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Spatial Strategies for Restoring Native Biodiversity and Connectivity in Managed Landscapes of the Upper Clutha Basin, New Zealand
No full textAcross New Zealand and around the world, biodiversity is declining due to the widespread loss and fragmentation of native habitat. This is especially true in agricultural landscapes, where native habitats have been replaced by intensive land use. This research focuses on the Upper Clutha Basin in Central Otago, New Zealand that has been significantly altered over time by farming, development, and other human activities. As a result, only a small amount of native vegetation remains, and the region is well below the critical threshold needed to support healthy ecological systems. This study investigates how native vegetation can be strategically restored across the basin to rebuild ecological connectivity while remaining compatible with farming and other land uses. Using advanced mapping tools and detailed land cover data, several different restoration approaches were tested. These included replacing exotic vegetation with natives, planting along rivers and streams, adding to the edges of existing native patches, restoring steep slopes, and using public reserves for native planting. A combined approach that included multiple methods was also tested to see if greater gains could be achieved. The results showed that all restoration approaches improved habitat extent and connectivity, but the combined scenario of watercourses, steep marginal land, and reserves was the most effective—raising native cover to over 15% and creating a much more connected landscape. Four priority areas were identified as key opportunities for restoration: the Lowburn terraces, Lindis Crossing, Tarras surrounds, and Hawea Flat. These areas currently have no existing native vegetation but offer high potential to reconnect fragmented habitats and restore ecological function at a broad scale. This research demonstrates that with well-planned, strategic action, it is possible to restore native ecosystems within the productive agricultural landscape of the Upper Clutha Basin. By combining ecological insight with practical implementation, the study offers a realistic and effective roadmap for increasing biodiversity in the Upper Clutha Basin. The findings provide clear guidance for landowners, councils, and community groups, supporting a coordinated, long-term approach to restoration that balances environmental goals with local land use and cultural values
Using Luminescence of Quartz Temper From Archaeological Pottery to Infer Wildfire Intensity in the Southwestern US
No full textThe size and frequency of wildfires have increased recently, impacting ecosystems, communities, and human health. This research uses the heat-sensitive luminescence signals of quartz sand temper within archaeological pottery to record past wildfire conditions. Pottery sherds, which are fragments of archaeological pottery, from the forest floor in sites in New Mexico and Arizona were collected from different fire contexts (no fire exposure, historical fires, prescribed burns, and modern wildfires). These forests are primarily Ponderosa Pine with a grassy understory. The interior sand grains of each sherd sample were analyzed using optically stimulated luminescence, which dates when the mineral grains were last exposed to light or heat. Apparent ages are used to test the hypothesis that recent fire intensity (heat and duration) is greater than historical wildfires.
In this study, sherd samples exposed to historical fires, and prescribed burns sherd samples had retained their expected archaeological age. However, of twelve sherds exposed to the recent 2022 CE Pipeline Fire, six sherds had modern apparent ages, implying the intensity of the fire overwrote the luminescence signal. These results suggest that burning conditions associated with modern fires are more intense, likely due to a combination of climate change and fire suppression which have led to the accumulation of greater volumes of drier and more flammable forest fuels and longer burn seasons.
This work was funded by the National Science Foundation, Geological Society of America, Four Corners Geological Society, and scholarships from the Department of Geosciences at Utah State University. This research provides insight into historical fire intensity, and results from this study may benefit fire management practices in the Southwestern US
Designing Flavonol-Based CO Delivery Molecules With Improved Properties for Biological Applications
No full textAlthough often associated with poisoning, carbon monoxide (CO) is naturally produced in the body and plays a crucial role in cellular function. Scientists are exploring ways to use CO as a therapy, as it can protect healthy cells and even help fight diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s if delivered in the right amount and at the right location. However, safely controlling CO delivery inside cells remains a challenge. This research focuses on developing specialized molecules that release CO when exposed to light. These molecules, called flavonols, are a class of flavonoids that are naturally occurring nutrients found in fruits and vegetables. Flavonols naturally fluoresce, allowing scientists to track their movement within cells. By making small changes to their structure, these molecules behave differently, affecting how much CO they release, where they go inside the cell, and how they interact with other molecules. Understanding these factors is essential for designing effective CO-based tools and treatments. The work in this dissertation highlights the potential of CO as a powerful therapeutic agent and emphasizes the need for precise control over its delivery. By refining these targeted CO delivery tools, researchers aim to develop safer, more effective treatments for various diseases and gain further insights into the biological roles of CO
An Evaluation of Virtual Reality Modeling to Improve Accuracy of Physical Education Skills in Teenage Students With Disabilities
No full textVirtual Reality (VR) technology is becoming more common in schools, especially for teaching and training. In this study, researchers explored how VR can help teenagers with disabilities improve their physical education skills, specifically push-ups, lunges, and jumping jacks. The participants all showed an increase in their skills and reached a high level of accuracy on every skill. The results showed that adding feedback was also necessary for some participants. Additionally, participants enjoyed using the VR equipment and showed high levels of happiness throughout the study. These findings suggested that using VR technology can be an effective way to support teenagers with disabilities in physical education skills and could be a valuable resource in schools
Using Behavioral Skills Training to Teach School Staff to Implement Functional Communication Training
No full textThis project looked at how to train school staff in effective strategies for supporting students with disabilities who engage in challenging behaviors like hitting, self-injury, or crying. We taught three school staff members to use a behavioral intervention called Functional Communication Training (FCT), which helps students learn more appropriate ways to communicate their needs, while also ensuring they do not gain access to reinforcement for challenging behaviors. Staff were trained using Behavioral Skills Training (BST), a step-by-step approach that includes instructions, modeling, practice, and feedback. After the training, the school staff were able to use these strategies correctly, and the students showed fewer challenging behaviors and more appropriate communication. This study provides evidence that school staff can be successfully trained to use these strategies in real classrooms, which may help more students with disabilities succeed in school
Design and Soft-Switching Analysis of Resonant Converters in Unfolding-Based AC-DC Topologies for Wide Operating Range Electric Vehicle Charging Applications
No full textAs the global community becomes increasingly aware of the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on fossil fuels, transitioning to electric mobility emerges as a critical step towards a more sustainable and energy-efficient future. One of the major barriers to the mass adoption of battery electric vehicles is the lack of convenient, fast, and accessible charging stations. Long charging times and limited charger availability contribute to range anxiety. To address this challenge, improvements in public charging infrastructure and the development of reliable, high-efficiency, high-power converters are required.
Typically, a grid-tied ac-dc converter with a two-stage architecture, consisting of ac-dc and dc-dc stages, is used. However, it suffers from low power density due to filtering requirements and high switching losses, which often limit the switching frequency in high-power converters. Recently, single-stage topologies have gained attention for EV charging applications as they offer high power density and efficiency due to a single conversion stage. However, many single-stage topologies remain relatively new and not yet well established. Their industrial adoption is constrained by challenges such as control complexity, grid current distortion, and a lack of comprehensive design-oriented analysis. Furthermore, as modular architectures are typically employed in high-power chargers, further research is required to address stability and system integration requirements.
This dissertation investigates three-phase unfolding-based single-stage ac-dc converter topologies, specifically for EV charging applications that require a wide operating range. The dissertation focuses on two key applications: a 350 kW extreme fast charging (XFC) system for Level 3 plug-in charging, and a dc current distribution architecture for both static and dynamic wireless charging. Initially, this thesis explores an unfolding-based rectifier utilizing a T-type resonant converter. Furthermore, a novel unfolding-based topology is proposed for high-power dc current distribution systems. The stability and control of the modular dc current distribution system, comprising multiple dc-dc converters connected in an input-parallel, output-series configuration, alongside a centralized three-phase Unfolder, are thoroughly analyzed and subsequently validated.
Overall, the thesis presents a design-oriented analysis of various unfolding-based topologies, with a focus on wide operating range EV charging applications
Target Consumers for Beef Jerky
No full textThis fact sheet describes the target market (consumer group) for packaged beef jerky, based on survey data collected from a Utah State University study in the fall of 2024. It includes details of the study and recommendations for beef jerky producers and retailers
Acute Effects of Multi-Joint Eccentric Exercise on Lower-Extremity Muscle Activation Measured During Land and Water Walking
No full textFalls are a leading cause of injury and loss of independence in older adults, often linked to deficits in lower-limb muscle function and gait mechanics. Eccentric exercise can improve muscular resilience, while aquatic walking offers a safe, supportive environment to retrain gait; however, little is known about how these modalities interact at the neuromuscular level. This study compared lower-limb muscle activation during gait on land and in water, before and after an acute bout of eccentric exercise, in healthy young adults. Surface electromyography was collected from the tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius medialis (GM), vastus lateralis (VL), and biceps femoris (BF) during treadmill walking on land and at equivalent speeds in chest-deep water. Results showed that aquatic walking consistently altered activation patterns relative to land walking, with increased TA activity (28%, Cohen’s d = 0.69) and reduced GM activity (−27%, Cohen’s d = −0.48) during swing, reduced VL activity during stance (−20%, Cohen’s d = −0.43), increased VL activity during swing (46%, Cohen’s d = 0.72), and increased BF activity during stance (51%, Cohen’s d = 0.63). These changes produced distinct co-activation patterns between the shank and thigh. Eccentric exercise had limited effects overall but increased thigh co-activation during swing in land walking. Findings suggest that eccentric exercise can be safely combined with aquatic walking and highlight the potential of this multimodal approach for enhancing gait mechanics relevant to fall prevention
Factors Influencing the Discovery and Use of Carrion by Vertebrate Scavengers From Human-Induced Mass-Mortality Events
No full textScavengers play critical roles in ecosystem health and stability, and both biotic and abiotic factors can influence scavenger guild dynamics. Carrion is often limited both temporally and spatially on the landscape, but mass mortality events (MMEs)—in which there is an influx of carrion biomass on the landscape—may result in different scavenger community dynamics compared to when carrion is scarcely distributed. In this study, we investigated factors affecting the discovery and use of carrion by a natural, unharrassed scavenger guild during wild pig (Sus scrofa) MMEs conducted at East Foundation’s San Antonio Viejo Ranch in South Texas, USA. We placed trail cameras on wild pig carcasses that were dispatched by Wildlife Services during 4 aerial gunning events between November 2020 and June 2022. Black vultures (Coragyps atratus), coyotes (Canis latrans), crested caracaras (Caracara cheriway), and turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) were documented scavengers at carrion sites. Carcasses were found and consumed more quickly during the summer and when wild pigs were dispatched earlier in the day. Time to carcass discovery increased as canopy cover increased and as distance to nearest water source decreased. Coyotes were more likely to be the species that discovered carcasses in the fall, and their discovery was facilitated by their use of linear features on the landscape. Coyotes started carcass consumption less quickly than avian scavengers and spent a greater proportion of time scavenging at fall over summer sites, whereas vultures spent a greater proportion of time scavenging at summer over fall sites. There was some overlap of site use by all scavenger species, and overlap of activity was greater in the summer than in the fall. Our results suggest that, should land managers wish to utilize their local scavenger guilds for carcass disposal, eradication efforts should be conducted during mornings in summer
Rapid Flips Between Warm and Cold Extremes in a Warming World
No full textRapid temperature flips are sudden shifts from extreme warm to cold or vice versa–both challenge humans and ecosystems by leaving a very short time to mitigate two contrasting extremes, but are yet to be understood. Here, we provide a global assessment of rapid temperature flips from 1961 to 2100. Warm-to-cold flips favorably follow wetter and cloudier conditions, while cold-to-warm flips exhibit an opposite feature. Of the global areas defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, over 60% have experienced more frequent, intense, and rapid flips since 1961, and this trend will expand to most areas in the future. During 2071–2100 under SSP5-8.5, we detect increases of 6.73–8.03% in flip frequency (relative to 1961–1990), 7.16–7.32% increases in intensity, and 2.47–3.24% decreases in transition duration. Global population exposure will increase over onefold, which is exacerbated in low-income countries (4.08–6.49 times above the global average). Our findings underscore the urgency to understand and mitigate the accelerating hazard flips under global warming