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The Western Stemmed Point Tradition: Evolutionary Perspectives On Cultural Change In Projectile Points During The Pleistocene-Holocene Transition, Lindsay D. Scott

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In this thesis I analyze the cultural techniques of Paleoindians in North America by examining the diversification and fusion of stemmed projectile point traditions using an evolutionary analysis. The Western Stemmed Point tradition has an extensive regional and temporal distribution throughout the Intermountain West and High Plains during the Paleoindian period. In an effort to determine how stemmed projectile point technologies relate to each other, I applied a phylogenetic approach to construct heritable patterns of projectile point histories. By measuring the physical traits of those points and using a macro-evolutionary theoretical approach, changes in artifact form can be acquired and …

Empowerment And Subjective And Emotional Well-Being In South Africa, Erik Kappelman

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Spatio-Temporal Analysis Of Ungulate Browsing On Willow (Salix Spp.) Communities Within The Northern Range Of Yellowstone, Donald L. Belile Jr.

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Variation in ungulate browsing intensity on willow (Salix spp.) communities across Yellowstone’s northern range has been attributed to various biophysical factors including climate, topography, and predators. These studies were conducted without a long-term browsing dataset; they lacked a spatially extensive sampling design, and did not include dynamic snow characteristics known to affect ungulate mobility, habitat selection, and foraging strategies. We therefore focused on snow, an extreme landscape level disturbance that places nutritional stress on ungulates during the winter when most browsing on shrubs occurs. We applied a non-destructive sampling method by consecutively recording whether stem leaders were browsed between …

The Dynamics Of Vector-Borne Relapsing Diseases, Cody Palmer

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

We begin this dissertation with a review of the relevant history and theory behind disease modeling, investigating important motivating examples. The concept of the fundamental reproductive ratio of a disease, $R_0$, is introduced through these examples. The compartmental theory of disease spread and its results are introduced, particularly the next-generation method of computing $R_0$. We review center manifold theory, as it is critical to the reduction of the dimension of our problems. We review diseases that have a relapsing character and focus in on relapsing diseases that are spread by vectors in a host population. The primary example of such …

Cultivating Wildness, Christopher Reed

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The thesis discusses wildness within the context of agriculture. Wildness can be characterized as autonomous, innate and Other. As autonomous, wildness can never be fully controlled. Because it is innate, wildness is inborn in human beings and inherent in the Other-than-human world. As Other, wildness cannot be fully understood. Because wildness is Other, our only avenue to knowledge is experience of the Other-than-human world through which wildness is present.

Our ultimate concern is the wildness inherent in humans. By experiencing manifestations of wildness, we provide ourselves with opportunities for co-creation. Co-creation requires humans to be receptive to the Other-than-human world …

Attitudes Toward Execution: The Tragic And Grotesque Framing Of Capital Punishment In The News, Katherine Shuy

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This essay undertakes a detailed frame analysis of print and electronic media coverage of three nationally publicized death penalty cases between the years of 2014 and 2015. Drawing specifically from the work of Kenneth Burke (1984), this research argues that tragically framed death penalty cases reify victim/perpetrator discourses and cause the actual act of execution to be a fitting resolution within a narrative. Burke’s (1984) grotesque-mystical frame and Bakhtin’s (1984) theory of the grotesque body are used to argue that the media’s portrayal of botched executions help highlight the incongruities with the system of capital punishment, and cause audiences to …

An Elemental Community: Contemplations Of Place, Theresa A. Duncan

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

An Elemental Community: Contemplations of Place is a series of four meditations and stand-alone essays examining the history of the Bitterroot Valley of Western Montana, and my personal history in that place, through the lens of the four Buddhist elements of air, fire, water, and earth. These essays explore my journey to understanding of my place in the Valley and the Pacific Northwest.

Knife River Flint Distribution And Identification In Montana, Laura Evilsizer

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

An examination of the spatial, temporal, and functional distribution of Knife River flint in Montana, and a study in misidentification of Knife River flint in archaeological assemblages. Lithic sourcing has the potential to provide a plethora of information to archaeologists: resource procurement strategies, mobility patterns, trade networks, and the preferencing of particular lithic material types. However, without proper identification it is impossible to study the distribution of lithic materials from their source. Knife River flint, a brown chalcedony, is a particularly fascinating material, geologically occurring in a small area, but culturally distributed over a large area. I analyze the distribution …

Training The Professoraite Of Tomorrow: Implementing The Needs Centered Training Model To Instruct Graduate Teaching Assistants In The Use Of Teacher Immediacy, Leah R. Johnson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The effects of providing training for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) in the implementation of immediacy behaviors on the creation of a supportive classroom environment are examined in this study. GTAs and their students served as participants in the research to understand the need for this training and this information guided the trainings formation. The training was based on Beebe, Mottet and Roach’s (2013) Needs Centered Training Model. The needs assessment indicated students’ perceptions of teacher immediacy was higher than self-perception and GTAs did not understand the meaning or effects of teacher immediacy on a supportive classroom environment or student learning. …

Utilizing Craniometrics To Examine The Morphological Changes To Homo With The Advent Of Processing Food By Cooking, Julia Schorr

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This thesis examines the extent to which the development of cooking by early humans contributed to morphological changes in the human skull, hypothesizing that the cooking of food by early humans had a direct effect on human evolution, leading to smaller face shape, larger body size, and larger brain development, which can be measured in the skull using craniometrics. Beginning with Homo erectus around 1 million years ago, early humans began cooking food. By beginning the process of physical and chemical breakdown of food prior to consumption, humans were able to better access calories and nutrients already found in their …

What Do You Think I Am?: On Perceiving Unintelligibility In The Nonbinary Gender Experience, James Warwood

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

What does it mean to be “retired from gender,” and what role does such an identity play in daily life? Engaging with the work of Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Judith Butler, this project attempts to elucidate the experience of nonbinary – that is, external to the male/female gender binary – gendered individuals, and the ultimate unintelligibility of that experience. Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological approach to perception allows for an exploration of the social norms and regulations that determine how gender is defined in Western culture; combined with Butler’s significant work on gender and its performativity, phenomenology proves a useful tool for revealing the …

Beautiful, Battered Lands: Making Peace With Place From The Rust Belt To Appalachia, Katherine Leary

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Adapting Near-Ultraviolet Colorimetry For Long-Term In Situ Monitoring Of Hexavalent Chromium In Groundwater Aquifers, Janine Carter

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This paper briefly describes sources of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] and the risk it poses to human health and the environment; current methods used to regulate, monitor, and measure Cr(VI); the basic design of a submersible, direct-reading sensor in development for long-term monitoring of Cr(VI) concentration in natural waters; and the means developed to correct sensor readings for two common analytical interferences, turbidity and pH, that could lead to an incorrect measurement of Cr(VI). The principal purposes of this study are to analyze the current methods used to compensate for sample turbidity, to develop methods to compensate for sample pH, and …

Examining The Relationship Between Throwing Injuries Sustained In Adolescent Baseball Players And Use Of An Injury Prevention Smartphone Application "Throw Like A Pro", David S. Grove

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Objective: To describe the use rate of the injury prevention smartphone app “Throw Like a Pro” (TLP), and determine the relationship between use of the app and throwing injuries in adolescent baseball players.

Design and Setting: The smartphone application TLP was distributed to adolescent baseball players. Instruction was given on correct use of the application. Stretches, exercises, and application features were demonstrated to subjects. Data on use and injuries was compiled through self-reported surveys.

Subjects: A convenience sample of adolescent baseball players (n=20) aged 13-18 from the Babe Ruth Little League organization in Missoula, Montana were selected.

Measurements: A modified …

Temporary Work On The Bakken Shale, Peter D. Ore

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In this thesis, I explore what accounts for worker consent to precarious employment in the context of rapid industrial change in the rural United States. In recent years, domestic oil development has transformed the landscape of western North Dakota and Eastern Montana into a zone of oil production now known as “the Bakken.” The acute demand for labor brought about by this development resulted in vastly inflated wages, which in turn drew workers from around the U.S. and the world. State and private labor market intermediaries, including temporary labor agencies, formed to organize and market this labor force for employers …

Bicycle Mobility In Glacier National Park: Assessing Going-To-The-Sun Road Travelers' Attitudes, Knowledge, And Perceptions Of Bicycling, Brian G. Battaglia

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The central aim of this thesis assessed whether Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) travelers have a positive or negative association with roadway bicycling and the degree of public support for GTSR bicycling in Glacier National Park (GNP). Secondarily, this thesis tested a control and treatment group’s knowledge of roadway cycling laws to determine the effectiveness of a “Bicycles May Use Full Lane” sign and brochure, which both reflected Montana’s cycling laws. Finally, an analysis of the necessity of GNP’s partial bicycle restriction on the GTSR was conducted by comparing the characteristics of two road segments using GIS, and by assessing the attitudes, …

Exploring The Potential For Geographic Transportation Modeling To Improve Food Assistance: A Case Study Of The Missoula Food Bank, Mary Buford French

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Over the last ten years, the Missoula Food Bank has seen a greater need for its services leading to funding shortfalls. To meet the needs of an increasing number of clients with a limited budget, the Missoula Food Bank must look for ways to modify its operations while increasing efficiency of its services. As the Food Bank budget is used to acquire food and currently also transport it from warehouse locations to the food pantry in a crowded space, reducing distances and transport cost of hauling food would in turn free up funds to obtain more food. At the same …

Sport Related Concussion Knowledge In Youth Female Soccer Players And Their Parents In Missoula, Seth A. Lindauer

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

Another Day In The Oil Patch: Narratives Of Probation Work In Montana, Ally Guldborg

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Job stress has been linked to several negative outcomes for workers in human service professions. Despite a wealth of knowledge on job stress in social service occupations, relatively little is known about the job stress of probation officers. In eastern Montana and western North Dakota’s Bakken region, a recent oil extraction boom and bust cycle has caused rapid socio-demographic change. Researchers have found that oil extraction in the Bakken region has led to several challenges for social service and police agencies in the area. In this study, I use qualitative interview methods to examine the stresses and challenges involved in …

A Qualitative Analysis Of Belonging In Communities Of Practice: Exploring Transformative Organizational Elements Within The Choral Arts, Aubrielle J. Holly

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

A qualitative analysis was conducted with a community choir as an exemplar of a community of practice. Semi-structured, collaborative interviews with eighteen of the choir’s members and eleven hours of field observation were conducted. The socialization process was briefly examined and discussed as it informed membership experiences in the choir. Four research questions were proposed to examine the ways in which the defining characteristics of communities of practice were communicatively enacted within the choral context. The construct of belonging was examined as an addition to Wenger’s (1998) communities of practice framework. Data analysis followed the grounded theory methodology of Strauss …

Monitoring Recovery In Collegiate Strength And Conditioning, Alice Read

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Abstract:

Read, Alice, M.S., Spring 2016 Health and Human Performance

Monitoring Recovery in Collegiate Strength and Conditioning

Chairperson: Steven Gaskill

Introduction: Student-athletes at the NCAA Division I level experience high levels of both physical and mental stress associated with training and competing at the highest level of collegiate athletics. In order for strength and conditioning coaches at the NCAA Division I level to maximize training sessions many utilize techniques to monitor athlete recovery status between training sessions. Unfortunately, little data exists on what monitoring methods are in current use and the validity of those methods. Purpose: The purpose of this …

Wingspan: Living With Birds, Lauren A. Smith

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Wingspan: Living with Birds is a collection of creative nonfiction essays that intertwine the author’s personal experiences and reflections with her knowledge of the natural world and ornithology. The six essays explore themes of family, self-reflection, understanding a sense of place, rock climbing, and dealing with grief. These themes are combined with natural histories of different bird species and the author’s experiences working with birds, especially as a bird bander.

Human Shields And Redistribution Of Prey Species Complicate The Utility Of Protected Areas As Ecological Baselines, Wesley Sarmento

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

A key goal of protected areas is the conservation of biodiversity, an aim that garners increasing public support through positive experiences. Increasing visitation, however, can come at the cost of reduced ecological integrity. A fundamental conundrum is that if parks are to serve as our most pristine places, then we must understand how our presence alters species interactions. Species redistributing closer to people is of growing management concern both in and out of national parks because of 1) human safety, 2) animal health, and 3) ecological consequences. Across parks drivers of distributional change are often dissimilar, and include movement to …

Three Stories About Nuns, One About A Brother, Alana B. Trumpy

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

The Bridge River Dogs: Interpreting Adna And Stable Isotope Analysis Collected From Dog Remains, Emilia Tifental

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Excavations at the Bridge River site have been on-going since 2003, increasing our understanding of the communities that inhabited the Middle Fraser Canyon, British Columbia over 1,000 years ago. The most recent excavation at Housepit 54 in the summer of 2014 supplied further data regarding relationships between people and their dogs. Dogs are well documented in the Middle Fraser Canyon through both archaeological excavations and traditional knowledge. A household's possession of a dog has been linked to other prestigious materials, and therefore been interpreted as an indicator of wealth and status. The present study was aimed at further investigation of …

Why Saving Hawaii's Taro Means Losing Hawaiian Taro, Breana Milldrum

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

It’S Rooted In The Land: How Managing Natural Resources Leads Native American Tribes To Sovereignty, Nicky Ouellet

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Tribal management of land and natural resources within the boundaries of Native American reservations is often superseded by state and federal policy. But control of land and resources is, ultimately, what makes a nation a nation. The three stories in this portfolio depict tribes establishing control of natural resources to various degrees of success. Chapter one is a narrative outlining the stories, my reportage and plans for publication. Chapter two: Members of the Northern Cheyenne seek to establish a medical marijuana program after the federal government relaxed enforcement of cannabis bans. Chapter three: An activist on the Fort Berthold reservation …

Impacts Of Recreational Aviation On Wildlife: The Physiological Stress Response In White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) And Associated User Perceptions, Devin W. Landry

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Recreational aviation on public lands may negatively impact wildlife. However, land-use decisions need to balance user need with wildlife impact. We know very little about 1) how back country airstrip use affects local wildlife, or 2) attitudes and perceptions of recreational pilots toward possible management actions. For my Master’s research, I investigated how aircraft activity influenced physiological measures of stress in white-tailed deer, while also modeling how psychometrics such as wildlife attitudes and place attachment predict the willingness of recreational pilots engage in impact-mitigating behaviors. I measured physiological stress through non-invasive sampling of stress hormones in fecal samples (fecal glucocorticoid …

Long-Term Impacts Of Fuel Treatments On Tree Growth And Aboveground Biomass Accumulation In Ponderosa Pine Forests Of The Northern Rocky Mountains, Kate A. Clyatt

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In western North America, many low-elevation, dry forest types historically experienced frequent, low-severity fires. However, European settlement and fire suppression policies have contributed to over a century of fire exclusion, substantially altering forest structure and composition. There is considerable interest in restoring fire resilient characteristics to these forests through fuel reduction treatments. One limitation of current research on the impacts of fuel treatments is treatment longevity, as few studies have been able to quantify long-term responses to commonly applied treatments. This research evaluated tree growth and aboveground biomass responses 23 years after treatment in two silvicultural installations with different underburning …

The Impact Of Hydration Status During Heat Acclimation On Physiological Strain And Exercise Performance, Michael W. Schleh

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Heat acclimation promotes adaptations to attenuate physiological and perceptual strain associated with heat stress, and may be enhanced by promoting dehydration during acclimation. Purpose: To determine i) the effect of fluid delivery during acclimation by inducing dehydration (DEH=0.5 mL / kg / 15 min) vs. euhydration (EUH=2.0 mL / kg ^/ 15min) following three heat acclimation bouts on heat stress factors, and ii) to determine if fluid delivery (EUH vs. DEH) affects aerobic performance in the heat. Methods: Thirteen aerobically fit males completed 90-minute heat stress test (HST) in hot conditions (40°C, 30% RH) walking at 50% VO₂ max …