PINES (Bemidji State University)
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A Diet Comparison of Bluegill and Bluegill x Pumpkinseed Hybrids
No full textBluegill Lepomis macrochirus and pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus commonly prey upon macroinvertebrates but have been found to show different preferences to what type of macroinvertebrates. Hybrids of the two species have been found to display physical characteristics of both parents but prey selection of the hybrids compared to the parents is unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the diets of bluegill and bluegill x pumpkinseed hybrids to understand what each species’ preference is when it comes to food as well as finding how a hybrid’s diet compares to the pure breed of one of the two crossed parents. The target species were caught from Big Bass Lake between the dates of 25 September and 5 October 2023. The stomach contents were then identified to the lowest classification possible and counted. Gastropods were a significant diet source for both sampled species, specifically planorbid snails that were less than 2 mm in diameter. Gastropods made up 97.8% of the hybrid diet items and 68.1% for bluegill. A non-metric multidimensional statistic was run to find relations in diet contents in the species using ordination ellipses. Slight diet overlap occurred due to the significance of gastropods in both species diet contents
Can Renewable Portfolio Standards Explain the U.S. States’ Advancement of Wind Energy?
No full textNo abstract provided
Jury Representation: Are Minnesota Counties Ensuring a Jury of Your Peers?
No full textThe Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment states that the defendant in the courtroom is meant to have a jury that is largely representative of the local community in which the trial is held. This raises the question of whether juries are representative of the population in which they reside. To analyze this question, I compare the demographics of the 87 counties in Minnesota gather and analyze data from the Minnesota Judicial Branch’s Committee of Equality and Justice (Wahi et al., 2021). The results show that there are discrepancies at each stage of the jury process. Additionally, they show that though the jury pools are somewhat representative of their population, the seated juries are typically not. The analysis raises more questions as to why these discrepancies occur, whether it be racially motivated elimination during the voir dire process or exemptions from jury duty due to disqualifications (e.g., language barriers, residency)
Spring 2023 Start-Up Showcase Program and Video Sessions
No full textTLC Presents the Spring Startup Showcase (Jan. 5, 2023
The Questionable Death of Jim Crow: How Systemic Racism Impacts Voting Accessibility by Ways of Wait Times
No full textRacial identity and perception thereof are consistent themes throughout the history of the United States. Countless studies have attempted to measure the impact of this factor on everyday life, with present research finding the lives of non-white individuals to be needlessly burdened due to systemic and individual prejudice. But how does this extend to the realm of political accessibility? And if the impact is great, can we truly claim that the era of Jim Crow is over? To address this question, I utilized the data collected by the Cooperative Election Study in 2020, working to emphasize the impact of systemic racism through the examination of experienced wait times at the polling booth. This study suggests a correlation between non-whiteness and increased wait times while voting, along with increased wait times for those of income brackets under the national average. Acknowledging this formally through data allows us to move forward in our attempts to counteract such effects. This study confirms the heightened wait times experienced by non-white voters as displayed in former studies, but goes beyond common current research as it focuses on systemic factors such as intergenerational wealth and redlining
The Influence of Rusty Crayfish and Zebra Mussel Invasion on Yellow Perch Population Dynamics in North-Central Minnesota Lakes
No full textOver the last 50 years, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources standard fisheries survey catch rates of Yellow Perch have declined. Yellow Perch Perca flavescens are an important, widespread game fish, are essential prey species for Walleye Sander vitreus and other piscivorous fish and rely greatly on benthic resources through many life stages. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) like rusty crayfish Faxonius rusticus and zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha have the potential to change water quality, vegetation and prey assemblages in aquatic systems and could cause shifts in energy flow, subsequently altering growth, condition, and maturity of native fish species. In this study, we nvestigated potential effects of these AIS by sampling 1,783 Yellow Perch from 14 lakes in north central Minnesota. We found that Yellow Perch growth, condition, mortality, and crayfish consumption were not significantly different between groups of lakes with only rusty crayfish present, only zebra mussels present, both AIS present, and neither AIS present. Additionally, variation in these metrics between lakes was not explained well by crayfish consumption. Lake effect and individual variation between populations was more important than the presence or absence of either AIS, indicating that Yellow Perch appear to be adaptive to changing lake conditions resulting from establishment of zebra mussels and/or rusty crayfish
Have Rusty Crayfish Affected the Diets of Yellow Perch?
No full textFreshwater ecosystems are some of the most susceptible to invasive species. It is one of the reasons they face the highest levels of species endangerment. Rusty crayfish Faxonius rusticus are one such invasive species, they fragment food webs and negatively affect native species. However, it seems as though native species are beginning to rely on them as a source of food. Yellow perch Perca flavescens, an important forage and game species, is one such species that is highly affected by these invasions. At smaller sizes yellow perch primarily feed on invertebrates whose populations are degraded by rusty crayfish. Therefore, the objective of this study is to assess the effects of the invasive rusty crayfish on the diets of yellow perch. To accomplish this goal, yellow perch were collected throughout the summer of 2022 in an invaded and non-invaded lake. The stomachs of these fish were dissected, the contents were keyed to lowest possible taxonomic group, and counted by individual. Following that, the contents were dried and weighed. While yellow perch diets naturally vary with the season, rusty crayfish have exacerbated these shifts and altered these food webs permanently. Due to the abundance of crayfish found in Cass Lake, fish of a smaller size shift their diets to rely primarily on them leading to significant differences in the diets of the invaded versus natural system
Effect of Initial Infestation of Zebra Mussels on Freshwater Drum Diets in Red Lake, MN
No full textZebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha veligers were first found in the Red Lake system in Beltrami County in 2017, however no adult zebra mussels have been documented. When zebra mussels first invade a system, fish often switch their prey use to this new abundant resource. Freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunniens is one of these fish species known to consume physidae and bivalves, including zebra mussels, using pharyngeal teeth, the molar-like grinders in the back of their throats. This research aims to identify any presence of adult zebra mussels in the system and determine freshwater drum diet composition and feeding patterns by analyzing drum stomach contents. Freshwater drum stomachs were extracted, dissected, and preserved to further analyze and document species consumed. No evidence of adult zebra mussels were found in the diets of the freshwater drum collected, suggesting adult zebra mussels are not present in the system. Diets were primarily comprised of Chironomidae, Gastropoda, and Trichoptera. Additionally, feeding behaviors were found to be influenced by location, length of fish, and seasonal changes. These results provide a greater understanding of freshwater drum diet composition and baseline data for Red Lake DNR to use in future research on zebra mussel infestation in the Red Lake system
How Has the Covid-19 Pandemic Transformed the Relevance of the Traditional College Experience?
No full textOver the past three years, the Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered students’ college experience through its location format and delivery. Research and early interviews suggest that students are now less likely to pursue a four-year traditional college experience than they were before the start of the pandemic. Instead, students are increasingly choosing to pursue other options such as not going to college or learning remotely. Even before the start of the pandemic data shows that college enrollment was already declining. While this data shows the short-term effects of Covid-19 on students there are a number of questions about the long-term that are left unanswered. Through my literature review and interviews conducted with students and university personnel, I attempt to answer these questions and explore whether the disruptions and changes Covid-19 caused to students’ college experience are unique short-term effects or if this is part of an overall systemic shift in higher education. While the sample size of the interviews is limited, (sixteen students) it does help to provide insight into student’s perspectives on how their learning experience was transformed
Do Channel Catfish Consume Zebra Mussels?
No full textChannel catfish Ictalurus punctatus are a generalized opportunistic feeder with a wide range of diet compositions. In the Midwest, zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha have quickly spread, causing large effects on aquatic ecosystems structures and functions. Channel catfish are known to consume native mollusks, however, little research has been done on the potential predation of zebra mussels by channel catfish. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze channel catfish diets to determine if zebra mussels are consumed. The channel catfish were obtained from the Sauk River chain of lakes between the dates of 14 June and 28 July 2023. The stomach contents identified to the lowest classification possible and counted. A total of 4 zebra mussels were found in the 38 stomachs that were sampled. Channel catfish do eat zebra mussels but it is likely done unintentionally when targeting other prey