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eDNA Surveillance and Population Genomics of the Invasive Loaches Introduced to the United States
No full textInvasive species represent a growing threat to the ecosystems and economies of the United States. The southeastern United States is an aquatic biodiversity hotspot, and the decline of multiple native species already facing extinction is attributed to a rapidly growing number of nonindigenous freshwater fishes. Next-generation sequencing was used to analyze the population genomics of several populations of Pond Loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) introduced to the United States. Three evolutionarily significant units of Misgurnus loaches were found, suggesting the invasion of multiple different species in the United States. Additionally, noninvasive environmental DNA (eDNA) protocol designed for early detection of invasive freshwater fishes, including M. anguillicaudatus and the African Jewelfish (Rubricatochromis letourneuxi), was developed. This eDNA protocol was used to detect M. anguillicaudatus within the Cahaba River Watershed of Alabama to monitor the status and spread of this ecologically detrimental fish. Misgurnus anguillicaudatus were detected in both the most recent samples collected (2024), and in samples collected in 2020, two years before they were first observed in the Cahaba River. These findings demonstrate usefulness of eDNA protocols to monitor and detect invasive species without physical observation, contributing to the preservation of one of the world’s most biodiverse temperate freshwater ecosystems
Understanding pollinator-forb interactions and evaluating trapping methods for pollinator monitoring in lawns of the southeastern United States
No full textUrban turfgrass landscapes are widespread across the southeastern United States but offer limited ecological value under conventional management. This thesis evaluates the pollinator support potential of ten forb species commonly found in low-maintenance lawns and assesses the effectiveness of two insect sampling methods, sweep netting and pan trapping. Over two years of field surveys, native forbs such as Symphyotrichum divaricatum and Claytonia virginica supported significantly greater insect abundance and diversity than introduced species. Network and modularity analyses revealed that native plants facilitated more specialized pollinator interactions, including those involving oligolectic bee species. In a complementary study, pan traps effectively sampled small-bodied insects, while sweep netting captured a broader range of pollinators, including larger bees. Together, these results demonstrate that integrating select native forbs into turf systems can enhance pollinator habitat in urban landscapes, and that using both passive and active sampling methods provides a more complete representation of the pollinator community
Decision-making and execution skill estimation in continuous action space domains
No full textIn many real-world domains with continuous action spaces, an agent’s performance is driven by two key factors: its decision-making skill, or ability to select high-quality actions, and its execution skill, or precision in carrying out these actions. However, accurately evaluating these skills, particularly when direct information about the agent’s intentions is unavailable, remains a challenging problem. This research addresses this need by developing a theoretical framework and proposing novel estimation methods to assess both decision-making and execution skills based solely on observable data: executed actions and their associated rewards. The work consists of six core studies focused on developing and evaluating methods for estimating agents’ decision- making and execution skills in these types of settings with different types of agents. The first study introduces a reward-based method that estimates execution skills under specified assumptions about decision-making skills. The second study relaxes these assumptions by reasoning about agent actions within a Bayesian network, leading to enhanced execution skill estimation. The third study extends this network to jointly reason about actions and rewards. This approach facilitates the estimation of decision-making and execution skills, further improving the accuracy of the estimates. The fourth study adapts the approach from the third study to estimate execution skill in high-dimensional spaces and track changes over time by employing a particle filter within a dynamic Bayesian network. The effectiveness of the estimation methods is evaluated experimentally across various agent types and domains, showcasing their strengths and limitations. The results indicate that accounting for both decision-making and execution skills significantly improves the accuracy of the estimation compared to isolated approaches. To further evaluate the applicability of the methods, the fifth study presents a real-world application of the methods: evaluating the accuracy of Major League Baseball pitchers. Lastly, the sixth study presents a preliminary investigation of the impact and practical value of estimation methods in real-world settings. These studies collectively establish a robust framework for skill estimation, supporting the real-time assessment of agent performance and offering potential applications in player development and decision- making processes across diverse fields where agents interact in continuous action spaces
Mentorship in music education: Crafting a supportive path for new teachers
No full textAttrition rates among new secondary music educators is an ongoing problem. Many new music educators leave the profession in their first five years with many doing so between years two and three. This project examined the difficulties faced by new secondary music educators and how involvement in a structured mentorship program can aid in their growth and development. Bandura\u27s (1977) social learning theory and Kolb\u27s (1984) experiential learning theory was used in the creation of the practitioner’s manual. Three research questions were addressed in this study: (1) What challenges do early career music educators face and how can a structured mentorship program address those challenges effectively? (2) What components should be included in a mentorship program to effectively support new secondary music educators in their development? (3) How do mentor and mentee relationships influence the professional growth and long-term career commitment of early music educators? Desk-based research and web-mining techniques were used to examine existing literature and mentoring models. A five-year practitioner manual was created that offers mentors and new music educators structured and research-based support. Through purposeful mentoring, this project seeks to enhance early-career music teacher’s professional development and retention
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
No full textA black and white photograph of the Baton Rouge, Louisiana cityscape as seen from the Mississippi River is featured on this postcard. Church steeples, storefronts, streets, and a line of train cars can be seen with the view of the city beyond an expanse of water. Baton Rouge, La. is written in white along the bottom of the card.https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/mss-lampton-images-misc/1039/thumbnail.jp
Episcopal Church, Clarksdale, Mississippi
No full textA color illustration of the red brick Episcopal Church in Clarksdale, Mississippi is featured on this postcard. Green ivy is shown growing up the front gable, over the left corner of the tower, and over the side gable. The windows and doors are arched and a cross sits atop the steeple of the tower. the title of the card is printed along the top right edge.https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/mss-lampton-images-ms-delta/1361/thumbnail.jp
Train Trestle Looking North, Benoit, Mississippi
No full textA black and white photograph of floodwaters at train trestle facing north in Benoit, Mississippi is featured on this postcard. Three cattle are seen standing on or at the trestle while water flows around it. A small wood cabin is pictured in the distance to the left, utility poles are on either side of the trestle and a line of trees can be seen in the far distance. The title, location and photographer of the photograph are written in white on various parts of the trestle.https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/mss-lampton-images-ms-delta/1382/thumbnail.jp
Understanding the Adoption of Virtual Labs in Rural Secondary Schools: A Descriptive Analysis of Perceived Usefulness, Ease of Use, and Behavioral Intentions
Get PDFDespite the promising advantages of cutting-edge technologies like virtual laboratories (VL) for enhancing science education, a significant gap remains between their theoretical benefits and practical application, particularly in rural schools in the Global South. This article argues that the effective integration of VL is largely dependent on teachers’ perceptions of the technology. Research suggests that user acceptance issues, especially related to teachers’ views, are critical when introducing new technologies, including VL, into educational settings. This study presents data from a quantitative survey of 186 life science teachers in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Using Davis’s technology acceptance model (TAM) as a theoretical framework, the research examines teacher perceptions through the lenses of perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), and behavioral intention (BI). The research is guided by this research question: What are the perceptions of life sciences teachers regarding the implementation of VL for rural teaching? The survey data, analyzed using descriptive statistics, indicate a generally positive attitude among life sciences teachers toward incorporating VL into their teaching. This positive outlook is mainly due to PEOU and PU. These findings underscore the potential of VL to enhance science education in rural schools, emphasizing the need for adequate support and training to build teachers’ confidence and competence in its use
Investigating the Levels of Burnout of New Extension Agent Hires Throughout Their First Employment Year
No full textThe objectives of this paper were to describe new Extension agent hires’ levels of burnout during their first year on the job, and to determine if there are significant predictors for burnout based on new Extension agent hires’ gender and age. We implemented a longitudinal quantitative research design using the Maslach Burnout Inventory to measure burnout with 58 new Extension agent hires. Survey data were collected monthly throughout the new agents’ first year on the job. New Extension professionals’ burnout levels did increase over the course of their first year on the job. Female agents experienced slightly higher levels of burnout at the onset of their career and every month during their first year compared to males. We recommend that Extension administrators and researchers track burnout levels every three months rather than monthly for an employee’s first five years to understand and possibly predict agent burnout. Results aligned with relevant burnout literature, as well as gender burnout literature, and provide evidence that tracking burnout over time should be important to Extension administrators and researchers
Let’s Talk Mental Health: An Assessment of Oregon Agricultural Stakeholders Discussing Mental Health
No full textWorking in agriculture presents some unique mental health stressors, including financial difficulties, climate variability, and isolation. Currently, Extension offers mental health literacy programming addressing mental health and suicide in agricultural communities; however, some of the programming is underattended, and resources are underutilized. We sought to find out how communicating about mental health resources was perceived by agricultural stakeholders who work closely with farmers and ranchers, including agribusiness employees, leaders in the community, and pre-service agriculture teachers. Through this mixed-method study using focus groups and a survey, we wanted to find out the perceptions of mental health resources to help inform communication methods of the mental health resources. We found that stakeholders preferred embedding mental health resources within the existing resources they offer to farmers and ranchers. Stakeholders were interested in more training, specifically to learn about the warning signs of mental health; however, some of the agribusiness participants found that discussing mental health could put them in an uncomfortable position, both personally and professionally, within the business context. The term “stress” should be used in place of “mental health,” and Extension should be the channel through which the information is communicated