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The Effects of Aboveground Herbivory on Root Traits and Root Decomposition
Get PDFSoil holds more carbon (C) than the Earth\u27s atmosphere and vegetation combined. Soil loses carbon through soil respiration and releases CO2 from the soil. The soil respiration rate can vary based on the chemistry of the plant litter inputs and physical factors, such as soil temperature and nutrient content. In Alaska\u27s Yukon-Kuskokwim (YK) Delta, grazing by geese affects the chemistry of plants and the soil\u27s physical qualities, thus altering the rate of soil respiration. Although we know that goose herbivory leads to changes in the rate of soil respiration, we know very little about how goose herbivory affects the inputs of plant roots. Roots are an important factor in soil respiration because roots contribute a substantial amount of C to the soil. This knowledge gap limits our ability to truly understand C cycling processes like root decomposition, which may influence soil respiration in the YK Delta.
To better understand how goose herbivory affects root C and soil respiration, we collected C. subspathacea root samples, a common sedge in the YK Delta, from either grazed or ungrazed habitats to understand if goose herbivory creates intraspecific differences in their morphological (specific root length, root volume and root surface area), chemical (carbon: nitrogen ratio, %C, %nitrogen, %phosphorus and ADF), and physiological traits (root exudates). Additionally, we created a laboratory experiment to assess how goose herbivory affects root decomposition and C loss using weekly CO2 efflux as a proxy for the decomposition rate. Within this experiment, we manipulated root treatment by using roots that were either exposed to aboveground grazing or not, feces deposition (present/absent), and temperature to simulate the range of effects aboveground herbivory has on plant litter and soil physicochemical properties.
In this study, we demonstrated that aboveground herbivory did not alter root morphology but affected root chemistry and exudation. Specifically, aboveground grazing led to lower C:N, higher %N, lower %C, %ADF (a measurement of cellulose and lignin), and a greater rate of root exudation. Although we did not see differences in root morphology, the differences in root chemistry and exudation are often associated with faster plant decomposition. Our root decomposition experiment confirmed that aboveground herbivory alters the rate of root decomposition and leads to increased C loss directly by altering indirectly by increasing soil temperatures and directly by altering root inputs. Our study demonstrates that aboveground herbivory can significantly alter root trait expression, which may increase the loss of C from the soil
Understanding Peer Interactions in Undergraduate Engineering Education
Get PDFWhether they occur inside or outside the classroom, social interactions between undergraduate students play a key role in student success. As a result, engineering education researchers have sought to understand why students interact with certain peers, and which types of interactions relate to positive student outcomes. While existing studies show promising results for formal group assignments, most have been conducted in a single undergraduate course. Because important student interactions occur outside and inside courses, more research is needed to fully understand (a) why students choose to, or not to, interact with other students, and (b) how these interactions relate to student\u27s academic outcomes within their engineering major. With new understandings, engineering educators will be better able to promote positive and lasting relationships between students.
To contribute to this body of research, this dissertation study aimed to identify and analyze interactions occurring between undergraduate engineering students during the first two years of their degree programs. To identify peer interactions, I surveyed all first- and second-year engineering students at the study institution. To quantitatively analyze resultant interaction networks, I applied a method called social network analysis to mathematically describe interactions between individuals. Using social network analysis techniques, I statistically compared student interactions and their academic outcomes of engineering GPA and retention in the major.
Along with social network analysis, I conducted focus group interviews and analyzed the resultant qualitative data to understand (a) why students choose to, or not to, interact with their peers, and (b) how these students perceive their interactions impacting their academic outcomes. Each analysis (i.e., quantitative and qualitative) informed the overall conclusion(s) for this dissertation study. Apart from developing methods for future engineering education researchers, results of this study include identifying significant relationships between undergraduate engineering students\u27 interaction network size and outcomes, and a model of undergraduate student peer network formation and evolution. Ultimately, these findings will assist engineering educators in promoting positive and lasting relationships between their students
Teleios
Get PDFThis thesis is a collection of poetry that mixes formal and free verse in order to convey the speaker’s spiritual journey in content as well as form. The work introduces a speaker who is deeply religious and who expresses her spirituality in the form of formal poetry such as sonnets as she adheres to certain principles of faith. The use of form in the thesis represents her adherence to those principles, while breaking form is symbolic of her breaking away from those principles. Through the work, the speaker experiences a shift from frustration with the world and its apparent obfuscation of God—and thus an obstacle to her ability to attain perfection—to a broader realization of God’s presence and the joy life brings that enables her to reach and hope for an exalted or transcendental state
Who Are We?: Exploring American Identities
Get PDFFramed as a question—Who Are We?—the book focuses on telling the stories of a handful of ethnic/national/racial groups that contributed significantly to the formation of the United States. In particular, the book revolves around the social, economic, legal, and historical contradictions that have confronted and continue to confront the American attempt to construct a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-racial democracy, including a consideration of the forces arrayed against the American experiment. While the book does not tackle head-on the immediate cultural and political rifts currently on display in the United States today, it does take a hard look at many historical precursors which suggest that our current woes may not be as unprecedented as many Americans may be inclined to believe
Faculty Senate Minutes March 4, 2024
Get PDFCall to Order - Maureen Hearns Approval of Minutes – February 5, 2024 University Business - Elizabeth Cantwell, President | Larry Smith, Provost Faculty Senate Business - Maureen Hearns | John Ferguson | Grant Cardon
Information
Education Policies Committee – December 7, 2023 | January 4, 2024 | February 1, 2024 - Paul Barr
Reports
Old Business
New Business
Adjourn: 4:34 p
The Backyard Garden: Garlic Pests
Get PDFThe Backyard Garden is a series from Utah Pests, Utah State University Extension. This fact sheet explores the pests and diseases that affect garlic plants, covering severity, other hosts, general information, symptoms, and management
Maintaining and Improving Irrigation Application Uniformity in Sprinkler and Drip Systems
Get PDFThe goal of most irrigation system design and management is to provide all plants in an irrigated area with equal access to water. Ideally, each plant should receive the exact amount of water it needs. If a field needs 1 inch of water for irrigation, all parts of the field should receive exactly that. The reality is not so perfect. It is practically impossible to apply the same quantity of water to all plants in an irrigated area, plot, or field. In other words, all irrigation systems have some nonuniformities in the water delivered. Instead of designing and managing irrigation systems to apply water 100% uniformly, the goal of irrigation system designers, manufacturers, and operators should be to maximize irrigation uniformity within practical and economic constraints. In this fact sheet, we explain the major causes of uneven water distribution in sprinkler and drip irrigation systems and suggest ways to improve or maintain uniformity
Senior Recital - Kimberly Lewin
Get PDFThis recital is in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Music in Music Performance.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/music_programs/1279/thumbnail.jp
Hay: A Hedonic Study
Get PDFHedonic price theory posits that the price of a product is influenced by the values consumers assign to its individual attributes. Hay is a versatile commodity with variation across several attributes helping to cater to diverse needs of consumers. A detailed analysis using hedonic regression techniques within hay pricing can help producers, stakeholders, and educators more fully understand the marginal values consumers place on diverse hay attributes. Previous studies focused on limited scopes within the hay industry or other sectors, allowing room for broader investigation. This study examines qualitative attributes impacting hay pricing, revealing significant influences from factors like location, seed type, and quality. Notably, California and Texas are found to command higher marginal prices relative to other western states, while certain hay varieties and smaller bale sizes are also identified as having higher comparative marginal value on average. Identification of the average marginal values of individual hay attributes offers valuable insights into the dynamic hay industry
First-Time Market Lamb
Get PDFThis fact sheet is 4-H youth who are thinking about or have recently purchased their first 4-H lamb. This fact sheet is a simple outline providing more information on selection, feeding, housing, basic care, and grooming