Other Environmental Sciences Commons^™

Investigating The Phenomenon Of Increasing Surface Air Temperatures Using A Global Climate Modeling Approach, D. Bhattacharya, K. Carroll-Steward, M. Chandler, C. Forbes

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Similar Bird Communities Across Grazing Systems In The Nebraska Sandhills, M. Sliwinski, L.A. Powell, W. Schacht

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Changes In Students’ Mental Models From Computational Modeling Of Gene Regulatory Networks, Jenny Dauer, Heather E. Bergan-Roller, Gretchen P. King, Mckenzie Kjose, Nicholas Galt, Tomas Helikar

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Background: Computational modeling is an increasingly common practice for disciplinary experts and therefore necessitates integration into science curricula. Computational models afford an opportunity for students to investigate the dynamics of biological systems, but there is significant gap in our knowledge of how these activities impact student knowledge of the structures, relationships, and dynamics of the system. We investigated how a computational modeling activity affected introductory biology students’ mental models of a prokaryotic gene regulatory system (lac operon) by analyzing conceptual models created before and after the activity.

Results: Students’ pre-lesson conceptual models consisted of provided, system-general structures (e.g., activator, repressor) …

Drought Monitoring In The Middle East And North Africa (Mena) Region: Participatory Engagement To Inform Early Warning Systems, Stephen Russell Fragaszy, Theresa Jedd, Nicole Wall, Cody Knutson, Makram Belhaj Fraj, Karim Bergaoui, Mark D. Svoboda, Michael J. Hayes, Rachael Mcdonnell

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

When drought hits water-scarce regions, there are significant repercussions for food
and water security, as well as serious issues for the stability of broader social and environmental systems. To mitigate these effects, environmental monitoring and early warning systems aimed at detecting the onset of drought conditions can facilitate timely and effective responses from government and private sector stakeholders. The study uses multi-stage, participatory research methods across more than 135 interviews, focus groups, and workshops to assess extant climatic, agricultural, hydrological, and drought monitoring systems, key cross-sector drought impacts, and drought monitoring needs in four MENA-region countries: Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, and …

Gateways-Nd: Demonstrating Institutional Change In Stem Teaching And Learning Within North Dakota State University, J.M.D. Motsenbacher, E. A. Berg, J. Ladbury, R. Reichenbach, M. Hanson, P. Kelter, L. Montplaisir, J. Nyachwaya

School of Natural Resources: Documents and Reviews

No abstract provided.

Ires Track I: Usa-China: International Research Experience For Native American Students In Iot-Enabled Environmental Monitoring Technologies., J. Wang, J.M.D. Motschenbacher

School of Natural Resources: Documents and Reviews

No abstract provided.

Ms Environmental Biology Capstone Project, Bradley Hamilton

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

• Chapter 1 - Literature Review: Hunting as a Management Tool for the Invasive Eurasian-Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
• Chapter 2 - Grant Proposal: Impacts of the Invasive Eurasian-Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) on the Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) in Northeastern Colorado
• Chapter 3 - Journal Manuscript: High Elevations and Cold Temperatures Influence American Pika (Ochotona princeps) Distributions in the White River National Forest
• Chapter 4: Resolving Refugee-Elephant Conflict in Bangladesh via Education and Rebuilding

A Geostatistical Study Of Socioeconomic Status (Ses), Rurality, Seasonality And Index Test Results As Drivers Of Free Private Groundwater Testing In Southern Ontario, 2012–2016, Shahryar Qayyum, Paul Hynds, Harriet Richardson, Kevin Mcdermott, Anna Majury

Articles

Approximately 12% of the Canadian population uses private wells for daily water consumption; however, well water testing rates are on the decline, resulting in an increased risk of waterborne acute gastrointestinal illness. To date, limited research has explored the determinants influencing well testing practices. Accordingly, the current study sought to investigate the drivers of “one-off” and repeat well water testing in southern Ontario during the 5-year period 2012–2016, using the worlds largest private groundwater testing data-frame. Data from >400,000 wells were geospatially integrated with all tests conducted by the provincial laboratory in southern Ontario. The Ontario Marginalization Index (ON-Marg) was …

What Is Happening To Our Common Home: Reflections From One Catholic Scientist And One Theological Ethicist, M. Shulski, D.R. Dileo

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Geographic Distribution Of Chronic Wasting Disease Resistant Alleles In Nebraska, With Comments On The Evolution Of Resistance, H. Vazquez-Miranda, R. M. Zink

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Gulls As Sources Of Environmental Contamination By Colistin-Resistant Bacteria, Alan B. Franklin, Andrew M. Ramey, Kevin T. Bentler, Nicole L. Barrett, Loredana M. Mccurdy, Christina A. Ahlstrom, Jonas Bonnedahl, Susan A. Shriner, Jeffrey C. Chandler

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In 2015, the mcr-1 gene was discovered in Escherichia coli in domestic swine in China that conferred resistance to colistin, an antibiotic of last resort used in treating multi-drug resistant bacterial infections in humans. Since then, mcr-1 was found in other human and animal populations, including wild gulls. Because gulls could disseminate the mcr-1 gene, we conducted an experiment to assess whether gulls are readily colonized with mcr-1 positive E. coli, their shedding patterns, transmission among conspecifics, and environmental deposition. Shedding of mcr-1 E. coli by small gull flocks followed a lognormal curve and gulls shed one strain >101 …

Piscivorous Bird Use Of Aquaculture And Natural Water Bodies In Mississippi, Paul C. Burr, Jimmy I. Avery, Garrett M. Street, Bronson K. Strickland, Brian S. Dorr

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Double crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) and great egrets (Ardea alba) have an extensive history of human wildlife conflict with the aquaculture industry of western Mississippi, USA, due to

their depredation of cultured catfish (Ictalurus spp.). Although aquaculture is abundant, western Mississippi also contains naturally occurring water bodies that offer alternative forage opportunities to these species. How cormorants or egrets distribute themselves among these 2 foraging options is unknown, but it has been generally assumed each species uses aquaculture disproportionately more because of the high density of available prey. To test this assumption, we surveyed these …

Control Or Eradication: Problems In The Management Of Invasive Birds, Michael L. Avery, Chris J. Feare

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Humans have captured, transported and intentionally released wild birds for centuries (Blackburn et al., 2009). Motivations for such purposeful introductions include food (West and Zhou, 2007), religion (Agoramoorthy and Hsu, 2007), sport (McDowall, 1994), biocontrol (Bennett and Hughes, 1959; Kurdila, 1995) and aesthetics (Ryan, 1906; Thomson, 1922). Many purposeful bird introductions were the work of acclimatization societies, particularly in North America, New Zealand and Australia. These societies were formed in the 19th century by European settlers to transport bird species from their homelands in efforts to establish them in the newly settled regions (Thomson, 1922; Dunlap, 1997). As a result …

Increasing Atmospheric Co2 Concentrations Outweighs Effects Of Stand Density In Determining Growth And Water Use Efficiency In Pinus Ponderosa Of The Semi-Arid Grasslands Of Nebraska (U.S.A.), Giovanna Battipaglia, Tala Awada, Rahel Aus Der Au, Michele Innangi, Matthias Saurer, Paolo Cherubini

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

This study investigated the impacts of environmental (e.g., climate and CO2 level) and ecological (e.g., stand density) factors on the long-term growth and physiology of pon- derosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) in a semi-arid north American grassland. We hypothesized that ponderosa pine long-term growth patterns were positively influenced by an increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations and a decrease in stand density. To test this hypothesis, comparison of long-term trends in tree-ring width and carbon and oxygen stable isotopic composition of trees growing in dense and sparse forest stands were carried out at two sites located in the Nebraska National Forest. Results …

Linking Drought Impacts To Drought Severity At The State Level, M. Noel, K. Smith, D. Bathke, B. Fuchs, D. Gutzmer, T. Haigh, M. Hayes, M. Podebradska, C. Shield, M. Svoboda

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Diurnal Activity Patterns Of Walia Ibex (Capra Walie) In Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia, D. Ejigu, A. Bekele, L.A. Powell

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Biotic And Abiotic Factors Influencing Arsenic Biogeochemistry And Toxicity In Fluvial Ecosystems: A Review, Laura Barral-Fraga, María Teresa Barral, Keeley L. Macneill, Diego Martiñá-Prieto, Soizic Morin, María Carolina Rodríguez-Castro, Baigal-Amar Tuulaikhuu, Helena Guasch

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

This review is focused on the biogeochemistry of arsenic in freshwaters and, especially, on the key role that benthic microalgae and prokaryotic communities from biofilms play together in through speciation, distribution, and cycling. These microorganisms incorporate the dominant iAs (inorganic arsenic) form and may transform it to other arsenic forms through metabolic or detoxifying processes. These transformations have a big impact on the environmental behavior of arsenic because different chemical forms exhibit differences in mobility and toxicity. Moreover, exposure to toxicants may alter the physiology and structure of biofilms, leading to changes in ecosystem function and trophic relations. In this …

Flash Drought Development And Cascading Impacts Associated With The 2010 Russian Heatwave, J. Christian, J. B. Basara, E. D. Hunt, J. A. Otkin, X. Xiao

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Winter Use Of A Rock Crevice By Northern Long-Eared Myotis (Myotis Septentrionalis) In Nebraska, Jeremy A. White, Patricia Freeman, Hans W. Otto, Cliff Lemen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

We used a combination of acoustic detectors, thermal imaging cameras, and mist netting to confirm the use of a rock crevice by northern long-eared myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) in winter in northeastern Nebraska. Bats roosted in a large crevice in a rock face along the Missouri River, and 5 individuals were captured emerging from the opening of the crevice in March 2017. Our study is the first to confirm the use of a rock-crevice hibernaculum by M. septentrionalis and adds to the growing literature on the winter use of rock crevices by hibernating bats in North America. As white-nose …

Knowledge And Behavioural Interventions To Reduce Human Health Risk From Private Groundwater Systems: A Global Review And Pooled Analysis Based On Development Status, S. Mooney, C. P. Mcdowell, J. O'Dwyer, P. D. Hynds

Articles

Groundwater contamination constitutes a significant health risk for private well users residing in rural areas. As the responsibility to safeguard rural private domestic groundwater typically rests with non-expert homeowners, interventions promoting risk mitigation and awareness represent the most viable means of preventing supply contamination. However, no global review or pooled analyses of these interventions has been undertaken to date. The current study sought to identify and quantify the performance of private well interventions from 1990 to 2018 via a global systematised review and pooled analysis. The PICO (Population-Intervention-Comparison-Outcome) approach was employed for literature identification. Relevant studies were statistically analysed across …

Habitat Associations And Co-Occurrence Patterns Of Two Estuarine-Dependent Predatory Fishes, Mariah C. Livernois, Sean P. Powers, Mark A. Albins, John F. Mareska

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Estuarine-dependent fishes experience a wide range of environmental conditions, and most species exhibit distinct associations with particular habitats. However, similar species or multiple conspecifics often overlap spatiotemporally, which can result in ecological interactions that have consequences for behaviors that can shape the structure and function of ecosystems. We used a long-term gill-net data set (2001–2015) to investigate the habitat associations and cooccurrence patterns of two estuarine-dependent predatory fishes, Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus and Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus, in coastal Alabama, USA. Both species were associated with similar environmental conditions, primarily low dissolved oxygen and low salinity, especially when temperature was …

Agri-Combs: Open-Path Dual-Comb Spectroscopy Of Livestock Emissions, D. I. Herman, L. C. Hutcherson, C. Weerasekara Et Al.

School of Natural Resources: Documents and Reviews

No abstract provided.

Droughtscape, Winter 2019, Cory Matteson

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

Contents

From the Director

4th quarter climate summary

2019 year in review summary

4th quarter drought impact summary

2019 drought impact summary

New form helps ‘see more’ drought

Landscape photographers invited to submit photos

Helping Central and South America planning

Database includes more drought planning

Corn Response To Wastewater-Recycled Phosphorus Fertilizers, Shane R. Ylagan, Kristofor R. Brye

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

The ability to recycle phosphorus (P) from wastewaters could provide a sustainable, continuous source of P that might also help protect surface water quality from P enrichment. The mineral struvite (MgNH4PO4 · 6H2O) is an understudied material that can be created from P- and nitrogen (N)-containing wastewater and has been shown to have agricultural fertilizer value. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of electrochemically precipitated struvite (ECST), chemically precipitated struvite (Crystal Green; CG), diammonium phosphate (DAP), monoammonium phosphate (MAP), rock phosphate (RP), and triple superphosphate (TSP) on corn (Zea mays) response in a greenhouse pot study. …

Prairie Grouse Population Trends And Their Historical Drivers In The Nebraska Sandhills, Danielle Berger

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

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) has monitored greater prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus) and plains sharp-tailed grouse populations (Tympanuchus phasianellus jamesi), collectively known as prairie grouse, since the 1950s using spring breeding ground counts. My research modeled long-term, species-specific spatial and temporal trends of prairie grouse abundance and potential environmental drivers in the Sandhills of Nebraska using NGPC’s historical monitoring data. Prairie-chicken populations have increased since the 1950s while sharp-tailed grouse populations have remained stable or slightly declined. These population trends arise in the context of a dynamic landscape. I created indices representing raptor predation …

Mixed Ancestry From Wild And Domestic Lineages Contributes To The Rapid Expansion Of Invasive Feral Swine, Timothy J. Smyser, Michael A. Tabak, Chris Slootmaker, Michael S. Robeson Ii, Ryan S. Miller, Mirte Bosse, Hendrik-Jan Megens, Martien A.M. Groenen, Samuel Rezende Paiva, Danielle Assis De Faria, Harvey D. Blackburn, Brandon S. Schmit, Antoinette J. Piaggio

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive alien species are a significant threat to both economic and ecological systems. Identifying the processes that give rise to invasive populations is essential for implementing effective control strategies. We conducted an ancestry analysis of invasive feral swine (Sus scrofa, Linnaeus, 1758), a highly destructive ungulate that is widely distributed throughout the contiguous United States, to describe introduction pathways, sources of newly emergent populations and processes contributing to an ongoing invasion. Comparisons of high-density single nucleotide polymorphism genotypes for 6,566 invasive feral swine to a comprehensive reference set of S. scrofa revealed that the vast majority of feral swine were …

The Role Of European Starlings (Sturnus Vulgaris) In The Dissemination Of Multidrug- Resistant Escherichia Coli Among Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, Jeffrey C. Chandler, Jennifer E. Anders, Nicolas A. Blouin, James C. Carlson, Jeffrey T. Lejeune, Lawrence D. Goodridge, Baolin Wang, Leslie A. Day, Anna M. Mangan, Dustin A. Reid, Shannon M. Coleman, Matthew W. Hopken, Bledar Bisha

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Antimicrobial use in livestock production is a driver for the development and proliferation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Wildlife interactions with livestock, acquiring associated AMR bacteria and genes, and wildlife’s subsequent dispersal across the landscape are hypothesized to play an important role in the ecology of AMR. Here, we examined priority AMR phenotypes and genotypes of Escherichia coli isolated from the gastrointestinal tracts of european starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) found on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). European starlings may be present in high numbers on cAfos (>100,000 birds), interact with urban environments, and can migrate distances exceeding 1,500 km in North …

Reporting The Limits Of Detection And Quantification For Environmental Dna Assays, Katy E. Klymus, Christopher M. Merkes, Michael J. Allison, Caren S. Goldberg, Caren C. Helbing, Margaret E. Hunter, Craig A. Jackson, Richard F. Lance, Anna M. Mangan, Emy M. Monroe, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Joel P. Stokdyk, Chris C. Wilson, Catherine A. Richter

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background: Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is increasingly being used to detect the presence and relative abundance of rare species, especially invasive or imperiled aquatic species. The rapid progress in the eDNA field has resulted in numerous studies impacting conservation and management actions. However, standardization of eDNA methods and reporting across the field is yet to be fully established, with one area being the calculation and interpretation of assay limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ).

Aims: Here, we propose establishing consistent methods for determining and reporting of LOD and LOQ for single‐species quantitative PCR (qPCR) eDNA studies.

Materials …

Safety, Immunogenicity, And Efficacy Of Intramuscular And Oral Delivery Of Era-G333 Recombinant Rabies Virus Vaccine To Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus Fuscus), Amy T. Gilbert, Xianfu Wu, Felix R. Jackson, Richard Franka, Gary F. Mccracken, Charles E. Rupprecht

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Attenuated strains of rabies virus (RABV) have been used for oral vaccination of wild carnivores in Europe and North America. However, some RABV vaccines caused clinical rabies in target animals. To improve the safety of attenuated RABV as an oral vaccine for field use, strategies using selection of escape mutants under monoclonal antibody neutralization pressure and reverse genetics–defined mutations have been used. We tested the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of one RABV construct, ERA-g333, developed with reverse genetics by intramuscular (IM) or oral (PO) routes in big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus). Twenty-five bats received 5×10⁶ mouse intracerebral …

Psychological Drivers Of Risk-Reducing Behaviors To Limit Human–Wildlife Conflict, Stacy A. Lischka, Tara L. Teel, Heather E. Johnson, Courtney Larson, Stewart Breck, Kevin R. Crooks

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Conflicts between people and wild animals are increasing globally, often with serious consequences

for both. Local regulations or ordinances are frequently used to promote human behaviors that minimize these conflicts (risk-reducing behaviors), but compliance with ordinances can be highly variable. While efforts to increase compliance could be improved through applications of conservation psychology, little is known about the relative influence of different factors motivating compliance. Using concepts from psychology and risk theory, we conducted a longitudinal study pairing data from mail surveys with direct observations of compliance with a wildlife ordinance requiring residents to secure residential garbage from black bears …