Past Seminars & Discussions

Meshing scientific understanding with ecological data to enhance management and conservation

Abstract

Monitoring and managing population spread, in the context of both species recovery and invasion, presents a number of quantitative challenges. Inference often requires linking multiple disparate data sets, and additional data are often costly to collect. Moreover, management decisions frequently require interpretable inference on ecologically meaningful quantities. Bayesian hierarchical methods, together with mechanistic models, offer a cohesive framework to address many of these challenges. We apply these approaches to understand the spread of sea otters across Glacier Bay, Alaska and the resulting changes in the nearshore community induced by sea otter predation.

Video

Bridging Differences and Finding Solutions: The Need and Opportunity for Universities to Partner with Our Communities for Sustainable Solutions

Abstract

As the number of global challenges grow and our societies seem to become more and more divided, what role do universities play in helping bridge these differences and find solutions? Meeting the land grant need, Penn State is focused on student success, interdisciplinary research, and strong local communities. Lara Fowler, Penn State's Chief Sustainability Officer, will share how Penn State is approaching these challenges though classes like the Sustainable Communities Collaborative and the Local Climate Action Program. After providing this overview, she invites an active discussion with the audience.

Reference Point: The Pennsylvania State University President Neeli Bendapudi helps lead new higher ed council on public-impact research - Read more

Host: Mark Burbach

Video

Keeping the Wild Cheetah Wild

Abstract

Approximately 1,000 of the world’s remaining 7,000 cheetahs are found in Namibia, known as the Cheetah Capitol of the World. However, 90% of Namibia’s cheetahs live on livestock and game farms, outside protected areas, alongside rural farming communities, putting them in conflict with these farming enterprises. Cheetahs and other predators have traditionally been considered vermin and not a valuable component of a healthy ecosystem. During the 1980’s, Namibian livestock and game farmers halved the cheetah population, removing (trapping and killing) nearly 8,000 cheetahs from the landscape. To stop the decline of wild cheetahs, in 1990 the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) was founded, and set up a permanent research and conservation Centre in Namibia. In order to maintain ecosystem balance, conservation strategies have been developed by CCF to encourage sustainable land use while accommodating coexistence with native predator species. From CCFs early research into conflict mitigation, CCF re­searchers began developing and testing predator-friendly livestock management techniques and tools on CCF’s 158,000-acre integrated Model Farm and Wildlife Reserve such as the use of CCF Livestock Guarding Dogs and integrated livestock and wildlife management training programs called Future Farmers of Africa (FFA). FFA training courses build practical skills, enabling rural Namibians to engage in sustainable livestock farming that pro­vides direct and indirect economic benefits. One of the most-effective predator management techniques CCF has implemented is its Livestock Guarding Dog program. Since 1994, CCF has bred and placed over 800 Anatolian shepherd and Kangal dogs with farmers, at little cost, to help guard farmer’s small stock. The presence of these large dogs, with a loud bark, acts as an avoidance and is usually enough to keep most predators away from flocks. Farmers who use CCF LGDs report a drop in predation rates ranging from 80- 100%, thus reducing pressure on farmers to kill or capture cheetahs and other predators. CCF is adapting these programs to the Horn of Africa to help stop the illegal wildlife pet trade, often caused by human wildlife conflict. CCF Namibia has a well-developed international Internship program which University of Nebraska Natural Resource Management students participate in annually.

Host: Larkin Powell

Video

Science education research in the Netherlands on Faculty Professional Development Leave

Abstract

The Dauers took their faculty development leave in 2022-23, traveling to Utrecht University, the Netherlands. After identifying researchers at the prestigious Freudenthal Institute for Science and Mathematics Education aligned with both of their research interests, they worked to develop research projects at UNL and UU that would improve their education research and teaching. Joe connected with biology education researchers studying interdisciplinary teaching and learning, which is integrated into UU biology curriculum and fosters creativity in thinking. Joe also advanced his teaching, using the time to revamp his approach to teaching towards mastery grading and putting these innovations into practice after returning to UNL. Jenny collaborated with research studying how students learn through socioscientific issues, particularly connect their learning to a sense of competence for engaging in real world issues to improve their communities. The collaboration supported a new model for SCIL 101 instruction that was awarded an NSF grant in 2024, two paper manuscripts and opportunities for future collaboration.

Video

Assessing water availability in the drylands using remote sensing and cloud computing

Abstract

Water is available in only very limited quantities in the arid and semi-arid regions. Much of the water in the form of precipitation is lost as evapotranspiration while contribution from snowmelt and subsurface processes such as groundwater are not readily measurable. As water is critical in drylands, measuring water availability in space and time is important in understanding and management of drylands. Water availability assessment in the drylands using surface water alone does not reflect important water sources in drylands such as irrigated water, soil moisture conditions due to precipitation, snow melt, and sub-surface flow. Mesic vegetation responds rapidly to change in environmental condition and provides an integrated response to available water in the drylands. Mesic vegetation including wetlands, wet meadows, riparian habitats, playas, and high-elevation rangelands provides valuable insight on water availability in the drylands. We use time series of satellite image archives and cloud computing to measure the inter- and intra-annual water availability in the drylands.

Video

The application of models linking genetics and environment to inform real-world conservation and management decisions in a rapidly changing world

Abstract

Recent advances in our understanding of how population structure and environmental associations differ across a species range has allowed for new insights as to why variation arises in populations. However, it is still imperative that we use this new information to address real-world, immediate issues these populations face, especially in a rapidly changing world. Although not readily observed in the outward appearance of organisms, an individual’s ability to cope with environmental change is often encoded in their genes. Genomics have the potential to play a pivotal role in conservation not only to detect threats to species and populations but also to restore biodiversity through manageable actions. For this seminar, I will provide an overview of some of the current approaches using genomic data being used to understand the relationship that organisms have with their environment and how we can track these relationships through both space and time. Using real-world examples ranging from studies looking at the annual cycle of Neotropical migratory songbirds to illegally poached pangolins in Africa, I will illustrate how these new approaches can be applied to aid conservation efforts for a wide variety of species and systems. By seminar’s end, I hope to impart the broad utility and excitement these approaches offer to provide evidence for a new line of biological inquiries on a global scale.

Host: Rob Wilson

Video

A Comparative Analysis of Primary Photophores in Lanternfishes (Myctophidae)

Abstract

Fishes have evolved the ability to produce bioluminescence at least 27 independent times. This light is produced either endogenously via light-producing cells or symbiotically via a relationship with bioluminescent bacteria housed and maintained in specialized light organs. The majority of bioluminescent lineages of fishes are found in the deep sea (areas below 200 m depth). The adaptive significance of bioluminescence in these deep-sea fishes includes camouflage, predation, predator avoidance, and communication. Across the tree of fishes, bioluminescent organs vary greatly in their size and shape, in their light intensity and color, and in their location and number. The variation in the anatomy and morphology of light producing organs across deep-sea fishes continues to be an understudied avenue of research in our pursuit of knowledge regarding fish evolution and adaptation in the deep sea. Using a combination of methods and techniques, including dissecting and histology, I describe variation in the anatomy and morphology of light organs in previously uninvestigated species of deep-sea fishes.

Host: Trenton Franz

Video

Resource stoichiometry and nutrient form influences growth and cyanotoxin quotas in diverse cyanobacteria

Abstract

Elements and energy are the building blocks required to create organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems. Since elements are conserved between the abiotic and biotic environment, they can be used to track changes from the sub-cellular to ecosystem scales. In this seminar, Dr. Wagner will explore how anthropogenic nutrient enrichment and the imbalance of nitrogen to phosphorus ratios affects the eco-physiology and cyanotoxin concentration and quotas in cyanobacteria bloom-forming genera. This topic will be explored at different scales from manipulative controlled laboratory experiments to whole ecosystem high-frequency monitoring.

Host: Jessica Corman

Video

Assessing the Responses of Caribou to Changing Habitat Conditions in the Arctic

Abstract

Recent declines in most barren-ground caribou herds across North America have coincided with the ‘greening of the Arctic’, raising concerns about the influence of changing summer habitat conditions on caribou populations. The short Arctic summer provides caribou with important forage but is also the time they are exposed to intense harassment by insects, factors which are both being altered by longer, warmer growing seasons. Additionally, the summer ranges of barren-ground caribou in Alaska often overlap areas targeted for energy development, compounding concerns about the resilience of caribou to changing conditions. This talk will highlight recent research by USGS and our partners to better understand the influence of summer habitat and human development on caribou behavior and demography in the Alaskan Arctic, with implications for how populations may be impacted in the future.

Host: Sarah Songsthagen

Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) foraging ecology across Europe

Abstract

Europe hosts diverse habitats and environmental conditions, with increasing populations of large carnivores. The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is a large solitary felid of conservation concern, and a top predator in European landscapes. Many lynx populations, particularly in Central Europe, have suffered from severe inbreeding in recent decades, prompting several reintroductions and population augmentation efforts. I will begin by providing an overview of the status of lynx populations across Europe, as well as presenting the outcomes of a recent, successful reinforcement project in the Dinaric Mountains of Slovenia and Croatia. While conservation efforts continue, initiatives are also underway to combine and standardize datasets across Europe, advancing our understanding of Eurasian lynx ecology. I will be presenting some of the work developed within these initiatives related to lynx foraging ecology across Europe. We show that foraging parameters varied significantly between populations and with respect to multiple ecological factors on a pan-European scale. Lynx showed high adaptability to such factors, particularly human disturbance. We also investigated the spatial distribution of kill sites by females in relation to their den sites and found differences between climates and prey species, with females in northern areas generally traveling more to obtain food resources. As one of the main conservation challenges facing the Eurasian lynx is perceived competition with hunters, a deeper understanding of foraging ecology and its drivers is essential for improving lynx conservation efforts and mitigating conflicts with hunting communities in Europe.

Host: John Benson

Video

Exploring the Impact of First-Time Hunters on Satisfaction with Tier II Duck Hunting Regulations

Abstract

Waterfowl hunting has long been essential for funding conservation in the United States, but fewer people are participating now than in previous decades. In an effort to reverse this decline, wildlife agencies in South Dakota and Nebraska introduced the two-tier duck hunting regulation designed to make hunting more accessible. This new regulation's goal is to simplify bag limits making it easier for first time hunters to begin. This study examines hunters' attitudes toward the two-tier duck hunting regulation, focusing on the experiences and the satisfaction of first-time hunters as compared to those with more experience. We analyzed survey responses from 418 participants across Nebraska and South Dakota, using ordinal regression to assess satisfaction across seven area components, including how easy it was to enroll for Tier II, report harvests, and comply with regulatory requirements. Our findings indicate that first-time hunters were more satisfied overall than their more experienced counterparts, especially regarding harvest reporting and regulatory compliance. Analysis of satisfaction levels among a population with diverse experience levels highlights these positive experiences and reinforces the importance of considering first-time hunters when making management decisions. Agencies can create a welcoming environment for first-time hunters by making processes simpler and offering support, helping to attract and keep new hunters while preserving the tradition of hunting and the conservation funding it provides.

Video

Species Preferences on Angler Motivational Factors in Kansas

Abstract

Understanding the factors that motivate anglers to go fishing is crucial for effective fisheries management and conservation efforts. People's engagement with fishing is deeply influenced by their motivations—a complex interplay of the needs, desires, and goals that propel people to engage in recreation. We analyzed anglers' motivations to seek their primary species—including trophy fishing, keeping and eating the catch, identity, social interaction, and gear use—across various species preferences, such as Bass, Catfish, Walleye, and panfish. Data were collected via a web-based survey distributed to a stratified random sample of licensed anglers across Kansas. We sent invitations to 7500 licensed anglers and had 771 total responses (a 13% response rate). Preliminary results indicate significant differences in motivational factors when comparing species preferences. Walleye anglers are more motivated by keeping the fish they catch and liking the taste of their preferred species. In contrast, Bass anglers place a much lower value on reaching the bag limit, fishing for nutrition, and keeping the fish they catch. Among all species, anglers placed the most importance on choosing a fishing location because of the presence of their preferred fish species. These results highlight the importance of species-specific management strategies catering to the angling community's diverse motivations. Through understanding differentiated motivations, managers can be provided with critical insights into the importance of various motivational factors of recreational fishing as they relate to sought-after fish species, helping to inform the development of targeted regulations and conservation strategies that address the diverse needs and values of fishing communities in the Midwest.

Video

Biology and Conservation of Nurse Sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) from Bimini, The Bahamas

Abstract

The nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) is abundant in coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean, yet they remain relatively understudied, aside from their reproductive behavior. Previously listed as ‘data deficient’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), their status was updated to ‘vulnerable’ in 2021. This recent status update indicates additional research on this species is critical. Nurse shark populations in The Bahamas present an ideal study system as there are long-term datasets available for investigation on their morphometrics, movements, and genetics. To assess the age and growth of this species, we used mark-recapture data of 91 individual nurse sharks from Bimini, The Bahamas, and found that nurse sharks are slower-growing and longer-lived than previously thought, with the oldest individual predicted to be 43 years old. A long-term acoustic monitoring program of shark species in Bimini has additionally revealed that nurse sharks are capable of making long-distance migrations with evidence of repeated return migrations back to Bimini. In lieu of these discoveries, combining genetics with telemetry data has become increasingly important in fisheries management to assess population connectivity and diversity within species. Using over 350 samples of nurse shark tissues from The Bahamas, we aim to determine the population structure of nurse sharks in this area to help contribute crucial information to the conservation of this ‘vulnerable’ species.

Video

Community Engagement to Mitigate Transmission of Infectious Diseases and Antibiotic Resistance from Backyard Poultry

Abstract

Backyard poultry production is growing globally with 85 million backyard chickens estimated in the U.S. Whether kept as pets or to provide a local and sustainable food source, flocks can harbor pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can be transmitted to humans via the environment, pests, food products, and direct contact. Poultry waste can contaminate soil and water sources, posing risks to nearby humans and other animals. Flocks can attract pests that may carry diseases and disrupt local ecosystems. This project, which will launch in the summer of 2025, aims to improve understanding among backyard poultry farmers of potential health, environmental, community, and food safety risks associated with their systems and motivate the adoption and promotion of behaviors critical to public health and sustainability of local food systems using a peer-to-peer outreach approach.

Video

Advancing Precision in Farmland Segmentation: Open-Source Methodologies and Applications

Abstract

Segmenting corn fields in Nebraska presents a significant research-intensive challenge. With over 2.5 million acres under cultivation, achieving spatiotemporally precise cropland data demands extensive investigation and analysis. This presentation will critically examine the open-source methodologies employed to generate and apply these datasets, highlighting the datasets and the analytical tools developed for their creation. In addition, the talk will briefly address the roles of OpenStreetMap and the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team in advancing the accessibility and accuracy of spatial data within agricultural research and the broader geospatial community.

Video

Tracking Agrochemical Contaminants in Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments Using Tadpoles and Songbirds as Sentinels

Abstract

Agrochemical contamination poses risks to human, animal, and ecosystem health. The AltEn Ethanol plant in Mead, Nebraska, processed pesticide-treated seed products until 2020, leading to contamination of surrounding water and land. In 2021, researchers collected American Bullfrog tadpoles from surface water and songbird eggs from farmland/wetlands to assess agrochemical presence. Using advanced chromatography techniques, they detected neonicotinoid pesticides (clothianidin, thiamethoxam) in 21.21% of samples, with concentrations ranging from 3.2 to 315.4 ng/g. Fungicide residues (including atrazine and its derivatives) were found in 32% of samples. Tadpole analysis revealed neonicotinoid detection in 12.4% of cases, with thiamethoxam reaching up to 8,908.8 ng/g, while fungicides were detected in 36.5%, with concentrations up to 116.2 ng/g. The highest pesticide levels were found near the AltEn facility and downstream sites. Results confirm that tadpoles and songbird eggs serve as effective wildlife sentinels for agrochemical exposure. The study expanded in 2022–2024 to analyze spatial and temporal contamination trends.

Video

Identification of landscape features that may facilitate or impede gene flow among habitat patches within Wild Turkeys in Nebraska and Kansas

Abstract

Behavioral, ecological, and evolutionary process shape the spatial distribution of genetic diversity. Variation in behavioral and life history traits may have important consequences for the structuring of genetic variation across landscape. Assessments of genetic parameters can help identify populations, prioritize areas for conservation, identify barriers and corridors to movement, thereby informing management actions. The wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is an upland game bird native to North America that has experienced declines throughout much of its range. Among some states, reintroduction efforts were carried out in the mid-1900s to bolster remanent or extirpated populations. Our research aims to evaluate the spatial arrangement of genetic diversity and identify features that may facilitate or impeded dispersal across the landscape. We collected reduced representation genomic sequence data (ddRAD) from wild turkeys sampled at 8 sites across North-west (NW) and South-west (SW) in Nebraska and 13 sites in across Eastern, Central and Western Kansas when birds are in winter flocks (Jan – Mar) on 338 individuals and isolated 5355 loci. We applied two complementary approaches with different underlying assumptions to evaluate spatial genetic structure: (1) principal components analysis (PCA, nonparametric method) and (2) fineRADstructure (shared co-ancestry). The patterns in genetic diversity were similar across analyses, individuals clustered into 4 groups based on geographic region with NW Nebraska, SW Nebraska, eastern Kansas and central and western Kansas. Within each region, subtle structure was detected based on co-ancestry analysis. We identified genetic structuring with limited gene flow between the NW and SW regions of Nebraska. We also uncovered evidence of gene flow between the SW region of Nebraska and the western and central sites in Kansas, suggesting greater connectivity between these populations. Spatial genetic structure detected among sample sites may be influenced by factors such as habitat continuity and dispersal behavior. The observed genetic differentiation is likely shaped, in part, by landscape features. These findings provide valuable insights into the population connectivity and genetic structure of wild turkeys in Nebraska and Kansas that benefited from translocation efforts, which can inform conservation and management strategies aimed at maintaining genetic diversity and connectivity across the landscape.

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You Go Over, I Go Under: A Study of the Coyote-Badger Relationship