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Conditioned Food Aversion with an Odor Cue to Reduce Bear Conflict and Crop Loss
Get PDFNutrient-dense and convenient foods in agricultural fields attract bears. Bear consumption of agricultural crops is an economic loss for farmers but a potentially important source of energy and nutrients for bears preparing to hibernate. Conditioned food aversion (CFA) is a form of behavior modification based on a temporary yet unpleasant physiological response like nausea resulting from ingesting adulterated food. CFA has been combined with other stimuli, such as an odor cue (CFAO), to strengthen the aversion. We hypothesized that CFAO could be effective in bears due to their reliance on olfaction and memory when foraging. We tested CFAO in captive brown bears at Washington State University using the aversive agent thiabendazole (TBZ) and an odor cue (lemon oil). Because aversion was retained even after two hibernation periods with stronger aversion in wild-born bears than captive-born bears, we developed a field test of CFAO. Bait stations containing TBZ-laced fruit sprayed with lemon oil were placed on the perimeter of a Washington orchard and monitored through the active season via trail cameras and site visits. Fruit abundance between rows of trees treated with lemon oil and untreated rows was monitored to assess the effectiveness of CFAO as a means of reducing crop loss. Bear visitations to the orchard declined over time, but we were unable to determine if that was due to treatment effects or other processes, such as increasing abundance of natural foods. There were no significant differences in fruit disappearance between treated and untreated trees earlier in the study. During the fall months, there was a significantly higher percentage of treated fruits remaining compared to untreated fruits, supporting CFAO’s effectiveness in reducing crop loss. However, the effect of the odor cue treatment declined significantly leading up to hibernation. Longer field trials over more locations in future research are the next steps to develop CFAO as a nonlethal management tool to reduce economic loss, bear-human conflict, and bear mortalities
CLIMATIC ADAPTABILITY AND RESILIENCY OF NORTH AMERICAN SAGEBRUSH-STEPPE MAMMALS AND BIRDS
Get PDFClimate change and changing rates of extreme events are altering species distributions. In the Columbia Basin sagebrush (Artemesia spp.) ecoregion of Washington, the intensity, frequency, and extent of wildfire has increased drastically over the last few decades. Wildfire on this landscape, already modified and fragmented by agriculture and other disturbances, may challenge the persistence of wildlife that depend on continuous shrublands and grasslands. Therefore, we examined how fire and habitat characteristics of sagebrush patches influence the distribution of sagebrush-associated, grassland-associated, and generalist mammals and birds across the Columbia Basin. Over four spring-summer field seasons (2021-2024), we surveyed 155 burned and unburned sagebrush sites using a combination of camera traps, avian point count surveys, and vegetation surveys. From these data, we assessed how recent (within 20 years of survey) fire and habitat characteristics affect the site use and abundance of wildlife using occupancy models and generalized linear models. We documented 22 avian and mammalian species during camera trap surveys and 77 avian species during point counts. Despitedocumenting many species within burned sites (86), we found sagebrush-associated passerines and several other species at higher abundances in unburned sites. Within burned patches, fire age, annual grass cover, and forb cover were important drivers of site use and abundance, and responses to fire and habitat characteristics varied among taxa and degree of specialization. Our findings will guide stakeholders when making short-term modifications to post-fire sagebrush habitat and long-term planning decisions related to fire resiliency for Columbia Basin mammals and birds.Climatically suitable space is shifting poleward and up in elevation for many species. However, the ability of species to track shifting climatic conditions will depend on future anthropogenic land-use patterns. These concerns are particularly important for species inhabiting biomes with substantial historic and expected future land-use changes. Here, we examined changes in suitable space for 11 sagebrush-associated wildlife species inhabiting the highly modified sagebrush-steppe biome of western North America and determined the potential for the Columbia Basin ecoregion (located in the northwest of the biome) to serve as a climatic refugia. We developed climate-based species distribution models of focal species and projected those models under a moderate climate scenario in two future time periods. We used two future land- cover scenarios to calculate the amount of optimal space (suitable climate and land cover) in the Columbia Basin and the intersection of optimal space with currently protected lands. Climatic suitability increased for raptors but decreased for grouse and herbivores in their current range, and the Columbia Basin increased in or retained climatic suitability for most species. Our results support that the Columbia Basin may be a promising climate refugia, especially for two species projected to have increasing optimal space in both land-use scenarios. Finally, protected areas within the Columbia Basin generally cover areas with high overlap of optimal space for species. We provide methods that leverage open-source databases and can be transferred to identify future suitability trends for other species, climate refugia within biomes, and priority areas for biodiversity conservation in other systems
UNFOLDING AN EXPLORATION OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS
Get PDFUnfolding explores transformation beyond the material itself, unraveling histories and interwoven personal and collective narratives and journeys, while focusing on themes ofmigration, adaptation, community, and identity. Through the processes of palimpsest and upcycling, I reimagine used jute coffee sacks, whose materiality echoes their journey with past markings. As I bring new meanings to them, they become collaborators in the creative process by embodying my narratives. My personal experiences influence the narrative, enabling me to mirror the histories embedded in these sacks using literal and metaphorical language. With an interdisciplinary approach—combining installation, sculpture, painting, and screen printing—I incorporate Nigerian Ankara patterns and Uli motif designs into my works, weaving together memories of home with my present reality. Bold color transitions symbolize growth, adaptation, and cultural identity. Techniques such as dyeing, hand painting, wrapping, and weaving are used to reimagine these materials, which are made into sculptures or assembled as installations. Beyond material aesthetics in my works, I aim to create a contemplative space where connections are formed, inviting viewers to immerse themselves, reflecting on their journeys, and uncover shared connections and collective experiences
ENGINEERING MICROBIAL AND ALGAL PLATFORMS FOR SUSTAINABLE BIOPLASTIC AND BIOMASS PRODUCTION FROM WASTE-DERIVED SUBSTRATES
Get PDFThe increasing environmental concerns associated with fossil-based plastics have driven the search for sustainable alternatives, with polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) emerging as a promising class of biodegradable bioplastics. However, high production costs and substrate limitations hinder their large-scale application. This dissertation primarily explores the metabolic engineering of Yarrowia lipolytica to enhance PHB production through lipogenesis pathway redirection, using low-cost, sustainable substrates including acetate and xylose.Three core objectives are addressed: (1) redirecting the lipogenesis pathway toward PHB biosynthesis via compartmentalized metabolic engineering and gene dosage optimization, (2) enabling Y. lipolytica to metabolize xylose efficiently for improved biopolymer yield and cell growth, and (3) optimizing fermentation conditions and developing a kinetic model for microbial growth and substrate consumption under acetate-glucose co-substrate scenarios. Engineered strains demonstrated enhanced PHB accumulation and improved growth on xylose, with acetate co-feeding mitigating redox and energy limitations.In parallel, a black-box kinetic model was developed to predict Chlorella vulgaris growth and nutrient uptake dynamics under mixotrophic conditions. This separate line of work informs future system-level design in sustainable bioprocessing, particularly for nutrient utilization in algal systems. Together, these studies contribute independently to advancing microbial and algal biotechnology platforms for sustainable production of bioplastics and biomass
Lime requirement estimates for the Inland Northwest a guide to the updated calculator
Get PDFBuffer testing is a method of soil analysis that can be used to derive an estimation of how much liming material is required to ameliorate acidified soils. Buffer testing accounts for the acidity present and the unique buffering capacity of the soil tested. Properly estimating the lime requirement is foundational for developing a lime program to neutralize soil acidity. This publication aims to provide more information on the methods and underlying principles of each approach used to determine lime requirement estimates (LRE) for acidified soils in the inland Pacific Northwest (iPNW). This publication includes a detailed outline of the parameters used in the updated Lime Requirement Calculator (https://smallgrains.wsu.edu/lime-requirementcalculator/) developed by the Washington State University Extension Dryland Cropping Systems Team and available on the Wheat and Small Grains website (https://smallgrains.wsu.edu/soil-and-water-resources/soils-tools-calculators/). A companion to Washington State University Extension’s Soil Acidification Series (https://pubs.extension.wsu.edu/search?q=Soil+Acidification+Series) publications Agricultural Lime and Liming part one and part three (Thompson et al. 2016a, 2016b), this publication reflects the latest information regarding lime requirement estimates and updated recommendations based on ongoing research for the region
Shoshone County Resource Guide - Idaho
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Lincoln County Resource Guide - Idaho
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Canyon County Resource Guide - Idaho
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Gem County Resource Guide - Idaho
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Elmore County Resource Guide - Idaho
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