Natural Resources and Conservation Commons^™

Corrections To “Satellite Estimation Of Chlorophyll-A Concentration Using The Red And Nir Bands Of Meris—The Azov Sea Case Study”, Wesley J. Moses, Anatoly A. Gitelson, Sergey Berdnikov, Vasiliy Povazhnyy

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

We correct here some errors that appear in our paper: W.J. Moses, A.A. Gitelson, S. Berdnikov, and V. Povazhnyy, “Satellite estimation of chlorophyll-a concentration using the red and NIR bands of MERIS—The Azov Sea case study,” IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters, volume 6, number 4, pp. 845–849, October 2009.

Estimation Of Chlorophyll-A Concentration In Case Ii Waters Using Modis And Meris Data—Successes And Challenges, Wesley Moses, Anatoly Gitelson, Sergey Berdnikov, Vasiliy Povazhnyi

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

We present and discuss here the results of our work using MODIS (moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer) and MERIS (medium resolution imaging spectrometer) satellite data to estimate the concentration of chlorophyll-a (chl-a) in reservoirs of the Dnieper River and the Sea of Azov, which are typical case II waters, i.e., turbid and productive. Our objective was to test the potential of satellite remote sensing as a tool for near-real-time monitoring of chl-a distribution in these water bodies. We tested the performance of a recently developed three-band model, and its special case, a two-band model, which use the reflectance at red and …

Droughtscape, Fall 2009, Kelly Smith

DroughtScape: Quarterly Newsletter of the National Drought Mitigation Center (2007–2023)

DroughtScape, Fall 2009

Retrieval Of Foliar Information About Plant Pigment Systems From High Resolution Spectroscopy, Susan L. Ustin, Anatoly A. Gitelson, Stéphane Jacquemoud, Michael Schaepman, Gregory P. Asner, John A. Gamon, Pablo Zarco-Tejada

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Life on Earth depends on photosynthesis. Photosynthetic systems evolved early in Earth history and have been stable for 2.5 billion years, providing prima facie evidence for the significance of pigments in plant functions. Photosynthetic pigments fill multiple roles from increasing the range of energy captured for photosynthesis to protective functions. Given the importance of pigments to leaf functioning, greater effort is needed to determine whether individual pigments can be identified and quantified in vivo using high fidelity spectroscopy. We review recent advances in detecting plant pigments at the leaf level and discuss successes and reasons why challenges remain for robust …

Wilderness Serendipity: Planning And Assessing Learning During An Experiential Field Course, Larkin A. Powell, Andrew J. Tyre, Scott E. Hygnstrom, David A. Wedin, P. R. Hanson, Mark S. Kuzila, James B. Swinehart

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Experiential learning opportunities promote skill in problem-solving and critical thinking, but they require unique assessment methods because traditional approaches are difficult to implement in the field. We have conducted a study tour course involving a canoe trip in a wilderness area in northern Minnesota since 2004. Here, we describe how we developed our course's learning experiences, ensured the learning experiences materialized, and assessed the student learning objectives. Proper planning can result in valuable, spontaneous learning experiences. We used a student journal, field-based quiz, and participation grade to effectively assess the breadth of student learning that was inherent in our course. …

School Of Natural Resources Comprehensive Five-Year Review

School of Natural Resources: Documents and Reviews

No abstract provided.

Photosynthetic Performance Of Invasive Pinus Ponderosa And Juniperus Virginiana Seedlings Under Gradual Soil Water Depletion, Saadia Bihmidine, N. M. Bryan, K. R. Payne, M. R. Parde, Jane A. Okalebo, Sharon E. Cooperstein, Tala Awada

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Changes in climate, land management and fire regime have contributed to woody species expansion into grasslands and savannas worldwide. In the USA, Pinus ponderosa P. & C. Lawson and Juniperus virginiana L. are expanding into semiarid grasslands of Nebraska and other regions of the Great Plains. We examined P. ponderosa and J. virginiana seedling response to soil water content, one of the most important limiting factors in semiarid grasslands, to provide insight into their success in the region. Photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII, maximum carboxylation velocity, maximum rate of electron transport, stomatal limitation to photosynthesis, water potential, …

The Prairie Naturalist. Volume 41, No. 3/4, September/December 2009, The Great Plains Natural Science Society

The Prairie Naturalist

THE PRAIRIE NATURALIST MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES. C. N. Jacques, T. W. Grovenburg, and J. A. Jenks

A PARTIAL INVENTORY OF ISLANDS IN NORTH DAKOTA: POTENTIAL FOR BREEDING WATERFOWL MANAGEMENT. M. L. Szymanski

BED SITE SELECTION OF FAWN PRONGHORN IN CUSTER STATE PARK, SOUTH DAKOTA. C. P. Lehman, J. D. Hartland, B. J. Keller, J. J. Millspaugh, and G. C. Brundige

PATTERNS OF BISON HAIR USE IN NESTS OF TALL GRASS PRAIRIE BIRDS B. R. Coppedge

MORTALITY OF CRANES (GRUIDAE) ASSOCIATED WITH POWERLINES OVER A MAJOR ROOST ON THE NORTH PLATTE RIVER, NEBRASKA. G. D. Wright, T. J. Smith, R. K. …

Quality Control Of Soil Water Data In Applied Climate, Jinshing You, Kenneth Hubbard, Rezaul Mamood, Venkataramana Sridhar, Dennis Todey

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Abstract: Soil moisture is a key state variable from both climate and hydrologic cycle assessment perspectives. Recently, automated measurements of soil moisture with sensors deployed at sites in a real-time monitoring network have provided valuable new data to monitor the soil water resource. However, to assure the quality of the data, quality control QC tools are needed. Earlier studies left little literature on the QC of soil water data as measurements were generally not part of a network that routinely collected measurements. This paper presents a systematic QC analysis and methodology to evaluate the performance of candidate QC techniques using …

Biofuels: Cultivating Energy, Not Invasive Species, Invasive Species Advisory Committee

National Invasive Species Council

Biofuels: Cultivating Energy, not Invasive Species, approved by ISAC on August 11, 2009

ISSUE

To provide alternatives to petroleum-based energy, the United States government has mandated a greater proportion of plant-based biofuels be integrated into its energy portfolio. However, certain plant species being proposed for biofuel production in the United States are invasive species or are likely to escape cultivation and become invasive. United States Executive Order (EO) 131121 defines invasive species as “alien [non-native] species whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health” and states: “Each Federal agency whose actions …

Droughtscape, Summer 2009, Kelly Smith

DroughtScape: Quarterly Newsletter of the National Drought Mitigation Center (2007–2023)

U.S. Drought Monitor Forum, 2009

El Niño Could Bring Wet Winter After Hot Summer

Around the World

Agriculture Hit Hard in California, Texas

Predictable Patterns in Missouri River Basin?

Seeking Low-Flow Effects in Colorado, Southeast

VegDRI Began Coast-to-Coast Coverage in May

Lead Detection In Water: Using Hydroxyapatite And Atomic Absorption, Nicolas Cantarero

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Hydroxyapatite is a mineral that is very inexpensive, easily made, and binds well to lead. In this procedure its application will be paired with Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (Flame AA) to detect lead concentrations in water to ppb levels. While ppb concentrations of lead are too dilute to produce a response from the Flame AA by using Hydroxyapatite to concentrate lead molecules from a larger volume and dissolving the Hydroxyapatite into a smaller volume it may be able to produce a response. The method could provide an inexpensive, efficient, and accurate way to detect lead concentrations to the ppb level …

Tree Canopy Effect On Grass And Grass/Legume Mixtures In Eastern Nebraska, Michael El. L. Perry, Walter H. Schacht, Gregory A. Ruark, James R. Brandle

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

A study to determine the feasibility of producing forage for grazing livestock under trees was conducted as a step toward evaluating the potential for silvopasture systems in the northern and central Great Plains. The effects of overstory leaf area index (LAI), percentage understory light transmittance (LT), and soil moisture (SM) on yield and crude protein (CP) of big bluestem [Andropogon gerardii Vitman; (BB)], smooth bromegrass [ Bromus inermis Leyss.; (SB)], and mixtures with birdsfoot trefoil [ Lotus corniculatus L.; (BFT)] were examined. The study was conducted in both Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and green ash (Fraxinus …

Avian Foraging Patterns In Crop Field Edges Adjacent To Woody Habitat, Heidi L. Puckett, James R. Brandle, Ron J. Johnson, Erin E. Blankenship

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

As natural predators of pest insects, woodland birds provide biological pest suppression in crop fields adjacent to woody edges. Although many birds using these habitats forage widely, earlier studies have found that most foraging activity occurs within 50 m of the woody edge. The goals of this study were to determine the primary area of use, or functional edge, for birds foraging in crop fields adjacent to woody edges, and to evaluate their foraging distance patterns. During the summers of 2005 and 2006, avian foraging behavior was observed at 12 research sites in east central Nebraska that contained either a …

Biogeochemical Behavior Of Dissolved Arsenic And Uranium Concentrations In Public Water Supply Wells, Kevin J. Mcvey

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Public water supply (PWS) wells currently contain dissolved uranium concentrations above the federally mandated maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 30 ppb (parts per billion) and dissolved arsenic concentrations above the 10 ppb MCL. Both uranium and arsenic are known to cause various forms of cancer in humans. Variations in total uranium concentrations in PWS wells in Nebraska indicate a relationship to the duration and rate of pumping in specific wells. Although total arsenic concentrations show some variability over time in specific wells, the relationship to pumping is not as clear. Previous studies show that iron and sulfur bacteria present in …

Phylogeography Of The Rufous-Naped Wren (Campylorhynchus Rufinucha): Speciation And Hybridization In Mesoamerica, Hernan Vazquez-Miranda, Adolfo G. Navarro-Siguenza, Kevin E. Omland

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The Rufous-naped Wren (Campylorhynchus rufinucha) is a sedentary, morphologically variable species distributed in the dry forests of Mesoamerica. It ranges from Colima, Mexico, south to Costa Rica along the Pacific slope, with a disjunct population in central Veracruz. Populations of two forms on the Pacific slope intergrade in Chiapas, Mexico, apparently as a result of secondary contact. We sequenced a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene to explore phylogeographic patterns and hybridization. We found three divergent lineages, two geographically spanning the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and a disjunct Veracruz population. Analyses of molecular variation and statistics are consistent with genetically distinct …

A Comparison Between Above-Water Surface And Subsurface Spectral Reflectances Collected Over Inland Waters, Asif M. Bhatti, Donald Rundquist, John Schalles, Luis Ramirez, Seigo Nasu

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The objective of the research was to undertake a quantitative comparison of spectral-reflectance measurements made slightly above the surface of water bodies with the measurements made slightly below the surface. The study is focused on three rivers; two in Georgia, USA and one in Japan. As expected, the differences in reflectance are not constant and vary with the wavelength. The contribution of surface-reflection effects to the surface reflectance measured slightly above the water is both pronounced and highly variable, but although they do alter the magnitude of the upwelling signal, they do not change the general shape of the spectral …

Droughtscape, Spring 2009, Kelly Smith

DroughtScape: Quarterly Newsletter of the National Drought Mitigation Center (2007–2023)

U.S. Drought Monitor Publishes Map 500!

Weakening La Niña May Mean Relief for Texas

Upcoming Workshops

Drought Impacts Worst in California, Texas

CoCoRaHS to Request Drought Impact Data, Too

NDMC Adds Researcher

K-12 Students Learn About Drought

Using Gis To Locate Areas For Growing Quality Coffee In Honduras, Ellen Mickle

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Small-scale coffee producers worldwide remain vulnerable to price fluctuations after the 1999-2003 coffee crisis. One way to increase small-scale farmer economic resilience is to produce a more expensive product, such as quality coffee. There is growing demand in coffee-producing and coffee-importing countries for user-friendly tools that facilitate the marketing of quality coffee. The purpose of this study is to develop a prototypical quality coffee marketing tool in the form of a GIS model that identifies regions for producing quality coffee in a country not usually associated with quality coffee, Honduras. Maps of areas for growing quality coffee were produced …

Evapotranspiration Of Irrigated And Rainfed Maize–Soybean Cropping Systems, Andrew E. Suyker, Shashi Verma

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

We have been making year-round measurements of mass and energy exchange in three cropping systems: (a) irrigated continuous maize, (b) irrigated maize–soybean rotation, and (c) rainfed maize–soybean rotation in eastern Nebraska since 2001. In this paper, we present results on evapotranspiration (ET) of these crops for the first 5 years of our study. Growing season ET in the irrigated and rainfed maize averaged 548 and 482 mm, respectively. In irrigated and rainfed soybean, the average growing season ET was 452 and 431 mm, respectively. On average, the maize ET was higher than the soybean ET by 18% for irrigated crops …

The Prairie Naturalist, Volume 41, No. 1/2 March/June 2009, The Great Plains Natural Science Society

The Prairie Naturalist

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DUCK USE OF IMPOUNDED AND NATURAL WETLANDS IN WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. J. E. Austin and D. A. Buhl

THIRD REPORT OF THE NORTH DAKOTA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2004-2005 D. Svingen and R. E. Martin

EFFECT OF DROUGHT AND AGRICULTURE ON RING-NECKED PHEASANT ABUNDANCE, NEBRASKA PANHANDLE. C. J. Randel 55

COMMON RAVEN NESTS IN NORTH DAKOTA AFTER 1OO-YEAR HIATUS. M. P. Nenneman, T. A. Grant, and R. E. Martin

Suggestions for Contributors

Editorial Policy

Development Of A Healthy Farm Index To Assess Ecological, Economic, And Social Function On Organic And Sustainable Farms In Nebraska's Four Agroecoregions., James R. Brandle

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

An Evaporation Estimation Method Based On The Coupled 2-D Turbulent Heat And Vapor Transport Equations, Jozsef Szilagyi, Janos Jozsa

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The analytical solution of the coupled turbulent diffusion equations of heat and vapor transport across a moisture discontinuity under near-neutral atmospheric conditions and constant energy available at the evaporating surface yields a simple equation (i.e., the wet-surface equation [WSE]) that relates the change in surface temperature to the change in the land surface moisture content as the environment dries. With the help of percent possible sunshine, air temperature, and humidity measurements at selected weather stations as well as land surface temperature values from MODIS data, monthly, warm-season evaporation rates were estimated for five rectangular regions across the contiguous U.S. employing …

Complementary Relationship Of Evaporation And The Mean Annual Water-Energy Balance, Jozsef Szilagyi, Janos Jozsa

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

By combining the complementary relationship of evaporation with the coupled long-term water-energy balance of Porporato et al. (2004) in a Budyko-type framework, one can, from atmospheric measurements alone, derive important ecosystem characteristics, such as the mean effective relative soil moisture and the maximum soil water storage, as well as predict changes in the rooting depth of vegetation as a response to climate variations.

Comment On ‘‘Power Law Catchment-Scale Recessions Arising From Heterogeneous Linear Small-Scale Dynamics’’ By C. J. Harman, M. Sivapalan, And P. Kumar, Jozsef Szilagyi

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

It is demonstrated that a near-linear subsurface runoff response from a short and relatively steep slope segment and a nonlinear response at the watershed scale may primarily arise from geometry rather than from an assumed linear nature of the subsurface runoff response from the hillslope, as Harman et al. [2009] employed for the Panola Mountain Research (PMR) catchment in Georgia. The authors caution in their paper that hydraulic theory (exemplified by the study of Brutsaert and Nieber [1977]) cannot generally account for the heterogeneity in the watershed scale and therefore should be used with certain reservation when employing it for …

Movements, Distribution, And Abundance Of Great Argus Pheasants (Argusianus Argus) In A Sumatran Rainforest, Nurul L. Winarni, Timothy G. O'Brien, John P. Carroll, Margaret F. Kinnaird

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

We used radiotelemetry, habitat sampling, camera trapping, and line-transect surveys to explore movement patterns, distribution, and abundance of Great Argus Pheasants (Argusianus argus) in Sumatra, Indonesia. We radiotracked six adult and one subadult males. Territories averaged 14.5 ± 8.5 ha, and home-range size did not vary by month or by relative abundance of selected plant foods. Daily travel distance (849 ± 211 m) varied significantly between months but did not reflect changes in plant foods. Territories were used almost exclusively by resident males. Males preferentially used undisturbed forest (habitat I). Vegetation structure at male display sites and random points indicated …

A Phylogenetic Supertree Of The Fowls (Galloanserae, Aves), Soo Hyumg Eo, Olaf R.P. Bininda-Emonds, John P. Carroll

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The fowls (Anseriformes and Galliformes) comprise one of the major lineages of birds and occupy almost all biogeographical regions of the world. The group contains the most economically important of all bird species, each with a long history of domestication, and is an ideal model for studying ecological and evolutionary patterns. Yet, despite the relatively large amount of systematic attention fowls have attracted because of their socio-economic and biological importance, the species-level relationships within this clade remain controversial. Here we used the supertree method matrix representation with parsimony to generate a robust estimate of species-level relationships of fowls. The supertree …

Modeling Lakes And Reservoirs In The Climate System, M. D. Mackay, P. J. Neale, C. D. Arp, L. N. De Senerpont Domis, X. Fang, G. Gal, K. D. Johnk, G. Kirillin, J. D. Lenters, E. Litchman, S. Macintyre, P. Marsh, J. Melack, W. M. Mooij, F. Peeters, A. Quesada, S. G. Schladow, M. Schmid, C. Spence, S. L. Stokes

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Modeling studies examining the effect of lakes on regional and global climate, as well as studies on the influence of climate variability and change on aquatic ecosystems, are surveyed. Fully coupled atmosphere–land surface–lake climate models that could be used for both of these types of study simultaneously do not presently exist, though there are many applications that would benefit from such models. It is argued here that current understanding of physical and biogeochemical processes in freshwater systems is sufficient to begin to construct such models, and a path forward is proposed. The largest impediment to fully representing lakes in the …

First Record Of Pseudorabies In Feral Swine In Nebraska, Sam Wilson, Alan R. Doster, Justin D. Hoffman, Scott E. Hygnstrom

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

In 2007, two new populations of feral swine were discovered in Nance and Valley counties, Nebraska, USA. Necropsies and serologic testing was done on two individuals from the Nance County herd. Results indicated that a lactating sow had positive antibodies for pseudorabies virus (PRV). Investigations conducted by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Law Enforcement division confirmed that the infected individual was transported illegally to Nebraska, USA, from Texas, USA. All domestic swine herds located within an 8 km radius of the infected individual tested negative for antibodies to PRV. Our results provide a clear example of how diseases can spread …

A Modified Advection-Aridity Model Of Evapotranspiration, Jozsef Szilagyi, Michael T. Hobbins, Janos Jozsa

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.