Overcoming Barriers to Aquatic Plant Restoration: Addressing Gaps in Species Identification and Planting Techniques in the Intermountain West

Aquatic ecosystems provide many critical and economically valuable benefits, including drinking water, food, recreational opportunities, and water supply for irrigation and agriculture. However, the health of these systems has been severely impacted by human activities such as pollution, land conversion, and introductions of harmful species. Restoring native aquatic plants can help reverse this damage and reestablish benefits, though it is not a common practice. With an objective to increase capacity for aquatic plant restoration in the Intermountain West, I identified and addressed two major barriers: 1) a lack of confidence in aquatic species identification among wetland professionals, and 2) underdeveloped planting techniques that can be used over large scales and result in successful plant establishment. To address the first barrier, I produced the Floating and Submerged Plants of Utah: Pocket Field Guide. The guide contains identification information, images, and interesting facts about 36 aquatic species, as well as a key to the Pondweed family. To address the second barrier, I conducted two field experiments to identify successful and scalable planting techniques in a river delta in the Intermountain West. In these experiments, I examined the performance of different planting methods (how plants are introduced to a site) and planting designs (how plants are arranged within a site; clumped and dispersed designs) for two types of plant materials (stem fragments and plugs—adult plants in soil). I found that planting methods had a significant effect on plant establishment across the plant material types for one of the native species tested, Ruppia cirrhosa, but not the other two species, Potamogeton nodosus and Stuckenia pectinata. I did not find significant effects of planting design. Based on these findings, I suggest that wetland professionals carefully pair different species with planting methods to balance scalability and plant establishment. I also suggest that logistical considerations (such as site accessibility), rather than potential ecological differences (such as species-specific traits that may affect plant establishment), can guide planting design choices. Addressing these barriers will increase the capacity for aquatic plant restoration in the Intermountain West and subsequently support the health of aquatic ecosystems

Floating and Submerged Plants of Utah: Pocket Field Guide

This is a field guide to identifying floating and submerged plants of Utah. We include a page for each species and also a dichotomous key at the end for the pondweeds. Submerged and floating plant species play critical roles in aquatic ecosystems. They provide habitat to aquatic organisms, improve water clarity by trapping sediment, and absorb excess nutrients from the water column, among other vital services. However, they have been threatened and degraded by pollution, land conversion, and introductions of harmful species. Identifying native and non-native plants is an important component of tackling this degradation and promoting the conservation and restoration of aquatic plant communities

Effects of seed mix and surrounding land cover on Asclepias syriaca density in the Conservation Reserve Program\u27s Pollinator Habitat plantings

Due to the importance of Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) to the eastern population of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), it is usually recommended for planting by federal conservation programs and state monarch recovery plans. However, A. syriaca has long been considered a weed, and is commonly found in roadsides and other disturbed landscapes where it has not been deliberately introduced. We wanted to determine if seeding A. syriaca is necessary for its establishment, or if milkweed populations in the surrounding landscape could spread into the plantings. In this study, we examined the density of A. syriaca in relation to the seeding rate and surrounding land cover in the Conservation Reserve Program’s Pollinator Habitat Initiative (CP-42) plantings. In June and July of 2018 and 2019, we surveyed 45 CP-42 plantings for milkweed density. In ArcGIS, we created a 1 km buffer around each site and calculated the percentage of land within the buffer covered in road, forest, and habitat suitable for A. syriaca. We found a significant positive correlation between A. syriaca density and the rate at which it was seeded. There was no correlation found between A. syriaca density and surrounding land cover categories. Based on these results, we determined that seeding rate is important for establishing higher densities of A. syriaca in CP-42 plantings. At this time, we cannot draw conclusions on the importance of surrounding land cover on A. syriaca density. By understanding the density of A. syriaca in CP-42 plantings, we can adapt policy and management to efficiently provide crucial habitat for monarchs and other pollinators

Germination rates of Carex spp. seed after long-term storage

This study explores the germination rates of Carex spp. seed that has been in storage for five to ten years. The genus Carex is a group of ecologically important grass-like species that constitute up to 25% of the aboveground biomass in tallgrass prairies. In the early 2000s, seed production plots of 18 Carex species were established from remnant prairie seed at the Tallgrass Prairie Center in Cedar Falls, IA. Seed harvested from the Carex plots from 2009 to 2014 was made available for release to the native seed industry for commercial production, with the remainder stored in an onsite seed bank at 4°C and 45% humidity. As the seed harvested from these original plots ages in storage, it is likely that viability will decrease. The rate of decline in seed viability of many Carex species in dry storage is not well known, and is important for determining when seed lots need to be regenerated. Species under examination are C. annectens, C. bebbii, C. brevior, C. cristatella, C. molesta, C. stricta, C. tribuloides, and C. vulpinoidea. After removal from storage, seeds were placed in cold-moist stratification for 28 days. Four replicates of 100 seeds from each species were arranged on moistened blotter paper in germination boxes. They were then placed in a growth chamber set to 30/15°C corresponding to a light regime of 12 hours light/12 hours dark. The cumulative count of germinated normal seedlings was used as an indicator for the viability of the seed. By determining the viability of seeds in storage, we can better inform the stewardship of foundation seed banks and improve the availability of genetically diverse and regionally adapted Carex seed for restorations

SNEWS: The SuperNova Early Warning System

This paper provides a technical description of the SuperNova Early Warning System (SNEWS), an international network of experiments with the goal of providing an early warning of a galactic supernova.Comment: 25 pages, for New Journal of Physics Focus Issue on Neutrino Physic

Increasing Capacity for Aquatic Plant Restoration in the Intermountain West

Anthropogenic activities are causing a global decline in aquatic plant density and diversity. Ecological restoration of aquatic plant communities may reestablish ecosystem functioning associated with aquatic plant populations, but research on best practices remains sparse and inconclusive. Currently practiced planting methods show variability in establishment and are often not scalable due to financial and practical limitations. To address these challenges, we sought to evaluate the best planting methods for aquatic plant restoration with a focus on scalable planting methods and planting design. In summer 2021, we initiated a field experiment at the Provo River Delta Restoration Project in Provo, Utah. Four blocks of eighteen single-species plots were installed to evaluate establishment (measured as percent cover and plug survival) of three species (Potamogeton nodosus, Ruppia cirrhosa, and Stuckenia pectinata) across three planting methods (burlap wrapped plugs, coir pellets, and hand-planting) and two planting designs (clumped and dispersed). Initial results after three months show that species identity affects establishment more than planting method or design. Scalable planting methods show similar survival compared to hand-planting, indicating that they may be an efficient alternative. Monitoring will continue in summer 2022. The results of this study will aid aquatic plant restoration by identifying successful and scalable aquatic plant revegetation techniques

Investigating Protozoal Parasites as Causes of Neurologic Disease in American Black Bears (Ursus americanus) that Contribute to Human-Wildlife Conflict (Abstract)

American black bears (Ursus americanus) can be considered vertebrate pests when they come in conflict with humans and create potential public safety situations that require intervention by local wildlife or animal control departments. Black bears are both omnivorous and highly intelligent, and this combination of characteristics make these animals prone to human habituation and developing an association between humans and easy sources of food. Foraging behaviors can put black bears in undesired or unsafe contact with humans when bears root through garbage on private and public lands, consume crops, prey upon small livestock or pets, cause significant property damage, and wander onto roadways leading to traffic accidents. An increasingly recognized cause of bear-human conflict is neurologic disease, such as that caused by infectious pathogens or toxicity, leading to cognitive or behavioral changes. A unique neurologic disease affecting black bears was first observed in 2014 near Lake Tahoe on the border between California and Nevada. Since then, it has been reported in eight counties in California and two counties in Nevada. Affected bears exhibit a range of neurologic symptoms including tremors, seizures, head tilts, and loss of fear of humans (i.e., “dog-like” behavior). Affected animals are typically young (<3 years old), underweight, and most often present in the spring after early emergence from hibernation. Histopathologic examination of brain tissue from these bears revealed varying degrees of inflammation in the brain (encephalitis), but the cause of this encephalitis was not apparent. Testing for common infectious causes of encephalitis (e.g., rabies, canine distemper virus, canine adenovirus, West Nile virus) and common neurotoxins did not identify a cause of the inflammation. A novel gammaherpesvirus, circovirus, parvovirus, and anellovirus were isolated from subsets of affected bears; however, a direct correlation between viral infection and encephalitis has not been established to date. The goal of this study is to investigate the potential role of protozoal parasites in this encephalitis of unknown origin, as members of this group of pathogens are known causes of encephalitis in humans and animals. Brain tissue from bears with encephalitis (n = 21) and unaffected bears (n = 15) from California and Nevada was screened via PCR targeting two loci commonly used to identify protozoal parasites (ITS1 and 18S). Protozoal parasite DNA was detected in 47.6% of bears with encephalitis (10/21) and 26.7% of unaffected bears (4/15). Parasites detected in bears with encephalitis included Sarcocystis neurona (4/21), S. canis (1/21), S. felis (1/21), an uncharacterized Sarcocystis sp. (1/21), Toxoplasma gondii (1/21), and an uncharacterized Cystoisospora-like species (2/21). Sarcocystis neurona, S. canis, and T. gondii are known to cause encephalitis in humans and animals. Sarcocystis canis is an increasingly recognized pathogen of bears and has been reported to cause inflammation in the brain, liver, and muscle in other geographical regions. The clinical significance of the poorly characterized protozoal species is uncertain. Parasites detected in unaffected bears included T. gondii (1/15), an uncharacterized Sarcocystis species (1/15) and an uncharacterized Cystoisospora-like species (2/15). These results suggest that protozoal parasites, particularly Sarcocystis species, may contribute to encephalitis in juvenile black bears, creating a public safety hazard at the human-wildlife interface

The RCPCH care pathway for children at risk of anaphylaxis:an evidence and consensus based national approach to caring for children with life-threatening allergies

Numerous studies have identified shortcomings in the management of children at risk of severe acute allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). The Science and Research Department at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) was commissioned by the Department of Health to develop competence based national care pathways for children with allergies. Anaphylaxis is the first completed pathway.The anaphylaxis pathway was developed by a multidisciplinary working group, reviewed by a broad group of stakeholders and approved by the Allergy Care Pathways Project Board and the RCPCH Clinical Standards Committee.Pathway development is described under five headings: evidence review, mapping, external review, core knowledge documents and key recommendations. The full pathway can be downloaded from www.rcpch.ac.uk/allergy/anaphylaxis. This document describes the entry points and the ideal pathway of care from self-care through to follow-up. The five key recommendations focus on: (1) prompt administration of adrenaline by intramuscular injection; (2) referral to specialists with competence in paediatric allergies; (3) risk analysis; (4) provision of a self-management plan; and (5) suggested creation of a national anaphylaxis death register.We present the first national care pathway for anaphylaxis, which is based on a critique of published evidence, expert consensus and multi-stakeholder input including patient representation via the Anaphylaxis Campaign. The Project Board urges health professionals to work together across networks to improve care for children at risk of anaphylaxis, in particular during the period after an acute reaction. Additionally, the Project Board strongly recommends the funding of a national anaphylaxis register

SNEWS: The SuperNova Early Warning System

Abstract. This paper provides a technical description of the SuperNova Early Warning System (SNEWS), an international network of experiments with the goal of providing an early warning of a galactic supernova. † To whom correspondence should be addresse