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2016

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Articles 10111 - 10140 of 10289

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Success Stories And Emerging Themes In Conservation Physiology, Christine L. Madliger, Steven J. Cooke, Erica J. Crespi, Jennifer L. Funk, Kevin R. Hultine, Kathleen E. Hunt, Jason R. Rohr, Brent J. Sinclair, Cory D. Suski, Craig K. R. Willis, Oliver P. Love Jan 2016

Success Stories And Emerging Themes In Conservation Physiology, Christine L. Madliger, Steven J. Cooke, Erica J. Crespi, Jennifer L. Funk, Kevin R. Hultine, Kathleen E. Hunt, Jason R. Rohr, Brent J. Sinclair, Cory D. Suski, Craig K. R. Willis, Oliver P. Love

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The potential benefits of physiology for conservation are well established and include greater specificity of management techniques, determination of cause–effect relationships, increased sensitivity of health and disturbance monitoring and greater capacity for predicting future change. While descriptions of the specific avenues in which conservation and physiology can be integrated are readily available and important to the continuing expansion of the discipline of ‘conservation physiology’, to date there has been no assessment of how the field has specifically contributed to conservation success. However, the goal of conservation physiology is to foster conservation solutions and it is therefore important to assess whether …


Regional Variations Of Optimal Sowing Dates Of Maize For The Southwestern U.S., Boksoon Myoung, Seung Hee Kim, Jinwon Kim, Menas Kafatos Jan 2016

Regional Variations Of Optimal Sowing Dates Of Maize For The Southwestern U.S., Boksoon Myoung, Seung Hee Kim, Jinwon Kim, Menas Kafatos

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Sowing date (SD) is sensitive to regional climate characteristics; thus, it is critical to systematically examine the effects of SD on crop yields for various temperature regimes. We performed a sensitivity study of SD for maize in the southwestern U.S. using the regionally extended version of the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) model. The model was run utilizing North American Regional Reanalysis at a 32 km resolution from 1991 to 2011, with an irrigation threshold at 95% of the soil water-holding capacity. Two types of SD optimizations maximizing yield potential (Yp), varying spatially or interannually, revealed that the optimal SD …


Sensitivity Of Maize Yield Potential To Regional Climate In The Southwestern U.S., Seung Hee Kim, Boksoon Myoung, David Stack, Jinwon Kim, Menas Kafatos Jan 2016

Sensitivity Of Maize Yield Potential To Regional Climate In The Southwestern U.S., Seung Hee Kim, Boksoon Myoung, David Stack, Jinwon Kim, Menas Kafatos

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

The sensitivity of maize yields to the regional climate in the Southwestern U.S. (SWUS) has been investigated by using the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator (APSIM) model in conjunction with meteorological forcings [daily maximum and minimum temperature (Tmax and Tmin), precipitation, and radiation] from the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) dataset. Sensitivity experiments showed that potential crop production responded nonlinearly to variations in Tmax, Tmin, and downwelling solar radiation at the surface. Mean annual yield potential (Yp) was changed by -3.0 and 1.79 Mg ha-1 for the +1 and -1 standard deviations (σ) of Tmax variation for entire the SWUS. The …


Animal Mourning: Précis Of How Animals Grieve (King 2013), Barbara J. King Jan 2016

Animal Mourning: Précis Of How Animals Grieve (King 2013), Barbara J. King

Animal Sentience

Abstract: When an animal dies, that individual’s mate, relatives, or friends may express grief. Changes in the survivor’s patterns of social behavior, eating, sleeping, and/or of expression of affect are the key criteria for defining grief. Based on this understanding of grief, it is not only big-brained mammals like elephants, apes, and cetaceans who can be said to mourn, but also a wide variety of other animals, including domestic companions like cats, dogs, and rabbits; horses and farm animals; and some birds. With keen attention placed on seeking where grief is found to occur and where it is absent …


Death In The Family, Maria Botero Jan 2016

Death In The Family, Maria Botero

Animal Sentience

Barbara King presents grief as the result of the capacity of human and non-human animals for social and affectionate bonds. This is a novel approach that provides a context for interpreting behavioral evidence of grief. The book also offers thought-provoking insights into the relationship between emotion and the expression of emotion. The most surprising element of King’s approach is that, throughout the book, her account of non-human animal grief forces us to reassess the way we treat them.


Anticipatory Grief, Tara Fox Hall Jan 2016

Anticipatory Grief, Tara Fox Hall

Animal Sentience

This commentary reviews Barbara King’s How Animals Grieve, delving into the controversial topic of the status of animals in our society, as well as the key difference between human and non-human grief: the ability to anticipate death.



The Object Of Grief, Clark Glymour Jan 2016

The Object Of Grief, Clark Glymour

Animal Sentience

King’s new book is a wonderful collection of diverse anecdotes illustrating the variety of animal practices that are convincing illustrations of grief. Those who want scientific arguments for that conclusion should, however, read elsewhere.


Evidence For Animal Grief?, Carolyn Ristau Jan 2016

Evidence For Animal Grief?, Carolyn Ristau

Animal Sentience

The nature of evidence appropriate to the study of animal emotion (and cognition) is discussed in this review with reference to Barbara King’s book. How Animals Grieve is beautifully written, but it intermixes examples meeting King’s criteria for evidence of grief with other poignant but far less convincing examples. Yet, as noted earlier by Griffin (1958/1974), “Excessive caution can sometimes lead one as far astray as rash enthusiasm.” King cites strong evidence from long-term scientific field studies, often involving known individuals; from videotapes; from convergent evidence in neurophysiological studies; and, notwithstanding possible emotional bias, from animals living closely with humans. …


Understanding Emotional Suffering, Barbara J. King Jan 2016

Understanding Emotional Suffering, Barbara J. King

Animal Sentience

In responding to insightful commentaries from 7 scholars, for which I am grateful, I offer new thoughts on whether animals can conceptualize and express signs of grief. I also discuss why I included both weak and strong examples of animal mourning, and how this work may help us think about enhanced welfare for animals, including freedom from emotional suffering.


Should We Sync? Seascape-Level Genetic And Ecological Factors Determine Seagrass Flowering Patterns, Marlene Jahnke, Jordi F. Pagès, Teresa Alcoverro, Paul S. Lavery, Kathryn M. Mcmahon, Gabriele Procaccini Jan 2016

Should We Sync? Seascape-Level Genetic And Ecological Factors Determine Seagrass Flowering Patterns, Marlene Jahnke, Jordi F. Pagès, Teresa Alcoverro, Paul S. Lavery, Kathryn M. Mcmahon, Gabriele Procaccini

Research Datasets

Spatial and temporal heterogeneity in flowering occur in many plant species with abiotic pollination and may confer fitness advantages through mechanisms such as predator satiation or pollination efficiency. Environmental factors such as light quality or quantity and temperature play an important role in inducing synchronisation on wide geographic scales. On a smaller geographic scale, external factors such as resource availability and herbivory are theorised to trigger flowering, while genetic factors may also play an important role. In this study, we assessed the importance of ecological and genetic factors in shaping seascape-level spatial heterogeneity in flowering of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. …


Utah Air Quality: Pm 2.5, Randy Martin, Roger Coulombe, Roslynn Brain Jan 2016

Utah Air Quality: Pm 2.5, Randy Martin, Roger Coulombe, Roslynn Brain

All Current Publications

Particulate matter two-point-five (PM2.5) is a tiny suspended particle of air pollution that can penetrate deeply into our lungs and potentially enter the bloodstream. The 2.5 unit means that the particles are smaller than 2.5 micrometers (a micrometer is one millionth of a meter). In Cache Valley and along the Wasatch Front, these tiny particles form and accumulate to unhealthy levels when air is trapped in the bottom of the valley during cold winter days.


Benefits Of Exercise On Mind Function, Cindy Nelson, Shannon Cromwell Jan 2016

Benefits Of Exercise On Mind Function, Cindy Nelson, Shannon Cromwell

All Current Publications

Regular physical activity is one of the best ways to improve overall health. This fact sheet discusses exercise and the brain, exercise and cognition, exercise and stress, and effective strategies for boosting physical and mental health.



Use Of Plastic Mulch For Vegetable Production, Tiffany Maughan, Dan Drost Jan 2016

Use Of Plastic Mulch For Vegetable Production, Tiffany Maughan, Dan Drost

All Current Publications

Plastic mulches are used commercially for both vegetables and small fruit crops. Vegetable crops well suited for production with plastic mulch are typically high value row crops. This fact sheet describes the advantages, disadvantages, installation, and planting considerations. It includes sources for plastic and equipment.


Tree/Sidewalk Conflicts: One Way To Save Trees, Megan Dettenmaier, Michael R. Kuhns Jan 2016

Tree/Sidewalk Conflicts: One Way To Save Trees, Megan Dettenmaier, Michael R. Kuhns

All Current Publications

This factsheet describes a project undertaken by USU Forestry Extension and the City of Logan, Utah, to replace damaged sidewalks with flexible sidewalk panels made from 100% recycled plastic. These tiles allowed trees and most tree roots to remain intact. We explain the project methods, as well as the pros and cons of undertaking such a project. These materials and methods have the potential to change sidewalk and urban tree management practices.


Land Use And Land Cover Classification And Change Detection Using Naip Imagery From 2009 To 2014: Table Rock Lake Region, Missouri, Dexuan Sha Sha Jan 2016

Land Use And Land Cover Classification And Change Detection Using Naip Imagery From 2009 To 2014: Table Rock Lake Region, Missouri, Dexuan Sha Sha

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Land use and land cover (LULC) of Table Rock Lake (TRL) region has changed over the last half century after the construction of Table Rock Dam in 1959. This study uses one meter spatial resolution imagery to classify and detect the change of LULC of three typical waterside TRL regions. The main objectives are to provide an efficient and reliable classification workflow for regional level NAIP aerial imagery and identify the dynamic patterns for study areas. Seven class types are extracted by optimal classification results from year 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014 of Table Rock Village, Kimberling City and Indian …


Yeast Dynamin Functions With Escrt-Ii At The Late Endosome And Potential Roles With Novel Binding Partners, Bryan Thien Banh Jan 2016

Yeast Dynamin Functions With Escrt-Ii At The Late Endosome And Potential Roles With Novel Binding Partners, Bryan Thien Banh

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Yeast dynamin, Vps1, is a dynamic protein implicated in multiple trafficking pathways and at several cellular locations including the Golgi, endosome, and vacuole. Previous studies have found that Vps1 genetically and physically interacts with several ESCRT-II (Vps22, Vps36) and ESCRT-III (Vps2, Vps24) components. In light of these findings, little is known about how Vps1 functions with the ESCRT system. In my study, I have mapped the interaction domains between Vps1 and Vps22/Vps36 as well as explored the potential roles of these proteins during the targeting of vacuolar hydrolase, Cps1. My results support the idea of Vps1 working at the endosomal …


Institutional Versus Intermediated Buyers: Barriers And Requirements Of Buying Local Food Products, Jennifer Marie Moldovan Jan 2016

Institutional Versus Intermediated Buyers: Barriers And Requirements Of Buying Local Food Products, Jennifer Marie Moldovan

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Expenditures on locally grown food products are only a small portion of the total food expenditures in the United States. In order to find a way to increase this percentage, this study aims to identify various types of buyers currently participating in the purchase of locally grown food products. Buyers were divided into two groups: institutions and intermediated. A comparison of for both classifications of buyers was done to find the difference in their perceived barriers and requirements for purchasing local food. Determining these differences could help in future policymaking decisions in local food industries. This will also help farmers …


Venom Expelled By Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon Piscivorus) Across Different Prey Sizes, Prey Taxa, And Snake Body Temperatures, Kari Lynn Spivey Jan 2016

Venom Expelled By Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon Piscivorus) Across Different Prey Sizes, Prey Taxa, And Snake Body Temperatures, Kari Lynn Spivey

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Pit vipers possess a sophisticated venom delivery system enabling them to efficiently disable prey. To avoid retaliatory countermeasures, pit vipers typically release envenomated prey which are then trailed and consumed after succumbing to venom effects. Successful retrieval of released prey should vary with venom resistance and trail ability of prey types. The effects of prey size and prey type (mice, lizards, and frogs) on foraging behavior and venom expenditure in a cohort of juvenile cottonmouths was examined. Venom expenditure did not vary significantly among prey sizes or prey types. However, lizard prey were held significantly more often than mice. The …


Effectiveness Of The Qar Reading Strategy On Science Reading, Courtney Anne Broser Jan 2016

Effectiveness Of The Qar Reading Strategy On Science Reading, Courtney Anne Broser

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The Questions-Answer Relationship (QAR) is a reading strategy that guides student comprehension by allowing the student to demonstrate their ability to determine importance, make inferences, and monitor comprehension through questions. The study was conducted on high school students in physical science to determine if the implementation of the QAR would improve content area literacy knowledge and confidence from pre-test and post-test data. Pedagogies included modeling, collaboration, independent work, guided practice, direct instruction, and inquiry laboratories. Through the implementation of the QAR method, the researcher found that students that learned new reading strategies gained confidence and were more engaged in the …


The Effectiveness Of Visits To Dickerson Park Zoo On Guests' Conservation Mindedness And Behavior, Sarah K. Foster Jan 2016

The Effectiveness Of Visits To Dickerson Park Zoo On Guests' Conservation Mindedness And Behavior, Sarah K. Foster

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Today, there are more than 10,000 zoos worldwide that provide the public with opportunities to observe and learn about endangered and threatened species from ecosystems all over the world. Through direct and emotional interactions with wildlife at zoos, more than 600 million guests a year have a chance to evolve from spectators to participants of conservation. A mixed-method survey strategy took place at Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield Missouri about the Species Survival Plan to understand guest’s conservation mindedness and behavior changes after a visit. Initial surveys were given in the zoo and the follow-up surveys were given online a …


Friends In Low Places: Responses Of A Benthic Stream Fish To Intra-Guild Alarm Cues, Kelsey Ann Anderson Jan 2016

Friends In Low Places: Responses Of A Benthic Stream Fish To Intra-Guild Alarm Cues, Kelsey Ann Anderson

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Many aquatic species produce chemical alarm cues that serve as a warning to nearby conspecifics. In mixed-species aggregations, individuals may also benefit by “eavesdropping” on the chemical alarm cues of other species that are in the same prey-guild. Rainbow Darters (Etheostoma caeruleum) are benthic fish that co-occur with native Ozark Minnows (Notropis nubilus), recently-introduced Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), and native Oklahoma Salamanders (Eurycea tyrnerensis), all of whom are vulnerable to the same predators. We tested the responses of darters to the damage-released alarm cues of conspecifics (positive control), minnows, and mosquitofish; alarm cues from Bumblebee Gobies (Brachygobius doriae) served as …


Natural History And Conservation Of Bolitoglossine Salamanders In Central Panama, Leslie Caren Brinkman Jan 2016

Natural History And Conservation Of Bolitoglossine Salamanders In Central Panama, Leslie Caren Brinkman

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

I conducted a mark-recapture study to assess the natural history of a Neotropical salamander community in three discrete 4–6 week sampling periods at Chorro Las Yayas, a protected natural area of about 8000 m2 in central Panama, during an extended drought. I captured 87 Bolitoglossa biseriata, 17 Oedipina complex, and 15 O. parvipes. Bolitoglossa biseriata, had a mean mass of 0.8 ± 0.4 g with a mean snout-vent length (SVL) of 31.45 ± 5.30 mm. Bolitoglossa biseriata was active throughout the night, and its detection rate varied with season, air temperature, and amount of precipitation in the previous 24 h. …


Behavioral Responses By Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon Piscivorus) To Chemical And Visual Predator Cues, Kristen Lee Kohlhepp Jan 2016

Behavioral Responses By Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon Piscivorus) To Chemical And Visual Predator Cues, Kristen Lee Kohlhepp

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Predator detection and assessment of predation risk have important survival consequences for animals. However, responses to predatory threats can vary with different stimuli. Chemical cues are important for predator recognition but visual cues may elicit defensive responses. Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) exhibit an array of antipredatory behaviors that have been thoroughly characterized in response to human aggressors, but their responses to cues from other predators are poorly known. I conducted three experiments to evaluate cottonmouth responses to visual and chemical stimuli from predators and non-predators. Snakes exposed to predator chemical cues exhibited elevated tongue-flick rates compared to controls but did not …


Size-Selective Predation By Ringed Crayfish (Orconectes Neglectus) On Native And Invasive Snails, Whitney Marie Kelley Jan 2016

Size-Selective Predation By Ringed Crayfish (Orconectes Neglectus) On Native And Invasive Snails, Whitney Marie Kelley

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

As invasive species are introduced into new habitats, predator-prey interactions can be altered. Cipangopaludina chinensis is a large snail that has been introduced into numerous waterbodies throughout the United States, where it coexists with native snails and their crayfish consumers. This study examined the relative susceptibility of C. chinensis and two native snails (Elimia potosiensis and Physella gyrina) to predation by the ringed crayfish (Orconectes neglectus). I conducted field surveys of snails and crayfish in three Ozark streams, plus a series of four lab experiments to determine feeding rates and prey preference by O. neglectus on these three snail species. …


Trophic Interactions And The Efficacy Of Milfoil Weevils For Biocontrol Of Eurasian Watermilfoil In Wisconsin Lakes, Kristopher Andrew Maxson Jan 2016

Trophic Interactions And The Efficacy Of Milfoil Weevils For Biocontrol Of Eurasian Watermilfoil In Wisconsin Lakes, Kristopher Andrew Maxson

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Eurasian water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L., henceforth “EWM”) is the most heavily managed nuisance submersed aquatic plant in the United States. EWM’s rapid spring growth and formation of dense surface mats inhibits native macrophyte communities, serves as poor-quality habitat for fish and macroinvertebrates, impacts recreation, and can clog water supply infrastructure. The milfoil weevil (Euhrychiopsis lecontei Dietz) has been associated with EWM declines in several states, though natural weevil densities are generally too small to effect control. Augmentative biocontrol has had varied success and fish predation may account for high weevil mortality. Weevils were augmented in 4 northern Wisconsin lakes in …


Alterations Of The Volatile Metabolome In Mouse Models Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Bruce A. Kimball, Donald A. Wilson, Daniel W. Weason Jan 2016

Alterations Of The Volatile Metabolome In Mouse Models Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Bruce A. Kimball, Donald A. Wilson, Daniel W. Weason

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In the present study, we tested whether the volatile metabolome was altered by mutations of the Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-implicated amyloid precursor protein gene (APP) and comprehensively examined urinary volatiles that may potentially serve as candidate biomarkers of AD. Establishing additional biomarkers in screening populations for AD will provide enhanced diagnostic specificity and will be critical in evaluating disease-modifying therapies. Having strong evidence of gross changes in the volatile metabolome of one line of APP mice, we utilized three unique mouse lines which over-express human mutations of the APP gene and their respective non-transgenic litter-mates (NTg). Head-space gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) …


Chapter 8 Keeping Wildlife Out Of Your Food: Mitigation And Control Strategies To Reduce The Transmission Risk Of Food-Borne Pathogens, Alan B. Franklin, Kurt C. Vercauteren Jan 2016

Chapter 8 Keeping Wildlife Out Of Your Food: Mitigation And Control Strategies To Reduce The Transmission Risk Of Food-Borne Pathogens, Alan B. Franklin, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In this chapter, we provide a general framework for developing strategies to mitigate the contamination of agricultural operations with pathogens carried by wildlife. As part of this framework, we present adaptive management as a viable approach to developing these strategies to reduce the uncertainty over time as to whether management methods are being effective. We provide the general steps to developing an adaptive management strategies as well as generic mitigation methods that can be applied to agricultural operations as part of an adaptive management strategy.


Plant Community Shifts Caused By Feral Swine Rooting Devalue Florida Rangeland, Brittany Bankovich, Elizabeth Boughton, Raoul Boughton, Michael L. Avery, Samantha M. Wisely Jan 2016

Plant Community Shifts Caused By Feral Swine Rooting Devalue Florida Rangeland, Brittany Bankovich, Elizabeth Boughton, Raoul Boughton, Michael L. Avery, Samantha M. Wisely

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive species threaten agriculture by changing agroecosystem structure and function, reducing habitat value, decreasing biodiversity and ecosystem services and increasing management costs. Grazing lands in south central Florida are a mosaic of sown pastures, native grasslands, wetlands and woodlands that provide a variety of ecosystem services. Disturbance of these pastures and native grasslands by invasive feral swine (Sus scrofa) can have negative consequences for both economic productivity and biodiversity. In this study, we show that the effect of rooting on plant diversity depends on ecosystem type and initial levels of plant species diversity. For example, in native grassland pasture, rooting …


Molecular Forensics In Avian Conservation: A Dna‑Based Approach For Identifying Mammalian Predators Of Ground‑Nesting Birds And Eggs, Matthew W. Hopken, Elizabeth K. Orning, Julie K. Young, Antoinette J. Piaggio Jan 2016

Molecular Forensics In Avian Conservation: A Dna‑Based Approach For Identifying Mammalian Predators Of Ground‑Nesting Birds And Eggs, Matthew W. Hopken, Elizabeth K. Orning, Julie K. Young, Antoinette J. Piaggio

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background: The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a ground-nesting bird from the Northern Rocky Mountains and a species at risk of extinction in in multiple U.S. states and Canada. Herein we report results from a proof of concept that mitochondrial and nuclear DNAs from mammalian predator saliva could be non-invasively collected from depredated greater sage-grouse eggshells and carcasses and used for predator species identification. Molecular forensic approaches have been applied to identify predators from depredated remains as one strategy to better understand predator–prey dynamics and guide management strategies. This can aid conservation efforts by correctly identifying predators most …


Bait Preference Of Free-Ranging Feral Swine For Delivery Of A Novel Toxicant, Nathan P. Snow, Joseph M. Halseth, Michael J. Lavelle, Thomas E. Hanson, Chad R. Blass, Justin A. Foster, Simon T. Humphrys, Linton D. Staples, David G. Hewitt, Kurt C. Vercauteren Jan 2016

Bait Preference Of Free-Ranging Feral Swine For Delivery Of A Novel Toxicant, Nathan P. Snow, Joseph M. Halseth, Michael J. Lavelle, Thomas E. Hanson, Chad R. Blass, Justin A. Foster, Simon T. Humphrys, Linton D. Staples, David G. Hewitt, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive feral swine (Sus scrofa) cause extensive damage to agricultural and wildlife resources throughout the United States. Development of sodium nitrite as a new, orally delivered toxicant is underway to provide an additional tool to curtail growth and expansion of feral swine populations. A micro-encapsulation coating around sodium nitrite is used to minimize detection by feral swine and maximize stability for the reactive molecule. To maximize uptake of this toxicant by feral swine, development a bait matrix is needed to 1) protect the micro-encapsulation coating so that sodium nitrite remains undetectable to feral swine, 2) achieve a high …