Rainy River Community College

This study describes the implementation and effects of a 32-week teacher-led spatial reasoning intervention in K–2 classrooms. The intervention targeted spatial visualization skills as an integrated feature of regular mathematics instruction. Compared to an active control group, children in the spatial intervention demonstrated gains in spatial language, visual-spatial reasoning, 2D mental rotation, and symbolic number comparison. Overall, the findings highlight the potential significance of attending to and developing young children's spatial thinking as part of early mathematics instruction.

Parasites that primarily infect white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), such as liver flukes (Fascioloides magna) and meningeal worm (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis), can cause morbidity and mortality when incidentally infecting moose (Alces alces). Ecological factors are expected to influence spatial variation in infection risk by affecting the survival of free-living life stages outside the host and the abundance of intermediate gastropod hosts. Here, we investigate how ecology influenced the fine-scale distribution of these parasites in deer in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota. Deer pellet groups (N = 295) were sampled for the presence of P. tenuis larvae and F. magna eggs. We found that deer were significantly more likely to be infected with P. tenuis in habitats with less upland deciduous forest and more upland mixed conifer forest and shrub, a pattern that mirrored microhabitat differences in gastropod abundances. Deer were also more likely to be infected with F. magna in areas with more marshland, specifically rooted-floating aquatic marshes (RFAMs). The environment played a larger role than deer density in determining spatial patterns of infection for both parasites, highlighting the importance of considering ecological factors on all stages of a parasite's life cycle in order to understand its occurrence within the definitive host.

Transboundary movement of wildlife results in some of the most complicated and unresolved wildlife management issues across the globe. Depending on the location and managing agency, gray wolf ( Canis lupus ) management in the US ranges from preservation to limited hunting to population reduction. Most wildlife studies focus on population size and growth rate to inform management, but relatively few examine species biological processes at scales aside from that of the population. This is especially important for group‐living species such as the gray wolf, for which the breeding unit is the social group. We analyzed data for gray wolf packs living primarily within several US National Park Service units (years of data): Denali National Park and Preserve (33 years), Grand Teton National Park (23 years), Voyageurs National Park (12 years), Yellowstone National Park (27 years), and Yukon‐Charley Rivers National Preserve (23 years). We identified two gray wolf biological processes that differed from population size – namely, pack persistence and reproduction – and determined that while human‐caused mortality had negative effects on both, pack size had a moderating effect on the impacts of mortality.

Canada yew (Taxus canadensis Marsh.) is a shade-tolerant evergreen shrub native to the understories of the boreal and deciduous forests of northeastern North America. Canada yew has a relatively unique growth form, with low sprawling branches capable of forming dense clusters of stems. Historic accounts suggest that before Euro-American settlement, Canada yew was a common plant across its range in many forest types and that it was locally abundant or dominant in 5%–20% of forest stands in the northern part of its range. Canada yew’s range has declined during the last century as a result of browsing by native ungulates, fire, intensive forest management, and clearing of land for agriculture and other development. It is considered uncommon throughout most of its present North American range, except for often isolated populations in areas that remain free from heavy browsing pressure by moose and deer (e.g., islands, areas with heavy snow cover, or areas naturally low in ungulate abundance). Its decline has likely resulted in changes to abiotic and biotic conditions, including structure and composition of understory vegetation and concomitant effects on understory vertebrates. Increasing white-tailed deer populations and reduced snowfall as a result of climate change in eastern North America threaten to extirpate this species from additional parts of its range in the next century. Suggestions for future research are discussed.

Tail‐mounted transmitters have been used successfully in temperate regions of North America and Europe but have not been tested in more northern parts of American beaver Castor canadensis range. We deployed 63 tail‐mounted transmitters on adult beavers in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota (USA; 48°30′N, 92°50′W), at the southern edge of the boreal forest. Mean transmitter retention time was 133 days (range = 18–401, SD = 101), with only 7% retained > 12 months. Males and females did not differ in retention times. Retention time was similar for transmitters deployed in fall (n = 38, = 135 days) and spring (n = 21, = 130 days). In 24 cases where we confirmed beavers lost transmitters, 63% tore through the side of the tail, 25% pulled out through a widened attachment hole, and 13% had the lock‐nut unscrew. Beavers chewed off or pulled out whip antennas on 50% of transmitters before they were detached from the tail, which reduced VHF signal strength and detection distance. The likelihood that an antenna would be damaged increased 3.8 times for each day of deployment up to 371 days. On average, beavers with transmitters lost 23% of their body mass and 26% of tail thickness over winter, and regained similar percentages over the growing season. Retention rates and retention times of tail transmitters were much lower in Voyageurs National Park relative to more southern areas in the United States where intra‐annual variability in body condition is considerably less. Our results reaffirm that methodologies developed for wildlife telemetry or other research and monitoring techniques should be tested under different environmental conditions to ensure objectives can be met in a safe and efficient manner.

Abstract Threatened species are managed using diverse conservation tactics implemented at multiple scales ranging from protecting individuals, to populations, to entire species. Individual protection strives to promote recovery at the population‐ or species‐level, although this is seldom evaluated. After decades of widespread declines, bald eagles, Haliaeetus leucocephalus , are recovering throughout their range due to legal protection and pesticide bans. However, like other raptors, their recovery remains threatened by human activities. Bald eagle nests are commonly managed using buffer zones to minimize human disturbance, but the benefits of this practice remain unquantified. Within Voyageurs National Park ( VNP ), Minnesota, USA, managers have monitored bald eagle populations for over 40 years, and since 1991, have protected at‐risk nests from human disturbance using buffer zones (200 and 400 m radius). We aimed to (1) quantify the recovery of bald eagles in VNP (1973–2016), and (2) provide a first‐ever evaluation of the individual‐ and population‐level effects of managing individual nests. To do so, we developed Bayesian Integrated Population Models combining observations of nest occupancy and reproductive output (metrics commonly collected for raptors) to estimate nest‐level probabilities of occupancy, nest success, and high productivity (producing ≥2 nestlings), as well as population‐level estimates of abundance and growth. The breeding population of bald eagles at VNP increased steadily from <10 pairs in the late 1970s to 48 pairs by 2016. At the nest‐level, management significantly improved occupancy and success. At the population‐level, management led to 8% and 13% increases in nest success and productivity rates, respectively, resulting in a 37% increase in breeding pair abundance. Synthesis and applications . There is a clear need to evaluate how management approaches at multiple scales assist in species recovery. Our study uses an Integrated Population Model to reveal the population‐level benefits of a widely used, individual‐based management action (protecting nests using buffer zones) on a recovering raptor.

Humans are increasingly recognized as important players in predator-prey dynamics by modifying landscapes. This trend has been well-documented for large mammal communities in North American boreal forests: logging creates early seral forests that benefit ungulates such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), while the combination of infrastructure development and resource extraction practices generate linear features that allow predators such as wolves (Canis lupus) to travel and forage more efficiently throughout the landscape. Disturbances from recreational activities and residential development are other major sources of human activity in boreal ecosystems that may further alter wolf-ungulate dynamics. Here, we evaluate the influence that several major types of anthropogenic landscape modifications (timber harvest, linear features, and residential infrastructure) have on where and how wolves hunt ungulate neonates in a southern boreal forest ecosystem in Minnesota, USA. We demonstrate that each major anthropogenic disturbance significantly influences wolf predation of white-tailed deer fawns (n = 427 kill sites). In contrast with the "human shield hypothesis" that posits prey use human-modified areas as refuge, wolves killed fawns closer to residential buildings than expected based on spatial availability. Fawns were also killed within recently-logged areas more than expected. Concealment cover was higher at kill sites than random sites, suggesting wolves use senses other than vision, probably olfaction, to detect hidden fawns. Wolves showed strong selection for hunting along linear features, and kill sites were also closer to linear features than expected. We hypothesize that linear features facilitated wolf predation on fawns by allowing wolves to travel efficiently among high-quality prey patches (recently logged areas, near buildings), and also increase encounter rates with olfactory cues that allow them to detect hidden fawns. These findings provide novel insight into the strategies predators use to hunt ungulate neonates and the many ways human activity alters wolf-ungulate neonate predator-prey dynamics, which have remained elusive due to the challenges of locating sites where predators kill small prey. Our research has important management and conservation implications for wolf-ungulate systems subjected to anthropogenic pressures, particularly as the range of overlap between wolves and deer expands and appears to be altering food web dynamics in boreal ecosystems.

ABSTRACT Water‐level management is widespread and illustrates how contemporary climate can interact directly and indirectly with numerous biological and abiotic factors to influence reproductive success of wildlife species. We studied common loons, an iconic waterbird sensitive to timing and magnitude of water‐level changes during the breeding season, using a before‐after‐control‐impact design on large lakes in Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota, USA), to assess the effect of anthropogenic changes in hydroregime on their nesting success and productivity. We examined multiple competing a priori hypotheses in an information‐theoretic framework, and predicted that magnitude of changes in loon productivity would be greater in the Namakan Reservoir, where water‐level management was altered to mimic a more natural hydroregime, than in Rainy Lake, where management remained relatively unchanged. We determined outcomes from 278 nests during 2004–2006 by performing boat‐based visits every 3–5 days, and measuring hydrologic, vegetative, and microtopographic covariates. Relative to comparably collected data for 260 total loon pairs during 1983–1986, productivity (chicks hatched/territorial pair) increased 95% in the Namakan Reservoir between the 2 time periods. Nest success declined in both lakes over the 2 study periods but less so in the Namakan Reservoir than in Rainy Lake. Flooding was a primary cause of nest failures (though second nests were less likely to flood). Nest predation appears to have increased considerably between the 2 study periods. Top‐ranked models suggested that timing of nest initiation, probability of nest flooding, probability of nest stranding, and probability of nest success were each related to 2–4 factors, including date of initiation, timing of initiation relative to peak water levels, changes in the elevation of the nest edge, maximum water‐level change between initiation and peak water levels, and maximum water‐level change between initiation and nest outcome. The top model for all variables except stranding each garnered ≥82% of total model weight. Results demonstrate that water‐level management can be altered to benefit productivity of common loons. However, nuanced interactions between land‐use change, invasive species, human development, recreation, climate change, and recovery of top predators may often complicate both management decisions and interpretation of water‐level impacts on wildlife. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.

ABSTRACT The purpose of the current pilot study was to examine the effects of a teacher‐designed and teacher‐led numerical board game intervention. Fifty‐four 4‐ to 6‐year‐olds were randomly assigned to either the number board game intervention or an active control group. Relative to the control group, children who received the number game intervention demonstrated significant improvements on a numeral identification task. This finding is significant in so far as numeral identification skills play a critical role in more advanced numerical and mathematical reasoning. There was no evidence of training‐related improvements on any of the other tasks. In addition to the intervention effects, the present study provides an example of a successful teacher‐researcher collaboration, providing new insights into the making of bidirectional relations between research and practice.

One key assumption often inferred with using radio‐equipped individuals is that the transmitter has no effect on the metric of interest. To evaluate this assumption, we used a known fate model to assess the effect of transmitter type (i.e. tail‐mounted or peritoneal implant) on short‐term (one year) survival and a joint live—dead recovery model and results from a mark—recapture study to compare long‐term (eight years) survival and body condition of ear‐tagged only American beavers Castor canadensis to those equipped with radio transmitters in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, USA. Short‐term (1‐year) survival was not influenced by transmitter type ( w i = 0.64). Over the 8‐year study period, annual survival was similar between transmitter‐equipped beavers (tail‐mounted and implant transmitters combined; 0.76; 95% CI = 0.45–0.91) versus ear‐tagged only (0.78; 95% CI = 0.45–0.93). Additionally, we found no difference in weight gain (t 9 = 0.25, p = 0.80) or tail area ( t 11 = 1.25, p = 0.24) from spring to summer between the two groups. In contrast, winter weight loss (t 22 = ‐ 2.03, p = 0.05) and tail area decrease ( t 30 = ‐ 3.04, p = 0.01) was greater for transmitterequipped (weight = ‐ 3.09 kg, SE = 0.55; tail area = ‐ 33.71 cm 2 , SE = 4.80) than ear‐tagged only (weight = ‐ 1.80 kg, SE = 0.33; tail area = ‐ 12.38 cm 2 , SE = 5.13) beavers. Our results generally support the continued use of transmitters on beavers for estimating demographic parameters, although we recommend additional assessments of transmitter effects under different environmental conditions.

The Aquatic Chemistry Spreadsheet was produced to help students work through the activities of producing a graph of a titration curve, a distribution diagram, and buffer intensity as a function of pH. These activities help students better understand acid–base equilibrium by exploring the relationship between pKa/pKb, pH, ionization fractions, and buffer intensity.

Abstract Solid set sprinkler irrigation with 3 mm/hour application rate was compared to flood irrigation in a clay soil and to furrow irrigation in a sandy clay loam. Equivalent volumes of water removed greater quantities of salt from the soil profile under sprinklers in the clay soil. Surface salt accumulation was greater under furrow irrigation in the sandy clay loam. Emergence and early growth rates of five field crops were equal or better under sprinkling in the clay soil. Early growth rates of 10 vegetable crops were equal or greater under sprinklers on the sandy clay loam. Final yields indicate the sprinkler irrigation will require more frequent applications than the surface systems. Sprinkler irrigation was shown to have a higher water use efficiency than the surface systems. A change in bed conformity made possible by sprinkling greatly increased the yield potential of vegetable crops.

Abstract One of the most common and ubiquitous methods to age mammals is by counting the cementum annuli in molars, premolars, incisors, or canines. Despite the ubiquity and perceived simplicity of the method, cementum annuli analysis can be time‐consuming, expensive, inaccurate, and imprecise, and require specialized equipment. Using beavers ( Castor canadensis ) as a test species, we developed a straightforward method to age mammals that requires little specialized equipment. The method consists of: (1) digitizing longitudinally sectioned teeth and measuring the proportion of tooth surface area comprised of cementum (“proportion cementum”), (2) evaluating the relationship between proportion cementum and specimen age (determined from either known‐age samples or cementum annuli analysis), and (3) using the modeled relationship to estimate the age of other individuals based solely on proportion cementum. The relationship between proportion cementum and age was strongly correlated ( R 2 = .97–.98 depending on observer), similar between observers, and similar between known‐age specimens and those aged via cementum annuli analysis. Using this proportion cementum method, two independent observers accurately predicted the age of 80%–84% of specimens within 0.5 year and 96%–98% within 1 year. We suggest this aging method will likely work with most mammal species given the relatively consistent deposition of cementum throughout mammals' lives and has promise to be a simple and quick alternative to cementum annuli analysis regardless of whether one develops proportion cementum models using known‐age specimens or those aged via alternative methods.

This study investigated differences in student responses to drawing tasks varying in content choice freedom (CCF). Participants consisted of 28 (3 males and 25 females) post-Baccalaureate education students attending a Midwestern university. Significant differences were found in reported engagement t(27) = -5.18, p < .0005, reported efficacy t(27) = -4.28, p < .0005, and unconscious engagement t(27) = -8.14, p < .0005. Internal validity was supported by this triangulated study through analysis of data resulting from questionnaires developed to measure reported engagement and efficacy, unconscious engagement hypothesized from resulting drawings, and six random interviews. As CCF increased, the origin of the image seemed to become increasingly internal and the subjects' judgmental attitude toward their resulting drawings decreased.

Abstract Cyanotoxins such as microcystin (MC), cylindrospermopsin, and saxitoxin are secondary metabolites that are rich in nitrogen (N). Most cyanobacteria grow best on reduced inorganic N (ammonium, NH 4 ), but when NH 4 is absent, cyanobacteria can activate physiological pathways to process other N forms (e.g., nitrate; NO 3 ). Studies on some cyanobacterial cultures have indicated that expression of N stress response genes is associated with MC gene expression. If accurate, NH 4 additions could reduce N stress and therefore cyanotoxin production. Lakes experiencing changes in N form and supply could thus experience changes in cyanobacterial toxicity independent of shifts in abundance. We performed nutrient amendments on phytoplankton communities from Kabetogama Lake (Minnesota, United States) over 2 years (four experiments total), to assess the role of N and phosphorus amendments on growth and toxicity of phytoplankton. Natural communities were collected during cyanobacterial blooms and exposed to short laboratory experiments with amendments of NH 4 , NO 3 , orthophosphate, or a combination of all three. In three of four experiments, biomass responses were consistent with N‐limitation based on chlorophyll a or biovolume estimates. In experiments with evidence for N‐limited growth, MC gene expression was lower in NH 4 treatments than in the control in 2021 but higher than in the control in 2022. The proportion of heterocytes (specialized cells for N fixation) was positively correlated with MC gene expression. These experiments reinforce the strong connection between N physiology and MC gene expression, but variation in taxonomic composition within genera or even species remains a possible cause of inconsistency in whole‐community responses.

ABSTRACT Maintaining subsistence species on hunting lands is essential to the food security and cultural preservation/flourishing of Indigenous peoples that rely on traditional foods. In northern North America, moose play a central role in subsistence, cultural, and stewardship practices but are declining in many parts of their range. Moose ( Alces alces ) in Minnesota are a threatened population that is integral to the lifeways of the Lake Superior Chippewa. This study, led by the Grand Portage Band, examines the shifting causes of adult moose mortality between 2010 and 2022 on the Grand Portage Indian Reservation and Voyageurs National Park. These efforts, rooted in principles of Indigenous sovereignty and co‐stewardship, seek to sustain this vital species on ancestral lands. We observed that the relative importance of mortality causes varied over time, with Parelaphostrongylus tenuis and other health‐related factors driving mortality during the initial decline period (2010–2014), while predation became a leading cause of mortality and quadrupled in probability during the stabilization period (2015–2022). Using a Bayesian framework, we integrated multiple contributing factors to accurately estimate cause‐specific mortality probabilities and survival rates. The findings underscore the necessity for adaptive management strategies that address both parasitism and predation pressures to recover moose populations to pre‐decline levels. Moreover, this study exemplifies how a long‐term, Indigenous‐led wildlife collaring and monitoring program is critical to capturing these dynamics and supporting the Grand Portage Band's ongoing stewardship. This research advances our understanding of moose mortality in a vulnerable population and reinforces the importance of Indigenous leadership in wildlife management and scientific co‐production. By integrating traditional ecological knowledge found in Tribal‐governmental planning documents with contemporary science led by their Natural Resources Management department, the Grand Portage Band is ensuring that moose remain a resilient and enduring part of their cultural and subsistence practices, thus contributing to the broader framework of Indigenous co‐stewardship.

ABSTRACT Well abandonment operations present significant technical challenges, particularly when conventional intervention methods are unfeasible due to well integrity failures. In the case of Well-YX, operated by one of our customers in Oman, an integrity issue (Code 9) rendered the well inaccessible, with severe casing damage and an unidentified fish left in hole. The high risk associated with direct intervention led to the decision to drill a relief well targeting the lower section of the original wellbore through a complex sidetrack. Initial plans involved milling through the 7" liner; however, the operation was unsuccessful. As an alternative, the team designed a novel approach to perforate the target well from outside the casing via the open hole section of the relief well. This methodology required a set of highly integrated solutions that addressed key challenges including: Ensuring penetration through both sides of the 7" casing,Creating sufficient entrance hole diameter to allow effective cement placement,Adapting to high dogleg severity and large borehole clearances,Utilizing only equipment available within the country. Extensive coupon testing using 26-gram GH charges validated the required performance envelope. However, a 4.5" dummy gun run encountered a hold-up just 80 meters after running it inside the open hole. Multiple attempts to reach the desired depth failed, leading for further simulation modeling that demonstrated a successful push could be achieved using four heavy drill collar joints. A detailed phasing model was developed, highlighting the risk of missing the 7" casing entirely when using standard 60° phasing. This operation required out-of-the-box thinking and the integration of mechanical, modeling, and operational expertise to overcome unforeseen downhole conditions. The solution succeeded in perforating the casing from the relief well, allowing for the secure isolation and abandonment of the original well. In summary, this paper presents the innovative methodology, simulations, and execution strategy that helped achieve 20 shots on 7" casing in best case that enabled the successful abandonment of an inaccessible well using high-risk perforation techniques from a relief well, under extreme operational constraints.