Digital Commons Network^™

Agricultural Research Service Weed Science Research: Past, Present, And Future, Stephen L. Young, James V. Anderson, Scott R. Baerson, Joanna Bajsa-Hirschel, Dana M. Blumenthal, Chad S. Boyd, Clyde D. Boyette, Eric B. Brennan, Charles L. Cantrell, Wun S. Chao, Joanne C. Chee-Sanford, Charlie D. Clements, F. Allen Dray, Stephen O. Duke, Kayla M. Eason, Reginald S. Fletcher, Michael R. Fulcher, Brenda J. Grewell, Erik P. Hamerlynck, Robert E. Hoagland, David P. Horvath, Eugene P. Law, Daniel E. Martin, Clint Mattox, Steven B. Mirsky, Patrick J. Moran, Rebecca C. Mueller, Vijay K. Nandula, Beth A. Newingham, Zhiqiang Pan, Lauren M. Porensky, Paul D. Pratt, Andrew J. Price, Brian G. Rector, Krishna N. Reddy, Roger L. Sheley, Lincoln Smith, Melissa C. Smith, Keirith A. Snyder, Matthew A. Tancos

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) has been a leader in weed science research covering topics ranging from the development and use of integrated weed management (IWM) tactics to basic mechanistic studies, including biotic resistance of desirable plant communities and herbicide resistance. ARS weed scientists have worked in agricultural and natural ecosystems, including agronomic and horticultural crops, pastures, forests, wild lands, aquatic habitats, wetlands, and riparian areas. Through strong partnerships with academia, state agencies, private industry, and numerous federal programs, ARS weed scientists have made contributions to discoveries in the newest fields of robotics and genetics, as well …

Structural Diversity And Stress Regulation Of The Plant Immunity-Associated Calmodulin-Binding Protein 60 (Cbp60) Family Of Transcription Factors In Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato), Vanessa Shivnauth, Sonya Pretheepkumar, Eric J. R. Marchetta, Christina A. M. Rossi, Keaun Amani, Christian Castroverde

Biology Faculty Publications

Cellular signaling generates calcium (Ca2+) ions, which are ubiquitous secondary messengers decoded by calcium-dependent protein kinases, calcineurins, calreticulin, calmodulins (CAMs), and CAM-binding proteins. Previous studies in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana have shown the critical roles of the CAM-BINDING PROTEIN 60 (CBP60) protein family in plant growth, stress responses, and immunity. Certain CBP60 factors can regulate plant immune responses, like pattern-triggered immunity, effector-triggered immunity, and synthesis of major plant immune-activating metabolites salicylic acid (SA) and N-hydroxypipecolic acid (NHP). Although homologous CBP60 sequences have been identified in the plant kingdom, their function and regulation in most species remain unclear. In …

A Thermodynamics-Based Versatile Evapotranspiration Estimation Method Of Minimum Data Requirement For Water Resources Investigations, Jozsef Szilagyi, Richard D. Crago

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

A recent, two-parameter version of the thermodynamically derived complementary relationship (CR) of evaporation has been tested on a monthly basis at 124 FLUXNET stations around the globe. Local, station-by-station calibration explained 91% (R2) of the variance in eddy-covariance (EC) obtained latent-heat fluxes with the same Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) value. When the dimensionless Priestley-Taylor parameter (α) was expressed as a universal function (f) of the estimated wet-environment air temperature (Tw), station-by-station calibration of the single dimensionless parameter, b (accounting for moisture advection), yielded an R² value of 87% and NSE of 86%. Global calibration (all stations …

Year-Round Weather Alters Nest-Provisioning Rates In A Migratory Owl, Eliza D. Stein, Stephen R. Midway, Brian D. Linkhart

Faculty Publications

As global temperatures and precipitation become more extreme, habitat specialists are at particular risk of being pushed past their environmental tolerance limits. Flammulated Owls (Psiloscops flammeolus) are small migratory owls that breed in temperate conifer forests of western North America. Their highly specialized nesting and foraging requirements make them indicators of ecosystem health. Using 17 years of nest observations, we investigated how annual weather patterns affected Flammulated Owl nesting and foraging behaviors during the breeding season. We used generalized linear models with a changepoint parameter to evaluate nest provisioning and nestling growth rates in years of extreme temperature and precipitation. …

Shower Thoughts: Why Scientists Should Spend More Time In The Rain, John T. Van Stan Ii, Scott T. Allen, Douglas P. Aubrey, Z. Carter Berry, Matthew Biddick, Miriam A.M.J. Coenders-Gerrits, Paolo Giordani, Sybil G. Gotsch, Ethan D. Gutmann, Yakov Kuzyakov, Donát Magyar, Valentina S.A. Mella, Kevin E. Mueller, Alexandra G. Ponette-González, Philipp Porada, Carla E. Rosenfeld, Jack Simmons

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Stormwater is a vital resource and dynamic driver of terrestrial ecosystem processes. However, processes controlling interactions during and shortly after storms are often poorly seen and poorly sensed when direct observations are substituted with technological ones. We discuss how human observations complement technological ones and the benefits of scientists spending more time in the storm. Human observation can reveal ephemeral storm-related phenomena such as biogeochemical hot moments, organismal responses, and sedimentary processes that can then be explored in greater resolution using sensors and virtual experiments. Storm-related phenomena trigger lasting, oversized impacts on hydrologic and biogeochemical processes, organismal traits or functions, …

Potential Climate Change Impacts On Beef Production Systems In Australia, David H. Cobon, K. L. Bell, G. M. Mckeon, J. F. Clewett, S. Crimp

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

There is increasing evidence suggesting that Australia's climate is changing due to enhanced levels of greenhouse gases and that it will continue to change (Pittock 2003). Climate changes are partly established, however the impact on systems, industries and process are unclear. Industry distribution reflects climatically imposed boundaries and the relative profitability of alternative land use. Climate change may negatively impact some existing industries but create opportunities for others. This study provides an assessment of the likely impacts of plausible climate change on the beef industry in central Queensland.

Yield Progress Of Perennial Ryegrass And Silage Maize - Genetic Gain Or Climate Change?, Antje Herrmann, A. Kornher, Friedhelm Taube

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Gains in annual dry matter yield (DMY) from breeding achieved during the last decades are reported to range between 2.5 and 6% per decade for perennial ryegrass (Wilkins & Humphreys, 2003). In contrast, accelerated progress in improving DMY has been achieved for silage maize, varying between 8 and 13% per decade (Lauer et al., 2001). These gains are mainly attributed to (i) genetic yield potential increase, (ii) improved crop management and (iii) increased stress tolerance. The potential impact of climate change on yield progress, however, is disregarded in most studies. The objective of this study therefore was to quantify …

Shifts In N-Efficiency Of Different Farm Types In Response To Climate Change, S. Dueri, P. L. Calanca, Juerg Fuhrer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Climate change may affect European farms, but in contrast to individual crops - the sensitivity of whole farming systems has not been the subject of much research. At the farm level, where different farm units are linked through the availability and flow of nitrogen (N), effects on individual crops are interlinked, and through shifts in grasslands and related animal production with altered nutrient flows. Ideally, N flows into the system and N-export with products should be equal, and thus N-use-efficiency (NUE), expressed as the ratio of N export to N loss, would be maximal. The objective of this study was …

The Effect Of Extremes In Soil Moisture Content On Perennial Ryegrass Growth, A. Scott Laidlaw

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Seasonal distribution of rainfall in the UK and Ireland is predicted to become more variable (Sweeney, 2003). The problems of excessive soil moisture on grass utilisation and the effect of deficit in soil moisture on grass growth are well known. However the effect of excess rainfall on the growth of sown grass is less clear and is usually not taken into account in grass growth models. This study was carried out to investigate the potential impact of excess moisture on perennial ryegrass growth in the field and to investigate the relative effect of soil moisture varying from deficit to excess …

Forage Grass Phenology In Relation To Climate Change, G. Żurek

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Phenological phases of plants, such as heading or flowering are mainly driven by environmental factors such as pests, diseases, competition, soil properties, genetics, age and, most importantly, weather conditions (Menzel & Fabian, 1999; Menzel 2000). At the end of the last century there was an emerging recognition that phenological records can be especially useful in environmental monitoring and it has gained the UK government approval as an indicator of climate change (Sparks et al., 2000). The aim of this work was to analyse long-term trends in the mean heading date for Polish ecotypes of three forage grass species.

Long-Term Responses Of A Mesic Grassland To Manipulation Of Rainfall Quantity And Pattern, A. K. Knapp, J M. Blair, P. A. Fay, M. D. Smith, S. L. Collins, J. M. Briggs

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Climatic variability is an inherent feature of grassland biomes, with large fluctuations in temperatures combined with precipitation regimes characterised by floods and severe drought occurring on both an interannual and seasonal scale. Global climate models and emerging data indicate that extremes in precipitation regimes are increasing worldwide coupled with increases in temperature. Thus, variability in spatial and temporal patterns of water availability in grasslands, as directly influenced by altered precipitation patterns and indirectly by increased temperatures, will likely increase in the future. The objectives of our experiments were to experimentally manipulate rainfall amount and temporal patterns (amount and timing of …

Sources And Sinks Of Greenhouse Gases From European Grasslands And Mitigation Options: The ‘Greengrass’ Project, Jean-François Soussana, V. Allard, P. Ambus, C. Amman, P. Berbigier, C. Campbell, P. Cellier, E. Ceschia, P. Ciais, J. Clifton-Brown, S. Czóbel, R. Domingues, T. De Groot, R. Falcimagne, C. Flechard, J. Fuhrer, G. Gaborit, L. Horváth, A. Hensen, M. B. Jones, S. Jones, G. Kasper, K. Klumpp, P. Laville, C. Martin, C. Milford, Z. Nagy, A. Neftel, E. Nemitz, J. E. Olesen, A. Patterson, K. Pilegaard, A. Raschi, R. Rees, U. Skiba, P. Stefani, S. Salètes, P. Smith, M. A. Sutton, Z. Tuba, A. Van Amstel, A. Van Den Pol-Van Dasselaar, N. Viovy, N. Vuichard, M. Wattenbach, T. Wedinger

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Adapting the management of grasslands may be used to enhance carbon sequestration into soil, but could also increase N₂O and CH₄ emissions. In support of the European post-Kyoto policy, the European 'GreenGrass' project (EC FP5, EVK2-CT2001-00105) has three main objectives: i) to reduce the large uncertainties concerning the estimates of CO₂, N₂O and CH₄ fluxes to and from grassland plots under different climatic conditions and assess their global warming potential, ii) to measure net greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes for different management which reflect potential mitigation options, iii) to construct a model of …

Impact Of Climate Change On Potential Distribution And Relative Abundance Of The Migratory Grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae) In The Prairie Ecosystem Of Canada, Owen Olfert, R. Weiss

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Climate is the dominant force determining the distribution and abundance of most insect pest species. There has been considerable concern in recent years about climatic warming caused by human activities and the affects of these changes on agriculture in North America. Warming conditions may affect insect populations by altering timing of emergence, increased growth and development rates, shorter generation times and reduced overwintering mortality (McCarthy et al. 2001). Given that the magnitude of predicted temperature change associated with global warming is beyond the historical experience of modern agriculture computer models are one method by which researchers can study the possible …

Improving The Land Trust Model’S Impact On Environmental Conservation In Northern California, Peter Talbot

Master's Projects and Capstones

For years, the land trust sector of California and much of the United States has operated with a dollars and acres mentality that has prioritized fundraising as a result of acreage protected. Within California, nearly 5.8 million acres of land have been protected by 132 land trusts throughout the state. To accommodate for the diverse cross-section of land and the many needs of the population, land trusts take on numerous shapes and sizes. A unique aspect of this diversity is the rich agricultural and natural spaces found throughout the state. This mix of land and variety of land uses has …

Building Envelope Retrofits For Achieving Thermal Comfort In Naturally Ventilated Buildings In Future Climates: A Case Study Of Social Housing In Egypt, Donna Nader Kamel Ebeid

Theses and Dissertations

Envelope thermal insulation has a significant impact on a scale from global to individual interest. It contributes to indoor thermal comfort, provides economic benefit through reduced electricity bills, increases energy efficiency of buildings through reduced energy consumption, and protects against the change in Earth’s climate through reduced greenhouse gas emissions. In 2021, building operations accounted for 30% of global energy consumption, 27% of annual global CO₂ emissions and 35% of building energy use accounted for electricity consumption which is used to create comfortable indoor living conditions. In Egypt, electricity consumption in residential sector has been steadily increasing, among other …

The Prairie State: Using Ecological Niche Modeling To Predict Distributions Of Early Land Plants, Zoe Ryan

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Bryophytes are environmentally and ecologically significant biological indicators, as their distribution is largely determined by the climate and the land features that shape these factors. Yet it is a challenge to track the ranges of these plants and even more so to predict their future distribution patterns due to their small size and sensitivity to environmental change. This study aims to model the potential distribution of selected bryophyte species in Illinois to investigate the potential impact of global warming and determine what environmental factors affect distribution patterns. Bryophyte occurrences post 1970 of some of the most common epiphytic species and …

Coral Adaptive Capacity Insufficient To Halt Global Transition Of Coral Reefs Into Net Erosion Under Climate Change, Christopher Edward Cornwall, Steeve Comeau, Simon D. Donner, Chris Perry, John Dunne, Ruben Van Hooidonk, James S. Ryan, Cheryl A. Logan

Marine Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Projecting the effects of climate change on net reef calcium carbonate production is critical to understanding the future impacts on ecosystem function, but prior estimates have not included corals' natural adaptive capacity to such change. Here we estimate how the ability of symbionts to evolve tolerance to heat stress, or for coral hosts to shuffle to favourable symbionts, and their combination, may influence responses to the combined impacts of ocean warming and acidification under three representative concentration pathway (RCP) emissions scenarios (RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). We show that symbiont evolution and shuffling, both individually and when combined, favours persistent positive …

Modeling The Recent Changes Of Phytoplankton Blooms Dynamics In The Arctic Ocean, Manfredi Manizza, Dustin Carroll, Dimitris Menemenlis, Hong Zhang, Charles E. Miller

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

In recent decades, Arctic Ocean (AO) sea ice has experienced intense climate-related modifications, which coincide with earlier melting in spring and delayed formation in the fall. In this study, we use the ECCO2-Darwin ocean biogeochemistry model to gain a mechanistic understanding of how changes in sea-ice seasonality impact the phenology of AO phytoplankton blooms. We use a 2006–2013 simulation to show that early sea-ice melt in 2007 and 2012 triggers earlier phytoplankton blooms (∼1 month earlier compared to other years) and that the blooms dissipate earlier due to more rapid nutrient depletion in the surface AO. Our simulation also confirms …

Illuminating The Drivers Of Genomic Diversification In Lamprologine Cichlids Of The Lower Congo River, Naoko P. Kurata

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Freshwater fishes are extraordinarily diverse, considering their available habitats represent a tiny proportion of the earth’s surface. Rivers connect heterogeneous habitats in a linear form and provide excellent simplified models to understand how aquatic biodiversity evolves. In particular, the lower Congo River (LCR) in west Central Africa consists of a dynamic hydroscape exhibiting extraordinary aquatic biodiversity, endemicity, and morphological and ecological specialization. This system is thus an excellent natural laboratory for understanding complex speciation and population diversification processes. In my research, I explore various drivers of diversification, and adaptive evolution in rheophilic lamprologine cichlids endemic to the LCR, including Lamprologus …

Climate Change Imperils Pediatric Health: Child Advocacy Through Fossil Fuel Divestment., Sandra H. Jee, Elizabeth Friedman, Ruth A. Etzel, Vi T. Nguyen, Todd L. Sack, Kathi J. Kemper

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Climate change poses an existential threat to children's health. Divestment of ownership stakes in fossil fuel companies is one tool available to pediatricians to address climate change. Pediatricians are trusted messengers regarding children's health and therefore bear a unique responsibility to advocate for climate and health policies that affect children. Among the impacts of climate change on pediatric patients are allergic rhinitis and asthma; heat-related illnesses; premature birth; injuries from severe storms and fires; vector-borne diseases; and mental illnesses. Children are disproportionately affected as well by climate-related displacement of populations, drought, water shortages, and famine. The human-generated burning of fossil …

Effects Of Climate Change On Human Health, Sara El Houzaly, Richa Gupta

Publications and Research

The effects of climate change are evident worldwide as average global land and air temperatures have been rising, glaciers and ice sheets are shrinking with the concomitant rise in sea levels, extreme weather events have become more frequent, and oceans are warming and acidifying. Humanity is facing a big environmental challenge which not only impacts our habitat but will also have ramifications on our health. The present review describes a detailed examination of the scientific evidence proving the relationship between climate change and various fatal human diseases in different geographical regions. Our findings indicate that variations in the patterns of …

Songs For A Crying Earth: A Community Music Therapy Engagement Project, Sarah Ames

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

In the past decade, research on the impact of climate change on mental health has been increasingly coming to the forefront of individual and collective organizations. Within the field of music therapy, there is an argument to be made that through our professional standards code of ethics, the climate change crisis is our responsibility to address. This intergenerational capstone project served to integrate an existing transformative learning model with principles of Community Music Therapy to address eco anxiety and promote the development of eco-responsibility, change, and agency. Through the collection and reflection of the researcher’s phenomenological experience, the human-nature relationship …

The Efficacy Of Conservation Practices In Reducing Floods And Improving Water Quality, Shivendra Srivastava, Andrea D. Basche, Elbert Traylor, Tirthankar Roy

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Conservation practices such as crop rotation, filter strips, and constructed wetlands are nature-based approaches intended to safeguard natural resources in agricultural landscapes. In this study, we reviewed the literature on how conservation practices, both at watershed and field scales, have been proven to subdue flood peaks, surface runoff, soil erosion, sediment transport, and nutrient loss. We classified different conservation practices based on the mode of their application (i.e., in-field, edge-of-field, and structural practices) and described what prior research efforts have concluded about the efficacy of different practices. At the field scale, practices such as reduced or no-till farming, grassed waterways, …

Climate Change Message Framing, Death Anxiety, And Conspiracy Beliefs Impact On Individual Emotions, Cognitions, And Future Behavioral Intentions, Shanna E. Castellucci

Senior Honors Projects, 2020-current

Prospect theory highlighted that individuals are more sensitive to loss frames than gain frames. However, previous literature involving message framing, emotion, and behaviors found that gain frames have more of an impact on whether an individual will engage in desired behaviors. The purpose of this experiment was to analyze the relationships between message framing, death anxiety, conspiracy beliefs, and future behavioral intentions. Participants were randomly assigned to the framing condition: either in the loss frame group or in the gain frame group. There were three hypotheses tested in this study. The first predicted that individuals receiving the loss frame would …

Understanding Context Dependent Responses To Climate Change In Arizona Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma Mavortium Nebulosum), Kentrell Richardson

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Future emissions scenarios project climate change to increase average global temperatures by at least two ℃ in the next 50 years resulting in changes in local climate and causing increased variability within microclimates. Ectotherms are especially sensitive to climate change due to their dependence on environmental temperatures to regulate physiological functions. Changes in temperature are likely to impact thermally cued processes within amphibians and result in changes in variable magnitudes and directions within local populations.

Salamanders were placed in cups and partially submerged in a water bath and heated at a rate of ~0.27℃/ minute. Once salamanders were unable to …

Pasturelands As Natural Climate Solutions: A Socioecological Study Of Tree Carbon And Beef Production Trade-Offs, Bela Starinchak

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Forest restoration is the most effective natural climate solution, with the potential to sequester 37% of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) needed to reach the Paris climate mitigation goal. Cattle pastures offer an underutilized opportunity to increase global forest restoration efforts, improve biodiversity, and maximize carbon storage through the adoption of management strategies that prioritize the incorporation of trees into pasturelands. However, remote estimations of tree carbon storage in pastoral systems have never been field-verified and their accuracy is unclear. Furthermore, the effect of increased trees on cattle production is understudied across biomes. Lastly, the restoration potential of these …

Salmon Says: An Examination Of Salmon Farms And Sustainability, Ashley Morales

Student Theses 2015-Present

Through increased commercialization and consumption, our style of living has become destructive to the planet. Every part of our lives will have to adapt to these new issues that will arise in our future, a future shaped by climate change, including our food systems. This paper explores salmon farms and discusses them from a historical, economic, and ethical point of view. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the salmon industry, some introductory information, and statistics regarding salmon farming. Chapter 2 dives into the historical significance of salmon and the development of farms. Chapter 3 discusses the economics of the salmon …

Rapidly Changing Range Limits In A Warming World: Critical Data Limitations And Knowledge Gaps For Advancing Understanding Of Mangrove Range Dynamics In The Southeastern Usa, Rémi Bardou, Michael J. Osland, Steven Scyphers, Christine Shepard, Karen E. Aerni, Jahson B. Alemu I, Robert Crimian, Richard H. Day, Nicholas M. Enwright, Christopher A. Gabler

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Climate change is altering species’ range limits and transforming ecosystems. For example, warming temperatures are leading to the range expansion of tropical, cold-sensitive species at the expense of their cold-tolerant counterparts. In some temperate and subtropical coastal wetlands, warming winters are enabling mangrove forest encroachment into salt marsh, which is a major regime shift that has significant ecological and societal ramifications. Here, we synthesized existing data and expert knowledge to assess the distribution of mangroves near rapidly changing range limits in the southeastern USA. We used expert elicitation to identify data limitations and highlight knowledge gaps for advancing understanding of …

Full Issue

CSU Journal of Sustainability and Climate Change

CSU Journal of Sustainability and Climate Change, 2022, Volume 2.

Diversification Of Refugia Types Needed To Secure The Future Of Coral Reefs Subject To Climate Change, Tim R. Mcclanahan, Emily S. Darling, Maria Beger, Helen E. Fox, Hedley S. Grantham, Stacy D. Jupiter, Cheryl A. Logan, Elizabeth Mcleod, Lisa C. Mcmanus, Remy M. Oddenyo, Gautam S. Surya, Amelia S. Wenger, Jens Zinke, Joseph M. Maina

Marine Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Identifying locations of refugia from the thermal stresses of climate change for coral reefs and better managing them is one of the key recommendations for climate change adaptation. We review and summarize approximately 30 years of applied research focused on identifying climate refugia to prioritize the conservation actions for coral reefs under rapid climate change. We found that currently proposed climate refugia and the locations predicted to avoid future coral losses are highly reliant on excess heat metrics, such as degree heating weeks. However, many existing alternative environmental, ecological, and life-history variables could be used to identify other types of …