Holocene Rice Rats (Genus Oryzomys) From The Upper Mississippi River Drainage Basin,
2023
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Holocene Rice Rats (Genus Oryzomys) From The Upper Mississippi River Drainage Basin, Hugh H. Genoways
Zea E-Books Collection
The expansion and collapse of the geographic range of the Texas rice rat (Oryzomys texensis) in the upper Mississippi River drainage basin at the end of the Holocene was a unique event in North American mammals. In a period of about 4000 years with a point of origin near the American Bottom in Illinois, these small rodents extended their geographic range in a straight-line distance of over 950 km to the west into Nebraska and the same distance to the east into Pennsylvania. Then in less than 400 years this range expansion collapsed back to a point where …
Optimizing The Membrane-Assisted Recovery Of Solids (Mars) Technology For Nutrient Removal And Recovery From Concentrated Waste Streams,
2023
University of South Florida
Optimizing The Membrane-Assisted Recovery Of Solids (Mars) Technology For Nutrient Removal And Recovery From Concentrated Waste Streams, Ben Yamin Hoque
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The effective management of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, in decentralizedwastewater treatment environments is a pressing challenge. These nutrients pose significant risks to the environment and public health when discharged into water bodies, while their recovery and reuse can help alleviate nutrient shortages in various industries, including agriculture. Conventional biological treatment methods used in centralized facilities are not suitable for decentralized systems due to operational complexities and space limitations. Chemical treatment mechanisms, such as adsorption, ion exchange, precipitation, and air-stripping, offer potential solutions but are accompanied by challenges like high costs and logistical issues. Therefore, finding a sustainable and …
Droughtscape, Summer 2023,
2023
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Droughtscape, Summer 2023, National Drought Mitigation Center
DroughtScape: Quarterly Newsletter of the National Drought Mitigation Center (2007–2023)
DroughtScape, Summer 2023
Mentoring Experiences Of Undergraduate Students And Faculty Members In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics,
2023
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Mentoring Experiences Of Undergraduate Students And Faculty Members In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics, Pamela Martínez Oquendo
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
I present a comprehensive view of mentoring experiences of undergraduate students and faculty members in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In Chapter 1, I describe a brief outline of this dissertation. In Chapter 2, I present an interpretative phenomenological analysis of the lived experiences of former STEM undergraduate mentors of the Nebraska STEM For You (NE STEM 4U) afterschool mentoring program. In Chapter 3, I describe how the ramifications of faculty mentorship influence the science pipeline using a qualitative synthesis. In Chapter 4, I describe how the STEM faculty-student mentoring engagement involves a strong psychological support component using a …
Cadmium And Salinity Stressor Antagonism On Vallisneria Neotropicalis,
2023
University of South Alabama
Cadmium And Salinity Stressor Antagonism On Vallisneria Neotropicalis, Christopher P. Mikolaitis
Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)
Submerged macrophytes form the foundation of freshwater ecosystems. These organisms are sessile and are very susceptible to shifts in their environment. Heavy metals are of particular concern as they can be sequestered indefinitely in sediments and are readily taken up by rooted vegetation. In the presence of saltwater intrusions, these metals can interact with salt ions potentially changing their availability to submerged vegetation. In this study a freshwater macrophyte, Vallisneria neotropicalis, was used as a test species for interactive effects between Cd, a non-essential heavy metal, and salt stress. The metrics used to establish the individual as well as …
Convergence And Transdisciplinary Teaching In
Quantitative Biology,
2023
Georgia Southern University
Convergence And Transdisciplinary Teaching In Quantitative Biology, Robert Mayes, Joseph Dauer, David Owens
School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications
The United States National Science and Technology Council has made a call for improving STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education at the convergence of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The National Science Foundation (NSF) views convergence as the merging of ideas, approaches, and technologies from widely diverse fields of knowledge to stimulate innovation and discovery. Teaching convergency requires moving to the transdisciplinary level of integration where there is deep integration of skills, disciplines, and knowledge to solve a challenging real-world problem. Here we present a summary on convergence and transdisciplinary teaching. We then provide examples of convergence and transdisciplinary …
Mass Spectrometry Of The White
Adipose Metabolome In A
Hibernating Mammal Reveals
Seasonal Changes In Alternate
Fuels And Carnitine Derivatives,
2023
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Mass Spectrometry Of The White Adipose Metabolome In A Hibernating Mammal Reveals Seasonal Changes In Alternate Fuels And Carnitine Derivatives, Frazer I. Heinis, Sophie Alvarez, Matthew T. Andrews
School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications
Mammalian hibernators undergo substantial changes in metabolic function throughout the seasonal hibernation cycle. We report here the polar metabolomic profile of white adipose tissue isolated from active and hibernating thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus). Polar compounds in white adipose tissue were extracted from five groups representing different timepoints throughout the seasonal activity-torpor cycle and analyzed using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in both the positive and negative ion modes. A total of 224 compounds out of 660 features detected after curation were annotated. Unsupervised clustering using principal component analysis revealed discrete clusters representing the different seasonal timepoints throughout …
An Analysis Of Lichen Presence On Quercus And Non-Quercus In Chicagoland Area,
2023
DePaul University
An Analysis Of Lichen Presence On Quercus And Non-Quercus In Chicagoland Area, Shelby Johnson
DePaul Discoveries
Both anthropogenic change and the spread of invasive species have led to changes in urban and forest tree diversity. Oak rust, acute oak decline, and emerald ash borer have all had a detrimental effect on tree species in the Chicagoland area. Quercus species are well known habitats for lichen species including Physcia millegrana, Physcia stellaris, Punctelia rudecta, Flavoparmelia caperata, Xanthomendosa, and Candeleria concolor. Due to the decrease in the traditional Quercus habitats for lichen and the increase in nonnative and nontraditional tree species being introduced, particularly in cities, this study aimed to compare the number and diversity of …
Calculating And Comparing Bioaccessible Lead Concentrations In Soils From The Garfield Ridge, West Elsdon, And Lakeview Community Areas Using A Pbet And A Mehlich-3 Digestion Method,
2023
DePaul University
Calculating And Comparing Bioaccessible Lead Concentrations In Soils From The Garfield Ridge, West Elsdon, And Lakeview Community Areas Using A Pbet And A Mehlich-3 Digestion Method, Emma Sznewajs
DePaul Discoveries
Lead exposure through soil poses potential health risks to those in areas with higher soil-Pb levels, specifically urban areas. The soil-lead concentrations recommended by the EPA are based on measurement of total lead concentration, yet only a percentage of the total lead can actually be absorbed into the body. The percentage of lead in soil that can be absorbed into the blood through ingestion is reffered to as bioaccessible lead and can be a more accurate way of measuring potential dangers of lead in soils. This study measured the amount of bioaccessible lead in the community areas of West Elsdon, …
Wildlife Ecological Risk Assessment In The 21st Century: Promising
Technologies To Assess Toxicological Effects,
2023
US Geological Survey
Wildlife Ecological Risk Assessment In The 21st Century: Promising Technologies To Assess Toxicological Effects, Barnett A. Rattner, Thomas G. Bean, Val R. Beasley, Philippe Berny, Karen M. Eisenreich, John E. Elliott, Margaret L. Eng, Phyllis C. Fuchsman, Mason D. King, Rafael Mateo, Carolyn B. Meyer, Jason M. O'Brien, Christopher J. Salice
United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications
Despite advances in toxicity testing and the development of new approach methodologies (NAMs) for hazard assessment, the ecological risk assessment (ERA) framework for terrestrial wildlife (i.e., air‐breathing amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) has remained unchanged for decades. While survival, growth, and reproductive endpoints derived from whole-animal toxicity tests are central to hazard assessment, nonstandard measures of biological effects at multiple levels of biological organization (e.g., molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, organism, population, community, ecosystem) have the potential to enhance the relevance of prospective and retrospective wildlife ERAs. Other factors (e.g., indirect effects of contaminants on food supplies and infectious disease processes) …
Biological Case Against Downlisting The Whooping Crane And For Improving Implementation Under The Endangered Species Act,
2023
International Crane Foundation, Baraboo, WI
Biological Case Against Downlisting The Whooping Crane And For Improving Implementation Under The Endangered Species Act, Andrew J. Caven, Hillary L. Thompson, David M. Baasch, Barry K. Hartup, Amanda M. Hegg, Stephanie M. Schmidt, Irvin Louque, Craig R. Allen, Carter G. Crouch, Craig A. Davis, Joel G. Jorgensen, Jane E. Austin, Bethany L. Ostrom, Richard D. Beilfuss, George W. Archibald, Anne E. Lacy
School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications
The Whooping Crane (Grus americana; WHCR) is a large, long-lived bird endemic to North America. The remnant population migrates between Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, USA, and Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada (AWBP), and has recovered from a nadir of 15-16 birds in 1941 to ~540 birds in 2022. Two ongoing reintroduction efforts in Louisiana and the Eastern Flyway together total ~150 birds. Evidence indicates the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is strongly considering downlisting the species from an endangered to a threatened status under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We examined the current status of the WHCR through the …
Combining Cosmic-Ray Neutron Sensor And Fallout 137Cs To Explore The
Connection Of Soil Water Content With Soil Redistribution In An
Agroforestry Hillslope,
2023
Estación Experimental de Aula Dei
Combining Cosmic-Ray Neutron Sensor And Fallout 137Cs To Explore The Connection Of Soil Water Content With Soil Redistribution In An Agroforestry Hillslope, Leticia Gaspar, Trenton E. Franz, Arturo Catalá, Iván Lizaga, María Concepción Ramos, Ana Navas
School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications
To ensure sustainable agricultural management, there is a need not only to quantify soil erosion rates but also to obtain information on the status of soil water content and soil loss under different soil types and land uses. A clear understanding of the temporal dynamics and the soil moisture spatial variability (SMSV) will help to control soil degradation by hydrological processes. This study represents the first attempt connecting cosmic-ray neutron sensors (CRNS) with soil erosion research, a novel approach to explore the complex relationships between soil water content (SWC) and soil redistribution processes using two of the most powerful nuclear …
Microplastics Presence In Rhizophora Mangle Roots Throughout Fishponds And Open Coasts In Moloka'i, Hawaii,
2023
Portland State University
Microplastics Presence In Rhizophora Mangle Roots Throughout Fishponds And Open Coasts In Moloka'i, Hawaii, Mia Hackett
University Honors Theses
Microplastics (MP) are an emerging global contaminant that has drawn the attention of many researchers in the last few decades due to their growing environmental threats. Pieces of plastic smaller than 5 mm, they are specifically a high cause for concern in marine environments as their small size allows them to flow from inland into the ocean. Through this movement, MPs have been found in all marine ecosystems and ingested by hundreds of marine species often mistaking them for food. Labeled as one of the most threatened ecosystems, mangrove forests are already a large sink for a variety of contaminants …
Bat Use Of Afforested And Encroached Patches And Their Role In Extending Bat Habitat Into The Nebraska Sandhills,
2023
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Bat Use Of Afforested And Encroached Patches And Their Role In Extending Bat Habitat Into The Nebraska Sandhills, Jacob L. Wagner
School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
The Nebraska Sandhills are currently undergoing a state shift to a redcedar dominated woodland due to anthropologic planting of eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) and woody encroachment from the periphery of the Sandhills. To better understand this novel ecosystem and how bats are utilizing it I collected data at Barta Brothers Ranch with acoustic sensor grids consisting of 24,100 m-spaced acoustic sensors placed adjacent to planted windbreaks. Supplemental data from the Nebraska North American Bat Monitoring Program was used for data analysis at larger spatial scales. I used linear regressions and kriging interpolation maps to see how bats used windbreaks during …
How Land Surface Characteristics Influence The Development Of Flash Drought
Through The Drivers Of Soil Moisture And Vapor Pressure Deficit,
2023
Wake Forest University
How Land Surface Characteristics Influence The Development Of Flash Drought Through The Drivers Of Soil Moisture And Vapor Pressure Deficit, Lauren E. L. Lowman, Jordan I. Christian, Eric Hunt
School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications
As global mean temperature rises, extreme drought events are expected to increasingly affect regions of the United States that are crucial for agriculture, forestry, and natural ecology. A pressing need is to understand and anticipate the conditions under which extreme drought causes catastrophic failure to vegetation in these areas. To better predict drought impacts on ecosystems, we first must understand how specific drivers, namely, atmospheric aridity and soil water stress, affect land surface processes during the evolution of flash drought events. In this study, we evaluated when vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and soil moisture thresholds corresponding to photosynthetic shutdown were …
Multiple‑Point Statistical Modeling Of Three‑Dimensional Glacial
Aquifer Heterogeneity For Improved Groundwater Management,
2023
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Multiple‑Point Statistical Modeling Of Three‑Dimensional Glacial Aquifer Heterogeneity For Improved Groundwater Management, Nafyad Serre Kawo, Jesse T. Korus Dr., Mats Lundh Gulbrandsen
School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications
Quaternary glacial aquifers are important water sources for irrigation in many agricultural regions, including eastern Nebraska, USA. Quaternary glacial aquifers are heterogeneous, with juxtaposed low-permeability and high-permeability hydrofacies. Managing groundwater in such aquifers requires a realistic groundwater-flow model parameterization, and characterization of the aquifer geometry, spatial distribution of aquifer properties, and local aquifer interconnectedness. Despite its importance in considering uncertainty during decision-making, hydrofacies probabilities generated from multiple-point statistics (MPS) are not widely applied for groundwater model parameterization and groundwater management zone delineation. This study used a combination of soft data, a cognitive training image, and hard data to generate 100 …
Developing A Slow-Release Permanganate Composite For
Degrading Aquaculture Antibiotics,
2023
Kasetsart University
Developing A Slow-Release Permanganate Composite For Degrading Aquaculture Antibiotics, Chainarong Sakulthaew, Chanat Chokejaroenrat, Sidaporn Panya, Apisit Songsasen, Kitipong Poomipuen, Saksit Imman, Nopparat Suriyachai, Torpong Kreetachat, Steven Comfort
School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications
Copious use of antibiotics in aquaculture farming systems has resulted in surface water contamination in some countries. Our objective was to develop a slow-release oxidant that could be used in situ to reduce antibiotic concentrations in discharges from aquaculture lagoons. We accomplished this by generating a slow-release permanganate (SR-MnO4-) that was composed of a biodegradable wax and a phosphate-based dispersing agent. Sulfadimethoxine (SDM) and its synergistic antibiotics were used as representative surrogates. Kinetic experiments verified that the antibiotic-MnO4- reactions were first-order with respect to MnO4- and initial antibiotic concentration (second-order rates: 0.056–0.128 s …
Coupling Dendroecological And Remote Sensing Techniques To Assess The
Biophysical Traits Of Juniperus Virginiana And Pinus Ponderosa Within The
Semi-Arid Grasslands Of The Nebraska Sandhills,
2023
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Coupling Dendroecological And Remote Sensing Techniques To Assess The Biophysical Traits Of Juniperus Virginiana And Pinus Ponderosa Within The Semi-Arid Grasslands Of The Nebraska Sandhills, R. Allen, Anastasios Mazis, Brian Wardlow, P. Cherubini, J. Hiller, David A. Wedin, Tala Awada
School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications
Woody species encroachment is occurring within the semi-arid grasslands of the Nebraska Sandhills U.S., primarily driven by native Juniperus virginiana and Pinus ponderosa, altering ecosystems and the services they provide. Effective, low cost, and cross-scale monitoring of woody species growth and performance is necessary for integrated grassland and forest management in the face of climate variability and change. In this study, we sought to establish a relationship between remote sensing-derived vegetation indices (VIs), tree dendrochronological (raw and standardized tree ring width) measurements, and the abiotic environment [(precipitation, temperature, Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), and soil water content (0–300 cm …
Review Of Toxicity Of Agricultural Chemicals And Implications For Aquatic Fauna Of The Keep River,
2023
Murdoch University
Review Of Toxicity Of Agricultural Chemicals And Implications For Aquatic Fauna Of The Keep River, Samanatha Reynolds, David Morgan
Natural resources commissioned reports
This report was compiled for the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) as part of the National Water Grid Authority (NWGA) project entitled “Managing water quality to enable future irrigation development in the Kimberley Region, WA”. The purpose of this report is to review the toxicity of farm chemicals (herbicides and insecticides) used by farm operators in the Keep River catchment and their potential impacts on the aquatic species in the river, in particular those species that are listed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. It is designed to complement the report entitled …
Pfas In News Media: A Quantitative And Qualitative Analysis,
2023
Portland State University
Pfas In News Media: A Quantitative And Qualitative Analysis, Madison Haley
University Honors Theses
News media analysis allows for a greater understanding of mainstream public concerns throughout time. The history of US news articles covering per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of chemicals posing increasing threats to public health and the environment, demonstrates Americans' awareness and perceptions of these chemicals over time. Based on the quantitative and qualitative analyses of PFAS-related national news articles in 2012-2022, this study discusses media representations and public perceptions of PFAS during the stated period. Results indicate an over 5700% increase in PFAS-related news articles over the 10-year timespan. Further, thematic analysis reveals that PFAS-related news articles are …
