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College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

2020

Articles 1 - 22 of 22

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Mobilizing Crop Biodiversity, Susan Mccouch, Zahra Katy Navabi, Michael Abberton, Noelle L. Anglin, Rosa Lia Barbieri, Michael Baum, Kirstin Bett, Helen Booker, Gerald L. Brown, Glenn J. Bryan, Luigi Cattivelli, David Charest, Kellye Eversole, Marcelo Freitas, Kioumars Ghamkhar, Dario Grattipaglia, Robert Henry, Maria Cleria Valadares Inglis, Tofazzal Islam, Zakaria Kehel, Paul J. Kersey, Graham J. King, Stephen Kresovich, Emily Marden, Sean Mayes, Marie Noelle Ndjiondjiop, Henry T. Nguyen, Samuel Rezende Paiva, Roberto Papa, Peter W.B. Phillips, Awais Rasheed Oct 2020

Mobilizing Crop Biodiversity, Susan Mccouch, Zahra Katy Navabi, Michael Abberton, Noelle L. Anglin, Rosa Lia Barbieri, Michael Baum, Kirstin Bett, Helen Booker, Gerald L. Brown, Glenn J. Bryan, Luigi Cattivelli, David Charest, Kellye Eversole, Marcelo Freitas, Kioumars Ghamkhar, Dario Grattipaglia, Robert Henry, Maria Cleria Valadares Inglis, Tofazzal Islam, Zakaria Kehel, Paul J. Kersey, Graham J. King, Stephen Kresovich, Emily Marden, Sean Mayes, Marie Noelle Ndjiondjiop, Henry T. Nguyen, Samuel Rezende Paiva, Roberto Papa, Peter W.B. Phillips, Awais Rasheed

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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Genome-Wide Association Study In Accessions Of The Mini-Core Collection Of Mungbean (Vigna Radiata) From The World Vegetable Gene Bank (Taiwan), Alena Sokolkova, Marina Burlyaeva, Tatjana Valiannikova, Margarita Vishnyakova, Roland Schafleitner, Cheng Ruei Lee, Chau Ti Ting, Ramakrishnan Madhavan Nair, Sergey Nuzhdin, Maria Samsonova, Eric Von Wettberg Oct 2020

Genome-Wide Association Study In Accessions Of The Mini-Core Collection Of Mungbean (Vigna Radiata) From The World Vegetable Gene Bank (Taiwan), Alena Sokolkova, Marina Burlyaeva, Tatjana Valiannikova, Margarita Vishnyakova, Roland Schafleitner, Cheng Ruei Lee, Chau Ti Ting, Ramakrishnan Madhavan Nair, Sergey Nuzhdin, Maria Samsonova, Eric Von Wettberg

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek, or green gram) is important tropical and sub-tropical legume and a rich source of dietary protein and micronutrients. In this study we employ GWAS to examine the genetic basis of variation in several important traits in mungbean, using the mini-core collection established by the World Vegetable Center, which includes 296 accessions that represent the major market classes. This collection has been grown in a common field plot in southern European part of Russia in 2018. Results: We used 5041 SNPs in 293 accessions that passed strict filtering for genetic diversity, linkage disequilibrium, population …

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Dynamical Climatic Model For Time To Flowering In Vigna Radiata, Konstantin Kozlov, Alena Sokolkova, Cheng Ruei Lee, Chau Ti Ting, Roland Schafleitner, Eric Bishop-Von Wettberg, Sergey Nuzhdin, Maria Samsonova Oct 2020

Dynamical Climatic Model For Time To Flowering In Vigna Radiata, Konstantin Kozlov, Alena Sokolkova, Cheng Ruei Lee, Chau Ti Ting, Roland Schafleitner, Eric Bishop-Von Wettberg, Sergey Nuzhdin, Maria Samsonova

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Phenology data collected recently for about 300 accessions of Vigna radiata (mungbean) is an invaluable resource for investigation of impacts of climatic factors on plant development. Results: We developed a new mathematical model that describes the dynamic control of time to flowering by daily values of maximal and minimal temperature, precipitation, day length and solar radiation. We obtained model parameters by adaptation to the available experimental data. The models were validated by cross-validation and used to demonstrate that the phenology of adaptive traits, like flowering time, is strongly predicted not only by local environmental factors but also by plant …

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Modeling Alternative Collaborative Governance Network Designs: An Agent-Based Model Of Water Governance In The Lake Champlain Basin, Vermont, Patrick Bitterman, Christopher J. Koliba Oct 2020

Modeling Alternative Collaborative Governance Network Designs: An Agent-Based Model Of Water Governance In The Lake Champlain Basin, Vermont, Patrick Bitterman, Christopher J. Koliba

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Public Management Research Association. With the widespread use of collaborative governance mechanisms for mitigating water pollution, an opportunity exists to test alternative institutional designs based on collaborative governance theory using computer simulation models, particularly when there is a clear relationship between governance networks, observable resource allocation decisions, and measurable outcomes. This is especially the case for wicked problems like nonpoint source water pollution where there are compelling questions regarding how best to design policies, allocate funds, and build administrative capacity to meet water quality standards. We present an agent-based model (ABM) …

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Editorial: Wild Plants As Source Of New Crops, Eric Von Wettberg, Thomas M. Davis, Petr Smýkal Sep 2020

Editorial: Wild Plants As Source Of New Crops, Eric Von Wettberg, Thomas M. Davis, Petr Smýkal

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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Benefits And Tradeoffs Of Reduced Tillage And Manure Application Methods In A Zea Mays Silage System, Kyle M. Dittmer, Heather M. Darby, Tyler R. Goeschel, E. Carol Adair Sep 2020

Benefits And Tradeoffs Of Reduced Tillage And Manure Application Methods In A Zea Mays Silage System, Kyle M. Dittmer, Heather M. Darby, Tyler R. Goeschel, E. Carol Adair

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

A critical question is whether there are agricultural management practices that can attain the multiple management goals of increasing yields, preventing nutrient losses, and suppressing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. No-till and manure application methods, such as manure injection, can enhance nutrient retention, but both may also enhance emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a powerful GHG. We assessed differences in soil N2O and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, nitrate and ammonium retention, and crop yield and protein content under combinations of vertical-till, no-till, manure injection, and manure broadcast without incorporation in a corn (Zea mays L.) silage system. During the growing seasons …

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Understanding The Uncertainty In Global Forest Carbon Turnover, Thomas A.M. Pugh, Tim Rademacher, Sarah L. Shafer, Jorg Steinkamp, Jonathan Barichivich, Brian Beckage, Vanessa Haverd, Anna Harper, Jens Heinke, Kazuya Nishina, Anja Rammig, Hisashi Sato, Almut Arneth, Stijn Hantson, Thomas Hickler, Markus Kautz, Benjamin Quesada, Benjamin Smith, Kirsten Thonicke Aug 2020

Understanding The Uncertainty In Global Forest Carbon Turnover, Thomas A.M. Pugh, Tim Rademacher, Sarah L. Shafer, Jorg Steinkamp, Jonathan Barichivich, Brian Beckage, Vanessa Haverd, Anna Harper, Jens Heinke, Kazuya Nishina, Anja Rammig, Hisashi Sato, Almut Arneth, Stijn Hantson, Thomas Hickler, Markus Kautz, Benjamin Quesada, Benjamin Smith, Kirsten Thonicke

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

The length of time that carbon remains in forest biomass is one of the largest uncertainties in the global carbon cycle, with both recent historical baselines and future responses to environmental change poorly constrained by available observations. In the absence of large-scale observations, models used for global assessments tend to fall back on simplified assumptions of the turnover rates of biomass and soil carbon pools. In this study, the biomass carbon turnover times calculated by an ensemble of contemporary terrestrial biosphere models (TBMs) are analysed to assess their current capability to accurately estimate biomass carbon turnover times in forests and …

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Characterizing Heterogeneous Behavior Of Non-Point-Source Polluters In A Spatial Game Under Alternate Sensing And Incentive Designs, Asim Zia, Shanshan Ding, Kent D. Messer, Haoran Miao, Jordan F. Suter, Jacob R. Fooks, Todd Guilfoos, Simona Trandafir, Emi Uchida, Yushiou Tsai, Scott Merrill, Scott Turnbull, Christopher Koliba Aug 2020

Characterizing Heterogeneous Behavior Of Non-Point-Source Polluters In A Spatial Game Under Alternate Sensing And Incentive Designs, Asim Zia, Shanshan Ding, Kent D. Messer, Haoran Miao, Jordan F. Suter, Jacob R. Fooks, Todd Guilfoos, Simona Trandafir, Emi Uchida, Yushiou Tsai, Scott Merrill, Scott Turnbull, Christopher Koliba

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Behavioral research on natural resource management has revealed a number of variables that can impact collective action. This research builds upon an interactive decision game using experimental economics methods with a focus on production decisions and the corresponding impact they have on ambient water quality. Using hierarchical clustering algorithms, four primary types of behavior are identified: competitive, hypercompetitive, cooperative, and hypercooperative. The results from the experiment are used to test the following three hypotheses: (1) financial incentives increase cooperative behavior, (2) increasing the number and frequency of water quality sensors increases cooperative behavior, and (3) the spatial location of the …

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Making Hemp Choices: Evidence From Vermont, Jane Kolodinsky, Hannah Lacasse, Katherine Gallagher Aug 2020

Making Hemp Choices: Evidence From Vermont, Jane Kolodinsky, Hannah Lacasse, Katherine Gallagher

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Hemp's reemergence in the United States' economy presents an opportunity for a new category of sustainable product choice for consumers. This study fills a gap in knowledge about which consumers are currently aware of or choosing hemp products using the theory of choice alternatives and a statistically representative survey from a top ten hemp producing US state. Findings reveal high levels of consumer awareness and consideration of hemp products in general and a smaller evoked/choice set. Cannabidiol products appear most often in our sample's choice set; we examined these specifically. Other hemp products also appear, including clothing and textile, personal …

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Implementing A Loosely-Coupled Integrated Assessment Model In The Pegasus Workflow Management System, Patrick Clemins, Scott Turnbull, Morgan Rodgers, Asim Zia Jul 2020

Implementing A Loosely-Coupled Integrated Assessment Model In The Pegasus Workflow Management System, Patrick Clemins, Scott Turnbull, Morgan Rodgers, Asim Zia

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Integrated assessment models (IAMs) are commonly used to explore the interactions between different modeled components of socio-environmental systems (SES). Most IAMs are built in a tightly-coupled framework so that the complex interactions between the models can be efficiently implemented within the framework in a straightforward manner. However, tightly-coupled frameworks make it more difficult to change individual models within the IAM because of the high level of integration between the models. Prioritizing flexibility over computational efficiency, the IAM presented here is built using a loosely-coupled framework and implemented in the Pegasus Workflow Management System. The modular nature of loosely-coupled systems allows …

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Evaluation Of Nitrogen And Phosphorus Removal From A Denitrifyingwoodchip Bioreactor Treatment System Receiving Silage Bunker Runoff, Jillian C. Sarazen, Joshua W. Faulkner, Stephanie E. Hurley Jul 2020

Evaluation Of Nitrogen And Phosphorus Removal From A Denitrifyingwoodchip Bioreactor Treatment System Receiving Silage Bunker Runoff, Jillian C. Sarazen, Joshua W. Faulkner, Stephanie E. Hurley

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Leachate and storm-driven runoff from silage storage bunkers can degrade receiving water bodies if left untreated. This study evaluated a novel treatment system consisting of three treatment tanks with a moving-bed biofilm reactor and paired side-by-side denitrifying woodchip bioreactors for the ability to reduce influent nutrient mass loads. Flow-based samples were taken at four locations throughout the system, at the inflow to the first tank, outflow from the tanks prior to entering the woodchip bioreactors, and from the outflows of both bioreactors. Samples were analyzed for concentrations of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) species. Inflow concentrations were reduced from the …

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Communicating Climate Change Risk: A Content Analysis Of Ipcc's Summary For Policymakers, P. Marijn Poortvliet, Meredith T. Niles, Jeroen A. Veraart, Saskia E. Werners, Fiona C. Korporaal, Bob C. Mulder Jun 2020

Communicating Climate Change Risk: A Content Analysis Of Ipcc's Summary For Policymakers, P. Marijn Poortvliet, Meredith T. Niles, Jeroen A. Veraart, Saskia E. Werners, Fiona C. Korporaal, Bob C. Mulder

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

This study investigated the effectiveness of climate change risk communication in terms of its theoretical potential to stimulate recipients' awareness and behavioral change. We selected the summary for policy makers (SPM) of the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report in order to conduct a content analysis; the extended parallel process model and construal level theory served as conceptual lenses to perform the analysis. Specifically, we evaluated to what extent the SPM included informational elements of threat, efficacy and psychological distance related to climate change. The results showed that threat information was prominently present, but efficacy information was …

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Legume Genetics And Biology: From Mendel’S Pea To Legume Genomics, Petr Smýkal, Eric J.B. Von Wettberg, Kevin Mcphee May 2020

Legume Genetics And Biology: From Mendel’S Pea To Legume Genomics, Petr Smýkal, Eric J.B. Von Wettberg, Kevin Mcphee

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Legumes have played an important part in cropping systems since the dawn of agriculture, both as human food and as animal feed. The legume family is arguably one of the most abundantly domesticated crop plant families. Their ability to symbiotically fix nitrogen and improve soil fertility has been rewarded since antiquity and makes them a key protein source. The pea was the original model organism used in Mendel’s discovery of the laws of inheritance, making it the foundation of modern plant genetics. This Special Issue provides up-to-date information on legume biology, genetic advances, and the legacy of Mendel.

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Effects Of Social Cues On Biosecurity Compliance In Livestock Facilities: Evidence From Experimental Simulations, Luke Trinity, Scott C. Merrill, Eric M. Clark, Christopher J. Koliba, Asim Zia, Gabriela Bucini, Julia M. Smith Mar 2020

Effects Of Social Cues On Biosecurity Compliance In Livestock Facilities: Evidence From Experimental Simulations, Luke Trinity, Scott C. Merrill, Eric M. Clark, Christopher J. Koliba, Asim Zia, Gabriela Bucini, Julia M. Smith

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Disease outbreaks in U.S. animal livestock industries have economic impacts measured in hundreds of millions of dollars per year. Biosecurity, or procedures intended to protect animals against disease, is known to be effective at reducing infection risk at facilities. Yet, to the detriment of animal health, humans do not always follow biosecurity protocols. Human behavioral factors have been shown to influence willingness to follow biosecurity protocols. Here we show how social cues may affect cooperation with a biosecurity practice. Participants were immersed in a simulated swine production facility through a graphical user interface and prompted to make a decision that …

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Long-Term Monitoring Reveals Forest Tree Community Change Driven By Atmospheric Sulphate Pollution And Contemporary Climate Change, Brittany M. Verrico, Jeremy Weiland, Timothy D. Perkins, Brian Beckage, Stephen R. Keller Mar 2020

Long-Term Monitoring Reveals Forest Tree Community Change Driven By Atmospheric Sulphate Pollution And Contemporary Climate Change, Brittany M. Verrico, Jeremy Weiland, Timothy D. Perkins, Brian Beckage, Stephen R. Keller

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Diversity and Distributions published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd Aim: Montane environments are sentinels of global change, providing unique opportunities to assess impacts on species diversity. Multiple anthropogenic stressors such as climate change and atmospheric pollution may act concurrently or synergistically in restructuring communities. Thus, a major challenge for conservation is untangling the relative importance of different stressors. Here, we combine long-term monitoring with multivariate community modelling to estimate the anthropogenic drivers shaping forest tree diversity along an elevational gradient. Location: Camels Hump Mountain, Vermont, USA. Methods: We used Generalized Dissimilarity Modelling (GDM) to model spatial and temporal turnover …

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Green And Animal Manure Use In Organic Field Crop Systems, Patrick M. Carr, Michel A. Cavigelli, Heather Darby, Kathleen Delate, Jed O. Eberly, Heather K. Fryer, Greta G. Gramig, Joseph R. Heckman, Ellen B. Mallory, Jennifer R. Reeve, Erin M. Silva, David H. Suchoff, Alex L. Woodley Mar 2020

Green And Animal Manure Use In Organic Field Crop Systems, Patrick M. Carr, Michel A. Cavigelli, Heather Darby, Kathleen Delate, Jed O. Eberly, Heather K. Fryer, Greta G. Gramig, Joseph R. Heckman, Ellen B. Mallory, Jennifer R. Reeve, Erin M. Silva, David H. Suchoff, Alex L. Woodley

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Dual-use cover/green manure (CGM) crops and animal manure are used to supply nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to organically grown field crops. A comprehensive review of previous research was conducted to identify how CGM crops and animal manure have been used to meet N and P needs of organic field crops, and to identify knowledge gaps to direct future research efforts. Results indicate that: (a) CGM crops are used to provide N to subsequent cash crops in rotations; (b) CGM-supplied N generally can meet field crop needs in warm, humid regions but is insufficient for organic grain crops grown in …

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Majority Of Rural Residents Compost Food Waste: Policy And Waste Management Implications For Rural Regions, Meredith T. Niles Jan 2020

Majority Of Rural Residents Compost Food Waste: Policy And Waste Management Implications For Rural Regions, Meredith T. Niles

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

A growing number of municipalities and states are implementing household food waste diversion efforts such as curbside compost programs, though these programs present challenges for participation and implementation. While many food waste diversion programs are occurring in densely populated regions, understanding food waste management in rural regions is less studied. This research examines the food waste perceptions and current and future food waste management behaviors of residents in Vermont, one of the most rural U.S. states, through a representative telephone survey of Vermont residents (n = 583) in 2018. The findings suggest 55% of residents support banning food waste from …

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Water Use Governance In A Temperate Region: Implications For Agricultural Climate Change Adaptation In The Northeastern United States, Rachel E. Schattman, Meredith T. Niles, Hannah M. Aitken Jan 2020

Water Use Governance In A Temperate Region: Implications For Agricultural Climate Change Adaptation In The Northeastern United States, Rachel E. Schattman, Meredith T. Niles, Hannah M. Aitken

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Climate change and access to water are interrelated concerns for agriculture and other sectors, even in temperate regions. Governance approaches and regulatory frameworks determine who has access to water, for what purpose, and when. In the northeastern United States, water governance has historically been conducted by states through a combination of statutory guidance and common law. However, it is unclear what effect if current governance approaches will be sufficient for achieving resource conservation and equitable allocation in a changing climate. To provide insight into these issues, we conducted the first review of freshwater governance in the 12 states that comprise …

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Visualizing Climate Change Adaptation: An Effective Tool For Agricultural Outreach?, Rachel E. Schattman, Stephanie E. Hurley, Holly L. Greenleaf, Meredith T. Niles, Martha Caswell Jan 2020

Visualizing Climate Change Adaptation: An Effective Tool For Agricultural Outreach?, Rachel E. Schattman, Stephanie E. Hurley, Holly L. Greenleaf, Meredith T. Niles, Martha Caswell

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Landscape photovisualizations (PVZs) are digitally altered photographs that show existing landscapes altered to include a simulated future scenario. They are commonly used to support dialogue and decision-making in multistakeholder contexts. In agricultural sectors, stakeholders increasingly must contend with pressures to adapt to climatic changes and shifts in weather patterns. This study examines the potential of PVZs to engage agricultural stakeholders about climate change adaptation, specifically around best management practices (BMPs). In 2015, survey data were collected (n 5 133) at six agricultural confer-ences Vermont. Participants were asked about their climate change knowledge, perceptions of adaptation, and their intentions to adopt …

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Why We Publish Where We Do: Faculty Publishing Values And Their Relationship To Review, Promotion And Tenure Expectations, Meredith T. Niles, Lesley A. Schimanski, Erin C. Mckiernan, Juan Pablo Alperin Jan 2020

Why We Publish Where We Do: Faculty Publishing Values And Their Relationship To Review, Promotion And Tenure Expectations, Meredith T. Niles, Lesley A. Schimanski, Erin C. Mckiernan, Juan Pablo Alperin

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Using an online survey of academics at 55 randomly selected institutions across the US and Canada, we explore priorities for publishing decisions and their perceived importance within review, promotion, and tenure (RPT). We find that respondents most value journal readership, while they believe their peers most value prestige and related metrics such as impact factor when submitting their work for publication. Respondents indicated that total number of publications, number of publications per year, and journal name recognition were the most valued factors in RPT. Older and tenured respondents (most likely to serve on RPT committees) were less likely to value …

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Evaluating Water Quality Regulation As A Driver Of Farmer Behavior: A Social-Ecological Systems Approach, Courtney R.Hammond Wagner, Suzie Greenhalgh, Meredith T. Niles, Asim Zia, William B. Bowden Jan 2020

Evaluating Water Quality Regulation As A Driver Of Farmer Behavior: A Social-Ecological Systems Approach, Courtney R.Hammond Wagner, Suzie Greenhalgh, Meredith T. Niles, Asim Zia, William B. Bowden

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Water quality policy for agricultural lands seeks to improve water quality by changing farmer behavior. We investigate farmer behavior in three water quality regimes that differ by rule structure to examine the fit and interplay of each policy within its social-ecological context, important aspects for improving water quality. Vermont, USA’s practice-based policy requires the adoption of specific practices, whereas New Zealand’s Lake Taupo and Lake Rotorua performance-based policies require farmers to meet a numeric limit for nutrient loss on their farm. Across the three regions we interviewed 38 farmers to elicit mental models of nutrient management changes. We utilized the …

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Using Experimental Gaming Simulations To Elicit Risk Mitigation Behavioral Strategies For Agricultural Disease Management, Eric M. Clark, Scott C. Merrill, Luke Trinity, Gabriela Bucini, Nicholas Cheney, Ollin Langle-Chimal, Trisha Shrum, Christopher Koliba, Asim Zia, Julia M. Smith Jan 2020

Using Experimental Gaming Simulations To Elicit Risk Mitigation Behavioral Strategies For Agricultural Disease Management, Eric M. Clark, Scott C. Merrill, Luke Trinity, Gabriela Bucini, Nicholas Cheney, Ollin Langle-Chimal, Trisha Shrum, Christopher Koliba, Asim Zia, Julia M. Smith

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Failing to mitigate propagation of disease spread can result in dire economic consequences for agricultural networks. Pathogens like Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus, can quickly spread among producers. Biosecurity is designed to prevent infection transmission. When considering biosecurity investments, management must balance the cost of protection versus the consequences of contracting an infection. Thus, an examination of the decision making processes associated with investment in biosecurity is important for enhancing system wide biosecurity. Data gathered from experimental gaming simulations can provide insights into behavioral strategies and inform the development of decision support systems. We created an online digital experiment to simulate …

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