Digital Commons Network^™

The Importance Of Motivation, Weapons, And Foul Odors In Driving Encounter Competition In Carnivores, Maximilian L. Allen, Christopher C. Wilmers, L. Mark Elbroch, Julie M. Golla, Heiko U. Wittmer

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Encounter competition is interference competition in which animals directly contend for resources. Ecological theory predicts the trait that determines the resource holding potential (RHP), and hence the winner of encounter competition, is most often body size or mass. The difficulties of observing encounter competition in complex organisms in natural environments, however, has limited opportunities to test this theory across diverse species. We studied the outcome of encounter competition contests among mesocarnivores at deer carcasses in California to determine the most important variables for winning these contests. We found some support for current theory in that body mass is important in …

Using Plant-Soil Feedbacks To Predict Plant Biomass In Diverse Communities, Andrew Kulmatiski, Karen H. Beard, Josephine Grenzer, Leslie E. Forero, Justin Heavilin

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

It has become clear that plants can create soils that affect subsequent plant growth. However, because plant-soil feedbacks (PSFs) are typically measured in monoculture experiments, it remains unclear to what extent PSFs affect plant growth in communities. Here we used data from a factorial PSF experiment to predict the biomass of 12 species grown in 162 plant community combinations. Five different plant growth models were parameterized with either monoculture biomass data (Null) or with PSF data (PSF) and model predictions were compared to plant growth observed in communities. For each of the five models, PSF model predictions were closer to …

Quaking Aspen In Utah: Integrating Recent Science With Management, Paul C. Rogers, Samuel B. St. Clair

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Quaking aspen is widely regarded as a key resource for humans, livestock, and wildlife with these values often competing with each other, leading to overuse of aspen in some locations and declines. We review trends in aspen science and management, particularly in Utah. Historically, research conducted here holds a prestigious place in international aspen circles. We highlight recent studies continuing the tradition to keep rangeland managers informed of important developments, focusing on aspen functional types, historical cover change and climate warming, ungulate herbivory, and disturbance interactions.

2016 Outlook And Analysis Letter, A Report Prepared For The National Association Of State Park Directors, Jordan W. Smith, Yu-Fai Leung

All Current Publications

This report evaluates both the production of outdoor recreation opportunities at, and the operational efficiency of, the nation’s state park systems.

Manipulation Of Ovarian Function Significantly Influenced Trabecular And Cortical Bone Volume, Architecture And Density In Mice At Death, Jeffrey B. Mason, Boston C. Terry, Samer S. Merchant, Holly M. Mason, Mahdi Nazokkarmaher

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Previously, transplantation of ovaries from young, cycling mice into old, postreproductive-age mice increased life span and decreased cardiomyopathy at death. We anticipated that the same factors that increased life span and decreased cardiomyopathy could also influence the progression of orthopedic disease. At 11 months of age, prepubertally ovariectomized and ovary-intact mice (including reproductively cycling and acyclic mice) received new 60-day-old ovaries. At death, epiphyseal bone in the proximal tibia and the distal femur and mid-shaft tibial and femoral diaphyseal bone was analyzed with micro-computed tomography. For qualitative analysis of osteophytosis, we also included mineralized connective tissue within the stifle joint. …

Selection For Forage And Avoidance Of Risk By Woodland Caribou (Rangifer Tarandus Caribou) At Coarse Andlocal Scales, Madeleine T. Mcgreer, Erin E. Mallon, Lucas M. Vander Vennen, Philip A. Wiebe, James A. Baker, Glen S. Brown, Tal Avgar, Jevon Hagens, Andrew M. Kittle, Anna Mosser, Garrett M. Street, Doug E. B. Reid, Arthur R. Rodgers, Jennifer Shuter, Ian D. Thompson, Et Al.

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

The relationship between selection at coarse and fine spatiotemporal spatial scales is still poorly understood. Some authors claim that, to accommodate different needs at different scales, individuals should have contrasting selection patterns at different scales of selection, while others claim that coarse scale selection patterns should reflect fine scale selection decisions. Here we examine site selection by 110 woodland caribou equipped with GPS radio‐collars with respect to forage availability and predation risk across a broad gradient in availability of both variables in boreal forests of Northern Ontario. We tested whether caribou selection for forage and avoidance of risk was consistent …

First Report Of Invasive Crane Fly, Tipula Oleracea, In Utah, A Van Dyke, Ricardo A. Ramirez, B A. Mcgraw

Biology Faculty Publications

The known range of the common crane fly (Tipula oleracea L.) is expanding in the western US, as adults were captured (by me) in Utah while emerging and flying over golf course rough. Adults were collected at The Ridge Golf Course in West Valley City on 15 September, 2014, and identified by Dr. Benjamin McGraw at the Pennsylvania State University Turfgrass Entomology Lab in University Park, PA. Crane fly larvae (known as leather jackets for their tough skin) were previously found (again, by me) with the help of golf course superintendent Brian Roth on 4 August, 2012 damaging putting greens …

Dean Of Engineering Receives Utah Governor’S Medal For Excellence | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Dec. 17, 2015 – Utah State University’s College of Engineering Dean Christine Hailey was among ten state leaders recognized this week by Utah Gov. Gary Herbert for outstanding service in academia, education and industry.

Hailey will receive the Governor’s Medal for Excellence at a special gala event on Jan. 13 at Rio Tinto Stadium along with fellow recipients including three other faculty members from USU.

Microsolvation Of Anions By Molecules Forming Ch∙∙X- Hydrogen Bonds, Steve Scheiner, Binod Nepal

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Various anions were surrounded by n molecules of CF₃H, which was used as a prototype CH donor solvent, and the structures and energies studied by M06-2X calculations with a 6-31+G∗∗ basis set. Anions considered included the halides F^-, Cl^-, Br^- and I^-, as well as those with multiple proton acceptor sites: CN^-, NO₃ ^-, HCOO^-, CH₃COO^-, HSO₄ ^-, H₂PO₄ ^-, and anions with higher charges SO₄ ^2-, HPO₄ ^2- and PO_{4 …}

General Education Subcommittee Agenda, December 15, 2015, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Course Approvals/Removals/Syllabi Approvals

Business

• USU Prefixes
• Designation Subcommittee Approval Processes
• Update/Questions on R470

Integrated Step Selection Analysis: Bridgingthe Gap Between Resource Selection And Animal Movement, Tal Avgar, Jonathan R. Potts, Mark A. Lewis, Mark S. Boyce

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

A resource selection function is a model of the likelihood that an available spatial unit will be used by an animal, given its resource value. But how do we appropriately define availability? Step selection analysis deals with this problem at the scale of the observed positional data, by matching each ‘used step’ (connecting two consecutive observed positions of the animal) with a set of ‘available steps’ randomly sampled from a distribution of observed steps or their characteristics. Here we present a simple extension to this approach, termed integrated step selection analysis (iSSA), which relaxes the implicit assumption that observed movement …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda, December 14, 2015, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• EPC Items December 2015
• Council on Teacher Education Report
• Scholarship Advisory Board
• 405.12.1 Annual Review of Faculty (First Reading)

Usu Engineering Study Wins Support From American Heart Association | College Of Engineering, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

Dec. 10, 2015 – The American Heart Association is supporting a new study at Utah State University where researchers are developing a technology that may help the human body better protect itself against cardiovascular disease.

Associate Professor of Biological Engineering Jixun Zhan is the chief scientist behind the new study. He and his team are using bacteria to synthesize some of the naturally-occurring compounds found in plants that our bodies already use to combat heart disease.

The Utah Statesman, December 10, 2015, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

The First Bromeligenous Species Of Dendropsophus (Anura: Hylidae) From Brazil's Atlantic Forest, Rodrigo Barbosa Ferreira, Julián Faivovich, Karen H. Beard, José P. Pombal Jr

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

We describe a new treefrog species of Dendropsophus collected on rocky outcrops in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Ecologically, the new species can be distinguished from all known congeners by having a larval phase associated with rainwater accumulated in bromeliad phytotelms instead of temporary or lentic water bodies. Phylogenetic analysis based on molecular data confirms that the new species is a member of Dendropsophus; our analysis does not assign it to any recognized species group in the genus. Morphologically, based on comparison with the 96 known congeners, the new species is diagnosed by its small size, framed dorsal color pattern, and …

Substituent Effects On The Binding Of Halides By Neutral And Dicationic Bis-Triazolium Receptors, Binod Nepal, Steve Scheiner

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The effects of substituent and overall charge upon the binding of a halide anion by a bis-triazolium receptor are studied by M06-2X DFT calculations, with the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set. Comparison is also made between a receptor that engages in H-bonds, with a halogen-bonding species. Fluoride is clearly most strongly bound, followed by Cl-, Br-, and I- in that order. The dicationic receptor engages in stronger complexes, but not by a very wide margin compared to its neutral counterpart. The binding is enhanced as the substituent on the two triazolium rings becomes progressively more electron-withdrawing. Halogen-substituted receptors, whether neutral or cationic, …

How Do Changes To The Railroad Causeway In Utah’S Great Salt Lake Affect Water And Salt Flow?, James S. White, Sarah E. Null, David G. Tarboton

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Managing terminal lake elevation and salinity are emerging problems worldwide. We contribute to terminal lake management research by quantitatively assessing water and salt flow for Utah’s Great Salt Lake. In 1959, Union Pacific Railroad constructed a rock-filled causeway across the Great Salt Lake, separating the lake into a north and south arm. Flow between the two arms was limited to two 4.6 meter wide rectangular culverts installed during construction, an 88 meter opening (referred to locally as a breach) installed in 1984, and the semi porous material of the causeway. A salinity gradient developed between the two arms of the …

Educational Policies Committee Agenda, December 3, 2015, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

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

Educational Policies Committee Minutes, December 3, 2015, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

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

Curriculum Subcommittee Agenda, December 3, 2015, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Semester Course Approval Reviews

Program Proposals

• Offering an Aggies Elevated certificate of proficiency
• Changing the department name from Health, Physical Education and Recreation to Kinesiology and Health Science

Other

• Course syllabus development

Curriculum Subcommittee Minutes, December 3, 2015, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

Semester Course Approval Reviews

Program Proposals

• Offering an Aggies Elevated certificate of proficiency
• Changing the department name from Health, Physical Education and Recreation to Kinesiology and Health Science
• Offering a minor in Wildlife Science

Other

• Course syllabus development

Predictive Formula For Electron Range Over A Large Span Of Energy, Anne C. Starley

Reports

A model developed by the Materials Research Group that calculates electron penetration range of some common materials, has been greatly expanded with the hope that such extensions will predict the range in other, perhaps, more interesting materials. Developments in this extended model aid in predicting the approximate penetration depth into diverse classes of materials for a broad range of energetic incident electrons (10 MeV, with better than 20% accuracy). The penetration depth—or range—of a material describes the maximum distance electrons can travel through a material, before losing all of its incident kinetic energy. This model has started to predict a …

Predictive Formula For Electron Range Over A Large Span Of Energy, Anne C. Starley, Jr Dennison

Senior Theses and Projects

A model developed by the Materials Research Group that calculates electron penetration range of some common materials, has been greatly expanded with the hope that such extensions will predict the range in other, perhaps, more interesting materials. Developments in this extended model aid in predicting the approximate penetration depth into diverse classes of materials for a broad range of energetic incident electrons (<10 eV to>10 MeV, with better than 20% accuracy). The penetration depth—or range—of a material describes the maximum distance electrons can travel through a material, before losing all of its incident kinetic energy. This model has started to predict …

Spatiotemporal Patterns Of Ring-Width Variability In The Northern Interior West, R. Justin Derose, John D. Shaw, James N. Long

Wasatch Dendroclimatology Research

A fundamental goal of forest biogeography is to understand the factors that drive spatiotemporal variability in forest growth across large areas (e.g., states or regions). The ancillary collection of increment cores as part of the IW FIA Program represents an important non-traditional role for the development of unprecedented data sets. Individual-tree growth data from increment cores were paired with plot-level variables from the inventory to investigate the spatiotemporal growth patterns for Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, common pinyon, and limber pine over the northern portion of the Interior West (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado). Based on dendrochronological theory proposed over 50 …

Libsbolj 2.0: A Java Library To Support Sbol 2.0, Zhen Zhang, Tramy Nguyen, Nicholas Roehner, Goksel Misirli, Matthew Pocock, Ernst Oberortner, Meher Samineni, Zach Zundel, Jacob Beal, Kevin Clancy, Anil Wipat, Chris J. Myers

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

The Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL) is an emerging data standard for representing synthetic biology designs. The goal of SBOL is to improve the reproducibility of these designs and their electronic exchange between researchers and/or genetic design

Creating Tomorrow, Fall 2015, College Of Engineering

College of Engineering Magazines

Annual magazine for the College of Engineering at Utah State University.

Sagestep News, Winter 2015, No. 27, Sagestep

Newsletters

Seasonal newsletter of SageSTEP.

Examining Patterns In Second Graders’ Use Of Virtual Manipulative Mathematics Apps Through Heatmap Analysis, Patricia S. Moyer-Packenham, Stephen Isaac Tucker, Arla Westenskow, Jurgen Symanzik

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

This study examined 32 second-grade children’s interactions with six virtual manipulative mathematics apps on the iPad using a novel analysis approach called heatmap analysis. Mathematical topics of the six apps focused on understanding skip counting and place value concepts. Children interacted individually with the apps under the guidance of an interviewer during 30-40 minute clinical interviews. The heatmap analysis revealed patterns in children’s performance on the tasks and suggested individual cases for further analysis. For example, clusters of children showed high or low performance during the skip counting sequence. In the high-performing cluster, one child still struggled to monitor the …

The Kinetic Specificity Of Plyometric Training: Verbal Cues Revisited, Talin J. Louder, Megan Bressel, Eadric Bressel

Kinesiology and Health Science Faculty Publications

Plyometric training is a popular method utilized by strength and conditioning professionals to improve aspects of functional strength. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of extrinsic verbal cueing on the specificity of jumping movements. Thirteen participants (age: 23.4 ± 1.9 yr, body height: 170.3 ± 15.1 cm, body mass: 70.3 ± 23.8 kg,) performed four types of jumps: a depth jump “as quickly as possible” (DJT), a depth jump “as high as possible” (DJH), a countermovement jump (CMJ), and a squat jump (SJ). Dependent measures, which included measurement of strength and power, were acquired using a …

Modelling Water Uptake Provides A New Perspective On Grass And Tree Coexistence, Michael G. Mazzacavallo, Andrew Kulmatiski

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Root biomass distributions have long been used to infer patterns of resource uptake. These patterns are used to understand plant growth, plant coexistence and water budgets. Root biomass, however, may be a poor indicator of resource uptake because large roots typically do not absorb water, fine roots do not absorb water from dry soils and roots of different species can be difficult to differentiate. In a sub-tropical savanna, Kruger Park, South Africa, we used a hydrologic tracer experiment to describe the abundance of active grass and tree roots across the soil profile. We then used this tracer data to parameterize …