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• 161. [Article] Nutrition screening for Chinese elderly

  Nutrition and health-related risk factors could be identified through the implementation of the nutrition preventive strategies, such as nutrition screening, for the Chinese elderly population who are ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Nutrition screening for Chinese elderly Author: Juan, WenYen D. Nutrition and health-related risk factors could be identified through the implementation of the nutrition preventive strategies, such as nutrition screening, for the Chinese elderly population who are at high risk of malnutrition. Efficacious culturally sensitive nutrition assessment tools and nutrition screening tools hold the most essential value to assess the nutritional health status among the Chinese elderly. A standardized nutrition screening tool, the DETERMINE Checklist, has been used to determine the nutritional health risk status among the elderly but not the Chinese elderly. Focus group research developed cultural appropriate dietary assessment tools, the food inventory list and Chinese food photos, to evaluate the adequacy of food consumption. A case study used the Nutrition and Health Related Questionnaire to evaluate the efficacy of the standardized DETERMINE Checklist. The Nutrition and Health Related Questionnaire included a dietary assessment method, the 24-hour dietary recall, and the modified DETERMINE Checklist was developed from the integrated questions of the standardized DETERMINE Checklist and Level I Screen. The efficacy of the standardized checklist, the sensitivity and specificity, among fifty-eight Chinese elderly age 70 or older, was evaluated through the comparison of the adequacy of food consumption and the identification of the nutritional health risk status. Results showed that the majority (95%) of the Chinese elderly participants had inadequate food consumption as measured by the U.S. Food Guide Pyramid. The standardized DETERMINE Checklist was not sensitive (40%-60%) or specific (63.6%-46.1%) in evaluating the nutritional health risk status among this population. The conclusion from this study was the modified DETERMINE Checklist designed for this study included questions with a single perspective in assessing the inadequacy of food consumption and the physical inability, to identify the level of severity on the nutritional health risk status better than the standardized DETERMINE Checklist. The research prototype model provided a base assessment process of the nutritional health risk status for the minority Chinese elderly. Complex interactions between acculturation, language competency, accessibility of cultural food, and socioeconomic factors related to the nutritional health risk status are needed for further qualitative research investigations. Title: Nutrition screening for Chinese elderly Author: Juan, WenYen D. Nutrition and health-related risk factors could be identified through the implementation of the nutrition preventive strategies, such as nutrition screening, for the Chinese elderly population who are at high risk of malnutrition. Efficacious culturally sensitive nutrition assessment tools and nutrition screening tools hold the most essential value to assess the nutritional health status among the Chinese elderly. A standardized nutrition screening tool, the DETERMINE Checklist, has been used to determine the nutritional health risk status among the elderly but not the Chinese elderly. Focus group research developed cultural appropriate dietary assessment tools, the food inventory list and Chinese food photos, to evaluate the adequacy of food consumption. A case study used the Nutrition and Health Related Questionnaire to evaluate the efficacy of the standardized DETERMINE Checklist. The Nutrition and Health Related Questionnaire included a dietary assessment method, the 24-hour dietary recall, and the modified DETERMINE Checklist was developed from the integrated questions of the standardized DETERMINE Checklist and Level I Screen. The efficacy of the standardized checklist, the sensitivity and specificity, among fifty-eight Chinese elderly age 70 or older, was evaluated through the comparison of the adequacy of food consumption and the identification of the nutritional health risk status. Results showed that the majority (95%) of the Chinese elderly participants had inadequate food consumption as measured by the U.S. Food Guide Pyramid. The standardized DETERMINE Checklist was not sensitive (40%-60%) or specific (63.6%-46.1%) in evaluating the nutritional health risk status among this population. The conclusion from this study was the modified DETERMINE Checklist designed for this study included questions with a single perspective in assessing the inadequacy of food consumption and the physical inability, to identify the level of severity on the nutritional health risk status better than the standardized DETERMINE Checklist. The research prototype model provided a base assessment process of the nutritional health risk status for the minority Chinese elderly. Complex interactions between acculturation, language competency, accessibility of cultural food, and socioeconomic factors related to the nutritional health risk status are needed for further qualitative research investigations. Close

• 162. [Article] An investigation of vegetation : hydrology interactions in watershed 1 at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest

  For management purposes, it would be useful to be able to predict streamflow response to forest practices in small, unmonitored basins. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the influence ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: An investigation of vegetation : hydrology interactions in watershed 1 at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest Author: Bredensteiner, Kim C. For management purposes, it would be useful to be able to predict streamflow response to forest practices in small, unmonitored basins. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the influence of early successional vegetation on summer streamflow levels. The long-term data records from watershed 1 at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest provide a case study of vegetation dynamics and streamflow changes during the first three decades following clear-cut harvest. This study documents the vegetation dynamics in watershed 1, based on long-term vegetation plot data and aerial photos. Hypotheses about the mechanisms by which vegetation influences streamflow levels are presented and explored using a spatially explicit watershed model, MAPSS-W (Daly, 1994). in order to test these hypotheses of vegetation - hydrology interaction, spatially distributed climate, soils and vegetation datasets were developed for MAPSS-W. MAPSS-W was calibrated and evaluated for use in watersheds 1 & 2 at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest. Following calibration and evaluation of MAPSS-W, experimental simulations were run to explore the hypotheses of vegetation - hydrology interaction. These analyses of long-term vegetation data and results from watershed simulations indicate that changes in summer streamflow levels in watershed I are related to shifts in the dominant vegetation in the watershed. Rapid growth of herbaceous vegetation appears to influence summer streamflow during the first 5-10 years following harvest. Summer streamflow deficits appear to be related to the dominance of deciduous broadleaf vegetation in the watershed during the second decade following harvest. Conifers appear to begin to play a significant hydrologic role during the third decade following harvest. Title: An investigation of vegetation : hydrology interactions in watershed 1 at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest Author: Bredensteiner, Kim C. For management purposes, it would be useful to be able to predict streamflow response to forest practices in small, unmonitored basins. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the influence of early successional vegetation on summer streamflow levels. The long-term data records from watershed 1 at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest provide a case study of vegetation dynamics and streamflow changes during the first three decades following clear-cut harvest. This study documents the vegetation dynamics in watershed 1, based on long-term vegetation plot data and aerial photos. Hypotheses about the mechanisms by which vegetation influences streamflow levels are presented and explored using a spatially explicit watershed model, MAPSS-W (Daly, 1994). in order to test these hypotheses of vegetation - hydrology interaction, spatially distributed climate, soils and vegetation datasets were developed for MAPSS-W. MAPSS-W was calibrated and evaluated for use in watersheds 1 & 2 at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest. Following calibration and evaluation of MAPSS-W, experimental simulations were run to explore the hypotheses of vegetation - hydrology interaction. These analyses of long-term vegetation data and results from watershed simulations indicate that changes in summer streamflow levels in watershed I are related to shifts in the dominant vegetation in the watershed. Rapid growth of herbaceous vegetation appears to influence summer streamflow during the first 5-10 years following harvest. Summer streamflow deficits appear to be related to the dominance of deciduous broadleaf vegetation in the watershed during the second decade following harvest. Conifers appear to begin to play a significant hydrologic role during the third decade following harvest. Close

• 163. [Article] The persistence of five herbicides in Hawaiian soil

  The persistence of DCPA, trifluralin, diphenamid, diuron, and prometryne was studied in three soils which were located at the Kula, Poamoho, and Waimanalo Experiment Stations. The order of decreasing persistency ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The persistence of five herbicides in Hawaiian soil Author: Kitagawa, Yukio The persistence of DCPA, trifluralin, diphenamid, diuron, and prometryne was studied in three soils which were located at the Kula, Poamoho, and Waimanalo Experiment Stations. The order of decreasing persistency was diuron, prometryne, trifluralin, DCPA, and diphenamid. Diuron and prometryne activities were recorded for at least six months and diuron phytotoxicity was noted in the Poamoho plot, one year after application. Degradation was faster when the herbicides were applied the second time in the same plots. For example, DCPA was inactivated between 60-80 days after application in the Poamoho soil, in the second application, inactivation took place in 40-60 days. This indicated that herbicide accumulation or build up was not an important factor in successive croppings. Tilling the soil did not seem to affect inactivation with the exception of prometryne. The bio-assay plants in the prometryne plots showed less phytotoxic symptoms than those grown in soils from untilled areas. Inactivation was most evident in the Waimanalo soil which has montmorillonite as one of the predominant clays. Adsorption and micro-degradation appeared to be the dominant factors in degradation. Inactivation was not related to herbicide solubility, even under high rainfall conditions. Photo-decomposition and volatilization were minimized by rainy periods soon after application. The data indicated that sensitive crops like lettuce could be resown in soil treated with diphenamid, DCPA, and trifluralin at 20 to 40, 20 to 60, and 40 to 80 days, respectively. A phytotoxicity study at Poamoho and Waimanalo indicated that more variations existed in toxicity symptoms between lettuce and cucumber than between soil types of the two locations. Subjective rating of the bio-assay crops (lettuce and cucumber) appeared to be a satisfactory method of evaluating phytotoxicity. Title: The persistence of five herbicides in Hawaiian soil Author: Kitagawa, Yukio The persistence of DCPA, trifluralin, diphenamid, diuron, and prometryne was studied in three soils which were located at the Kula, Poamoho, and Waimanalo Experiment Stations. The order of decreasing persistency was diuron, prometryne, trifluralin, DCPA, and diphenamid. Diuron and prometryne activities were recorded for at least six months and diuron phytotoxicity was noted in the Poamoho plot, one year after application. Degradation was faster when the herbicides were applied the second time in the same plots. For example, DCPA was inactivated between 60-80 days after application in the Poamoho soil, in the second application, inactivation took place in 40-60 days. This indicated that herbicide accumulation or build up was not an important factor in successive croppings. Tilling the soil did not seem to affect inactivation with the exception of prometryne. The bio-assay plants in the prometryne plots showed less phytotoxic symptoms than those grown in soils from untilled areas. Inactivation was most evident in the Waimanalo soil which has montmorillonite as one of the predominant clays. Adsorption and micro-degradation appeared to be the dominant factors in degradation. Inactivation was not related to herbicide solubility, even under high rainfall conditions. Photo-decomposition and volatilization were minimized by rainy periods soon after application. The data indicated that sensitive crops like lettuce could be resown in soil treated with diphenamid, DCPA, and trifluralin at 20 to 40, 20 to 60, and 40 to 80 days, respectively. A phytotoxicity study at Poamoho and Waimanalo indicated that more variations existed in toxicity symptoms between lettuce and cucumber than between soil types of the two locations. Subjective rating of the bio-assay crops (lettuce and cucumber) appeared to be a satisfactory method of evaluating phytotoxicity. Close

• 164. [Article] A study on the carotenoids of wild-type and mutant strains of the alga, Scenedesmus obliquus

  The primary objective of this thesis is to study, characterize and compare four types of Scenedesmus obliquus pigment mutants with the wild-type strain. The specific nature of the carotenoids synthesized in ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A study on the carotenoids of wild-type and mutant strains of the alga, Scenedesmus obliquus Author: Williams, Janet Lynn The primary objective of this thesis is to study, characterize and compare four types of Scenedesmus obliquus pigment mutants with the wild-type strain. The specific nature of the carotenoids synthesized in both heterotrophically and myxotrophically-grown cells, Hill reaction activity, photoreduction activity, and total photosynthetic activity of these cells are examined. Mutant C-X-6E, lacking carotenoids (dark-grown cells), bleaches when placed in the light; is unable to do photosynthesis; shows no Hill reaction; but does exhibit photoreduction activity. Another mutant, C-X -18, which has only high levels of acyclic carotenoids and low amounts of chlorophyll, also bleaches in the light and gives results similar to those seen in the photosynthetic studies with C-X-6E. C-X-6D, when grown in the dark, forms appreciable amounts of acyclic carotenoids and trace amounts of the cyclic and oxygenated carotenoids; when placed in the light it synthesizes normal carotenoids but retains the high levels of the acyclic carotenoids. This mutant shows very low levels of photos ystem II activity, low levels of photosystem I activity, and very low levels of overall photosynthesis. The final mutant studied, C-X-72, which has normal carotenoids and low levels of chlorophyll, is able to green in the light; exhibits low levels of photosystem I and II activity; and has a total photosynthetic activity lower than that of the wild-type. The results of these studies seem to indicate the close association between the carotenoids and the photosystem II and the necessity for a normal carotenoid biosynthetic pathway for the prevention of chlorophyll photooxidation and for maximum photosynthetic activity. Title: A study on the carotenoids of wild-type and mutant strains of the alga, Scenedesmus obliquus Author: Williams, Janet Lynn The primary objective of this thesis is to study, characterize and compare four types of Scenedesmus obliquus pigment mutants with the wild-type strain. The specific nature of the carotenoids synthesized in both heterotrophically and myxotrophically-grown cells, Hill reaction activity, photoreduction activity, and total photosynthetic activity of these cells are examined. Mutant C-X-6E, lacking carotenoids (dark-grown cells), bleaches when placed in the light; is unable to do photosynthesis; shows no Hill reaction; but does exhibit photoreduction activity. Another mutant, C-X -18, which has only high levels of acyclic carotenoids and low amounts of chlorophyll, also bleaches in the light and gives results similar to those seen in the photosynthetic studies with C-X-6E. C-X-6D, when grown in the dark, forms appreciable amounts of acyclic carotenoids and trace amounts of the cyclic and oxygenated carotenoids; when placed in the light it synthesizes normal carotenoids but retains the high levels of the acyclic carotenoids. This mutant shows very low levels of photos ystem II activity, low levels of photosystem I activity, and very low levels of overall photosynthesis. The final mutant studied, C-X-72, which has normal carotenoids and low levels of chlorophyll, is able to green in the light; exhibits low levels of photosystem I and II activity; and has a total photosynthetic activity lower than that of the wild-type. The results of these studies seem to indicate the close association between the carotenoids and the photosystem II and the necessity for a normal carotenoid biosynthetic pathway for the prevention of chlorophyll photooxidation and for maximum photosynthetic activity. Close

• 165. [Article] Remote-sensing and geographic information system techniques to map spatial variation of wheat grain yield

  Farmers and researchers are aware of spatial variation in grain yield within farms or fields. Fertilizer management may be improved if techniques can be developed to identify grain yield variations in ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Remote-sensing and geographic information system techniques to map spatial variation of wheat grain yield Author: Roberts, Michael C. (Michael Coy), 1951- Farmers and researchers are aware of spatial variation in grain yield within farms or fields. Fertilizer management may be improved if techniques can be developed to identify grain yield variations in wheat fields. Aerial color infrared (CIR) photography was used to identify winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) canopy biomass variability in the Spring of the growing season. Low yielding areas identified from CIR photography were associated with shallow soil profiles consistent with soil forming factors of the region, and were significantly different from average and high yielding areas. The high yielding areas were located within a few meters of a drainage way, and were not significantly different than the average yielding areas except in one field with a deep soil profile and low variance. Fields with heterogeneous CIR photographs had high variances because of many dissimilar inclusions. CIR photography, although useful to distinguish vegetational differences, requires complex timing, ground verification, and correction to estimate yield variability. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to overlay photo interpreted biomass and soil map units. The overlay analysis allowed construction of a higher (first) order soil map indicating inclusions. Area calculation of the inclusions and map units using a GIS function combined with estimated yield (no variance estimates or confidence intervals associated with the estimated yield) data suggests fertilizer management with a first order soil map to increase fertilizer efficiency by up to six percent. Future research combining remotely-sensed subsidiary variables correlated with moisture supply capacity estimates from soil survey methods may assess, using relatively new spatially dependent interpolation methods, the local and regional variation in wheat grain yield. Title: Remote-sensing and geographic information system techniques to map spatial variation of wheat grain yield Author: Roberts, Michael C. (Michael Coy), 1951- Farmers and researchers are aware of spatial variation in grain yield within farms or fields. Fertilizer management may be improved if techniques can be developed to identify grain yield variations in wheat fields. Aerial color infrared (CIR) photography was used to identify winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) canopy biomass variability in the Spring of the growing season. Low yielding areas identified from CIR photography were associated with shallow soil profiles consistent with soil forming factors of the region, and were significantly different from average and high yielding areas. The high yielding areas were located within a few meters of a drainage way, and were not significantly different than the average yielding areas except in one field with a deep soil profile and low variance. Fields with heterogeneous CIR photographs had high variances because of many dissimilar inclusions. CIR photography, although useful to distinguish vegetational differences, requires complex timing, ground verification, and correction to estimate yield variability. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to overlay photo interpreted biomass and soil map units. The overlay analysis allowed construction of a higher (first) order soil map indicating inclusions. Area calculation of the inclusions and map units using a GIS function combined with estimated yield (no variance estimates or confidence intervals associated with the estimated yield) data suggests fertilizer management with a first order soil map to increase fertilizer efficiency by up to six percent. Future research combining remotely-sensed subsidiary variables correlated with moisture supply capacity estimates from soil survey methods may assess, using relatively new spatially dependent interpolation methods, the local and regional variation in wheat grain yield. Close

• 166. [Article] Texting and Driving: How the Media Shapes Attitudes, Behaviors, and Information-Seeking Strategies

  According to the Center for Disease Control, 7-in-10 people use their smartphones while driving. This includes behaviors such as sending or reading text messages or emails, taking photos, or using social ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Texting and Driving: How the Media Shapes Attitudes, Behaviors, and Information-Seeking Strategies Author: Saracco, Stephanie According to the Center for Disease Control, 7-in-10 people use their smartphones while driving. This includes behaviors such as sending or reading text messages or emails, taking photos, or using social media. Despite its prevalence amongst drivers, using one’s phone while driving is considered one of the worst types of distracted driving since it is a visual, manual and cognitive disruption. This has resulted in a behavior where 9 Americans lose their lives each day. In a response to this issue, the cell phone company, AT&T, began a media campaign to curb texting while driving behaviors. The following thesis examines one of the AT&T commercials and its efficacy on decreasing texting while driving. To accomplish this, a study was developed to test individual’s attitudes, behaviors, and information-seeking strategies in regards to the behavior of texting while driving. Azjen’s (1985) Theory of Planned Behavior was used to measure attitudinal and behavioral outcomes regarding texting while driving. In addition, Afifi and Weiner’s (2004) Theory of Motivated Information Management measured information-seeking behavior for texting while driving. The results of this study found that both theories were a good model fit for understanding the subject of texting while driving. Despite this, there were no significant results that indicated that the commercial had an effect on the participants. The thesis argues that the AT&T commercial would have had an impact on the viewers, however this was not the case. Results indicate that predicting behavior is possible through the theories, but there is no direct effect from the commercial on those behaviors. The end of this study will conclude with a discussion of why these findings occurred. Title: Texting and Driving: How the Media Shapes Attitudes, Behaviors, and Information-Seeking Strategies Author: Saracco, Stephanie According to the Center for Disease Control, 7-in-10 people use their smartphones while driving. This includes behaviors such as sending or reading text messages or emails, taking photos, or using social media. Despite its prevalence amongst drivers, using one’s phone while driving is considered one of the worst types of distracted driving since it is a visual, manual and cognitive disruption. This has resulted in a behavior where 9 Americans lose their lives each day. In a response to this issue, the cell phone company, AT&T, began a media campaign to curb texting while driving behaviors. The following thesis examines one of the AT&T commercials and its efficacy on decreasing texting while driving. To accomplish this, a study was developed to test individual’s attitudes, behaviors, and information-seeking strategies in regards to the behavior of texting while driving. Azjen’s (1985) Theory of Planned Behavior was used to measure attitudinal and behavioral outcomes regarding texting while driving. In addition, Afifi and Weiner’s (2004) Theory of Motivated Information Management measured information-seeking behavior for texting while driving. The results of this study found that both theories were a good model fit for understanding the subject of texting while driving. Despite this, there were no significant results that indicated that the commercial had an effect on the participants. The thesis argues that the AT&T commercial would have had an impact on the viewers, however this was not the case. Results indicate that predicting behavior is possible through the theories, but there is no direct effect from the commercial on those behaviors. The end of this study will conclude with a discussion of why these findings occurred. Close

• 167. [Article] Physical aspects of specialized units for Alzheimer patients in long term care facilities

  This exploratory study described the protected living environments of segregated Alzheimer/Dementia Units (ADUs) and compared them to selected physical aspects of the larger institutions in which they ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Physical aspects of specialized units for Alzheimer patients in long term care facilities Author: Kwon, Oh-Jung This exploratory study described the protected living environments of segregated Alzheimer/Dementia Units (ADUs) and compared them to selected physical aspects of the larger institutions in which they were housed. A nonrandom, purposive sample used in this study included 99 nursing homes with ADUs in 34 states. Data were collected using a mail questionnaire developed to obtain data about ADUs and the long term care facilities in which they were located. A 78 percent response rate was achieved. The data were analyzed using frequency distributions, descriptive statistics, and the nonparametric McNemar test. Four null hypotheses with sub-parts were tested. Recommendations reached on the basis of the data analysis and literature reviewed were: 1) To provide a living environment that permits freedom of movement with complete safety and security for dementia patients (and their personal possessions), further research should investigate the provision of the following safety and security features in ADUs: a simple, uncluttered environment with all hazards removed or secured, and outdoor exits that are simultaneously secured (locked or alarmed) and "fire safe"; 2) Furnishings of ADU patients' rooms need not differ significantly from other nursing home residents' rooms in terms of personal furnishings and possessions and privacy arrangements--both should provide a homelike, personalized living environment; 3) To help Alzheimer patients to find their way in an ADU, a personal marker or resident's photo posted near the door of their room is recommended; 4) To provide a quiet, calm atmosphere in an ADU, soundabsorbent ceiling and wall surfaces, and modified public address systems are suggested; 5) Further research should test the effects of the following variables (for which frequencies were significantly different but relatively low in the ADUs) under controlled conditions: lockable storage features in residents' rooms; environmental cueing devices such as landmarks, color-coding, pictograph symbols, or wall hangings; and noise reduction via removal of television sets or radios; and 6) Safe and secure outdoor facilities may be an essential and unique physical feature of the ADU living environment. Title: Physical aspects of specialized units for Alzheimer patients in long term care facilities Author: Kwon, Oh-Jung This exploratory study described the protected living environments of segregated Alzheimer/Dementia Units (ADUs) and compared them to selected physical aspects of the larger institutions in which they were housed. A nonrandom, purposive sample used in this study included 99 nursing homes with ADUs in 34 states. Data were collected using a mail questionnaire developed to obtain data about ADUs and the long term care facilities in which they were located. A 78 percent response rate was achieved. The data were analyzed using frequency distributions, descriptive statistics, and the nonparametric McNemar test. Four null hypotheses with sub-parts were tested. Recommendations reached on the basis of the data analysis and literature reviewed were: 1) To provide a living environment that permits freedom of movement with complete safety and security for dementia patients (and their personal possessions), further research should investigate the provision of the following safety and security features in ADUs: a simple, uncluttered environment with all hazards removed or secured, and outdoor exits that are simultaneously secured (locked or alarmed) and "fire safe"; 2) Furnishings of ADU patients' rooms need not differ significantly from other nursing home residents' rooms in terms of personal furnishings and possessions and privacy arrangements--both should provide a homelike, personalized living environment; 3) To help Alzheimer patients to find their way in an ADU, a personal marker or resident's photo posted near the door of their room is recommended; 4) To provide a quiet, calm atmosphere in an ADU, soundabsorbent ceiling and wall surfaces, and modified public address systems are suggested; 5) Further research should test the effects of the following variables (for which frequencies were significantly different but relatively low in the ADUs) under controlled conditions: lockable storage features in residents' rooms; environmental cueing devices such as landmarks, color-coding, pictograph symbols, or wall hangings; and noise reduction via removal of television sets or radios; and 6) Safe and secure outdoor facilities may be an essential and unique physical feature of the ADU living environment. Close

• 168. [Article] The influence of local fidelity and recruitment on population dynamics and specialized foraging of humpback whales in Glacier Bay and Icy Strait, Alaska

  Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae, Borowski 1781) in the North Pacific migrate from mid- to high- latitude summer feeding grounds along the Pacific Rim, including areas off the coasts of the U.S., ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The influence of local fidelity and recruitment on population dynamics and specialized foraging of humpback whales in Glacier Bay and Icy Strait, Alaska Author: Pierszalowski, Sophie Penny Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae, Borowski 1781) in the North Pacific migrate from mid- to high- latitude summer feeding grounds along the Pacific Rim, including areas off the coasts of the U.S., Canada, Russia and eastern Asia, to tropical breeding grounds each winter along Pacific coasts of Mexico and Central America as well as the offshore islands of Mexico, Hawaii, and Japan. Humpback whales in the North Pacific and elsewhere were reduced to very low numbers during a period of intense commercial exploitation that ended in 1965. As the population recovers in abundance, the range of cultural and genetic diversity that survived the exploitation-driven bottleneck is able to adapt, endure and evolve. My work uses genetic tools and photo identification data to investigate the population dynamics, mitochondrial (mt) DNA control region evolution and potential drivers of a specialized feeding behavior in a recovering subpopulation of humpback whales in the Glacier Bay and Icy Strait (GBIS) sub-region of the southeastern Alaska (SEAK) feeding ground. I first collated and reconciled available DNA profiles (mtDNA control region, 10 microsatellite loci and sex) from 556 individuals using tissue samples collected from 1987 to 2012. Photo identification records associated with 692 of 1,026 total genetic samples collected in SEAK (now archived within the SEAK DNA Register and Tissue Database) corresponded to extensive life-history information, extending back to the early 1970s, as archived within the SEAK Regional Database, curated by the National Park Service (NPS) and University of Alaska, Southeast (UAS). Changes in population structure in GBIS over 32 years (1973-2005) were investigated in order to determine whether the increase in local abundance was attributable to local fidelity and recruitment or immigration from outside of SEAK. Two temporal strata were defined: 'Founder' individuals identified between 1973-1985 (n = 74, n = 46 with DNA profiles) and 'Contemporary' individuals identified between 2004-2005 (n = 171, n = 114 with DNA profiles). There was no significant genetic differentiation between the strata, indicating that it is unlikely that the population increase within GBIS was due largely to immigration of whales from elsewhere in the North Pacific. However, two additional haplotypes were documented in the Contemporary stratum at low frequency, one of which was previously unreported in the North Pacific (haplotype A8, see below). This relative stability in haplotype frequencies over time argues for strong regional fidelity of the maternal lineages represented in GBIS between 1973 and 1985. After excluding the 42 Contemporary whales with no photo ID record of a mother or genotype available for maternity inference, at least 73.6% (n = 95) of the Contemporary stratum was either a returning Founder or a recruited descendant of a Founder female. Of all genetically confirmed females with genotypes in the Founder stratum, 96% (n = 24) were either represented in the Contemporary stratum, had at least one confirmed descendant in the Contemporary stratum, or both. This high proportion, in addition to the large proportion of the verifiable Contemporary stratum that were either returning Founders or a descendant of a Founder female, provides clear evidence for local fidelity and recruitment to GBIS. The discovery of the A8 haplotype, which differs by one base pair from a common haplotype referred to as A-, represents an increase in mtDNA diversity for the North Pacific humpback whale from 28 to 29 haplotypes. To investigate the origin of this new haplotype, we re-evaluated n = 1089 electropherograms of n = 710 individuals with A- haplotypes from both the SEAK DNA Register and Tissue Database and the ocean-wide program, SPLASH (Baker et al. 2013). From this review, we identified two individuals with the A8 haplotype (a cow and calf, both sampled in GBIS) and n = 20 individuals with clear heteroplasmy for haplotypes A-/A8. The majority of A-/A8 individuals (n = 15) were sampled in SEAK. Genotype exclusion and likelihood were used to identify one of the heteroplasmic females, #196 (first sighted in SEAK in 1982), as the likely mother of the A8 cow and grandmother of the A8 calf, establishing the inheritance and germ-line fixation of the new haplotype from the parental heteroplasmy. Based on life history records and estimates of pairwise relatedness from microsatellite genotypes, it appears likely that the A-/A8 and the A8 individuals are descendants from a common maternal ancestor one or more generations prior to the three generations documented here. Humpback whale sociality takes a distinct form in Icy Strait, where whales form large, coordinated groups with repeated membership across several decades. Twenty-one years of group association records (1985-2005, n = 2,204 groups) were used to investigate the hypothesis that kin selection influences membership in large, stable groups. Of the 2204 groups recorded, 113 consisted of 6 or more individuals; a size considered unexpectedly large assuming a Poisson distribution of group size with a mean of 1.7. A total of n = 71 individuals (n = 48 with DNA profiles) were encountered in a large group in at least one year, n = 38 individuals (n = 34 with DNA profiles) were encountered in a large group in at least two years, n = 29 individuals (n = 27 with DNA profiles) were encountered in a large group in at least three years, decreasing to n = 2 individuals (n = 2 with DNA profiles) that were encountered in a large group in at least 20 years. There were no significant differences in mtDNA frequencies between large group feeders and the Founder and Contemporary strata or when compared to whales never encountered in large groups in Icy Strait, indicating that group membership is not predominately passed through one maternal lineage. Sex ratios did not deviate significantly from 1:1 for those feeding in large groups over an increasing number of years, as would be expected if females were actively recruiting offspring into large groups. The average pairwise relatedness for large group feeders was not significantly greater than expected by chance and did not increase for those feeding in large groups over an increasing number of years. Of the 179 known offspring of females encountered in a large group, only 6% were also encountered in a large group in Icy Strait as an adult and only 2.2% in the same large group as their mother. These results indicate that kin selection is not the primary driver of membership in large, stable groups and pose an interesting dynamic in local habitat use: individuals are recruited to GBIS through local maternal fidelity but do not usually associate closely with direct maternal kin. The extensive collection of DNA profiles now archived with the individual-based data within the SEAK Regional Database allowed us to integrate genetics and photo ID to answer ecologically relevant questions regarding the whales in GBIS. Together, these results demonstrate that GBIS provide habitat for a distinct collection of individuals that exhibit strong fidelity and local recruitment, some of which engage in a highly specialized feeding behavior. Further, GBIS is a local feeding habitat for two individuals with a newly arising North Pacific mtDNA haplotype. These findings reveal local genotypic and cultural variation and highlight the importance of habitat protection for species with fine-scale habitat use and strong fidelity to local migratory destinations. Title: The influence of local fidelity and recruitment on population dynamics and specialized foraging of humpback whales in Glacier Bay and Icy Strait, Alaska Author: Pierszalowski, Sophie Penny Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae, Borowski 1781) in the North Pacific migrate from mid- to high- latitude summer feeding grounds along the Pacific Rim, including areas off the coasts of the U.S., Canada, Russia and eastern Asia, to tropical breeding grounds each winter along Pacific coasts of Mexico and Central America as well as the offshore islands of Mexico, Hawaii, and Japan. Humpback whales in the North Pacific and elsewhere were reduced to very low numbers during a period of intense commercial exploitation that ended in 1965. As the population recovers in abundance, the range of cultural and genetic diversity that survived the exploitation-driven bottleneck is able to adapt, endure and evolve. My work uses genetic tools and photo identification data to investigate the population dynamics, mitochondrial (mt) DNA control region evolution and potential drivers of a specialized feeding behavior in a recovering subpopulation of humpback whales in the Glacier Bay and Icy Strait (GBIS) sub-region of the southeastern Alaska (SEAK) feeding ground. I first collated and reconciled available DNA profiles (mtDNA control region, 10 microsatellite loci and sex) from 556 individuals using tissue samples collected from 1987 to 2012. Photo identification records associated with 692 of 1,026 total genetic samples collected in SEAK (now archived within the SEAK DNA Register and Tissue Database) corresponded to extensive life-history information, extending back to the early 1970s, as archived within the SEAK Regional Database, curated by the National Park Service (NPS) and University of Alaska, Southeast (UAS). Changes in population structure in GBIS over 32 years (1973-2005) were investigated in order to determine whether the increase in local abundance was attributable to local fidelity and recruitment or immigration from outside of SEAK. Two temporal strata were defined: 'Founder' individuals identified between 1973-1985 (n = 74, n = 46 with DNA profiles) and 'Contemporary' individuals identified between 2004-2005 (n = 171, n = 114 with DNA profiles). There was no significant genetic differentiation between the strata, indicating that it is unlikely that the population increase within GBIS was due largely to immigration of whales from elsewhere in the North Pacific. However, two additional haplotypes were documented in the Contemporary stratum at low frequency, one of which was previously unreported in the North Pacific (haplotype A8, see below). This relative stability in haplotype frequencies over time argues for strong regional fidelity of the maternal lineages represented in GBIS between 1973 and 1985. After excluding the 42 Contemporary whales with no photo ID record of a mother or genotype available for maternity inference, at least 73.6% (n = 95) of the Contemporary stratum was either a returning Founder or a recruited descendant of a Founder female. Of all genetically confirmed females with genotypes in the Founder stratum, 96% (n = 24) were either represented in the Contemporary stratum, had at least one confirmed descendant in the Contemporary stratum, or both. This high proportion, in addition to the large proportion of the verifiable Contemporary stratum that were either returning Founders or a descendant of a Founder female, provides clear evidence for local fidelity and recruitment to GBIS. The discovery of the A8 haplotype, which differs by one base pair from a common haplotype referred to as A-, represents an increase in mtDNA diversity for the North Pacific humpback whale from 28 to 29 haplotypes. To investigate the origin of this new haplotype, we re-evaluated n = 1089 electropherograms of n = 710 individuals with A- haplotypes from both the SEAK DNA Register and Tissue Database and the ocean-wide program, SPLASH (Baker et al. 2013). From this review, we identified two individuals with the A8 haplotype (a cow and calf, both sampled in GBIS) and n = 20 individuals with clear heteroplasmy for haplotypes A-/A8. The majority of A-/A8 individuals (n = 15) were sampled in SEAK. Genotype exclusion and likelihood were used to identify one of the heteroplasmic females, #196 (first sighted in SEAK in 1982), as the likely mother of the A8 cow and grandmother of the A8 calf, establishing the inheritance and germ-line fixation of the new haplotype from the parental heteroplasmy. Based on life history records and estimates of pairwise relatedness from microsatellite genotypes, it appears likely that the A-/A8 and the A8 individuals are descendants from a common maternal ancestor one or more generations prior to the three generations documented here. Humpback whale sociality takes a distinct form in Icy Strait, where whales form large, coordinated groups with repeated membership across several decades. Twenty-one years of group association records (1985-2005, n = 2,204 groups) were used to investigate the hypothesis that kin selection influences membership in large, stable groups. Of the 2204 groups recorded, 113 consisted of 6 or more individuals; a size considered unexpectedly large assuming a Poisson distribution of group size with a mean of 1.7. A total of n = 71 individuals (n = 48 with DNA profiles) were encountered in a large group in at least one year, n = 38 individuals (n = 34 with DNA profiles) were encountered in a large group in at least two years, n = 29 individuals (n = 27 with DNA profiles) were encountered in a large group in at least three years, decreasing to n = 2 individuals (n = 2 with DNA profiles) that were encountered in a large group in at least 20 years. There were no significant differences in mtDNA frequencies between large group feeders and the Founder and Contemporary strata or when compared to whales never encountered in large groups in Icy Strait, indicating that group membership is not predominately passed through one maternal lineage. Sex ratios did not deviate significantly from 1:1 for those feeding in large groups over an increasing number of years, as would be expected if females were actively recruiting offspring into large groups. The average pairwise relatedness for large group feeders was not significantly greater than expected by chance and did not increase for those feeding in large groups over an increasing number of years. Of the 179 known offspring of females encountered in a large group, only 6% were also encountered in a large group in Icy Strait as an adult and only 2.2% in the same large group as their mother. These results indicate that kin selection is not the primary driver of membership in large, stable groups and pose an interesting dynamic in local habitat use: individuals are recruited to GBIS through local maternal fidelity but do not usually associate closely with direct maternal kin. The extensive collection of DNA profiles now archived with the individual-based data within the SEAK Regional Database allowed us to integrate genetics and photo ID to answer ecologically relevant questions regarding the whales in GBIS. Together, these results demonstrate that GBIS provide habitat for a distinct collection of individuals that exhibit strong fidelity and local recruitment, some of which engage in a highly specialized feeding behavior. Further, GBIS is a local feeding habitat for two individuals with a newly arising North Pacific mtDNA haplotype. These findings reveal local genotypic and cultural variation and highlight the importance of habitat protection for species with fine-scale habitat use and strong fidelity to local migratory destinations. Close

• 169. [Article] Are Forest Disturbance Rates and Composition Influenced by Changing Ownerships, Conservation Easements, and Land Certification?

  This research examines the effect of recent landownership changes and new management stewardship mechanisms (e.g., forest certification and working forest conservation easements) on disturbance rates in ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Are Forest Disturbance Rates and Composition Influenced by Changing Ownerships, Conservation Easements, and Land Certification? Author: Institute for Natural Resources, Legaard, Kasey R., Sader, Steven A., Noone, Matthew D. This research examines the effect of recent landownership changes and new management stewardship mechanisms (e.g., forest certification and working forest conservation easements) on disturbance rates in Maine forests. We quantify forest disturbance rates between 2000 and 2007 and forest cover type composition in 2007, as detected by Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite imagery, and relate these to possible influencing factors including landowner type, ownership stability, forest certification, and conservation easements. The cover type map was evaluated for agreement with US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis ground plot data and the change map was evaluated using visual interpretation of random sample locations on multiple years of Landsat data and aerial photos. Between 2000 and 2007, 1.6 million ha of commercial forestland changed ownership. Investment landowner types, timber investment management organizations and real estate investment trusts, were found to have the highest disturbance rates, significantly higher than those for public and conservation forest landowner groups. Forestlands that changed owners had disturbance rates similar to those with stable landowners. Disturbance rates on certified and easement forestlands, compared with those on noncertified and noneasement land, indicated no significant differences at the statewide scale. Public and conservation forestlands were found to have a higher proportion of coniferous forest and a lower component of deciduous forest compared with privately owned forests in the state. Title: Are Forest Disturbance Rates and Composition Influenced by Changing Ownerships, Conservation Easements, and Land Certification? Author: Institute for Natural Resources, Legaard, Kasey R., Sader, Steven A., Noone, Matthew D. This research examines the effect of recent landownership changes and new management stewardship mechanisms (e.g., forest certification and working forest conservation easements) on disturbance rates in Maine forests. We quantify forest disturbance rates between 2000 and 2007 and forest cover type composition in 2007, as detected by Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite imagery, and relate these to possible influencing factors including landowner type, ownership stability, forest certification, and conservation easements. The cover type map was evaluated for agreement with US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis ground plot data and the change map was evaluated using visual interpretation of random sample locations on multiple years of Landsat data and aerial photos. Between 2000 and 2007, 1.6 million ha of commercial forestland changed ownership. Investment landowner types, timber investment management organizations and real estate investment trusts, were found to have the highest disturbance rates, significantly higher than those for public and conservation forest landowner groups. Forestlands that changed owners had disturbance rates similar to those with stable landowners. Disturbance rates on certified and easement forestlands, compared with those on noncertified and noneasement land, indicated no significant differences at the statewide scale. Public and conservation forestlands were found to have a higher proportion of coniferous forest and a lower component of deciduous forest compared with privately owned forests in the state. Close

• 170. [Article] Paired watershed ecological analysis

  This study was designed to provide a physical and ecological analysis of paired watersheds in the semi-arid western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) woodlands of Central Oregon. Instrumentation and monitoring ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Paired watershed ecological analysis Author: Fisher, Michael, (Michael Patrick), 1966- This study was designed to provide a physical and ecological analysis of paired watersheds in the semi-arid western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) woodlands of Central Oregon. Instrumentation and monitoring was accomplished in Jensen and Mays watersheds as the preliminary portion of a longer term project. Instrumentation was designed to address changes in the erosional processes, hydrology, and vegetation on a watershed scale. Instrumentation was setup to assist in the comparison and calibration of water flow out of the watersheds. This information will be used in the long-term study in conjunction with the treatment of the western juniper overstory on one of the watersheds. Determination of the study area in each watershed required extensive reconnaissance with the assistance of aerial photos, topographic maps, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Mapping of the study areas was accomplished with GIS and Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Watersheds were paired according to specific characteristics that influence treatment effects. Flume types were chosen with respect to precipitation intensity and frequency with placement being more a function of watershed topography and channel morphology. Upland sedimentation and erosion measurement required intense acknowledgement of both abiotic as well as biotic characteristics. Analysis showed the watersheds to be similar in size, percent juniper, grass and bare soil cover, topography, and precipitation frequency and intensity. Differences were obtained relative to erosional processes, area of different soil types and channel discharge. Further monitoring and calibration should provide greater insight into the comparison of these components of the study. Title: Paired watershed ecological analysis Author: Fisher, Michael, (Michael Patrick), 1966- This study was designed to provide a physical and ecological analysis of paired watersheds in the semi-arid western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) woodlands of Central Oregon. Instrumentation and monitoring was accomplished in Jensen and Mays watersheds as the preliminary portion of a longer term project. Instrumentation was designed to address changes in the erosional processes, hydrology, and vegetation on a watershed scale. Instrumentation was setup to assist in the comparison and calibration of water flow out of the watersheds. This information will be used in the long-term study in conjunction with the treatment of the western juniper overstory on one of the watersheds. Determination of the study area in each watershed required extensive reconnaissance with the assistance of aerial photos, topographic maps, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Mapping of the study areas was accomplished with GIS and Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Watersheds were paired according to specific characteristics that influence treatment effects. Flume types were chosen with respect to precipitation intensity and frequency with placement being more a function of watershed topography and channel morphology. Upland sedimentation and erosion measurement required intense acknowledgement of both abiotic as well as biotic characteristics. Analysis showed the watersheds to be similar in size, percent juniper, grass and bare soil cover, topography, and precipitation frequency and intensity. Differences were obtained relative to erosional processes, area of different soil types and channel discharge. Further monitoring and calibration should provide greater insight into the comparison of these components of the study. Close