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This thesis investigates Canadian prairie plants as sources of natural product compounds capable of inhibiting human cell division. Natural products present an opportunity to identify novel anti-mitotic compounds to address the lack of known inhibitors for many mitotic regulatory proteins. By biology-guided fractionation, we purified the natural products anemonin from Pulsatilla nuttalliana and (+)-6-tuliposide A from Erythronium grandiflorum, and this is the first report of their anti-mitotic activities. We then conducted a comparative study between pulchelloid A (from Gaillardia aristata), anemonin and (+)-6-tuliposide A, and identified unique mitotic arrest profiles, suggesting distinct protein targets and mechanisms of action consistent with the widespread relationship between structure and function in biology. The discovery of natural product inhibitors from Canadian prairie plant species holds tremendous potential for advancing our understanding of mitotic regulation and contributes to the development of targeted treatments for precision medicine.

This thesis investigates Canadian prairie plants as sources of natural product compounds capable of inhibiting human cell division. Natural products present an opportunity to identify novel anti-mitotic compounds to address the lack of known inhibitors for many mitotic regulatory proteins. By biology-guided fractionation, we purified the natural products anemonin from Pulsatilla nuttalliana and (+)-6-tuliposide A from Erythronium grandiflorum, and this is the first report of their anti-mitotic activities. We then conducted a comparative study between pulchelloid A (from Gaillardia aristata), anemonin and (+)-6-tuliposide A, and identified unique mitotic arrest profiles, suggesting distinct protein targets and mechanisms of action consistent with the widespread relationship between structure and function in biology. The discovery of natural product inhibitors from Canadian prairie plant species holds tremendous potential for advancing our understanding of mitotic regulation and contributes to the development of targeted treatments for precision medicine.

Research in grassland ecosystems worldwide has highlighted the crucial role many burrowing herbivore mammals provide as so-called “ecosystem engineers”. Many of these examples come from North America and have mostly been focused on Prairie Dogs (Cynomys sp.), which, due to their burrowing and grazing activities, are considered as a species of high ecological importance. Multiple studies have shown that their loss reduces grassland ecosystem functions and that their activities increase plant, arthropod, bird and mammal biodiversity, grassland heterogeneity, provide benefits to cattle, among many other key ecological roles. However, prairie dog species are distributed throughout multiple landscapes in North America, and most of the studies have been on mixed prairie grasslands. It is therefore not surprising that, when comparing the effects of different prairie dog species across ecoregions, the role of prairie dogs is not as clear and results vary, depending on spatial context, type of grasslands, climate and environmental conditions. Yet, grasslands are considered as some of the most highly threatened ecosystems, having high rates of conversion, desertification and biodiversity loss. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the effects prairie dog species have on the ecosystem. In this thesis, I focus on the Mexican prairie dog (C. mexicanus), a species in drastic decline due to habitat loss, caused by agriculture, overgrazing, human settlement, fragmentation, diseases (e.g. plague) and past eradication programs. C. mexicanus is considered endangered by the IUCN red list of threatened species and The Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. It is also endemic to the Grassland Priority Conservation Area (GPCA) of El Tokio, located in Northeast Mexico within the Chihuahuan desert ecoregion and designated as a GPCA by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (a cooperation between Canada, U.S. and Mexico) in 2009. Grasslands

The growing demand for solar energy conversion underscores the need for precise parameter extraction methods in photovoltaic (PV) plants. This study focuses on enhancing accuracy in PV system parameter extraction, essential for optimizing PV models under diverse environmental conditions. Utilizing primary PV models (single diode, double diode, and three diode) and PV module models, the research emphasizes the importance of accurate parameter identification. In response to the limitations of existing metaheuristic algorithms, the study introduces the enhanced prairie dog optimizer (En-PDO). This novel algorithm integrates the strengths of the prairie dog optimizer (PDO) with random learning and logarithmic spiral search mechanisms. Evaluation against the PDO, and a comprehensive comparison with eighteen recent algorithms, spanning diverse optimization techniques, highlight En-PDO's exceptional performance across different solar cell models and CEC2020 functions. Application of En-PDO to single diode, double diode, three diode, and PV module models, using experimental datasets (R.T.C. France silicon and Photowatt-PWP201 solar cells) and CEC2020 test functions, demonstrates its consistent superiority. En-PDO achieves competitive or superior root mean square error values, showcasing its efficacy in accurately modeling the behavior of diverse solar cells and performing optimally on CEC2020 test functions. These findings position En-PDO as a robust and reliable approach for precise parameter estimation in solar cell models, emphasizing its potential and advancements compared to existing algorithms., Funding Agencies|Linkping University

The long-standing assumption that aboveground plant litter inputs have a substantial influence on soil organic carbon storage (SOC) and dynamics has been challenged by a new paradigm for SOC formation and persistence. We tested the importance of plant litter chemistry on SOC storage, distribution, composition, and age by comparing two highly contrasting ecosystems: an old-growth coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest, with highly aromatic litter, and an adjacent coastal prairie, with more easily decomposed litter. We hypothesized that if plant litter chemistry was the primary driver, redwood would store more and older SOC that was less microbially processed than prairie. Total soil carbon stocks to 110 cm depth were higher in prairie (35 kg C m$^{−2}$) than redwood (28 kg C m$^{−2}$). Radiocarbon values indicated shorter SOC residence times in redwood than prairie throughout the profile. Higher amounts of pyrogenic carbon and a higher degree of microbial processing of SOC appear to be instrumental for soil carbon storage and persistence in prairie, while differences in fine-root carbon inputs likely contribute to younger SOC in redwood. We conclude that at these sites fire residues, root inputs, and soil properties influence soil carbon dynamics to a greater degree than the properties of aboveground litter.

Iiniiksi (plains bison; Bison bison) are ecocultural keystone species that have coevolved in sacred reciprocal relationships with Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot People) and nonhuman Saokio (prairie) relatives since time immemorial. The historic decimation of native prairie and Iiniiksi, along with the displacement of Indigenous plains peoples, disrupted this web of prairie interrelationships, creating an imbalance in the grassland ecosystem and the Siksikaitsitapi way of life. Grounded in Blackfoot Ecological Knowledge (BEK) and Siksikaitsitapi Science (SS), my research explores interactions amongst soil, plants, and people resulting from Iinnii rematriation (the return of sacred ways that centers and restores responsibilities and relationships) to Kainaissksaahkoyi (Blood Reserve / Kainai First Nation) to offer a path forward for healing these sacred relationships. I characterized soil and plant communities in nine paired ungrazed and grazed sites on the Kainai Iinnii Rangelands two and three growing seasons after Iinnii returned. I gathered Iinnii relational BEK with five Blackfoot Elders and Knowledge Keepers to better understand the social effects of Iinnii rematriation. After one year of Iinnii grazing, there were no significant differences in soil, plant communities, or the occurrence of traditional plants. Long-term monitoring is needed to capture future Iinnii effects on the landscape. Blood Tribe Land Management (BTLM) can use essential baseline data collected in this study for an Indigenous-led community-based monitoring program. Synthesizing BEK with Western Science (WS) provided invaluable insight to reconnect people to Iinnii and Saokio and guide future Iinnii reintroduction and grassland stewardship efforts.

Iiniiksi (plains bison; Bison bison) are ecocultural keystone species that have coevolved in sacred reciprocal relationships with Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot People) and nonhuman Saokio (prairie) relatives since time immemorial. The historic decimation of native prairie and Iiniiksi, along with the displacement of Indigenous plains peoples, disrupted this web of prairie interrelationships, creating an imbalance in the grassland ecosystem and the Siksikaitsitapi way of life. Grounded in Blackfoot Ecological Knowledge (BEK) and Siksikaitsitapi Science (SS), my research explores interactions amongst soil, plants, and people resulting from Iinnii rematriation (the return of sacred ways that centers and restores responsibilities and relationships) to Kainaissksaahkoyi (Blood Reserve / Kainai First Nation) to offer a path forward for healing these sacred relationships. I characterized soil and plant communities in nine paired ungrazed and grazed sites on the Kainai Iinnii Rangelands two and three growing seasons after Iinnii returned. I gathered Iinnii relational BEK with five Blackfoot Elders and Knowledge Keepers to better understand the social effects of Iinnii rematriation. After one year of Iinnii grazing, there were no significant differences in soil, plant communities, or the occurrence of traditional plants. Long-term monitoring is needed to capture future Iinnii effects on the landscape. Blood Tribe Land Management (BTLM) can use essential baseline data collected in this study for an Indigenous-led community-based monitoring program. Synthesizing BEK with Western Science (WS) provided invaluable insight to reconnect people to Iinnii and Saokio and guide future Iinnii reintroduction and grassland stewardship efforts.

The long-standing assumption that aboveground plant litter inputs have a substantial influence on soil organic carbon storage (SOC) and dynamics has been challenged by a new paradigm for SOC formation and persistence. We tested the importance of plant litter chemistry on SOC storage, distribution, composition, and age by comparing two highly contrasting ecosystems: an old-growth coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forest, with highly aromatic litter, and an adjacent coastal prairie, with more easily decomposed litter. We hypothesized that if plant litter chemistry was the primary driver, redwood would store more and older SOC that was less microbially processed than prairie. Total soil carbon stocks to 110 cm depth were higher in prairie (35 kg C m-2) than redwood (28 kg C m-2). Radiocarbon values indicated shorter SOC residence times in redwood than prairie throughout the profile. Higher amounts of pyrogenic carbon and a higher degree of microbial processing of SOC appear to be instrumental for soil carbon storage and persistence in prairie, while differences in fine-root carbon inputs likely contribute to younger SOC in redwood. We conclude that at these sites fire residues, root inputs, and soil properties influence soil carbon dynamics to a greater degree than the properties of aboveground litter.

In the wake of combined economic and ecological pressure, Prairie farmers and the Canadian ministries responsible for agriculture are pressed to instigate sustainable agricultural development. However, Canada’s central agri-environmental program, the Environmental Farm Planning program (EFP), faces low uptake in the Prairie region. In this thesis, I explore the nature of the dissonance between the EFP and Prairie farmers to understand why participation is so low, the issues embedded in the EFP, and how to develop better agri-environmental policy for the Prairie region. I employ multiple methods, including survey, discourse, and institutional analyses, to make sense of the dissonance. Survey analysis is used to explore the social psychology of risk and characterize participant’s knowledge, risk perceptions, and trust regarding environmental action. Next, I employ discourse analysis to examine taken-for-granted notions embedded in how interviewees articulate their relationship to themselves, society, the environment, and the state. Finally, I utilize an institutional analysis to look at the mechanisms and values built into the EFP and the Prairie context and theorize how these institutional factors affect the EFP dissonance. Using the process of triangulation, I mix my methods to conclude that risk perceptions, economic constraints, and governmental trust are at the core of the EFP dissonance.

Background and aims: Both drought and vegetation restoration can have dramatic effects on plant community composition, but how they influence soil microbial community diversity, structure, and co-occurrence networks remain less well known. Methods: To better understand the regulatory mechanisms of drought and vegetation restoration on soil microorganisms, we planted 12 native species in precipitation manipulation experimental plots in an invaded coastal grassland in California, USA. We measured soil bacterial and fungal community composition by amplicon sequencing, and quantified plant species richness and coverage in the third experimental year. Results: Our results showed that drought significantly altered soil bacterial diversity and composition; however, neither drought nor vegetation restoration had significant effects on fungal diversity and composition. The control plots had the most cooperative interactions (greatest number of correlations) among bacterial and/or fungal species, while drought plots yielded the most complex co-occurrence network with the highest modularity and clustering coefficient. Structural equation modeling revealed that plant species richness, net gains, and soil moisture played dominant roles in shaping bacterial community structure. Drought and bacterial community structure directly affected fungal community structure. Plant dominant species cover, common species cover, and bacterial diversity were the key drivers in regulating the microbial co-occurrence network complex. Conclusion: We conclude that soil bacterial and fungal communities differ in their responses to abiotic and biotic environmental changes, which may weaken the interspecies interactions among soil microorganisms.

Soil acidity is an increasing concern for growers in the southern prairies of western Canada. This study took place over a three-year period, starting in 2020, the research lime treatment plots were established in low soil pH zones, in the three cropped fields: Hilton, Sierra and Kings Lake. Both powdered or granular lime was surface applied on long-term no-till fields, with one of three placement methods: no incorporation, incorporation with harrowing, or incorporation using tillage. Soil sampling was followed by pH measurements conducted in November 2021 and 2022. In Fall 2021 only the treatment of powdered lime incorporated using tillage increased the soil to the pH target of 6.5 for the 0-15 cm depth. By Fall 2022 soil sampling, pH analyses showed that all lime treatments were effectively ameliorating the low pH soils. Further study investigated spatial variability of soil pH on the study fields, the most practical sampling density for accurate pH maps was shown to be 1 sample spot per 0.8 hectares. After this study, data was gathered on the incorporation methods and lime forms. It was determined all treatments sufficiently raised the pH to an acceptable level for crop growth, after two years. Furthermore, the assessment on pH variability was vital to understanding how variable soil pH can be in a field.

Soil acidity is an increasing concern for growers in the southern prairies of western Canada. This study took place over a three-year period, starting in 2020, the research lime treatment plots were established in low soil pH zones, in the three cropped fields: Hilton, Sierra and Kings Lake. Both powdered or granular lime was surface applied on long-term no-till fields, with one of three placement methods: no incorporation, incorporation with harrowing, or incorporation using tillage. Soil sampling was followed by pH measurements conducted in November 2021 and 2022. In Fall 2021 only the treatment of powdered lime incorporated using tillage increased the soil to the pH target of 6.5 for the 0-15 cm depth. By Fall 2022 soil sampling, pH analyses showed that all lime treatments were effectively ameliorating the low pH soils. Further study investigated spatial variability of soil pH on the study fields, the most practical sampling density for accurate pH maps was shown to be 1 sample spot per 0.8 hectares. After this study, data was gathered on the incorporation methods and lime forms. It was determined all treatments sufficiently raised the pH to an acceptable level for crop growth, after two years. Furthermore, the assessment on pH variability was vital to understanding how variable soil pH can be in a field.

Species recovery plans benefit from a complete understanding of an organism’s biology. The Poweshiek skipperling, Oarisma poweshiek (Parker) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), is an endangered butterfly native to tallgrass prairies in North America. Following rapid, range-wide population crashes, Poweshiek are now reared ex situ in Manitoba, Canada to augment the remaining wild population. Although this species has been the focus of research since their “Endangered” listing in 2014, there are knowledge gaps regarding Poweshiek skipperling life history. I measured head capsule widths of larvae of two Poweshiek cohorts to determine the overwintering instar. I analysed six years of ex situ data to assess trends in the timing of flight period, degree day accumulations, and protandry. I estimated this species’ lower developmental threshold using dates for developmental milestones. Head capsule measurements showed that Poweshiek typically overwinter in the fourth instar. Peak flight period varied among years by up to three weeks, while degree day accumulations were similar between years. I found evidence that this species is protandrous. An information theoretical approach using Akaike Information Criterion was used to assess lower developmental thresholds. This approach indicated different lower developmental thresholds for larvae and pupae; the AICc scores also demonstrated that larvae enter winter dormancy at different stages of development. These findings will inform conservation decision-making and may allow for greater accuracy in predicting the adult flight period.

Species recovery plans benefit from a complete understanding of an organism’s biology. The Poweshiek skipperling, Oarisma poweshiek (Parker) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), is an endangered butterfly native to tallgrass prairies in North America. Following rapid, range-wide population crashes, Poweshiek are now reared ex situ in Manitoba, Canada to augment the remaining wild population. Although this species has been the focus of research since their “Endangered” listing in 2014, there are knowledge gaps regarding Poweshiek skipperling life history. I measured head capsule widths of larvae of two Poweshiek cohorts to determine the overwintering instar. I analysed six years of ex situ data to assess trends in the timing of flight period, degree day accumulations, and protandry. I estimated this species’ lower developmental threshold using dates for developmental milestones. Head capsule measurements showed that Poweshiek typically overwinter in the fourth instar. Peak flight period varied among years by up to three weeks, while degree day accumulations were similar between years. I found evidence that this species is protandrous. An information theoretical approach using Akaike Information Criterion was used to assess lower developmental thresholds. This approach indicated different lower developmental thresholds for larvae and pupae; the AICc scores also demonstrated that larvae enter winter dormancy at different stages of development. These findings will inform conservation decision-making and may allow for greater accuracy in predicting the adult flight period.

The neurohormone oxytocin regulates many aspects of physiology primarily by binding to its receptor, the oxytocin receptor. The oxytocin receptor gene (Oxtr) has been shown to have alternative transcripts in the mouse brain which may each have different biological functions or be used in specific contexts. A popular animal model for studying oxytocin-dependent social behaviors is the prairie vole, a biparental and monogamous rodent. Alternative transcriptional capacity of Oxtr in prairie voles is unknown. We used 5 rapid amplification of cDNA ends to identify alternative Oxtr transcription start sites in prairie vole brain tissue and uterine tissue. We then validated expression of specific transcripts in fetal brains and assessed the impact of exogenous oxytocin administration in utero on offspring brain development. We identified seven distinct Oxtr transcripts, all of which are present in both brain and uterine tissue. We then demonstrated that maternal oxytocin administration alters expression of a specific subset of Oxtr transcripts and that these different transcripts are under unique epigenetic regulation, such that in the perinatal period only one of the alternative transcripts is associated with DNA methylation in the Oxtr promoter. These data establish the existence of multiple Oxtr transcripts in prairie vole brain and uterine tissue and implicate oxytocin in the regulation of alternative transcript expression. These data have significant implications for our understanding of null mutant models in both mice and voles and translation in human birth and behavior.

Creating xeric landscapes in lawns and prairies is a significant challenge and practical need in arid urban environments. This study examined the drought resistance of some C4 grass species for constructing urban lawns and prairies. A factorial experiment based on randomized complete block designs with four replications was conducted. Experimental treatments were two irrigation levels (100% and 50% Field Capacity (FC)) and five warm-season grass species (Andropogon gerardii Vitman, Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash, Panicum virgatum L., Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash, and Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.). The effects of drought on physiological, morphological, and qualitative characteristics of the grass species were analyzed. Drought conditions induced a decrease in all the measured traits. However, fewer physiological, morphological, and qualitative characteristics were affected by drought stress on Andropogon gerardii, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Bouteloua curtipendula, compared to the other two species. Overall, warm-season grasses of Andropogon gerardii, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Bouteloua curtipendula, had greater adaptability to drought stress, making them promising C4 grass species for prairie or lawn landscaping in arid urban environments. Landscape professionals and decision-makers should consider using Andropogon gerardii, Schizachyrium scoparium, and Bouteloua curtipendula, as these were the most resilient grass species for drought-tolerant prairie landscaping schemes. Sorghastrum nutans and Panicum virgatum may be used as a second priority if a more diverse variety of grasses is required for drought-resilient prairie or lawn landscaping in arid cities.

Prairie voles are among a small group of mammals that display long-term social attachment between mating partners. Many pharmacological studies show that signaling via the oxytocin receptor (Oxtr) is critical for the display of social monogamy in these animals. We used CRISPR mutagenesis to generate three different Oxtr-null mutant prairie vole lines. Oxtr mutants displayed social attachment such that males and females showed a behavioral preference for their mating partners over a stranger of the opposite sex, even when assayed using different experimental setups. Mothers lacking Oxtr delivered viable pups, and parents displayed care for their young and raised them to the weanling stage. Together, our studies unexpectedly reveal that social attachment, parturition, and parental behavior can occur in the absence of Oxtr signaling in prairie voles.

Cesarean delivery is associated with diminished plasma levels of several birth-signaling hormones, such as oxytocin and vasopressin. These same hormones have been previously shown to exert organizational effects when acting in early life. For example, our previous work found a broadly gregarious phenotype in prairie voles exposed to oxytocin at birth. Meanwhile, cesarean delivery has been previously associated with changes in social behavior and metabolic processes related to oxytocin and vasopressin. In the present study, we investigated the long-term neurodevelopmental consequences of cesarean delivery in prairie voles. After cross-fostering, vole pups delivered either via cesarean or vaginal delivery were studied throughout development. Cesarean-delivered pups responded to isolation differently in terms of their vocalizations (albeit in opposite directions in the two experiments), huddled in less cohesive groups under warmed conditions, and shed less heat. As young adults, we observed no differences in anxiety-like or alloparental behavior. However, in adulthood, cesarean-delivered voles of both sexes failed to form partner preferences with opposite sex conspecifics. In a follow-up study, we replicated this deficit in partner-preference formation among cesarean-delivered voles and were able to normalize pair-bonding behavior by treating cesarean-delivered vole pups with oxytocin (0.25 mg/kg) at delivery. Finally, we detected minor differences in regional oxytocin receptor expression within the brains of cesarean-delivered voles, as well as microbial composition of the gut. Gene expression changes in the gut epithelium indicated that cesarean-delivered male voles have altered gut development. These results speak to the possibility of unintended developmental consequences of cesarean delivery, which currently accounts for 32.9 % of deliveries in the U.S. and suggest that further research should be directed at whether hormone replacement at delivery influe

Birth is a critical period for the developing brain, a time when surging hormone levels help prepare the fetal brain for the tremendous physiological changes it must accomplish upon entry into the extrauterine world. A number of obstetrical conditions warrant manipulations of these hormones at the time of birth, but we know little of their possible consequences on the developing brain. One of the most notable birth signaling hormones is oxytocin, which is administered to roughly 50% of laboring women in the United States prior to / during delivery. Previously, we found evidence for behavioral, epigenetic, and neuroendocrine consequences in adult prairie vole offspring following maternal oxytocin treatment immediately prior to birth. Here, we examined the neurodevelopmental consequences in adult prairie vole offspring following maternal oxytocin treatment prior to birth. Control prairie voles and those exposed to 0.25 mg/kg oxytocin were scanned as adults using anatomical and functional MRI, with neuroanatomy and brain function analyzed as voxel-based morphometry and resting state functional connectivity, respectively. Overall, anatomical differences brought on by oxytocin treatment, while widespread, were generally small, while differences in functional connectivity, particularly among oxytocin-exposed males, were larger. Analyses of functional connectivity based in graph theory revealed that oxytocin-exposed males in particular showed markedly increased connectivity throughout the brain and across several parameters, including closeness and degree. These results are interpreted in the context of the organizational effects of oxytocin exposure in early life and these findings add to a growing literature on how the perinatal brain is sensitive to hormonal manipulations at birth.

In mammals, sleep duration is highest in the early postnatal period of life and is critical for shaping neural circuits that control the development of complex behaviors. The prairie vole is a wild, highly social rodent that serves as a unique model for the study of complex, species-typical social behaviors. Previous work in our laboratory has found that early life sleep disruption (ELSD) in prairie voles during a sensitive window of postnatal development leads to long lasting changes in social and cognitive behaviors as well as structural changes in excitatory and inhibitory neural circuits in the brain. However, it is currently unknown how later sleep is impacted by ELSD, both shortly after ELSD and over the long term. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the effects of ELSD on later life sleep, compared to sleep in normally developing prairie voles. First, we conducted tethered electroencephalogram/electromyogram (EEG/EMG) recordings in juvenile prairie voles undergoing ELSD, compared to Control conditions. Second, we conducted 24 h of home cage tethered EEG/EMG recordings in either adolescent or adult male and female prairie voles that had previously undergone ELSD or Control conditions as juveniles. We found that, as adults, male ELSD prairie voles showed persistently lower REM sleep duration and female ELSD prairie voles showed persistently higher NREM sleep duration compared to Controls, but no other sleep parameters differed. We concluded that 1) persistent effects of ELSD on sleep into adulthood may contribute to the social and cognitive deficits observed in adult voles, and 2) sleep disruption early in life can influence later sleep patterns in adulthood.

Recently, optimization problems have been revised in many domains, and they need powerful search methods to address them. In this paper, a novel hybrid optimization algorithm is proposed to solve various benchmark functions, which is called IPDOA. The proposed method is based on enhancing the search process of the Prairie Dog Optimization Algorithm (PDOA) by using the primary updating mechanism of the Dwarf Mongoose Optimization Algorithm (DMOA). The main aim of the proposed IPDOA is to avoid the main weaknesses of the original methods; these weaknesses are poor convergence ability, the imbalance between the search process, and premature convergence. Experiments are conducted on 23 standard benchmark functions, and the results are compared with similar methods from the literature. The results are recorded in terms of the best, worst, and average fitness function, showing that the proposed method is more vital to deal with various problems than other methods.

Although it is known that prairie dog colonies can increase biodiversity in the areas surrounding them, there is extraordinarily little known about the relationship between bats and black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). In a recent study from the Front Range of Colorado, several bat species were found to be consistently flying around prairie dog colonies, presumably foraging due to increased insect diversity and abundance. Despite the importance of prairie dogs to the ecosystem, prairie dog colonies are usually eradicated due to the perception that they adversely impact cattle grazing. If insectivorous bats are attracted to prairie dog colonies in Kansas, it would add to the list of ecosystem services provided by prairie dogs. We conducted acoustic bat surveys, attempted to confirm acoustic detections with mist netting, and sampled insects within and adjacent to prairie dog colonies. We also used new radio tracking technologies to closely monitor bat use of prairie dog colonies. We anticipated that bats, including Western small-footed myotis, would be more active over prairie dog colonies compared to the surrounding grasslands without prairie dog colonies. Our findings support part of this prediction. Significantly more bat calls were recorded over prairie dog colonies compared to non-prairie dog colonies. However, there was no significant difference in Western-small footed myotis calls on or off prairie dog colonies. There was no significant difference between the insect biomass on prairie dog colonies and non-prairie dog areas. Since there is not enough data to support the hypothesis that prairie dog colonies have more insect biomass than non-prairie dog areas, it leaves a gap in knowledge and creates potential areas for further research to be conducted. This study highlights the important ecological relationship between prairie dogs and bats and suggests that higher presence of bats on prairie dog colonies could lead to economic benefits t

Network resiliency is foundational for the economic well-being of the agricultural industry in the Canadian Prairie Region (CPR) due to the agricultural sector relying so heavily on the rural road network. This research develops and applies an integrated modelling approach to estimate grain truck activity in the CPR. The modelling approach integrates methodologies from the truck traffic monitoring and freight demand modelling fields to establish sector-specific activity patterns. The approach consists of a 3-step commodity model, the Grain Tonnage Demand (GTD) model, which is then converted to the Hopper Bottom Truck Demand (HBTD) model using truck body type data. The results of the HBTD are then compared to those obtained using the Hopper Bottom Truck Traffic (HBTT) model, which is independently developed from truck traffic monitoring data. The comparison of the HBTD and HBTT results considers the truck kilometres travelled (TKT) by hopper bottom trucks normalized by network distance, focusing on activity in southwestern Manitoba. This research found the HBTD model to underestimate the HBTT model by 39 percent. Since neither model can be considered as ground truth, the difference should not be interpreted as an error, but rather as a way to assess the relative strengths and limitations of the different modelling approaches. For the HBTD model, these limitations relate to challenges in modelling grain activity in urban areas, the exclusion of dump trucks from the model, an inability to include all segments of the grain supply chain, trip assignment assumptions, and the limited number of commodities considered. Likewise, for the HBTT model, limitations relate to data collection approaches, sampling methods, data processing techniques, the assignment of counts to the network, and the assumption that all hopper bottom trucks carry grain. Further integration of the approaches and resolution of the limitations could yield better agreement in the future.

For decades, climate scientists and activists have warned us of the ever-growing threat of global warming and the urgent need for climate commitments from elected representatives. In response to the constant exposure to environmental catastrophes, experiences of distress and concern for the environment are rising, particularly among young adults. Meanwhile, industrial agricultural systems are increasingly understood as contributing to environmental degradation, inciting many to explore alternative food systems for their potential to secure the food supply while contributing to ecological health. My research is situated at the intersection of food and climate distress, where I explore why and how alternative food practices are adopted by young adults, and how these practices interact with their climate distress. I conducted interviews with 20 young adults in cities in the Southeastern Prairie Region of Canada who have an alternative food practice (e.g. gardening, canning, foraging, dumpster diving, participating in local food organizations, etc.) that is influenced by their climate distress. I found that for participants, the food domain constitutes a critical and accessible area of climate action. Negotiated using personal and relational enablers, and against systemic barriers, participants’ food practice is reconfigured by the incorporation of alternative materials, meanings, and competencies. The main motivations for alternative food practices identified by participants include contributing to socio-ecological well-being and transformation towards climate futures and reaping benefits to personal well-being. In turn, the ability to contribute to ecological health, paired with a conscientious framing of their individual agency, allows participants to manage their climate distress and sustain their alternative food practices over time. A practice-theoretical approach reveals the ways in which alternative food practices embody meanings and food realities distinct from

Network resiliency is foundational for the economic well-being of the agricultural industry in the Canadian Prairie Region (CPR) due to the agricultural sector relying so heavily on the rural road network. This research develops and applies an integrated modelling approach to estimate grain truck activity in the CPR. The modelling approach integrates methodologies from the truck traffic monitoring and freight demand modelling fields to establish sector-specific activity patterns. The approach consists of a 3-step commodity model, the Grain Tonnage Demand (GTD) model, which is then converted to the Hopper Bottom Truck Demand (HBTD) model using truck body type data. The results of the HBTD are then compared to those obtained using the Hopper Bottom Truck Traffic (HBTT) model, which is independently developed from truck traffic monitoring data. The comparison of the HBTD and HBTT results considers the truck kilometres travelled (TKT) by hopper bottom trucks normalized by network distance, focusing on activity in southwestern Manitoba. This research found the HBTD model to underestimate the HBTT model by 39 percent. Since neither model can be considered as ground truth, the difference should not be interpreted as an error, but rather as a way to assess the relative strengths and limitations of the different modelling approaches. For the HBTD model, these limitations relate to challenges in modelling grain activity in urban areas, the exclusion of dump trucks from the model, an inability to include all segments of the grain supply chain, trip assignment assumptions, and the limited number of commodities considered. Likewise, for the HBTT model, limitations relate to data collection approaches, sampling methods, data processing techniques, the assignment of counts to the network, and the assumption that all hopper bottom trucks carry grain. Further integration of the approaches and resolution of the limitations could yield better agreement in the future.

For decades, climate scientists and activists have warned us of the ever-growing threat of global warming and the urgent need for climate commitments from elected representatives. In response to the constant exposure to environmental catastrophes, experiences of distress and concern for the environment are rising, particularly among young adults. Meanwhile, industrial agricultural systems are increasingly understood as contributing to environmental degradation, inciting many to explore alternative food systems for their potential to secure the food supply while contributing to ecological health. My research is situated at the intersection of food and climate distress, where I explore why and how alternative food practices are adopted by young adults, and how these practices interact with their climate distress. I conducted interviews with 20 young adults in cities in the Southeastern Prairie Region of Canada who have an alternative food practice (e.g. gardening, canning, foraging, dumpster diving, participating in local food organizations, etc.) that is influenced by their climate distress. I found that for participants, the food domain constitutes a critical and accessible area of climate action. Negotiated using personal and relational enablers, and against systemic barriers, participants’ food practice is reconfigured by the incorporation of alternative materials, meanings, and competencies. The main motivations for alternative food practices identified by participants include contributing to socio-ecological well-being and transformation towards climate futures and reaping benefits to personal well-being. In turn, the ability to contribute to ecological health, paired with a conscientious framing of their individual agency, allows participants to manage their climate distress and sustain their alternative food practices over time. A practice-theoretical approach reveals the ways in which alternative food practices embody meanings and food realities distinct from

For decades, climate scientists and activists have warned us of the ever-growing threat of global warming and the urgent need for climate commitments from elected representatives. In response to the constant exposure to environmental catastrophes, experiences of distress and concern for the environment are rising, particularly among young adults. Meanwhile, industrial agricultural systems are increasingly understood as contributing to environmental degradation, inciting many to explore alternative food systems for their potential to secure the food supply while contributing to ecological health. My research is situated at the intersection of food and climate distress, where I explore why and how alternative food practices are adopted by young adults, and how these practices interact with their climate distress. I conducted interviews with 20 young adults in cities in the Southeastern Prairie Region of Canada who have an alternative food practice (e.g. gardening, canning, foraging, dumpster diving, participating in local food organizations, etc.) that is influenced by their climate distress. I found that for participants, the food domain constitutes a critical and accessible area of climate action. Negotiated using personal and relational enablers, and against systemic barriers, participants’ food practice is reconfigured by the incorporation of alternative materials, meanings, and competencies. The main motivations for alternative food practices identified by participants include contributing to socio-ecological well-being and transformation towards climate futures and reaping benefits to personal well-being. In turn, the ability to contribute to ecological health, paired with a conscientious framing of their individual agency, allows participants to manage their climate distress and sustain their alternative food practices over time. A practice-theoretical approach reveals the ways in which alternative food practices embody meanings and food realities distinct from

The tallgrass prairie of Manitoba is among the most endangered ecosystems in the world. Rapid settlement in the prairies around the turn of the twentieth century led to an influx of agricultural development, setting forth a chain of events that would eventually see the near-total destruction of this once vast ecosystem. Today less than 1% of Manitoba’s native tallgrass prairie remains. How can we restore and protect this critically endangered ecosystem? To combat the destruction of the tallgrass prairie, this practicum traces the history of burials in the western world to propose a new cemetery development and management model to restore and protect this endangered ecosystem. This new model utilizes natural burial practices to establish a new eco-centric cemetery landscape in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to adapt to our society’s increased ecologically conscious sensibility. Because Canada has burial rights in perpetuity, this cemetery allows those interred within to take a stand and let everyone know that you can take this land over my dead body.

The tallgrass prairie of Manitoba is among the most endangered ecosystems in the world. Rapid settlement in the prairies around the turn of the twentieth century led to an influx of agricultural development, setting forth a chain of events that would eventually see the near-total destruction of this once vast ecosystem. Today less than 1% of Manitoba’s native tallgrass prairie remains. How can we restore and protect this critically endangered ecosystem? To combat the destruction of the tallgrass prairie, this practicum traces the history of burials in the western world to propose a new cemetery development and management model to restore and protect this endangered ecosystem. This new model utilizes natural burial practices to establish a new eco-centric cemetery landscape in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to adapt to our society’s increased ecologically conscious sensibility. Because Canada has burial rights in perpetuity, this cemetery allows those interred within to take a stand and let everyone know that you can take this land over my dead body.