The Vermillion Basin, located in southwest Wyoming is an inhospitable, high altitude desert with unique biota and environmental conditions. The area has a long history of usages by humans including recreation, livestock grazing and mineral development. The natural gas industry has had a strong presence in the area since the...
This report describes the findings from a 22 question survey of the 104 member Montgomery West Homeowners Association (MWHOA) in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Resident’s perceptions of their practices as related to the neighborhood storm ponds, stormwater, and how homeowner practices contribute to non-point source pollutants. An understanding of Green Infrastructure (GI)...
Artificial reefs create less productive fish communities than their natural counterparts mostly due to differences in habitat complexity and food potential. Are there other factors contributing to this decrease in productivity, such as the material of the habitat? I tested the response of the tidepool sculpin, Oligocottus maculatus, to man-made...
Cyanophage are viruses that infect cyanobacteria, photosynthetic microorganisms which are known to produce several anticancer and antibacterial chemical compounds. Cyanophage are significant members of microbial communities in marine and freshwater environments. There has been significant difficulty inventorying marine and freshwater cyanophage, however, due to the difficulty in cultivating their hosts....
As a gymnast tumbles, she runs, pounces, flips and lands with a perfect thud. Some people cringe as they imagine the sequence to be painful, but science has recently shown the pounding may actually be beneficial. Many studies have found weight-‐bearing exercise encourages bone repair and calcification. Additionally, those who...
Wetland prairies of the Willamette Valley, considered among the rarest of Oregon’s ecosystems, are threatened by invasion of woody species and non-native species. Because of its historical importance, fire is a top choice of managers for preventing the encroachment of woody species. However, the effects of prescribed burning on present...
The sagebrush ecosystem, home to numerous plant and animal species including big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and the endemic greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), has endured fragmentation and degradation of both quantity and quality due to the cumulative and synergistic relationships between an abundance of individual disturbances including grazing, invasive annuals and...
Most young musicians are taught to read music as early as they learn to play or sing. The first few pages of any beginning band book show a circle on a set of lines and spaces, declaring, “This is an A.” Of course, the circle is not an A. “A”...