Potential Factors Driving Sandberg’s Bluegrass Growth In Relation to Sagebrush Cover

Sandberg’s bluegrass (Poa secunda) is a native perennial bunchgrass found throughout most of the Intermountain West.  Like many other cool season bunchgrass species, Sandberg’s bluegrass is a valuable and readily attainable forage as winter snowpack thaws and recedes.  Because a large percent of Western North American rangeland is co-dominated by shrubs, it is paramount that land managers have an adequate and increasingly broad understanding of the biology and relationship between grasses and shrubs.  With this in mind, we measured water availability, soil temperature, and basal area of Sandberg’s bluegrass plants inside and outside of the sagebrush canopy as well as a simple plant count with the purpose of evaluating potential drivers behind growth and success of this species.  Basal areas were significantly greater inside the canopy versus outside (P = 0.033) which was consistent with our hypothesis.  Soil temperature was significantly lower inside the canopy versus outside (P = 0.049) while soil water content was not significantly different.  However, there was no significant correlation between basal area and soil water content or soil temperature.  We infer from the data collected that Sandberg’s bluegrass is indeed more robust and numerous within the canopy of sagebrush compared to outside the canopy; however, the primary driver for this is still unclear.  It is our conclusion that future research is needed in order to evaluate and identify the reason for this occurrence

After 70 Years of Data: What Do We Know and What Do We Think We Know About Elk Habitat and Vegetation in the Gallatin Canyon?

Many agency biologists use wildlife exclosures to draw inferences about wildlife habitat relative to herbivore population densities and the effect of soil and vegetation manipulation on plant community recovery. When herbivore density is high, vegetative suppression  is expected, and even erosion and soil loss may be suggested. As herbivore populations decrease, cascading trophic effects on trees, shrubs, and grasses may be hypothesized. In  a case study using nearly 100 years of elk (Cervus elaphus) data and 70 yrs of vegetation data from wildlife exclosures in the Gallatin Canyon, we present qualitative and quantitative assessments of a series of hypotheses about elk relationships to the landscape.  When elk numbers were high, USDA Forest Service and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks performed experimental vegetative treatments to improve range conditions: red fescue seeding, planting caragena, contour plowing to limit soil loss, sagebrush removal, and testing snow fences to trap snow to retain moisture.  Several exclosures were equipped with soil traps to monitor soil erosion, hypothesized to come from range overuse by elk. After the 1990s, multiple landscape-level changes, including wolf reintroduction, resulted in substantial elk population declines. Wintering elk numbers decreased from a long-term average of 1600 to fewer than 500. Given elk numbers declined by 2/3, biologists hypothesized a trophic cascade would release to later vegetation series or climax communities. We examined the results of the early habitat manipulations and discuss their implications. We describe how several of the hypotheses were not borne out in the data when examining the entire ecological picture

Etiology of persistent mathematics difficulties from childhood to adolescence following very preterm birth

Children born very preterm (VP; 0.05), with the exception of writing large numbers and conceptual understanding of arithmetic. In a previous study, 83 of the VP adolescents and 49 of the term-born adolescents were assessed at age 8–10years using measures of the same skills. Amongst these, the between-group difference in mathematics achievement remained stable over time. This study extends findings of a persistent deficit in mathematics achievement among VP children over the primary and secondary school years, and provides evidence of a deficit in factual, procedural and conceptual mathematics skills and in higher order mathematical operations among VP adolescents. We provide further evidence that VP children’s mathematics difficulties are driven by deficits in domain-general rather than domain-specific cognitive skills

How to Talk With Ranchers About Drought and Climate Resilience: Lessons From Knowledge Exchange Workshops in Montana

This article offers the Extension community a pathway to drought resilience and climate-related conversations through knowledge exchange workshops. In 2017, a flash drought affected eastern Montana, and ranchers in the region faced numerous challenges. Moreover, drought-favorable climate conditions are predicted to increase for the region. We held five workshops to facilitate an exchange of adaptive drought management strategies, focusing on key themes for drought resilience: (a) drought planning and adaptive management, (b) use of local knowledge networks, (c) flexible stocking and grazing, and (d) adaptation to shifting baselines. Extension can use this approach to foster multidirectional knowledge sharing to strengthen ranching resilience to drought conditions

Genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy (ALDH7A1 deficiency)

Pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy was recently shown to be due to mutations in the ALDH7A1 gene, which encodes antiquitin, an enzyme that catalyses the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent dehydrogenation of L-{alpha}-aminoadipic semialdehyde/L-{Delta}1-piperideine 6-carboxylate. However, whilst this is a highly treatable disorder, there is general uncertainty about when to consider this diagnosis and how to test for it. This study aimed to evaluate the use of measurement of urine L-{alpha}-aminoadipic semialdehyde/creatinine ratio and mutation analysis of ALDH7A1 (antiquitin) in investigation of patients with suspected or clinically proven pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy and to characterize further the phenotypic spectrum of antiquitin deficiency. Urinary L-{alpha}-aminoadipic semialdehyde concentration was determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. When this was above the normal range, DNA sequencing of the ALDH7A1 gene was performed. Clinicians were asked to complete questionnaires on clinical, biochemical, magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography features of patients. The clinical spectrum of antiquitin deficiency extended from ventriculomegaly detected on foetal ultrasound, through abnormal foetal movements and a multisystem neonatal disorder, to the onset of seizures and autistic features after the first year of life. Our relatively large series suggested that clinical diagnosis of pyridoxine dependent epilepsy can be challenging because: (i) there may be some response to antiepileptic drugs; (ii) in infants with multisystem pathology, the response to pyridoxine may not be instant and obvious; and (iii) structural brain abnormalities may co-exist and be considered sufficient cause of epilepsy, whereas the fits may be a consequence of antiquitin deficiency and are then responsive to pyridoxine. These findings support the use of biochemical and DNA tests for antiquitin deficiency and a clinical trial of pyridoxine in infants and children with epilepsy across a broad range of clinical scenarios

Individual differences in inhibitory control, not non-verbal number acuity, correlate with mathematics achievement

Given the well-documented failings in mathematics education in many Western societies, there has been an increased interest in understanding the cognitive underpinnings of mathematical achievement. Recent research has proposed the existence of an Approximate Number System (ANS) which allows individuals to represent and manipulate non-verbal numerical information. Evidence has shown that performance on a measure of the ANS (a dot comparison task) is related to mathematics achievement, which has led researchers to suggest that the ANS plays a critical role in mathematics learning. Here we show that, rather than being driven by the nature of underlying numerical representations, this relationship may in fact be an artefact of the inhibitory control demands of some trials of the dot comparison task. This suggests that recent work basing mathematics assessments and interventions around dot comparison tasks may be inappropriate

Genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy (ALDH7A1 deficiency)

Pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy was recently shown to be due to mutations in the ALDH7A1 gene, which encodes antiquitin, an enzyme that catalyses the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent dehydrogenation of l-α-aminoadipic semialdehyde/l-Δ1-piperideine 6-carboxylate. However, whilst this is a highly treatable disorder, there is general uncertainty about when to consider this diagnosis and how to test for it. This study aimed to evaluate the use of measurement of urine l-α-aminoadipic semialdehyde/creatinine ratio and mutation analysis of ALDH7A1 (antiquitin) in investigation of patients with suspected or clinically proven pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy and to characterize further the phenotypic spectrum of antiquitin deficiency. Urinary l-α-aminoadipic semialdehyde concentration was determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. When this was above the normal range, DNA sequencing of the ALDH7A1 gene was performed. Clinicians were asked to complete questionnaires on clinical, biochemical, magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography features of patients. The clinical spectrum of antiquitin deficiency extended from ventriculomegaly detected on foetal ultrasound, through abnormal foetal movements and a multisystem neonatal disorder, to the onset of seizures and autistic features after the first year of life. Our relatively large series suggested that clinical diagnosis of pyridoxine dependent epilepsy can be challenging because: (i) there may be some response to antiepileptic drugs; (ii) in infants with multisystem pathology, the response to pyridoxine may not be instant and obvious; and (iii) structural brain abnormalities may co-exist and be considered sufficient cause of epilepsy, whereas the fits may be a consequence of antiquitin deficiency and are then responsive to pyridoxine. These findings support the use of biochemical and DNA tests for antiquitin deficiency and a clinical trial of pyridoxine in infants and children with epilepsy across a broad range of clinical scenario

Western Land Managers will Need all Available Tools for Adapting to Climate Change, Including Grazing: A Critique of Beschta et al.

In a previous article, Beschta et al. (Environ Manag 51(2):474–491, 2013) argue that grazing by large ungulates (both native and domestic) should be eliminated or greatly reduced on western public lands to reduce potential climate change impacts. The authors did not present a balanced synthesis of the scientific literature, and their publication is more of an opinion article. Their conclusions do not reflect the complexities associated with herbivore grazing. Because grazing is a complex ecological process, synthesis of the scientific literature can be a challenge. Legacy effects of uncontrolled grazing during the homestead era further complicate analysis of current grazing impacts. Interactions of climate change and grazing will depend on the specific situation. For example, increasing atmospheric CO₂ and temperatures may increase accumulation of fine fuels (primarily grasses) and thus increase wildfire risk. Prescribed grazing by livestock is one of the few management tools available for reducing fine fuel accumulation. While there are certainly points on the landscape where herbivore impacts can be identified, there are also vast grazed areas where impacts are minimal. Broad scale reduction of domestic and wild herbivores to help native plant communities cope with climate change will be unnecessary because over the past 20–50 years land managers have actively sought to bring populations of native and domestic herbivores in balance with the potential of vegetation and soils. To cope with a changing climate, land managers will need access to all available vegetation management tools, including grazing.Keywords: Grazing, Riparian areas, Public lands, Climate chang

Linkages Between Watershed Ecological Condition and Riparian Processes; the Influence of Evergreens on Groundwater Recharge

Dr. Clayton Marlow is a professor in the Animal and Range Sciences Department at Montana State University. Dr. Marlow holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Range sciences form the University of Wyoming, a Master’s in Forest and Range Sciences from Washington State University, and Ph.D. in Range Sciences from the University of Wyoming. He began his professional career as a research associate in the plant sciences department of the University of Wyoming. There, he developed the environmental impact monitoring protocol for a coal-fired power plant in Gillette. He went on to take a position as a forester for the Forestry, Fisheries, and Wildlife Department with the Tennessee Valley Authority in Casper WY. There, Dr. Marlow was responsible for the rehabilitation of uranium exploration, mining, and milling sites in the region. In 1980, Dr. Marlow accepted a joint appointment with MSU, College of Agriculture and the Montana Agriculture Experiment station. He served as Associate Dean for the College of Agriculture between 1989-1999 and currently divides his time for the two departments between teaching and research. Dr. Marlow works with undergraduate and graduate students on topics including riparian ecology, wildland fire ecology, and livestock/wildlife habitat improvement. His research includes evaluating the interaction between conifer cover and groundwater recharge patterns in foothill rangelands, the role of winter grazing on soil organic matter turnover, and the effect of bison, elk and bighorn sheep on watershed function in the Gardiner Basin, Montana

Perspectives: Science in Rangeland Management

The Rangelands archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform March 202