Life Sciences Commons^™

Strategies Affecting Performance And Profitability Of May-Born Steers, Dempster M. Christenson, Jacki A. Musgrave, Richard N. Funston

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

This study compared the performance and economic outcomes of differing backgrounding and feedlot systems in May-born yearling steers. We hypothesized reduced supplementation with adequate forage availability while backgrounding weaned steers will yield a similar carcass with greater profitability. It was hypothesized yearling steers backgrounded on pasture before finishing in feedlot would have a more valuable carcass that is more profitable than steers that enter the feedlot immediately. Weaned steer calves were backgrounded with ad libitum hay and 4 lb/d supplement in drylot or on pasture with 1 lb/d supplement. As yearlings, half of each backgrounding group immediately …

Impact Of Feeding Distillers Grains Compared To New Fractionated Distillers Grains (Solbran) On Feedlot Cattle Performance And Enteric Methane, Debora G. Sousa, Rebecca L. Mcdermott, Mitchell M. Norman, James C. Macdonald, Rick Stock, Ryan A. Mass, Galen E. Erickson

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Summary with Implications

This study evaluated feeding wet or dry traditional distillers grains with wet and dry fractionated distillers (Solbran) fed at 40% of diet DM compared to a corn control diet on enteric methane emissions and performance. Compared to the control, there was no difference in carbon dioxide production, but there was an increase in methane production in the steers fed fractionated distillers compared to conventional distillers. Feeding steers traditional or fractionated distillers grains increased consumption, increased gain, but improved conversions only for steers fed WDGS, while steers fed the other distillers grains had worse or the same feed …

Assessing Reproductive Health In Zoo-Managed African Elephant Bulls (Loxodonta Africana), Kaitlyn Marie Campbell

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Populations of zoo-managed African elephant (Loxodonta Africana) exhibit substantial individual- and population-level variation in reproductive success, yet research has largely focused on females, leaving male fertility poorly understood. Subfertility in bulls, characterized by low libido and inconsistent semen quality, poses significant challenges to genetic management and long-term population sustainability. This study a) systematically evaluates semen quality, b) identifies physiological, behavioral, social, and environmental determinants of fertility, and c) advances ex situ conservation through the expansion of the African elephant sperm bank. Between January 2023 and July 2025, 209 semen collection events were conducted from 13 sexually mature bulls …

Leaf-Based Varietal Categorization Of Sweetpotato (Ipomoea Batatas L. Lam.), A Potentially Healthful Vegetable, Using Image Processing And K-Means Clustering, Shahidul Islam, Md Towfiqur Rahman, Md Hamidul Rahman, Abdul Momin

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas Lam) leaves contain higher concentrations of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and carotenoids that are remarkable in health promotion. However, the nutrient content in sweetpotato leaves varies from variety to variety, and leaf shape and color are the key identifying factors for the varietal classification of sweetpotatoes. So, detecting sweetpotato leaves is essential for the in-situ identification of sweetpotato varieties and for developing intelligent agricultural systems. This study aimed to create a leaf-shape-based varietal classification technique for sweetpotato using image processing techniques coupled with a K-means clustering algorithm. 38 leaf images (RGB) of two sweetpotato cultivars were collected …

In-Season Nitrogen Mmanagement: Leveraging Data Visualization For Precision Agriculture, Chathurika Harshani Narayana

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Effective nitrogen management is vital for sustainable agriculture, impacting both crop yield and environmental health. Traditional methods often use fixed application rates set before planting, which do not adapt to changing crop needs during the season. This can lead to over- or under-application, reducing efficiency and sustainability. While modern tools like sensors, satellites, and UAVs provide valuable real-time data on crop and field conditions, integrating and using this data to guide timely nitrogen decisions remains a major challenge. In-season nitrogen management offers a solution by allowing for dynamic adjustments to nitrogen applications, addressing crop needs as they arise. This approach …

Integrated Pest Management: State Infrastructure Status After 50 Yr Of Federal Support (1973 To 2023), Daren S. Mueller, Laura C. Iles, Carol L. Pilcher, Adam J. Sisson, Roger Magarey, Ryan Adams, Wanda I. Almodovar, Diane Alston, Patrick Beauzay, Ricardo Bessin, Mandy Bish, Mary Burrows, Alejandro Calixto, Rakesh Chandran, Jed B. Colquhoun, Mary Concklin, Amy J. Dreves, Peter C. Ellsworth, Paul D. Esker, James J. Farrar, Alfred Fournier, Daniel Frank, Kelly Hamby, George Hamilton, Anthony Hanson, Ann Hazelrigg, Natalie Hein-Ferris, David Held, James Jasinski, Heather M. Kelly, David Kerns, Miranda Kersten, Lauren Kerzicnik, Janet Knodel, Glen Koehler, Heidi Kratsch, Christian H. Krupke, Norman C. Leppla, Erin Lizotte, Casey Matney, Rebecca A. Melanson, Frannie Miller, Marion Murray, David Owens, Diane Plewa, Francis P. F. Reay-Jones, Silvia I. Rondon, Tom A. Royer, Philip A. Rozeboom, Hilary A. Sandler, Scott P. Schell, Marissa Schuh, Timothy Seipel, Danesha Seth Carley, Ashfaq Sial, Raghuwinder Singh, Damon L. Smith, Tim Stock, Glenn Studebaker, Adrianna Szczepaniec, Lisa Tewksbury, John Tooker, Adam J. Varenhorst, Amber Vinchesi-Vahl, Doug Walsh, Desiree Wickwar, Robert J, Wright, Simon Zebelo

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Integrated pest management uses a variety of tools coupled with historical, current, and projected information for economical pest protection of crops and other resources while accounting for risk to humans and the environment. Following the 1972 US Federal IPM Policy, funding for integrated pest management programming has continued for 50+ years. However, multifaceted changes during this time have significantly affected state-level integrated pest management infrastructure, prompting a comprehensive survey to assess conditions, limitations, and growth potential of US integrated pest management programs. A survey was sent to 50 US states and 3 territories with integrated pest management programs in November …

Terrarium- An Ecosystem In A Jar, Stacy A. Adams

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

STEM education is supported through hand's-on activities in the classroom. Content understanding and reaffirmation of knowledge is supported through this informative STEM-Quick card that teachers or extension educators can distribute to participants for reference. Terrariums provide an example of a closed ecosystem where water and carbon cycling is demonstrated and plant growth can be observed. This card presents the steps to building and caring for an easy to create terrarium.

Firelog: An Open-Source, Low-Cost System For Temperature Logging During Wildland Fires With High Spatial And Temporal Resolution, Nipuna Chamara, Yufeng Ge, Sabrina E. Russo

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Measuring flame, air, and soil temperatures during wildland fires, including wildfires and controlled burns in land management contexts, is crucial for research and applications in fire ecology, safety, and management in a wide array of ecosystems, from grasslands to forests. However, open-source and commercial systems are needed for measuring and logging flame and air temperatures that are user-friendly, economical, modular, and customizable. This paper details the design, development, and validation of the FireLog system. Laboratory validation experiments demonstrated high measurement accuracy, with a minimum coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.98 and the highest observed root mean square error (RMSE) of …

Microscopic Analysis Of Temperature Effects On Surface Colonization And Biofilm Morphology Of Salmonella Enterica, Zachariah Vice, You Zhou, Sapna Chitlapilly Dass, Rong Wang

Nebraska Center for Biotechnology: Faculty and Staff Publications

Salmonella enterica represents a diverse group of pathogens commonly associated with food contamination including red meat. Even though pre- and post-harvest cleaning and sanitization procedures are widely implemented at meat processing plants to mitigate the hazard, S. enterica cells may escape the process by colonizing, on contact, surfaces in the form of a biofilm that functions as an aggregated microbial community to facilitate mutual protection, antimicrobial resistance, proliferation and dissemination. Biofilm development is a complex process that can be affected by a variety of factors including environmental temperature. We developed methods using scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy with a …

Archaeoparasitology Of The Colorado Plateau, Karl J. Reinhard, Morgana Caacho

Karl Reinhard Publications

Archaeoparasitology has been conducted in the Southwest for 57 years. In the first decade of the period, two pictures of parasitism emerged. Analysis of compressed organic sediments from a latrine at Elden Pueblo presented a spectrum of geohelminths not different from medieval Europe. These findings contrast pronouncedly with an analysis of coprolites from all other studies that show consistent pinworm parasitism at other sites in the Southwest. We summarize the paleoepidemiological bases for these contrasting phenomena.

Helminth Parasites Of Galápagos Mammals: A New Cestode Of The Genus Raillietina From The Endemic Rice Rat Nesoryzomys Swarthi And A Summary Of Parasites From Both Endemic And Invasive Rodents, Scott Lyell Gardner, Emma K. Chesley, Michael C. Friedle, Altangerel Tsogtsaikhan Dursahinhan

Scott L. Gardner Publications

In this first report of endoparasites from endemic land-mammals of the Galápagos Islands, we describe a new species of cestode of the genus Raillietina (Cyclophyllidea: Davaineidae) from a species of Nesoryzomys and summarize the extent of helminth parasitism in both oryzomyine endemics and introduced species of Rattus. Up to the current time, no helminth parasites have been reported from rodents of the Galápagos, and little work has yet been done describing and synthesizing Galápagos parasite diversity. In historical times, several species of autochthonous rodents have occupied the islands including: Nesoryzomys narboroughi Heller 1904, N. fernandinae Hutterer and Hirsch …

Scalable Machine Learning Framework For Adaptive Irrigation Management Of Maize And Soybean In The U.S. Midwest, Precious N. Amori, Derek M. Heeren, Yeyin Shi, Eric Wilkening, Ivo Z. Goncalves, Guillermo R. Balboa, Daran R. Rudnick, Abia Katimbo, Randall S. Ritzema

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Conventional soil water balance (SWB) irrigation scheduling tools, such as FAO-56-based Spreadsheets and the Spatial Evapotranspiration Modeling Interface (SETMI), rely heavily on manual inputs and periodic field measurements, leading to delayed recommendations and missed opportunities to prevent crop stress. More critically, these tools lack the computational scalability and adaptability to leverage the high-frequency, high-volume datasets now available through modern sensing technologies. As precision irrigation increasingly depends on integrating spatially and temporally nuanced field information, there is a pressing need for decision-support systems that can process Big Data efficiently and respond in real-time. To overcome these limitations, we developed and validated …

Food Finding Ability Does Not Predict Annual Survival In Winter Resident Birds, Aidan Hand

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Small non-migratory birds in temperate locations face many challenges to survive the winter. They must be able to find enough food, which is in decreased supply, to fuel the energetic demands of staying warm. Prior work has demonstrated that birds show individual variation in their foraging behaviors that could contribute to the discovery of new foraging patches, such as novel environment exploration. A better ability to discover new food sources could increase a bird’s chance of surviving the winter by increasing its access to new food patches. To test this hypothesis, we used radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled bird feeders to …

Distribution And Ecology Of The Cedar Keys Mole Skink (Plestiodon Egregius Insularis), Kevin M. Enge, Louis A. Somma, Paul E. Moler, Travis M. Thomas, Matthew T. Fedler, John M. Matter, Dennis C. Haney

Papers in Herpetology

We conducted surveys for the Cedar Keys Mole Skink, Plestiodon egregius insularis (Mount), during 1989– 1999 and 2015–2024, examined museum vouchers, and compiled personal observations from others to determine the status and distribution of this subspecies, which has the smallest geographic distribution of the five subspecies and is being considered for federal listing. We observed Cedar Keys Mole Skinks on Airstrip Island, Atsena Otie, Cedar Point, Deer Island, North Key, Scale Key, Seahorse Key, Snake Key, and possibly Dog Island. We have anecdotal reports of Mole Skinks on Way Key, which contains the most potential habitat and is the main …

Descripción De Una Nueva Especie De Tetralicia Harrison (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) De Petén, Guatemala, José Francisco García-Ochaeta, Vicente Emilio Carapia-Ruiz

Insecta Mundi

Resumen

Se describe una nueva especie de Aleyrodidae, Tetralicia dubeyi Carapia-Ruiz y García-Ochaeta nueva especie, fue encontrada en el envés de las hojas de Hamelia patens Jacq. (Rubiaceae) en San José, Jobompiche, Petén, Guatemala. Esta nueva especie es incluida en el grupo abnormis del género Tetralicia Harrison. Se ilustran con fotografías las estructuras morfológicas del pupario, se discute la relación con especies cercanas y se proporciona una clave para la identificación de los grupos y especies del grupo abnormis.

Abstract

A new species of Aleyrodidae, Tetralicia dubeyi Carapia-Ruiz y García-Ochaeta new species, was found on the underside of the …

Descriptions Of Four New Species Of Leptophloeus Casey (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) From The United States, Michael C. Thomas, Kyle E. Schnepp

Insecta Mundi

Four new species of Leptophloeus Casey (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) are described: L. barbarus Thomas and Schnepp is described from Florida; L. glacialis Thomas and Schnepp is described from Alaska; L. peregrinus Thomas and Schnepp is described from Hawaii; and L. shoshone Thomas and Schnepp is described from Wyoming. Diagnoses and figures are provided for the new species.

On The Paratypes And Distribution Of Hemipeplus Quadricollis Pollock, 1999 (Coleoptera: Mycteridae: Hemipeplinae): Does It Occur In Peru?, Sajan Kc

Insecta Mundi

Hemipeplus quadricollis Pollock, 1999 (Coleoptera: Mycteridae: Hemipeplinae), was originally described from Rondonia State, Brazil, as its type locality, with 10 paratypes: eight from Brazil (Rondonia State) and two from Peru (Madre de Dios and Loreto departments). However, one of the paratypes from Peru (Madre de Dios) was later identified as a cryptic species, Hemipeplus pseudoquadricollis KC and Pollock, 2025. This raises questions about the single remaining paratype from Peru—whether the species truly occurs in Peru—and how many of the paratypes of H. quadricollis are actually H. quadricollis. In this study, all seven remaining paratypes of H. …

First Report Of Corn Leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) In The Usa Midwest Suction Trap Network, Doris M. Lagos-Kutz, Isabel Plasencia, Christopher H. Dietrich, Joseph Laforest, Brian Mccornack, Erin Hodgson, Raul T. Villanueva, Nicholas J. Seiter, Anthony M. Mcmechan, Michael S. Crossley, Steven J. Clough

Insecta Mundi

Corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (DeLong and Wolcott) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), is native to Central and South America, but invasive in the United States. This species is a threat to corn, Zea mays L., one of the main crops of economic importance in the US, because it is also a vector of three pathogens responsible for corn stunt diseases complex: corn stunt spiroplasma (CSS), maize bushy stunt phytoplasma (MBSP), and maize rayado fino virus (MRFV). Therefore, monitoring the dispersal of this pest is necessary to document its geographic expansion and anticipate the incidence of corn stunt disease. Based on trap catches obtained …

Distributional Records Of False Click Beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) From Western North Carolina, John M. Leavengood Jr., Robert L. Otto, Mary Kait Brown

Insecta Mundi

Two new state records (North Carolina) and eight total species of false click beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) are reported from a survey site in western North Carolina. Updated distributions are provided for each species.

Group And State-Specific Estimation In Animal Movement Models Using A Bayesian Approach, Anita Bhandari Sharma

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This research study investigates statistical approaches for modeling the movement patterns of white-tailed deer in Louisiana using GPS tracking data. We start by classifying the latent behavioral states using a hidden Markov model (HMM) and then integrate those inferred states into a state-dependent step selection framework to evaluate the land cover preferences. Standard HMMs, however, assume the same movement patterns for all animals, overlooking the differences due to characteristics such as sex, age, breeding season, etc.

To address this limitation, we extend the modeling framework to incorporate the group-level structure defined by similar characteristics or conditions to assess whether such …

Geometric Modeling, Reconstruction And Evaluation Of Maize Leaf Morphology In 3d, Zhaocheng Xiang

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Maize is a vital crop for global food security, yet quantitative characterization of its three-dimensional (3D) morphology remains a major challenge due to the geometric complexity of curved leaf structures and occlusions during data collection. This work presents an integrated framework for the digital reconstruction, parametric modeling, and functional analysis of maize leaf morphology and canopy architecture, advancing the precision and interpretability of phenotyping and modeling in smart agriculture.

First, we propose a descriptive and parametric model that represents maize leaves through three fundamental components: midrib, cross-section, and blade contour. Each is described by geometric curves and controlled by biologically …

All For One And One For Gall: Getting Kids Excited About Plant-Insect Interactions, Natalie D. Tessicini

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Insect biodiversity is on a decline globally. In order to care about insects, the population must know about them. Creating interest starts with young children and students, using age-appropriate resources and lesson plans. Ensuring that future generations are curious about entomology and not driven away from it is integral to building a future where the public protects the environment. I will add to the available tools by creating my own non-fiction children’s book on under-explored entomology topics.

Introduction To Hydroponics- 2025-2026 Workshop Handbook, Stacy A. Adams

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Hydroponically grown plants grow faster than traditional production systems, with greater productivity, greater palatability, and having optimal visual character. Three principal components of a system include the plant support platform, a nutrient solution reservoir, and an interface for the root-solution. This publication provides in-depth explanation to system design, evaluation of water quality, nutrient formulation, and prototype systems that can be easily constructed for those wanting to explore hydroponics, such as educators, organizational leaders, or home enthusiasts.

Greenhouse Management For The Smaller Structure--Educational And Hobby, Stacy A. Adams

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Greenhouses used for teaching or by hobbyist are smaller than those used for commercial production or found in the retail environment. Structural materials, covering, mechanical equipment, and control systems often are packaged as a kit made available through greenhouse suppliers. Supplier construction services may not be available, in which buyers must use local contractors to complete the installation. Greenhouses are unique structures that differ greatly from sheds or other outbuildings. They have coverings that allow maximum light transmittance, protected from UV degradation, and can handle wide inside to outside temperature extremes. This extension circular provides valuable information on the character, …

Addressing Food Security In Cameroon, Stacy A. Adams, Ruth Abunaw Besong

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Cameroon Africa has experience a period of nearly a decade of unrest as militants fight for independence for two Anglophone regions within a predominantly Francophone country. The English-speaking minority have felt aggrieved for continued erosion of rights by the central government. Protests have rapidly spread since 2016, causing closure of schools, businesses, and medical facilities. People have lost homes and been displaced, negatively affecting food production and crop availability. The United States Department of State leads an effort of diplomacy beyond emergency food relief through the Mandela Washington Fellowship that connects American professionals to innovative and impactful young African leaders. …

Chilling- And Dark-Regulated Photoprotection In Miscanthus, An Economically Important C4 Grass, Jared Haupt, Katarzyna Glowacka

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Tolerance of chilling dictates the geographical distribution, establishment, and productivity of C4 crops. Chilling reduces enzyme rate, limiting the sink for the absorbed light energy leading to the need for quick energy dissipation via non-photochemical quenching (NPQ). Here, we characterize NPQ upon chilling in three Miscanthus accessions representing diverse chilling tolerance in C4 grasses. High chilling tolerant accessions accumulate substantial amounts of zeaxanthin during chilling nights in both field and growth chamber settings. Chilling-induced zeaxanthin accumulation in the dark enhances rate of NPQ induction by 66% in the following morning. Based on our data, the emerging ways for the unique …

Models Of Classroom Assessment For Course-Based Research Experiences, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Course-based research pedagogy involves positioning students as contributors to authentic research projects as part of an engaging educational experience that promotes their learning and persistence in science. To develop a model for assessing and grading students engaged in this type of learning experience, the assessment aims and practices of a community of experienced course-based research instructors were collected and analyzed. This approach defines four aims of course-based research assessment – 1) Assessing Laboratory Work and Scientific Thinking; 2) Evaluating Mastery of Concepts, Quantitative Thinking and Skills; 3) Appraising Forms of Scientific Communication; and 4) Metacognition of Learning – along with …

Analysis Of Natural Structures And Chemical Mapping Data Reveals Local Stability Compensation In Rna, Robert L. Cornwell-Arquitt, Riley Nigh, Michael T. Hathaway, Joseph D. Yesselman, David A. Hendrix

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

RNA molecules adopt complex structures that perform essential biological functions across all forms of life, making them promising candidates for therapeutic applications. However, our ability to design new RNA structures remains limited by an incomplete understanding of their folding principles. While global metrics such as the minimum free energy are widely used, they are at odds with naturally occurring structures and incompatible with established design rules. Here, we introduce local stability compensation (LSC), a principle that RNA folding is governed by the local balance between destabilizing loops and their stabilizing adjacent stems, challenging the focus on global energetic optimization. Analysis …

Spatial Ecology Of Large Bodied Ichthyofauna In The Red River Of The North Basin, William Marshall Stuart

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Understanding spatial patterns and processes is essential for designing research studies, implementing management actions, and planning restoration efforts. The Red River of the North basin spans a broad geographic area where jurisdictional oversight is divided among several entities (Manitoba, CAN; North Dakota, USA; Minnesota, USA; South Dakota, USA), creating a mosaic of regulatory and functional process zones. Understanding the spatial ecology of freshwater fishes in this disjointed landscape is essential to address diverse life history requirements and the movement constraints imposed by anthropogenic structures. Long-term acoustic telemetry revealed that large bodied ichthyofauna employ a diverse range of movement strategies (i.e., …

Place Branding: More Than Just A Logo, Marilyn R. Schlake

Cornhusker Economics

Place branding can distinguish one community from another. In a landscape of locations that provide the same amenities, environments, and opportunities, branding can help a community “stand out.” However, what is usually missing is a place brand developed in association with the community’s history, values, social connections, and organization associations that have evolved.