Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Globally Scalable Approach To Estimate Net Ecosystem Exchange Based On Remote Sensing, Meteorological Data, And Direct Measurements Of Eddy Covariance Sites, Ruslan Zhuravlev, Andrey Dara, André Luís Diniz Dos Santos, Oleg Demidov, George Burba

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Despite a rapid development of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for carbon removal in recent years, the methods for evaluating NBS still have certain gaps. We propose an approach based on a combination of remote sensing data and meteorological variables to reconstruct the spatiotemporal variation of net ecosystem exchange from eddy-covariance stations. A Lagrangian particle dispersion model was used for upscaling satellite images and flux towers. We trained data-driven models based on kernel methods separately for each selected land-cover class. The results suggest that the proposed approach to quantifying carbon exchange on a medium-to-large scale by blending eddy covariance flux data with …

Role Of Social Determinants Of Health In Differential Respiratory Exposure And Health Outcomes Among Children, Jagadeesh Puvvula, Jill A. Poole, Yeongjin Gwon, Eleanor G. Rogan, Jesse E. Bell

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Background Attributes defining the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) are associated with disproportionate exposures to environmental hazards and differential health outcomes among communities. The dynamics between SDoH, disproportionate environmental exposures, and differential health outcomes are often specific to micro-geographic areas.

Methods This study focused on children less than 20 years of age who lived in Douglas County, Nebraska, during 2016–2019. To assess the role of SDoH in differential exposures, we evaluated the association between SDoH metrics and criteria pollutant concentrations and the association between SDoH and pediatric asthma exacerbations to quantify the role of SDoH in differential pediatric asthma outcomes. …

Ancient Bears Provide Insights Into Pleistocene Ice Age Refugia In Southeast Alaska, Flavio Augusto Da Silva Coelho, Stephanie Gill, Crystal M. Tomlin, Marilena Papavassiliou, Sean D. Farley, Joseph A. Cook, Sarah A. Sonsthagen, George K. Sage, Timothy H. Heaton, Sandra L. Talbot, Charlotte Lindqvist

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

During the Late Pleistocene, major parts of North America were periodically covered by ice sheets. However, there are still questions about whether ice-free refugia were present in the Alexander Archipelago along the Southeast (SE) Alaska coast during the last glacial maximum (LGM). Numerous subfossils have been recovered from caves in SE Alaska, including American black (Ursus americanus) and brown (U. arctos) bears, which today are found in the Alexander Archipelago but are genetically distinct from mainland bear populations. Hence, these bear species offer an ideal system to investigate long-term occupation, potential refugial survival and lineage turnover. Here, we present genetic …

An Examination Of Scenarios To Increase Waterfowl Hunting Participation, M. P. Hinrichs, J. Nawrocki, M. P. Gruntarod, M. P. Vrtiska, M. A. Pegg

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Habitat Selection And Habitat Use Of Gray Foxes (Urocyon Cinereoargenteus) On Trespass Cannabis Grows., Haley-Marie R. Jones

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Trespass cannabis grow sites, otherwise known as illegal cultivation sites on public lands, are extremely hazardous to the environment and can severely impact wildlife movement and behavior. Trespass grow sites are dangerous to wildlife as they negatively impact the quality of habitat and wildlife behavior through habitat modification, pesticide use, discarding of trash, and poaching on national forests. I researched gray fox habitat selection and habitat use at six different grow sites in the Klamath National Forest and Shasta-Trinity National Forest in northwestern California. I deployed GPS collars on three gray foxes at two of those grow sites and three …

Using Seasonal Climate Scenarios In The Forageahead Annual Forage Production Model For Early Drought Impact Assessment, M. Podebradska, B. K. Wylie, M. J. Hayes, D. J. Bathke, Y. A. Bayissa, S. P. Boyte, J. F. Brown, B. D. Wardlow

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Spatiotemporal Patterns Of Wolves And Sympatric Predators And Prey Relative To Human Disturbance In Northwestern Greece, M. Petridou, J. F. Benson, O. Gimenez, K. Kati

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Place Attachment On Farmers’ Succession Plans: A Mixed Methods Study, M. E. Burbach, S. M. Kennedy, S. J. Kunert

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Foundational Conditions Enabling Participatory River Management In Watersheds Of Two Regulatorily Disparate States: A Mixed Methods Study, M. E. Burbach, S. Kennedy, W. M. Eaton, K. J. Brasier

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Biophilic Design Characteristics In Lincoln Public Schools, Sarah Burr

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

A mixed qualitative-quantitative study was conducted in Lincoln, Nebraska to observe and evaluate the biophilic design characteristics in Lincoln Public Schools (LPS). There is a significant lack of nature in urban environments, especially in older buildings and schools, therefore incorporating natural elements in school buildings can promote the success of students and contribute to improved well-being. The research question this study aims to address is: How and to what degree are Lincoln Public Schools integrating biophilic design characteristics in their high school buildings? Four high schools were toured utilizing an evaluation form with 10 biophilic design characteristics and a 5-point …

Proposing Urban Agroforestry Designs For Lincoln, Nebraska: A Model From Berlin, Germany, Noah Johnson

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Given the threat of a worsening climate crisis, there is a strong need for community and ecosystem resilience. Diverse urban agroforestry systems have the potential to accomplish both and meet many of the objectives outlined in the city of Lincoln, Nebraska’s climate action plan. Additionally, Berlin, Germany could provide an effective model for Lincoln in this regard given the city’s extensive history of established urban agroforestry systems. The objective of this study then is to develop a design for an urban agroforestry site modeled on Berlin’s allotment gardens and tailored to Lincoln’s needs. The methods for creating this design included …

Survey Of Energy Literacy In Lincoln, Ne Households, Bella Devney

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Energy consumption results in increased greenhouse gas emissions, a significant contributing factor to climate change and the rise of global temperatures. The purpose of this study is to increase understanding of energy literacy in Lincoln, Nebraska households, hypothesizing that a more informed public will result in a reduction of energy use and improvements in emission rates, positively impacting climate change. The study engaged private citizens through surveys in Lincoln, Nebraska to gain data on the level of energy literacy in Lincoln households. Electronic surveys were distributed through local neighborhood associations to understand the gaps in residential energy conservation in Lincoln, …

Nitrates In Nebraska, Michelle Zenk

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

For my senior thesis project, I decided to study nitrate pollution to better understand and analyze how college students in Nebraska viewed and understood the complex issue of nitrate pollution. From my study only half of college students surveyed viewed nitrate pollution as a problem. Only 15 percent of college students test their water for nitrates, and most college students were knowledgeable on how nitrate pollution occurs. Due to the negative impacts of nitrate pollution within human health, soil health, and ecosystem function further work needs to be completed to raise awareness and knowledge on the impacts of nitrate pollution.

Off The Rails: Cinematic Trains As Technological Controls Of The Natural World, Trinity Thompson

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Short train rail lines across the United States are seeing increased national funding to reduce toxic chemical spills caused by train derailments, the most notable of which happened in February 2023 in East Palestine, Ohio. A year prior, the film White Noise (2022) featured a similar toxic train derailment incident, taking place, too, in Eastern Ohio, and featuring actors from the town of East Palestine. In considering other films featuring trains, I identified a pattern of environmental conflict, leading me to question the relationship between trains and the natural environment as portrayed in popular cinema. To conduct my research, I …

Turfgrass Alternatives For The Modern Yard, John Lonowski

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The considerable maintenance and irrigation required of turfgrass lawns can often be seen as a fruitless endeavor, as it consumes substantial resources but yields minimal economic benefit. The goal of this paper is to highlight the resource needs of traditional turfgrass lawns and identify and test alternative lawn types that are still aesthetically pleasing while being more sustainable than traditional turfgrass. To obtain the results, the experiment was conducted in Alda, Nebraska employing a randomized complete block design, which tested four entries at two separate locations, each with three replications. The entries include: 1. Buffalograss, 2. Tall Fescue, 3. White …

Slow-Release Lanthanum Effectively Reduces Phosphate In Eutrophic Ponds Without Accumulating In Fish, C. Mccright, J. Mccoy, N. Robbins, S. Comfort

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Changing Blow Fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Populations In Orlando, Florida, United States, Amanda Roe, Russell J. Barnes, Leon G. Higley, Neal H. Haskell

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) were collected from various carrion baits in Orlando, Florida over 2 periods: Jun 2009 to Sep 2009 and Apr 2010 to Oct 2010. In a previous study conducted from 2002 to 2004 the dominant blow fly in Orlando, Florida, was Lucilia coeruleiviridis Macquart (Gruner et al. 2007). This collection documents a shift to Chrysomya megacephala Fabricius, as the most dominant blow fly species found in Orlando, Florida in 2009 to 2010. These field results have potential forensic implications, particularly in the analysis of cold cases.

Assessment Of An Evapotranspiration Algorithm Accounting For Land Cover Types And Photosynthetic Perspectives Using Remote Sensing Images, C. Sur, W. H. Nam, X. Zhang, Tsegaye Tadesse, Brian D. Wardlow

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

H7n9 Influenza A Virus Transmission In A Multispecies Barnyard Model, Angela M. Bosco-Lauth, Anna Rodriguez, Rachel M. Maison, Stephanie M. Porter, J. Jeffrey Root

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Influenza A viruses are a diverse group of pathogens that have been responsible for millions of human and avian deaths throughout history. Here, we illustrate the transmission potential of H7N9 influenza A virus between Coturnix quail (Coturnix sp.), domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus), chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus), and house sparrows (Passer domesticus) co-housed in an artificial barnyard setting. In each of four replicates, individuals from a single species were infected with the virus. Quail shed virus orally and were a source of infection for both chickens and ducks. Infected chickens transmitted the virus to quail but not to ducks or …

Validation Of A Nutria (Myocastor Coypus) Environmental Dna Assay Highlights Considerations For Sampling Methodology, Anna M. Mangan, John A. Kronenberger, Ian H. Plummer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Nutria (Myocastor coypus) is a semiaquatic rodent species that is invasive across multiple regions within the United States. Here, we evaluated a qPCR assay previously described for use in Japan for application across invasive populations in the United States. We also compared two environmental DNA sampling methodologies for this assay: field filtration of large volumes of water passed through filters versus direct sampling of small volumes of water. We validated assay specificity, generality, and sensitivity, compared assay performance between two independent laboratories, and successfully tested the assay in situ on a known wild population. The filtration method required …

Writing Statistical Methods For Ecologists, Amy J. Davis, Shannon Kay

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Methods section is a key component of any ecology research publication containing detailed information on how the data were collected and analyzed. However, descriptions of which statistical methods were used and how they were applied can substantially vary and may not provide enough information for the analyses to be reproducible. Computational and statistical programming advances have allowed ecological researchers without a strong statistical or mathematical background to access and use increasingly complex statistical methods. Thus, statistical methods are written by and need to be accessible to researchers across a range of quantitative expertise. Poorly written Methods sections can incorrectly …

Invasive Frogs Show Persistent Physiological Differences To Elevation And Acclimate To Colder Temperatures, Jack R. Marchetti, Karen H. Beard, Emily E. Virgin, Erin L. Lewis, Steven C. Hess, Kwanho C. Ki, Layne O. Sermersheim, Adriana P. Furtado, Susannah S. French

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The coqui frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui) was introduced to the island of Hawai’i in the 1980s and has spread across much of the island. Concern remains that this frog will continue to expand its range and invade higher elevation habitats where much of the island’s endemic species are found. We determined whether coqui thermal tolerance and physiology change along Hawai’i’s elevational gradients. We measured physiological responses using a short-term experiment to determine baseline tolerance and physiology by elevation, and a long-term experiment to determine the coqui’s ability to acclimate to different temperatures. We collected frogs from low, medium, and high elevations. …

Integrating Robotics Into Wildlife Conservation: Testing Improvements To Predator Deterrents Through Movement, Stewart W. Breck, Jeffrey T. Schultz, David Prause, Cameron Krebs, Anthony J. Giordano, Byron Boots

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Background Agricultural and pastoral landscapes can provide important habitat for wildlife conservation, but sharing these landscapes with wildlife can create conflict that is costly and requires managing. Livestock predation is a good example of the challenges involving coexistence with wildlife across shared landscapes. Integrating new technology into agricultural practices could help minimize human-wildlife conflict. In this study, we used concepts from the fields of robotics (i.e., automated movement and adaptiveness) and agricultural practices (i.e., managing livestock risk to predation) to explore how integration of these concepts could aid the development of more effective predator deterrents.

Methods …

Effects Of Corn Supplementation On Serum And Muscle Microrna Profiles In Horses, Clarissa Carver, Jason E. Bruemmer, Stephen Coleman, Gabriele Landolt, Tanja Hess

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Laminitis associated with equine metabolic syndrome causes significant economic losses in the equine industry. Diets high in non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) have been linked to insulin resistance and laminitis in horses. Nutrigenomic studies analyzing the interaction of diets high in NSCs and gene expression regulating endogenous microRNAs (miRNA) are rare. This study's objectives were to determine whether miRNAs from dietary corn can be detected in equine serum and muscle and its impacts on endogenous miRNA. Twelve mares were blocked by age, body condition score, and weight and assigned to a control (mixed legume grass hay diet) and a mixed legume hay …

Determination Of Residue Levels Of Rodenticide In Rodent Livers Offered Novel Diphacinone Baits By Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry, David A. Goldade, Shane Siers, Steven C. Hess, Robert T. Sugihara, Craig A. Riekena

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A specific and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the determination of the anticoagulant rodenticide diphacinone (DPN) in mouse and rat liver. Tissue samples were extracted with a mixture of water and acetonitrile containing ammonium hydroxide. The extracted sample was cleaned up with a combination of liquid-liquid partitioning and dispersive solid phase extraction. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a Waters X-Bridge BEH C-18 LC column (50 mm, 2.1 mm ID, 2.5 μm particle size) with detection on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The monitored transition for DPN was m/z …

Outbreak Of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease In Captive Reindeer (Rangifer Tarandus), Emma H. Torii, Arno Wünschmann, Mia Kim Torchetti, Leo Koster, Albert Van Geelen, Randy Atchison, Anne Rivas

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In September 2020, an outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease occurred in captive reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and was associated with neurological signs and mortality. Four reindeer died or were euthanized after acute illness over a 12-day period. Affected reindeer displayed abnormal behavior, neurologic signs, lethargy, and/or lameness. The most consistent gross finding was dark red streaks throughout the adrenal gland cortices (4/4). One animal had acute hemorrhage involving the subcutis and skeletal muscles over the ventrolateral body wall and back, and abomasal serosa. Histologically, the most common lesions were adrenal gland cortical hemorrhage (4/4) with necrosis (3/4) and lymphoplasmacytic meningoencephalitis with …

Interspecific Oral Rabies Vaccine Bait Competition In The Southeast United States, Wesley C. Dixon, Jacob E. Hill, Richard Chipman, Amy J. Davis, Amy Gilbert, James C. Beasley, Olin E. Rhodes Jr., Guha Dharmarajan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Rabies Management Program (NRMP) has coordinated the use of oral rabies vaccination (ORV) to control the spread of raccoon rabies virus variant west of the Appalachian Mountains since 1997. Working with state and local partners, the NRMP deploys ORV baits containing a rabies vaccine, primarily targeting raccoon populations (Procyon lotor). Bait competition between raccoons and non-target species may limit the effectiveness of ORV programs, but the extent of bait competition remains poorly quantified, particularly in the southeastern United States. We placed placebo ORV baits in bottomland hardwood (n = 637 baits) and upland …

Tourism‑Supported Working Lands Sustain A Growing Jaguar Population In The Colombian Llanos, Matthew Hyde, Esteban Payán, Jorge Barragan, Diana Stasiukynas, Sanmantha Rincón, William L. Kendall, Jerónimo Rodríguez, Kevin R. Crooks, Stewart W. Breck, Valerie Boron

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Understanding large carnivore demography on human-dominated lands is a priority to inform conservation strategies, yet few studies examine long-term trends. Jaguars (Panthera onca) are one such species whose population trends and survival rates remain unknown across working lands. We integrated nine years of camera trap data and tourist photos to estimate jaguar density, survival, abundance, and probability of tourist sightings on a working ranch and tourism destination in Colombia. We found that abundance increased from five individuals in 2014 to 28 in 2022, and density increased from 1.88 ± 0.87 per 100 km² in 2014 to 3.80 …

Monitoring Bull Kelp (Nereocystis Leutkeana) Remotely At High Resolutions, Hannah E. Joss

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Bull kelp (Nereocystis leutkeana) is a foundational seaweed in nearshore, marine systems, traditionally supporting economically important fisheries, extracting nutrients in its vicinity, and sequestering carbon and transporting it great distances to subsidize shallow and deep-sea environments. Bull kelp is also a culturally important species for some indigenous peoples along the northeastern Pacific coastline and provides a harvestable product with growing demand. Global trends in kelp distribution show patterns of decline, and the immense loss of northern California bull kelp forests in response to climatic changes have highlighted the need for alternative sources of kelp, both for the product …

Seasonal Growth, Movement, And Survival Of Juvenile Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch) Utilizing Restored Rearing Habitat, Monica S. Tonty

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Scott River supports the most robust population of threatened Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch remaining in the Klamath River basin. Even in the Scott River, low quality and restricted extent of juvenile rearing habitat limits the Coho Salmon population to a small fraction of historic abundance. To support persistence and recovery of Scott River Coho Salmon, the Scott River Watershed Council (SRWC) has constructed a portfolio of restoration projects to improve juvenile rearing habitat, including beaver dam analogs (BDAs). The Scott River BDAs were the first implemented anywhere in California. This study compares juvenile Coho Salmon responses associated with production …