Life Sciences Commons^™

Temperature And Salinity Effects On The Physiology Of Bullfrog Tadpoles (Lithobates Catesbeianus) From A Suburban Temperate Wetland, Angela Brown

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

One of the most robust amphibians is the American Bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus, which is a widespread species that is invasive worldwide, and is broadly tolerant of a range of environmental conditions. Despite this tolerance, survival and performance of adult L. catesbeianus can be negatively affected by increasing temperatures and salinity resulting from anthropogenic impacts, such as climate change and road salts. This study focuses on the effects of acute salinity exposure (mimicking road salt influx into a pond) on L. catesbeianus tadpoles at different larval stages. Increased salinity was predicted to negatively affect two physiological performance measures. Critical maximum temperature …

Evaluating The Responses Of Organic Corn Systems To Interseeded Cover Crops, Seeding Rate, And Tillage, Luvina B. Madrid

All Dissertations

Cover crop interseeding offers a potential strategy to increase plant diversity and make better use of above- and belowground resource niches within organic corn production systems. Interseeded cover crops can support agroecosystem sustainability through aboveground biomass production as well as belowground processes mediated by roots, including soil structural improvement, nutrient cycling, biological activity, and carbon storage. However, the success of interseeding depends on selecting cover crop species and management practices that provide these benefits without competing with the crop for water, nutrients, and light. Research studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of interseeded cover crop species, seeding rate, and …

Bees In The Trap: Leveraging Bumble Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus) Bycatch For Ecological And Genetic Insights, Tori L. Strausser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Managers rely on insect monitoring traps to detect insect pests that harm crops and protect food and other agricultural production. However, these traps also capture non-target insects, including bumble bees, raising concerns about whether repeated trapping could harm pollinator populations. This thesis explores whether bees caught as non-targets, also called bycatch, in routine pest monitoring traps can be used to better understand bumble bee populations, and whether traps pose risks to their long-term persistence. Using bumble bees collected from pest surveillance traps placed in crop fields across Utah, this research examined seasonal patterns in body size, timing of capture, and …

Advancing Management Strategies For Two Promising Mason Bee Species (Osmia Ribifloris And Osmia Bruneri) For Berry Pollination, Miranda L. Jones

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Bee management can broadly refer to human manipulation of one or multiple parts of a bee’s lifecycle. Managing honey bees, commonly referred to as beekeeping, is responsible for providing most pollination for global food crops. However, using more than one bee species for crop pollination can have many benefits. Benefits include better crop pollination and insurance in case one bee species underperforms or its population collapses. Some bees within the genus Osmia are already widely managed for crop pollination because their developmental lifecycle allows bee managers to readily deploy pollinating bees in sync with varying crop blooms, and for certain …

Integrated Soil-Water Processes And Irrigation Management For Agricultural Water Optimization In Semi-Arid Regions, Tejinder Singh

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Water is one of the most important resources for agriculture in the western United States. In semi-arid regions, farmers depend on irrigation to grow crops, but water supplies are becoming less reliable because of drought, declining snowpack, groundwater depletion, and increasing competition for limited water. Improving agricultural water use is therefore not simply about applying less water. It also requires understanding where water goes after it enters a field, how long it remains available to crops, and how farmers can use that information to make better irrigation decisions. This dissertation follows water through irrigated agricultural systems to better understand how …

Understanding Agricultural Irrigation Practices Along Utah's Wasatch Front Through Farmer-Reported Data, Garland Ledbetter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Water is a growing concern in Utah, especially along the Wasatch Front, where cities, farms, and communities all rely on the same limited water supply. Agriculture uses a large portion of the state’s water, so understanding how farms manage irrigation is important for statewide water planning. Utah currently uses a dataset called Water-Related Land Use (WRLU) to estimate agricultural water use across the state. This dataset provides useful information about irrigated land and crop types. However, it does not capture many of the day-to-day decisions farmers make when managing irrigation.

To better understand irrigation practices, this study surveyed 61 farmers …

Understanding And Predicting Precipitation Characteristics In The United States Through Machine Learning, Numerical Modeling And Measurements, Cody Luther Ratterman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Precipitation is one of the most important yet uncertain variables in the climate system. It varies dramatically in terms of timing, accumulation, rate, and phase, depending on location, season, circulation patterns, and atmospheric conditions. Precipitation forecasts, especially snowfall, are essential to supporting drought mitigation and water management in the Intermountain West. Because rainfall and snowfall lead to opposite effects on snowpack, accurately partitioning rain and snow is important to estimate snowpack levels, winter recreation, mountain ecosystems and runoff. The research findings in this dissertation have advanced the understanding and prediction of precipitation and snowpack in the U.S. by addressing the …

Integrative Taxonomic Analysis Of Cryptic Species Diversity In The Spiny Witch-Hazel Gall Aphid, Hamamelistes Spinosus (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Hormaphidini) In Eastern North America, Gavin Andrew Powell Munson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Taxonomy is the practice of identifying, classifying and categorizing species, providing structure for the vast diversity of life. Aphids are an ecologically important group of soft-bodied insects, but they can be difficult to identify because of their tiny anatomical size, reduced or simplified morphological features, and morphological variation within a single species across different generations. In this study, the taxonomy of the spiny witch-hazel gall aphid, Hamamelistes spinosus, is revised. The complex multi-generational life cycle of the aphids, which alternates between witch-hazel and birch trees, has led to confusion regarding past descriptions. Scientists in the late 1800s who were …

Evaluating Pfas And Marine Microbial Interactions In Estuarine Sediments With Varying Urbanization And Assessments Of Microbial Responses To Pfos, Zachary J. Padgett

All Theses

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse class of synthetic chemicals that have become globally distributed due to their extensive use in industrial and consumer products and their extraordinary resistance to environmental degradation. Their persistence and documented toxicity have made them a growing concern in coastal environments, particularly in estuaries where urban runoff, wastewater, and industrial discharges concentrate these compounds. Estuaries are unique in that tidal mixing and interactions with fine-grained sediments and organic matter promote PFAS retention, while the microbial communities living directly within estuarine sediments are positioned where PFAS preferentially accumulate, creating conditions for prolonged exposure and …

Understanding The Potential Sources Of Bacteria And Turbidity Pollution In The Edisto Island Watershed, Brynne Sumner

All Theses

Anthropogenic pollution introduces contaminants, such as pathogenic bacteria and turbidity, into coastal watersheds. These contaminants are the major contributors to water quality impairments in the three sub-watersheds encompassing Edisto Island and the Town of Edisto Beach (hereafter referred to as the Edisto Island Watershed), located within the ACE Basin, South Carolina, USA. With 18 locations impaired for fecal bacteria and 19 for turbidity on the 2024 South Carolina 303(d) list of impaired waters, the Edisto Island Watershed offers valuable insights into the water quality challenges rural coastal communities face.

This study aimed to identify the sources of fecal bacteria and …

Engagement Of Understudied Populations As Community Change: The South Texas Adrc Model, Gladys E. Maestre, Neela K. Patel, Rosa V. Pirela, Robin C. Hilsabeck, Kendra Stine, Neyra García, Roberto Reyes, Omar Oropeza, Cristian Maestre, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Sarah Williams-Blangero, Ney Alliey Rodriguez, Sylvia A. Robles

School of Medicine Publications

Many populations experiencing the highest burdens of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias remain understudied, in part because traditional recruitment and retention models are insufficient to support sustained engagement. The Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core (OREC) of the South Texas Alzheimer's Disease Research Center reconceptualized participant recruitment as a long-term system change in a Hispanic-majority, urban–rural region. OREC institutionalizes shared power through community advisory governance, aligns research protocols with local lived realities (through patient navigators, community health workers/promotores, and decentralized access points), and employs a data-driven feedback loop for continuous improvement. In 1 year, 46 outreach events touched 10,134 individuals (71% …

Odyssey To The Extraordinary: Living Our Land Grant Mission And Beyond, Jeffrey P. Gold, Katherine S. Ankerson, Tiffany Heng-Moss

Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources: Institute Publications

Presents a strategy intended to guide future directions for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's (UNL) Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) including issues related to governance, funding, organizational structure, and strategic alignment within UNL and the University of Nebraska system.

A Genetic Analysis Of The Rare Endemic Astragalus Ripleyi Barneby, Juan Antonio Jaramillo-Chico

Master's Theses

Astragalus ripleyi Barneby is a rare endemic species found in the San Luis Valley of the southern portions of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and New Mexico. Though not federally listed as endangered, the species is on the Bureau of Land Management’s Sensitive Species List, warranting protection and continued management. This study aims to provide information about the genetic health of the species to inform conservation efforts and provide updated management recommendations. A genetic health analysis was conducted investigating the levels of diversity present in the species, how genetic diversity is structured across the known range of the species and …

B.R. Wells Arkansas Rice Research Studies 2025, J. Hardke, X. Sha, N. Bateman

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Arkansas is the leading rice producer in the United States. The state represents 45.2% of total U.S. rice production and 45.7% of the total acres planted to rice in 2025. Rice cultural practices vary across the state and across the U.S. However, these practices are also dynamic and continue to evolve in response to changing political, environmental, and economic times. This survey was initiated in 2002 to monitor and record changes in the way Arkansas rice producers approach their livelihood. The survey was conducted by polling county extension agents in each of the counties in Arkansas that produce rice. Questions …

The Effect Of Sustainable 3d Store Design On Consumer Online Shopping Behavior, Sophie G. Roussel

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Sustainability has become a significant factor in shaping consumer shopping habits. Companies are implementing 3D store designs to provide a more immersive and interactive experience. Further study is needed to investigate whether a sustainable, green-focused 3D storefront shifts consumers’ satisfaction with online shopping and their intention to buy products from a sustainable store. This study seeks to fill the research gap by examining how sustainable 3D store design influences consumer shopping behavior. Specifically, three distinct 3D store mockups were developed using Visual Retailing (VR) technology. The same number of visually appealing features, products, and store layouts was used to make …

Determining The Role Of Maumee River Sediments In Microbial Nitrogen Transformations And Net Fluxes, Ashlyn Stanalonis

Master's Theses

The Maumee River watershed is the largest of any river feeding into the Laurentian Great Lakes and is primarily comprised of agricultural land uses. Most cultivated crops require fertilizer applications to sustain growth and productivity. Fertilizer runoff is a major source of nutrient loading to the river, and total nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs contribute to eutrophication and cyanobacterial blooms in the western basin of Lake Erie. This study aimed to characterize Maumee River sediments as net N sinks or sources to the western basin and evaluate N removal efficiency (a valuable ecosystem service) to determine if river sediments …

Blue Crab Reproductive Output And Phenology In A Changing Climate, Blaise Rohan

Master's Theses

Globally, ecosystems are experiencing rising temperatures due to climate change, with potential consequences for reproductive investment and timing in many species. Blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, support valuable commercial fisheries throughout the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and understanding variation in reproductive output has important management and conservation implications. This study examined two components of blue crab reproduction: (1) reproductive investment across populations spanning multiple latitudes (New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Texas), using a space-for-time substitution to assess the effects of varying thermal regimes on fecundity and egg quality, and (2) spawning phenology in North Carolina from …

Concerns With The Statistical Analysis In “Effect Of Combined Glp-1 Analogue And Bupropion/Naltrexone On Weight Loss: A Retrospective Cohort Study”, Thirupathi Reddy Mokalla, Henry T Robertson, Sherri Pals, David B Allison

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

All-Cause And Cause-Specific Mortality In Gambling Disorder: Evidence From A Nation-Wide Matched And Sibling Cohort Study In Taiwan, Yang-Chieh Brian Chen, Chih-Wei Hsu, Liang-Jen Wang, Mu-Hong Chen, Yao-Hsu Yang, Chih-Sung Liang, Edward Chia-Cheng Lai

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background and aims: Gambling disorder (GD) has been linked to suicidal ideation and suicide deaths; however, evidence on all-cause and cause-specific mortality-particularly in Asian populations-remains limited. Using a retrospective cohort study based on nationwide matched and sibling cohort, we investigated all-cause and cause-specific mortality risk in patients with GD.

Design, setting and participants: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using 2000-2022 data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. A cohort of 961 individuals diagnosed with GD was identified. An age- and sex-matched control cohort (n = 3,844) and an unaffected sibling cohort (n = 675) were constructed. Cumulative survival …

Hyperadhesive Von Willebrand Factor Contributes To Pathogenesis Of Preeclampsia, Yajuan Wang, Chenyu Wang, Katie L Houck, Xiaoli Gao, Yuanyuan Chen, Xin Xu, Xue Zhao, Miguel A Cruz, Shu Zhang, Chester Q Li, Fengxia Xue, Min Li, Swati Shree, Jing-Fei Dong, Cha Han

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Preeclampsia is the most common complication of pregnancy, significantly affecting maternal and fetal health, and is characterized by placental and systemic endotheliopathy. Patients with preeclampsia have elevated levels of VWF (von Willebrand Factor), which is associated with poor clinical outcomes. However, whether VWF serves as a marker for endotheliopathy or contributes to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia remains poorly understood.

Methods: We investigated the role of hyperadhesive VWF in the development of preeclampsia by studying patients, evaluating mouse models, and performing in vitro experiments.

Results: We show that patients develop VWF- and fibrin-rich thrombosis in the placenta and have significantly …

Full-Fat Dairy Milk Vs. Isolated Free Nutrient Blend On Postprandial Protein Metabolism And Inflammatory Markers In Adults With Overweight And Obesity, Takeshi M. Barnes, Zan Zupancic, Max T. Deutz, Andrew T. Askow, Colleen F. Mckenna, Jonathan A. Aguilera, Cassidy T. Tinline-Goodfellow, Alexander V. Ulanov, Jared W. Willard, Daniel W. D. West, Michael De Lisio, Daniel R. Moore, Nicholas A. Burd

Kinesiology & Sport Management Scholarship

Excess adiposity is linked to anabolic resistance by blunting the postprandial myofibrillar protein synthetic response to protein ingestion. Full-fat dairy milk may overcome this resistance via a matrix combining high-quality protein with anti-inflammatory lipids. Therefore, we compared the effects of ingesting full-fat dairy milk versus a non-dairy macronutrient match isolated blend on the regulation of postprandial myofibrillar and mitochondrial protein synthesis rates and markers of systemic (i.e., IL-6 and TNF-α) and muscle-related inflammation (i.e., NF-κB, NLRP3, TLR4, and MyD88). Twenty-two obese and overweight adult males and females (BMI = 31.1 ± 3.7 kg m−2; aged 35.3 ± 13.2 y) were …

Genetic Regulation Of Uterine Organogenesis, Diana A. Machado

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

In eutherian and marsupial mammals, the site of embryo implantation and gestation is the uterus. The precursor tissue of the uterus, oviducts, cervix, and upper vagina is the Müllerian duct epithelium and its adjacent mesenchyme. Morphological uterine variation between species is established during embryogenesis by species-specific differences in Müllerian duct fusion at the midline, growth, and differentiation. For example, laboratory mice have a bipartite uterus with two uterine horns and a single cervix, whereas humans have a simplex uterus with a single chamber and single cervix. In humans, variations in the fusion process can alter typical uterine morphology, correlating with …

Economic Contribution Of The Agricultural Sector To The Arkansas Economy In 2024, Frank Seo, Luke Pullo

AAES Research Reports and Research Bulletins

This report is the nineteenth in a series that examines agriculture’s economic contribution to the Arkansas economy. The total economic contribution of agriculture (direct, indirect, and induced effects) on value added, employment, and labor income was estimated with the Impact Analysis for Planning System (IMPLAN) for the most recent year available, 2024.

Land Condition Standards For The Western Australian Nullarbor Pastoral Region, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, Wayne J. Fletcher

Natural resources published reports

This report outlines the quantitative land condition standards that define acceptable pastoral land condition for the Western Australian part of the Nullarbor, to meet the regulatory requirements of the Land Administration Act 1997 and the Soil and Land Conservation Act 1945.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is developing regional-level pastoral land condition standards for Western Australia as a critical component of the Framework for sustainable pastoral management – revised edition (Fletcher 2022), the purpose of which is to address the Office of the Auditor General’s recommendations to improve the management of pastoral lands in WA …

Paleolimnology And Diatom Taxonomy From Lake Tanganyika, Sristika Adhikari

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lake Tanganyika is one of the world's largest freshwater ecosystems, supporting rich aquatic biodiversity and providing several ecosystem services to surrounding communities. Environmental changes such as rising lake surface temperatures, pollution, and land-use alterations threaten the lake’s sustainability. This research examines spatial and temporal variations in nutrient dynamics and primary productivity of Lake Tanganyika using diatom assemblages from multiple locations. Our findings indicate reduced nutrient levels and longer stratification periods in the lake’s central basin during most of the Common Era, as indicated by a remarkable increase in the relative abundance of long, needle-shaped planktonic Nitzschia species. In the southern …

Evaluating The Motivations Of Participants In Online Equine Extension Courses, Sarah Vos

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Traditional program evaluations emphasize participant demographics, knowledge gain, behavior change, and program impact. However, evaluating participant motivation can provide addition insight into why participants enroll in extension programs and help explain participant engagement and persistence throughout a program. The purpose of this study was to evaluate participant motivation in two online equine extension courses and examine potential relationships between motivation, demographics, and course delivery method, and describe participant engagement in Virtual Horse Judging Camp (VHJC). This cross-sectional study utilized convenience sampling of participants in two online equine extension courses, Horse Adult Leader Training and Educational Resource (HALTER) and VHJC. The …

Fibrous Protein Biomaterials: Characterization Of Solitary Bee Silk And Cocoons, And Development Of Recombinant Hagfish And Bee Silk Materials, Oran Wasserman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This dissertation explores two complementary aspects of fibrous protein biomaterials: the characterization of understudied naturally occurring solitary bee silk and cocoons; and recombinant expression and biomaterial formation of recombinant hagfish intermediate filaments (rHIF) and a single Osmia lignaria Say (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) silk protein. Some solitary bee species, which make up about 75% of all bee species, spin silk to construct protective cocoons during development. Despite the importance of silk and cocoons to the solitary bees' life history, their properties remain largely unexplored. This dissertation presents a novel method for isolating and testing individual silk fibers without interfering with the development …

Bridging Animal Production And Human Nutrition: How Production Ecology Shapes The Nutritional Quality Of Terrestrial Animal Foods And Human Omega-3 Status, Joseph Vinod Varre

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The question at the center of this dissertation is simple: does the way food is produced change the quality of the food itself in ways that matter for human health? Across a series of studies on bison meat, eggs, and human dietary intervention, the answer was yes. This work began with a broad look at the modern food system and the nutritional consequences of industrialized diets. In particular, it focused on the growing imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in the Western diet. This balance matters because omega-3 fats support heart, brain, and immune health, and diets high in …

Integrating Space Use And Demography To Support Management Of An Endangered Alpine Ungulate, Danielle J. Berger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The places animals choose to live affect the food they find, the dangers they face, and the weather conditions they experience. These experiences influence whether individual animals survive and reproduce, which in turn affects the size and health of animal populations. Although scientists have long believed that animal movements play an important role in population trends, there has been limited real-world evidence showing this connection. Advances in GPS tracking technology now allow researchers to follow animals over long periods and better understand how movement influences survival. Using 20 years of GPS tracking data from the endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep …

Carbon Cycling, Salinization, And Long-Term Water Quality Trends In Rocky Mountain Streams, Allyson J. Marrs

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Humans have greatly affected streams and rivers worldwide through urbanization, agriculture, and water use. The purpose of my dissertation is to increase our understanding of various human impacts on rivers. In chapter two, I aim to determine whether there are differences in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions between a natural river and manmade canals. I did this by measuring the emissions and dissolved concentrations of three of the most prevalent GHGs, carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O). I found that most of the sites I studied were emitting CO₂ and CH …