Other Life Sciences Commons^™

Vegetation Characteristics Of Wyoming Big Sagebrush Communities Historically Seeded With Crested Wheatgrass In Northeastern Great Basin, Usa, Justin Rodney Williams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum [L.] Gaertn.) is one of the most commonly seeded grass species in the western United States and dominates thousands of hectares in the Great Basin. Although many degraded Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis) plant communities have been seeded with crested wheatgrass, successional pathways, influence of soil attributes, and cultivation history on the vegetation of these communities have not been fully characterized. I sought to identify community phases, vegetative differences, and soil attributes that explain variation among 35 Wyoming big sagebrush communities historically seeded with crested wheatgrass. All communities were more than …

Predation On Domestic Sheep On Summer Range Lands In Southwestern Utah, Brian Carl Palmer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Much of the decline of the U.S. sheep industry has been attributed to losses caused by predators. Most predatory losses are inflicted on lambs rather than ewes. Losses have historically ranged from 4-8% of lamb crops, inflicting significant financial loss on ranchers. However, most research providing data on sheep predation is over 20 years old. Changes in the sheep industry as well as predation rates may make previous loss rates inapplicable to current conditions. Coyotes (Canis latrans) are the primary predator of concern when it comes to sheep losses, but increasingly, cougars (Felis concolor) and black …

Effects Of Foraging Sequence On The Ability Of Lambs To Consume Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue (Alkaloids), Birdsfoot Trefoil (Tannins), And Alfalfa (Saponins), Emily Lockard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

All plants contain primary and secondary compounds. Primary compounds are needed by plants and herbivores for maintenance, growth, and reproduction, while secondary compounds play roles as diverse as protecting plants from ultraviolet radiation, defenses against herbivores, pollination attraction, and stress resistance. Secondary compounds have nutritional and medicinal benefits for herbivores as well, especially when eaten in diverse combinations that complement one another. While complementarities among secondary compounds are an important but little understood area of plant-herbivore interactions, even less is known about how the sequences of eating plants with different compounds affects foraging behavior, though they may be critical. In …

Livestock Foraging Behavior In Response To Interactions Among Alkaloids, Tannins, And Saponins, Tiffanny Lyman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Plant secondary compounds abound in every plant mother nature has to offer. From common garden vegetables to poisonous plants, there are secondary compounds in every plant any animal, as well as we, chooses to eat. In the past, secondary compounds were mostly considered waste products of plant metabolism, but over the last several decades research has shown that these compounds play an active role in plant and animal behavior, health, and productivity. Though often seen only in terms of their negative impacts on intake and production, we are becoming increasingly aware of their beneficial roles in plant, animal, and human …

Information Sources, Willingness To Volunteer, And Attitudes Towards Invasive Plants In The Southwestern United States, Leith Seeley Tidwell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis examines results of a survey conducted in the Southwestern United States focusing on attitudes towards invasive plants, public preferences for information sources and willingness to volunteer in invasive plant management. This research demonstrates that the public is interested in the problem and control of invasive plants. In a broad context there is agreement among respondents that invasive plants pose a threat to the environment and control efforts, including the use of herbicides, should be allowed to occur. Given the differences between general and specific attitudes towards invasive plants, it is suggested education and awareness programs be designed to …

Learning And Application Of Range Management Innovations Among Ranchers In West-Central Colorado, Caroline A. Kennedy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Like many ranchers in the West, ranchers in West-Central Colorado are reevaluating their management strategies in the face of forces like drought, rising land prices, and encroaching development. While ranchers seek answers on alternative management strategies, research and Extension personnel search for adequate means of diffusing needed information. Relative to many rural western communities, ranchers in West-Central Colorado show high interest in alternative range management ideas, and many implement changes to their ranch management based on these ideas. This can partially be attributed to a unique support system of Extension and agency personnel with effective, untraditional outreach and land-management approaches. …

Influence Of Fall Grazing By Sheep On Plant Productivity, Shrub Age Class Structure And Herbaceous Species Diversity In Sagebrush Steppe, Ryan Duncan Woodland

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Traditional chemical and mechanical treatments of Wyoming Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis) are costly and have typically focused solely on increasing forage for livestock production. Managing these systems biologically with grazing can potentially reduce costs and increase both biodiversity and understory production as well as rejuvenate Wyoming Big Sagebrush (ARTRWY). This experiment was conducted on Deseret Land and Livestock Ranch in northern Utah in October 2003. One hundred and twenty sheep (dry ewes) grazed 3, 60m x 40m plots (40 sheep plot^-1). Sheep were provided a protein-energy supplement to facilitate use of the secondary metabolites …

Recreation, Livestock Grazing, And Protected Resource Values In The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Lael Palmer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis reports the results of a project which identified differences in characteristics of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument user groups as they related to their perceptions of how they experience the Monument as recreationists. It explored opinions of four groups: hikers vs. hunters and pre-designation users vs. post-designation users. Responses of these groups were compared for attribution of perceived resource damage, feelings of crowding, acceptability of management action, and importance of identified monument values to their visit. In addition, characteristics of the users were examined to determine if demographic characteristics accounted for differences in perception toward the resources. Finally, how …

Attitudes And Roles Of Women And Minorities In Community And Urban Forestry Professions, Hope A. Bragg

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Community and urban forestry is a multifaceted field ranging from tree planting to removal, hazard assessment, and public relations. However, the racial and gender diversity of the community forestry workforce is remarkably low. To gain a better understanding of this lack of diversity, I surveyed professionals in two major community/urban forestry organizations. Age, income, and years in the profession were considered, along with education level, to determine if there is some underlying reason for low representation of women and minorities in the community/urban forestry field. I found that while white males dominated all work sectors (especially private organizations), women were …

Postbreeding Ecology Of Adult Male Northern Pintails And Cinnamon Teal Near Great Salt Lake, Utah, Robert R. Cox Jr.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I studied nutrient reserves, digestive organs, molt intensity, diets, and seasonal changes in food resources available to postbreeding adult male Northern Pintails (Anas acuta) and Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera) in marshes near Great Salt Lake, Utah. Total lipid and protein reserves of Northern Pintails were lower during the flightless period than before or after. For Cinnamon Teal, total protein was lowest during the flightless period, and total lipid showed a similar trend. Total mineral did not differ among plumage classes in either species. Use of nutrient reserves in these species may be an endogenous rhythm in …

Use Of Landsat Imagery And Geographical Information Systems In The Assessment Of Rangeland Cover And Wildlife Habitat, Mary Hunnicutt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The first chapter of this thesis reviews applications of satellite remote sensing and geographical information systems (GIS) in wildlife studies. The simpler uses of remote sensing are for habitat mapping, often using satellite imagery classified for other natural resources. More sophisticated applications incorporate remotely sensed data into a GIS for the digital manipulation of data planes. The most advanced applications are those which use remote sensing and GIS in models predicting habitat quality or population levels.

The second chapter reports how brightness values of six Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) bands were used in multiple linear regressions to predict percent cover …

The Effects Of Policy Development And Organizational Structure On The Performance Of Range Livestock Development Projects In Africa, Gregory Karl Perrier

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Range professionals are frequently involved in the arrangement of range development projects, both domestically and internationally. The success record of such projects has been uneven, particularly for projects in developing nations. The objective of this study was to provide range specialists a better understanding of potential management obstacles and barriers to success. This is accomplished through an examination of the management of three AID-funded pastoral development projects in Africa: the Tanzanian Masai Livestock and Range Management Project, the Somali Central Rangelands Development Project, and the Lesotho Lard Conservation and Range Development Project.

The study examined the effects of two important …

Early Career Development Processes Of Women And Men Resource Managers In The Usda Forest Service, Joseph Anthony Mincolla

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to understand the similarities and differences in the early careers of women and men resource managers in Regions 4 and 6 of the U.S. Forest Service (FS). Since the early family socialization of boys and girls has been shown to differ, it was hypothesized that differences would also be found in the early career goals of men and women and in their ability to fit into an organization like the Forest Service, experience personal satisfaction, and become contributing, productive members.

Although more similarities than differences were observed, women had slightly different definitions of two …

The Effect Of Sagebrush Reduction Practices On Sharp-Tailed Grouse Use In Southeastern Idaho, Barry Anthony Mcardle

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The effects of vegetation-manipulative practices on habitat use by sharp-tailed grouse (Pedioecetes phasianellus columbianus) were studied during the period 1974-1975 in Curlew National Grasslands, Oneida County, Idaho. Vegetational transects were run twice each month during the growing season of May-August, 1974-1975, to assess vegetational differences between treatments. Transects were run to estimate sharp-tailed grouse use on the eight study areas twice monthly. Vegetational plots were used at each sharp-tailed grouse observation site to determine correlates of vegetation types and grouse use. Chained areas were used heaviest by grouse during the study period suggesting that chaining created the most …

Diet Composition And Activities Of Elk On Different Habitat Segments In The Lodgepole Pine Type, Uinta Mountains, Utah, William B. Collins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The biweekly diets of tame elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) were established on a species dry-weight basis for different habitat segments of the lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) type, Principal species in the diets (5% or more) on each habitat segment were generally composed of preferred species. However, some highly abundant but non-preferred species took on principal dietary status, whereas some preferred species, scarce in the vegetation, contributed less than 5 percent to diets. Forbs contributed most to total consumption; grasses and sedges were the second largest contributors. Browse appeared to be of limited importance, but mushrooms had …

Social Behavior And Social Organization In An Unconfined Population Of Uinta Ground Squirrels, Richard T. Paul

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Social interactions and relationships in an unconfined population of Uinta ground squirrels were studied for two years following a 60% reduction in population size. Frequencies and patterns of interactions were evaluated in the context of the breeding cycle and compared to similar data collected before the population reduction.

Males defended territories in early spring, within which they courted females. They were highly aggressive toward other males. After the first month of activity, male aggressiveness declined and they occupied individual home ranges for the remainder of the year. Females were tolerant of other squirrels until early in pregnancy, when they became …

The Effects Of Campgrounds On Small Mammals In Canyonlands And Arches National Parks, Utah, Gregory A. Clevenger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Campground use in our national parks is increasing yearly, but little quantitative data are available concerning the impact this use is having on the ecology of the campground and surrounding area. This paper reports on some of the effects of campgrounds on small mammal populations in Canyonlands and Arches National Parks, Utah. Data collection consisted of live-trapping from April to November, 1975 (12,337 trap-nights). The populations of Ordls kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ordii), antelope ground squirrels (Ammospermophilus leucurus), deer mice (Peromyscus spp.), woodrats (Neotoma spp.), Colorado chipmunks (Eutamias guadrivittatus), and desert …

Forage Preferences Of Mule Deer In The Lodgepole Pine Ecosystem, Ashley National Forest, Utah, Joseph A. Deschamp

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

During the summer of 1976, five tame, trained mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) were used to determine botanical composition and relative preference of mule deer diets on five habitat segments in the lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) ecosystem of northeastern Utah. Diets were statistically analyzed according to estimated weight consumption per unit of time spent feeding on the different segments. Habitat segments sampled were: clearcut forest, dry and wet meadow, mature forest, and stagnated forest.

Diets differed between segments mainly because of differences in plant species available and their abundance. The diets in the non-forested segments averaged …

Stability Of Stream Communities Exposed To Underground Nuclear Tests On Amchitka, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, Richard Ames Valdez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A major bioenvironmental effect of The United States Atomic Energy Commission's Underground Nuclear Testing Program on Amchitka Island, Alaska was the decimation of stream communities by drilling muds from the device emplacement holes. These muds reached two of these streams 4 months and 2 years before the Milrow and Cannikin tests, respectively. Recolonization of fishes and macroinvertebrates in these small streams (Clevenger and White Alice Creeks) began 1 month after spill abatement.

Complete recovery of Dolly Varden in Clevenger Creek occurred less than 5 years after the spill. Of the other native fishes, pink salmon spawned 1 1/2 years after …

Rates Of Food Digestion By Brown Trout (Salmo Trutta) In The Blacksmith Fork River, Utah, John M. Salevurakis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Digestion rates have been measured for brown trout (Salmo trutta Linn.) during summer, fall, winter and spring seasons on the Blacksmith Fork River, Utah. Exponential rates of digestion varied from a gradual rate of -0.2372 to an accelerated rate of -0.6808. Factors found to affect digestion rate most were water temperature and the amount of food in the stomach. The affect of temperature was not clearly isolated. However, the amount of food in the stomach, at the beginning of the digestion study, appeared to have the most pronounced effect. Four of the five digestion rate measurements, with high coefficients …

The Effects Of Herbicidal Spraying Upon A North Central Utah Blue Grouse Population, T. Barry Barnes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The effects of herbicidal spraying upon a North Central Utah blue grouse population were studied. Baseline data were obtained in 1970 and 1971 prior to the spraying on June 2, 1972. The spraying was done to control wyethia (Wyethia amplexicaulis) and black sage (Artimesia nova) which covered 48 percent and 20 percent of the study area respectively.

No differences in blue grouse numbers occurred following spraying with 17 to 20 broods using the area in 1972 compared to 18 to 20 broods in 1971. Total population of blue grouse each year was between 90 and 104 …

Analysis Of Hunter Characteristics And Attitudes Relating To Utah Shooting Preserves, John T. Ratti

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This paper evaluates the present status of Utah shooting preserves with special reference to attitudes and characteristics of hunters using and not using the shooting preserves system. Data were gathered primarily by a mail questionnaire survey.

Compared to non-users, shooting preserve users were more frequently raised in a suburban or city area, better educated, and had higher yearly incomes. Shooting preserve users were commonly employed as professionals or proprietors, while non-users were often employed as craftsmen, proprietors, or operators.

Most shooting preserve hunters hunted after the state game bird season was closed, and were generally satisfied with Utah preserves. Most …

The Effects Of Elevation And Vegetation Type On Snow Accumulation And Melt In Logan Canyon, Utah, Paul R. Thies

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Snow accumulation and melt characteristics were studied in Logan Canyon, Utah. Three replications of aspen, conifer, and open field types at 6300, 7100,and 8000 feet were measured for snow depth and water content during 1972. Elevation was found to have the greatest effect on snow water content. The gradient of increasing water content with rise in elevation was found to be .51 inches/100 feet in the zone from 6300 to 7100 feet and 1.9 inches/100 feet from 7100 to 8000 feet. The cooler temperatures at higher elevations partially account for the 8000 foot zone beginning to melt 40 days after …

Primary Production In A Cache Valley, Utah Farm Pond, J. Kent Summers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Primary production was measured on a 9.5 acre Cache Valley, Utah farm pond from July 1971 to July 1972. Polyethylene film tubes, with lids, were used to confine columns of water for determining dissolved oxygen concentration. Once a week, dissolved oxygen samples were taken at sunset, the following sunrise and sunset. Annual primary production was estimated at 1289 grams oxygen per square meter for two of the four stations, and 927 grams oxygen per square meter for the remaining two stations.

The weekly data was computed at once a month intervals to see if it would be possible to get …

An Autecological Study Of Blackbrush (Coleogyne Ramosissima Torr.) In Southwestern Utah, James E. Bowns

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to provide basic ecological information on an important but little studied major vegetation type through autecological investigations of the dominant species. Data include climate and soils where this species occurs, root distribution, phenology and growth, seed germination requirements and seedling survival. Percent ground cover provided by blackbrush and other dominant plants as well as the composition of herbaceous understory vegetation was presented. Leaf and stem anatomy of blackbrush revealed features typical of desert shrub species with stem splitting appearing to be a characteristic of this species.

Blackbrush is characterized as a poor forage species …

Aquatic Invertebrate Consumption By The Major Fish Species In The Blacksmith Fork River, Theodore F. Meyers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Exponential rates of digestion are described for brown trout and whitefish for July, October, December (1969), and April (1970). The slope of the line fitted to the digestion data from each month was defined as the instantaneous rate of digestion and applied to an exponential growth model to determine the instantaneous consumption rate.

The digestion and consumption rates were applied to field measurements of percent fullness to determine the amount of food material ingested during a 24 hour period. Brown trout consumed 127, 24, 19, and 84 mean percent of their stomach capacity in the July, October, December, and April …

Development Of An Interpretive Document For The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, William R. Burbridge

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Since its inception, the National Wildlife Refuge System has been administered for management and restoration of habitat essential to the propagation and welfare of resident and wintering wildlife species. Acquisition of additional System units has been primarily directed to the benefit of the migratory bird resource. As of July 1, 1968 about 250 of the 321 refuge units were managed for the waterfowl resource (U. S. Department of Interior, 1968a). However, this growth of the System has been accompanied by an increase in recreational use of the refuges. In 1962, Public Law 87-714, the Refuge Recreation Act, was passed to …

The Effects Of Available Water Upon Populations Of Chukar Partridge On Desert Mountains Of Utah, William W. Shaw

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The importance of surface water to chukar partridges (Alectoris graeca) and the feasibility of rain-catchment devices for improving chukar habitat were studied on the Thomas and Dugway Mountain Ranges in western Utah during 1969 and 1970.

Sources of surface water were removed from one mountain range, and chukar populations on that range were compared with populations on an adjacent range with permanent sources of water.

Providing drinking water did not improve chukar productivity, survival, or availability to hunters. Although most birds concentrated around water supplies in the summer, some chukars appeared to live completely independent of any permanent …

The Coalville Deer Herd In Northeastern Utah: Its Ecology And Management, Gary L. Hickman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The primary objective of this study on the Coalville Deer Management Unit adjacent to the corner of Wyoming in Utah was to determine the condition of the deer herd in relation to its range and population characteristics.

Postseason doe-fawn ratio was 100:77, while an adjusted doe-fawn ratio accounting for the unproductive female yearling segment was 100:105. The approximate net-productivity for 1964 was 44 percent compared to 27 percent in 1965. In 1964-65, the average age-class mortality rate for the male and female segments was 45 and 35 percent respectively. Preseason and postseason sex ratios were 64:100 and 60:100 respectively.

Mature …

Ecology Of The Morgan Creek And East Fork Of The Salmon River Bighorn Sheep Herds And Management Of Bighorn Sheep In Idaho, James K. Morgan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An ecological study on the Morgan Creek and the East Fork of the Salmon River, Idaho, Bighorn Sheep herds was conducted from July 1, 1966 to February 28, 1970.

The Morgan Creek population numbered about 100 animals upon termination of the study. The trend of this population was downward. The East Fork population numbered about 50 animals and the trend appeared to be stable or slightly downward.

Productivity of both herds was low. Lamb mortality was high and recruitment to the breeding herd low. Low recruitment rates coupled with hunting pressure caused a decline in the ram component of both …