Digital Commons Network^™

A Spatially-Explicit Decision Support System For Invasive Weed Species Management, Pablo Aracena

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Invasive weed species are a recognized problem worldwide causing economic and environmental problems. Management of weeds is complex and challenging because of multiple decisions that need to be made when allocating limited resources to control current infestation areas including which weeds to treat, where to treat, how to treat, and when to treat. Models have been developed to simulate weed spread, however they lack the ability to simulate the short term effects of weed treatments and analyze trade-offs among control allocation options. This trade-off analysis is critical in developing cost-efficient treatment decisions especially when available budget for treatments is limited. …

Variations In Wildfire Ash Properties And Implications For Post-Fire Hydrological Response Within Western North American Ecosystems, Victoria Balfour

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Within the Rocky Mountain region of the Western U.S.A the average number of wildfires over 40 hectares have quadrupled and the frequency of large wildfires (> 4,000 hectares) have increased seven times since the 1970’s. The effect of this increase on resource management and ecosystem function is of increased interest to agencies and land managers within the region. The research presented in this dissertation aimed to contribute to the growing knowledge of post-fire hydrology, specifically with regards to the role of wildfire ash within recently burned ecosystems. Ash should not be considered a generic term, as it is an important …

An Attributional Analysis Of Observers Helping The Bully In Bullying Episodes, Christopher James Bushard

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Student attitudes regarding bullying are mixed. Although most students appear to condemn the behavior (Boulton & Underwood, 1992), a sizable minority group displays beliefs and attitudes supportive of bullying (Rigby & Slee, 1991; Rigby & Slee, 1993). Previous research has also found that students involved in bullying situations can be categorized into different roles based on their behaviors during bullying episodes (Samivalli, Huttunen, & Lagerspetz, 1997). An established method to measure and predict attitudes and thoughts about a person’s actions in a situation is to use an attribution framework. Weiner (1995) proposes an attribution model in which the observer’s thoughts …

The Relationship Between Montana Science Teachers Self-Efficacy And The Integration Of Web 2.0 Elements In The Classroom In Schools With A Student Population Over 900, Robert Dobell

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Web 2.0 tools are part of the 21st century school, and are essential elements to teachers in the classroom as our students today are part of the digital generation (Prensky, 2001). Web 2.0 tools offer the instructor the ability to design the learning environment to focus on collaboration and a facilitation of content knowledge (Solomon & Schrum, 2007). This study investigated the use of web 2.0 tools in the largest 14 high schools in Montana with a student population of 900 or more, and identified relationships that influenced the integration of the tools into the science classroom. Montana science teachers …

The Genetic Basis Of Fitness: Detecting Inbreeding Depression And Selective Sweeps In Bighorn Sheep, Martin Dennis Kardos

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Understanding the fitness effects of inbreeding is a crucial and long standing goal in conservation and evolutionary biology. Many studies measure individual inbreeding (F, the proportion of genome that is identical by descent) and its fitness effects using either pedigrees or molecular markers. Knowing which genes most strongly affect fitness can help to explain why some individuals outperform others, and elucidate the mechanisms of inbreeding depression and adaptation. However, identifying adaptive genes is difficult in most species because of limited genomic resources.

I used simulations to evaluate the performance of marker- and pedigree-based measures of F and inbreeding depression. I …

Ecology Of Juvenile Salmon In Large Floodplain Rivers: The Influence Of Habitat Modification By Beavers (Castor Canadensis) On Salmon Growth And Production, Rachel Lanelle Malison

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

I investigated the influence of beavers on aquatic floodplain habitats and determined how juvenile salmon habitat use, growth, survival, movement, and production varied by habitat type in a large alluvial floodplain of the Kwethluk River in western Alaska. I also compared juvenile salmon production at the floodplain scale in the Kwethluk River (with beavers), to a very similar salmon river in Kamchatka (the Kol) that has no beavers.

Beavers modified 87.5% of the aquatic off-channel habitat of the Kwethluk River, which was composed of three successional stages of beaver ponds (early-, mid-, and latesuccessional), and beaver-influenced spring brooks. Early-successional ponds …

Interactions Between Arenavirus Proteins And Small Molecule Inhibitors Of Infection, Emily L. Messina

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Arenaviruses are globally distributed, negative-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses which persist in specific rodent host species. Of the 32 known arenaviruses, 10 have been associated with human disease. Of these, Lassa, Junín, Machupo, Guanarito, and Sabia viruses cause severe hemorrhagic fevers. The only current option for the treatment of arenavirus infection is the off-label use of ribavirin. However, ribavirin is associated with severe side effects. Clearly, there exists a need for the study of arenavirus biology and of novel drugs for the treatment of arenaviral infection. My work focused on two attractive targets for inhibition of infection: the arenaviral RNA-dependent RNA …

The Shadow Of Polaris: Understanding Sound And Place, Burke Travis Jam

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Jam, Burke, M.F.A Spring 2013 The Shadow of Polaris: Understanding Sound and Place Chairperson: Associate Professor Brad Allen The Shadow of Polaris examines perception, perspective, and place. My research investigates a critical theory of sound as phenomenon and art object. The phenomenon of sound informs our perception and perspective of place. It articulates questions about how we experience and interact with the physical world. My intention is to create an experiential understanding of the physical and, more specifically, the natural world. Nature’s ephemeral cycles are symbiotic with the human experience of life. Examining this relationship illuminates how we perceive, experience, …

Spatial Distribution And Quantification Of Forest Treatment Residues For Bioenergy Production, Lucas A. Wells

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The availability and spatial distribution of forest treatment residues are prerequisites to supply chain development for bioenergy production. To accurately estimate potential residue quantities, data must be provided to simulate stand-level silviculture across the landscape of interest. However, biomass utilization assessments often consider broad regions where adequate data are not supplied. At present, these measures are addressed using strategic level assessments and broad-based management that may not be applicable to all areas of the landscape. This thesis introduces a new methodology for spatially describing stand-level treatment residue quantities based on detailed silvicultural prescriptions and site specific management. Using National Agricultural …

Evaluating Genetic Status And Management Tradeoffs For Conservation Of Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus Clarkii), Kellie Jahan Carim

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Habitat fragmentation and invasive species are two of the primary threats to global biodiversity, yet biologists have tested few guidelines for protecting species under these conditions. These threats are particularly relevant to conservation of freshwater species like the Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii). Hybridization with introduced Rainbow Trout (O. mykiss) has already caused extinction of one subspecies and threatens extant populations. Additionally, Cutthroat populations have lost genetic diversity across their range due to habitat destruction and fragmentation. These threats create a catch-22 for managers, wherein treating one problem (connecting populations) may lead to the other (interactions with invasive species). Furthermore, little …

Defining Postmortem Changes In Western Montana: The Effects Of Climate And Environment On The Rate And Sequence Of Decomposition Using Pig (Sus Scrofa) Cadavers, Jessica R. Spencer

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The rate and sequence of human decomposition permits forensic anthropologists to estimate time since death for remains from the forensic context. Preliminary research conducted in western Montana indicates that decomposition does not follow the patterns found in other geographic locations. The purpose of this study is to better define western Montana’s unique environmental factors that affect the rate and pattern of decomposition by documenting changes in mature pigs (Sus scrofa) employed as human proxies. The pigs were deposited during the cold months of October and December and analyzed by comparing the rate and sequence of decomposition with climatological and environmental …

A Preliminary Analysis Of Saw Mark Degeneration In Bone Due To The Application Of Hydrated Calcium Oxide, Heidi Lynne Johnson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The use of calcium oxide (lime) in both agricultural and burial customs has been seen since the Iron Age. Due to this usage, the myth stating that the application of this chemical will expedite the complete destruction of human remains developed. This myth, in conjunction to historical and contemporary instances of its usage related to criminal activities has demonstrated a need to better understand the interactions of this chemical with bony tissue, particularly as it relates to saw cutmarks. Using pig elements as proxies for human remains, this research aims to systematically examine the degenerative effects resulting from the application …

Defining Postmortem Changes In Western Montana: A Longitudinal Study Of The Rate And Sequence Of Surface And Burial Decomposition, Tory Nicole Huey

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Estimating time since death is difficult because of the multitude of factors that can alter postmortem change. Initial research conducted in western Montana indicates that decomposition does not follow the patterns found in other geographic locations. The purpose of this study is to better define how western Montana’s unique environmental factors affect the rate and pattern of decomposition of surface remains and buried remains. In May 2012 one mature pig (Sus scrofa) was placed on the surface and a second pig was buried. Throughout a nine-month period the following variables were monitored for the surface pig: rate and pattern of …

Effect Of Cover On Small Mammal Abundance And Movement Through Wildlife Underpasses, Hayley R. Connolly-Newman

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Crossing structures enable wildlife to safely cross highways by physically separating wildlife and vehicles. Most wildlife underpasses and overpasses are designed to accommodate a wide variety of species. Their suitability for individual species, however, varies by location (surrounding habitat), structure type (e.g. underpass or overpass), and dimensions (height, width, length). For some taxa, the habitat immediately adjacent to and inside an underpass or on top of an overpass is critical. For instance, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians and many invertebrates may avoid open areas because they require cover (e.g., live vegetation, tree stumps, branches, or rocks) to reduce predation risk and …

Nest Site Characteristics Of Lewis’S Woodpecker (Melanerpes Lewis) In Riparian Systems Of Western Montana, Megan Fylling

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Lewis’s Woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis) is known to breed in ponderosa pine, cottonwood riparian, aspen, and burned conifer forest types, but is declining in much of its range throughout the U.S. and is listed as a Level II Species of Concern in Montana. In western Montana, Lewis’s Woodpeckers commonly breed in riparian bottomlands, but information on characteristics of their preferred nesting habitat within these areas is lacking. I studied nesting habitat use by Lewis’s Woodpeckers in two important breeding areas in cottonwood-dominated riparian forest along the Clark Fork and Bitterroot rivers in western Montana. I found 55 nests during the …

Changes In Litter Inputs And Decomposition In Headwater Streams During A Mountain Pine Beetle Infestation Of Whitebark Pine, Hilary Genevieve Eisen

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Headwater streams in forested landscapes are generally lacking in primary productivity and rely on allochthonous inputs to fuel secondary production. This close association with the forested landscape makes these streams sensitive to terrestrial disturbances. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) a climate change induced mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae, MPB) outbreak has been decimating whitebark pine (Picea albicaulis, WbP) forests over an extremely short time period. Among the possible implications of widespread WbP die-off, I predicted an increase in litter inputs to headwater streams and an increase in the quality (nitrogen content) of these litter inputs both of which would …

Evaluation Of A New Method For Large-Scale And Gene-Targeted Next Generation Dna Sequencing In Nonmodel Species, Ted Cosart

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The efficient method called exon capture provides for sequencing genes genome-wide, targeting candidate genes, and sampling specific exons within genes. Although developed for model species with available whole genome sequences, the method can capture exons in nonmodel species using the genomic resources of a related model species. How close the relatives must be for effective exon capture is not known. The work herein demonstrates cross-taxa capture in ungulates, using the domestic cow genome as a reference. It also describes a computer program designed for collecting exon sequences for exon capture, allowing users to set per-gene and overall base pair (bp) …

P-Glycoprotein Transport In Pesticide Pharmacokinetics And Toxicity: Investigating A Link To Parkinson's Disease Risk, Sarah Elizabeth Lacher

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Variation in the gene that encodes P-glycoprotein (P-gp), ABCB1, has been associated with Parkinson's disease risk. The aim of my research was to evaluate P-gp transport of pesticides that have been associated with Parkinson's disease as a mechanism for the pharmacogenomic association. To facilitate this aim, a combination of models was utilized to determine P-gp transport of the pesticides diazinon, dieldrin, endosulfan, maneb, MPP+, paraquat, and rotenone. Paraquat pharmacokinetics and brain accumulation were measured in both FVB wildtype and mdr1a(-/-)/1b(-/-) mice. P-gp deficient mice displayed no changes in paraquat brain accumulation, indicating that P-gp does not mediate paraquat disposition. I …

Striking A Balance: The New Generation Of Tiger Tourism In India, Apoorva Prasanna Joshi

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In rural central India, thousands of domestic and foreign tourists flock to see wild Bengal tigers each year. An international debate about whether tourism is good or bad for tigers was heard by India’s Supreme Court in 2012. After new guidelines were implemented, tiger reserves across the country had to review and manage their tourism policies. Set 550 miles east of the city of Mumbai, the Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve is on the cusp of ‘tiger tourism’. The reserve’s eco-tourism policy was recently extended by using it as precedence for other protected areas in the state of Maharashtra. A cap on …

Surviving Probation: The Challenges Sexual Offenders Are Faced With In Mainstream Society, Krystal Stevenson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

"Society sees us [sexual offenders] as terrible people. Either lock us up or kill us. They don't want us in their community." Sexual offenders are seen as some of the most repulsive criminals through society's eyes. The term "sexual offender" encompasses many different types of people with regards to their crime, but society sees all sexual offenders as child molesters. This causes an over-whelming problem for sexual offenders, specifically in terms of housing, since there are many restrictions on where they can live. Legislation is implementing housing restrictions to prevent these criminals from re-offending, but in some cases, it can …

Avian Scavenging, Mummification, And Variable Micro-Environments As Factors Affecting The Decomposition Process In Western Montana, Teresa Ann White

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The purpose of this research study was to empirically study the temporal order of events of postmortem changes in Missoula, Montana utilizing pig (Sus scrofa) cadavers as human proxies by documenting postmortem changes and rate of soft tissue decomposition of three pigs over the course of one year and 19 days. The data from this study will be compared and contrasted to studies that have occurred elsewhere. A full understanding of the postmortem changes and rate of soft tissue decomposition in this area will help forensic anthropologists better understand why the postmortem interval (PMI) may be different in western Montana …

Comparison Of Wild-Domestic Sheep Interaction Policies In Bighorn Disease Outbreak Locations In The Continental U.S., 1990-2010, Tristan Howard

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

For over 100 years, disease has significantly limited bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) in the western U.S. Interaction with domestic sheep (Ovis aries) has been a primary cause of fatal bighorn disease (typically pneumonia), which has severely reduced or eliminated entire populations. Various wild-domestic sheep interaction policies exist to address the disease problem. In this analysis, six case study locations are compared and analyzed in an effort to evaluate policy efficacy. Locations examined and their bighorn die-off dates include: the Tobin Range, NV (1991); Aldrich Mountain, OR (1991); the Highland/Pioneer Mountains, MT (1994-1995); the Tarryall/Kenosha Mountains, CO (1997-2000); the Hays Canyon …

If Rocks Could Talk: Using Central Place Foraging Theory In Lithic Production And Utilization Research, Sara Hocking

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This research addresses microeconomic decision making during the Fur-Trade Occupation at Housepit 54 of the Bridge River Site. Specifically, it addresses the lithic production in regard to field processing and technological investment at the site. Field processing considers the importance of cost in transporting lithic raw material, while technological investment examines the amount of retouch and usewear based upon the distance from the quarry. The research tests the hypothesis that: the farther away the quarry is from the village site, the more flakes will be dominated by late stage reduction while the extent of retouch and usewear per tool will …

Attitudes And Perceptions Of Community Councils On The Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program And The Southwestern Crown Collaborative Forest Restoration Projects, Jimmie Mckay

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This paper is designed to give the reader basic in-sight to the different attitudes and perception that local residents have in regards to the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program and the Southwestern Collaborative's ability to accomplish their mission.

Indoor Coarse Particulate Matter: Evaluating Exposures And Health Effects In Asthmatic Children, Marcy Lynn Mcnamara

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The primary aim of the ARTIS study (Asthma Randomized Trial of Indoor Wood Smoke) is to improve the quality of life of asthmatic children living in wood stove homes by reducing in-home fine particulate matter (PM2.5). In the original project, characterizing exposure to the coarse fraction of particulate matter (consisting of particles <10 μm and >2.5 μm; PMc) was not proposed. The coarse fraction has been shown to elicit increased pulmonary inflammation compared to PM2.5. This may be due to biogenic constituents of PMc such as endotoxin, a component of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria. Scientific interest in the coarse fraction is …

Opening Up The Box: Exploring The Scaling Out Of The Good Food Box Across Canada, Stephanie Lentz Laporte Potts

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Good Food Box (GFB) program holds a great deal of promise to expand our understanding of Community Food Security (CFS). CFS represents a vision for solving hunger and other problems with the food system through an integrated approach that improves access to good and appropriate food for all while at the same time building community, strengthening local agricultural economies, and maximizing social justice. The GFB, one type of CFS program, is a community-based initiative found across Canada that provides a box of healthy food to customers at near wholesale prices; it has the potential to increase access to healthy …

The Brave Heart Society: An Oral History Of An Indigenous Women's Society, Brook Spotted Eagle

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This study examines the Brave Heart Society and the ways in which Brave Heart women collectively approaches trauma-healing outside of the programmatic structures of federally funded tribal systems. National statistics speak to the contemporary struggles impacting most US Indigenous populations in the present-day. Such struggles are residual symptoms rooted in a long history of domination and US imperialism. These data indicate that most tribes have not fully recovered from federally imposed systems of deprivation. Within the context of the Ihanktonwan Dakota community in southeastern South Dakota, the nuanced ways in which trauma impedes development and community wellness is both realized …

Only From Montana: A Family's Experience Eating Locally, Emily Joan Wendler

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This is a 30-minute radio documentary on one family’s experience eating all locally grown food, for two weeks in September of 2012, and two weeks during January 2013. For the project we considered locally grown food as food grown and processed in Montana. If the food was grown here, then left to be processed in another state, it did not count as local. The participants were a family of three from Missoula, Montana—a Mom, Dad, and their 2-year-old son. The point of the project was to answer the question: What is it like for a family, who normally does not …

Evaluating And Role Of Standards And Guidelines In National Forest Planning, Emily E. Schembra

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

There is longstanding conflict related to planning standards and guidelines (S & Gs) used by the U.S. Forest Service to guide and constrain National Forest System land management. The role these prescriptions have played in the past in forest management, and the role they ought to play in the future, is often disputed. However, the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) and the new 2012 NFMA planning regulations require S & Gs, so they must be included in forest plans in the future. The goal of this research was to provide a common understanding of how planning S & Gs were …

Biological Effects Of Trogocytosis On Cd4+ T Lymphocytes, Douglas Grant Osborne

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Antigen recognition by CD4+ T cells leads to large-scale spatial and temporal molecular redistributions, forming the immunological synapse. We have previously shown that upon dissociation, T cells capture large membrane fragments from antigen-presenting cells directly from the immunological synapse. The mechanism and biological significance of this process, termed trogocytosis, is still unclear. In this thesis I examined the impact that trogocytosis has on the individual T cell after capturing molecules from the antigen presenting cell. I employed murine fibroblast cell lines expressing an I-Ek molecule loaded with a covalently attached antigenic peptide (moth cytochrome C 88-103) and with or without …