Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The 5e Learning Cycle: What's The Story?, Kelsey Lipsitz, Dante Cisterna, Deborah Hanuscin

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Undergraduate Students Scientifically-Informed Decision-Making About Socio-Hydrological Issues, Jaime L. Sabel, Tina Vo, Ashley Alred, Jenny M. Dauer, Cory Forbes

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Measuring Farmer Conservation Behaviors: Challenges And Best Practices, Kristin Floress, Adam Reimer, Aaron Thompson, Mark Burbach, Cody Knutson, Linda Prokopy, Marc Ribaudo, Jessica Ulrich-Schad

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Multi-Scale Habitat Selection By Cow Moose (Alces Alces) At Calving Sites In Central Ontario, A.A.D. Mclaren, J. F. Benson, B.R. Patterson

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Feasibility Analysis Of Using Inverse Modeling For Estimating Field-Scale Evapotranspiration In Maize And Soybean Fields From Soil Water Content Monitoring Networks, Foad Foolad, Trenton E. Franz, Tiejun Wang, Justin Gibson, Ayse Kilic, Richard Allen, Andrew Suyker

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Foliar Reflectance And Biochemistry, 5 Data Sets, A. Solovchenko, A. Gitelson, O. Chivkunova, M. Merzlyak

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Hiring Leaders: Inference And Disagreement About The Best Person For The Job, Konstantinos Giannakas, Murray Fulton, Tala Awada

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Detecting Spatial Regimes In Ecosystems, Shana M. Sundstrom, Tarsha Eason, R. John Nelson, David G. Angeler, Chris Barichievy, Ahjond S. Garmestani, Nicholas A.J. Graham, Dean Granholm, Lance Gunderson, Melinda Knutson, Kirsty L. Nash, Trisha L. Spanbauer, Craig A. Stow, Craig R. Allen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Research on early warning indicators has generally focused on assessing temporal transitions with limited application of these methods to detecting spatial regimes. Traditional spatial boundary detection procedures that result in ecoregion maps are typically based on ecological potential (i.e. potential vegetation), and often fail to account for ongoing changes due to stressors such as land use change and climate change and their effects on plant and animal communities. We use Fisher information, an information theory-based method, on both terrestrial and aquatic animal data (U.S. Breeding Bird Survey and marine zooplankton) to identify ecological boundaries, and compare our results to traditional …

Effects Of Climate Change And Anthropogenic Modification On A Disturbance-Dependent Species In A Large Riverine System, Sara L. Zeigler, Daniel H. Catlin, Mary Bomberger Brown, James D. Fraser, Lauren R. Dinan, Kelsi L. Hunt, Joel G. Jorgensen, Sarah M. Karpanty

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Humans have altered nearly every natural disturbance regime on the planet through climate and land-use change, and in many instances, these processes may have interacting effects. For example, projected shifts in temperature and precipitation will likely influence disturbance regimes already affected by anthropogenic fire suppression or river impoundments. Understanding how disturbance-dependent species respond to complex and interacting environmental changes is important for conservation efforts. Using field-based demographic and movement rates, we conducted a metapopulation viability analysis for piping plovers (Charadrius melodus), a threatened disturbance-dependent species, along the Missouri and Platte rivers in the Great Plains of North America. …

Plant Uptake And Stream Chemistry Set Global Bounds On Nitrogen Gas Emissions From Humid Tropical Forests, E.N.J. Brookshire, S. Gerber, W. Greene, R.A. Jones, Steven A. Thomas

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Denitrification and hydrologic leaching are the two major pathways by which nitrogen is lost from the terrestrial biosphere. Humid tropical forests are thought to dominate denitrification from unmanaged lands globally, but there is large uncertainty about the range and key drivers of total N gas emissions across the biome. We combined pantropical measures of small watershed stream chemistry with ecosystem modeling to determine total nitrogen gas losses and associated uncertainty across humid tropical forests. Our calculations reveal that denitrification in soils and along hydrologic flowpaths contributes on average >45% of total watershed N losses. However, when denitrification occurs exclusively in …

Ungulate Predation And Ecological Roles Of Wolves And Coyotes In Eastern North America, John F. Benson, Karen M. Loveless, Linda Y. Rutledge, Brent R. Patterson

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Understanding the ecological roles of species that influence ecosystem processes is a central goal of ecology and conservation biology. Eastern coyotes (Canis latrans) have ascended to the role of apex predator across much of eastern North America since the extirpation of wolves (Canis spp.) and there has been considerable confusion regarding their ability to prey on ungulates and their ecological niche relative to wolves. Eastern wolves (C. lycaon) are thought to have been the historical top predator in eastern deciduous forests and have previously been characterized as deer specialists that are inefficient predators of …

Resilience In Ecotoxicology: Toward A Multiple Equilibrium Concept, Mirco Bundschuh, Ralf Schulz, Ralf B. Schäfer, Craig R. Allen, David G. Angeler

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The term resilience describes stress-response patterns across scientific disciplines. In ecology, advances have been made to clearly define resilience based on underlying mechanistic assumptions. Engineering resilience (rebound) is used to describe the ability of organisms to recover from adverse conditions (disturbances), which is termed the rate of recovery. By contrast, the ecological resilience definition considers a systemic change, that is, when ecosystems reorganize into a new regime following disturbance. Under this new regime, structural and functional aspects change considerably relative to the previous regime, without recovery. In this context, resilience is an emergent property of complex systems. In the present …

Assessment Of A Channel Catfish Population In A Large Open River System, A. J. Blank, M. J. Hamel, Jonathan J. Spurgeon, Mark A. Pegg

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Estimates of dynamic rate functions for riverine channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), populations are limited. The open nature and inherent difficulty in sampling riverine environments and the propensity for dispersal of channel catfish impede estimation of population variables. However, contemporary population models (i.e. robust design models) can incorporate the open nature of these systems. The purpose of this study was to determine channel catfish population abundance, survival and size structure and to characterize growth in the lower Platte River, Nebraska, USA. Annual survival estimates of adult channel catfish were 13%–49%, and channel catfish abundance estimates ranged from 8,281 to 24,261 …

Great Plains Geology: A Personal Journey, Robert F. Diffendal Jr.

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

From graduate school in 1962 to now, I achieved my goals and became a geologist and professor, travelling and doing research in the Great Plains and western Central Lowland physiographic provinces, and looking at geology in exotic places like the UK, China, Australia and New Zealand. Fast forward to 2013. I had enough experience and expertise on Great Plains geology by then that I was asked to write a short book of about 35,000 words on the geology of the Great Plains by the director of the Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska, Dr. Richard Edwards. …

Recent Land Cover Changes And Sensitivity Of The Model Simulations To Various Land Cover Datasets For China, Rezaul Mahmood

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Mesonets: Meso-Scale Weather And Climate Observations For The U.S., Rezaul Mahmood

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Landscape Features Affecting Northern Bobwhite Predator-Specific Nest Failures In Southeastern Usa, Susan Ellis-Felege, Shannon E. Albeke, Nathan P. Nibbelink, Michael J. Conroy, D. Clay Sisson, William E. Palmer, John P. Carroll

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Nest predation is a critical component in avian productivity and typically is the leading cause of nest failure for most birds. Several landscape features are thought to drive the behavioral interaction between northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; e.g., nest placement) and their predators (e.g., search methods for food acquisition). In order to understand habitat characteristics influencing predation, we studied bobwhite nests using 24-hour near-infrared video cameras. We monitored 675 bobwhite nests with cameras on 3 properties in northern Florida and southern Georgia, USA, during 2000–2006. To test the association between nest failures and specific failure causes with landscape structure, we calculated …

Droughts Of The Twentieth And Early Twenty First Centuries: Influences On The Production Of Beef And Forage In Kentucky, Usa, Rezaul Mahmood

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Terrestrial Ecosystem Process Model Biome-Bgcmuso V4.0: Summary Of Improvements And New Modeling Possibilities, Dóra Hidy, Zoltán Barcza, Hrvoje Marjanovi´C, Maša Zorana Ostrogovi´C Sever, Laura Dobor, Györgyi Gelybó, Nándor Fodor, Krisztina Pintér, Galina Churkina, Steven Running, Peter Thornton, Gianni Bellocchi, László Haszpra, Ferenc Horváth, Andrew E. Suyker, Zoltán Nagy

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The process-based biogeochemical model Biome- BGC was enhanced to improve its ability to simulate carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles of various terrestrial ecosystems under contrasting management activities. Biome-BGC version 4.1.1 was used as a base model. Improvements included addition of new modules such as the multilayer soil module, implementation of processes related to soil moisture and nitrogen balance, soil-moisture-related plant senescence, and phenological development. Vegetation management modules with annually varying options were also implemented to simulate management practices of grasslands (mowing, grazing), croplands (ploughing, fertilizer application, planting, harvesting), and forests (thinning). New carbon and nitrogen pools have been defined to …

Freshwater Vertebrate And Invertebrate Diversity Patterns In An Andean-Amazon Basin: Implications For Conservation Efforts, Janeth Lessmann, Juan M. Guayasamin, Kayce L. Casner, Alexander S. Flecker, W. Chris Funk, Cameron K. Ghalambor, Brian A. Gill, Iván Jácome- Negrete, Boris C. Kondratieff, Leroy N. Poff, José Schreckinger, Steven A. Thomas, Eduardo Toral-Contreras, Kelly R. Zamudio, Andrea C. Encalada

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The Napo Basin in Ecuador is an important drainage of the Amazon Basin, the most biodiverse ecosystem for freshwater species. At the same time, this basin has conspicuous information gaps on its biodiversity patterns and human threats. Here, we estimated the diversity distribution patterns of freshwater vertebrates and invertebrates in the Napo Basin, as a tool for present and future management and conservation efforts. Also, we assessed the spatial congruence of the diversity patterns observed between aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates. For this, we compiled occurrence records for 481 freshwater vertebrate species (amphibians, birds, mammals, reptiles, and fish), and 54 invertebrate …

Examining The Relevancy And Utility Of The American Fisheries Society Certification Program To Prepare Future Fisheries Professionals, Mark A. Kaemingk, Ron Essig, Steve L. Mcmullin, Craig Bonds, Robin L. Debruyne, Christopher A. Myrick, Quinton E. Phelps, Trent M. Sutton, James R. Triplett

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Fisheries science is a diverse field that requires individuals to be knowledgeable in many disciplines in addition to fisheries (e.g., economics, sociology, political science, chemistry; Kelso and Murphy 1988). This challenges students attempting to enter a career in fisheries, as well as academic institutions and eventual employers, to develop both depth and breadth of knowledge needed to succeed in the profession (Oglesby and Krueger 1989). The preparedness and competency of young professionals entering the workforce has long been a problem (Stauffer and McMullin 2009). Several constraints and ongoing challenges facing the profession have continued to magnify these issues over time …

Are We Preparing The Next Generation Of Fisheries Professionals To Succeed In Their Careers?: A Survey Of Afs Members, Steve L. Mcmullin, Vic Dicenzo, Ron Essig, Craig Bonds, Robin L. Debruyne, Mark A. Kaemingk, Martha Mather, Christopher A. Myrick, Quinton E. Phelps, Trent M. Sutton, James R. Triplett

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Natural resource professionals have frequently criticized universities for poorly preparing graduates to succeed in their jobs. We surveyed members of the American Fisheries Society to determine which job skills and knowledge of academic topics employers, students, and university faculty members deemed most important to early-career success of fisheries professionals. Respondents also rated proficiency of recently hired, entry-level professionals (employers) on how well their programs prepared them for career success (students and faculty) in those same job skills and academic topics. Critical thinking and written and oral communication skills topped the list of important skills and academic topics. Employers perceived recent …

Survival And Cause-Specific Mortality Of Female Eastern Wild Turkeys In Two Frequently-Burned Longleaf Pine Savannas, Andrew R. Little, John F. Benson, Michael J. Chamberlain, L. Mike Conner, Robert J. Warren

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Longleaf pine savannas have declined throughout the southeastern United States due to land-use change. Fortunately, natural resource professionals are currently restoring these ecologically and economically important savannas. Although efforts are underway to restore longleaf pine savannas, little information exists on female eastern wild turkey Meleagris gallopavo silvestris population dynamics in these systems. Therefore, we evaluated survival and cause-specific mortality of female eastern wild turkeys in two longleaf pine savannas in southwestern Georgia. We radio-marked 126 female wild turkeys during 2010–2013 and monitored their survival; 66 (52.4%) radio-marked females died during the study. We estimated causes of death for 37 mortality …

Carbon And Energy Fluxes In Cropland Ecosystems: A Model-Data Comparison, Erandathie Lokupitiya, A. S. Denning, K. Schaefer, D. Ricciuto, R. Anderson, M. A. Arain, Colorado State University, A. G. Barr, G. Chen, J. M. Chen, P. Ciais, D. R. Cook, M. Dietze, M. El Maayar, M. Fischer, University Of Alberta, D. Hollinger, C. Izaurralde, A. Jain, C. Kucharik, Z. Li, S. Liu, L. Li, R. Matamala, P. Peylin, D. Price, S. W. Running, A. Sahoo, M. Sprintsin, Andrew Suyker, H. Tian, C. Tonitto, M. Torn, Hans Verbeeck, Shashi Verma, Y. Xue

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Croplands are highly productive ecosystems that contribute to land–atmosphere exchange of carbon, energy, and water during their short growing seasons. We evaluated and compared net ecosystem exchange (NEE), latent heat flux (LE), and sensible heat flux (H) simulated by a suite of ecosystem models at five agricultural eddy covariance flux tower sites in the central United States as part of the North American Carbon Program Site Synthesis project. Most of the models overestimated H and underestimated LE during the growing season, leading to overall higher Bowen ratios compared to the observations. Most models systematically under predicted NEE, especially at rain-fed …

Habitat Selection Of Wild Turkeys In Burned Longleaf Pine Savannas, Andrew R. Little, Michael J. Chamberlain, L. Mike Conner, Robert J. Warren

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Frequent prescribed fire (≤3 yr) and selective harvest of off-site hardwoods are the primary restoration and management tools for pine (Pinus spp.) savannas in the southeastern United States. However, a knowledge gap exists in our understanding of eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) habitat selection in longleaf pine savannas and research is warranted to direct our future management decisions. Therefore, we investigated habitat selection of female turkeys in 2 longleaf pine savanna systems managed by frequent fire in southwestern Georgia during 2011–2013. We observed differential habitat selection across 2 scales (study area and seasonal area of use) …

Submerged Area Of Typical Torrential Flood And Debris-Flow Disasters In Mengzong Gully, China, Ai-Di Huo, Wen-Ke Guan, Jian Dang, Tian-Zhong Wu, Hainiken Shantai, Wei Wang, Michael W. Van Liew

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The torrential flooding and debris flow disasters associated with global climate change pose not only serious threat to individual lives and property, but also impact economic development. Accurately simulating flood scenarios can help to reduce the losses caused by torrential flooding and debris flow by making early warning, evacuation planning, and risk analysis possible. In this study, HEC-RAS software and HEC-GeoRAS module were employed in GIS (geographic information system) to simulate the flood overtopping in the Mengzong Gully of Batang River in flood scenarios occurring once in 20, 50, and 100 years, respectively. The simulated floods provided valuable information including …

Fluctuating Survival Selection Explains Variation In Avian Group Size, Charles R. Brown, Mary Bomberger Brown, Erin A. Roche, Valerie A. O'Brien, Catherine E. Page

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Most animal groups vary extensively in size. Because individuals in certain sizes of groups often have higher apparent fitness than those in other groups, why wide group size variation persists in most populations remains unexplained. We used a 30-y mark– recapture study of colonially breeding cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) to show that the survival advantages of different colony sizes fluctuated among years. Colony size was under both stabilizing and directional selection in different years, and reversals in the sign of directional selection regularly occurred. Directional selection was predicted in part by drought conditions: birds in larger colonies tended …

Eastern Wild Turkey Nest Site Selection In Two Frequently Burned Pine Savannas, Andrew R. Little, Nathan P. Nibbelink, Michael J. Chamberlain, L. Mike Conner, Robert J. Warren

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Reproductive success is a critical factor affecting avian demographics and can be influenced by many factors including nesting chronology, predation risk, and fine-scale nest site selection.

Methods: We modeled the relative influences of habitat-related covariates at six spatial scales (nest site: 15-, 40-, 80-, 120-, 160-, and 200-m radii) on Eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) nest site selection in two pine savannas managed by frequent prescribed fire (≤3 years) in southwestern Georgia during 2011–2013.

Results: Nest site (15-m scale) habitat metrics (mean visual obstruction [cm] and canopy closure [%]) had the greatest influence on nest site …

Does Predation Influence The Seasonal And Diel Timing Of Moose Calving In Central Ontario, Canada?, Brent R. Patterson, Kenneth J. Mills, Kevin R. Middel, John F. Benson, Martyn E. Obbard

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Birth synchrony is well documented among ungulates and is hypothesised to maximize neonate survival, either by minimizing the risk of predation through predator swamping or by synchronising birthing with increased seasonal food availability. We used encapsulated vaginal implant transmitters to locate and capture neonatal moose calves and document the seasonal and diel timing of parturition in two adjacent study areas with different predation pressure in central Ontario, Canada. We tested the hypothesis that predation promotes earlier and more synchronous birth of moose calves. Across both areas, proportionately more births occurred during the afternoon and fewer than expected occurred overnight. Mean …

Acoustic Detection Reveals Fine-Scale Distributions Of Myotis Lucifugus, Myotis Septentrionalis, And Perimyotis Subflavus In Eastern Nebraska, Jeremy A. White, Cliff Lemen, Patricia Freeman

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

ABSTRACT.—Before white-nose syndrome arrives in Nebraska, it is important to document the preexposure distributions of cave bats in the state. We examined the distributions of Myotis lucifugus (little brown myotis), Myotis septentrionalis (northern long-eared myotis), and Perimyotis subflavus (tri-colored bat) in eastern Nebraska by setting acoustic detectors for a single night at 105 sites in wooded habitats during summers of 2012 and 2014. We compared 2 methods of determining presence at each site. Results of our analyses are fine-scale distributional maps for these bats and some range extensions from published records. Results for M. septentrionalis and P. subflavus are largely …