Life Sciences Commons^™

Physical Factors Influencing Survival To Emergence And Time Of Emergence Of Shoreslope-Spawned Kokanee Salmon In Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Utah-Wyoming, Randall J. Jeric

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I used incubation baskets containing viable eggs and spawning substrate to estimate the survival to emergence and time of emergence of kokanee salmon Oncorhynchus nerka at depths to 20 m in Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Utah-Wyoming. Traps on the incubation baskets captured fry emerging from a known quantity of eggs. Water drawn into a syringe from an intragravel pipe buried near each incubation basket was used to determine intragravel dissolved oxygen concentrations throughout the intragravel period. Water from control baskets without eggs did not have significantly greater dissolved oxygen concentrations than adjacent water. A jar associated with each incubation basket collected …

An Ecological History Of Tintic Valley, Juab County, Utah, Jeffrey A. Creque

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This work was a case study of historical ecological change in Tintic Valley, Juab County, Utah, an area historically impacted by mining and ranching activities common to much of the American West. The temporal framework for the study was approximately 120 years, the period of direct Euroamerican influence. In recognition of the ecological implications of cultural change, however, the impacts of prehistoric and protohistoric human activity on study area landscape patterns and processes were also explicitly addressed.

The study included a narrative description of historic land uses and ecological change in Tintic Valley, and examined the changes in landscape patterns …

A Survey Of Employees Of The United States Department Of Agriculture's Animal Damage Control Program, Susan A. Schroeder

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study examined the attitudes of employees of the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal Damage Control (ADC) Program. This research examined ADC employees' attitudes about wildlife, the ADC program and ADC employment, wildlife damage management methods, euthanasia and the killing process, and the role of various public and private groups on ADC policy. This study also applied the theory of organizational capture to the ADC program to test its utility in explaining the attitudes and behaviors of employees. Results were based on a survey of ADC employees conducted in January 1995.

Survey responses were analyzed to explore associations between …

The Influence Of Forest Fragmentation And Landscape Pattern On American Martens And Their Prey, Christina D. Hargis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Habitat fragmentation occurs when large tracts of an orginal habitat are replaced by smaller patches of two or more habitat types, largely through human activities. I studied the behavior of six measures of landscape pattern that seemed appropriate for quantifying fragmentation, and used these measures to investigate the effects of forest fragmentation on American martens (Martes americana) and their prey. The measures I selected were edge density, contagion, mean nearest neighbor distance between patches, mean proximity index, perimeter-area fractal dimension, and mass fractal dimension. To test the behavior of these measures with a variety of landscape patterns, I …

Superoptimal Co2 Reduces Seed Yield In Wheat, Timothy P. Grotenhuis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Although projected terrestrial CO₂ levels will not reach 1000 μmol moI^-1 (0.1%) for many decades, CO₂ levels in growth chambers and greenhouses routinely exceed that concentration. CO₂ levels in life support systems in space can exceed 10,000 μmol moI^-1 (1%) CO₂. Numerous studies have examined CO₂ effects up to 1000 μmol mol^-1, but theoretical and some experimental evidence indicates that the beneficial effects of CO₂ continue past 1000 μmol mol^-1 and are near-optimal for wheat at about 1200 μmol mol^-1.

We studied the effects of near-optimal …

An Integration Of Tillage And Herbicides To Control Jointed Goatgrass (Aegilops Cylindrica Host.) In Winter Wheat, Troy M. Price

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An integrated management approach for jointed goatgrass control was investigated at two farms in northern Utah using three tillage regimes and tree herbicides. The tillage regimes included no tillage, conservation tillage, and conventional tillage. Each regime was composed of different tillage practices common in the Intermountain West. A preemergence herbicide, clomazone, and two postergance herbicides, 2, 4-D and glyphosate, were investigated. Greenhouse studies were also conducted to investigate clomazone efficacy and depth of planting of winter wheat and jointed goatgrass.

Differential sensitivity to clomazone between jointed goatgrass and winter wheat did not occur in the greenhouse for the rates tested. …

Phylogenetic Studies Of The United States Bluetongue Viruses And Characterization Of The Viral Vp4 Protein, I-Jen Huang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is transmitted by arthropod vectors and causes bluetongue disease with serious economic loss in many regions of the world. The replication mechanism of bluetongue virus is still not clear. To have a better understanding regarding the viral replication, the function of each individual protein has to be identified. This study used molecular biology techniques to investigate the function of the inner core protein VP4.

The M1 genes of United States bluetongue virus serotypes-2, -10, -11, -13, and -17 were cloned and sequenced. The length of each of the five M1 genes is 1981 nucleotides. The coding region …

Development Of An Ovine Genome Map With Emphasis On In Situ Hybridization, Melanie R. Heaton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Livestock genome maps are used to identify economic trait loci and loci proximal to genes affecting economically important traits. This research contributes to the development of the ovine genome map by establishing techniques to physically map large DNA inserts to ovine chromosomes using fluorescent in situ hybridization. Fluorescent in situ hybridization techniques were established using yeast artificial chromosomes as DNA probes. Probes were as large as 1,000,000 kilobases and hybridized to fixed ovine metaphase chromosomes from a callipyge ewe. Three yeast artificial chromosome probes contained a genetic marker for the ovine callipyge gene. Probes were assigned to ovine chromosome pair …

Alteration In Basic Macrophage And Lymphocyte Cytokines From Benzene And Phenol In The Drinking Water Of Male Institute Of Cancer Research Mice, Jay C. Albretsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Groundwater contamination is a concern due to the large number of people that can become exposed to the contaminant. The chemicals benzene and phenol are known groundwater contaminants. The main health problem caused by benzene or phenol is bone marrow toxicity. Benzene and phenol are also immunotoxins reported to cause decreased thymic weights, altered lymphocyte mitogenic responses, and lower antibody production.

Cytokines are key signaling molecules produced by the cells of the immune system to activate other cells in the immune system, produce antibodies, and recruit other cells to sites of inflammation. The purpose of this study was to determine …

Evaluation Of Low-Quality Forages In A Winter Dietary Regimen Of Western White-Face Ewes Used For Milk Production, Raúl Meneses

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The evaluation of ammoniation of mature grass (1/3 Festuca sp, 1/3 Bromus and 1/3 Dactylis sp) as a basal diet for pregnant ewes and its effects on ruminal fermentation were studied. Ammoniation increased the forage dry matter intake (DMI), crude protein (CP), and gross energy digestibility. Ruminal pH and total volatile fatty acid were not affected by ammoniation (P > .05). Individual VFA concentrations were affected significantly.

In a third experiment, ammoniated wheat straw was evaluated as a basal diet for wintering pregnant ewes. Ammoniated straw replaced grass hay in the diet. Dry matter intake was not different (P > .05). Final …

Quantification Of Landscape Structure Within The Land Condition-Trend Analysis Monitoring Program At Camp Williams, Utah, Lorraine Munguia

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Land Condition-Trend Analysis (LCTA) program was developed by the U.S. Army to assist in the sustainable management of natural resources on U.S. Army lands. The LCTA program applies a standardized procedure in order to select long-term monitoring sites. The LCTA monitoring program was applied to Camp Williams, a National Army Guard training site located in central Utah. Due to the criteria set by the LCTA monitoring program, 61 percent of Camp Williams was explicitly excluded from the LCTA monitoring protocol because it appeared to be more heterogeneous, which would make it difficult to locate monitoring sites in the field. …

The Effects Of Osmotic Potential On Ammonification, Immobilization, Nitrous Oxide Production, And Nitrification Rates In Penoyer Soil, Andrew P. Low

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An isotopic dilution method was used to test the effects of osmotic potential, (𝛹_s), upon nitrification, ammonification, N-immobilization, and nitrous oxide production rates in soil at solute concentrations encountered in Penoyer soil. A nitrification potential assay was also performed to approximate maximum nitrification rates.

Nitrification potential rates in soil slurries exponentially declined in response to decreased osmotic potential. However, nitrification was independent of salt concentration at the ambient NH₄⁺ concentrations of the soil. The differential response was attributed to the variable NH_4⁺ substrate quantities. The effects of osmotic potential were secondary to NH_{4 …}

Assessment Of Kokanee Salmon, Oncorhynchus Nerka, Genetic Stocks In Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Utah-Wyoming, Michael F. Canning

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I investigated the relative abundance, spatial distributions, return to the creel, and growth rates of two genetic stocks of kokanee salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka, in Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Utah-Wyoming. The two genetic stocks consist of fish from the two major spawning populations of kokanee in the reservoir. One population, Shore Spawners, spawns along the eastern shoreline of the Open Hills area of the reservoir. The other population, Sheep Creek, spawns in Sheep Creek, a tributary located in the Canyon area of the reservoir.

Mitochondrial DNA of kokanee from each population was analyzed to determine haplotype differences between stocks. These haplotype …

Integration Of Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (Ssm/I) And In Situ Data For Snow Studies From Space, Changyi Sun

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) radiometer is a useful tool for monitoring snow conditions and estimating snow water equivalent and wetness because it is sensitive to the changes in the physical and dielectric properties of snow. Development and improvement of SSM/I snow-related algorithms is hampered generally by the lack of quantitative snow wetness data and the restriction of a fixed uniform footprint. Currently, there is a need for snow classification algorithms for terrain where forests overlie snow cover.

A field experiment was conducted to examine the relationship between snow wetness and meteorological variables. Based on the relationship, snow wetness was …

Effectiveness Of Carbaryl And Pyrethroid Insecticides For Protection Of Engelmann Spruce From Attack By Spruce Beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), Karen J. Johnson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A field experiment tested the effectiveness of carbaryl and two pyrethroid insecticides, cyfluthrin and esfenvalerate, in protecting high-value Engelmann spruce trees from attack by Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby. Carbaryl suspension at the 2% registered rate and a reduced rate of 1 % were both effective in protecting Engelmann spruce from attack by D. rufipennis through two pheromone baiting periods and 24 months following insecticide application. Cyfluthrin at 0.025% rate and esfenvalerate at 0.025 and 0.05% rates provided effective protection through one pheromone baiting and 12 months following insecticide application. Only cyfluthrin at 0.008% rate was judged ineffective protection 12 months following …

Competitive Interactions Between A Native And Exotic Trout Species In High Mountain Streams, Heather M. Thomas

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Populations of the introduced book trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, have recently become more widespread and abundant in western North American streams, possible at the expense of native Colorado River cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarki pleuriticus. We examined the intensity and potential mechanism of competition between these species.

Feeding experiments in laboratory stream channels showed that cutthroat trout feeding efficiency decreases in the presence of a brook trout. Decreased feeding efficiency appeared to be due to interference, as cutthroat trout were inactive in the presence of the brook trout. Evidence for interference competition in the feeding experiments was also given by the …

Survival Of Microorganisms On Meat Surfaces Treated With Ultra-High Temperatures, Bret Max Mattinson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Sterile ceramic plates and the surface of beef steaks were inoculated with the pathogenic microorganisms Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. Samples were also inoculated with nonpathogenic microorganisms Clostridium sporogenes ATCC 7955, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus stearothermophilus. Concentrations of organisms in the pure culture used to inoculate the samples were selected within the range of 10⁶ to 10⁸ colony forming units/ml (CFU/ml). Samples were treated with ultra-high temperature (UHT), and· the surviving organisms were recovered and counted. Meat samples were exposed to 1100°C for 22 seconds.

Beef steaks inoculated with pathogenic microorganisms had …

Manufacture, Shelf Stability, And Acceptability Of Aseptically Packaged, Unripened Soft Cheese Produced By Post-Ultra-High Temperature Acidulant Injection Of Ultrafiltered Milk Concentrate, Elena S. Moiseeva

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study investigated the manufacturing procedures and texture attributes of direct acid set of an unripened, shelf-stable cheese variety produced by the combined technologies of ultrafiltration and ultra-high temperature processing. Product evaluation included physical and chemical properties such as gel strength, syneresis, pH, moisture, protein, and fat. Whole milk was concentrated by ultrafiltration to 30, 35, and 40% total solids. Milk retentate was ultra-high temperature-processed by preheating to 65 or 77°C, sterilized at 141°C for 4 s by direct steam injection, flash cooled to approximately 62 or 72°C, homogenized in two stages at either 13.8/2.1 or 27.6/4.1 MPa, cooled to …

Microbiological And Sensory Effects Of Milk Processed For Extended Shelf Life And The Development Of Rapid Methods To Quantitate Spores And Lipase Activity, Michael R. Blake

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The initial aim of this work was to evaluate processing conditions for extended shelf life (ESL) milk to have a shelf life at refrigeration temperature of 60 d. Milk was processed on a pilot-scale ultra-high-temperature processing plant and evaluated for microbial and sensory quality over 60 d at 7°C storage. Results of this study showed that lower process temperatures were preferable to minimize cooked flavors and that the minimum safe processing temperature was 134°C for 4 s as determined by the destruction of bacterial spores in the processed milk.

Consumer preference panel results indicated that consumers preferred milk processed at …

Second Growth Forest As Potential Marten Habitat In Western Newfoundland: An Examination Of Forest Habitat Structure And Microtine Abundance, Brian R. Sturtevant

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The American marten (Martes americana) is associated with large tracts of relatively undisturbed, mature coniferous forests. I examined coarse woody debris (CWD) structure and small mammal abundance with respect to forest age and stem structure within second-growth forests, in comparison with old-growth stands in western Newfoundland. Results suggest that a critical change in marten habitat quality may occur at stand senescence, due to decreased tree competition, more complex subcanopy structure, and increased meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) abundance.

Analysis of stem structure within a chronosequence of 19 second-growth stands indicated high intertree competition, with dense canopy closure …

Habitat Selection And Movement Of A Stream-Resident Salmonid In A Regulated River And Tests Of Four Bioenergetic Optimization Models, Mark D. Bowen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A bioenergetics model was constructed for stream-resident drift-feeding salmonids. Model predictions of surplus power (energy available per unit time for growth and reproduction) were not statistically distinguishable from observations of surplus power in three laboratory studies. Of 40 experimental trials in these three studies, the model correctly predicted surplus power in 39 cases (p < 0.05).

I collected observations of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) focal velocity and physical habitat availability in the Green River of northeastern Utah, USA (1988-1990). In the winter of 1988, Flaming Gorge Dam generated hydropower and delivered an lJDStable discharge regime with a higher mean discharge …

Mule Deer Highway Mortality In Northeastern Utah: An Analysis Of Population-Level Impacts And A New Mitigative System, Mark E. Lehnert

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Rerouting highways to accommodate construction of the Jordanelle Reservoir in northeastern Utah caused a dramatic increase in vehicle collisions with mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). I evaluated the effectiveness of a new system of highway crosswalk structures installed to reduce deer losses and preserve seasonal migrations. In addition, I constructed computer simulation models to investigate how highway mortality has impacted the Jordanelle deer population.

The crosswalk system restricted deer crossings to specific, well-marked areas along highways where motorists could anticipate them. Subsequent to installation, mortality declined 42.3% and 36.8% along a four-lane and two-lane highway, respectively. I was unable …

Livestock As Seed Disseminators For Reseeding Degraded Rangelands: The Role Of Dung In Gap Formation And Plant Establishment, Brian S. Auman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Livestock (cattle and sheep) were examined as seed disseminators for reseeding degraded Intermountain rangelands. "Hycrest" crested wheatgrass [Agropyron desertorum (Fisch. ex Link) Schult. X A. cristatum (L.) Gaert.] seed was fed to yearling Holstein steers and Suffolk ewes. Dung was collected from each animal type and deposited on plots of high and low densities of an annual [cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.)] and perennial [squirreltail (Sitanion hystrix Nutt.)] grass species. The experiment evaluated the ability of the dung to suppress the resident vegetation, and the recruitment and establishment of Hycrest seedlings emerging from the dung.

Sheep dung had …

Growth Responses Of Great Basin Plant Species To Variation In Nitrogen Availability, Carol J. Bilbrough

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

For this dissertation, I examined the ability of field-grown plants to capture N presented in enriched patches or in whole-plant pulses. I assessed root proliferation in N-enriched patches when Agropyron desertorum plants had been previously fertilized or shaded. All plants responded with increased root growth rates in N-enriched patches. However, root proliferation by shaded plants was 50% less than unshaded plants. Unexpectedly, plants with higher N status had greater root growth rates in enriched patches than plants that had not received N supplement. I concluded that plants already under competitive pressure above ground for light and below ground for nutrients …

Ecological Amplitude And Invasion Of Diffuse Knapweed At Yakima Training Center, Washington, Donna Denise Wilcox

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa) is an introduced annual or short-lived perennial from Eurasia that has become a threat to native rangelands in the Pacific Northwest. Military training activities on the Yakima Training Center (YTC) increase the likelihood that knapweed will expand its range at YTC. This study, conducted in a major watershed at YTC, focused on: 1) how a variety of environmental variables influences knapweed distribution, 2) the use of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery to map existing knapweed populations, and 3) the use of a logistic regression model and geographical information systems (GIS) to create a potential …

Fats And Iron In The Rat Colon: Effects On Lipid Peroxidation, Ji Jenny Chin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Preliminary studies were undertaken to investigate whether or not added iron (0, 35, 880 ppm of iron as ferrous fumarate) and fat type (corn oil, beef tallow, or menhaden oil) influenced the oxidation of the rat diet during storage. Iron level affected thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values only in the menhaden oil diets. Storage for 4 d did not affect TBA values of the diets. Neither food intake nor body weight of the rats was affected by the different diets, suggesting all diets were equally acceptable to rats.

The effects of iron supplementation and fat type on in vivo lipid peroxidation …

Acceptability And Proximate Composition Of Meat-Vegetable Sticks Versus All-Meat Sticks Adjusted To Ph 4.6 Or 5.2 With Citric Or Lactic Acids, Ronnald Dean Quinton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A new innovative product, stewsticks, made with beef, pork, spices, and dehydrated vegetables, was developed as a nutritious snack. Lactic or citric acid was added at pH 5.2 or 4.6 to both meatsticks and stewsticks. Meatsticks and stewsticks were prepared by mixing ingredients until a cohesive mass was obtained. This mixture was then extruded into sticks that were cooked to about 50% of original weight. Sticks were then cut to desired length, packaged, and stored. Then meatsticks (beef, pork, and spices) were compared to stewsticks for appearance, texture, flavor, and overall acceptability.

The stewsticks had excellent shelf life due to …

The Effect Of Salinity Level Upon The Yield, Root Growth, And Water Extraction Of Contrasting Rooting Subpopulations Of Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa) Under Conditions Of Zero Leaching, Laura A. Vincent

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A major problem in irrigated agriculture in the Western U.S. is the gradual accumulation of salinity in the plant root zone. These nonuniformly saline soils contain increasing amounts of salinity with depth, and salt accumulation is accelerated in situations where leaching is minimized. Root growth and thus plant yield is limited in these soils due to decreased water uptake. We studied the root growth of two subpopulations of alfalfa differing in their ability to produce fibrous roots to determine if altering root morphology would increase plant yield and water extraction, in an irrigated saline soil.

Soil profiles for a control …

Association Of The Major Histocompatibility Complex With Autism, Wayne W. Daniels

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The pathogenesis of autism has proven difficult to characterize. However, in many recent studies, it is suggested that the onset of this disorder is the result of multiple etiological factors, which include genetic, immunologic, and viral elements.

Possible immunological influences found in subpopulations of patients with autism include decreased lymphocyte responsiveness, reduced natural killer cell activity, abnormal response to rubella vaccine, abnormal immune response to brain tissue, and decreased plasma levels of the fourth component of complement(C4). These aberrations and others imply a possible autoimmune mechanism in some cases for the development of autism.

C4 deficiencies have been found in …

Evaluation Of The Delta Waterfowl Foundation's Adopt-A-Pothole Project, Daniel S. Vice

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The establishment of dense nesting cover (DNC) for breeding waterfowl is a common management practice on large blocks of former agricultural land. The Delta Waterfowl Foundation's Adopt-A-Pothole (AAP) program establishes DNC adjacent to small wetland complexes to increase waterfowl use and productivity. I evaluated waterfowl use and nesting success on AAP lease sites in southwestern Manitoba in 993- 94 and compared the relative amount and success of overwater and upland nesting by mallards using these sites.

Diving duck breeding pair densities were higher on treatment sites in both 1993 and 1994 (P = 0.02 and 0.02, respectively). Dabbling duck …