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Articles 1 - 10 of 10
Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Soil Microbial Community Dynamics In Response To Prescribed Extreme Fires Following Juniperus Virginiana Invasion In The Loess Canyons Of Nebraska, Julie A. Fowler
Soil Microbial Community Dynamics In Response To Prescribed Extreme Fires Following Juniperus Virginiana Invasion In The Loess Canyons Of Nebraska, Julie A. Fowler
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
In Nebraska and other regions of the Great Plains, the conifer Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar) is converting grasslands to dense woodlands. This is driven by the interacting drivers of fire suppression, altered grazing regimes, climate change and other anthropogenic factors, impacting the provisioning of ecosystem services. This vegetation state transition modifies water resource regulation and biogeochemical cycles leading to altered edaphic properties including soil microbial community composition. To restore these grasslands and control J. virginiana spread, prescribed extreme burns are implemented as a management tool through local prescribed burn associations. We hypothesized that the alternative state transition to dense J. …
Social And Ecological Correlates Of Avian Infection By Haemosporidian Blood Parasites, Ian R. Hoppe
Social And Ecological Correlates Of Avian Infection By Haemosporidian Blood Parasites, Ian R. Hoppe
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Haemosporidian parasites are a significant source of morbidity and mortality for birds. There is growing recognition of the negative consequences of haemosporidian infections for wild birds at individual and population levels. Avian haemosporidians are geographically widespread, have been detected from a phylogenetically diverse array of hosts, and have been the focus of extensive research due to their impacts on birds and their similarity to vector-borne diseases of humans. However, factors influencing haemosporidian transmission, especially transmission between species, are poorly understood. To better understand these influences, we compared prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian blood parasite infections among species in a behaviorally …
Spatiotemporal Trends In Bacterial Diversity Across Three Watersheds Within The Platte River Basin, Nebraska, Esther Perisho
Spatiotemporal Trends In Bacterial Diversity Across Three Watersheds Within The Platte River Basin, Nebraska, Esther Perisho
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
River bacteria are understudied despite being critical components of river ecosystems. There are even fewer studies considering bacteria communities at large spatiotemporal scales, which may provide insight into drivers of community assembly. We investigated differences in bacterial diversity across environmental gradients within three sub-basins nested in the Platte River Basin, Nebraska. Surface water samples were collected weekly at 36 sites from May to September by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) in 2019. Bacterial communities were sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Sub-basins had similar counts of unique amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) but different community structures. These structural …
Right Side Up: Payment For Ecosystem Services On Privately Owned Grasslands In Nebraska, Kyle Martens
Right Side Up: Payment For Ecosystem Services On Privately Owned Grasslands In Nebraska, Kyle Martens
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Grasslands are an important ecological and economic resource in the United States. As part of a natural system, these landscapes can provide income for ranching operations and employment in rural communities; habitat for grassland plants, animals, and migratory species; and offer other services not always readily observed such as improved soil health, clean water, and carbon sequestration. Despite the overarching benefits, the conversion of grasslands to other uses remains widespread throughout much of the remaining Great Plains ecosystem.
Shifting from livestock ranching to another land use often reflects a tipping point. This occurs when the alternative land use is perceived …
Understanding And Contextualizing Foraging Among Recreational Opportunities In The North Central United States, Iris I. Mcfarlin
Understanding And Contextualizing Foraging Among Recreational Opportunities In The North Central United States, Iris I. Mcfarlin
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Over the past few decades, there has been a resurgence in popularity and recognition of foraging for wild products and foods. Despite the cultural importance and ubiquity of foraging, there have been relatively few scientific investigations (as compared to other consumptive outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing) of the social factors influencing foraging behavior, landscape preferences, and the types of materials foraged in the United States. As such, there is a fundamental need to understand more about the practice and about those who participate. We conducted two surveys to gather information on foragers’ motivations and demographic characteristics and to …
Soil Morphology And Carbon Stocks Of Deflation Basin Wetlands In Eastern Nebraska, Usa, Aubrey Grace Kemper
Soil Morphology And Carbon Stocks Of Deflation Basin Wetlands In Eastern Nebraska, Usa, Aubrey Grace Kemper
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Wetlands contribute important ecosystem services such as water filtration and storage, wildlife habitat, and carbon sequestration. The objective of this study is to compare the soil morphology and the carbon and nitrogen stocks between the upland, basin edge, and basin floor in playa wetlands of eastern Nebraska. This work was conducted in three deflation basin wetlands in the Todd Valley, a loess-mantled, former course of the Platte River, in eastern Nebraska. Soil morphological descriptions were evaluated to two meters’ depth using cores collected along three transects from the upland to the basin floor in three basins, carbon and nitrogen stocks …
Conceptual Framework Linking Resource Size And Recreational Use, Derek Kane
Conceptual Framework Linking Resource Size And Recreational Use, Derek Kane
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Participation in recreational activities at natural resource systems is important to many people. However, the use of these resource systems can cause negative social and ecological impacts. To manage the potential negative impacts of resource use, natural resource managers must have the ability to quantify and monitor the amount of use that is occurring. Unfortunately, it is difficult and costly to quantify and monitor resource system use. Natural resource management would benefit from uncovering a simple, easily accessible metric that could predict resource system use. The size of a resource system is related to social and ecological aspects of the …
Groundwater Education: An Investigation Of Students' Use Of A Groundwater Modeling Tool, Holly White
Groundwater Education: An Investigation Of Students' Use Of A Groundwater Modeling Tool, Holly White
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Groundwater is a critical resource for life on Earth. However, our groundwater resources are at risk due to human activities, making this a topic of importance within K-12 and undergraduate environmental education. Yet, students hold alternative conceptions and may have limited awareness about groundwater systems. One way to support students’ learning is by incorporating computer-based modeling tools into classrooms. Here, we explore the use a groundwater modeling tool, the Hydrogeology Challenge (HGC), among two age groups of students: seventh grade students and undergraduate students. In the seventh-grade population, we investigated how students relate or map model components to their real-world …
Bioaccumulation And Partitioning Of Heavy Metals In Cicindelidia Haemorrhagica In Yellowstone National Park, Monica Gotschall
Bioaccumulation And Partitioning Of Heavy Metals In Cicindelidia Haemorrhagica In Yellowstone National Park, Monica Gotschall
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
The tiger beetle Cicindelidia haemorrhagica (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) are widely distributed in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and exclusively living on thermal areas. Heavy metals including arsenic, copper, lead, and selenium are present in these thermal springs, presenting an unique environment for C. haemorrhagica. Therefore, from 2018 – 2020 I sampled adult C. haemorrhagica from YNP and adult C. haemorrhagica from a known population in a salt flat in Idaho not associated with a hot spring and measured heavy metal concentrations. All populations of C. haemorrhagica bioaccumulated heavy metals. Cuticular waxes showed small concentrations of metals indicating that those metals are …
Occurrence And Potential Transformation Pathways Of Nitrogen Species In The Intermediate Vadose Zone, Jordan Shields
Occurrence And Potential Transformation Pathways Of Nitrogen Species In The Intermediate Vadose Zone, Jordan Shields
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Nebraska is a large agricultural producing state with a heavy reliance on groundwater resources and nitrogen fertilizer application to maintain output. Poor management, such as excessive fertilizer application, improper timing, and over irrigation can lead to contamination of groundwater. Nitrate is the leading groundwater contaminant in Nebraska and chronic consumption at medium to high concentrations leads to adverse health effects. Nitrate, a highly soluble anion, is present in the root zone in numerous forms and undergoes biogeochemical transformations before being leached through the profile. In order to predict the timing and quantity of nitrate contamination in groundwater, researchers study the …