Life Sciences Commons^™

What Should Go In A Wildlife Professional’S Geospatial Toolbox? (Response Data), William Bean, Ryan C. Baumbusch, Brooke Berger, Matthew Delheimer, Lee J. Hecker, Matthew Lau, Megan C. Milligan

Research Data Sets

Geospatial tools have become a critical component to most wildlife studies and management questions. With a diversity of approaches available, current and future wildlife professionals deserve guidance on the most important tools to answer these questions. Younger professionals may be expected to know a separate set of skills from those required further on in their career. We conducted an online survey and a year-long search of job advertisements to identify the most important geospatial approaches, techniques, programs, and ancillary skills for wildlife professionals. We provide the results of these 2 efforts so that wildlife professionals interested in geospatial tools can …

Dataset From: Phylogeny And Ontogeny Of Lizard Display Behavior, Michele A. Johnson, E G. Cook, B K. Kircher

Biology Faculty Research

Appendix 1. Descriptions of lizard display.

This appendix provides the descriptions of display data for each lizard genus, compiled from a search of the primary scientific literature. Posture and motion displays components were categorized as types of postural changes, head movements, mouth displays, gular displays, limb movements, and tail movements. An “x” in a cell indicates that at least one species in that genus has been reported to use a given posture or motion in its display. Color displays were categorized by the body location of the color involved in display, with each color reported to be involved in at …

Data From: Seasonal Variation In The Utility Of A Status Signaling System: Plumage Ornament Predicts Foraging Success Only During Periods Of High Competition, Philip Queller, Troy G. Murphy

Biology Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Functional Responses Can’T Unify Invasion Ecology, James Vonesh, Mike Mccoy, Res Altwegg, Pietro Landi, John Measey

Biology Publications

Dick et al. (Biol Invasions, 2017) propose that the comparative functional response framework provides a unifying approach for the study of invasive species. We agree that functional responses are an important and powerful quantitative description of consumer effects on resources, and co-opting classical ecological theory to better predict invasive species impacts is a laudable move for invasion biology. However, we fear that the early successes of select examples of the comparative functional response (CFR) approach has led Dick et al. to exaggerate the generality of its utility, and about its ability to unify the field. Further, they fail to provide …

Nerve Conduction Through Dendrites Via Proton Hopping, Lemont B. Kier

Biology Publications

Background: In our previous studies of nerve conduction conducted by proton hopping, we have considered the axon, soma, synapse and the nodes of Ranvier. The role of proton hopping described the passage of information through each of these units of a typical nerve system. The synapse projects information from the axon to the dendrite and their associated spines.

Methods: We have invoked the passage of protons via a hopping mechanism to illustrate the continuum of the impulse through the system, via the soma following the dendrites. This is proposed to be a continuum invoked by the proton hopping method.

Results: …

Variation In Growth And Developmental Responses To Supraoptimal Temperatures Near Latitudinal Range Limits Of Gypsy Moth Lymantria Dispar (L.), An Expanding Invasive Species, Lily M. Thompson, Trevor M. Faske, Nana Banahene, Dominique Grim, Salvatore J. Agosta, Dylan Parry, Patrick C. Tobin, Derek M. Johnson, Kristine L. Grayson

Biology Publications

Variation in thermal performance within and between populations provides the potential for adaptive responses to increasing temperatures associated with climate change. Organisms experiencing temperatures above their optimum on a thermal performance curve exhibit rapid declines in function and these supraoptimal temperatures can be a critical physiological component of range limits. The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), is one of the best-documented biological invasions and factors driving its spatial spread are of significant ecological and economic interest. The present study examines gypsy moth sourced from different latitudes across its North American range for sensitivity to high temperature in constant …

Genetic Differentiation Of Spring-Spawning And Fall-Spawning Male Atlantic Sturgeon In The James River, Virginia, Matthew T. Balazik, Daniel J. Farrae, Tanya L. Darden, Greg C. Garman

Biology Publications

Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus, Acipenseridae) populations are currently at severely depleted levels due to historic overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution. The importance of biologically correct stock structure for effective conservation and management efforts is well known. Recent improvements in our understanding of Atlantic sturgeon migrations, movement, and the occurrence of putative dual spawning groups leads to questions regarding the true stock structure of this endangered species. In the James River, VA specifically, captures of spawning Atlantic sturgeon and accompanying telemetry data suggest there are two discrete spawning groups of Atlantic sturgeon. The two putative spawning groups were …

Immediate Effects Of Microclimate Modification Enhance Native Shrub Encroachment, Joseph A. Thompson, Julie C. Zinnert, Donald R. Young

Biology Publications

Shrubs have become more dense and expanded beyond their range all over the world for a variety of reasons including increased temperatures, overgrazing, and alteration of historical fire regime. Native shrubs have been encroaching on Virginia barrier island grasslands for over half a century for unknown reasons. Species composition, soil nutrients, leaf area index (LAI), and ground and air temperature were recorded across the shrub to grass transition and at free-standing shrubs in a coastal grassland in order to determine the effect of shrub encroachment on plant community and microclimate. Species richness was significantly lower inside shrub thickets. Soil water …

Terracing, Land Management And Agricultural Soils In The Andagua Valley Of The Southern Peruvian Andes, Blaise Murphy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Demographic, socio-political and climatic changes can drastically alter agricultural land management practices, affecting the availability of agriculturally relevant nutrients in the soil. This project investigates the use, reconstruction and abandonment of agricultural terraces and the implications these conditions have on agricultural soil properties of the Andagua Valley in the Western Cordillera of the Southern Peruvian Andes. During the 2016 summer field season, topsoil samples were collected from cultivated and abandoned agricultural terraces between 3229m and 3688m a. s. l. with a range of aspects and ages. Collaboration with a team of archaeologists and anthropologists gave insight into the local and …

Quantifying And Simulating Fine-Scale Spatial Patterns In Plant Populations, Darin Schulte

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Plant ecology as a discipline has increasingly acknowledged the importance of fine-scale spatial patterns in developing our understanding of community/population dynamics. These spatial patterns are largely determined by direct and indirect interactions between plants and their immediate neighbors. Such interactions thus play an important role in the structure and function of plant communities. Study of these types of local interactions has greatly benefitted from simulation based approaches. one such simulation method, agent-based modeling, has increasingly been identified as a useful tool for simulating these fine-scale interactions, and for investigating theoretical descriptions of underlying processes. Similarly, statistical techniques aimed at quantifying …

Small Rho Gtpase Family Member Cdc42 And Its Role In Neuronal Survival And Apoptosis, Noelle Christine Punessen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease are caused by a progressive and aberrant destruction of neurons in the brain and spinal cord. These disorders lack effective long term treatments, and existing options focus primarily on either delaying disease onset or alleviating symptomology. Dysregulated programmed cell death, known as apoptosis, is one of the most significant contributors to neurodegeneration, and is controlled by a number of different factors. Rho GTPases are a protein class with recognized importance in proper neuronal development and migration, and have more recently emerged as regulators of apoptosis and neuronal survival. …

Identifying The Relevance Of C-Reactive Protein Conformers And The Advancement Of A Membrane Curvature Binding Assay, Carrie Leine Moon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lipid membranes play a vital role in cell signaling processes. Membrane shape and lipid content affect interactions between cellular membranes and proteins. This research focuses on characterizing those interactions and their impact by using various biochemical and biophysical assays. These assays were applied to C-reactive protein (CRP), an immune system protein that interacts with lipid membranes and has at least two forms with different properties. Native, pentameric CRP (pCRP) is found in blood serum and is commonly used as a marker for inflammation. The modified form of CRP (mCRP) binds to the protein C1q, which activates the complement immune response. …

Mechanistic Insights Into The Radical S-Adenosyl L-Methionine Enzyme Mftc, Bulat Khaliullin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mycofactocin is a putative peptide-derived redox cofactor in Mycobacterium family. Its putative biosynthetic pathway is encoded by the operon mftABCDEF. The initial step of this pathway is a posttranslational modification of a peptide precursor MftA, which is catalyzed by MftC enzyme. This modification only occurs in the presence of chaperone MftB. Here, we demonstrate that MftC is a radical S-adenosyl L-methionine (SAM) enzyme and we examine its catalytic mechanism. We show that the modification of MftA requires two equivalents of SAM and is implemented in two steps: (i) the decarboxylation of a C-terminal tyrosine, resulting in formation of an …

Exploring Historical Coffee And Climate Relations In Southern Guatemala: An Integration Of Tree Ring Analysis And Remote Sensing Data, Diego Pons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation makes use of a physical geography perspective to examine the relationship between agriculture and climate in Guatemala using dendrochronology. I examined the potential of high-resolution climate proxy data from dendrochronology to help fill in the gaps of past climate information to better understand the natural and anthropogenic variability of precipitation which, in turn, can inform Guatemala’s agriculture sector. This research has demonstrated successful cross-dating and climate sensitivity of Abies guatemalensis in the Pacific slope of Guatemala. Based on this, I have produced a 124-year record of mean precipitation from June-July-August. The mean precipitation from June-July-August at this site …

Household Food Vulnerability Under An Extreme Weather Event In Sta. Cruz Subwatershed, Laguna, Philippines, Karen P. Quilloy, Agnes C. Rola

Journal of Economics, Management and Agricultural Development

This study is an assessment of the vulnerability of households to food insecurity under an extreme weather event. A subjective-qualitative technique primarily based on the perceived food security status of the households and their food insecurity coping strategies was used to examine household food vulnerability. Key findings reveal that households living in the vulnerable areas of Sta. Cruz subwatershed were generally resilient to extreme weather events and only suffered from slight to moderate form of food security problems. Impacts of extreme weather events on them were generally moderate but the highest impact was observed in their income sources, logistics, and …

Ethnic Identity And Wellbeing: Implicit In-Group Identity And Language Dominance Predicts Wellbeing In Emirati Women, Ian Grey, Justin Thomas

Working papers

dentifying the determinants of psychological wellbeing occupies a central, and important, place in psychological research. Over the past twenty years, a large body of work has accumulated articulating both the constituent elements of wellbeing and the factors that promote and maintain it. However, much of this research has focused attention on the broad factors contributing to wellbeing such as the respective roles played by autonomy, positive interpersonal relations, environmental mastery, self-acceptance and purpose in life (Ryff & Keyes, 1995; Seligman, 2000). One variable and its relationship with wellbeing that has attracted some attention, is the role of cultural identity. Early …

On The Future Of Energy And Resource Security In The United Arab Emirates, Fares Howari, Yousef Nazzal

Working papers

The UAE is making notable progress in diversifying its economy through tourism, trade, and manufacturing. However, in the near term, oil, natural gas, and associated industries will continue to account for the majority of economic activity. Rising gas demand from power stations and industrial users such as petrochemical makers and steel manufacturers has turned the UAE into a net gas importer in the past decade, triggering multi-billion dollar investments into nuclear power and renewables. This paper looks into the patterns of energy production and consumption in the UAE in the context the changing nature of global energy markets. The paper …

Effect Of Human Cytomegalovirus (Hcmv) Us27 On Cxcr4 Receptor Internalization Measured By Fluorogen-Activating Protein (Fap) Biosensors, J. M. Boeck, Juliet Spencer

Biology Faculty Publications

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a widespread pathogen and a member of the Herpesviridae family. HCMV has a large genome that encodes many genes that are non-essential for virus replication but instead play roles in manipulation of the host immune environment. One of these is the US27 gene, which encodes a protein with homology to the chemokine receptor family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). The US27 protein has no known chemokine ligands but can modulate the signaling activity of host receptor CXCR4. We investigated the mechanism for enhanced CXCR4 signaling in the presence of US27 using a novel biosensor system comprised …

Exploring Culturally Attuned Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (Mbsr) As A Means Of Improving Quality Of Life, Emotional Well Being And Academic Performance Of Emirati College Students, Justin Thomas, Ian Grey, Peter Kinderman

Working papers

Derived primarily from the Buddhist tradition, mindfulness has become an integral aspect of second-generation approaches to cognitive therapy. Research exploring such mindfulness-based approaches, is generally positive about their efficacy, particularly with regard to relapse prevention. Less well explored is the acceptability of these approaches, particularly among individuals spontaneously expressing theistic worldviews such as Islam. It is argued that many of the defining principles and techniques used within mindfulness-based approaches are congruent with Islamic values, and in some cases they are highly resonant with specific Islamic directives aimed at shaping human cognition and behaviour. This paper explores the need for culturally …

Status Of Southern Garfish (Hyporhamphus Melanochir) In Cockburn Sound, Western Australia, K Smith, C Dowling, S Mountford, A Hesp, A Howard, J Brown

Fisheries Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Seed Yield Prediction Models Of Four Common Moist-Soil Plant Species In Texas, Daniel P. Collins, Warren C. Conway, Corey D. Mason, Jeffrey W. Gunnels

Faculty Publications

Seed production by moist-soil plant species often varies within and among managed wetlands and on larger landscapes. Quantifying seed production of moist-soil plants can be used to evaluate wetland management strategies and estimate wetland energetic carrying capacity, specifically for waterfowl. In the past, direct estimation techniques were used, but due to excessive personnel and time costs, other indirect methods have been developed. Because indirect seed yield models do not exist for moist-soil plant species in east-central or coastal Texas, we developed direct and indirect methods to model seed production on regional managed wetlands. In September 2004 and 2005, we collected …

Fates Of Ovules In Groundplum Milk-Vetch (Astragalus Crassicarpus Nutt.) In South Dakota, Arvid A. Boe, Paul J. Johnson

Oak Lake Field Station Research Publications

Groundplum milk-vetch (Astragalus crassicarpus Nutt.) is a native legume found on gravelly to sandy prairie uplands throughout central North America. The large and fleshy fruits, or pods, of this species were consumed by indigenous people and European settlers, and are cached by rodents. Our previous research on native legumes of the northern Great Plains indicated seed predation by insects, notably bruchid beetles belonging to the genus Acanthoscelides Schilsky, was a dominant factor determining viable seed production in natural and artificial plant assemblages. However, although we have studied the reproductive biology of several species of Astragalus L., none had fleshy pods. …

Spring Wheat Variety Trial Archive, Robert Hall, Kevin Kirby, John Rickertsen, Bruce Swan, G. Piechowski, Jesse Hall, Nathan Mueller, Christopher Graham, S. M. Hawks, Jonathan Kleinjan

SDSU Extension Publications Archive

Crop performance testing results are released annually through the activities of SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at SDSU.

Oats Variety Trial Archive, Robert Hall, Kevin K. Kirby, John Rickertsen, Bruce Swan, G. Piechowski, Jesse Hall, S. M. Hawks, Nathan Mueller, Christopher Graham, Jonathan Kleinjan, Shaukat Ali

SDSU Extension Publications Archive

This report features the available oats data from 2003-2017. Crop performance testing results are released annually through the activities of SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at SDSU.

Grain Sorghum Variety Trial Archive, John Rickertsen, Bruce Swan, Nathan Mueller, Christopher Graham, Jonathan Kleinjan, Kevin Kirby, Dwayne Beck, Michael Swan

SDSU Extension Publications Archive

This report features the available sorghum data from 2003-2017. Crop performance testing results are released annually through the activities of SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at SDSU.

Sunflower & Flax Hybrid Performance And Variety Trial Archive, Kathleen Grady, Lee Gilbertson, Thandiwe Nleya, John Rickertsen, Bruce Swan, Febina Mathew, Christopher Graham, Nathan Braun, Paul Okello

SDSU Extension Publications Archive

This report features the available sunflower and flax data from 2003-2017. Crop performance testing results are released annually through the activities of SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at SDSU.

Alfalfa Variety Trial Results Archive, Vance Owens, R. Bortnem, D. Gustafson, E. Omdahl, Chris Lee, Peter Jeranyama, Matt Hansen, Karla Hernandez

SDSU Extension Publications Archive

Crop performance testing results are released annually through the activities of SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at SDSU.

Soybean Variety Trial Archive, Kevin Kirby, Robert Hall, G. Piechowski, Jesse Hall, S. M. Hawks, Nathan Mueller, Jonathan Kleinjan

SDSU Extension Publications Archive

This report features the available soybean variety trial data from 2003-2017. Crop performance testing results are released annually through the activities of SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at SDSU.

Corn Hybrid Trial Archive, Robert Hall, Kevin Kirby, G. Piechowski, Nathan Mueller, Jonathan Kleinjan, Jesse Hall, S. M. Hawks

SDSU Extension Publications Archive

This report features the available corn data from 2003-2017. Crop performance testing results are released annually through the activities of SDSU Extension and the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at SDSU.

Volume 1, Chapter 4-10: Adaptive Strategies: Vegetative Propagules, Janice M. Glime

Bryophyte Ecology Subchapters

No abstract provided.