10 reduced the tiller number by 32% to 37% for all switchgrass cultivars except ‘Kanlow’. All switchgrass cultivars under EC 10 had a significant reduction of …

Weak Interspecific Interactions In A Sagebrush Steppe? Conflicting Evidence From Observations And Experiments, Peter B. Adler, Andrew R. Kleinhesselink, Giles Hooker, Joshua B. Taylor, Brittany J. Teller, Stephen P. Ellner

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Stable coexistence requires intraspecific limitations to be stronger than interspecific limitations. The greater the difference between intra‐ and interspecific limitations, the more stable the coexistence, and the weaker the competitive release any species should experience following removal of competitors. We conducted a removal experiment to test whether a previously estimated model, showing surprisingly weak interspecific competition for four dominant species in a sagebrush steppe, accurately predicts competitive release. Our treatments were (1) removal of all perennial grasses and (2) removal of the dominant shrub, Artemisia tripartita. We regressed survival, growth, and recruitment on the locations, sizes, and species identities …

Utah State University Commencement, 2018 - Eastern Campus, Utah State University

Commencement Programs

2018 Commencement Ceremony for the Eastern Campus of Utah State University.

For The Want Of A Horse The Rider Was Lost, Terry A. Messmer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This is the editors commentary

Educational Policies Committee Program Proposal, College Of Agriculture And Applied Sciences, April 27, 2018 – Bachelor Of Science – Nutrition Science, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Utah State University requests approval to offer the following Baccalaureate degree(s): Bachelor of Science - Nutrition Science effective Fall 2018.

Educational Policies Committee Program Proposal, College Of Agriculture And Applied Sciences, April 27, 2018 – Bachelor Of Science In Food Science, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Utah State University requests approval to offer the following Baccalaureate degree(s): Bachelor of Science in Food Science effective Fall 2018.

Microfluidic Chip For Non-Invasive Analysis Of Tumor Cells Interaction With Anti-Cancer Drug Doxorubicin By Afm And Raman Spectroscopy, Han Zhang, Lifu Xiao, Qifei Li, Xiaojun Qi, Anhong Zhou

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Raman spectroscopy has been playing an increasingly significant role for cell classification. Here, we introduce a novel microfluidic chip for non-invasive Raman cell natural fingerprint collection. Traditional Raman spectroscopy measurement of the cells grown in a Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based microfluidic device suffers from the background noise from the substrate materials of PDMS when intended to apply as an in vitro cell assay. To overcome this disadvantage, the current device is designed with a middle layer of PDMS layer sandwiched by two MgF2slides which minimize the PDMS background signal in Raman measurement. Three cancer cell lines, including a human lung cancer …

Anthropogenic Food Subsidy To A Commensal Carnivore: The Value And Supply Of Human Faeces In The Diet Of Free-Ranging Dogs, James R. A. Butler, Wendy Y. Brown, Johan T. Du Toit

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

As the global population of free-ranging domestic dogs grows, there is increasing concern about impacts on human health and wildlife conservation. Effective management of dog populations requires reliable information on their diet, feeding behavior, and social ecology. Free-ranging dogs are reliant on humans, but anthropogenic food subsidies, particularly human faeces (i.e., coprophagy) have not previously been fully quantified. In this study we assess the contributions of different food types to the diet, and their influences on the social behaviour of free-ranging dogs in communal lands of rural Zimbabwe, with a focus on coprophagy. Free-ranging dog diets, body condition, and sociology …

Iterative Design Of A Simulation-Based Module For Teaching Evolution By Natural Selection, Jody Clarke-Midura, Denise S. Pope, Susan Maruca, Joel K. Abraham, Eli Meir

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: This research builds on a previous study that looked at the effectiveness of a simulation-based module for teaching students about the process of evolution by natural selection. While the previous study showed that the module was successful in teaching how natural selection works, the research uncovered some weaknesses in the design. In this paper, we used design-based research to investigate how design changes to the module affected not only students’ understanding of the concepts but also their usage of misconceptions in the assessments. We present results from two studies. In study 1, we looked at gains in understanding …

Admixture, Evolution, And Variation In Reproductive Isolation In The Boechera Puberula Clade, Martin P. Schilling, Zachariah Gompert, Fay-Wei Li, Michael D. Windham, Paul G. Wolf

Biology Faculty Publications

Background

Hybridization is very common in plants, and the incorporation of new alleles into existing lineages (i.e. admixture) can blur species boundaries. However, admixture also has the potential to increase standing genetic variation. With new sequencing methods, we can now study admixture and reproductive isolation at a much finer scale than in the past. The genus Boechera is an extraordinary example of admixture, with over 400 hybrid derivates of varying ploidy levels. Yet, few studies have assessed admixture in this genus on a genomic scale.

Results

In this study, we used Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) to clarify the evolution of the Boechera …

The Utah Statesman, April 24, 2018, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Identification Of Genes Directly Responding To Dlk1 Signaling In Callipyge Sheep, Hui Yu, Jolena N. Waddell, Shihuan Kuang, Ross L. Tellam, Noelle E. Cockett, Christopher A. Bidwell

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Background

In food animal agriculture, there is a need to identify the mechanisms that can improve the efficiency of muscle growth and protein accretion. Callipyge sheep provide excellent machinery since the up-regulation of DLK1 and RTL1 results in extreme postnatal muscle hypertrophy in distinct muscles. The aim of this study is to distinguish the genes that directly respond to DLK1 and RTL1 signaling from the genes that change as the result of muscle specific effects.

Results

The quantitative PCR results indicated that DLK1 expression was significantly increased in hypertrophied muscles but not in non-hypertrophied muscles. However, RTL1 was up-regulated in …

Modeling Temperature And Moisture Dependent Emissions Of Carbon Dioxide And Methane From Drying Dairy Cow Manure, Enzhu Hu, Pakorn Sutitarnnontr, Markus Tuller, Scott B. Jones

Plants, Soils, and Climate Faculty Publications

Greenhouse gas emissions due to biological degradation processes of animal wastes are significant sources of air pollution from agricultural areas. The major environmental controls on these microbe-induced gas fluxes are temperature and moisture content. The objective of this study was to model the effects of temperature and moisture content on emissions of CO₂ and CH₄ during the ambient drying process of dairy manure under controlled conditions. Gas emissions were continuously recorded over 15 d with paired fully automated closed dynamic chambers coupled with a Fourier Transformed Infrared gas analyzer. Water content and temperature were measured and monitored with …

Impulsive Choice And Pre-Exposure To Delays: Iv. Effects Of Delay- And Immediacy-Exposure Training Relative To Maturational Changes In Impulsivity, C. Renee Renda, Jillian M. Rung, Jay E. Hinnenkamp, Stephanie N. Lenzini, Gregory J. Madden

Psychology Faculty Publications

Impulsive choice describes preference for smaller, sooner rewards over larger, later rewards. Excessive delay discounting (i.e., rapid devaluation of delayed rewards) underlies some impulsive choices, and is observed in many maladaptive behaviors (e.g., substance abuse, gambling). Interventions designed to reduce delay discounting may provide therapeutic gains. One such intervention provides rats with extended training with delayed reinforcers. When compared to a group given extended training with immediate reinforcers, delay-exposed rats make significantly fewer impulsive choices. To what extent is this difference due to delay-exposure training shifting preference toward self-control or immediacy-exposure training (the putative control group) shifting preference toward impulsivity? …

Self-Efficacy Change Associated With A Cognitive Load-Based Intervention In An Undergraduate Biology Course, David F. Feldon, Joana Franco, Jie Chao, James Peugh, Cathy Maahs-Fladung

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Cognitive load theory (CLT) holds that discovery learning and other instructional strategies imposing high levels of extraneous load on novice learners hinder learning. Such learning conditions are also associated with significant drops in persistence, a key measure of motivation. However, research within the CLT framework typically engages motivation as a necessary precursor to learning, rather than as an outcome of instruction. In this study, we examine changes in motivational beliefs as outcomes of learners' cognitive processes through a CLT lens as they engage with instruction. Using a double-blind quasi-experimental design, we manipulate the level of cognitive load imposed on participants …

Usu Engineering Researcher Gets Prestigious Nsf Career Award | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Utah State University professor and researcher Ling Liu will receive a major research grant for his work in developing more thermally efficient materials.

Light May Have Triggered A Period Of Net Heterotrophy In Lake Superior, Soren Brothers, Paul Sibley

Ecology Center Publications

Recent studies of Lake Superior, the Earth's largest freshwater lake by surface area, describe it as net heterotrophic (primary production < community respiration), making it a net source of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. This conclusion is largely based on measurements made between 1998 and 2001. We present a long‐term (1968–2016) analysis of ice‐free (April–November) surface oxygen (O2) saturation data collected by monitoring agencies. These data indicate that Lake Superior's surface waters are typically supersaturated with dissolved O2 from May to September (May–September mean is 103.5% ± 0.6%; pooled mean from April, October, and November is 97.6% ± 1.1%, standard error of the mean). However, these data also support prior studies which describe a state of net heterotrophy from 1998 to 2001. We investigated potential triggers for a transient heterotrophic period and discuss the sources of organic carbon necessary to fuel net heterotrophy in a large oligotrophic lake. We conclude that net heterotrophy likely resulted from an increase in light period and penetration driven by declines in cloud cover, increases in water clarity, and a reduction of winter ice cover following the 1997–1998 El Niño. Together, these could have depleted a pre‐existing pool of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) via photomineralization and/or photochemical degradation. Our results indicate that Lake Superior is typically net autotrophic (calculated annual CO2 influx = ∼ 0.4 Tg C). These results highlight how water clarity and aquatic DOC pools may interact to induce net metabolic shifts in large oligotrophic aquatic ecosystems.

Spatial Processes Decouple Management From Objectives In A Heterogeneous Landscape: Predator Control As A Case Study, Peter J. Mahoney, Julie K. Young, Kent R. Hersey, Randy T. Larsen, Brock R. Mcmillan, David C. Stoner

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Predator control is often implemented with the intent of disrupting top‐down regulation in sensitive prey populations. However, ambiguity surrounding the efficacy of predator management, as well as the strength of top‐down effects of predators in general, is often exacerbated by the spatially implicit analytical approaches used in assessing data with explicit spatial structure. Here, we highlight the importance of considering spatial context in the case of a predator control study in south‐central Utah. We assessed the spatial match between aerial removal risk in coyotes (Canis latrans) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) resource selection during parturition using …

Semester In The Parks: Engaging Students With Common Intellectual Experiences, Jacqualine B. Grant, John S. Maclean

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

High-impact educational practices (HIP) such as Common Intellectual Experiences (CIE) enhance student engagement and positively affect student learning. At Southern Utah University we created a new HIP-focused program to enrich our students and faculty: Semester in the Parks (SIP). Students lived outside of Bryce Canyon National Park in the gateway community of Bryce Canyon City while they worked for Ruby’s Inn Resort and learned about the national parks. Faculty commuted to this off campus venue and redesigned their courses to incorporate national parks thinking and experiential learning opportunities. The CIE of a national parks-focused semester enhanced student engagement and developed …

From Outside To Online: Unanticipated Directions For Utah Master Naturalist, Mark Larese-Casanova, Jennifer Perkins

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Utah Master Naturalist is an award-winning Utah State University Extension program that promotes stewardship of Utah’s natural world through place-based, experiential field courses across the state. Although successful in eliciting positive short- and long-term impacts, Utah Master Naturalist’s traditional five-day field courses were unavailable to many students and instructors due to constraints of time and location. This case study examines Utah Master Naturalist’s first hybrid course, Desert Explorations, and describes the positive results from our pilot study, how a hybrid course solves availability issues, and how field-based learning theories can be adapted to online education through careful design.

Full Issue: Journal On Empowering Teaching Excellence, Volume 2, Issue 1

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

The full Spring 2018 issue (Volume 2, Issue 1) of the Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence.

The Utah Statesman, April 17, 2018, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Short-Term Regeneration Dynamics Of Wyoming Big Sagebrush At Two Sites In Northern Utah, Sara J. Germain, Rebecca K. Mann, Thomas A. Monaco, Kari E. Veblen

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis) is a widespread shrub across the western United States, and there is great interest among scientists and land managers in its ecology and conservation, particularly with regard to maintaining structural heterogeneity of sagebrush stands for wildlife habitat and livestock forage. Yet little is known about its short-term regeneration dynamics and the implications of those dynamics for changes in stand structure. We examined changes among sagebrush size classes across 3 years, as well as emergence of sagebrush from seed bank and seed rain samples at 2 sagebrush shrub land sites in northern …

Christian Morrill Awarded Scholar Of The Year, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Christian Morrill, an engineering ambassador and biological engineering student, was named Scholar of the Year at the 60th annual Robins Awards.

Gymnosperms On The Edge, Félix Forest, Justin Moat, Elisabeth Baloch, Neil A. Brummitt, Steve P. Bachman, Steffi Ickert-Bond, Peter M. Hollingsworth, Aaron Liston, Damon P. Little, Sarah Mathews, Hardeep Rai, Catarina Rydin, Dennis W. Stevenson, Philip Thomas, Sven Buerki

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Driven by limited resources and a sense of urgency, the prioritization of species for conservation has been a persistent concern in conservation science. Gymnosperms (comprising ginkgo, conifers, cycads, and gnetophytes) are one of the most threatened groups of living organisms, with 40% of the species at high risk of extinction, about twice as many as the most recent estimates for all plants (i.e. 21.4%). This high proportion of species facing extinction highlights the urgent action required to secure their future through an objective prioritization approach. The Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) method rapidly ranks species based on their evolutionary …

Weau Usu Chapter Qualified For The National Student Design Competition | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

The Water Environment Association of Utah (WEAU) USU student chapter has qualified for the national student design competition hosted by the Water Environment Federation (WEF).

Genetic Variation Determines Which Feedbacks Drive And Alter Predator–Prey Eco-Evolutionary Cycles, Michael H. Cortez

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications

Evolution can alter the ecological dynamics of communities, but the effects depend on the magnitudes of standing genetic variation in the evolving species. Using an eco‐coevolutionary predator–prey model, I identify how the magnitudes of prey and predator standing genetic variation determine when ecological, evolutionary, and eco‐evolutionary feedbacks influence system stability and the phase lags in predator–prey cycles. Here, feedbacks are defined by subsystems, i.e., the dynamics of a subset of the components of the whole system when the other components are held fixed; ecological (evolutionary) feedbacks involve the direct and indirect effects between population densities (species traits) and eco‐evolutionary feedbacks …

Use Of Unpalatable Forages By Ruminants: The Influence Of Experience With The Biophysical And Social Environment, Roberto A. Distel, Juan J. Villalba

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Unpalatable forage resources (low nutrient density, potentially toxic metabolites) are widespread and represent a challenge for ruminant nutrition, health, and welfare. Our objective was to synthesize the role of biophysical and social experience on the use of unpalatable forages by ruminants, and highlight derived behavioural solutions for the well-being of soils, plants, and animals. Environmental experiences early in life modulate gene expression and promote learning, which alters morpho-physiological and psychological mechanisms that modify behavioural responses and change food and habitat selection. In this process, ruminants can become better adapted to the habitat where they are reared. Moreover, experiential learning provides …