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Title: Baptismal records in the study of the illegal Havana slave trade, 1821-1843
Creator: Barsom, Andrew George
Date: 2017
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: This thesis describes a dataset drawn from the baptismal registers of four Havana-area churches. Baptism entries date from between 1821 and 1843 and include the baptisms of 7,181 Africans. The goal of creating this thesis is to understand more precisely the demographics of the illegal slave trade, which carried hundreds of thousands of Africans to Cuba over the course of the nineteenth century. It includes data on the age, sex, ethnicity, origin, and legal status of these Africans. Results...
Show moreThis thesis describes a dataset drawn from the baptismal registers of four Havana-area churches. Baptism entries date from between 1821 and 1843 and include the baptisms of 7,181 Africans. The goal of creating this thesis is to understand more precisely the demographics of the illegal slave trade, which carried hundreds of thousands of Africans to Cuba over the course of the nineteenth century. It includes data on the age, sex, ethnicity, origin, and legal status of these Africans. Results are then compared to other sources of data on Africans trafficked to Havana during this period and the implications are discussed. -- Abstract.
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Title: The impact of expiratory muscle strength training on vocal fatigue
Creator: Burtka, Rachel
Date: 2018
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: "Vocal fatigue is a recurring problem, particularly prevalent within females when speaking for long periods of time for their professions. This increased risk of vocal fatigue in females seems to have connection to speech breathing and breath support, possibly because of the smaller lung capacity that females typically have when compared to males along with other physiological differences. Due to this possible connection, the following research question was presented: Will strengthening the...
Show more"Vocal fatigue is a recurring problem, particularly prevalent within females when speaking for long periods of time for their professions. This increased risk of vocal fatigue in females seems to have connection to speech breathing and breath support, possibly because of the smaller lung capacity that females typically have when compared to males along with other physiological differences. Due to this possible connection, the following research question was presented: Will strengthening the pulmonary system show a decrease in the occurrence of vocal fatigue? It was hypothesized that after expiratory training exercises, vocal fatigue rate will be reduced within female participants. In addition, it was hypothesized that the breathing training could serve as a preventative measure in vocal fatigue with continued use. To test this hypothesis, data was collected from ten women of a shorter than average body height and weight range to enhance the possible smaller lung effect. The participants completed a preliminary data collection, a month-long breathing intervention with an expiratory muscle strength training device, and a post intervention data collection. Results indicated that both participant self-perceived vocal fatigue rating decreased and standard deviation of fundamental frequency increased after intervention. These results can indicate a trend of decreased vocal fatigue symptoms within participants after use with an expiratory muscle strength trainer."--Page ii.
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Title: Barcoding, metabarcoding, and experimental analyses of community dynamics and environmental conditions affecting predation of larval lake sturgeon in the Black River, Michigan
Creator: Waraniak, Justin
Date: 2017
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: The larval stage of most fishes is characterized by high levels of mortality and is likely a bottleneck to recruitment for many populations. Predation is an important source of mortality for the larval stage of many fish species, and is a possible factor driving high mortality in some populations. Lake sturgeon are a species of conservation concern in the Great Lakes region, with many populations experiencing little to no natural recruitment and high mortality rates during the vulnerable egg...
Show moreThe larval stage of most fishes is characterized by high levels of mortality and is likely a bottleneck to recruitment for many populations. Predation is an important source of mortality for the larval stage of many fish species, and is a possible factor driving high mortality in some populations. Lake sturgeon are a species of conservation concern in the Great Lakes region, with many populations experiencing little to no natural recruitment and high mortality rates during the vulnerable egg and larval early life stages. Predation of larval lake sturgeon, and larval fishes generally, has been difficult to quantify with morphological diet analyses due to rapid digestion times in the gastrointestinal (GI) tracts of predators. This study developed and utilized alternative molecular genetic methods to detect larval lake sturgeon in the diets of predator fishes, as well as conducting an experiment to further examine findings of the molecular diet analysis. Sturgeon-specific barcoding analysis of the COI mtDNA region quantified the predation frequency predation of larval lake sturgeon and revealed increased abundance of alternative prey and abiotic factors that lowered visibility could reduce predation of larval lake sturgeon. Metabarcoding analysis of predator diets using universal 18S rRNA primers revealed seasonal dietary shifts of predators when larval lake sturgeon were present in the prey community compared to after lake sturgeon larvae were no longer available, but that lake sturgeon larvae made up a small portion of the overall diets of predator fishes. Experimental manipulations of relative prey abundance quantified how the prey community could affect predator preferences. This study exemplifies the utility and improved accuracy of molecular tools in detecting predation of larval fish and other soft-bodied prey compared to morphological analyses, as well as the importance of the biotic community and environmental factors influencing predation mortality in larval fishes.
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Title: Socio-economic context for participatory forest landscape restoration monitoring in Malawi
Creator: Tumeo, Tangu Isabel
Date: 2019
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Malawi aims to achieve 4.5 million hectares of restored landscapes by 2030. Using comprehensive approaches like Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR). Monitoring the progress of FLR is crucial for effective and efficient implementation with relevant information and feedback. Nonetheless, systems that encourage local participation in monitoring of FLR interventions are lacking. The study assesses the socio-economic context for sustainable and successful forest landscape restoration participatory...
Show moreMalawi aims to achieve 4.5 million hectares of restored landscapes by 2030. Using comprehensive approaches like Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR). Monitoring the progress of FLR is crucial for effective and efficient implementation with relevant information and feedback. Nonetheless, systems that encourage local participation in monitoring of FLR interventions are lacking. The study assesses the socio-economic context for sustainable and successful forest landscape restoration participatory monitoring. An understanding of this is part of creating an enabling environment for participatory monitoring in tracking the progress of the national forest landscape restoration strategy. Using Machinga district as a study site, evidence has been established for the consideration of socio-economic factors to encourage local participation in FLR monitoring. Participatory monitoring of FLR when designed to include local communities and adapted to diverse needs, opinions and conditions have the potential to complement highly technical monitoring of the National Forest Landscape Restoration Strategy. Therefore, to motivate local communities to participate in FLR monitoring, implementers will have to consider satisfying economic and welfare basic needs consistent with the physical, socio-economic environment. Otherwise, these needs left unaddressed may threaten the sustainability of forest and land restoration monitoring and implementation.
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Title: Production potential of chitosan as a value added coproduct for sugar beet processing facilities
Creator: Sheridan, Patrick M. (Patrick Micheal)
Date: 2019
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: "Sugar beet pulp residues (SBP) were used as a feedstock for Rhizopus oryzae fermentation to produce a value added product -- chitosan. Enzymatic conditions for effective liberation of fermentable sugars from SBP were identified. Nitrogen sources, nutritional salts, and plant hormones were investigated as a means to improve the chitosan yield. Optimum conditions identified were applied to a large-scale flask culture. Fungal glucosamine yields reached 3.6% (per gram of SBP input, glucosamine...
Show more"Sugar beet pulp residues (SBP) were used as a feedstock for Rhizopus oryzae fermentation to produce a value added product -- chitosan. Enzymatic conditions for effective liberation of fermentable sugars from SBP were identified. Nitrogen sources, nutritional salts, and plant hormones were investigated as a means to improve the chitosan yield. Optimum conditions identified were applied to a large-scale flask culture. Fungal glucosamine yields reached 3.6% (per gram of SBP input, glucosamine is the monomer unit of chitosan). The economics of a fungal fermentation system for a SBP production of 2,000 metric tons per year was analyzed based on the results achieved in 2L flask culture. Compared to the current application of SBP as animal feed, the high value of the chitosan significantly enhanced the economic performance. A payback period of slightly over 7 months was correspondingly achieved for the studied fungal chitosan production."--Page ii.
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Title: The effect of artific[i]al drying of field corn in different stages of maturity on the vitality of the seed
Creator: Marston, Arthur R.
Date: 1926
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Title: The impact of the government concealing information on the practice of journalism : a study of Anglophone Cameroonian journalists
Creator: Ngwe Ali, Pechulano
Date: 2017
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: "This study seeks to understand how a press freedom-related issue such governmental controls of governmental? information affects journalism practice. The study used a survey of 172 practicing Anglophone Cameroonian journalists from private and state media, and in-depth interviews. Interviewees were heads of journalism unions/associations, a media regulatory agency (the National Communication Council), and media owners, publishers, and editors. Results show that the government uses a...
Show more"This study seeks to understand how a press freedom-related issue such governmental controls of governmental? information affects journalism practice. The study used a survey of 172 practicing Anglophone Cameroonian journalists from private and state media, and in-depth interviews. Interviewees were heads of journalism unions/associations, a media regulatory agency (the National Communication Council), and media owners, publishers, and editors. Results show that the government uses a combination of legislative and administrative practices - - mostly through sanctions from the media regulatory body and police harassment--to effectively enforce and monitor control of information. Barriers to accessing government information were found to be: long wait times during appointments with officials, unending referrals to bosses/superiors, delaying press conferences until state media are present, and delaying replies to requests for information, among others. This study argues that coupled with legislative and administrative practices, these barriers lead to imbalanced reporting and ethical compromise. While governmental control of information was sometimes explained by lack of training and unprofessionalism, the practices stifle the development of responsible journalism, shrinking audiences and creating widespread cynicism about local journalistic ethics. The cynicism can also be explained by the fact that some reporters have been known to accept bribes from government officials and agencies, and rich business owners in exchange for not running scandal stories. This practice has been named 'gombo journalism' in Cameroon."--Page ii.
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Title: Condensation of phenyl butyl carbinol with phenol in the presence of aluminum chloride
Creator: Bartlett, Jeffrey Hobart, 1900-
Date: 1926
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Title: Effect of battery storage technology on the construction of electric vehicle charging stations
Creator: Thakur, Navwant
Date: 2017
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: "Battery storage has become a critical component of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. However, whether and how battery storage may serve a crucial role in enabling fast-charging stations (FCSs) to fulfill customer demand and provide a profit for charging station operators is unclear. This thesis provides a better understanding of how to construct FCSs with integrated battery storage systems. The work is threefold. First, an in-depth literature review discusses EVs, details the...
Show more"Battery storage has become a critical component of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. However, whether and how battery storage may serve a crucial role in enabling fast-charging stations (FCSs) to fulfill customer demand and provide a profit for charging station operators is unclear. This thesis provides a better understanding of how to construct FCSs with integrated battery storage systems. The work is threefold. First, an in-depth literature review discusses EVs, details the types of charging stations and standards, and evaluates battery technologies. The review indicates that lithium-ion batteries are most promising for charging station applications followed by lead-acid and vanadium-redox batteries. Second, processes and considerations for installation of an FCS and battery storage unit are conducted. The results provide a cost estimation for various configurations of FCSs and battery storage costs based on battery size, type, and vendor. Third, a discrete event simulation (DES) model is developed to evaluate battery storage costs and characteristics for a network of FCSs in Southeast Michigan. The simulation finds that when considering network costs (i.e., the cost of setting up a new distribution line), no exchange of energy occurs and each of the FCSs requires more than one battery. When network costs are not considered, less exchange of energy occurs, and two-thirds of the FCSs require a battery. For this network, lithium-ion batteries cost the most whereas zinc-air batteries cost the least. Owing to high network costs, a highly condensed FCS network would provide higher benefit and result in lower total cost through battery units connected to a microgrid. This model is useful to stakeholders in this area (e.g., charging station operators, battery manufacturers, and vendors) to evaluate the battery costs and characteristics that fit their FCS network best."--Page ii.
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Title: DISCOVERING THE LANGUAGE OF MEANINGFUL WORK
Creator: Morrison, Michael Aubrey
Date: 2018
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: This study introduces a series of language signals that indicate whether a person finds their work meaningful (or meaningless). These signals are then integrated into a new, natural language measure of work meaningfulness. This algorithm can analyze a worker’s written description of their work, and using features of their writing determine whether they find their work meaningful with an average classification accuracy of 85%. As an additional, theoretical contribution, this study tests the...
Show moreThis study introduces a series of language signals that indicate whether a person finds their work meaningful (or meaningless). These signals are then integrated into a new, natural language measure of work meaningfulness. This algorithm can analyze a worker’s written description of their work, and using features of their writing determine whether they find their work meaningful with an average classification accuracy of 85%. As an additional, theoretical contribution, this study tests the relationship between work meaningfulness and construal level theory. Results indicate that personal pronouns and action verbs are most related to creating an impression of meaningfulness, but that identity statements and positive sentiment are more related to actual, self-reported meaningfulness. Additionally, construal level showed a significant, positive relationship with several measures of work meaningfulness.
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Title: Expanding the plant palette for green roofs
Creator: Vandegrift, Drew Anthony
Date: 2018
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Fifty-four percent of the world’s population lives in urban areas and this number continues to grow (United Nations, 2014). Dense development along with the accompanying increase in impervious surfaces can have harmful effects on humans, wildlife, and the earth. Green infrastructure such as green roofs can improve urban areas by introducing plant life to otherwise barren rooftops, thus reducing the negative impact humans may have on the environment. While green roofs are a historically old...
Show moreFifty-four percent of the world’s population lives in urban areas and this number continues to grow (United Nations, 2014). Dense development along with the accompanying increase in impervious surfaces can have harmful effects on humans, wildlife, and the earth. Green infrastructure such as green roofs can improve urban areas by introducing plant life to otherwise barren rooftops, thus reducing the negative impact humans may have on the environment. While green roofs are a historically old practice, they are relatively new to North America. Because of their novelty, we are still developing best management practices and discovering what plants are best suited to rooftop environments. If the green roof industry is to grow, the list of suitable plant species must be expanded and this information must be disseminated to green roof practitioners and the general public. Because climate differs from one region to the next, data on plant performance for each climatic region is needed to properly specify green roofs within that region. A rooftop experiment was conducted on the Molecular Plant Sciences Building at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, USA, to test the suitability of several succulents, herbaceous perennials, and grasses in varying depths of green roof substrate over a seven-year period. Forty-five percent of the species were no longer preset on the roof by the end of the study. Still, several species emerged as successful, as defined by their ability to establish themselves on a green roof and long term survival. A reference guide to green roof plants was also compiled based on research from 11 studies conducted in the Great Lakes Region that tested plant performance. The result is a database of 80 plant species that have been successfully grown on green roofs in the region and lists traits such as plant growth habit, size, hardiness, drought tolerance, wildlife attractiveness, and other attributes. The reference guide is mostly composed of herbaceous perennials (65%) and succulents (17%). Based on the 11 studies used to compile the plant database, the average minimum depth required for survival of all species tested was 13 cm. Required minimum depth was less for succulent species alone. In addition to plant performance, I also explain why certain groups of plants performed well and how plant selection influences the desired benefits of the green roof. This reference guide can be used by green roof professionals in the Great Lakes region and in other parts of the world with a similar climate (Köppen climate types ‘Dfa’ (hot summer humid continental) or ‘Dfb’ (warm summer humid continental)).
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Title: Software tool for performing the calibration of the AT-TPC electronics channels
Creator: Ndayisabye, Felix
Date: 2019
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: "The Active Target Time Projection Chamber (AT-TPC), developed at the National Superconducting CyclotronLaboratory (NSCL) at Michigan State University, is a gas-based system that serves a dual role of a target and detector medium for nuclear physics experiments. Active target devices have gained much attention within the past dedicate due to their high resolution and efficiency to study reactions with very exotic nuclei. With the use of incident beam energy ranging from low (1-10 MeV/u) to...
Show more"The Active Target Time Projection Chamber (AT-TPC), developed at the National Superconducting CyclotronLaboratory (NSCL) at Michigan State University, is a gas-based system that serves a dual role of a target and detector medium for nuclear physics experiments. Active target devices have gained much attention within the past dedicate due to their high resolution and efficiency to study reactions with very exotic nuclei. With the use of incident beam energy ranging from low (1-10 MeV/u) to medium (10-100 MeV/u) to extract the physical properties of nuclei far from stability, the AT-TPC is contributing significantly to experimental nuclear science, thanks to its high luminosity working capability without loss of resolution and low-energy detection thresholds that enable experiments with beam intensities as low as 102 pps. Because of its unique features, a dedicated python based data analysis tool was developed to extract information from this detector. This software tool allows to calibrate the electronic baselines, amplitudes and times of the signals recorded by each of the AT-TPC pads relative to each other. The statistical analysis of the aforementioned calibrated parameters shows the coefficient of the fluctuations of the order of 9.1 % and 8.8 % for the baselines , 3.43 % and 4.8 % for the amplitudes and 45 ns and 34 ns for the time from the big and small pads respectively from all 24 events taken during the pulse run."--Page ii.
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Title: How mods empower co-creation and remix
Creator: Small, Rebekah
Date: 2019
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: The field of user experience design (UX) has much to offer the process of video game development but is only lightly present in current games research. This paper argues that the current understanding of games through a critical theoretical lens or human computer interaction (HCI) approach does not address many important game interactions and experiences. Collaborative experiences and participatory design such as fan-made video game modifications go unexplored; therefore, developers miss out...
Show moreThe field of user experience design (UX) has much to offer the process of video game development but is only lightly present in current games research. This paper argues that the current understanding of games through a critical theoretical lens or human computer interaction (HCI) approach does not address many important game interactions and experiences. Collaborative experiences and participatory design such as fan-made video game modifications go unexplored; therefore, developers miss out on key insights regarding the wants and needs of their users. By examining user data, usage statistics, and interface analysis about modifications for the game Skyrim, this paper details the type of fan-driven innovation and design that could be beneficial to both researchers and developers.
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Title: Enhancing motivation to exercise for obese participants in exergames : testing partner characteristics as a moderator of the Kohler effect
Creator: Beckles, Joelle A.
Date: 2017
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: ABSTRACTENHANCING MOTIVATION TO EXERCISE FOR OBESE PARTICIPANTS IN EXERGAMES: TESTING PARTNER CHARACTERISTICS AS A MODERATOR OF THE KÖHLER EFFECTByJoelle A Beckles This thesis examined the effects of playing an exergame that involved abdominal strength exercises (with a virtually-presented partner) on exercise motivational effort. Specifically, this research explored whether exercise duration could be increased using the Köhler motivation gain principles (based on the group dynamics...
Show moreABSTRACTENHANCING MOTIVATION TO EXERCISE FOR OBESE PARTICIPANTS IN EXERGAMES: TESTING PARTNER CHARACTERISTICS AS A MODERATOR OF THE KÖHLER EFFECTByJoelle A Beckles This thesis examined the effects of playing an exergame that involved abdominal strength exercises (with a virtually-presented partner) on exercise motivational effort. Specifically, this research explored whether exercise duration could be increased using the Köhler motivation gain principles (based on the group dynamics principles of upward social comparison and indispensability) with a lighter versus same weight virtually-presented partner in an obese community sample (BMI > 30). Participants were community adults (N = 35; Mage = 46; SD = 17.34 years) who completed the first block of three isometric abdominal exercises alone. After resting, participants completed the second block either alone (Control), with a lighter weight, or with a same weight partner. Partners were actually confederates recorded earlier and presented virtually as live, from another lab. Exercise persistence, self-efficacy beliefs, enjoyment, and perceived exertion were recorded. Results showed that mean persistence was greater for participants in the lighter weight condition (24.45 sec) than for those in the control condition (-9.92 sec), but not for participants in the similar weight condition (15.64 sec). There were no differences across conditions in self-efficacy, enjoyment, or perceived exertion.
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Title: The effect of vocal fry on speech intelligibility
Creator: Cammenga, Kaleigh Susan
Date: 2018
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Speech intelligibility is a measurement of the interaction between three components: the speech signal, the transmission channel, and the listener. Anything that interferes with any of these components can affect intelligibility. Vocal fry, though sometimes associated with vocal pathology, is commonly used in non-disordered speech. Speech produced with vocal fry differs from typical (modal) voicing in terms of pitch, volume, and quality. These differences may negatively impact intelligibility...
Show moreSpeech intelligibility is a measurement of the interaction between three components: the speech signal, the transmission channel, and the listener. Anything that interferes with any of these components can affect intelligibility. Vocal fry, though sometimes associated with vocal pathology, is commonly used in non-disordered speech. Speech produced with vocal fry differs from typical (modal) voicing in terms of pitch, volume, and quality. These differences may negatively impact intelligibility. Currently, no direct evidence exists regarding the impact of vocal fry on speech intelligibility. The purpose of the current study was to answer the research question: Does vocal fry affect the intelligibility of spoken words? We hypothesized that single words produced with vocal fry would be less intelligible than single words spoken in modal voice due to the acoustic characteristics and perceptions of vocal fry. To test this hypothesis, words spoken in both vocal fry and modal voice were collected and compiled to produce a standard intelligibility test procedure. Data from 26 listeners who completed the intelligibility test were analyzed in terms of intelligibility score and listening difficulty rating. The mean intelligibility score as a percentage of words correctly identified was 62.08% for words spoken with fry and 64.56% for words spoken with no fry. This difference was statistically significant. The mean listening difficulty rating was 4.98 for words spoken with fry and 4.56 for words spoken with no fry. This difference was also statistically significant. These results suggest that vocal fry does negatively impact speech intelligibility at the single word level. Decreased speech intelligibility may have numerous possible linguistic, social, and economic implications.
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Title: Electrometric titration of oxidizing and reducing substances
Creator: Spurway, Charles Henry, 1883-
Date: 1926
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Title: Model-based estimation of AMT vehicle clutch kinetic friction coefficient
Creator: He, Yu (Graduate of Michigan State University)
Date: 2018
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Driving performance and fuel economy are two important factors that attracts customers choosing certain type of vehicles. Those two factors can be improved largely by adopting optimized transmission gear-shifting strategy. The kinetic clutch friction coefficient is important to know to develop an optimized gear-shifting algorithm.This thesis focus on estimating dynamic kinetic friction coefficient between two clutch plats of an automated manual transmission (AMT) vehicle when speed and...
Show moreDriving performance and fuel economy are two important factors that attracts customers choosing certain type of vehicles. Those two factors can be improved largely by adopting optimized transmission gear-shifting strategy. The kinetic clutch friction coefficient is important to know to develop an optimized gear-shifting algorithm.This thesis focus on estimating dynamic kinetic friction coefficient between two clutch plats of an automated manual transmission (AMT) vehicle when speed and temperature effects are involved. A Simulink model of an AMT vehicle was developed first, and a new friction coefficient estimation algorithm was then proposed and validated based on the developed Simulink model. Several case studies are completed for the proposed estimation algorithm and fairly good simulation results are presented at the end of thesis.
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Title: Evaluating inter and intra-specific variation in leaf mass and area
Creator: Dettmann, Garret
Date: 2017
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Tree leaf area and mass are small but important components of forest ecosystems. There have been many efforts to model leaf mass, but face challenges in doing so because leaf mass varies within and between tree species, location, and time. Often leaf mass models are limited to species-specific, empirical models, which predict intra-specific variation from diameter at breast height (DBH). Such models have limited potential; there are many other factors than tree girth that can lead to varying...
Show moreTree leaf area and mass are small but important components of forest ecosystems. There have been many efforts to model leaf mass, but face challenges in doing so because leaf mass varies within and between tree species, location, and time. Often leaf mass models are limited to species-specific, empirical models, which predict intra-specific variation from diameter at breast height (DBH). Such models have limited potential; there are many other factors than tree girth that can lead to varying tree leaf mass, and models cannot be applied to species which lack foliage mass data. We conducted destructive sampling of trees of 17 different species, covering multiple life history traits, across Michigan, in order to generate a 'trans-species' model for foliage biomass which can be used across species. In addition, four species destructively sampled were subjected to canopy stratified sampling of specific leaf area (SLA) to capture an additional species-related life history trait contrasted by shade tolerance. Our results identified the most important variables for predicting foliage mass, which were non-species-specific variables: diameter at breast height, five year basal area increment, crown class, and competition index, and species-related traits: leaf longevity and shade tolerance. Collectively, these variables describing tree size, life-history traits, and competitive environment allowed for a generalized leaf mass model with potential application to many tree species. The study of tree SLA identified a mechanism explaining why shade tolerant species might hold a greater leaf mass in the trans-species leaf biomass model. Shade tolerant trees maintained greater leaf area and leaf number and also expressed greater SLA and SLA plasticity.
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Title: A study of the grain growth of a low carbon steel
Creator: Percy, James W.
Date: 1926
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Title: Integrated pest management strategies for control of potato early die in Michigan potato systems
Creator: Cole, Emilie
Date: 2019
Collection: Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Description: Root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus penetrans) in conjunction with the fungal pathogen Verticillium dahliae create the disease complex, potato early die, which can drastically reduce potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) yields. In Michigan, this disease complex is often managed using broad-spectrum soil fumigants such as methyl bromide, metam sodium and 1,3- dichloropropene, which can be harmful to applicators as well as soil and environmental health. Since the phase-out of methyl bromide in 2005,...
Show moreRoot lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus penetrans) in conjunction with the fungal pathogen Verticillium dahliae create the disease complex, potato early die, which can drastically reduce potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) yields. In Michigan, this disease complex is often managed using broad-spectrum soil fumigants such as methyl bromide, metam sodium and 1,3- dichloropropene, which can be harmful to applicators as well as soil and environmental health. Since the phase-out of methyl bromide in 2005, alternative control tactics to soil fumigants have become increasingly important to potato growers. In this thesis I investigated the use of (1) manures and manure-based composts and (2) non-fumigant nematicides and fungal-based biocontrols and their efficacy in reducing potato early die incidence. In laboratory trials, poultry manure and a blend of poultry and dairy manure compost (Layer Ash Blend) provided significant control of root lesion nematodes with 0% survivorship at rates of 5% (vol/vol) or higher. In field trials, I did not observe significant (P < 0.05) reductions in nematode populations regardless of treatment but did see a reduction in germinating V. dahliae microsclerotia in plots treated with poultry manure. Of the nematicides tested, Salibro treatments significantly reduced root lesion nematode and V. dahliae populations. From this research, it is clear that non-fumigant alternatives are possible for Michigan potato growers.
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