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Using Bioenergetics And Radar-Derived Bird Abundance To Assess The Impact Of A Blackbird Roost On Seasonal Sunflower Damage, Bonnie A. Clark, Page E. Klug, Phillip M. Stepanian, Jeffrey F. Kelly

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Methods aimed at reducing avian damage to agricultural crops are routinely implemented in situations where efficacy can be assessed by quantifying blackbird (Icteridae) abundance relative to environmental variables and extrapolating to ensuing crop damage. Concomitantly, Weather Surveillance Radar (WSR) data may have potential to enhance crop damage mitigation through improved monitoring of nuisance wildlife populations. We used WSR to derive daily abundance estimates of blackbirds at a fall roost in North Dakota, USA from 2012 to 2019. We integrated these estimates with previously developed bioenergeticseconomic models to estimate local sunflower (Helianthus annuus) damage. The greatest losses usually occurred during …

Historic And Contemporary Use Of Catfish Aquaculture By Piscivorous Birds In The Mississippi Delta, Paul C. Burr, Jimmy L. Avery, Garrett M. Street, Bronson K. Strickland, Brian S. Dorr

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Piscivorous birds are the primary source of catfish (Ictalurus spp.) depredation at aquaculture facilities in northwestern Mississippi. Of particular concern is the Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), which can cost aquaculture producers millions of dollars annually through the depredation of cultured fish. Historical research conducted in the early 2000s estimated cormorant use of aquaculture ponds in the region, but aquaculture area has decreased by more than 70% since those estimates were made. With less aquaculture available, we predicted cormorant densities on aquaculture would be greater today than historically. Applying a similar methodology as in historical studies, we used …

Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta Monarchus Boddaert, 1783), Michael L. Avery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Common Names: Monk Parakeet, Quaker Parakeet, Quaker Parrot, Quaker Conure, Grey-headed Parakeet

The natural distribution of the Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus Boddaert, 1783) extends from southern Bolivia, through Paraguay, southern Brazil and Uruguay to southern Argentina (Fig. 10.1 ). It is documented as invasive in a range of countries, and of these, there are at least 17 countries where they are breeding in the wild, as detailed below. ...

The Monk Parakeet is among the most successful invasive bird species in the world. Unlike many other invasive birds, such as the Ring-necked Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) and the …

Control Or Eradication: Problems In The Management Of Invasive Birds, Michael L. Avery, Chris J. Feare

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Humans have captured, transported and intentionally released wild birds for centuries (Blackburn et al., 2009). Motivations for such purposeful introductions include food (West and Zhou, 2007), religion (Agoramoorthy and Hsu, 2007), sport (McDowall, 1994), biocontrol (Bennett and Hughes, 1959; Kurdila, 1995) and aesthetics (Ryan, 1906; Thomson, 1922). Many purposeful bird introductions were the work of acclimatization societies, particularly in North America, New Zealand and Australia. These societies were formed in the 19th century by European settlers to transport bird species from their homelands in efforts to establish them in the newly settled regions (Thomson, 1922; Dunlap, 1997). As a result …

Invasive Species Control And Resolution Of Wildlife Damage Conflicts: A Framework For Chemical And Genetically Based Management Methods, Larry Clark, John Eisemann, John Godwin, Katherine Horak, Kevin Oh, Jeanette R. O'Hare, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Kim M. Pepin, Emily W. Ruell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Vertebrate wildlife damage management relates to developing and employing methods to mitigate against damage caused by wildlife in the areas of food production, property damage, and animal or human health and safety. Of the many management tools available, chemical methods (e.g., toxicants) draw the most attention owing to issues related to environmental burden, species specificity, and humaneness. Research and development focusing on RNA interference and gene drives may be able to address the technical aspects of performance goals. However, there remain many questions about regulation, environmental risk, and societal acceptance for these emerging biological technologies. Here we focus on the …

Movement Behavior Of Radio-Tagged European Starlings In Urban, Rural, And Exurban Landscapes, Page E. Klug, H. Jeffrey Homan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Since their intentional introduction into the United States in the 1800s, European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) have become the fourth most common bird species and a nuisance bird pest in both urban and rural areas. Managers require better information about starling movement and habit-use patterns to effectively manage starling populations and the damage they cause. Thus, we revisited 6 radio-telemetry studies conducted during fall or winter between 2005 and 2010 to compare starling movements (n = 63 birds) and habitat use in 3 landscapes. Switching of roosting and foraging sites in habitat-sparse rural landscapes caused daytime (0900–1500 hours) …

Serum Chemistry Values In Wild Black Vultures In Mississippi, Usa, Fred L. Cunningham, Sherman W. Jack, Amanda R. Deese, Eric R. Wengert, Kyle Van Why, Carla L. Huston, Scott Lemmons, Richard B. Minnis

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Vultures (Cathartidae and Accipitridae) play an important role in ecosystem balance by rapidly disposing animal carcasses and thus preventing the potential spread of pathogens. Blood chemistry values provide a means of assessing the health of wildlife and wild animal populations; however, there are significant differences in chemistries among species and when comparing captive and free-living New and Old World vultures. In 2007, we collected blood serum from 30 female and 14 male wild, healthy black vultures (Coragyps atratus) live-trapped by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services from a power substation in …

Black Vulture Conflict And Management In The United States: Damage Trends, Management Overview, And Research Needs, Bryan M. Kluever, Morgan Pfeiffer, Scott C. Barras, Brett Dunlap, Lee A. Humberg

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Contrary to rapid declines of many vulture (Accipitridae, Cathartidea) species worldwide, black vulture (Coragyps atratus) populations are increasing and expanding their range in North America. Vultures exhibit complex behaviors and can adapt to any human-dominated landscape or land use. These traits, combined with population growth and range expansion, have contributed to increased human–vulture conflicts. Our goal was to summarize the current status and trends in human–black vulture conflicts (hereafter human– vulture conflicts), review available management strategies, identify knowledge gaps, and provide recommendations to enhance management and understanding of this species and the associated conflicts. We found human–vulture conflicts …

Review Of Ospreys: The Revival Of A Global Raptor, By Alan F. Poole. 2019., Lisa Fields, Brian E. Washburn

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

For the past three decades, Alan Poole’s (1989) Ospreys: A Natural and Unnatural History has provided a solid foundation for those seeking a primer on the basic biology and ecology of Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus). Poole’s summary of knowledge about Ospreys was written at a time when these amazing birds were recovering from their DDTinduced population crash, but this important book has long been out of print. In the intervening decades, much has been learned regarding Ospreys. In his new book, Ospreys: The Revival of a Global Raptor, Poole guides the reader through a tour of Ospreys’ worldwide distribution and population …

Population Increases Of Large Birds In North America Pose Challenges For Aviation Safety, Richard A. Dolbeer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

There is a strong correlation between bird mass and the likelihood of aircraft damage during a bird–aircraft collision. Thus, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established airworthiness standards related to bird mass for engines, airframes, and windshields. Most standards use large (1.8 kg) and medium (1.1 kg) birds as benchmarks (the empennage and certain large turbofan engines use a 3.6-kg bird). There are 20 large (≥1.8 kg) and 16 medium (1.1–1.7 kg) bird species in North America with ≥20 strikes reported for civil aircraft (FAA National Wildlife Strike Database), 1990 to 2018. I analyzed the population changes of these …

One Step Closer To A Better Starling Trap, James R. Thiele

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are an invasive species in the United States that damage agriculture, personal property, and threaten human health and safety. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services provides technical support to mitigate damage by controlling starling populations at concentrated animal feeding operations, landfills, utilities, and urban areas. Wildlife Services uses DRC-1339, a registered toxicant, to reduce starling populations. Trapping can also be an effective tool but requires more time at a higher cost than DRC-1339. Trapping starlings, however, may be needed to provide a viable alternative to mitigate damage in areas where toxicant use may …

Quantum Correlations Between The Light And Kilogram-Mass Mirrors Of Ligo, Haocun Yu, L. Mcmuller, M. Tse, L. Barsotti, N. Mavalvala, J. Betzwieser, C. D. Blair, S. E. Dwyer, A. Effler, K. E. Ramirez

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Measurement of minuscule forces and displacements with ever greater precision encounters a limit imposed by a pillar of quantum mechanics: the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. A limit to the precision with which the position of an object can be measured continuously is known as the standard quantum limit (SQL) [1–4]. When light is used as the probe, the SQL arises from the balance between the uncertainties of photon radiation pressure imposed on the object and of the photon number in the photoelectric detection. The only possibility surpassing the SQL is via correlations within the position/momentum uncertainty of the object and the …

Gw190814: Gravitational Waves From The Coalescence Of A 23 Solar Mass Black Hole With A 2.6 Solar Mass Compact Object, R. Abbott, T. D. Abbott, S. Abraham, A. Aich, G. Bissenbayeva, Teviet Creighton, Mario C. Diaz, Soma Mukherjee

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

We report the observation of a compact binary coalescence involving a 22.2 - 24.3 M⊙ black hole and a compact object with a mass of 2.50 - 2.67 M⊙ (all measurements quoted at the 90% credible level). The gravitational-wave signal, GW190814, was observed during LIGO's and Virgo's third observing run on August 14, 2019 at 21:10:39 UTC and has a signal-to-noise ratio of 25 in the three-detector network. The source was localized to 18.5 deg2 at a distance of 241+41−45 Mpc; no electromagnetic counterpart has been confirmed to date. The source has the most unequal mass ratio yet measured with …

Gw190412: Observation Of A Binary-Black-Hole Coalescence With Asymmetric Masses, R. Abbott, T. D. Abbott, S. Abraham, A. Aich, G. Bissenbayeva, Teviet Creighton, Mario C. Diaz, Volker Quetschke, Malik Rakhmanov, K. E. Ramirez, P. K. Roy

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

We report the observation of gravitational waves from a binary-black-hole coalescence during the first two weeks of LIGO’s and Virgo’s third observing run. The signal was recorded on April 12, 2019 at 05∶30∶44 UTC with a network signal-to-noise ratio of 19. The binary is different from observations during the first two observing runs most notably due to its asymmetric masses: a ∼30 M⊙ black hole merged with a ∼8 M⊙ black hole companion. The more massive black hole rotated with a dimensionless spin magnitude between 0.22 and 0.60 (90% probability). Asymmetric systems are predicted to emit gravitational waves with stronger …

Characterizing The Quantum Phase Transition Using A Flat Band In Circuit Qed Lattices, Gui-Lei Zhu, Xin-You Lü, Hamidreza Ramezani

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

We show the superradiant phase transition (SPT) can control the existence of flat band in an extended Dicke-Hubbard lattice [1]

Asexual Experiences Of Microaggressions Scale: Instrument Development And Evaluation, Evelyn Estela Ayala

Theses and Dissertations

The present paper explores the experience of microaggressions among asexuals and relevant literature. There is a dearth of research on asexuality, particularly as it relates to the experience of microaggressions. However, research suggests that microaggressions have a cumulative impact on both physical and emotional well-being as reported by all minority groups that face microaggressions (Lewis, 2009, Mayer, 2010). The development of a scale that measures the experience of microaggressions would allow for this area of research to be further studied. The paper utilized DeVellis’s (2017) method for scale development to develop a psychometrically sound scale assessing the experience of microaggressions …

Binging Behaviors And Emotional Regulation In Young Adults, Michelle Jeanne Duffy

Theses and Dissertations

Co-occurring binge eating and binge drinking is being reported more frequently in college populations and adolescents. Past research has explored various aspects of emotional regulation difficulties in these populations, as well as personality differences, negative affect and various motivations for behaviors. The current study aimed to further explore these differences in individuals who engage in binge eating and drinking separately, comparatively to those who do both binging behaviors. Female undergraduates from a large Mid-Western university (N=127) completed multiple questionnaires regarding eating and drinking behaviors, information regarding their personality traits, emotional regulation difficulties, behavioral motivations and levels of negative affect. Four …

An Investigation Of Loss Of Control Eating Episodes And The Five Indicator Variables Of Loss Of Control Eating In A Non-Clinical Sample, Erica Goodman

Theses and Dissertations

Binge eating is common across both clinical and non-clinical populations; the diagnostic definition of binge eating has been scrutinized by extant literature in that findings have shown loss of control (LOC) to be more related to pathology than the amount of food consumed. The current study aimed to elucidate this notion further by investigating different types of LOC eating based on perception and amount of food consumed. College students (N = 227) completed self-report questionnaires assessing disordered eating, psychopathology, emotion regulation, impulsivity, quality of life, and self-esteem; 173 (76%) also completed an interview on typical and LOC eating in the …

On The Potential Of Lignin As A Sintering Aid And Binder For Designing Porous Foams, Grant Christian Ellis

Theses and Dissertations

Lignin, as an abundant source of bio-renewable material, has been a subject of investigation for many years. Due to its chemically heterogenous and recalcitrant nature, 98% of the material is discarded as waste [3]. Laboratory groups have been exploring lignin’s potential as a value-added ingredient to promote biocompatibility, biodegradation, and substitute toxic, petroleum-based materials [4,6]. In our laboratory, lignin has been utilized as precursor for carbon foam, yielding highly porous structures after pyrolysis [5], and has also been shown to be compatible with other bio-waste materials [8]. The next stage of research focusses on controlled additions of Cu or Distiller’s …

Sexism, Gender Identity, And Psychological Well-Being: Examining Women’S Reactions To A Social Identity Threat, Wendy Nicole Fisher

Theses and Dissertations

For women, sexism is an unavoidable experience and perceiving one’s self as a victim of sexism can have detrimental effects on psychological well-being. However, situational factors, such as level of sexism, and individual differences in gender-related beliefs can influence whether women attribute negative experiences and outcomes to sexism and the degree to which they are impacted by sexism. The current two-part study examined how women responded to sexist feedback depending on the level and target of sexism, as well as individual differences in gender identity and endorsement of sexism. The impact of sexist feedback on women’s psychological well-being was also …

Interferon-Γ Medaites Lung Damage Through The Hyper-Activation Of Ccr2+ Inflammatory Monocytes During Influenza Virus Infection, Mitchell Anthony Klomp

Theses and Dissertations

Influenza viruses (IV) have caused untold morbidity and mortality throughout the previous centuries. These viruses have caused several pandemics that have witnessed the loss of millions of lives. Today, IVs continue to circulate annually, and the efficacy of influenza virus vaccines are limited. As IV pandemics in 1918, 1957, and 2009 have shown the world, the push for a universal influenza vaccine has never been more relevant. While much research has been devoted to understanding the virology around IVs, the immunopathology of the host-pathogen axis has been less studied. Recently, there has been much attention on the role of the …

Online Comment Incivility And Its Impact On Social Perceptions Of Stalking, Abigail Marie Kroke

Theses and Dissertations

Much research has investigated the impact of online incivility on people’s opinions of controversial topics, but less has focused on social perceptions of personal disclosure-related online posts, despite large online-based social movements such as #MeToo. The current study focuses on stalking and will enable a better understanding of how stalking is perceived. There are two main study objectives: to examine social perceptions of an online disclosure by a target of stalking behavior and to examine the role of online incivility on mood and social perceptions of stalking. Overall, both men and women responded similarly to the stalking scenario. Participants expressed …

An Examination Of The Short- And Longer-Term Reciprocal Relationship Between Older Adults' Cognitive Reappraisal And Positive Emotions And Their Impact On Psychological Well-Being, Nicole Haverstock

Theses and Dissertations

Older adults face many age-related challenges, making it critical to identify malleable coping strategies that contribute to more frequent positive emotions and serve to protect overall psychological well-being. Prior research has shown that cognitive reappraisal, or finding meaning in a difficult situation, is a cognitively-based coping strategy that contributes to more frequent positive emotions. The current studies examined the short- and longer-term reciprocal relationship between engagement in cognitive reappraisal and frequency of positive emotions using a cross-lagged panel design. Multiple indices of psychological well-being were also assessed (i.e., perceived control, life satisfaction, self-efficacy, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms). Study 1 …

Auditory Consonant Trigrams: Construct And Criterion Validity Update, Katharine Elizabeth Lindberg

Theses and Dissertations

The Auditory Consonant Trigrams (ACT) has historically been used in research and clinical settings as a measure of working memory ability, though previous research has failed to identify the precise cognitive processes and abilities measured by the task. The ACT total score (ACT T) has been shown to be sensitive to numerous clinical neurological and psychological populations (i.e., TBI, ADHD, MS, MDD). Alternatively, little is known about the ACT perseveration score (ACT P), the current study aimed to identity the ACT T and ACT P’s relationships to other neuropsychological measures and their clinical utility within diverse clinical/neurological presentations. In a …

Multiscale Mechanical Characterization Of The Bakken Formation, Chunxiao Li

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the mechanical properties of the tight formation rocks has been an area of research in the past decade due to its importance in hydraulic fracturing and rock physics modeling. Most of the tight rocks are highly heterogeneous in constituent components, a detailed understanding of mechanical properties at multiple scales is important.

In this dissertation, a combination of mechanical analytical methods including atomic force microscopy, nanoindentation/microindentation, triaxial compressive tests with computational calculations including micromechanical modeling, machine learning techniques were used. In this research, the objectives are to characterize the mechanical properties of the Bakken Formation at multiple scales and to …

Application And Development Of Advanced Atomic-Scale Analysis And Simulations For Complex Systems, Hyeonseok Lee

Theses and Dissertations

A series of studies have investigated the applicability of kerogen, which is an amorphous and insoluble organic matter abundant in unconventional shale formations. This geo−materials are known to have undergone significant alteration in chemical structure during thermal maturation which is characterized using a combination of solid−state 1H & 13C−NMR, X−ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) techniques. For these studies, four kerogen samples (type−II) from the Bakken Formation were selected based on the differences in their thermal maturity, as well as representing the pre−oil and oil window stages as measured …

The Value Of Existential Worlds: Creation And Validation Of A Measure To Explore The Four Existential Worlds, Matthew Robert Rozzi

Theses and Dissertations

The field of counseling psychology is increasingly focused on understanding clients in holistic and non-pathologizing ways. Existential theory provides the four-worlds model for exploring human existence in line with this modern psychological zeitgeist. In this model, humans are understood to exist simultaneously in four “worlds” or “dimensions”: physical (umwelt), social (mitwelt), psychological (eigenwelt), and spiritual/philosophical (uberwelt). This measure construction project is the first known study to examine the personal importance (value) of existing in each world. The Value of Existential Worlds (VEW) was created and psychometrically examined. From the initial 63-items, a shorter (20-item) version was created which demonstrated a …

Maladjustment Correlates Associated With Sexual Perpetration Tactics, Katya Maureen Mickelson

Theses and Dissertations

This project completed a partial replication and extension of a prior study (Norton-Baker, Russell, & King, 2018) regarding tactical differences in sexual perpetration victimization strategies. Respondents (n = 559) completed the Revised Sexual Experiences Survey-Long Form Perpetrator (SES-LFP) before being assigned to different macro-tactical groups (i.e. Non-Violent, Coercive, Aggressive, Polytactic). Membership to groups of micro-tactics of sexual perpetration was then assigned (sexual harassment, non-consensual distribution of sexual content, voyeurism, exhibitionism, sexual coercion, sexual coercion facilitated by substances, sexual perpetration, sexual perpetration facilitated by substances, and multiparticipant offenders). Participants completed the PID-5 as well as other measures of maladjustment. Polytactic perpetrators …

Masculine Honor Ideology: An Unrecognized Risk Factor For Aggressive Behavior, Mara Norton-Baker

Theses and Dissertations

The societal and personal costs of aggressive and violent behavior have reached alarming levels within the United States. In the literature, several personality and personal factors have been uncovered as valuable predictors of aggressive and violent behavior. However, it may be the case another variable has been unduly discounted in its link to aggression. Masculine Honor Ideology (MHI) refers to a set of beliefs that dictate men must respond aggressively to threat or insult in order to maintain their ideal masculine reputation. The intent of the current study is to demonstrate the robust relationship that exists between MHI and lifetime …

Self-Healable And Recyclable Materials From Biobased Poly(Silyl Ether)S, Jigna Kalpeshkumar Parmar

Theses and Dissertations

Inspired from natural species that can repair themselves upon injury, a new class of smart materials that fix themselves is of interest. They can repair physical and mechanical damages, thus increasing shelf life and preventing failures. These types of self-healing synthetic thermosetting polymers from renewable resources can help resolve problems caused by using fossil resources, such as environmental pollution, non-recyclability, and non-repairing ability. In addition to the self-healing, the first chapter also presents the Diels-Alder (DA) reaction, the underlying chemistry that helps produce polymers with desirable properties. The simple application of heat in thermosets gives self-healable, recyclable, and reusable materials. …