Digital Commons Network^™

The Soap Box Wild Horses And Blm Management Issues: What To Do With 30,000 Symbols Of The American West, James T. Smith

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.

Relative Habitat- And Browse-Use Of Native Desert Mule Deer And Exotic Oryx In The Greater San Andres Mountains, New Mexico, Brock D. Hoenes, Louis C. Bender

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Introduced oryx (Oryx gazella gazella) have expanded into the San Andres Mountains of south-central New Mexico, but little is known of concurrent habitat used by oryx and desert mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus crooki); the latter in New Mexico is a species of special concern that has declined significantly since the introduction of oryx. We used fecal-pellet and browse surveys in combination with presence modeling to identify differences in relative use of habitat types, distribution, and browsing of highly palatable, highly preferred (hereafter, key) plant species during 2004 to 2006 to assess the potential for direct competition …

Estimating Relative Distribution Of Raccoons, Opossums, Skunks, And Foxes Using Animal Control Data, Christine Klinkowski-Clark, Michael J. Kutilek, John O. Matson, Paula Messina, Kevin Earley, Shannon M. Bros-Seemann

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We used indices of animal control reports per capita and areas of land covers to assess the relative habitat-use of raccoons (Procyon lotor), opossums (Didelphis virginiana), skunks (Spilogale putorius and Mephitis mephitis), and foxes (Vulpes vulpes and Urocyon cinereoargenteus). We used confirmed (hereafter, verified) calls made to Brevard Animal Services, Florida, and assessed potential human demographic influences associated with unconfirmed (hereafter, unverified) reports where it was uncertain whether or not an animal was present. To estimate habitat use, we performed quadrat sampling using a geographic information system (GIS) and obtained areas of …

Landowner Attitudes Toward Elk Management In The Pine Ridge Region Of North-Western Nebraska, R. Daniel Crank, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Kit M. Hams

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Little is known about attitudes of landowners toward elk (Cervus elaphus) on privately-owned land. We mailed questionnaires to agricultural landowners in the Pine Ridge region of northwestern Nebraska in both 1995 and 1997 to determine attitudes toward elk populations and management of elk. Fifty-six percent (n = 214) of respondents in 1995 and 57% (n = 461) in 1997 were in favor of free-ranging elk. Motivation for those in favor of elk was utilitarian (opportunity to view and hunt elk), ecological (return of a native species), and economic (benefits from increased tourism and leased land for elk hunting). …

Effects Of Aquaculture On Migration And Movement Patterns Of Double-Crested Cormorants, D. Tommy King, Bradley F. Blackwell, Brian S. Dorr, Jerrold L. Belant

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We analyzed 10,620 recovery records for double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) banded as nestlings from 1923 to 2006 to determine the population’s age structure, migration routes, dispersal patterns, and the possible influence of the expansion of the aquaculture industry in the southeastern United States on these population characteristics. Ninety-nine percent of the birds were banded during June to August, and 78% were banded as pre-fledged birds. Cormorants banded in the interior region of the United States comprised 91% of all birds banded from 1955 to 2006; these birds wintered primarily in the Lower Mississippi Valley and the northern Gulf …

Testing Fladry As A Nonlethal Management Tool For Wolves And Coyotes In Michigan, Sarah J. Davidson-Nelson, Thomas M. Gehring

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Several forms of nonlethal management exist, but fi eld testing is problematic, and few such techniques have been tested on free-ranging wolves (Canis lupus) or other predators. We tested fladry in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan during the summers of 2004 and 2005 on treatment farms and control farms. Wolf visitation inside pastures, compared to those outside pastures, was less on fladry-protected farms (U = 45, n = 7, P = 0.004); whereas, we found no difference in wolf visitation inside and outside of pastures on control farms (U = 30, n = 7, P …

Commentary Euthanasia Methods In Field Settings For Wildlife Damage Management, Timothy J. Julien, Stephen M. Vantassel, Scott R. Groepper, Scott E. Hygnstrom

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.

Movements, Habitat Selection, Associations, And Survival Of Giant Canada Goose Broods In Central Tennessee, Eric M. Dunton, Daniel L. Combs

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The brood-rearing period in giant Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima) is one of the least-studied areas of goose ecology. We monitored 32 broods in Putnam County, Tennessee, from the time of hatching through fledging (i.e., when the goslings gained the ability to fly) and from fledging until broods left the brood-rearing areas during the spring and summer of 2003. We conducted a fixed-kernel, home-range analysis for each brood using the Animal Movement Extension in ArcView® 3.3 GIS (ESRI, Redlands, Calif.) software and calculated 95% and 50% utilization distributions (UD) for each brood. We classified 25 broods as sedentary …

Late Summer Movements By Giant Canada Geese In Relation To A September Hunting Season, Charles D. Dieter, Bobby J. Anderson, Jeffrey S. Gleason, Paul W. Mammenga, Spencer Vaa

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The population of giant Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima) breeding in eastern South Dakota has increased dramatically since reintroduction efforts began in the 1960s. May breeding population levels of giant Canada geese exceeded population management goals set by the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) by the mid-1990s, and the population has continued to increase into the 2000s. This population increase was accompanied by an increase in goose-related conflicts such as crop depredation. In 1996, a September hunting season was implemented in select counties in eastern South Dakota in an effort to reduce the giant …

Principals' Leadership Styles And Their Impact On School Climate: Assistant Principals' Perceptions, Bruce R. Mccolumn

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The primary focus of this study is to explore the perceptions of assistant principals as to how their principals' leadership styles impact school climate. A school's climate plays a vital role in student achievement and principals are the most important factor in setting a setting a school's climate. Therefore, principals' leadership behaviors warrant investigating. This qualitative study identified principal leadership styles through the perceptions of their assistant principals. Interactive interviews were conducted with selected assistant principals in the XYZ School System. Their responses were analyzed, themed and coded to draw a connection between principal leadership style and school climate. These …

Advanced Control Of Large Scale Wind Turbines, Jacob Aho

Master's Theses and Capstones

Wind turbines have experienced an economy of scale that caused them to become larger, more expensive and provided the challenge to protect the components, particularly the failure-prone gearboxes. This thesis focused on new control systems for wind turbines in above-rated, or Region 3, wind regimes. The control goals were to regulate the generator speed and protect the gearbox by mitigating drivetrain torque variations.

This thesis included the development of a linear wind turbine model based on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's FAST 5MW model. A magnetic continuously variable transmission (CVT) was included in the model. A multi-input linear quadratic regulator …

A Micro-Transponder For Precision Tracking Of Underwater Targets, Albert Whitaker Franzheim Iii.

Master's Theses and Capstones

A prototype micro-transponder has been designed and built to track, in real-time, the positions of objects or animals within the water column. Commercially available data storage tags, which help monitor the behavior of underwater animals, do not provide real-time interrogation and data dissemination capabilities in a form factor and acoustic frequency band acceptable for active tracking applications.

This prototype is 18.5 cm3 and weighs 43.7 g in air. It operates at an acoustic frequency of 160 kHz and uses a mixed-signal topology with low-power components and a microcontroller, which allows for firmware updates and addition of external sensors. It is …

A Feasibility Study: Forest Carbon Stocks And Stock Change Of The White Mountain National Forest, Erica Jane Cate

Master's Theses and Capstones

Interest has heightened for forest managers to account for the impacts of management activities on forest carbon sequestration. This study was designed to assess the feasibility of developing estimates of WMNF forest carbon based on the available information. The yield curves, inventory data and resulting carbon projections were dependent on a number of assumptions and subject to various sources of error and bias. Thus, they should not be relied on as definitive estimates and forecasts, or used as a basis for policy recommendations. Under the specific approaches used in this study, forest carbon stocks appear to be accumulating in the …

Investigating Pheromone Variability In A Terrestrial Woodland Salamander, Adam James Chowinard

Master's Theses and Capstones

The communication system of Plethodontid salamanders relies heavily upon chemical signaling. Pheromone molecules convey a tremendous amount of information to conspecifics, and facilitate a wide variety of the essential social functions of these animals. Much of the information contained within the pheromone mixture is variable from one individual to the next, such as the ability to recognize specific individuals, the size of the sender, and the relative "quality' of the signal. In order for variable information to be conveyed through chemical signals, the corresponding variability must be contained within the pheromone mixture itself. This variability may exist as a gradient …

Exploration Of A Free Space Optical Telemetry System For Formation Flying Sounding Rocket Sub-Payloads, James Gealy

Master's Theses and Capstones

The results of an exploration regarding the novel use of free-space optics (FSO) between sounding rockets and their sub-payloads are presented. This includes an evaluation of optoelectronic and optical devices against environmental and system level criteria. A preliminary test using available in-house components and bench-top equipment was also performed to determine potential distances and data rates of FSO in this environment. Using a light emitting diode with an optical power output of approximately six milliwatts, and a photomultiplier tube originally purposed for use on the Compton GRO, a pulse rate of ten kilohertz was transmitted over a distance of four-hundred …

Evaluating The Impact Of Outdoor Orientation On Incoming Students' Perceptions Of Social Norms About Alcohol Use On Campus, Benjamin George Oliver

Master's Theses and Capstones

Alcohol issues are a concern of colleges and universities (National Institutes of Health, 2008). This study assessed the effects of an outdoor orientation program on the alcohol use and perceptions of program participants. Specifically, 30 outdoor orientation leaders participated in a three-hour training based on the social norms approach (Berkowitz, 2005). A repeated-measures, quasi-experimental design was used to collect data on incoming students' own use and approval of alcohol, and their perceptions of other students' use and approval. Results indicated that untrained leaders were "carriers of the misperception" of permissive alcohol use (Perkins, 1997) negatively effecting incoming students perceptions. Trained …

Oral Language Milestone Acquisition In Children Adopted From China, Hannah Harwood

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study contains language milestone acquisition information for 14 children adopted from China between 8 and 12 months of age. A retrospective questionnaire was utilized to gain information regarding the specific ages at which these adoptees demonstrated an understanding of English along with the ages where they demonstrated proficient usage of English. Parent responses indicated that these adoptees developed English language milestones comparable to their monolingual peers, for both age of acquisition and order of acquisition. This research adds to the literature on what may be expected regarding language development in children adopted from China prior to one year of …

The Instrumentation, Testing, And Structural Modeling Of A Steel Girder Bridge For Long-Term Structural Health Monitoring, Paul J. Lefebvre

Master's Theses and Capstones

The currently accepted bridge design practice is individual element design through approximate "worst-case" loading scenarios and distribution with appropriate safety factors. The resulting design is not necessarily representative of the true behavior of a bridge. Computer structural modeling advancements have made it practical to improve the design process by capturing the design intelligence in the bridge model for use in bridge management and condition assessment. Nearly 1/3 of U.S. bridges are nearing the end of their design life and the design of the next generation of highway bridges has begun. The time is optimum to consider advancements in bridge design …

Job Satisfaction Of New Hampshire Nursing Faculty, Patricia Marie Puglisi

Master's Theses and Capstones

The nursing shortage is a growing concern with the shortage of nurse faculty restricting entry of qualified students. A descriptive study of faculty from 11 New Hampshire nursing schools was conducted to determine nurse faculty satisfaction and factors contributing to satisfaction. A modified version, sent electronically of the Nurse Faculty Satisfaction Questionnaire measured faculty satisfaction. Of 159 faculty invited 74 (47%) participated. Overall, NH nurse faculty were highly satisfied as nurse educators with 78.4% rating overall satisfaction of 8 or higher on a 0 - 10 scale. The top three satisfiers were opportunity to work independently, sense of accomplishment from …

Urban To Urban-Green Development: An Experimental And Modeling Study In Vegetated Roofs For Stormwater Reduction, James A. Sherrard Jr.

Master's Theses and Capstones

The incorporation of vegetated roofs into a region's stormwater management plan may be an efficient method of managing flooding issues and combined sewer outflow system maximum loads. Currently, vegetated roofs are not widely used within New England as a common stormwater Best Management Practice. My research explores vegetated roof stormwater retention performance in the Seacoast New Hampshire region. This research experimentally quantified the complete water balance of a vegetated roof system in an outdoor, rooftop setting, developed a predictive vegetated roof stormwater retention model and modeled retention for an eight year period from 2002 to 2009. This eight year model …

Assessing The Accuracy Of Passive Microwave Estimates Of Snow Water Equivalent In Data-Scarce Regions For Use In Water Resource Applications, Carrie M. Vuyovich

Master's Theses and Capstones

Winter snowpack is a significant contributor to water supply in many regions of the world and accurate estimates of the snow water equivalent (SWE) are necessary for water resource planning. Satellite data is an attractive source of snow information in remote regions with limited ground data. The objective of this study is to assess passive microwave SWE in the Upper Helmand Watershed in Afghanistan where snowmelt is a primary source of water. Passive microwave SWE data were compared over 6 winter seasons, 2004-2009, to an independent estimate of SWE using a snow hydrology model. The snow hydrology model was calibrated …

Using Voice To Tag Digital Photographs On The Spot, Michael A. Farrar

Master's Theses and Capstones

Tagging of media, particularly digital photographs, has become a very popular and efficient means of organizing material on the internet and on personal computers. Tagging, though, is normally accomplished long after the images have been captured, possibly at the expense of in-the-moment information. Although some digital cameras have begun to automatically populate the various fields of a photograph's metadata, these generic labels often lack in the descriptiveness presented through user-observed annotations and therefore stress the necessity of a user-driven input method. However, most mobile annotation applications demand a great number of keystrokes in order for users to tag photographs and …

Regulation Of Photoreceptor Phosphodiesterase By Prenyl Binding Protein And By Other Interacting Proteins In Photoreceptor Cells, Hannah J. Gitschier

Master's Theses and Capstones

Photoreceptor phosphodiesterase (PDE6) is a central component of the visual pathway. While initial PDE6 activation following light stimulation of photoreceptors is well understood, regulation of PDE6 during recovery and light adaptation may require additional components that interact with PDE6. Two approaches were taken to characterize these potential interactions. The first explored the interaction of PDE6 with prenyl binding protein (PrBP/delta) and demonstrated that changes in membrane localization of PDE6 may occur during light adaptation as a result of association with PrBP/delta. The second approach characterized the PDE6 "interactome" by a mass spectrometric identification of 75 proteins that co-purify with PDE6 …

Sensor Installation For The Local Calibration Of The Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide In New Hampshire, Matthew L. Steele

Master's Theses and Capstones

Efficient and accurate pavement design is critical to control the costs of new roadway construction and maintenance. The Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) is the most current pavement design procedure used to predict pavement damage and distress. It was calibrated using a national data set that includes data from instrumented pavement sections. The national calibration can be further refined to account for local conditions.

In this research a weather monitoring station and a set of pavement and base layer monitoring sensors were installed and baseline data from these sensors were collected. The measured structural response data from calibrated truck passes …

An Evaluation Of Supplemental Food To Increase Winter Survival Of Cottontail Rabbits, Toni Weidman

Master's Theses and Capstones

The New England cottontail is currently endangered throughout much of its range. The cause of this decline has been habitat loss that has facilitated intense predation. Cottontails living on small patches have high mortality rates due to lack of quality cover and browse and high predation pressure. The goal of this study was to determine if provisioning supplemental food during the winter could increase cottontail survival rates by reducing risky foraging behavior in poor habitat that exposes the rabbits to predators. Among fed rabbits the survival rate (70%) was substantially greater than the survival rate for unfed rabbits (32%). A …

Evaluation Of Post Harvest Conditions Contributing To Attacks By The Red Turpentine Beetle, Dendroctonus Valens Leconte At The Massabesic Experimental Forest In Southern Maine, Garret D. Dubois

Master's Theses and Capstones

Silvicultural management of Pinus strobus L. runs the risk of damaging residual trees and can increase the probability of attack from damaging insects, including the common bark beetle Dendroctonus valens Le Conte. Considered a secondary pest, it is possible that D. valens is capable of economic impacts such as the downgrading of logs and lumber due to defect and blue-stain. To assess post harvest conditions that contribute to the probability and severity of D. valens attacks in Pinus strobus, stand and tree characteristics were sampled in four silvicultural treatments and one control site in southern Maine. Results showed that clearcuts …

Out-Of-School Time Matters: Activity Involvement And Positive Development Among Coos County Youth, Erin H. Sharp

Carsey Publications

This brief looks at the connections between how youth spend their free time and positive or negative attitudes about themselves and their future plans. Family studies assistant professor and Carsey faculty fellow Erin Hiley Sharp used data from the Carsey Institute's Coos County Youth Survey to show differences by activity level and students' expectations for positive outcomes in their future.

The Use And Effectiveness Of Formative Feedback Provided Via Audio Files, Jenni Smith

Urbana University Master’s Theses

No abstract provided.

Securities Regulation, George Lee Flint

SMU Law Review

No abstract provided.

Copyright And Academia: Debunking Common Misconceptions And Myths, Jeff Graveline

Libraries Professional Work

Few words strike fear into the hearts of college faculty and administrators like copyright infringement. Misunderstandings and misinformation about copyright run rampant on college campuses today which can lead to stifling classroom teaching or even liability for copyright infringement. In this column I begin with a short overview of copyright and fair use followed by a discussion of some of the more common copyright myths I have encountered over the past few years.