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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

A Sky Island Perspective: New England Alpine Plant Distributions Across The Region, Andrea Tirrell Dec 2022

A Sky Island Perspective: New England Alpine Plant Distributions Across The Region, Andrea Tirrell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alpine ecosystems around the globe are at risk due to climate change, human disturbance, and habitat loss. New England alpine zones are small and fragmented, which could make them vulnerable to global change. However, the persistence of tundra relics throughout the Holocene suggests the persistence of these communities in microclimate refugia. Assessing the near-term vulnerability of alpine plant communities is challenged by a lack of standardized, repeat surveys and long-term monitoring data, which presents a challenge for the many agencies monitoring New England’s alpine zones. Island biogeography theory predicts that alpine species richness is a function of area, but this …


An Exploratory Guide To The Work, Efficacy & Potential Of The Usda-Natural Resources Conservation Service In Vermont Through The Perspectives Of Nrcs Staff, Ellen L. Friedrich Dec 2022

An Exploratory Guide To The Work, Efficacy & Potential Of The Usda-Natural Resources Conservation Service In Vermont Through The Perspectives Of Nrcs Staff, Ellen L. Friedrich

Food Systems Master's Project Reports

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is the largest provider of conservation incentives payments in private agricultural working lands in the United States. This transdisciplinary and action orientated report is an exploratory guide to the work, efficacy, and potential of the USDA-NRCS in the Vermont context through the perspectives of NRCS staff. The report is built around themes identified from semi-structured interviews conducted with seven NRCS-Vermont staff members. Interviews explored a variety of different topics including natural resource & environmental concerns in Vermont, barriers to conservation and sustainable agriculture, the …


A 2022 Assessment Of Food Security And Health Outcomes During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ashley C. Mccarthy, Farryl Bertmann, Emily H. Belarmino, Sam Bliss, Jennifer Laurent, Jonathan Malacarne, Scott Merrill, Rachel E. Schattman, Kathryn Yerxa, Meredith T. Niles Jul 2022

A 2022 Assessment Of Food Security And Health Outcomes During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Ashley C. Mccarthy, Farryl Bertmann, Emily H. Belarmino, Sam Bliss, Jennifer Laurent, Jonathan Malacarne, Scott Merrill, Rachel E. Schattman, Kathryn Yerxa, Meredith T. Niles

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

We conducted a Northern New England survey to understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security, food access, home food production, health behaviors, and health outcomes. The surveys were conducted in the spring of 2022 (April-May) with a total of 1,013 adults (598 in Maine and 415 in Vermont) responding to the survey. Key findings include:1. The prevalence of food insecurity remains similarly high to early points in the pandemic, likely driven by inflation and food prices, and long-term impacts from the pandemic. 2. The majority (62%) indicated the recent rise in food prices affected their food purchasing, …


Results Of The 2022 Vermont Farmer Conservation & Payment For Ecosystem Services Survey. Vermont Payment For Ecosystem Services Technical Research Report #3a, Alissa C. White Jun 2022

Results Of The 2022 Vermont Farmer Conservation & Payment For Ecosystem Services Survey. Vermont Payment For Ecosystem Services Technical Research Report #3a, Alissa C. White

Reports and Policy Briefs

This survey was commissioned by the Vermont Soil Health and Payment for Ecosystem Services Working Group (VT PES Working Group) to gather farmer input on the development of payment for ecosystem services (PES) in Vermont for agriculture. In particular, the survey was intended to help set appropriate levels of compensation for participation in a soil health PES program, although additional information was gathered in the survey to inform the development of a new incentive program. The VT PES Working Group has explored the potential for a performance-based soil health PES program that would compensate farmers on the basis of environmental …


2020 Hemp Flower Plant Spacing X Planting Date Trial, Heather Darby, John Bruce, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone, Sara Ziegler Mar 2022

2020 Hemp Flower Plant Spacing X Planting Date Trial, Heather Darby, John Bruce, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Hemp is a non-psychoactive variety of cannabis sativa L. Hemp is a crop of historical importance in the U.S. and re-emerging worldwide as a popular crop as it is sought out as a renewable and sustainable resource for a wide variety of consumer and industrial products. Hemp that is grown for fiber, grain oil, or as an intended health supplement contains less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). When hemp is grown to produce cannabidiol (CBD) as an intended health supplement, CBD concentrations are relatively high, with concentrations ranging between 8-15%. Hemp for CBD production is grown more intensively, similar to vegetable …


2020 Cool Season Annual Forages Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone Feb 2022

2020 Cool Season Annual Forages Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2020, the University of Vermont Extension’s Northwest Crop and Soils Program evaluated the performance of cool season annual forages planted in monoculture. In the Northeast, cool season perennial grasses dominate pastures and hay meadows that farmers rely on. Often times during the fall months, the perennial pasture will decline in yield and quality. The addition of cool season annual forages into the grazing system during this time may help improve the quality and quantity of forage and potentially extend the grazing season. With the range in species available, it is important to understand the yield potential, quality, and growth …


Seeds Of Resilience: Learning From Covid-19 To Strengthen Seed Systems In Vermont, Ali Brooks, Carina V. Isbell, Daniel Tobin Ph.D., Travis Reynolds Ph.D., Eric Bishop Von Wettberg Ph.D., David Conner Ph.D., Evie Wolfe Jan 2022

Seeds Of Resilience: Learning From Covid-19 To Strengthen Seed Systems In Vermont, Ali Brooks, Carina V. Isbell, Daniel Tobin Ph.D., Travis Reynolds Ph.D., Eric Bishop Von Wettberg Ph.D., David Conner Ph.D., Evie Wolfe

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Seeds are central to crop-based production systems, yet in the United States seeds have been largely overlooked in both research and local and regional food systems initiatives. This report seeks to address the gap in seed-related research by assessing current strengths and vulnerabilities of Vermont’s seed systems. In particular, the findings presented in this report illuminate how seed systems can maintain function in the face of external shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and how we can apply the lessons learned toward building resilience for an uncertain future due to factors such as climate change. Despite the turmoil caused by …


2020 Perennial Grass Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Catherine Davidson, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone Jan 2022

2020 Perennial Grass Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Catherine Davidson, Ivy Krezinski, Rory Malone

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2019, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program initiated a trial evaluating forage yield and quality of an array of cool season perennial grass species and varieties planted in monocultures. The grass species selected were Kentucky bluegrass, meadow brome, meadow fescue, orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, and timothy. The 2020 growing season was the first full season after establishment for these stands. These stands will continue to be monitored over multiple years to evaluate yield, quality, survivability, pest resistance, persistence, and other characteristics that will help identify the most suitable forage species and varieties in our region over …


Trust Your Gut: Promoting Gut Health Through Updated Nutrition Education, Christina Cobb Jan 2022

Trust Your Gut: Promoting Gut Health Through Updated Nutrition Education, Christina Cobb

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Physician time and nutrition education are limited, yet lifestyle changes, including healthy eating, are often the primary intervention for both preventing & managing chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. There is growing evidence of the importance of gut health & the microbiome’s link to several aspects of health, including the immune system, mental health, and metabolic syndrome. Through collaboration with two dietitians, a "promoting gut health" patient handout was created and existing nutrition handouts were updated to reflect current dietary recommendations.