Spring Semester 2021 Begins -
Welcome Back!!
- -- 11 Jan 2021 - Monday: Classes begin
- -- 18 Jan 2021 - Monday: Martin Luther King Day Holiday
- -- 20 Jan 2021 - Wednesday: Final date for dropping courses without receiving a grade of “W,”4:30 p.m., deadline
- -- 21 Jan 2021 - Thursday: Final date for adding courses for credit and making section changes, 4:30 p.m., deadlinee
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ACADEMIC CALENDER
Distinguished Communicator
AND Undergraduate Researcher!
Josef Schuster is a Fall 2020 LSU Distinguished Communicator from the College of Agriculture AND has been awarded an LSU Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Medal! Josef is a natural resource ecology & management (NREM) major. He plans to attend graduate school after graduation and continue his passion for research.
"The research that I've been involved with here stems across a couple different labs I've worked in. All the independent research I've done stems from either fisheries science or aquaculture research.
The aquaculture research was focused on developing a novel holding system for turtle hatchings. For the fisheries research, I've done everything - from studying what swordfish eat in the northern Gulf of Mexico to even looking at age and growth in largemouth bass and bluegill in lakes and streams."
Josef's advisor for the Distinguish Communicator in the Communications across the Curriculum program (CxC) was Dr. Michael Kaller, professor in the School of Renewable Natural Resources. His mentors in the Distinguished Undergraduate Research Program were Dr. Kaller, Dr. Mike Dance, Dr. Steve Midway, and Dr. Greg Lutz.
As the first program of its kind in the nation, LSU CxC is a multimodal, multifaceted program that works to improve the writing, speaking, visual and technological communication skills of undergraduates. Launched in 2005, LSU CxC equally emphasizes instruction in all four modes of communication while respecting the variations in style and genres within the disciplines. The unique LSU CxC model provides a holistic approach to undergraduate student learning by integrating certified courses within the disciplines, faculty development and training initiatives, student support and extracurricular workshops, and student recognition across the curriculum.
Recipients of the Distinguished Undergraduate Research Program award have completed many hours of research under the guidance of faculty mentors, presented their work to the university community, and published or presented their work for dissemination. This was an extraordinarily difficult year for all and yet these hard-working students managed to complete the difficult requirements for the medal despite any set-backs or complications.
Quite an accomplishment! Congratulations, Josef!
Research explores how coastal changes affect wildlife
(12/14/20) BATON ROUGE, La. — The LSU AgCenter has announced publication of research aimed at helping coastal planners predict the results of flood protection and wetland restoration on coastal wildlife.
The research was published in the “Wetlands” journal by U.S. Geological Service ecologist Brett Patton, LSU AgCenter coastal ecologist Andy Nyman and Megan La Peyre, assistant unit leader at the USGS.
The article, “Living on the Edge: Multi-Scale Analyses of Bird Habitat Use in Coastal Marshes of Barataria Basin, Louisiana, USA,” is online at https://bit.ly/3qVw75H.
Patton conducted the research as part of her master’s thesis, which was directed by Nyman.
Nyman noted that wetland loss, navigation channels, flood protection and wetland restoration can replace open water with marsh grasses, or vice versa, and replace fresh marshes with saline marshes, or vice versa.
“The research produced standardized measurements of waterbirds using marsh grasses, waterbirds using marsh ponds and waterbirds using the edge habitat where grass meets ponds,” he said.
Alone, the measurements are of interest to wildlife managers and other naturalists, he said. But when combined with powerful computer models simulating water salinity, water depth, sedimentation, subsidence and wetland change, the standardized bird counts can allow coastal planners to objectively compare the likely response of waterbird abundance to different projects being considered.
Coastal Louisiana wetlands are one of the most critically threatened environments in the United States, according to the U.S. Geological Service.
These wetlands are in peril because Louisiana currently experiences greater coastal wetland loss than all other states in the contiguous United States combined.
Nyman often collaborates on coastal research with La Peyre, who is housed in the AgCenter School of Renewable Natural Resources, where she also is on the faculty.
“The general response of many fish and wildlife to coastal change is recognized by fishermen, hunters and coastal planners, but the size of the changes to fish and wildlife are debatable,” Nyman said.
He explained that edge habitat is particularly valuable to fish and wildlife.
“From prairie potholes to coastal marshes, edge habitats are widely recognized as not only attracting fish and wildlife but actually increasing fish and wildlife numbers,” he said. “This was first demonstrated during the mid-1900s for prairie potholes in the Midwest.”
A previous graduate student, Jessica O’Connell, first demonstrated this for coastal marsh ponds and waterbirds in her 2010 research.
“The new research is unique because it produced standardized counts of waterbirds using marsh grasses, marsh ponds and the edge habitat where grass meets ponds, and it did so in fresh marsh and salt marsh,” Nyman said.
Patton conducted 120 successful surveys and identified 1,117 birds of 68 species during 2014 and 2015.
Of the six habitats compared, fresh edges clearly supported the most birds, and waterbirds were second most abundant in fresh marshes, which supported about 50% of the number in fresh edges. Salt edges supported about 40% of the number in fresh edges.
“Fresh ponds and salt ponds supported similar amounts, 30% and 25% as many birds as fresh edges,” Nyman said. “Salt marsh supported the fewest waterbirds, about 15% in fresh edges.”
Those patterns remained even after eliminating the most abundant bird, the red-winged blackbird.
As in the research published in 2010, duck estimates were least reliable because ducks are so much warier of people, he said.
Nyman, who led teams that created fish and wildlife models for Louisiana’s 2007 and 2012 Master Plans for a Sustainable Coast, suspects that it is too late to use the new data in Louisiana’s 2023 update to its Master Plan.
“I just hope the new data are used to create new models that coastal residents and managers can consider as flood protection and wetland restoration proceed,” he said.
Article by: Johnny Morgan | permalink
"Preserving the Hunt" Continues
In today’s university-based wildlife conservation programs, it is increasingly common for enrolled students to lack prior exposure to or experience with hunting. In response to this trend, initiatives commonly referred to as “University Hunt Programs” are being developed (also see the article and videos reference below), whereby students are given an opportunity to learn about and participate in waterfowl hunting.
In video episodes, the program is introduced by 4 guests that have been active participants in them. This two-part podcast is a continuation of a paper (Successes and Challenges of University first Hunt Programs. ) Madelyn McFarland, a Graduate assitant at Mississippi State Univeristy, had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Mike Brasher, Dr. Kevin Ringelman, Dr. John Eadie, and Julie Huynh to discuss university hunt programs, as well as her and Julie’s personal experiences through Louisiana State University.
From Madelyn McFarland: "Coming from a non-traditional background, the university hunt program was my first introduction to hunting. Since my first hunt, I’ve gotten to chase ducks, geese, and doves in 5 different states! I am eternally grateful to the LSU hunt program and its sponsors for facilitating such a life changing experience."
LINKS:
-- Hunter Education for the Professionals: University Hunt Programs (1 of 2)
-- Mud on the Boots: University Hunt Programs (2 of 2)
Preserving the Hunt
In the School of Renewable Natural resources, we provide an opportunity for our wildlife students to learn to hunt. This is an important part of their education.
Our students gain an appreciation for the role of hunters in wildlife and habitat conservation, and this makes them better prepared for careers in wildlife management.
- The videos below will give you a glimpse of the program.
- Episode 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ3WQlOpQYk
- Episode 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naOjb2jkouM
- Episode 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3jrvxzTriI
See the LSU story: Hunting for the Next Generation of Conservation Stewards
Research Matters
Spring 2020
The Spring 2020 edition of Research Matters is now available for download. See what is happening with our students and faculty in the many diverse and interesting teaching, research, and extension projects that are ongoing. RNR also welcomes Dr. Kristin DeMarco to the Faculty as an instructor, specializing in coastal wetland ecology.
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