Digital Commons Network^™

Direct Effects Of Warming Increase Woody Plant Abundance In A Subarctic Wetland, Lindsay G. Carlson, Karen H. Beard, Peter B. Adler

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Both the direct effects of warming on a species’ vital rates and indirect effects of warming caused by interactions with neighboring species can influence plant populations. Furthermore, herbivory mediates the effects of warming on plant community composition in many systems. Thus, determining the importance of direct and indirect effects of warming, while considering the role of herbivory, can help predict long-term plant community dynamics. We conducted a field experiment in the coastal wetlands of western Alaska to investigate how warming and herbivory influence the interactions and abundances of two common plant species, a sedge, Carex ramenskii, and a dwarf …

Authors And Editors Assort On Gender And Geography In High-Rank Ecological Publications, Kezia R. Manlove, Rebecca M. Belou

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Peer-reviewed publication volume and caliber are widely-recognized proxies for academic merit, and a strong publication record is essential for academic success and advancement. However, recent work suggests that publication productivity for particular author groups may also be determined in part by implicit biases lurking in the publication pipeline. Here, we explore patterns of gender, geography, and institutional rank among authors, editorial board members, and handling editors in high-impact ecological publications during 2015 and 2016. A higher proportion of lead authors had female first names (33.9%) than editorial board members (28.9%), and the proportion of female first names among handling editors …

Biodiverse Cities: The Nursery Industry, Homeowners, And Neighborhood Differences Drive Urban Tree Composition, Meghan L. Avolio, Diane E. Pataki, Tara L. E. Trammell, Joanna Endter-Wada

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

In arid and semiarid regions, where few if any trees are native, city trees are largely human planted. Societal factors such as resident preferences for tree traits, nursery offerings, and neighborhood characteristics are potentially key drivers of urban tree community composition and diversity, however, they remain critically understudied. We investigated patterns of urban tree structure in residential neighborhoods of the Salt Lake Valley, Utah, combining biological variables, such as neighborhood and plant nursery tree species and trait composition, and sociological data comprised of resident surveys and U.S. Census data. We sampled nine neighborhoods that varied in household income and age …

Maternal Effects On Offspring Development In Crop-Pollinating Bees, Megachile Rotundata, Karen M. Kapheim

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Fluorescence Intensity And Lifetime Quenching Of Ceria Nanoparticles As Optical Sensor For Tiny Metallic Particles, Effat Samir, Nader Shehata, Ishac Kandas

Biology Faculty Publications

Ceria nanoparticles are studied as optical probe for different types of tiny metallic particles using fluorescence quenching technique. The synthesized ceria nanoparticles are characterized by having formed charged oxygen vacancies, which can be considered as the main receptors for the used tiny metallic particles to be sensed or absorbed. Under near-UV excitation, the visible fluorescent emission intensity is found to be reduced with increasing the concentration of the studied tiny metallic particles in an aqueous solution. To emphasize the optical sensing process, ceria nanoparticles fluorescence lifetime measurements were demonstrated before and after adding the tiny metallic particles. In addition, Stern– …

Pi Tetrel Bonds, And Their Influence On Hydrogen Bonds And Proton Transfers, Yuanxin Wei, Qingzhong Li, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The positive region that lies above the plane of F2TO (T=C and Si) interacts with malondialdehyde (MDA), which contains an intramolecular H‐bond. The T atom of F2TO can lie either in the MDA molecular plane, forming a T⋅⋅⋅O tetrel bond, or F2TO can stack directly above MDA in a parallel arrangement. The former structure is more stable than the latter, and in either case, F2SiO engages in a much stronger interaction than does F2CO, reaching nearly 200 kJ mol−1. The π‐tetrel bond strengthens/weakens the MDA H‐bond when the bond is formed to the hydroxyl/carbonyl group of MDA, and causes an …

Repurposing Environmental Dna Samples—Detecting The Western Pearlshell (Margaritifera Falcata) As A Proof Of Concept, Joseph C. Dysthe, Torrey Rodgers, Thomas W. Franklin, Kellie J. Carim, Michael K. Young, Kevin S. Mckelvey, Karen E. Mock, Michael J. Schwartz

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Information on the distribution of multiple species in a common landscape is fundamental to effective conservation and management. However, distribution data are expensive to obtain and often limited to high-profile species in a system. A recently developed technique, environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling, has been shown to be more sensitive than traditional detection methods for many aquatic species. A second and perhaps underappreciated benefit of eDNA sampling is that a sample originally collected to determine the presence of one species can be re-analyzed to detect additional taxa without additional field effort. We developed an eDNA assay for the western pearlshell mussel …

Educational Policies Committee Agenda, February 1, 2018, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Curriculum Subcommittee
• Academic Standards Subcommittee
• General Education Subcommittee

Tremblings, February 2018, Western Aspen Alliance

Tremblings

Ten Years of Aspen Science Outreach

Paul C. Rogers

Like any 10-year-old, we still have a lot of growing up to do. We’re full of energy, regularly enduring bruises and bumps. What parent doesn’t look at their child after a decade and see great potential with a dash of trepidation? Still, 10 years is a significant landmark even after the candles are blown out. Let’s take a brief look at where the Western Aspen Alliance (WAA) has been and where we’re heading.

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda, February 1, 2018, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Program Proposal

• Offering a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Science
• Offering a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics
• Offering a Bachelor of Science in Food Science
• Establishing a Department of Marketing and Strategy
• Offering a Master of Science in Data Science

Semester Course Approval Reviews

Other

• Removing Semesters Traditionally Taught from Catalog Descriptions
• Zero Credit Classes
• R401 Process Flow Chart
• Syllabus Update
• Curriculog Input

A-Mode And B-Mode Ultrasound Measurement Of Fat Thickness: A Cadaver Validation Study, Dale R. Wagner, Brennan J. Thompson, D. Andy Anderson, Sarah Schwartz

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives With technological advances, there has been a resurgence in ultrasound as a method to measure subcutaneous fat thickness. Despite the increased interest in this methodology, research comparing A-mode and B-mode ultrasound devices is lacking. Subcutaneous fat thickness measured by a low resolution (2.5 MHz) A-mode ultrasound and a high resolution (12 MHz) B-mode ultrasound were compared to the actual fat thickness in dissected cadavers.

Subjects/Methods Subcutaneous fat thickness of six cadavers was measured at the abdomen, thigh, triceps, and calf (plus chest for males and suprailiac for females) with both ultrasound devices before the cadavers were dissected and site-specific …

Monthly Paleostreamflow Reconstruction From Annual Tree-Ring Chronologies, James H. Stagge, David E. Rosenberg, R. J. Derose, Tammy M. Rittenour

Publications

Paleoclimate reconstructions are increasingly used to characterize annual climate variability prior to the instrumental record, to improve estimates of climate extremes, and to provide a baseline for climate-change projections. To date, paleoclimate records have seen limited engineering use to estimate hydrologic risks because water systems models and managers usually require streamflow input at the monthly scale. This study explores the hypothesis that monthly streamflows can be adequately modeled by statistically decomposing annual flow reconstructions. To test this hypothesis, a multiple linear regression model for monthly streamflow reconstruction is presented that expands the set of predictors to include annual streamflow reconstructions, …

Condition-Dependence Of Blue Plumage Coverage In Indigo Buntings Passerina Cyanea, Spencer B. Hudson, Travis E. Wilcoxen

Biology Faculty Publications

Nuptial plumage colouration is seemingly favoured by females of avian species with regards to sexual selection. This particular secondary sexual characteristic has been previously shown to be a condition-dependent signal of individual quality among passerines with pigment-based colouration (i.e. yellows and reds). In contrast, relationships between structural plumage colouration (i.e. blues) and aspects of both physical quality and physiological function have been understudied. Using free-living Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea) as a study species, we compared the percentage of blue feather coverage to body condition, innate immune responses, antioxidant capacity, stress physiology, reproductive physiology, and …

Wild Horses And Burros: An Overview, S. Nicole Frey, Eric Thacker

All Current Publications

The Federal government manages feral horses and burros under the Wild and Free-roaming Horse and Burro Act. This fact sheet discusses: what wild and feral horses and burros are, there status and populations in the U.S., the problems caused by over-abundance, how "extra" animals are managed, and future management considerations.

Iterative Near-Term Ecological Forecasting: Needs, Opportunities, And Challenges, Michael C. Dietze, Andrew Fox, Lindsay M. Beck-Johnson, Julio L. Betancourt, Melvin Hooten, Catherine S. Jarnevich, Timothy H. Keitt, Melissa A. Kenney, Christine M. Laney, Laurel G. Larsen, Henry W. Leoscher, Claire K. Lunch, Bryan C. Pijanowski, James T. Randerson, Emily K. Read, Andrew T. Tredennick, Rodrigo Vargas, Kathleen C. Weathers, Ethan P. White

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Two foundational questions about sustainability are “How are ecosystems and the services they provide going to change in the future?” and “How do human decisions affect these trajectories?” Answering these questions requires an ability to forecast ecological processes. Unfortunately, most ecological forecasts focus on centennial-scale climate responses, therefore neither meeting the needs of near-term (daily to decadal) environmental decision-making nor allowing comparison of specific, quantitative predictions to new observational data, one of the strongest tests of scientific theory. Near-term forecasts provide the opportunity to iteratively cycle between performing analyses and updating predictions in light of new evidence. This iterative process …

Animal Movement Affectsinterpretation Of Occupancy Models From Camera Trap Surveys Of Unmarked Animals, Eric W. Neilson, Tal Avgar, A. Cole Burton, Kate Broadley, Stan Boutin

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Occupancy models are increasingly applied to data from wildlife camera-trap (CT) surveys to estimate distribution, habitat use, or relative abundance of unmarked animals. Fundamental to the occupancy modeling framework is the temporal pattern of detections at camera stations, which is influenced by animal population density and the speed and scale of animal movement. How these factors interact with CT sampling designs to affect the interpretation of occupancy parameter estimates is unclear. We developed a simple yet ecologically relevant animal movement simulation to create CT detections for animal populations varying in movement rate, home range area, and population density. We also …

Allenrolfea Wetland Genetics Data, Paul G. Wolf, Carol A. Rowe, Robert W. Lichvar

Browse all Datasets

The hydrophyte Allenrolfea occidentalis (S. Watson) Kuntze (iodine bush) is a halophytic shrub of the arid southwest that is listed as a facultative wetland (FACW) species on the National Wetland Plant List. This rating means the species is usually a hydrophyte but occasionally is found in uplands. We tested for genetic (ecotypic) differences between plants sampled from wetlands versus uplands. We used genotyping-by-sequencing (ddRAD-seq) to generate data from 133 plants from 30 locations representing both wetland and upland occurrences for over 1300 loci. Analyses indicated that the strongest signal is differences in geographic distribution: samples that are in close geographic …

Discounting And Digit Ratio: Low 2d:4d Predicts Patience For A Sample Of Females, Diego Aycinena, Lucas Rentschler

Economics and Finance Faculty Publications

Inter-temporal trade-offs are ubiquitous in human decision making. We study the relationship between preferences over such trade-offs and the ratio of the second digit to that of the forth (2D:4D), a marker for pre-natal exposure to sex hormones. Specifically, we study whether 2D:4D affects discounting. Our sample consists of 419 female participants of a Guatemalan conditional cash transfer program who take part in an experiment. Their choices in the convex time budget (CTB) experimental task allow us to make inferences regarding their patience (discounting), while controlling for present-biasedness and preference for smoothing consumption (utility curvature). We find that women with …

Evaluating The Impact Of An Exotic Plant Invasion On Rodent Community Richness And Abundance, Trinity N. Smith, Eric M. Gese, Bryan M. Kluever

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), Russian thistle (Salsola kali), and tall tumblemustard (Sisymbrium altissimum) are nonnative plants widely distributed throughout the desert and shrubsteppe communities of the western United States. The impact of these invaders on plant community structure, form, and function has been well documented, but investigations determining the impacts of this cumulative invasion on terrestrial vertebrates have not been undertaken. Our objective was to assess community-level rodent responses to changes in plant community features, with an emphasis on dominance of invasive plant species. We sampled rodent and plant communities in the Great Basin Desert …

Making Rewilding Fit For Policy, Nathalie Pettorelli, Jos Barlow, Philip A. Stephens, Sarah M. Durant, Ben Connor, Henrike Schulte To Bühne, Christopher J. Sandom, Jonathan Wentworth, Johan T. Du Toit

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

1. Rewilding, here defined as “the reorganisation of biota and ecosystem processes to set an identified social–ecological system on a preferred trajectory, leading to the self‐sustaining provision of ecosystem services with minimal ongoing management,” is increasingly considered as an environmental management option, with potential for enhancing both biodiversity and ecosystem services.
2. Despite burgeoning interest in the concept, there are uncertainties and difficulties associated with the practical implementation of rewilding projects, while the evidence available for facilitating sound decision‐making for rewilding initiatives remains elusive.
3. We identify five key research areas to inform the implementation of future rewilding initiatives: increased understanding of the …

Survival Rates Indicate That Correlations Between Community-Weighted Mean Traits And Environments Can Be Unreliable Estimates Of The Adaptive Value Of Traits, Daniel C. Laughlin, Robert T. Strahan, Peter B. Adler, Margaret M. Moore

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Correlations between community-weighted mean (CWM) traits and environmental gradients are often assumed to quantify the adaptive value of traits. We tested this assumption by comparing these correlations with models of survival probability using 46 perennial species from long-term permanent plots in pine forests of Arizona. Survival was modeled as a function of trait-by-environment interactions, plant size, climatic variation, and neighborhood competition. The effect of traits on survival depended on the environmental conditions, but the two statistical approaches were inconsistent. For example, CWM specific leaf area (SLA) and soil fertility were uncorrelated. However, survival was highest for species with low SLA …

Community-Level Plant–Soil Feedbacks Explain Landscape Distribution Of Native And Non-Native Plants, Andrew Kulmatiski

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Plant–soil feedbacks (PSFs) have gained attention for their potential role in explaining plant growth and invasion. While promising, most PSF research has measured plant monoculture growth on different soils in short-term, greenhouse experiments. Here, five soil types were conditioned by growing one native species, three non-native species, or a mixed plant community in different plots in a common-garden experiment. After 4 years, plants were removed and one native and one non-native plant community were planted into replicate plots of each soil type. After three additional years, the percentage cover of each of the three target species in each community was …

A Social–Ecological Perspective For Riverscape Management In The Columbia River Basin, Brian K. Hand, Courtney G. Flint, Chris A. Frissell, Clint C. Muhlfeld, Shawn P. Devlin, Brian P. Kennedy, Robert L. Crabtree, W. Arthur Mckee, Gordon Luikart, Jack A. Stanford

Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology Faculty Publications

Riverscapes are complex, landscape-scale mosaics of connected river and stream habitats embedded in diverse ecological and socioeconomic settings. Social–ecological interactions among stakeholders often complicate natural-resource conservation and management of riverscapes. The management challenges posed by the conservation and restoration of wild salmonid populations in the Columbia River Basin (CRB) of western North America are one such example. Because of their ecological, cultural, and socioeconomic importance, salmonids present a complex management landscape due to interacting environmental factors (eg climate change, invasive species) as well as socioeconomic and political factors (eg dams, hatcheries, land-use change, transboundary agreements). Many of the problems in …

Comparative Response Of The Hepatic Transcriptomes Of Domesticated And Wild Turkey To Aflatoxin B1, Kent M. Reed, Kristelle M. Mendoza, Juan E. Abrahante, Roger A. Coulombe

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

The food-borne mycotoxin aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) poses a significant risk to poultry, which are highly susceptible to its hepatotoxic effects. Domesticated turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are especially sensitive, whereas wild turkeys (M.g. silvestris) are more resistant. AFB₁ toxicity entails bioactivation by hepatic cytochrome P450s to the electrophilic exo-AFB₁-8,9-epoxide (AFBO). Domesticated turkeys lack functional hepatic GST-mediated detoxification of AFBO, and this is largely responsible for the differences in resistance between turkey types. This study was designed to characterize transcriptional changes induced in turkey livers by AFB₁ , and to contrast the …

Aerogen Bonds Formed Between Aeof2 (Ae = Kr, Xe) And Diaziness: Comparisons Between Σ-Hole And Π-Hole Complexes, Wiktor Zierkiewicz, Mariusz Michalczyk, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The interaction between KrOF2 or XeOF2 and the 1,2, 1,3, and 1,4 diazines is characterized chiefly by a Kr/Xe···N aerogen bond, as deduced from ab initio calculations. The most stable dimers take advantage of the σ-hole on the aerogen atom, wherein the two molecules lie in the same plane. The interaction is quite strong, as much as 18 kcal mol-1. A second class of dimer geometry utilizes the π-hole above the aerogen atom in an approximate perpendicular arrangement of the two monomers; these structures are not as strongly bound: 6-8 kcal mol-1. Both sorts of dimers contain auxiliary CH···F H-bonds …

Special Relativity, 3, David Peak

Special Relativity

A few kinematic consequences of the Lorentz transformations

How big is gamma?

Faculty Senate Agenda, January 8, 2018, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• EPC December Report
• Council on Teacher Education Annual Report/1-Page
• Scholarship Advisory Board Annual Report
• Policy 405.11.4 External Peer Reviews (first reading)

Effects Of Ambient Particulate Matter On Aerobic Exercise Performance, Dale R. Wagner, Nicholas W. Clark

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Background/Objective: Wintertime thermal inversions in narrow mountain valleys create a ceiling effect, increasing concentration of small particulate matter (PM_2.5). Despite potential health risks, many people continue to exercise outdoors in thermal inversions. This study measured the effects of ambient PM_2.5 exposure associated with a typical thermal inversion on exercise performance, pulmonary function, and biological markers of inflammation.

Methods: Healthy, active adults (5 males, 11 females) performed two cycle ergometer time trials outdoors in a counterbalanced design: 1) low ambient PM_2.5 concentrations (/m³ ), and 2) an air quality index (AQI) ranking of “yellow.” Variables …

Comparison Of African And North American Velvet Ant Mimicry Complexes: Another Example Of Africa As The 'Odd Man Out', Joseph S. Wilson, Aaron D. Pan, Erica S. Limb, Kevin A. Williams

Biology Faculty Publications

Africa has the most tropical and subtropical land of any continent, yet has relatively low species richness in several taxa. This depauperate nature of the African tropical fauna and flora has led some to call Africa the “odd man out.” One exception to this pattern is velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), wingless wasps that are known for Müllerian mimicry. While North American velvet ants form one of the world’s largest mimicry complexes, mimicry in African species has not been investigated. Here we ask do African velvet ant Müllerian mimicry rings exist, and how do they compare to the North American complex. …

Parameterization Of Secondary And Backscattered Electron Yields For Spacecraft Charging, Justin Christensen, Phil Lundgreen, Jr Dennison

Posters

No abstract provided.