Natural Resources and Conservation Commons^™

Sustainable Agriculture: A Time For Education, Kortnie Millhouse

Agricultural Education and Communication

This study used a fifteen-question survey to identify the articulation between education of water quality practices and the willingness to implement sustainable water quality techniques on farmland according to twenty-five agricultural operations residing on the Central Coast. Questions one through eight asked respondents to indicate their agreement or disagreement with various water quality assessment tools. Questions nine through twelve asked respondents to personally rate their operation’s level of water quality management on a scale from one to ten. Questions thirteen through fifteen were open-ended questions to generate responses about demographics. Consensus was reached that the higher the level of education …

Chhs June Enewsletter, Dr. John Bonaguro, Dean, Vashon S. Wells, Editor, Wku College Of Health & Human Services

College of Health & Human Services Publications

No abstract provided.

Stable Isotopic And Geochemical Variability Within Shallow Groundwater Beneath A Hardwood Hammock And Surface Water In An Adjoining Slough (Everglades National Park, Fl), Lee J. Florea, Dorien K. Mcgee, Jonathan G. Wynn

Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty Publications

Data from a ten-month monitoring study during 2007 in south Florida provide insight into the variation of δ18O, δD, and δ13C of DOC in surface water and shallow groundwater of the Everglades ecosystem. Bi-monthly samples were taken from surface water and time-averaged precipitation at Taylor Slough, and shallow groundwater from a well and a small cave within Palma Vista Hammock, an exposure of the Upper Pleistocene Miami Limestone.

δ18O and δD values in shallow groundwater from the well and cave remain near the mean of -2.4 ‰ and -12 ‰, respectively (VSMOW scale). 18O and D are enriched in surface …

Seed Production And Maturation Of The Western Prairie Fringed Orchid, Bonnie Warner Alexander, Donald Kirby, Mario Biondini, Edward Dekeyser

The Prairie Naturalist

A population of threatened western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara) was selected in 2004 on the Sheyenne National Grassland in southeastern North Dakota to study seed production and maturation for future use in population viability modeling. We randomly collected 30 seed capsules from the population under a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to: 1) identify capsule parameters that might be correlated with seed number and viability, 2) estimate an appropriate sample size to obtain accurate seed production estimates, 3) quantify seed production and viability per seed capsule, and 4) document temporal patterns in seed embryo …

Cattle Grazing Reduces Survival And Reproduction Of The Western Prairie Fringed Orchid, Bonnie Warner Alexander, Donald Kirby, Mario Biondini, Edward Dekeyser

The Prairie Naturalist

QuantifYing impacts of livestock grazing and prairie management strategies on the threatened western prairie' fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara) is difficult due to the erratic appearance of the orchid above-ground. We monitored above-ground survival of orchids from flowering to mature seed capsule production, comparing plant height, flower numbers, and seed capsule numbers from 2002-2004 in rotationally grazed pastures and non-grazed sites. Orchid survival differed significantly between grazed and non-grazed pastures, with the proportion of plants surviving from flower to capsule production consistently lower in grazed pastures. Mean orchid survival in grazed and non-grazed areas was 40% and 87%, respectively. …

The Prairie Naturalist, Volume 42, No. 1/2 June 2010, The Great Plains Natural Science Society

The Prairie Naturalist

CHANNEL CATFISH DIETS INCLUDE SUBSTANTIAL VEGETATION IN A MISSOURI RIVER RESERVOIR • J. D. Dagel, M. R. Wuellner, and D. W. Willis

USE OF LATE SEASON STANDING CORN BY FEMALE WHITE-TAILED DEER IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS DURING A MILD WINTER • T. W. Grovenburg, C. N. Jacques, C. C. Swanson, R. W. Klaver, and J. A. Jenks

COMPARISON OF TWO ZOOPLANKTON SAMPLING GEARS IN SHALLOW, HOMOGENOUS LAKES • M. E. Livings, C. W. Schoenebeck, and M. L. Brown

VEGETATION TRENDS ON A WASTE ROCK REPOSITORY CAP IN THE NORTHERN BLACK HILLS • A. C. Korth, G. E. Larson, L. …

Channel Catfish Diets Include Substantial Vegetation In A Missouri River Reservoir, Jonah D. Dagel, Melissa R. Wuellner, David W. Willis

The Prairie Naturalist

Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) are native to Lake Sharpe, a Missouri River mainstem reservoir, and are common in angler catches. Channel catfish growth has declined since the formation of the reservoir in 1963. Mean lengths at time of capture for channel catfish ages 9, 10, II, and 12 have decreased by 69, 55, 115, and 21S mm, respectively, since impoundment. The objective of this study was to document monthly food habits of channel catfish throughout the growing season (May-August) in Lake Sharpe to assess potential effects of diet on growth. Although channel catfish consumed both macro invertebrates and …

Observations Of Little Blue Herons Nesting In North Dakota, And An Instance Of Probable Natural Hybridization Between A Little Blue Heron And A Cattle Egret, Alisa J. Bartos, Lawrence Igl, Marsha A. Sovada

The Prairie Naturalist

The little blue heron (Egretta caerulea) is native to North America and most commonly breeds along the coast of the southeastern United States and the Gulf of Mexico through Central America and into South America (Rodgers and Smith 1995). In North America, little blue herons rarely nest outside their coastal range. However, nesting has been documented at several locations in the northern plains including Brown, Kingsbury, and Charles Mix counties, South Dakota (Naugle et al. 1996, Tallman et al. 2002); Pope County, Minnesota (Green and Janssen 1975); and possibly in southeastern Saskatchewan (Nero and Lein 1971, Smith et al. 1996). …

Bat Survey Along The Missouri River In Central South Dakota, Alyssa M. Kiesow, Joshua A. Kiesow

The Prairie Naturalist

ats are efficient predators of night-flying insects (Whitaker 1993), particularly in urban, agricultural, and forested areas in South Dakota (Kiesow 2004). In South Dakota, 6 bat species are considered rare and presently monitored by the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program (SDNHP; South Dakota Natural Heritage Program 2002). Because bats serve a vital ecosystem function there is an increased need to conserve bats and their habitats. Hence, the objectives of this project were to determine bat species richness along the Missouri River in central South Dakota. We conducted surveys of bats using mist-nets and acoustic detection from early May to early …

Use Of Late Season Standing Corn By Female White-Tailed Deer In The Northern Great Plains During A Mild Winter, Troy W. Grovenburg, Christopher N. Jacques, Christopher C. Swanson, Robert W. Klaver, Jonathan Jenks

The Prairie Naturalist

Winter habitat and resource use of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been studied extensively throughout their northern range. However, limited information exists on deer use of late season standing corn. We evaluated standing corn use by female white-tailed deer on winter range in north-central South Dakota during winter 2005-2006. Results indicate that cover type selection occurred at the population (P < 0.001) and home range (P < 0.001) levels. PopUlation level analysis indicated selection for standing corn (vi> = 4.31) and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grasslands (vi> = 2.81). Similarly, at the home range level, deer selected for standing corn (vi> = 1.35) and CRP grasslands (vi> = 1.44). Deer disproportionately increased use of standing corn and CRP …

Potential Importance Of Competition, Predation, And Prey On Yellow Perch Growth From Two Dissimilar Population Types, Casey W. Schoenebeck, Michael L. Brown

The Prairie Naturalist

Our objective was to describe the influence of population dynamics, inter- and intra-specific competition, predation, prey abundance, and prey size structure on yellow perch (Perca flavescens) growth for two perch population types (high-quality and low-quality) commonly found in South Dakota glacial lakes. We selected Lake Cochrane as a low quality yellow perch population and Lake Madison as a high quality perch population. Sunfish (Lepomis spp.) relative abundance was greater (P < 0.05) in Lake Cochrane than Lake Madison, suggesting interspecific competition may have a large influence on yellow perch growth. Indices of available sizes and densities of zooplankton were lower (P < 0.05) in Lake Cochrane than Lake Madison, suggesting that increased competition for large zooplankton may have reduced zooplankton size structure and density. Zooplankton may be a limiting resource in South Dakota glacial lakes when both yellow perch and sunfish are feeding primarily on zooplankton which may explain differences in perch growth rates between population types .

Climatological Factors Influencing Yellow Perch Production In Semi-Permanent Wetlands, Christopher M. Longhenry, Michael L. Brown, Todd R. St. Sauver

The Prairie Naturalist

Climatological factors such as temperature, wind, and precipitation have been reported to affect fish reproduction and recruitment in large lakes; however, little is known about these relationships in shallow, semi-permanent wetlands. We utilized age-O yellow perch (Perca flavescens) aquacultural harvest data to model climate effects on variability of juvenile yellow perch year class strength in semi-permanent wetlands. Overall, March through May precipitation, April air temperature, and a wetland parameter (i.e., intrinsic characteristics) provided the best-supported model. These results potentially indicate that spring weather patterns have an influence on yellow perch year class strength in semi-permanent wetlands.

Comparison Of Two Zooplankton Sampling Gears In Shallow, Homogeneous Lakes, Maude E. Livings, Casey W. Schoenebeck, Michael L. Brown

The Prairie Naturalist

We compared two zooplankton collection gears, Wisconsin nets and column samplers, to evaluate the effectiveness of each gear in quantifying inshore and offshore zooplankton density and size structure in shallow, homogeneous lakes. Zooplankton densities (within gear) did not differ (P > 0.05) between inshore and offshore sites in either study lake, with the exception of Wisconsin-netted Cyclops sp. in Lake Goldsmith. Wisconsin net samples produced a higher mean zooplankton density than column samplers for Bosmina sp., Cyclops sp., and Daphnia sp. in East Oakwood Lake and for Cyclops sp. (inshore), Daphnia sp., and Diaptomus sp. in Lake Goldsmith. Zooplankton densities had …

Evaluating The Impacts Of Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs On Vegetation In Traditional And Non-Traditional Habitats, Erin M. Lehmer, Laurel Hartley, Jesse Lanci, Charlie Kolb

The Prairie Naturalist

The wildland-urban interface (WUI), defined as areas where human development meets undeveloped wildland (Radeloff et al. 2005), is a focal area for humanwildlife interactions in many communities of the western United States, particularly in those areas that have experienced rapid and expansive human population growth. Since 1960, conversion of rural to urban land has more than doubled in the United States (Theobald 2001). The eastern front range of the Rocky Mountains has experienced one of the most rapid urban expansions in the country, with approximately 110,000 hectares of undeveloped rural land being converted to human-developed land every year between 1992 …

The Textural Discontinuity Hypothesis And Its Relation To Nomadism, Migration, Decline, And Competition, Aaron L. Alai

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

The causes of nomadism, migration, and decline in vertebrates are debated issues in the ecological sciences. Literature suggests nomadism may arise in species that specialize in granivory, nectivory, or the utilization of rodent outbreaks. Migration is thought to arise as a result of the exploitation of certain scarce or variable food resources. Species decline is hypothesized to be the result of many different factors as well; large species, island species and specialists may be more prone to decline.

A fresh perspective regarding the causes for species nomadism, migration, and decline is being investigated utilizing the ideas within the Textural Discontinuity …

Evaluating Captive-Breeding Techniques And Reintroduction Success Of The California Condor (Gymnogyps Californianus), Amy C. Utt

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

In this dissertation, I present two original research studies on the behavior and survival of the critically endangered California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus). I also provide a comprehensive review of the role of captive-rearing to the conservation of birds.

The first study examined the behavioral differences of puppet- and parent-reared condor juveniles reared in captivity. This study further defined and examined the behaviors of adult conspecific mentors and their interactions with juveniles. Dominance hierarchy analyses for two cohorts of juveniles and their adult mentors indicated the establishment of a linear hierarchy. Although puppet-reared juveniles engaged in fewer social behaviors in …

A Sea Change For Aquatic Sustainability : Meeting The Challenge Of Fish Resources Management And Aquatic Sustainability In The 21st Century, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Occasional Publications

No abstract provided.

Photovoltaics (Pv) As An Eligible Measure In Residential Pace Programs: Benefits And Challenges, Jason Coughlin

Publications (E)

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing is one of several new financial models broadening access to clean energy by addressing the barrier of initial capital cost. The majority of the PACE programs in the market today include PV as an eligible measure. PV appeals to homeowners as a way to reduce utility bills, self-generate sustainable power, increase energy independence and demonstrate a commitment to the environment. If substantial state incentives for PV exist, PV projects can be economic under PACE, especially when partnered with good net metering policies. At the same time, PV is expensive relative to other eligible measures …

In Situ Development Of Western Prairie Fringed Orchid Seeds, Protocorms, And Seedlings In Grazed And Non-Grazed Prairie Habitat, Bonnie Warner Alexander, Donald Kirby, Mario Biondini, Edward Dekeyser

The Prairie Naturalist

In 1989, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara) as threatened. Although this orchid has been monitored for years, there is little scientific documentation of its biology, ecology, and phenology, nor the impacts of management activities on its populations. Our objectives were to document seed germination and seedling production rates after one year in situ, and compare seed germination in grazed and non-grazed prairie habitat in the Sheyenne National Grassland (SNG) in southeastern North Dakota. Of 18,717 planted seeds, we recovered 1,561 swollen embryos, 94 protocorms, and 51 seedlings. We documented no difference …

Ring-Necked Pheasant Nest Parasitism Of Sharp-Tailed Grouse Nests In Southwest North Dakota, Benjamin A. Geaumont, Kevin K. Sedivec, Christopher S. Schauer

The Prairie Naturalist

Numerous investigators have reported observations of ring-necked pheasant (RNP; Phasianus colchicus) eggs in nests of other gamebirds and waterfowl species (Errington and Hamerstrom 1938, Westemeier et al. 1998, Hagen et al. 2002, Krakauer and Kimball 2009). Previously recorded hosts include wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo; Schmutz 1988), northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; Westemeier et al. 1989), greater prairie-chickens (Tyrnpanuchus cupido; Westemeier et al. 1998), and lesser prairie-chickens (T. pallidicinctus; Hagen et al. 2002). The reported occurrence of nest parasitism during these studies has generally been low with the highest reported occurrences found in …

Early Winter Feeding On Elm Bark By Eastern Fox Squirrels Near The Western Range Terminus, Dessa K. Montgomery, Raymond S. Matlack

The Prairie Naturalist

Fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) feed on >30 different types of food across their extensive range ~Korschgen 1981) including tree buds, flowers, fruits, seeds, and, on occasion, bark. For a large portion of the year, fox squirrels rely heavily on tree seeds (Koprowski 1991). For three consecutive years (2007-2009), we observed fox squirrels feeding on bark of elm trees ( Ulmus sp.) on the campus of West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas. Squirrels began feeding on bark in late November shortly after leaves had fallen off the trees and continued almost daily throughout the winter. In late February, when …

Influences Of Environmental Education Programs On The Participant's Affinity For Nature, Justin Alan Schmillen

Master's Theses

This study was conducted to determine the change, and the factors influencing the change, in the participant’s affinity for nature resulting from an environmental education experience. In addition, this study also examined the change and factors of change in aspects of the participant’s affinity for nature that directly relate to marine and coastal resources and environments. An adapted version of the Affinity for Nature scale, an outcome measuring instrument used by the American Camp Association was used to collect data from participants (n=529) at Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School and Camp Ocean Pines, whose experience included an overnight component and …

Water Conservation For The County Of San Luis Obispo, Dimitri Theodore Antoniou

Master's Theses

This study is an academic research project completed to satisfy the California Polytechnic Master Thesis Requirement for the Master Degree of City and Regional Planning in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design.

The County of San Luis Obispo Planning and Building Department is the client for this professional project. The project was requested by the County of San Luis Obispo to assist in its water conservation efforts and to help achieve a 20 percent per capita reduction of water use by the year 2020.

The project consists of two documents: A Handbook of Water Conservation Technologies and Practices (Handbook) …

The Impact Of Local Environmental Activist Organizations On State Environmental Policies, Molly Patricia Casperson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

In the past ten years, the state of Indiana has been recognized as having a poor environmental record, with an increasing carbon footprint, poor air and water quality, ineffective hazardous waste management, and few policy initiatives to correct the problems. Because most the environmental issues are "creeping" environmental problems (Moser and Dilling 42), citizens too easily dismiss them when other, more pressing issues, like job loss and high taxes become apparent. Ironically, Indiana is a state with a numerous active environmental groups, some with long histories in the state. While Indiana attracts criticism for its poor environmental record, many citizens …

Using Advancements In Cable-Trapping To Overcome Barriers To Furbearer Management In The United States, Stephen Vantassel, Tim L. Hiller, Kelly D. J. Powell, Scott E. Hygnstrom

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Harvest of furbearers through trapping has been challenged by anti-trapping organizations for centuries, with organizational goals often including prohibition of all forms of trapping. Challenges to trapping may also include dissention among state wildlife agencies, pro-hunting organizations, and pro-trapping organizations. Despite recent efforts by anti-trapping organizations and occasional dissention among consumptive-use groups, national trends in snaring regulations included less restrictive regulations through time. This positive trend may offer opportunities for state wildlife agencies and pro-trapping organizations to enhance the public image of trapping, increase recruitment of trappers, and reverse the increasing trend of wildlife damage and associated costs. We offer …

Winter Ecology Of Buggy Creek Virus (Togaviridae, Alphavirus) In The Central Great Plains, Charles R. Brown, Stephanie A. Strickler, Amy T. Moore, Sarah A. Knutie, Abinash Padhi, Mary Bomberger Brown, Ginger R. Young, Valerie A. O'Brien, Jerome E. Foster, Nicholas Komar

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

A largely unanswered question in the study of arboviruses is the extent to which virus can overwinter in adult vectors during the cold winter months and resume the transmission cycle in summer. Buggy Creek virus (BCRV; Togaviridae, Alphavirus) is an unusual arbovirus that is vectored primarily by the swallow bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae: Oeciacus vicarius) and amplified by the ectoparasitic bug’s main avian hosts, the migratory cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) and resident house sparrow (Passer domesticus). Bugs are sedentary and overwinter in the swallows’ mud nests. We evaluated the prevalence of BCRV and extent of …

Toward A Synthesis Of Conservation And Animal Welfare Science, David Fraser

Conservation Biology and Animal Welfare Collection

Conservation biology and animal welfare science are multidisciplinary fields of research that address social concerns about animals. Conservation biology focuses on wild animals, works at the level of populations, ecological systems and genetic types, and deals with threats to biodiversity and ecological integrity. Animal welfare science typically focuses on captive (often domestic) animals, works at the level of individuals and groups, and deals with threats to the animals’ health and quality of life. However, there are many areas of existing or potential overlap: (i) many real-life problems, such as environmental contamination, urban development and transportation, create problems for animals that …

Vegetation Trends On A Waste Rock Repository Cap In The Northern Black Hills, Andrew C. Korth, Gary E. Larson, Lan Xu, Thomas E. Schumacher

The Prairie Naturalist

We assessed successional trends, long-term vegetation sustainability, and soil surface protection during the 2005-2007 growing seasons on the 32-ha Ruby Gulch Waste Rock Repository cap. The cap consisted of 150 cm of rock and soil covering a polyethylene membrane which in turn covered mining waste rock in order to prevent leaching of heavy metals and acidic water into streams. Following construction in 2003, a contractor applied a grass-forb seed mixture to provide soil-surface protection especially for steeply sloped portions of the cap. In 2005, we established 56, 1-m² plots, and 20, 20-m transects to annually measure canopy cover, basal …

Seasonal Variation In Terrestrial Insect Subsidies To Tropical Streams And Implications For The Diet Of Rivulus Hartii, David C. Owens

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

Terrestrial invertebrates subsidize fish diets in lotic ecosystems. Seasonality strongly influences terrestrial invertebrate abundance in temperate regions and alters their delivery to streams. Seasonal changes in the tropics are characterized by distinct wet and dry periods, with marked variation in invertebrate abundance. However, little is known about how these seasonal changes affect invertebrate subsidies and their ecological consequences for tropical streams. We measured the effect of rainfall and canopy density on terrestrial invertebrate falling input, as well as seasonal variation in falling input, benthic and drifting invertebrate, and Rivulus hartii (Hart’s Rivulus) diet composition during both the wet and dry …

An Exploratory Study On Energy Consumption Of Energy Star And Non-Energy Star Homes, Prajakta Kulkarni

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The reduction of energy consumption is one of the economic necessities in the United States due to depleting energy sources in the world. The construction industry is stepping forward to reduce the energy consumption of buildings by efficient designs or by constructing buildings with energy efficient materials and features. In 1992, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) introduced the Energy Star Program to promote energy efficient products with the same or improved services. According to the EPA, Energy Star homes, which use these products, will consume 20 to 30 percent less energy than non-Energy Star …