Dispersal in Host–Parasitoid Interactions: Crop Colonization by Pests and Specialist Enemies

Interactions of insect pests and their natural enemies increasingly are being considered from a metapopulation perspective, with focus on movements of individuals among habitat patches (e.g., individual crop fields). Biological control may be undercut in short-lived crops as natural enemies lag behind the pests in colonizing newly created habitat. This hypothesis was tested by assessing parasitism of cereal leaf beetle (Oulema melanopus) and alfalfa weevil (Hypera postica) larvae at varying distances along transects into newly planted fields of small grains and alfalfa in northern Utah. The rate of parasitism of cereal leaf beetles and alfalfa weevils by their host-specific parasitoids (Tetrastichus julis (Eulophidae) and Bathyplectes curculionis (Ichneumonidae), respectively) was determined for earliest maturing first generation host larvae. Rates of parasitism did not vary significantly with increasing distance into a newly planted field (up to 250 - 700 m in individual experiments) from the nearest source field from which pest and parasitoid adults may have immigrated. These results indicate strong, rapid dispersal of the parasitoids in pursuing their prey into new habitat. Thus, across the fragmented agricultural landscape of northern Utah, neither the cereal leaf beetle nor the alfalfa weevil initially gained substantial spatial refuge from parasitism by more strongly dispersing than their natural enemies into newly created habitat. Additional studies, including those of colonization of newly planted crops by generalist pests and natural enemies, are called for in assessing these results with a broader perspective

TIME VARYING PARAMETERS IN THE DEMAND FOR HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP

Rapid adoption of high fructose corn syrup and the changing demand for HFCS is measured in a time-varying framework. Demand changes are separated into structural and price competitiveness. Tests for parameter stability are made and simulations based on the estimates are used to show the industry dynamics.Demand and Price Analysis,

An Evaluation of Audio-Visual and Self-Learning Programs for Agricultural Economic Students

Exact date of working paper unknown

Grasshoppers

Grasshoppers are among the most conspicuous insects in Utah, and are viewed by many as also among the most injurious to our crops and rangelands. In any given year, thousands of acres may be sprayed throughout the state to reduce potential damage

The DAO of Processing: Applying MPLP to Electronic Records Workflows

Digital preservation has been described as an artisanal form of archives practice, with archivists applying “hand-crafted” metadata for item-level description. Recent publications from OCLC and NDSA challenge this paradigm by providing strategies, tactics, and standards to encourage archivists to think of electronic records at a higher level, using automated tools and aggregate description to move e-records into a space where users can access and analyze them. This panel will discuss ways that various institutions are collecting, processing, and preserving electronic records as guided by the principles of More Product, Less Process while still adhering to appropriate digital preservation standards. Panelists will discuss their efforts to build simplified or automated processes at all steps of the archival workflow, from working with records creators to ingest processes to building ad hoc preservation and access systems, including supplementing metadata with user-supplied content. By “going with the flow” of electronic records processing, archivists can have the same impact on making their electronic backlogs accessible as they have had already with MPLP on “traditional” collection

Industrial Sponsor Perspective On Leveraging Capstone Design Projects To Enhance Their Business

Capstone design projects have become commonplace among engineering and engineering technology programs.  These projects are valuable tools when assessing students, as they require students to work in teams, communicate effectively, and demonstrate technical competency.  The use of industrial sponsors enhances these projects by giving these projects more of a “real world” feel.  Most of the research into capstone design projects focuses on student learning as well as the overall design process.  However, very little research has been performed from the perspective of the industrial sponsor.  In this paper, an industrial sponsor who has sponsored several large-scale capstone design projects presents their perspective on working with students on these projects.  These projects serve as training systems for their existing employees and clients, and offer the sponsor the opportunity to evaluate the students as prospective future employees