Animal Sciences Commons^™

Fire Scarring Does Not Significantly Impact Conifer Growth Response To Forest Fires In Utah, Connor B. Biser, Russell Torgersen, Otto Degroff, Steve Petersen

Student Works

BYU Wildfire Symposium 2026 - First Place Research Application, People's Choice Award

Wildfires are an increasingly prevalent disturbance in forests in the western United States, and play an essential role in ecosystem function. Micro-variations in fire dynamics and intensity can leave individual trees with varying levels of damage. We hypothesized that trees with fire-scars would suffer a growth depression directly following the disturbance. Core samples were taken for dendrochronological analysis from 185 conifers at 29 points, representing 11 fires from 6 years. Our findings showed a growth depression in the first year following the fire, with no significant difference between …

Spatiotemporal Patterns Of Occupancy By Pygmy Rabbits (Sylvilagus Idahoensis), Kevin A. Royal, Brock R. Mcmillan, Kimberly A. Hersey, Steven L. Petersen, Randy T. Larsen

Student Works

The pygmy rabbit (Sylvilagus idahoensis) is a species of conservation concern that has declined due to fragmentation and loss of essential habitat, primarily sagebrush-steppe. Pygmy rabbits are currently under review for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) and consequently require a clearer understanding of current distribution and patterns of occurrence in big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) habitats. From 2024 to 2025, we surveyed for pygmy rabbits using remote cameras at several historically occupied sites in Utah, USA, to understand patterns of activity and occupancy. We also compared current estimates of occupancy to historical data collected approximately 20 years ago. …

Data For Recreation Effects On Soil Carbon, Biocrust, Soil Stability, And Invasives In Indian Creek, Bears Ears National Monument, Elisabeth M. Currit, Tara B. Bishop, April Hulet, Nathan Allen Currit, Teresa Gomez, Nathan T. Thompson, Shannon Lambson, Heidi Jean Wilding Mann, Evan Miller, Erin Jones, Alexandra Olson, Katherine A. Anselmi, Meredith Murdock, Ella Reid, Kirsten Steele, Indy Lawrence, Neil Hansen

ScholarsArchive Data

This data is about how different types of recreation impact different soil and vegetation properties related to soil carbon in Indian Creek, Bears Ears National Monument. The data was collected from May 2023 to October 2023. It contains plant functional group cover, biocrust cover and type, soil stability, and compaction data for each individual site. There are 5-7 of each site type: camping, foot trails, and motorized offroading trails, and undisturbed sites, with a total of 30 sites. It also contains the code used to analyze the raw data and the figures created.

Church2024_Development Of A Rhizobium Seed Coating...Data, Bridget M. Church, Brad Geary, Curtis L. Drake, Joel Griffitts, Kate Ruebelmann, Shannon V. Nelson, Matthew D. Madsen

ScholarsArchive Data

This file contains the data description for the “Church2024_Development of a Rhizobium Seed Coating…” Supplementary File.

The excel file contains six worksheets: 1) Exceed Study Data, 2) Exceed Study Tiss TotN%, 3) Inoc Study data, 4) Inoc Study Tiss TotN%, 5) Seed Coat study data, Seed Coat study Tiss TotN%.

Maturation Of An Off-Channel Habitat Concept To Conserve Native Fishes In The Lower Colorado River, Paul C. Marsh, Thomas E. Dowling, Thomas F. Turner, Megan J. Osborne, Brian R. Kesner

Monographs of the Western North American Naturalist

Two endemic, “large river” fishes of the Colorado River basin of western North America, bonytail Gila elegans and razorback sucker Xyrauchen texanus, are among several critically endangered species in the system. Wild populations of bonytail are gone, and there are no self-sustaining populations of razorback sucker anywhere; reproduction occurs but recruitment does not. Both species have been under intensive management in the Lower Colorado River since the 1980s. Today, with the single exception of Lake Mead, remaining populations are composed entirely of repatriated individuals that depend on stocking for their continued existence. In 2003, a conceptual off-channel habitat (OCH) …

Using Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi To Help Establish And Increase Vigor Of Plants In Mineland Soils, Melissa Burrell, Brad Geary, Shannon Nelson, Josh Moroni De Santiago Lazalde, Scott Kent, Matthew Madsen

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2024

• Vegetation establishment in areas impacted by mining can be difficult due to a lack of beneficial soil microbes.
• The introduction of soil mutualists, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), may improve mineland revegetation efforts. AMF forms a mutually beneficial relationship with plants to aid in nutrient absorption and improve water uptake.
• Practitioners commonly need to decide where to source their AMF. Locally collected AMF requires effort to collect and process, but this source should be adapted to the restoration site. Commercial products are easy to obtain, but their strains may not be suitable for the environment they are being placed …

Cook2024_Influence Of Planting Depth Data, Kyle A. Cook, Brad Geary, Phil S. Allen, April Hulet, Kevin Gunnell, Melissa Landeen, Shannon V. Nelson, Matthew D. Madsen

ScholarsArchive Data

This file contains the data description for the Cook2024_1_Influence of Planting Depth… Supplementary File.

The excel file contains two worksheets: 1) Lab Trial Data, and 2) Field Trial Data.

1) Lab Trial Data

A) Block: block (rep) of the sample

B) Soil Type: soil type for that sample- loam, sandy-loam, or loamy-sand

C) Seed Treatment: seed treatment, control or coated

D) Seeding Depth (mm): depth, in mm, the seeds were planted- 0, 3.2, 6.3, 12.7

E) Week 1 Emerge: total number of seedlings emerged in Week 1

F) Week 2 Emerge: total number of seedlings emerged in Week 2 (includes …

Fungicide Data, Amber Johnson

ScholarsArchive Data

This dataset contains emergence, biomass, and fungal biomass data collected during a laboratory study examining the effects of soil fungal level and seed coating treatment on the growth of bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata). Pathogenesis from soil and seed-borne fungus can limit success when restoring native species. Fungicides can combat fungal pathogens, but in some studies, fungicides treatments are ineffective at improving seedling emergence over untreated, control seed. These studies suggest low fungal presence due to dry conditions may be the cause of the ineffectiveness of fungicide treatments for some years and sites. This study tested if fungicide treatment …

Larson2023_Slow Release Of Ga3_Data, Alexandra J.S. Larson, Maureen Cartwright, Whitney D. Jones, Katrina Luce, Mei Chen, Kate Petersen, Shannon V. Nelson, David J. Michaelis, Matthew D. Madsen

ScholarsArchive Data

This file contains the data description for the Larson2023_Slow-release of GA3 Hormone… Supplementary File.

The excel file contains four worksheets: 1) Palmer’s germination, 2) Palmer’s biomass, 3) germination other species, 4) biomass other species. Blank cells indicate either no coating was used or there was no plant.

1) “Palmer’s germination” and “germination other species” A) Temp (o C): germination chamber temperature setting B) Species: common name of penstemon species tested (“germination other species” only) C) Treatment: seed coating treatment D) Final Germination percentage: percent of seed that germinated. E) FGP: final germination percent in decimal form F) Time to 50% …

Reproductively Viable Population Of American Black Bears (Ursus Americanus) In Lowland Chihuahuan Desert Habitat Of Trans-Pecos Texas, Franklin D. Yancey Ii, Stephen Kasper

Western North American Naturalist

During a 6.5-year camera-trap study in Big Bend Ranch State Park (situated in the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas), we documented a persistent breeding population of American black bears (Ursus americanus) in the Solitario region of the park. The habitat in the Solitario, which is an isolated, eroded remnant of volcanic activity, is low-elevation Chihuahuan Desert scrub but includes significant and complex localized topography and prolonged water sources in the form of tinajas. From January 2016 to May 2022, camera traps captured 367,301 photographs. Of these, 868 contained one or more black bears, resulting in 1010 black bear …

First Documentation Of Least Chub In The Snake River Drainage In Idaho, Eric J. Billman, Dallin Stokes, Isaac Calderwood, Cody Diehl

Western North American Naturalist

The Least Chub (Iotichthys phlegethontis) is a small minnow endemic to the Bonneville Basin in Utah, where the current distribution of extant populations is limited to a few small spring complexes. We report on the first documentation of Least Chub in the upper Snake River drainage in Idaho. In June 2021, October 2021, and June 2022, we surveyed for small-bodied fishes in off-channel habitat of lower Henrys Fork in Cartier Slough Wildlife Management Area west of Rexburg, Idaho. Small-bodied fishes were sampled at 17 sites in off-channel habitat; 5 baited minnow traps (galvanized steel) were set for approximately …

Gibberellic Acid Data, Amber Johnson

ScholarsArchive Data

This dataset contains plant emergence and survival data collected from a field study which focused on overcoming seed dormancy. Seed dormancy can present a challenge within a restoration scenario where rapid establishment is required. Soaking seeds in gibberellic acid (GA₃) can overcome dormancy and increase germination but this treatment may not be effective outside the laboratory. An easier and potentially more effective method to apply this hormone is to coat seeds with a GA₃-impregnated polymer, which provides a slow release of GA₃. Seed dormancy can also be mitigated by creating a favorable microsite with …

Western Pearlshell (Margaritifera Falcata) Extirpation In The Smith River, Montana, With A Possible Link To Warming Water Temperatures, David M. Stagliano

Western North American Naturalist

Western pearlshell (Margaritifera falcata) populations are in decline across the species’ range in western North America. In 2008, Montana categorized the western pearlshell as an imperiled species of concern (S2) based on reduced detections at historically occupied sites and few viable populations. Between 2004 and 2014, we surveyed 24 Smith River reaches (61 total sites in the watershed) for the presence of western pearlshell populations. Despite historical and anecdotal descriptions of abundant western pearlshell in the Smith River, intensive structured surveys between 2004 and 2007 documented only 4 sections with low-density, nonviable western pearlshell populations (<10 individuals, large size classes [average total length = 70 mm], with no signs of recruitment). In 2014, we revisited these occupied sites to repeat surveys (expending significantly more search time) and observed no live individuals. This was surprising given that, although those populations would certainly die out without recruitment, older individuals can oftentimes persist for decades. Therefore, we consider the western pearlshell mussel extirpated from the Smith River watershed. We reviewed long-term USGS gage discharge and temperature data near the western pearlshell populations to evaluate the potential causal factors for, and timing of, the extirpation. From 3 July to 3 August 2007, water temperatures were at or above the thermal stress levels of the western pearlshell (>25 °C, …

Mexican Gartersnakes (Thamnophis Eques) Along The Gila River In Southwestern New Mexico, Keith Geluso

Western North American Naturalist

The Mexican gartersnake (Thamnophis eques) is a federally threatened species in the United States, with only a few isolated populations remaining in Arizona and New Mexico. For some populations, only limited knowledge exists regarding their status and natural history; thus, all observations are noteworthy. Along the Gila River in New Mexico, for example, only 2 observations of this species have been published, one in 1883 and one in 1973. Herein, I report on 6 additional observations of Mexican gartersnakes from along the Gila River in southwestern New Mexico. Five individuals were documented in riparian habitats close to or …

Puma (Puma Concolor) Sex Influences Diet In Southwest New Mexico, Kelly M.T. Bernard, Travis W. Perry, Nokubonga Mgqatsa

Western North American Naturalist

Puma (Puma concolor) is a wide-ranging, large felid species, and site-specific research on its diet is important for local management. Like the diets of other large felids, puma diets may differ between sex due to size dimorphism and between seasons due to changes in prey vulnerability and availability. We investigated the influence of sex and season on puma diet in southwest New Mexico in terms of prey species and size categories. Pumas (10 males, 6 females) were tracked with GPS collars for an average of one year per individual between February 2008 and July 2020. Puma location was …

Are Shrubs A Necessary Component Of The Habitat For Ammospermophilus Nelsoni In The San Joaquin Desert?, David J. Germano, Larry R. Saslaw

Western North American Naturalist

The San Joaquin antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus nelsoni; SJAS) is a state-listed Threatened species in California that evolved in the shrublands of the San Joaquin Desert. Due to livestock overgrazing and fires, much of the desert has lost its shrub cover, which would be a conservation concern if shrubs are a necessary component of the habitat for squirrels. We established two 64-trap plots on the Lokern area of Kern County, California: one covered by saltbush scrub (Atriplex spp.) and another nearby without shrubs. We trapped quarterly starting in January 2019 and ending in November 2021 (12 trap sessions). …

First Documentation Of Ergasilus Centrarchidarum On Smallmouth Bass In Idaho, Danielle Perkins, John W. Heckel Iv, Brett High, Eric J. Billman

Western North American Naturalist

Ergasilus centrarchidarum is a parasitic copepod that infects the gills of fishes in the family Centrarchi­dae. This parasite has been introduced in many regions of North America through introduction of infected Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu); however, effects of E. centrarchidarum on its hosts have been poorly studied. Ergasilus centrarchidarum was first discovered infecting Smallmouth Bass in Ririe Reservoir in 2020, although timing of introduction remains uncertain. Our objective was to determine prevalence and intensity of infection of E. centrarchidarum on Smallmouth Bass in Ririe Reservoir. We used angling to collect Smallmouth Bass in the upstream portion of Ririe …

First Shasta Ground Sloth (Nothrotheriops; Xenarthra) From The Eastern Great Basin, Nevada, Jim I. Mead, Sandra L. Swift, H. Gregory Mcdonald, Steven D. Emslie

Western North American Naturalist

We present the first record of the Shasta ground sloth (Nothrotheriops shastensis) for the eastern Great Basin. The single right upper second molariform was recovered from the back dirt pile of archaeological test pits excavated during the 1960s and 1970s in Smith Creek Cave, northern Snake Range, White Pine County, Nevada. The precise age of the specimen is indeterminate, although all sediment layers in the area produced radiocarbon dates older than 11,000 cal BP; thus, the specimen is considered of the Rancholabrean Land Mammal Age. All previous accounts of this sloth in the Great Basin are from its …

Conspecific Tolerance In A Solitary Small Carnivore, The Pacific Marten, Matthew S. Delheimer, Marie E. Martin, Katie M. Moriarty

Western North American Naturalist

Holarctic martens (genus Martes) are small carnivores that are considered functionally solitary, with both resource scarcity and martens’ inability to store energetic reserves posited as precluding social behavior. Interactions between martens are expected to be largely agonistic with the exception of mating and rearing of kits by adult females. Nonetheless, we documented multiple instances of conspecific tolerance by Pacific martens (M. caurina) during long-term monitoring of radio-marked animals in 2 study populations. Observations from radio-tracking and remotely triggered cam­era trap photographs suggested that pairs of martens traveled, foraged, and rested together. Presumed marten associations occurred both inter- …

Nest Success By A Female Black-Chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus Alexandri) With Male-Like Plumage, Cooper M. Farr, John Middleton

Western North American Naturalist

Female-limited polymorphism, a phenomenon in which female animals can exhibit male-like coloration, is known to occur in approximately 25% of hummingbird species, but it has not previously been recognized in Black-chinned Hummingbirds (Archilochus alexandri). Between May and July 2021, we documented a Black-chinned Humming­bird with male plumage features that built a nest, incubated eggs, and successfully fledged 2 chicks in Salt Lake City, Utah. The bird’s gorget feathers, including the chin and upper throat, were predominantly dark with a small number of white feathers interspersed. Because the bird participated in nest building, presumed egg production, and incubation—behaviors not …

Use Of Highway Infrastructure By Bats: A Literature Review And Survey Of The Trans-Pecos Region Of Texas, Holly G. Wilson, Stirling J. Robertson, Richard D. Stevens

Western North American Naturalist

Bats are important components of nature and provide both monetary and nonmonetary benefits to mankind. While anthropogenic effects on wildlife and their habitats are typically viewed as negative, highway infrastructure might benefit numerous species of plants and animals, bats in particular. Cracks, crevices, and grooves within structures provide places for bats to roost. Here we review the literature on this topic as well as describe results of our own survey of bridges and culverts in the Trans-Pecos of Texas. We surveyed 204 bridges and 768 culverts between 2018 and 2019. We observed 7 species of bats using bridges or culverts …

Channel Island Foxes (Urocyon Littoralis) Are Viable Seed Dispersal Agents Of Toyon, Savannah L. Bartel, Juliann T. Schamel, Bridget A. Parrino, Melissa K. Marshall, John L. Orrock

Western North American Naturalist

Mammals that consume fleshy fruit and deposit viable seeds in their scat can be important agents of seed dispersal for plants. Despite the knowledge that the island fox (Urocyon littoralis) consumes large quantities of fleshy fruits, it is unknown whether seeds survive digestion by island foxes and are able to germinate. In order to evaluate whether island foxes are agents of viable seed dispersal on the Channel Islands, we collected island fox scat on Santa Cruz Island in February 2021 and conducted germination assays on digested seeds found in scat. We compared the germinability and germination rates of …

Unusual Bird Reports From The Trans-Pecos District Of Chihuahua, Mexico, Including Five New Additions To The State Of Chihuahua, Israel Moreno-Contreras, Fernando Mondaca-Fernández, Daniel Enrique Pérez-Carrillo, José Manuel Jurado-Ruiz, María Cristina Pérez-Amezola, Marisa Tirado-Madrid, William H. Howe

Western North American Naturalist

We present new distributional information on 21 species of birds from the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, 5 of which represent the first documented records for this state. Several observations are of birds normally associated with the Sierra Madre Occidental province, suggesting that these species may be regular wanderers to the Trans-Pecos district of Chihuahua.


Presentamos nueva información sobre 21 especies de aves del estado de Chihuahua, México. Cinco de ellas representan el primer registro documentado para Chihuahua. Nuestras observaciones adicionales son de aves asoci­adas con la provincia de la Sierra Madre Occidental, sin embargo, estos registros sugieren que estas especies …

Territorial Intrusion By Resident Male Wilson's Warblers: Breeding Stages Of The Intruders And Distances They Travel, William M. Gilbert

Western North American Naturalist

It now is generally recognized that genetic monogamy is the exception in birds, and that extrapair paternity in territorial species requires that one or the other sex involved in such an extrapair mating travel off its own territory to obtain an extrapair copulation. However, which sex or sexes travel off their home territories, the distances they might travel to obtain extrapair copulations, and the breeding stages during which they might make such off-territory forays are poorly understood for most species. I explored these issues in Wilson’s Warblers (Cardellina pusilla) in central, inner-coastal California. Male Wilson’s Warblers frequently intruded …

Two New Late Quaternary Avifaunas From The East-Central Great Basin With The Description Of A New Species Of Falco, Steven D. Emslie, Jim I. Mead

Western North American Naturalist

We report 2 new late Quaternary avifaunas from cave deposits in Snake Valley, White Pine County, eastern Nevada, that provide new records of extinct and extant species in the east-central Great Basin. These avifaunas collectively represent at least 24 species, including the most northern inland record of California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) in western North America and a new species of kestrel (Falco sp.) described herein. Two extralimital living species also were identified—the Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) and Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)—and are the first fossil records of these species in the Great Basin. …

Lymphocyte Proteomics For Monitoring Long Term Immune System Dynamics, Michaela Mccown

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Time dependent change in lymphocytes provides a necessary background for monitoring the development of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia from asymptomatic to malignant. Several bulk proteomics studies characterize differences between tumor cells and healthy B cells, yet the transition to symptomatic disease is not well understood. This could be shown by a longitudinal study beginning with asymptomatic patients if the rare tumor cells in early stages can be isolated from small volume blood draws and effectively characterized with few cells, such as was done here using healthy B cells to provide a baseline for such studies to discriminate routine fluctuation from pathogenic …

Human Health And Economic Costs Of Air Pollution In Utah: An Expert Assessment, Isabella Errigo

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Recent scholarship has found that air pollution damages our health and economy more than previously understood, with approximately one in four deaths associated with exposure to air pollution globally. However, translating these research findings into policy and behavior change at local levels remains a major challenge, partially because of mismatch between the scale of air pollution research (often national or global) and governance frameworks (typically local to regional). Here, we used an expert assessment to bridge this research-policy divide in Utah, USA. We combined quantitative and qualitative input from 23 Utah-specific researchers and specialists, asking for estimates of human health …

Multispecies Character Displacement In Mexican Poeciliopsis Fishes, Andrea J. Roth

Theses and Dissertations

Competition has long been recognized as a central force in shaping evolution, particularly through character displacement. Yet research on character displacement is biased as it has focused almost exclusively on pairs of interacting species while ignoring multispecies interactions. Unfortunately, communities are seldom so simple that only pairs of species interact, and it is not clear if inferences from pairwise interactions are sufficient to explain patterns in nature. A more realistic approach is to ask how traits evolve when multiple species interact. Here I explore the importance of multispecies competitive interactions on trait evolution in four congeneric species of livebearing fishes …

Space Use And Annual Survival Of Hybridized Mouflon Sheep In Hawaii And Comparing Estimates Of Population Size Through Instantaneous Sampling And Photographic Capture-Recapture, Bradley Jay Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Significant efforts in conservation are devoted to the management and study of ungulates, due to their significant roles in ecosystems as well as their potential economic value. This is especially true for species considered exotic, such as mouflon sheep (Ovis musimon) in Hawaii. Effective management of an exotic species requires an understanding of ecological metrics such as space use, survival, and population size. We provided these metrics for a population of mouflon that have hybridized with feral sheep (Ovis aries) on the island of Hawaii. In Chapter 1, we quantified space use and annual survival of sheep in an area …

Effects Of Abscisic Acid (Aba) On Germination Rate Of Three Rangeland Species, Turmandakh Badrakh

Theses and Dissertations

Seeds sown in the fall to restore sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) steppe plant communities could experience high mortality when they germinate and seedlings freeze during the winter. Delaying germination until the risk of frost is past could increase seedling survival. We evaluated the use of abscisic acid (ABA) to delay germination of Elymus elymoides, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Linum perenne. The following treatments were applied: uncoated seed, seed coated with ABA at 2.2, 4.4, 8.8, 13.2, and 17.6 g of active ingredient kg-1 of seed, and seed coated with no ABA. The influence of seed treatments on germination were tested at five …