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Microbial Diversity And Microbial Abundance In Salt-Saturated Brines: Why Are The Waters Of Hypersaline Lakes Red?, Aharon Oren

Natural Resources and Environmental Issues

Salt-saturated lakes such as the North Arm of Great Salt Lake and saltern crystallizer ponds contain 10-10 and more red microorganisms ml-1. Even the Dead Sea occasionally turns red due to microbial blooms. Three types of organisms may contribute to the coloration: the alga Dunaliella salina rich in carotene, halophilic Archaea (family Halobacteriaceae) containing 50-carbon bacterioruberin carotenoids and sometimes also retinal proteins (bacteriorhodopsin, halorhodopsin), and the recently discovered Salinibacter (Bacteroidetes) which contains pigment salinixanthin (an unusual acylated C40-carotenoid glucoside) as well as different retinal pigments. Bacteriorhodopsin and halorhodopsin enable the cells to directly use light energy for respectively the outward …

Microbial Communities In Salt Lakes: Phylogenetic Diversity, Metabolic Diversity, And In Situ Activities, Aharon Oren, Bonnie K. Baxter, Bart C. Weimer

Natural Resources and Environmental Issues

A roundtable discussion was held on Monday, 12 May 2008, following the sessions on 'Microorganisms in Hypersaline Environments' at the 10th Conference on Salt Lake Research & 2008 FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake Issues Forum, University of Utah, Salt Lake City. Among the aspects discussed were: 1. The gap between our knowledge of the microorganisms isolated in culture and the true microbial diversity as apparent when using culture-independent techniques, in most cases based on the characterization of small subunit ribosomal RNA genes; 2. The metabolic diversity of the microorganisms inhabiting saline and hypersaline lakes and the lack of information to …

Population-Specific Marker Within The Superspecies Artemia Fanciscana, Stefania Maniatsi, Athanasios D. Baxevanis, Kalliopi Vasileiadou, Ilias Kappas, Theodore J. Abatzopoulos

Natural Resources and Environmental Issues

No abstract provided.

Doctor Vs. Priest: Urban Planning And Reform In Vetusta. Leopoldo Alas’S La Regenta, Anne W. Gilfoil

Decimonónica

At the end of the eighteenth century, new theories about disease transmission would have an enormous effect on city planning. The miasma theory challenged the old contact infection model of contagion. Disease transmission was no longer direct as in person-to- person contagion; it was, rather, the result of exposure to certain conditions in the atmosphere. Emanations from the earth produced by decomposing bodies and excrement poisoned the air and transmitted disease (Corbin 13–32). The miasma theory left a deep imprint on popular imagination. In a study of Madrid, published as late as 1902, the public health expert Philiph Hauser spoke …

Limnological Analyses Of Cutler Reservoir And Dingle Marsh With Respect To Eutrophication, J. D. Abbott, Deb Collins, Colin Cook, Dan Lamarra, Ryan Leonard, Ben Marret, Justin Stout, Gilbert Rowley, Jeremy Rowley, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Cutler Reservoir is located in Cache county, Utah and was created for the purposes of irrigation, water storage and flood control. High nutrient loading to Cutler has raised concerns about the health of this system and has resulted in it being listed on the state's 303(d) list of impaired waters. The TMDL plan being drafted for Cutler lists dissolved oxygen and phosphorous as the key issues of concern. The underlying problem created by nutrient loading is eutrophication. If Cutler is to remain as a valuable source of recreation, wildlife habitat, and water for the Cache Valley we must understand the …

Thin Wire Nucleate Boiling Of Water In Sustained Microgravity, Justin P. Koeln, Heng Ban, John R. Dennison

All Physics Faculty Publications

The advancement of small satellite technology relies on the development of effective thermal management systems that can be made smaller, safer, and more robust. This paper presents the results and analysis of a nucleate boiling experiment in sustained microgravity aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor (STS-108). Bubble growth and departure were observed from a single and a braid of three 0.16 mm diameter and 80 mm long nickel-chromium resistive wires. Analysis showed that the braided wire provides a unique surface configuration to enhance the onset of boiling. The braid of wires was also observed to produce several bubble explosions; this is …

Global Chloroplast Phylogeny And Biogeography Of Bracken (Pteridium: Dennstaedtiaceae), Joshua P. Der, J. A. Thomson, J. K. Stratford, Paul G. Wolf

Biology Faculty Publications

Bracken ferns (genus Pteridium ) represent an ancient species complex with a natural worldwide distribution. Pteridium has historically been treated as comprising a single species, but recent treatments have recognized several related species. Phenotypic plasticity, geographically structured morphological variation, and geographically biased sampling have all contributed to taxonomic confusion in the genus. We sampled bracken specimens worldwide and used variable regions of the chloroplast genome to investigate phylogeography and reticulate evolution within the genus. Our results distinguish two major clades within Pteridium , a primarily northern hemisphere Laurasian/African clade, which includes all taxa currently assigned to P. aquilinum , and …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Grassbed Treatments As Habitat For Juvenile Black Bass In A Drawdown Reservoir, D. R. Ratcliff, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh, J. Zustak

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Many reservoirs in arid regions experience highly variable water levels caused by seasonal inflow fluctuations and designated outflow requirements. At Shasta Lake, California, managers plant cereal-grain grassbeds on exposed drawdown shorelines to increase juvenile fish habitat, localize productivity, and increase invertebrate fish prey. To determine the efficacy of these plantings, the abundance of juvenile black basses Micropterus spp. (20–55 mm standard length) and the amount of periphyton and macroinvertebrate prey were compared among three treatment types: (1) planted grassbeds of cereal barley Hordeum vulgare; (2) artificial rope grassbeds, which eliminated physical deterioration and nutrient release; and (3) nonplanted control sites …

Assessing Aspen Using Remote Sensing, Randy Hamilton, Kevin Megown, Jeff Dibenedetto, Dale Bartos, Anne Mikeck

Aspen Bibliography

Large areas of aspen (Populus tremuloides) have disappeared and continue to disappear from western forests due to successional decline and sudden aspen decline (SAD). This loss of aspen ecosystems negatively impacts watersheds, wildlife, plants, and recreation. Much can still be done to restore aspen if timely and appropriate action is taken. However, land managers often lack fundamental information on the location, quantity, and status of aspen stands. This information is needed to plan, implement, and defend aspen restoration activities, but it is often difficult and costly to obtain. Advances in remote sensing technologies can provide cost-effective ways to obtain spatial …

2009 Report : A Multi-Refuge Program To Evaluate The Effect Of Ungulate Browsing On Habitat, Richard B. Keigley, Jeffrey Warren, Wayne J. King

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Isolation Of 11 Polymorphic Tri- And Tetranucleotide Microsatellite Loci In A North American Sedge (Carex Scoparia: Cyperaceae) And Cross-Species Amplification In Three Additional Carex Species, Andrew L. Hipp, Karin M. Kettenring, Kevin A. Feldheim, Jaime A. Weber

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

We report on the isolation and evaluation of 11 microsatellites from a widespread eastern North American wetland sedge, Carex scoparia. Loci exhibit 3–9 alleles over five populations and significant F_IS (0.204–0.717) in most populations. All primers cross-amplify in at least two other species, and 10 cross-amplify in the more distantly related C. stipata. These markers will be used to examine population genetics and patterns of chromosomal diversification in this ecologically important sedge species and its relatives.

An Aspen Success Story : 2009 Aspen Monitoring Report, James L. Robertson

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Transcriptional Reprogramming Of Gene Expression In Bovine Somatic Cell Chromatin Transfer Embryos, N. Rodriguez-Osorio, Zhongde Wang, G. P. Page, J. M. Robl, E. Memili

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Background Successful reprogramming of a somatic genome to produce a healthy clone by somatic cells nuclear transfer (SCNT) is a rare event and the mechanisms involved in this process are poorly defined. When serial or successive rounds of cloning are performed, blastocyst and full term development rates decline even further with the increasing rounds of cloning. Identifying the "cumulative errors" could reveal the epigenetic reprogramming blocks in animal cloning. Results Bovine clones from up to four generations of successive cloning were produced by chromatin transfer (CT). Using Affymetrix bovine microarrays we determined that the transcriptomes of blastocysts derived from the …

Validity And Problem-Based Learning Research: A Review Of Instruments Used To Assess Intended Learning Outcomes, Brian Robert Belland, Brian F. French, Peggy A. Ertmer

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Problem-based learning (PBL) spread from the medical school to other university and K-12 contexts due, in part, to the stated promise that PBL produces the target outcomes of deep content learning, increased problem-solving ability, and increased self-directed learning (Hmelo-Silver, 2004). However, research results have been unclear. This paper examines how the three target outcomes of PBL were measured in 33 empirical studies. Results indicate that few studies included 1) theoretical frameworks for the assessed variables and constructs, 2) rationales for how chosen assessments matched the constructs measured, or 3) other information required for readers to assess the validity of authors’ …

What Do Students Gain From A Week At Science Camp? Youth Perceptions And The Design Of An Immersive Research-Oriented Astronomy Camp, Deborah A. Fields

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

This study explored American high school students’ perceptions of the benefits of a summer astronomy camp, emphasizing a full cycle of the research process and how the organization of the camp contributed to those perceptions. Semi-structured interviews with students and staff were used to elicit the specific benefits that campers perceived from their experiences and examine them in relation to the stated goals and strategies of camp staff. Among the perceived benefits that students described were peer relationships, personal autonomy, positive relationships with staff, and deepened science knowledge. These perceived benefits appear to influence the kinds of identities students constructed …

Encyclopedic History Of Utah State University, Robert Parson

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

From "A-day" to "Women's Athletics", this encyclopedic history of Utah State University by USU University Archivist Robert Parson covers people, buildings, programs, events, organizations, songs, school colors, traditions, and more.

A Review Of The Potential Of Fertility Control To Manage Brushtail Possums In New Zealand, Weihong Ji

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) were introduced into New Zealand from Australia in the mid-1800s and became a major invasive pest. They damage native biodiversity by browsing and predation, and they are a disease risk to the livestock industry by acting as vectors of bovine tuberculosis (TB). Management of possums includes their eradication from some offshore islands and control by trapping, shooting, and poisoning on the mainland. Possums have been eradicated successfully from some islands and greatly reduced in abundance in other areas of high conservation value or where they are infected with TB. However, possums are still at …

The Eradication Of Invasive Mammal Species: Can Adaptive Resource Management Fill The Gaps In Our Knowledge?, Sugoto Roy, Graham C. Smith, James C. Russell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Invasive alien species (IAS) threaten global biodiversity; they are the major cause of species extinction on offshore islands. Management of IAS requires data on the ecology of species in their new environment, how these species respond to management, and how these processes interact. Often, however, there is a paucity of information on key biological parameters that are critical to making management decisions. We sent a questionnaire to professionals and organizations managing invasive species and asked the respondents to prioritize a list of information they required to carry out eradication of invasive species. We analysed responses to assess the level of …

A Device To Record The Specific Time An Artificial Nest Is Depredated, Jennifer S. Borgo, Michael R. Conover

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We designed a timing device that records the calendar date and time of a depredation event on an artificial nest. The clock was simple to construct and successful in field trials, with only 6% failure (3 of 48 clocks). The average difference between actual and estimated depredation time was 4.6 minutes. Use of this clock improves daily survival estimates, provides insight into predator activity patterns, and allows the evaluation of investigator-induced depredation.

Deterring Cliff-Swallow Nesting On Highway Structures Using Bioacoustics And Surface Modifications, Jaclyn S. Conklin, Michael J. Delwiche, W. Paul Gorenzel, Robert W. Coates

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) are migratory birds that breed in colonies and frequently nest on highway structures. Protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, swallows in their active nests cannot be harmed by nesting-control methods. This causes problems and delays in maintenance of structures by divisions of many departments of transportation. We evaluated 2 aversion strategies, bioacoustic deterrents and surface modifications, for their effect on cliff swallow nesting behavior. The bioacoustic deterrents consisted of sonic devices that broadcast 8 unique recordings of alarm and distress calls of cliff swallows. We made surface modifications, mounting high-density polyethylene …

Estimating Deer Abundance In Suburban Areas With Infrared-Triggered Cameras, Paul D. Curtis, Bazartseren Boldgiv, Peter M. Mattison, Jason R. Boulanger

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Interactions between humans and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have become common, often resulting in management actions to mitigate negative impacts. Changes in population size are generally used to judge management actions. We examined deer population estimation techniques during 2 mark-resighting experiments in a woodland-grassland habitat in central New York State and in a suburban area. We compared program NOREMARK, Lincoln-Peterson estimates, and Jacobson’s (1997) buck:doe ratios (BDR) for estimating deer abundance. In the first field trial, we sought to validate the camera survey methods and computer applications. We used infrared-triggered cameras (IRCs) to survey a white-tailed deer population …

The Soap Box Development Of Wildlife Damage Management: A Personal Perspective, Walter E. Howard

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.

Role Of Near-Miss Bird Strikes In Assessing Hazards, Matt W. Klope, Robert C. Beason, Timothy J. Nohara, Michael J. Beiger

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Management of problem wildlife within the airfield environment is a difficult job. Today’s Bird–Animal Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH) program managers require as much information as possible to accomplish their tasks. Bird censuses and actual bird-strike events in and around the air operations area are used to make airfield management decisions and to assess the risk of bird hazards to aircraft. Both types of information are sampled rather sparsely. Avian radar is now being used as a new tool to provide continuous sampling of bird activity that significantly supplements visual censuses. The measure of risk used today is commonly expressed as …

House Cats As Predators In The Australian Environment: Impacts And Management, Christopher R. Dickman

Human–Wildlife Interactions

This paper provides an overview of the predatory activities of the house cat (Felis catus) in Australia, focusing principally on the interactions of domestic and stray cats with native species of prey. Like their free-living, or feral, counterparts, domestic cats take a broad range of prey, with small mammals, birds, and human-derived foods forming the bulk of the diet. Domestic and stray cats have contributed to declines of suburban populations of eastern barred bandicoots (Perameles gunnii) and superb lyrebirds (Menura novaehollandiae) in Victoria, Australia. The effects of cats on prey communities remain speculative. In …

Using Wedelia As Ground Cover On Tropical Airports To Reduce Bird Activity, Michael A. Linnell, Michael R. Conover, Tim J. Ohashi

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Bird–aircraft collisions (i.e., bird strikes) are a major problem at airports worldwide, often because birds are attracted to airfields to feed on seeds, insects, or rodents that abound in the grassy areas near runways and taxiways. We compared an alternative ground cover, wedelia (Wedelia trilobata), to existing vegetation (control plots) on the airfield at Lihue Airport, Kauai, Hawaii, to determine if bird populations on the airport could be reduced by eliminating their forage base. We studied wedalia because it is a low-growing plant that did not need mowing, was easily established in plots, and out-competed other plants, resulting …

Direct And Indirect Effects Of Climate Change On A Prairie Plant Community, Peter B. Adler, James Leiker, Jonathan M. Levine

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Background

Climate change directly affects species by altering their physical environment and indirectly affects species by altering interspecific interactions such as predation and competition. Recent studies have shown that the indirect effects of climate change may amplify or counteract the direct effects. However, little is known about the the relative strength of direct and indirect effects or their potential to impact population persistence.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We studied the effects of altered precipitation and interspecific interactions on the low-density tiller growth rates and biomass production of three perennial grass species in a Kansas, USA mixed prairie. We transplanted plugs of each …

Vegetation Of Utah, R. Douglas Ramsey, Neil E. West

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

In order to organize and facilitate management of Utah’s ecosystems, generalization of the ecological variation found across the state is necessary. Ecosystems involve complex interactions between environment and biota, and there have been many efforts to generalize and categorize these interactions in order to gain a better understanding of their structure and organization. The most common method of categorizing ecological variations across large landscapes today incorporates the ecoregion concept. Ecoregions are geographic delineations of landscapes containing ecosystems linked by similar climatic, geologic, soil, and landform characteristics. The primary characteristics used to delineate ecoregions vary depending on the overall goal of …

Inducible Bronchus-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Elicited By A Protein Cage Nanoparticle Enhances Protectionin Mice Against Diverse Respiratory Viruses, J. A. Wiley, L. E. Richert, S. D. Swain, A. Harmsen, Dale L. Barnard, T. D. Randall, M. Jutila, T. Douglas, C. Broomell, M. Young, A. Harmsen

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Destruction of the architectural and subsequently the functional integrity of the lung following pulmonary viral infections is attributable to both the extent of pathogen replication and to the host-generated inflammation associated with the recruitment of immune responses. The presence of antigenically disparate pulmonary viruses and the emergence of novel viruses assures the recurrence of lung damage with infection and resolution of each primary viral infection. Thus, there is a need to develop safe broad spectrum immunoprophylactic strategies capable of enhancing protective immune responses in the lung but which limits immune-mediated lung damage. The immunoprophylactic strategy described here utilizes a protein …

Utah Adaptive Resources Management Greater Sage-Grouse Local Working Groups 2008-2009 Accomplishment Report, Terry A. Messmer, T. Black, Shandra Nicole Frey, S. Lupis, R. Hart

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Invasive Litter, Not An Invasive Insectivore, Determines Invertebrate Communities In Hawaiian Forests, N. C. Tuttle, Karen H. Beard, W. C. Pitt

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

In Hawaii, invasive plants have the ability to alter litter-based food chains because they often have litter traits that differ from native species. Additionally, abundant invasive predators, especially those representing new trophic levels, can reduce prey. The relative importance of these two processes on the litter invertebrate community in Hawaii is important, because they could affect the large number of endemic and endangered invertebrates. We determined the relative importance of litter resources, represented by leaf litter of two trees, an invasive nitrogen-fixer, Falcataria moluccana, and a native tree, Metrosideros polymorpha, and predation of an invasive terrestrial frog, Eleutherodactylus coqui, on …