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Utah State University

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Climate

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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Phenology Of The Invasive Balsam Woolly Adelgid, Adelges Piceae (Ratz.) (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), On Subalpine Fir In Northern Utah, Elizabeth L. Rideout Dec 2023

Phenology Of The Invasive Balsam Woolly Adelgid, Adelges Piceae (Ratz.) (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), On Subalpine Fir In Northern Utah, Elizabeth L. Rideout

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Balsam woolly adelgid (BWA) is an invasive true fir pest in North America. Native to Europe, BWA was first discovered in Utah attacking subalpine fir in 2017. Recent BWA-caused subalpine fir mortality in northern Utah has prompted the need for baseline biological research to support pest management. Small-bodied and blending easily with its environment, BWA is a challenging pest to detect and study. Phenology, or the timing and characteristics of life stages through the year, of BWA varies depending on elevation and climate and is unstudied in Utah. This research focuses on defining aspects of BWA’s phenology, including the number …


Developing Empirical Predictive Models To Support Conservation Planning For Threatened Frogs, Toads, And Turtles In South-Coastal California, Umarfarooq Adavudi Abdulwahab Dec 2023

Developing Empirical Predictive Models To Support Conservation Planning For Threatened Frogs, Toads, And Turtles In South-Coastal California, Umarfarooq Adavudi Abdulwahab

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Amphibians and reptiles (i.e., herptiles) are among the most threatened groups of species on Earth. The major threats to these species include the direct, indirect, and synergistic effects of habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, disease, overexploitation, and pollution. To protect and restore species, natural resource managers need effective, data-driven conservation plans that are grounded in sound knowledge of species distributions and habitat requirements. Species distribution models (SDMs) are popular tools used to assess species-habitat relationships. However, SDMs are sensitive to the choice and quality of input data, both of which can affect model accuracy and precision and lead to …