PINES (Bemidji State University)
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Implications of Condition Shifts on Shallow Lakes
No full textShallow lakes have undergone condition shifts throughout time by natural causes, management actions, or a combination of the two. Because shallow lakes are especially vulnerable to shifts towards turbid conditions, management actions on shallow lakes have focused on water level/retainment, biomanipulations, the management/removal of non-native species, and land-use changes. This review compiles a summary on ecosystem shifts including a discussion on the frequency of shifts historically and the importance and causes of those shifts, trophic cascades, and the influence of introduced species in shallow lakes. This review will then examine case-studies of management-linked shifts and explain current shift theory. Next, it will review cost analyses of maintaining a stable condition considering both anthropogenic decision factors and the effects of shifts on ecosystem health and services. Finally, it will discuss expected effects of climate change on shallow lakes
Emotional Motivation: How Anger, Fear, Hope and Pride Impact Women’s Political Participation
No full textDespite the great strides the United States has made since passing the 19th amendment, a woman’s emotions continues to become relevant in political discussions. Research has supported that emotion has a place in motivating political involvement, however, additional evidence has shown that for women and People of Color, the display of certain emotions disparage their abilities to influence. Because of these determinations, the present questions stand, is emotion effective in motivating women to participate in politics? If so, does that apply to all women, and to what extent? I utilized the American National Election Studies Cumulative Time-Series dataset to determine how emotions affect how women participate politically based on their education level and race. As expected, the findings of the present study showed significant statistical evidence that emotions such as anger, fear, hope and pride all are effective in motivating women to participate politically. Findings such as these allow us insight as to how much emotions influence women to mobilize. The present study expands on previous research as it confirms that emotions play an important role in participation. However, it takes previous research a step further as it focuses specifically on various demographics of women
Catholic Voting: The Influence of Abortion
No full textThroughout the history of the United States, voting trends in American elections have evolved. One example of this is how the Catholic vote has changed since the 1960s. Factors such as race, gender, economics, and religious values may impact voting trends. These factors may have some impact on the shift in the Catholic voting trend. To determine this, I studied how Catholic voters feel about certain issues and how their responses may differ by income level, race, and gender. In my analysis I used data from the Congressional Campaign Election Study, which was gathered by a survey of voters in the United States. The results from the survey raised questions about why religious voters have shifted their voting tendencies. Previous research showed that issues such as abortion caused Catholic voting tendencies to change, but my results are consistent with studies that contradict that idea. My analysis challenges the conventional wisdom on the Catholic voter realignment
Stress Response of Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass: Barbless Hooks Versus Barbed Hooks C & R
No full textLargemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides and Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu are two of the most popular species of fish for anglers to target in Minnesota. In this study, Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass stress was characterized by handling time and recovery time. This study compares handling time and recovery time between barbed and barbless hooks. For Largemouth Bass, there was a significant relationship between recovery time and time out of the water for barbed (P = 0.02, R2 = 0.86) and barbless hooks (P \u3c 0.01, R2 = 0.74). For Smallmouth Bass, there was no significant relationship between recovery time and time out of the water for barbed (P = 0.29, R2 = 0.37) and barbless hooks (P = 0.68, R2 = 0.50). The slope of the regression lines showed a positive trend for both barbed and barbless hooks. Barbless hooks were found to have a major impact on Largemouth Bass stress. This study is meant to help make the sport of bass fishing better and will hopefully help create healthier Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass populations
Effectiveness of Endothall Treatment in Reducing Potamogeton crispus in Lake Julia
No full textCurly leaf pondweed Potamogeton crispus, is a submerged aquatic plant non-native to North America. It was most likely introduced when common carp Cyprinus carpio were intentionally brought to the Midwest. Endothall is an aquatic herbicide commonly used to control curlyleaf pondweed in lakes. This study focused on collecting data from Lake Julia in Sherburne County, MN. Lake Julia is treated annually in the spring to control curlyleaf pondweed. The results show treatment areas saw a significant increase in vegetation density compared to control areas (P \u3c 0.01). Changes in percent vegetation coverage by date were insignificant (P = 0.24). No significant signs of fish kills were observed. Because this study looked at overall vegetation coverage instead of specifically curlyleaf pondweed, we cannot conclude the increase in vegetation coverage was from curlyleaf pondweed alone. Based on the results from Poovey et al. (2002) we would expect lower vegetation coverage in treatment areas instead of the increased vegetation coverage observed in our study. This suggests the possibility that the endothall treatment successfully killed curlyleaf pondweed in treated areas, which allowed for new growth of submerged aquatic plants to take place as water temperatures increased
International Humanitarian Law and Civilians in Modern Day Warfare
No full textThe present study aims to reflect the effect of International Humanitarian Law on non-state actors. The effect of International Humanitarian Law on non-state actor seems to be minimal, causing a rise in civilian deaths and injury. This study presents an overview of International Humanitarian Law, the purpose and effects of such on state actors, and recent research on International Humanitarian Law and non-state actors. Following will be an analysis of civilian deaths (dependent variable) and various independent variables as they relate to region, type of conflict, and incompatibility
Feeding Patterns and Diet Overlap of Muskellunge and Co-occurring Piscivores in Minnesota Lakes
No full textMuskellunge Esox masquinongy are the largest member of the family Esocidae found in Minnesota and are managed for trophy angling opportunities with large minimum size requirements, limited harvest, and stocking to support existing populations or expand angling opportunities. While Muskellunge impacts at the community level appear minimal based on available literature, relatively little is known about Muskellunge diets, eat the le particularly in Minnesota. In this study, we used gastric lavage to examine gut contents of Muskellunge, Northern Pike Esox lucius, Walleye Sander vitreus, and Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides. Diets were quantified using an index of relative importance (IRI) and diet overlap among species was determined using Pianka\u27s index of niche overlap and non-parametric multi-dimensional scaling (NMDS) ordinations. Our experimental design focuses on how the presence or absence of Cisco Coregonus artedi impacts diet and overlap, while lakes without Muskellunge were also sampled to compare diets of other piscivores in their presence or absence. Yellow Perch Perca flavescens and various centrarchids were important prey items across all lakes for Muskellunge, Northern Pike, and Walleye, while crayfish Faxonius spp. and other aquatic invertebrates were critical for Largemouth Bass. Pianka\u27s index of niche overlap indicates that Muskellunge had low levels of dietary overlap with other predators, while Northern Pike and Walleye had relatively high levels of dietary overlap. Additionally, diet overlap tended to be lower among all species when Cisco were present, even though direct predation on Cisco was rarely observed. These results corroborate existing research on diets of Muskellunge, Northern Pike, Walleye, and Largemouth Bass in their native range
Polarization: A 21st Century Challenge to Global Democracy
No full textThe purpose of this paper is to identify the issue of political polarization as it relates not only to American politics, but also to see how the issues in political polarization that exist in the United States are also experienced in other democracies around the world. The paper takes a look at what some of the different theories are about where polarization originates, who some of the leading scholars are in the debate over polarization, what institutional mechanisms contribute to the problem of polarization, and then finally what polarization looks like elsewhere in the world.
When it comes to the current American debate on how polarization originates there are three distinctive camps on the idea. One argues that polarization is organic, meaning that it derives from the masses and is represented proportionally at the elite level of politics. Another argues that polarization is illusory, and that the electorate is sorted ideologically by political elites, institutional mechanisms, and the media. The third camp argues that the origins of polarization are more complex than simply either organic or illusory. The findings of this study indicate that the third camp is better suited for addressing the issue of polarization in a historical sense.
Another finding from this study is that the issue of political polarization in the United States is not unique to the global stage. Democracies around the world are suffering from a new era of polarizing politics that all have separate origins but similar patterns. Overall, a revitalization of democratic institutions with regard to social justice, electorate systems, representation, campaign finance, and proportional representation is a true and important challenge for the future of democracy
Is There a Relationship Between Aquatic Vegetation and Amphipod Stocking Mortality?
No full textAmphipod occurrence and abundance has declined in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR). Wildlife managers have stocked prairie pothole wetlands with Gammarus lacustris since 2018 to establish self-sustaining populations. G. lacustris have been detected in only 2 of 22 stocked basins, suggesting that they have died or failed to reproduce in most stocking attempts. Aquatic plant surveys were conducted in stocked wetlands and compared to data from surveys of wetlands with naturally occurring populations to understand if G. lacustris would be expected to survive in stocked wetlands based on characteristics of the aquatic vegetation communities. SAV coverage was significantly higher in stocked basins (P = 0.03) and is likely positively correlated with G. lacustris. Floating biomass (P \u3c 0.01) and floating coverage (P \u3c 0.01) were significantly higher in stocked basins. Floating species were only found in 5% of natural wetlands and 33% of stocked wetlands. Communities were similar apart from a few species including Lemna trisulca which is known to have a positive relationship with G. lacustris abundance. These preliminary results suggest that aquatic plant communities may be correlated with lack of G. lacustris establishment in some stockings, but not most
Factors Influencing Aquatic Invertebrate Diversity in Mine Pit Lakes Along the Mesabi Iron Range
No full textRestoration of mine pit lakes for recreation is going to be very important for the future of Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range area. As many as 250 lakes will need to be restored in the future along this 100-kilometer-long swath of mining country. Information regarding the organisms that currently inhabit these lakes is important for future restorations to be a success. The focus of this study was to identify the types of aquatic invertebrates present in pit lakes and to identify some of the factors that influence their abundance and diversity. During this study, invertebrate samples were taken along the shore of 10 pit lakes. It was found that there is a significant difference in diversity and species richness among some lakes. Increasing shoreline vegetation coverage was found to have a positive effect on species richness (P \u3c 0.01). Increasing rock size had a negative effect on invertebrate density (P = 0.03). Increasing macrophytes abundance had a positive effect on species richness (P \u3c 0.01) and a negative effect on diversity (P = 0.02). Substrate consisting of a glacial till had a higher species richness than substrates consisting of hard rocks uncovered by mining (P = 0.04). Hopefully, the results of this study can be used to improve these lake systems for future recreational use