Life Sciences Commons^™

Tillage And Cover Crop Systems Alter Soil Particle Size Distribution In Raised-Bed-And-Furrow Row-Crop Agroecosystems, Alayna A. Jacobs, Rachel Stout Evans, John K. Allison, William L. Kingery, Rebecca L. Mcculley, Kristofor R. Brye

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Conservation alternatives that include no-tillage (NT) and cover crops (CCs) reduce soil erosion in row-crop agroecosystems. However, little information is available about how these alternatives affect soil textural properties responsible for soil fertility. This study evaluated the soil particle size distribution and volumetric water content after three years of consistent management in a raised bed system. There were four treatment systems in a dryland maize/soybean rotation on a silt loam soil (Oxyaquic Fraglossudalfs) that included: NT + CCs, conventional tillage (CT) + CCs, CT + winter weeds, and CT + bare soil in winter in northwest Mississippi. The NT + …

Irrigation Of Sand-Based Creeping Bentgrass Putting Greens With Nanobubble-Oxygenated Water, Eric J. Deboer, Michael J. Richardson, John Mccalla

Horticulture Faculty Publications and Presentations

ultural and environmental factors can place creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) under extreme stress during the summer months. This stress, coupled with the growth adaptation of creeping bentgrass, can result in shallow, poorly rooted stands of turf. To enhance root zone oxygen and rooting of creeping bentgrass, golf courses use methods such as core and solid-tine aerification, and sand topdressing. An additional method of delivering oxygen to the soil could be irrigation with nanobubble-oxygenated water. The properties of nanobubbles (NBs) allow for high gas dissolution rates in water. Irrigating with NB-oxygenated water sources may promote increased rooting of creeping …

Identification Of Influential Weather Parameters And Seasonal Drought Prediction In Bangladesh Using Machine Learning Algorithm, Md. Abdullah Al Mamun, Mou Rani Sarkar, Md. Abdur Rouf Sarkar, Sujit Kumar Roy, Sheikh Arafat Islam Nihad, Andrew M. Mckensie, Md. Ismail Hossain, Md. Shahjahan Kabir

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Droughts pose a severe environmental risk in countries that rely heavily on agriculture, resulting in heightened levels of concern regarding food security and livelihood enhancement. Bangladesh is highly susceptible to environmental hazards, with droughts further exacerbating the precarious situation for its 170 million inhabitants. Therefore, we are endeavouring to highlight the identification of the relative importance of climatic attributes and the estimation of the seasonal intensity and frequency of droughts in Bangladesh. With a period of forty years (1981–2020) of weather data, sophisticated machine learning (ML) methods were employed to classify 35 agroclimatic regions into dry or wet conditions using …

Deciphering The Double-Edged Action Of Sting Pathway In Cancer, Neelabh Datta

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

Cancer cells have unstable chromosomes and damaged DNA, which can activate the cellular alarm system cGAS-STING. This mechanism detects DNA in the incorrect location (the cytosol) and produces type I interferons, which can recruit immune cells to combat cancer. However, certain tumours can bypass or use this mechanism for their own benefit. This short article examines how cGAS-STING influences the different cells of the tumour microenvironment (TME), and how it can have both anti-tumour and pro-tumour effects. It also demonstrates how additional STING signals can cause inflammation and contribute to cancer growth. To employ cGAS-STING against cancer, it is critical …

Probable Extirpation Of The Jackrabbit (Lepus Californicus) From Arkansas, D.B. Sasse

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) was first documented in Arkansas during the modern era in Franklin County in 1927. Over the next few decades records were reported from multiple counties in northwest Arkansas and the species was locally common in Benton, Crawford, and Washington counties in the 1950s. The last Arkansas record documented in the scientific literature was from 1968 and since then there have only been three credible reports, with the last being from the late 1980s. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission solicited reports of jackrabbits from the public and failed to find evidence of them from a …

Ultrastructure Of The Biflagellated Spermatozoon In The Western Siren, Siren Nettingi (Caudata: Sirenidae), Using Scanning Electron Microscopy, S.E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I investigated the ultrastructure of the biflagellated spermatozoon of the Western Siren, Siren nettingi, using scanning electron microscopy from salamanders collected in northeastern Arkansas. My primary goal in this study was to reveal the general morphology of the distinctive sperm cell components (two axonemes, two undulating membranes, and two axial fibers), which run nearly the entire length of the spermatozoon. These remarkable gamete structures are found in members of the salamander family Sirenidae and do not conform to spermatozoal ultrastructure of any other salamander species. Moreover, the biflagellated sperm are the end product of an extraordinary assemblage of complex maturation …

History And Distribution Of The Wood Stork (Mycteria Americana) In Arkansas, R. Tumlison, L. Serviss

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Wood Storks (Mycteria americana) were thought to be common visitors to Arkansas in the early 1900s, but observations declined mid-century. Surveys of citizen science data and other online sources indicate that numbers of unique observations and total counts of birds have increased since 2000. Storks do not breed here, but have been reported in 34 of 75 counties, and appear mostly in August and September. Birds apparently originate from Mexico. Number of observations have increased since 2016, but many of those observations include only a few birds rather than larger flocks.

An Annotated Checklist Of The Camel Crickets (Insecta: Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae) Of Arkansas, H.W. Robison, C.T. Mcallister

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

A total of 14 native species of camel crickets and one introduced taxon representing three genera (Ceuthophilus, Phrixocnemis, and Diestrammena) of the orthopteran family Rhaphidophoridae, are herein reported from Arkansas. The most diverse genus was Ceuthophilus, with 13 native species, while Phrixocnemis had one native species, and Diestrammena, formerly Tachycines, was represented by one introduced species. This updated checklist is intended to be of use to entomologists, naturalists, professional biologists, and resource managers in evaluating the biodiversity of Arkansas. State distributional maps are provided for each species listed by county, and habitats are discussed in which each species was taken …

Fish Leeches Of Arkansas, D.J. Richardson, W.E. Moser, C.T. Mcallister, S.P. Lawson, H.W. Robison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Recent collection within Arkansas greatly enlarges the knowledge concerning hosts and distributions of fish leeches within the state. The natural history of the 6 species of fish leeches known from Arkansas (Placobdella montifera, Placobdella pediculata, Cystobranchus klemmi, Cystobranchus verrilli, Myzobdella lugubris, and Myzobdella reducta) is reviewed and updated and molecular data are provided.

Pleated Plasma Membrane Complex In Spermatids Of The Western Siren, Siren Nettingi (Caudata: Sirenidae), S.E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I investigated the pleated plasma membrane complex of linear folds and biflagellar entities in developing spermatids of the Western Siren, Siren nettingi. My primary goal was to reveal the ultrastructural morphology of these distinctive cellular folds (usually 8 in number) as they support the flagellar formation of biflagellated sperm found in this salamander and in other members in the family Sirenidae. My results reveal that the biflagellar components (2 sets of axonemes, undulating membranes, and axial fibers), termed biflagellar complex, develop between folds or are attached onto these folds. The folds themselves are transitory and do not directly contribute to …

Mitochondrial Dna Variation In Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) Colonies From Arkansas, U.S., Allen Szalanski

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study characterized the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genetic variation in Arkansas honey bee, Apis mellifera L., by sequencing a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (COI-COII) intergenic region). The samples were primarily of hobbyist-managed origin (n=180), as well as 32 feral colonies and two swarms. Of the 214 honey bee colonies and swarms sampled, 23 haplotypes were observed. The haplotypes were from the: A (African) (1.87%); C (South eastern European) (92.52%); M (Northern and Western European) (3.27%); and O (Near East and Middle East) lineages (2.34%). Six C lineage haplotypes were predominantly detected (n=189, 88.31%), all of which are common …

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 25 2024, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Faculty Editor, Beth Kegley

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Featured Faculty Mentor/Student Team, Austin Jones, Ashley Dowling, Baylie Day

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Efficiency And Accuracy Of Three Texture Analysis Methods For Blackberry Fruit, Rhys M. Brock, Carmen Johns, Katelyn Lust-Moore, Margaret Worthington

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

A major objective of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA) Fruit Breeding program is to improve the texture of blackberry (Rubus subgenus Rubus Watson). Blackberry varieties with improved fruit firmness transport and store well and may maintain superior quality under challenging postharvest conditions than softer varieties. Increased firmness may also make cultivars less susceptible to red drupelet reversion (RDR), a postharvest disorder of blackberries in which fully black drupelets revert to red after harvest. This research project aims to assess the efficiency and accuracy of three methods applied in evaluating blackberry firmness. The study compares instrumental analysis …

Thematic Mapping Of Apidae Holdings Within The University Of Arkansas Arthropod Museum, Baylie L. Day, Ashley P.G. Dowling, Austin Jones

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Museum biological collections store species data that can be utilized in research on biodiversity, environmental change, invasive species, public health, and disease. The University of Arkansas Arthropod Museum, which began in 1905, houses over 750,000 specimens and has not yet been digitized. Making data publicly accessible via the internet makes the data available to the entire scientific community. The goal of this project was to create a digital resource to allow greater access to the University of Arkansas Arthropod Museum holdings. To do so, data from Bombus (bumble bee) and Xylocopa (carpenter bee) specimens were entered into a database in …

Understanding The Impact Of Food Insecurity Among First-Generation College Students On The University Of Arkansas Campus, Madison Price, Jennie S. Popp Ph.D., Nathan Paul Kemper, Louise Michelle Hancox

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The purpose of this study was to: 1) better understand food insecurity among first-generation college students and how it might differ from that of other college students, and 2) gather opinions from students that may serve as solutions to alleviate food insecurity. This study was conducted with a mixed-methods survey that included both open-ended and closed-ended questions. This survey had 670 responses. Nearly 10% of respondents stated that they were experiencing food insecurity. Almost 18% stated they were first-generation college students. A greater percentage of African American (P = 0.0022) and Hispanic Latino (P < 0.0001) students were first-generation compared to all other students, while a lower percentage (P < 0.0001) of Caucasian students were first-generation compared to other students. The results suggested that first-generation students were more likely to experience nine food insecurity impacts than non first-generation students. Further, both first-generation and non first-generation students indicated low levels of knowledge and/or use of existing resources on the University of Arkansas campus that can help address food insecurity needs. Finally, both first-generation and non first-generation respondents overwhelmingly favored food insecurity solutions centered around expanding access to campus food programs through lower costs and increased awareness of existing campus resources via improved advertising.

Factors Affecting Graduation With Honors: A Case Study In Bumpers College, Timothy Dalton Roberts, Jennie Popp, Michael Popp, Nathan Kemper

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

This study aimed to understand the factors influencing the graduation rate with honors in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences (Bumpers College) at the University of Arkansas Fayetteville (UAF). Utilizing a data set of 220 Bumpers College Honors graduates from 2004 to 2014, provided by the Office of Strategic Analytics & Insights at UAF, this research investigated several demographic and academic variables to potentially identify predictors of successfully graduating with honors. The methodology involved cleaning the data, statistical analyses including t-test and Chi-square tests, and logit regression models to determine significant factors impacting graduating with honors. …

Stream Restoration Effectiveness In Mullins Creek In Fayetteville, Arkansas, Amadeo Scott, Shannon Speir

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Lotic waterways are vital for habitat, food, water, and flood protection, but urbanization poses a major threat to their integrity. Runoff from urban surfaces leads to pollution, flashiness, loss of biodiversity, and other symptoms, also known as Urban Stream Syndrome (USS). Streams can be restored in order to combat USS, but most restorations are not monitored, so their long-term effectiveness is unknown. This study quantitatively evaluated a decade-old stream restoration in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to assess its effectiveness in combating USS and achieving set restoration goals, and to gain insights for future restoration projects. Restoration goals included decreasing erosion and sedimentation, …

Weedy Rice Resistance To Imidazolinone Herbicides And Control With Glyphosate, Juan C. Velasquez, Veronica Hoyos, Nilda Roma-Burgos, Guido Plaza

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background

Weedy rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a serious competitor of rice, causing severe yield losses. It contaminates and reduces the quality of harvested grain.

Objective

(1) evaluate the response of Colombian weedy rice accessions to glyphosate and the mixture of imazamox + imazapyr (F-IMIs) at commercial rates; (2) determine the resistance level of one morphotype of weedy rice putatively resistant to the F-IMIs from the objective (1).

Methods

Ten weedy rice accessions were evaluated for response to F-IMIs (imazamox + imazapyr 49.5 and 22.5 g a.i. ha-1, respectively) and glyphosate (960 g a.e. ha-1). One putative ALS-resistant and …

Non-Target Site Mechanisms Of Cross-Resistance Evolution To Florpyrauxifen-Benzyl In 2,4-D-Resistant Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus Palmeri), Jeong-In Hwang, Jason K. Norsworthy, L. Tom Barber, Thomas R. Butts

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The evolution of herbicide resistance in weeds can reduce the herbicide’s efficacy, depleting crop yield and quality. Our group previously confirmed 2,4-D resistance in three Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) populations (R1 to R3). In the current study, the first filial (F₁) seeds of 2,4-D–resistant populations were subjected to screening tests for resistance to other auxin-mimicking herbicides, florpyrauxifen-benzyl (FPB; 30 g ai ha⁻¹) and dicamba (560 g ae ha⁻¹). Dicamba killed all resistant populations. FPB provided 100% control of only the R3 population. Sensitivities to FPB were reduced by 2 and 35 percentage …

A Discrepancy In Discrepancy Scores? Comparing The Borich And Ranked Discrepancy Models For Determining Professional Development Needs, Donald M. Johnson, Will Doss, Chris Estepp, Henry O. Akwah, George W. Wardlow

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Borich (1980) model has been widely used to determine professional development (PD) needs of school-based agricultural education (SBAE) teachers over the past 40-plus years. However, recent criticism, primarily focused on a purported statistical issue, has led to development of the Ranked Discrepancy Model [RDM (Narine & Harder, 2021)] as a potential alternative. This article provides perspective on the statistical issue in question and compares the results of using the Borich model and the RDM to assess precision agriculture (PA) PD needs of Arkansas SBAE teachers (N = 44). Our quantitative results indicated the two models produced different PD …

Rapid Expansion Of The Limpkin Aramus Guarauna Across Anglo-America, A. Alam, R. Kaddoura, J. Jackson, R. Kannan

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We quantitatively document and describe the recent rapid expansion of the Limpkin Aramus guarauna across Anglo-America (United States and Canada). Using data downloaded from eBird (www.eBird.org), we present graphs showing the explosive growth in reports of number of individual birds and frequencies in checklists for this species in several parts of Anglo- America outside Florida (its traditional Anglo- American range). We also provide geographic progression maps to illustrate the expansion through time (2013-2023) and furnish qualitative information on foods consumed by the bird in new areas, based on a survey of 274 images uploaded by citizen scientists in eBird. Possible …

Geographical Variation In Songs Of Bachman’S Sparrow (Peucaea Aestivalis), L. Nguyen, K. Doñas, J. Jackson, R. Kannan

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We present an analysis of geographic variation in primary song components of the Near Threatened North American endemic, Bachman’s Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis). These songs have 2 distinct portions: an introductory tweet we call the "whistle" and a more complex second portion that we call the "trill". We analyzed 327 songs from 111 recordings downloaded from eBird.org from the entire current range of the species. We grouped the recordings into 3 distinct geographic clusters, East, Central, and West. The data measured from spectrograms suggest a significant statistical difference among groups for 3 measured characteristics: frequency range of trill, number of horizontal …

A Review Of Herpetofaunal Distributions In Arkansas With Special Emphasis On Contributions From Citizen Science: Part I – Snakes, R. Jacobs, N. Ortiz, J. Jackson, J.D. Willson, K.G. Roberts, R. Kannan

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

We present a comprehensive updated review of the distributions of the 38 species of snakes in Arkansas. We compare historical and current distributions with citizen science data uploaded and verified in iNaturalist, a leading biodiversity monitoring online citizen science database. The Arkansas Herpetological Atlas, a website maintaining species occurrence records, is also used and compared. We highlight the role played by iNaturalist in enhancing our knowledge of snake distributions in Arkansas. 10,885 verified and vetted Research Grade (RG) observations of Arkansas snakes have been recorded in iNaturalist, expanding the known distributions of 36 of the 38 species. This is the …

Energy Content Of Acorns Of Shinnery Oak (Quercus Havardii) In The Diet Of Scaled Quail (Callipepla Squamata) In Southeastern New Mexico, J.L. Hunt, M.E. Grilliot, T.L. Best, D. Lozano-Lopez, E.R. Neilson, I.C. Castillo

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Shinnery oak (Quercus havardii) is a deciduous, low-growing shrubby tree that is a dominant plant in large areas of grassland in western Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle, and eastern New Mexico. Acorns of the plant are important food items for many wildlife species, including scaled quail (Callipepla squamata), mourning doves (Zenaida macroura), and endangered lesser prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus). We analyzed the energy content of acorns of shinnery oak obtained from the crops of scaled quail collected from plains-mesa sand-scrub in Lea and Eddy counties, New Mexico. Acorns were removed from crops and dried for 48 hours at 60°C to remove moisture …

Vitamin C And/Or Garlic Can Antagonize The Toxic Effects Of Cadmium On Growth Performance, Hematological, And Immunological Parameters Of Growing Japanese Quail, Waleed M. Dosocky, Soha A. Farag, Areej A/ Almuraee, Islam M. Youssef, Ohaad F.A. Awlya, Wafaa F. Abusudah, Alaah Qadhi, Ahmad F. Arbaeen, Mahmoud Moustafa, Hesham Hassan, Guillermo Tellez-Isaias

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study used 300 1-day-old, sexless, developing chicks of Japanese quail to estimate the ability of vitamin C and/or garlic to antagonize the venomous influence of cadmium (Cd) on the hematological, immunological, and performance characteristics of developing Japanese quail. The quail was separated into 5 similar groups of 60 chicks apiece, and 6 duplicates (10 each) were given to each sub-group. The control group received a basal diet without any supplements. The Cd group was nourished with a basal diet of + 80 mg cadmium chloride (CdCl₂)/kg diet. The 3rd group was fed a basal diet …

A Survey Of Strongyle Nematodes In New England Dairy Goats, D.J. Richardson, E.M. Wray, D. Watters, U. Hanif, E. Jalbert, E. Thompson, G. Trajkovic, A.R. Sirois, N. Pilotte

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The paucity of information concerning the occurrence of strongyle nematodes in New England dairy goats prompted a survey of 241 dairy goats from throughout New England. Of the 241 goats examined using the McMaster technique, 104 (42.7%) were infected with strongyles with a mean intensity (+ SE) of 369.7 + 45.8 eggs per gram. Subsequent molecular examination of 50 random samples from these goats revealed a prevalence of 88% infection specifically with Haemonchus contortus. Haemonchus contortus is the most important internal parasite of sheep and goats, exerting a crushing economic burden on the livestock industry worldwide due to lowered milk …

Bat Versus Ant: The First Report Of Evening Bat/Ant Interaction In Arkansas, J.D. Wilhide, D.B. Sasse, R.P. Kelso

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

This paper documents the first reported occurrence of bat/ant agonistic interaction in Arkansas and the second report involving Evening Bats (Nycticeius humeralis). An adult male Evening Bat was captured during a presence / absence mist net survey along Highway 412 in Black Rock, Lawrence County, Arkansas on 4 June 2023. The bat weighed 12.0 g and had a forearm length of 36.94 mm which is in the midrange for evening bats in Arkansas (Sealander and Heidt 1990). The evening bat had two ant head capsules attached to its right cheek and at the tip of the lower lip (Fig. 1).

Distal Urogenital Anatomy And Epithelial Morphology In The Male Cajun Chorus Frog, Pseudacris Fouquettei (Anura: Hylidae), S.E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I examined the microanatomy of the distal urogenital system in male Cajun Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris fouquettei) from a small sample (n = 6) collected in central Arkansas in March 2018 and February 2023. Specifically, my primary objectives were to investigate the following: (1) the paired Wolffian (urogenital) ducts caudally from the kidneys to their merging with the urodeum of the cloaca, (2) the structure of seminal vesicles (if present), and (3) the epithelial morphologies among the distal urogenital tract, the posterior alimentary canal, and cloaca. My histological analysis confirmed the presence of ampullae (sperm storage structures) as mid-duct expansions of …