Use of Snares to Live-Capture Beavers

Wildlife managers, researchers, and nuisance-control operators often require a nonlethal means of capturing beavers (Castor canadensis). Historically, live-capture has relied on enclosure-type traps such as Bailey or Hancock traps. We describe the live-capture of 231 beavers using snares in southern Illinois from 2002 to 2005. Capture success averaged 5.4 beavers/100 trap-nights. Capture success did not differ between sexes (P = 0.57) or age-classes (P = 0.68). We captured most beavers in haul-out slide sets, surface run sets, or channel sets. Recaptures accounted for 28% (n = 65) of all captures. Mortality rate using snares was 10% and decreased annually during the study period. Snares are advantageous over enclosure-type traps because they have a high capture:cost ratio and are less heavy and cumbersome than traps. However, mortality rates are relatively high, limiting the utility of this technique for some research

DETERMINANTS OF KANSAS FARMERS' PARTICIPATION IN ON-FARM RESEARCH

On-farm research (OFR) has increased in popularity in the U.S. in recent years due to heightened interest in sustainability issues, the likely decline in resources available for agricultural research, and increasing pressures for accountability and responsiveness to state and local needs. Information relating to OFR was obtained from 431 commercial Kansas farmers. Data were analyzed to determine the degree of OFR being implemented, and three models were estimated to identify which farmer/farm characteristics influenced its implementation. The results indicate that OFR is commonly implemented, and that several farm/farmer characteristics are related to the degree of OFR initiated. It is proposed that to maximize the return from externally initiated OFR, there would be merit in focusing attention on farms/farmers with those characteristics.Farmer attitudes, Farmer participation, Farming systems research, On-farm research, Sustainable agriculture, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

A Letter Writing Assignment for Leadership Development: Creating Stakeholder Connection for Policy Advocacy

The purpose of this article is to share with leadership educators a writing exercise designed to provide doctoral students enrolled in an Administrative and Policy Leadership course an opportunity to gain experience with building collective will for policy advocacy on a social justice issue. This article describes the use of a letter writing assignment including the background and justification for using letter writing rather than other forms of writing across the curriculum, instructions for students to complete the assignment, and examples and ideas for grading and providing constructive and instructive feedback to leadership students. The article concludes with recommendations and potential assignment modifications for leadership educators that choose to adopt this type of writing assignment within their leadership training curriculum

Sampling Assemblages of Turtles in Central Illinois: A Case Study of Capture Efficiency and Species Coverage

Low and variable rates of capture are chronic problems in chelonian studies. We conducted a pilot study to evaluate protocols for future inventories of turtles in Illinois by comparing capture efficiency and species coverage for 2 devices (hoop net and cage trap), baits (fresh and day-old fish), habitats (lentic and lotic) and time periods . We accrued 402 captures of 378 individuals representing 7 species. At Sanganois State Fish and Wildlife Area (Sanganois), hoop nets produced more captures of more species (n = 231; 6 species) than cage traps (n = 119; 4 species). Statistical tests were equivocal for a reach of the Sangamon River, where both devices had 26 captures but hoop nets detected more species (n = 6) than cage traps (n = 3). At Sanganois, catch per unit effort varied with sampling session (time) and freshness of baits; one measure of species coverage varied with session. Results helped us make informed decisions about protocols for future inventories

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Activities in Illinois to Reduce Canada Goose Impacts on Lake Michigan

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), led by the Environmental Protection Agency, was created in 2010 to address threats to the Great Lakes region. A convenient year-round water source and abundant food source of managed turf grass has resulted in an overabundance of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) in Chicago City Parks within the watershed of Lake Michigan. The anthropogenic mediated benefit to goose populations and their associated damages qualifies Canada geese in Chicago as native invaders-where a native species is human induced to behave similar to invasive species. The objective of this project is to provide a long-term strategy to protect vegetation and reduce non-point source contamination from entering the nearshore waters of Lake Michigan, and as a byproduct improve human enjoyment of the parks. To accomplish this goal, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services (WS) program in cooperation with the Chicago Park District (CPD) continued, for the sixth year, to manage overabundant Canada goose populations in CPD parks with funding provided by GLRI. Between 2011 and 2016, we applied food grade corn oil to all Canada goose nests found within 24 sensitive lakefront parks in Chicago and successfully reduced hatching success and subsequent fledging. The number of nests found and treated during 2012 through 2016 has consistently been less than during the initial year of egg oiling in 2011. In March 2016, we treated a total of 115 nests containing 676 eggs with corn oil to prevent hatching; compared to 159 nests and 892 eggs in 2011. We applied a chemical application of the Anthraquinone-based foraging repellent, FlightControl® PLUS (FCP) to the grass every 3 weeks in 6 parks in an attempt to discourage geese from foraging and loafing in locations that directly drain into the nearshore water of Lake Michigan. To gauge the effectiveness of the FCP applications, we performed goose presence/behavior surveys in the 6 treated parks. The surveys helped to obtain a better understanding of how many geese were utilizing the untreated and treated areas and how many of those geese were consuming grass on the FCP treated areas. The surveys demonstrated that more geese used untreated areas compared to treated areas of the parks. A total of 5,511 geese were observed (3,221 in the untreated areas and 2,290 in the treated areas) during the survey period. While geese may be present in the treated areas, only 40% of all geese consumed grass in treated areas. Alternatively, 58% of all geese present in the untreated areas consumed grass. The surveys also showed that FCP treatments became less effective each week post spraying. The mean number of geese present and feeding in the treated areas showed a diminishing effectiveness from the FCP spraying on the treated areas across weeks. The statistical results confirmed this strong week-post-spray by treatment interaction. 21 The disparity in numbers of geese actually consuming grass within the treated versus untreated areas reflects that the FCP treatments were effective at deterring geese from consuming grass in FCP treated areas, but did not necessarily result in the birds dispersing away from FCP treated vegetation. Future applications of FCP are recommended where high concentrations of geese congregate on sensitive habitats or in areas of high public use along the lakefront. Continued population management through egg oiling is recommended to help prevent further environmental contamination and soil erosion in this sensitive Lake Michigan environment

Co-evolutionary patterning of teeth and taste buds

Teeth and taste buds are iteratively patterned structures that line the oro-pharynx of vertebrates. Biologists do not fully understand how teeth and taste buds develop from undifferentiated epithelium or how variation in organ density is regulated. These organs are typically studied independently because of their separate anatomical location in mammals: teeth on the jaw margin and taste buds on the tongue. However, in many aquatic animals like bony fishes, teeth and taste buds are colocalized one next to the other. Using genetic mapping in cichlid fishes, we identified shared loci controlling a positive correlation between tooth and taste bud densities. Genome intervals contained candidate genes expressed in tooth and taste bud fields. sfrp5 and bmper, notable for roles in Wingless (Wnt) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling, were differentially expressed across cichlid species with divergent tooth and taste bud density, and were expressed in the development of both organs in mice. Synexpression analysis and chemical manipulation of Wnt, BMP, and Hedgehog (Hh) pathways suggest that a common cichlid oral lamina is competent to form teeth or taste buds. Wnt signaling couples tooth and taste bud density and BMP and Hh mediate distinct organ identity. Synthesizing data from fish and mouse, we suggest that the Wnt-BMP-Hh regulatory hierarchy that configures teeth and taste buds on mammalian jaws and tongues may be an evolutionary remnant inherited from ancestors wherein these organs were copatterned from common epithelium

Understanding Face and Shame: A Servant-Leadership and Face Management Model

Clergy can have a negative impact on churches and other individuals when they knowingly or unknowingly attempt to save face, that is, try to protect their standing or reputation. The desire to gain face and the fear of losing face and feeling ashamed will likely permeate clergy’s decision-making processes without even being noticed. This study explores the essence of face and face management and the relationship between face management and two characteristics of servant-leadership—awareness and healing—in both Chinese and American churches through the methodology of hermeneutic phenomenology. Prior to this study, to my knowledge, no hermeneutic phenomenological research of face management has been conducted in a church setting. Through a review of the literature, four areas are explored: face and shame, face management, servant-leadership, and face, shame, and face management within the church. This study obtained approval from the Institutional Review Board and informed consent from the participants. Three Chinese and three American Christian ministers were chosen to complete a question sheet and participate in two semi-structured interview sessions. A first cycle of open coding and second cycle of pattern coding were used during data analysis. Face experiences are discussed in light of eight major themes: body, triggers, becoming, face concepts, strategies, emotions, servant-leadership, and the church. Findings from the study help build a servant-leadership and face management model, which can offer an anchored approach for clergy and pastoral counselors to address face and shame and to develop therapeutic interventions

Geothermal direct use engineering and design guidebook

The Geothermal Direct Use Engineering and Design Guidebook is designed to be a comprehensive, thoroughly practical reference guide for engineers and designers of direct heat projects. These projects could include the conversion of geothermal energy into space heating cooling of buildings, district heating, greenhouse heating, aquaculture and industrial processing. The Guidebook is directed at understanding the nature of geothermal resources and the exploration of these resources, fluid sampling techniques, drilling, and completion of geothermal wells through well testing, and reservoir evaluation. It presents information useful to engineers on the specification of equipment including well pumps, piping, heat exchangers, space heating equipment, heat pumps and absorption refrigeration. A compilation of current information about greenhouse, aquaculture and industrial applications is included together with a discussion of engineering cost analysis, regulation requirements, and environmental considerations. The purpose of the Guidebook is to provide an integrated view for the development of direct use projects for which there is a very potential in the United States