The Burning Bush: Linking Lidar-Derived Shrub Architecture To Flammability,
2022
West Virginia University
The Burning Bush: Linking Lidar-Derived Shrub Architecture To Flammability, Michelle S. Bester
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) sensors are powerful tools for characterizing vegetation structure and for constructing three-dimensional (3D) models of trees, also known as quantitative structural models (QSM). 3D models and structural traits derived from them provide valuable information for biodiversity conservation, forest management, and fire behavior modeling. However, vegetation studies and 3D modeling methodologies often only focus on the forest canopy, with little attention given to understory vegetation. In particular, 3D structural information of shrubs is limited or not included in fire behavior models. Yet, understory vegetation is an important component of forested ecosystems, …
A Biological And Chemical Approach To Restoring Water Quality: A Case Study In An Urban Eutrophic Pond,
2022
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
A Biological And Chemical Approach To Restoring Water Quality: A Case Study In An Urban Eutrophic Pond, Levi J. Mckercher, Tiffany L. Messer, Aaron R. Mittelstet, Steve D. Comfort
School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications
Efforts to improve water quality of eutrophic ponds often involve implementing changes to watershed management practices to reduce external nutrient loads. While this is required for long-term recovery and prevention, eutrophic conditions are often sustained through the recycling of internal nutrients already present within the waterbody. In particular, internal phosphorus bound to organic material and adsorbed to sediment has the potential to delay lake recovery for decades. Thus, pond and watershed management techniques are needed that not only reduce external nutrient loading but also mitigate the effects of internal nutrients already present. Therefore, our objective was to demonstrate a biological …
Natural Environment: Protocol To Recover Pollen Grains On Bodies,
2022
University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Natural Environment: Protocol To Recover Pollen Grains On Bodies, Karl J. Reinhard, A. Barbosa
School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications
No abstract provided.
Frayed Connections: How Long-Term Nitrogen Additions Disrupt Plant-Soil Interactions And The Carbon Cycle Of A Temperate Forest,
2022
West Virginia University
Frayed Connections: How Long-Term Nitrogen Additions Disrupt Plant-Soil Interactions And The Carbon Cycle Of A Temperate Forest, Brooke A. Eastman
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)
Forests are expected to mitigate some of the negative effects of climate change by sequestering anthropogenic carbon (C) from the atmosphere, but the degree to which they drawn down C will depend on the availability of key nutrients, such as nitrogen (N). There is a fair amount of uncertainty in the future of the forest C sink, mostly owing to the fate of soil organic matter (SOM) and soil heterotrophic respiration to future conditions. In N limited systems, plants allocate a significant amount of their photosynthate belowground for the acquisition of nutrients, but under conditions of chronic N deposition, plants …
An Examination Of Ethical Attitudes Towards Wild Pig (Sus Scrofa) Toxicants In The United States,
2022
USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research Center & Colorado State University
An Examination Of Ethical Attitudes Towards Wild Pig (Sus Scrofa) Toxicants In The United States, Keith Carlisle, Erin E. Harper, Stephanie A. Shwiff
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
This research aims to understand ethical attitudes of the U.S. public towards the use of a toxicant to control wild pigs (Sus scrofa), a destructive invasive species whose population growth is proving difficult to control through conventional management methods. Using a nationwide self-administered survey with 2,186 completed and returned questionnaires, we found that among six different lethal control methods, toxicant usage was the only method that a majority of respondents (51%) found to be unethical, with no significant differences between rural and urban respondents or between respondents from counties with wild pigs and counties where the species is absent. The …
Mis 5e Sea-Level History Along The Pacific Coast Of North America,
2022
U.S. Geological Survey
Mis 5e Sea-Level History Along The Pacific Coast Of North America, Daniel R. Muhs
United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications
The primary last interglacial, marine isotope substage (MIS) 5e records on the Pacific coast of North America, from Washington (USA) to Baja California Sur (Mexico), are found in the deposits of erosional marine terraces. Warmer coasts along the southern Golfo de California host both erosional marine terraces and constructional coral reef terraces. Because the northern part of the region is tectonically active, MIS 5e terrace elevations vary considerably, from a few meters above sea level to as much as 70m above sea level. The primary paleo-sea-level indicator is the shoreline angle, the junction of the wave-cut platform with the former …
Frugivory And Seed Dispersal By
Carnivorans,
2022
Utah State University
Frugivory And Seed Dispersal By Carnivorans, John P. Draper, Julie K. Young, Eugene W. Schupp, Noelle G. Beckman, Trisha B. Atwood
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Seed dispersal is critical to the ecological performance of sexually reproducing plant species and the communities that they form. The Mammalian order Carnivora provide valuable and effective seed dispersal services but tend to be overlooked in much of the seed dispersal literature. Here we review the literature on the role of Carnivorans in seed dispersal, with a literature search in the Scopus reference database. Overall, we found that Carnivorans are prolific seed dispersers. Carnivorans’ diverse and plastic diets allow them to consume large volumes of over a hundred families of fruit and disperse large quantities of seeds across landscapes. Gut …
Aboveground Carbon Responses To Experimental And Natural
Hurricane Impacts In A Subtropical Wet Forest In Puerto Rico,
2022
University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras
Aboveground Carbon Responses To Experimental And Natural Hurricane Impacts In A Subtropical Wet Forest In Puerto Rico, Hervé Chevalier, Nicholas V.L. Brokaw, Sheila E. Ward, Jess K. Zimmerman, Aaron B. Shiels, John Bithorn, Samuel Matta Carmona
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Climate change and disturbance make it difficult to project long-term patterns of carbon sequestration in tropical forests, but large ecosystem experiments in these forests can inform predictions. The Canopy Trimming Experiment (CTE) manipulates two key components of hurricane disturbance, canopy openness and detritus deposition, in a tropical forest in Puerto Rico. We documented how the CTE and a real hurricane affected tree recruitment, biomass, and aboveground carbon storage over 15 years. In the CTE treatments, we trimmed branches, but we did not fell trees. We expected that during the 14-year period after initial canopy trimming, regrowth of branches and stems …
Behavioral States In Space And Time: Understanding Landscape Use By An Invasive Mammal,
2022
Michigan State University
Behavioral States In Space And Time: Understanding Landscape Use By An Invasive Mammal, Steven M. Gray, John M. Humphreys, Robert A. Montgomery, Dwayne R. Etter, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Daniel B. Kramer, Gary J. Roloff
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Animal movement models can be used to understand species behavior and assist with implementation of management activities. We explored behavioral states of an invasive wild pig (Sus scrofa) population that recently colonized central Michigan, USA, 2014–2018. To quantify environmental factors related to wild pig movement ecology and spatio‐temporal landscape use, we predicted wild pig behavioral states relative to land cover type, landscape structure (i.e., edge and patch cohesion), and weather conditions. We used global positioning system (GPS)‐collars and monitored 8 wild pigs from 2014–2018. We fit local convex hulls and calculated movement metrics revealing 3 wild pig behavioral states (resting, …
Capture-Recapture Reveals Heterogeneity In Habitat-Specific Mongoose Densities And Spatiotemporal Variability In Trapping Success In St. Kitts, West Indies,
2022
Université de Montréal
Capture-Recapture Reveals Heterogeneity In Habitat-Specific Mongoose Densities And Spatiotemporal Variability In Trapping Success In St. Kitts, West Indies, Caroline C. Sauvé, Are R. Berentsen, Amy Gilbert, Anne Conan, Luis Cruz-Martinez, Patrick A. Leighton
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
The small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata) is a non-native invasive species across the Caribbean and a rabies reservoir on at least four islands in the region. Although previous studies reported mongoose density estimates in their non-native range, the variability in trapping designs, study seasonality, and analytical methods among studies precludes direct comparisons. This study is the first to report mongoose densities for the island of St. Kitts, West Indies. Our objective was to quantify mongoose densities across four habitats characteristic for the island. High capture and recapture rates in this study resulted in detailed estimates of spatial heterogeneity …
Dammed Water Quality—Longitudinal Stream Responses Below
Beaver Ponds In The Umpqua River Basin, Oregon,
2022
Oregon State University
Dammed Water Quality—Longitudinal Stream Responses Below Beaver Ponds In The Umpqua River Basin, Oregon, John R. Stevenson, Jason B. Dunham, Steven M. Wondzell, Jimmy Taylor
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Beaver-related restoration (BRR) has gained popularity as a means of improving stream ecosystems, but the effects are not fully understood. Studies of dissolved oxygen (DO) and water temperature, key water quality metrics for salmonids, have demonstrated improved conditions in some cases, but warming and decreased DO have been more commonly reported in meta-analyses. These results point to the contingencies that can influence outcomes from BRR. We examined water quality related to beaver ponds in a diverse coastal watershed (Umpqua River Basin, OR, USA). We monitored water temperature 0–400m above and below beaver ponds and at pond surfaces and bottoms across …
Invasive Rodent Responses To Experimental And Natural
Hurricanes With Implications For Global Climate Change,
2022
USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services
Invasive Rodent Responses To Experimental And Natural Hurricanes With Implications For Global Climate Change, Aaron B. Shiels, Gabriela E. Ramírez De Arellano, Laura Shiels
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Hurricanes cause dramatic changes to forests by opening the canopy and depositing debris onto the forest floor. How invasive rodent populations respond to hurricanes is not well understood, but shifts in rodent abundance and foraging may result from scarce fruit and seed resources that follow hurricanes. We conducted studies in a wet tropical forest in Puerto Rico to better understand how experimental (canopy trimming experiment) and natural (Hurricane Maria) hurricane effects alter populations of invasive rodents (Rattus rattus [rats] and Mus musculus [mice]) and their foraging behaviors. To monitor rodent populations, we used tracking tunnels (inked and baited cards …
Improving Efficiency Of Prairie Dog Surveys By Using A Small Copter Drone,
2022
USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services
Improving Efficiency Of Prairie Dog Surveys By Using A Small Copter Drone, Aaron B. Shiels, J. W. Fischer, Danika Spock, Meagan Allira
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Prairie dogs are an accessible and enjoyed wildlife species in Colorado that require occasional surveys because populations can change abruptly due to plague outbreaks or human-induced control. We evaluated the use of small copter drones at four prairie dog colonies on Open Space and Mountain Parks lands, City of Boulder, to determine if this methodology improves efficiency over ground-based survey methods. We counted prairie dogs and burrows using two types of drones (DJI Matric 210 and Autel Evo II) at altitudes 100', 150', and 400' (burrows only). We recorded video and merged still images into orthomosaics prior to having USDA …
Sea Surface Temperatures And Vertical Wind Shear As Precursors To Tropical Cyclone Activity In The Caribbean And An Expanding Main Developing Region,
2022
CUNY City College
Sea Surface Temperatures And Vertical Wind Shear As Precursors To Tropical Cyclone Activity In The Caribbean And An Expanding Main Developing Region, Keneshia Hibbert
Dissertations and Theses
Sea surface temperatures and vertical wind shear are essential to tropical cyclone formation. TCs need warm SSTs and low shear for genesis. Increasing SSTs and VWS changes influence storm development. This work analyzes SST and VWS trends for the Caribbean, surrounding region, and the Atlantic hurricane main developing region from 1982 to 2020. Storm intensity increases significantly during this period. Annual and seasonal trends show regional SSTs in the MDR are warming annually (0.0219°C yr-1) and per season (0.0280°C yr-1). Simultaneously, VWS decreases during the late rainfall season at 0.0556m/s yr-1 in the MDR and …
Data Fusion And Synergy Of Active And Passive Remote Sensing; An Application For Freeze Thaw Detections,
2022
CUNY City College
Data Fusion And Synergy Of Active And Passive Remote Sensing; An Application For Freeze Thaw Detections, Zahra Sharifnezhadazizi
Dissertations and Theses
There has been a recent evolvement in the field of remote sensing after increase of number satellites and sensors data which could be fused to produce new data and products. These efforts are mainly focused on using of simultaneous observations from different platforms with different spatial and temporal resolutions. The research dissertation aims to enhance the synergy use of active and passive microwave observations and examine the results in detection land freeze and thaw (FT) predictions. Freeze thaw cycles particularly in high-latitude regions have a crucial role in many applications such as agriculture, biogeochemical transitions, hydrology and ecosystem studies. The …
Impacts Of Plastic Pollution On A Pelagic Marine Mammal, The Northern Elephant Seal,
2022
University of the Pacific
Impacts Of Plastic Pollution On A Pelagic Marine Mammal, The Northern Elephant Seal, Lauren M. Kashiwabara
University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations
As plastic pollution increases, top marine predators such as marine mammals are becoming increasingly susceptible to plastic particles and their additives. Plastic particles have been found in gastrointestinal tracts and scat of many marine mammals, and quantifying plastic pollution in those that are pelagic can provide insight into plastic pollution in mesopelagic ecosystems that are just beginning to be analyzed. Adapting well-developed laboratory techniques for microplastic (MP) isolation (i.e. density separation and chemical digestion), I isolated MPs from the scat of the deepest diving pinniped, the northern elephant seal (NES), and found that100% of scat samples (n=11) contained high counts …
Evaluation Of Tidal Fresh Forest Distributions And Tropical Storm Impacts Using Sentinel-2 Msi Imagery,
2022
Georgia Southern University
Evaluation Of Tidal Fresh Forest Distributions And Tropical Storm Impacts Using Sentinel-2 Msi Imagery, Galen Costomiris
College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations
Situated in the transitional zone between non-tidal forests upstream and tidal fresh marshes downstream, tidal fresh forests occupy a unique and increasingly precarious habitat. The threat of intensifying anthropogenic climate change, compounded by the effects of historical logging and drainage alterations, could reduce the extent of this valuable ecosystem. The overall goals of this project were to identify forest communities present in the Altamaha tidal fresh forest; develop satellite imagery-based classifications of tidal fresh forest and tidal marsh vegetation along the Altamaha River, Georgia; and to quantify changes in vegetation distribution in the aftermath of hurricanes Matthew and Irma. Based …
A Pivotal New Approach To Groundwater Quality Assessment,
2022
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
A Pivotal New Approach To Groundwater Quality Assessment, M. L. Cherry, T. Gilmore, T. Messer, Y. Li, J. Westrop
School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications
No abstract provided.
Plague Risk In The Western United States Over Seven Decades Of
Environmental Change,
2022
Georgetown University Medical Center
Plague Risk In The Western United States Over Seven Decades Of Environmental Change, Colin J. Carlson, Sarah N. Bevins, Boris V. Schmid
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
After several pandemics over the last two millennia, the wildlife reservoirs of plague (Yersinia pestis) now persist around the world, including in the western United States. Routine surveillance in this region has generated comprehensive records of human cases and animal seroprevalence, creating a unique opportunity to test how plague reservoirs are responding to environmental change. Here, we test whether animal and human data suggest that plague reservoirs and spillover risk have shifted since 1950. To do so, we develop a new method for detecting the impact of climate change on infectious disease distributions, capable of disentangling long-term trends (signal) and …
Wild Pig Removal Reduces Pathogenic Bacteria In Low-Order
Streams,
2022
Auburn University
Wild Pig Removal Reduces Pathogenic Bacteria In Low-Order Streams, Sara A. Bolds, B. Graeme Lockaby, Latif Kalin, Stephen S. Ditchkoff, Mark D. Smith, Kurt Vercauteren
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Invasive wild pig populations have undergone enormous increases in the United States and particularly across the southern U.S. in recent years. High fecundity rates and abilities to adapt quickly to varied habitats have enabled pig populations to become entrenched and difficult to eliminate. The pigs cause many negative impacts on ecosystems including degradation of water quality through infusion of fecal contamination and other non-point source pollutants. Our goal was to determine the effects of pig removal on water quality in streams that were known to be significantly polluted by pig activity Bolds (J Environ Qual 50: 441–453, 2021). We compared …
