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Ncuwm Poster Abstracts 2009

Nebraska Conference for Undergraduate Women in Mathematics

No abstract provided.

The Auslander-Bridger Formula And The Gorenstein Property For Coherent Rings, Livia Hummel, Thomas Marley

Department of Mathematics: Faculty Publications

The concept of Gorenstein dimension, defined by Auslander and Bridger for finitely generated modules over a Noetherian ring, is studied in the context of finitely presented modules over a coherent ring. A generalization of the Auslander-Bridger formula is established and is used as a cornerstone in the development of a theory of coherent Gorenstein rings.

Nebraska Cooperative Fish And Wildlife Research Unit—Usgs: Report Of Activities October 2008 – October 2009

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Annual Reports

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION .. 1
PERSONNEL AND COOPERATORS . 2
Unit Personnel .. 2
Coordinating Committee Members . 4
Cooperators .. 5
MILESTONES .. 7
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS .. 8
THESES AND DISERTATIONS .. 8
PROJECTS IN FISHERY SCIENCE . 9
Angler Behavior in Response to Management Actions on Nebraska Reservoirs . 10
Geographic Trends in Contamination of Nebraska’s Surface Waters as Indexed by Sex Steroids of Common Carp .. 11
Impact of White Perch on Walleye at Branched Oak and Pawnee Reservoirs . 12
Latitudinal Influence on Age Estimation of Bluegill . 13
Predators of White Perch at Branched Oak …

The Communicator, Volume 5, Issue 1, January 2009

The Communicator: News from the Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Faces – New and Old (Cassie Manhart; Peter Spirk; Nate Gosch; Beth Forbus) Changes (Dustin Martin; Chris Lewis; Thad Miller; Justin Williams) New Federal Staff (Dr. Joseph (TJ) Fontaine) Publications New Research Angler Behavior in Response to Management Actions on Nebraska Reservoirs Missouri River Mitigation: Implementation of Amphibian Monitoring and Adaptive Management for Wetland Restoration Evaluation Current Research Assessing the Relationship between Stable Isotopes and Grassland Bird Productivity on Great Plains National Park Service Properties Cross-Scale Structure in Ecosystems Diversity and Ecological Functions Conferences/Meetings/Workshops Teaching Awards & Recognitions UCARE Project Graduate Student News (Aaron Alai; Aaron Lotz; Ryan Lueckenhoff; Annabel …

The Communicator, Volume 5, Issue 2, August 2009

The Communicator: News from the Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

Faces – New and Old (Tony Barada; Jason DeBoer; Caryl Cashmere; Karie Decker; Lucas Kowaleski; Kody Unstad; Michelle Hellman; Carla Knight; Lexi Maple; Thad Miller) Awards & Recognitions (Jason DeBoer; Andrew Furman; Dustin Martin; Kristine Nemec; Sarah Rehme; Amy Williams) Service (Kevin Pope; Valerie Egger) Current Research Angler Behavior in Response to Management Actions on Nebraska Reservoirs Assessing the Relationship between Stable Isotopes and Grassland Bird Productivity on Great Plains National Park Service Properties Diversity and Ecological Functions The Effect of Common Reed (Phragmites australis) on River Otter (Lontra canadensis) Habitat Use Identifying Socio-Ecological Factors Determining Invasions and Extinctions Conferences/Meetings/Workshops …

Variability In Population Abundance Is Associated With Thresholds Between Scaling Regimes, Donald Wardwell, Craig R. Allen

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Discontinuous structure in landscapes may result in discontinuous, aggregated species bodymass patterns, reflecting the scales of structure available to animal communities within a landscape. The edges of these body-mass aggregations reflect transitions between available scales of landscape structure. Such transitions, or scale breaks, are theoretically associated with increased biological variability. We hypothesized that variability in population abundance is greater in animal species near the edge of bodymass aggregations than it is in species that are situated in the interior of body-mass aggregations. We tested this hypothesis by examining both temporal and spatial variability in the abundance of species in the …

A Neotropical Migrant Bird’S Dilemma— Where To Stop For A Good Meal, Joseph J. Fontaine, Charles Van Riper Iii

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

To learn how migrating birds determine where to stop and find food, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Arizona University, and The University of Arizona studied the behavior of 28 species of neotropical migrant songbirds—warblers, flycatchers, tanagers, and vireos—along the lower Colorado River from 2001 to 2004. They found that, like interstate travelers greeted by restaurant billboards, songbirds flying over Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, relied on the flowering of honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) to detect the availability of insects that they prey on. Understanding where and why migrant birds stop will help land managers better protect …

Spatial And Temporal Variation In Climate Change: A Bird’S Eye View, Joseph J. Fontaine, K. L. Decker, S. K. Skagen, C. Van Riper Iii

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Recent changes in global climate have dramatically altered worldwide temperatures and the corresponding timing of seasonal climate conditions. Recognizing the degree to which species respond to changing climates is therefore an area of increasing conservation concern as species that are unable to respond face increased risk of extinction. Here we examine spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the rate of climate change across western North America and discuss the potential for conditions to arise that may limit the ability of western migratory birds to adapt to changing climates. Based on 52 years of climate data, we show that changes in temperature …

Stomach Capacities Of Six Freshwater Fishes, Nathan J.C. Gosch, Kevin L. Pope, Paul H. Michaletz

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

We investigated the relationship between stomach capacity and total body length in bluegill (Lepomis macrocirirus), spotted bass (Microplerus punctulatus), white crappie (Pomoxis annularis), black crappie (Pomoxis nigromoculatus), channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) , and white bass (Morone chrysops). The rate of change in stomach capacity for a given change in fish length was greatest for spoiled bass and channel catfish, which may indicate greater ontogenetic shifts in feeding strategies. Fish with larger stomach capacities should have more plastic diets because they are capable of consuming a wider range of …

Asian Carp In The Missouri River: Analysis From Multiple Missouri River Habitat And Fisheries Programs, Greg A. Wanner, Robert A. Klumb

National Invasive Species Council

Bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, silver carp H. molitrix, black carp Mylopharyngodon piceus, and grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella, collectively referred to as Asian carps, are invasive species that were either accidentally or intentionally introduced into the Mississippi River basin. The expansion of Asian carp into the Missouri River is not well understood and knowledge of population characteristics within this river were lacking. The objectives of this study were to describe the relative abundance, size structure, and spatial and temporal trends of Asian carp using multiple gears from three long-term fish community monitoring programs in the Missouri River …

Common Carp Abundance, Biomass, And Removal From Dewey And Clear Lakes On The Valentine National Wildlife Refuge: Does Trapping And Removing Carp Payoff?, Greg A. Wanner, Melvin P. Nenneman, Mark A. Kaemingk

National Invasive Species Council

Common carp Cyprinus carpio is a nonnative invasive nuisance species to North America. Many authors have documented the detrimental affects of common carp invasions on waterfowl habitats (Chamberlain 1948; Robel 1961), game fish habitat (Cahn 1929), and the overall decline in native fishes (Bernstein and Olson 2001; Koehn 2004). Common carp reduce water quality by mobilizing nutrients and increasing turbidity; therefore, increasing phytoplankton biomass and reducing zooplankton biomass and rooted aquatic vegetation (Lougheed et al. 1998). Common carp are capable of rapidly colonizing shallow lakes and altering a body of water from a clear stable state, dominated by submergent vegetation …

Length-Weight Relationships For Three Asian Carp Species In The Missouri River, Greg A. Wanner, Robert A. Klumb

National Invasive Species Council

Bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), collectively referred to as Asian carp, are invasive species that have been introduced into the Mississippi River basin. The expansion of Asian carp into the Missouri River is not well understood and knowledge of population characteristics within this river are lacking. The objectives of this study were to describe the length-weight relationships (condition) of Asian carp from 2003 to 2007 in the Missouri River downstream of Gavins Point Dam, South Dakota and Nebraska to St. Louis, Missouri. All total, 388 bighead, …

The Archaeology Of The Donner Party Review, Douglas D. Scott

United States National Park Service: Publications

Don Hardesty and his contributors have given us a new perspective on the Donner Party tragedy of 1846-1847. The Archaeology of the Donner Party is a concise and well-written account of the history, archaeological investigations, and reinterpretation of the events. This slim volume is a model of multidisciplinary research and a team approach to producing a publicly oriented archaeological interpretation of interesting events of our recent past.

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument: Geologic Resources Inventory Report, John Graham

United States National Park Service: Publications

This report accompanies the digital geologic map for Agate Fossil Beds National Monument in Nebraska, which the Geologic Resources Division produced in collaboration with its partners. It contains information relevant to resource management and scientific research. This document incorporates preexisting geologic information and does not include new data or additional fieldwork.

Formerly a working ranch in sparsely populated northwestern Nebraska, Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is one of the most important paleontological sites in the world for studying Miocene-age mammals and the evolving Miocene world which existed around 20 million years ago. The main bonebeds at Carnegie Hill and University …

The Nasa Land-Cover/Land-Use Change (Lcluc) Program’S Support Of The Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (Neespi): Focus On Non-Boreal Europe, Garik Gutman

United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration: Publications

Currently, the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI) includes over 120 international projects involving more than 200 scientific institutions from over 30 countries. The program involves national government agencies, academia and private organizations in the U.S., Europe, Japan and Northern Eurasia (Gutman 2007). The NEESPI science is directed at evaluating the role of anthropogenic impacts on the Northern Eurasia ecosystems, the hemispheric-scale interaction and assessing how future human actions would affect the global climate and ecosystems of the region. Projections of the consequences of global changes for regional environment in Northern Eurasia are also in the center of the …

Using Hlm To Analyze On-Going Teacher Professional Development And Implementation Of Scientific Classroom Discourse Community Strategies, Elizabeth B. Lewis, Dale R. Baker, Brandon Helding, Michael Lang

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Presentations

One-hundred-and-sixty classroom observations of secondary science and language arts teachers were made throughout the 2007-2008 academic year to determine the extent of their use of professional development, specifically using strategies to construct a scientific classroom discourse community (SCDC). Each observation was scored using a 36-item instrument of various SCDC instructional strategies designed to match the professional development. These observation scores and teacher demographic information were used to build a hierarchical linear model to explore for statistically significant relationships over time. The length of time that the teachers received professional development was chosen as the exclusive predictor of teacher change because …

Elementary Teachers’ Conceptions Of Flooding Before And After Professional Development, Elizabeth B. Lewis, Katrien J. Kraft, Nievita Bueno Watts, Meredith J. Wilson, Dale R. Baker, Michael Lang

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Presentations

This study focuses on elementary teachers' conceptions of flooding before and after inquiry-based Earth science content-based professional development. Several misconceptions emerged from the science content two tier pre-post test, some of which persisted throughout the institute while others led to evidence of teachers' conceptual change. On the post-test some teachers' ideas emerged as hybrid conceptions as they applied newly acquired academic language to prior conceptions. There was a significant increase (n = 17, mean gain = 4.3 (SD = 3.27, t (17) = 5.69, p < .000) from the pre- to post-test. The concepts most resistant to change from pre- to post-test were analyzing an overall topographic region, reading a map image, and hydrograph interpretation. The highest frequency of hybrid conceptions occurred as teachers attempted to add new academic language, such as storm surge and discharge, to their prior understandings. Teachers’ greatest conceptual change occurred in understanding the probability and role of ground conditions in flooding events. Teachers demonstrated significant growth in their understanding of flooding concepts through scaffolded inquiry lessons modeled through the professional development. Teachers who had greater levels of prior knowledge showed the most change to a normative view of flooding. This speaks to the importance of building teachers' background knowledge before initiating professional development with complex science concepts.

The Communication In Science Inquiry Project (Cisip): A Project To Enhance Scientific Literacy Through The Creation Of Science Classroom Discourse Communities, Dale R. Baker, Elizabeth B. Lewis, Senay Purzer, Nievita Bueno Watts, Gita Perkins, Sibel Uysal, Sissy Wong, Rachelle Beard, Michael Lang

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

This study reports on the context and impact of the Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP) professional development to promote teachers’ and students’ scientific literacy through the creation of science classroom discourse communities. The theoretical underpinnings of the professional development model are presented and key professional development activities are described. Data are provided on teachers’ fidelity of implementation of the CISIP instructional strategies, their understanding of the nature of science communication, and their ability to write scientific investigation reports. Student data includes an analysis of scientific arguments and the perception of their classroom as a science classroom discourse community. Two …

Selected Law Pertaining To Nebraskas Firefighters And Fire Departments, Nebraska Forest Service, Wildland Fire Protection Section

Nebraska Forest Service: Publications

The Nebraska statutes contained in this handbook reflect actions taken through the end of the 2009 regular legislative session; Nebraska Laws: Cities, Counties and Political Subdivisions.[13-303] Nebraska Budget Act.[13-501 - 13-601] Interlocal Cooperation Act.[13-801 - 13-807] Political Subdivisions Tort Claims Act.[13-901 - 13-903, 13-1801] Local Government Miscellaneous Expenditure Act.[13-2202 - 13-2204] Emergency Response Systems, Employment of Full-time Fire Chief .[16-222.01 – 16-222.03] Serving Outside City Limits; Contracts.[18-1706 - 18-1710] Fire Training School.[18-1712 - 18-1714] Sinking Funds, Cities and Villages .[19-1301 - 1304] Annexation of Territory by a City or Village.[31-763 - 31-766] Multiple office holding; when allowed.[32-604] Fire Companies and …

2009 Astragalus Barrii Barneby (Barr’S Milkvetch) Survey On The Oglala National Grassland For The Nebraska Game And Parks Commission And Nebraska National Forest, Grace M. Kostel

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

Astragalus barrii Barneby (Barr’s milkvetch) is ranked globally vulnerable (G3) by NatureServe and critically imperiled (S1) by the Nebraska Natural Heritage Program. A. barrii is designated a sensitive species by the USDA Forest Service (USFS) Region 2 (R2). The Oglala National Grassland (ONG), located in northwestern Nebraska in Dawes and Sioux County, is within the USFS R2 jurisdiction. The purpose of this survey was to: (1) search for and document all A. barrii present on designated areas of the ONG and (2) collect data on rare plant species and high quality native plant community occurrences.

Accounting For Uncertainty In Ecological Analysis: The Strengths And Limitations Of Hierarchical Statistical Modeling, Noel Cressie, Catherine A. Calder, James S. Clark, Jay M. Ver Hoef, Christopher K. Wikle

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

Analyses of ecological data should account for the uncertainty in the process(es) that generated the data. However, accounting for these uncertainties is a difficult task, since ecology is known for its complexity. Measurement and/or process errors are often the only sources of uncertainty modeled when addressing complex ecological problems, yet analyses should also account for uncertainty in sampling design, in model specification, in parameters governing the specified model, and in initial and boundary conditions. Only then can we be confident in the scientific inferences and forecasts made from an analysis. Probability and statistics provide a framework that accounts for multiple …

Seasonality, Estrous Cycle Characterization, Estrus Synchronization, Semen Cryopreservation, And Artificial Insemination In The Pacific White-Sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus Obliquidens), T. R. Robeck, K. J. Steinman, M. Greenwell, K. Ramirez, W. Van Bonn, M. Toshioka, E. Katsumata, L. Dalton, S. Osborn, J. K. O'Brien

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

The reproductive physiology of the Pacific white-sided dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens, was characterized to facilitate the development of artificial insemination (AI) using cryopreserved spermatozoa. Specific objectives were to: 1) describe reproductive seasonality of the Pacific white sided dolphins; 2) describe urinary LH and ovarian steroid metabolites during the estrous cycle; 3) correlate LH and ovarian steroidal metabolite patterns to ultrasound-monitored follicular growth and ovulation; and 4) assess the efficacy of synchronizing estrus, sperm collection/cryopreservation, and intrauterine insemination. Ovulations (64%, n=37) and conceptions (83%, n=18) occurred from August to October. Peak mean serum testosterone (24 ng/ml), cross-sectional testicular area (41.6 cm …

A Location Analysis Approach For Military Maintenance Scheduling With Geographically Dispersed Service Areas, Dale L. Overholts Ii, John E. Bell, Marvin A. Arostegui

United States Air Force: Publications

This research uses a two-stage maximal covering location problem (MCLP) model to develop Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) maintenance schedules for the US Air Force. Solutions are compared to actual missile maintenance activities accomplished at F. E. Warren Air Force Base (AFB), Wyoming in May 2005. Sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the impact of altering security response times and the number of security patrol are as on the quality of daily maintenance schedules and personnel usage. Results indicate marked improvement over traditional Air Force scheduling methods. In addition, sensitivity analysis identifies the levels at which the quality and quantity of …

Trends In Streamflow Characteristics Of Selected Sites In The Elkhorn River, Salt Creek, And Lower Platte River Basins, Eastern Nebraska, 1928–2004, And Evaluation Of Streamflows In Relation To Instream-Flow Criteria, 1953–2004, Benjamin J. Dietsch, Julie A. Godberson, Gregory V. Steele

United States Geological Survey: Publications

The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources approved instream-flow appropriations on the Platte River to maintain fish communities, whooping crane roost habitat, and wet meadows used by several wild bird species. In the lower Platte River region, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission owns an appropriation filed to maintain streamflow for fish communities between the Platte River confluence with the Elkhorn River and the mouth of the Platte River. Because Elkhorn River flow is an integral part of the flow in the reach addressed by this appropriation, the Upper Elkhorn and Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources Districts are involved in overall management …

Geomorphic Segmentation, Hydraulic Geometry, And Hydraulic Microhabitats Of The Niobrara River, Nebraska—Methods And Initial Results, Jason S. Alexander, Ronald B. Zelt, Nathaniel J. Schaepe

United States Geological Survey: Publications

The Niobrara River of Nebraska is a geologically, ecologically, and economically significant resource. The State of Nebraska has recognized the need to better manage the surface- and ground-water resources of the Niobrara River so they are sustainable in the long term. In cooperation with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, the U.S. Geological Survey is investigating the hydrogeomorphic settings and hydraulic geometry of the Niobrara River to assist in characterizing the types of broad-scale physical habitat attributes that may be of importance to the ecological resources of the river system. This report includes an inventory of surface-water and ground-water hydrology …

White-Nose Syndrome Threatens The Survival Of Hibernating Bats In North America, U.S. Geological Survey

United States Geological Survey: Publications

During the winter of 2006/2007, an affliction of unknown origin dubbed “White-Nose Syndrome” (WNS) began devastating colonies of hibernating bats in a small area around Albany, New York. Colonies of hibernating bats were reduced 81-97% at the affected caves and mines that were surveyed. Since then, White-Nose Syndrome has been detected more than 700 kilometers (450 mi) away from the original site, and has infected bats in eight surrounding states. Most species of bats that hibernate in the region are now known to be affected and little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus), northern long-eared bats (M. septentrionalis), …

Mercury, Methylmercury, And Other Constituents In Sediment And Water From Seasonal And Permanent Wetlands In The Cache Creek Settling Basin And Yolo Bypass, Yolo County, California, 2005−06, Mark Marvin-Dipasquale, Charles N. Alpers, Jacob A. Fleck

United States Geological Survey: Publications

This report presents surface water and surface (top 0-2 cm) sediment geochemical data collected during 2005-2006, as part of a larger study of mercury (Hg) dynamics in seasonal and permanently flooded wetland habitats within the lower Sacramento River basin, Yolo County, California. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase I represented reconnaissance sampling and included three locations within the Cache Creek drainage basin; two within the Cache Creek Nature Preserve (CCNP) and one in the Cache Creek Settling Basin (CCSB) within the creek’s main channel near the southeast outlet to the Yolo Bypass. Two additional downstream sites within the …

Geophysical Log Analysis Of Selected Test Holes And Wells In The High Plains Aquifer, Central Platte River Basin, Nebraska, J. Alton Anderson, Roger H. Morin, James C. Cannia, John H. Williams

United States Geological Survey: Publications

The U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Central Platte Natural Resources District is investigating the hydrostratigraphic framework of the High Plains aquifer in the Central Platte River basin. As part of this investigation, a comprehensive set of geophysical logs was collected from six test holes at three sites and analyzed to delineate the penetrated stratigraphic units and characterize their lithology and physical properties. Flow and fluid-property logs were collected from two wells at one of the sites and analyzed along with the other geophysical logs to determine the relative transmissivity of the High Plains aquifer units. The integrated log …

Greater Platte River Basins–Science To Sustain Ecosystems And Communities

United States Geological Survey: Publications

The Greater Platte River Basins (GPRB), located in the heartland of the United States, provides a collaborative opportunity for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and its partners to understand the sustainability of natural and managed ecosystems under changing climate and resource requirements. The Greater Platte River Basins, an area of about 140,000 square miles, sustains thousands of acres of lakes and wetlands, which provide a staging and resting area for the North American Central Flyway. Part of the GPRB is within the U.S. Corn Belt, one of the most productive agricultural ecosystems on Earth. Changes in water and land use, …

Hydrodynamic Simulations Of Physical Aquatic Habitat Availability For Pallid Sturgeon In The Lower Missouri River, At Yankton, South Dakota, Kenslers Bend, Nebraska, Little Sioux, Iowa, And Miami, Missouri, 2006–07, Robert B. Jacobson, Harold E. Johnson Iii, Benjamin J. Dietsch

United States Geological Survey: Publications

The objective of this study was to assess the sensitivity of habitat availability in the Lower Missouri River to discharge variation, with emphasis on habitats that might support spawning of the endangered pallid sturgeon. We constructed computational hydrodynamic models for four reaches that were selected because of evidence that sturgeon have spawned in them. The reaches are located at Miami, Missouri (river mile 259.6–263.5), Little Sioux, Iowa (river mile 669.6–673.5), Kenslers Bend, Nebraska (river mile 743.9–748.1), and Yankton, South Dakota reach (river mile 804.8–808.4). The models were calibrated for a range of measured flow conditions, and run for a range …