This thesis compares hypotheses about Fremont agricultural investment to evaluate the relationship between dry or rainfall farming and irrigation farming. Recent identification of a Fremont irrigation feature at Pleasant Creek provides an opportunity to study farming commitment through labor investment. A comparison of relative efficiencies of irrigated and dry-farmed maize using experimental digging exercises and cross-cultural comparisons generate data about the range of investment, carrying capacity, and the contexts of selection operating under circumstances like those at Pleasant Creek. The analysis shows that irrigated maize efficiency remains equivalent to or lower than dry-farmed maize. Irrigation labor costs influence maize return rates more with fewer years of canal operation and suggest that technological investment in irrigation at the project site would be “worth it” only with anticipated long-term commitment. For instance, labor costs of irrigation amortized over time show that initial construction costs no longer affect energetic return rates of maize after four to six years of canal use. Beyond this span of time, field labor and processing time condition overall return rates more than distinctive labor costs of irrigation. The application of carrying capacity scenarios indicates the canal likely supported between 30 and 100 individuals. Analysis of infrastructural complexity and labor group size suggests that Pleasant Creek was home to a group operating within complexity beyond egalitarian forager organization. The level of investment and productivity suggests a community, likely bound by kinship ties with a corporate management style, engaged in subsistence-level agriculture that served to expand the farmable area and reduce the risk of food shortage in an agriculturally marginal area.

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) adult and juvenile survival have been identified as critical demographic parameters. However, little is known regarding the dynamics of juvenile sage-grouse. From 2008-2010, I used radio-telemetry and 2 transmitter types to monitor 91 juvenile sage-grouse. Program MARK was used to analyze survival data. Over-winter survival was 0.802 - 0.982 and 0.687 - 0.969 for females and males, respectively. Fall survival rates were 0.522 - 0.623 for females and 0.332 - 0.449 for males. Survival from fall through winter was 0.418 - 0.616 for females and 0.228 - 0.435 for males. For both years combined, the probability predation caused death was 0.705, and probability harvest caused death was 0.159. The probability unreported harvest caused death was 0.091. Sex (p= 0.103) and transmitter type (p = 0.09) affected survival. Back-mounted transmitters negatively affected survival and their use should be avoided to minimize experimental bias.