In this study, I explored the motivations of high school instrumental music teachers to participate in competitive jazz festivals, specifically those sponsored by the California Music Educators Association (CMEA) Bay Section. I was interested in learning the specific needs participation in competitive festivals satisfied for high school music educators. Based on the tenets of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), I investigated whether the three basic psychological needs of autonomy, competency, and relatedness were among the needs being satisfied. I was curious whether an individual’s background in jazz or any other factors had any bearing on their decision to participate. Through interviews teachers shared their experiences, both positive and negative, of participating in competitive jazz festivals. The following research questions guided this study: 1. What motivates high school music teachers to participate in competitive jazz festivals? 2. What specific needs are satisfied through their participation? 3. How does one’s jazz background influence motivation to participate in CMEA Bay Section events? In answering the aforementioned research questions, I chose a case study design. Interviews with twenty-nine high school instrumental music teachers were conducted at their respective work sites, except for three phone interviews and one via electronic mail. Five themes identified through data analysis about festivals specifically included feelings about competition, judging, negative feedback from adjudicators, hearing and seeing other groups, and a suggestion for the addition of a clinic for all participating groups. Six general themes about CMEA Bay Section or participants’ feelings included more progressive thinking, a perception that youth among adjudicators was inadequately represented, a notion that festivals provided opportunities for process and growth, a feeling that many were forced to weigh the costs versus the benefits of participation, an expressed feeling of isolation in the profession, and a lack of awareness on the part of administrators about their participation in CMEA Bay Section jazz festivals.

The popularity of growers using only postemergence (POST) herbicides for weed management in soybean was enabled by the commercialization of glyphosate-resistant soybean. The efficacy and flexibility provided by this technology diminished the use of soil residual herbicides and arguably, increased soybean yield loss from early-season weed competition. While, the rapid evolution and biogeographical spread of herbicide-resistant weeds, especially glyphosate-resistant biotypes, has renewed interest into the use of soil residual products, herbicide-resistant soybean technologies continue to be developed that may once again entice growers into POST-only weed management systems. The commercial interest in soybean yield advancements justifies further characterizing the benefits provided by early-season weed control beyond those of herbicide-resistance management. Furthermore, as awareness heightens regarding techniques that will enhance the sustainability of agro-ecosystems, specific focus on resource utilization will help to evaluate the viability of this weed management strategy. Field experiments were conducted across four sites throughout southern Illinois in 2012 and 2013 to study the influence of early-season weed management strategies on soybean nutrient accumulation, grain yield parameters, and the acquisition of nutrients by broadleaved and grass weeds. Increasing periods of weed competition duration were established by removing weeds at heights of 10, 20, 30 or 45 cm with glyphosate. A weed-free treatment utilizing a comprehensive soil residual and POST herbicide program was included to implement a weed-free comparison. Two standard herbicide management strategies that simulate common grower practices were also evaluated for comparison: flumioxazin PRE followed by glyphosate POST and two sequential POST glyphosate applications. Averaged across all 11 mineral nutrients analyzed in this experiment, broadleaved weeds accumulated 149 and 108% more nutrients than grasses in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Competition from 20-cm weeds reduced the acquisition of N, P, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, B, Cu, and Zn by soybean in 2012; these nutrients in addition to K and Mn were reduced by the same level of competition in 2013. N and Fe were the nutrients in soybean most notably impacted by weed interference. Reductions in soybean grain yield were the result of competition with 30-cm weeds in 2012, and 10-cm weeds in 2013; while, both standard herbicide regimens yielded less than the weed-free treatment in 2013 only. Additionally in 2013, average soybean seed weight and grain oil content was reduced when weeds were not removed before a height of 10 and 20 cm, respectively. The rate of decomposition and nutrient release was measured for waterhemp and giant foxtail desiccated by glyphosate at heights of 10, 20, 30, and 45 cm in two southern Illinois soybean fields. Weed biomass was grown under greenhouse conditions to ensure homogeneity and litterbag methodology was utilized to track in situ mass and nutrient losses, expressed as a decay constant (k) regressed over time according to the single exponential decay model. The effect of specie and height both had a strong influence on the intrinsic properties of the weed biomass and the associated rate of decay. Concentrations of the recalcitrant cell wall components (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) were generally greatest as weed height (plant age and development) increased and with giant foxtail compared with waterhemp. Ca, Mg, and S concentrations were greater in waterhemp, while N was greater in giant foxtail. N and K concentrations decreased with increasing weed height. After 16 weeks, 10-cm waterhemp and giant foxtail detritus had lost 10 and 12% more mass compared to the 45-cm height. Decomposition rates revealed mass loss was highest for 10-cm waterhemp (kD = 0.022) and lowest for 45-cm giant foxtail (kD = 0.011) and this process was negatively correlated to the overall amount of cell wall constituents (r = -0.73). Nutrient release rates followed a similar trend in that shorter (younger) weeds and waterhemp liberated nutrients more readily. Across all tested plant material, K was the nutrient most rapidly released, whereas, Ca was the most strongly retained nutrient. Although the pressing challenge of managing herbicide-resistant weeds justifies the implementation of early-season weed control tactics, this research suggests there are ancillary benefits that are provided by this strategy. The use of a robust, broad-spectrum soil residual herbicide program in conjunction with timely POST applications provides the foundation for early-season weed management, thereby minimizing non-crop nutrient use and enhancing the nutrient acquisition capacity in soybean. This strategy facilitates more sustainable crop production by requiring fewer supplemental nutritional inputs while also protecting grain yield.

Strategies animals use to find and consume food in the face of conflicting forces such as competition and predation are central questions in the fields of ecological theory and management. Whereas theoretical models abound, proper empirical tests of these theories are less abundant. In studying the relationship between food abundance, predation risk, and competition there exists an array of confounding factors, which need to be accounted for by manipulating some aspect of the system. I used a guild of spring migratory ducks as a model system and manipulated food abundance in areas differing in presumed risk to assess the relative effects of food abundance, predation risk, competition, and life history characteristics on foraging strategies used by ducks. Using a randomized block design, I established a pair of 0.4 ha plots (block) in emergent, open water, and forested wetlands in the Wabash River Floodplain in eastern Illinois. I randomly selected one plot within each block to supplement with 2000 kg/ha of corn (Zea mays), creating an area of very high duck food abundance next to a control area with no added food. I conducted instantaneous focal animal samples and used video recorders to estimate the proportion of time mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), blue-winged teal (Anas discors), wood duck (Aix sponsa), ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris), and lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) devoted to feeding, identify the specific behaviors used, and estimate feeding stint lengths and frequencies. I used these metrics as an index of risk that ducks were willing to engage in for a known food reward. I predicted that species with a faster life history strategy, factors that increase perceived predation risk (cover, water depth, group size), and increase energetic demand (due to nesting or temperature), would elicit more risk-taking behaviors in ducks. This would be realized by an increase in the proportion of time spent feeding, longer feeding durations, and deeper feeding behaviors in treatment plots compared with control plots. Consistent with my life history prediction, species with a faster life history strategy were willing to engage in more risky behavior (feeding more) for a greater food reward (food treatment). Mallards, lesser scaup, and wood ducks exhibited risk-taking behavior consistent with perceived predation risk. Mallards devoted more time to feeding and used longer feeding stints when in areas with less cover. Alternatively, lesser scaup devoted more time to feeding when in areas of more cover. Wood ducks devoted more time to feeding in treatment plots, when in shallow areas, and larger flocks. When blue-winged teal fed on the surface (eyes above water), they devoted more overall time to feeding indicating that surface feeding is less risky than deeper feeding. Wood ducks and lesser scaup exhibited behavior consistent with an increase in energetic demand as observed by an increase in the proportion of time devoted to feeding later in the spring. I also examined how food abundance influenced aspects of ducks' foraging niches. I found that dabbling ducks used a greater variety of behaviors (behavior niche breadth) when in treatment plots compared to control plots and also shifted to slightly deeper feeding behaviors in treatment plots. This greater breadth when food was more abundant was due to individuals of the same species diverging from one another, rather than each individual using a broader array of behaviors. Overall, I found substantial variability among and within species in how they manage risk while foraging, although this was partially explained by life history theory, and what types of conditions they perceive as risky. I document the importance of taking the state of the forager (life history, perceived risk, energetic demand) into account when examining patterns of risk-taking.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF LEWIS KENNEDY REED, for the Master of Science degree in PLANT BIOLOGY presented on October 30, 2009, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale TITLE: COMPETATIVE EVQUIVALENCY OF CULTIVAR AND NON-CULTIVAR DOMINANT GRASSES IN AN EXPERIMENTAL RETORATION MAJOR PROFESSORS: Dr. Sara G. Baer and Dr. David J. Gibson Multiple population sources of species for use in prairie restoration exist, including cultivars and non-cultivars of dominant native grasses. However, little is known about the competitive equivalency of different population sources of dominant C4 grasses and whether intraspecific variation in their competitive effect on the community scales to affect ecosystem assembly. In 2006, an experimental restoration was established in a former agricultural field using cultivars and non-cultivars of the dominant grasses (Andropogon gerardii, Sorghastrum nutans, and Schizachyrium scoparium) and two different species pools of non-dominant species containing equal richness and distribution of species among functional groups. I evaluated inter - and intra-specific variation in the competitive equivalency of A. gerardii, S. nutans, and S. scoparium in terms of community response to their individual and complete (all three species) removal. Removals were maintained for two growing seasons, though little maintenance was needed after the initial treatment. The competitive effect of each grass species and population source was determined by calculating a response ratio for percent cover and above ground primary productivity between removal and control plots for each dominant grass individually, forbs, non-dominant grasses, and legumes which were each analyzed using a mixed model procedure for a split-split-plot randomized block design. Effects of removals on overall community composition were assessed using non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (NMDS) and analysis of similarity (ANOSIM). In addition I monitored changes in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) at the soil surface and inorganic soil nitrogen. Based on the 2008 data (after two years of maintaining removals), several important differences were detected between the focal species and in some cases the two sources of the same species in terms of their effects on neighbors, inorganic soil nitrogen, and PAR. Many of these differences depended on which species pool the comparison took place in. A 3-way interaction was detected between species pool, source, and removal treatment in the volunteer forb group (F3, 60 =3.28, p = 0.0268). Volunteer forbs showed a positive response to removal of cultivars of the dominant grass functional group in one species pool but not the other. A three-way interaction was detected between species pool, source, and removal treatment in terms of Bray-Curtis similarity (F3, 60 = 2.91, p = 0.0417). Within one of the species pools, similarity values of communities were higher between removals and controls in cultivar plots than in non-cultivar plots where A. gerardii was removed. While NMDS ordination showed separation of some plots by dominant grass source, within group variation was higher than among group variation and ANOSIM deemed this separation insignificant. Planted forb ANPP exhibited a significantly negative response to removal of S. nutans that was not observed in the other removal treatments (F3,41.1 = 3.09, p = 0.038) suggesting facilitation by the dominant grass on planted forbs. The aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of the subordinate community (i.e. all species except the dominant grasses) exhibited a 3-way interaction among species pool, dominant grass source, and species removed (F3,61 = 2.76, p=0.0499). This interaction resulted from a stronger negative response of subordinate community ANPP to cultivars of the dominant grass functional group removal than non-cultivars of this group that only occurred in one of the species pools. There was a significant main effect of species removed on %PAR at ground level (F3, 60 = 4.84, p = 0.0044). All removal treatments allowed higher penetration of PAR to ground level, with S. nutans and all dominant grass removal having the strongest effect. Inorganic N availability was lower in response to removal of A. gerardii cultivars compared to the removal of non-cultivars of this species in one species pool but not the other. Removal of cultivar S. scoparium lead to a positive response in total inorganic nitrogen while removal of non-cultivars of this species lead to a negative response in total inorganic nitrogen in this same species pool (F3, 51 = 3.61, p = 0.018). Results demonstrate that inter- and intra-specific variation among these dominant species affect some aspects of community structure and ecosystem properties, but these effects are not consistent among dominant species and among subordinate species pools. These complex interactions may have important implications for restoration and land management.

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No description available.

Telecoms industry is a highly specialised industry and there is a general consensus that it requires a specially designed regulatory system. Besides the many technology-oriented regulations, this regulatory system not only integrates many economic theories and concepts taken from competition law, but also features several measures designed ad hoc to deal with the character of the industry, such as a natural monopoly, bottlenecks and a public service. A major category of these regulatory measures is forced access mechanisms. "Forced access" in this thesis refers to the forcing open of certain property – mostly telecoms networks and relevant facilities – to be accessed by others, especially other competitors in the market. While these mechanisms do indeed promote competition in the telecoms market and benefit the public, they also limit the fundamental rights of telecoms companies – mostly incumbents – as legal persons, especially concerning their property rights and freedom to conduct a business, and it does not need emphasising further that the protection of fundamental rights is a general principle in the European Union and a constitutional value in modern democratic states. This thesis aims to take three distinct telecoms forced access mechanisms (interconnection, local loop unbundling and separation), with different regulatory intensities, as examples to discuss the possible fundamental rights derogation issues of two targeted jurisdictions – the European Union and Taiwan. There are some substantial reasons for this comparative study. On the one hand, many of the regulatory concepts of the telecoms regulatory framework in the European Union, together with those in the United States, have been adopted by Taiwan; on the other hand, the protection of fundamental rights in the European Union is inspired by the constitutional traditions common to Member States, and the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz) plays an important role, while the Taiwanese Constitution and the constitutionality reviews system derive from Germany (continental law) and the United States (common law). The reasoning of Taiwanese constitutional review does not therefore just reflect the fundamental rights protection system but also introduces the constitutionality review system of the United States as a reference. This thesis starts with an introduction to telecoms forced access mechanisms in the European Union and Taiwan, with a special focus on three selected forced access mechanisms. Then, fundamental rights protection system under the two jurisdictions will be discussed, followed by an in-depth discussion of the concepts of property rights and freedom to conduct a business. This thesis goes on to analyse how to appraise the three telecoms forced access mechanisms in relation to the fundamental rights protection system and to discuss the reasonableness of such an analysis. The final part of the thesis will, by reviewing the legal frameworks of the two jurisdictions, offer answers to the questions raised in the analysis.

In the present research several aspects of the reproductive biology of the marine hermaphroditic bryozoan, Celleporell hyalin (Linnaeus, 1767) were investigated. First (see Chapter 2), aliquots, of different ages from a stock of allosperm suspension were used to fertilize a series of virgin ramets, so characterizing the decay in fertility of released sperm and any effects of sperm ageing on subsequent embryogenesis and larval metamorphosis. The effect of temperature on the above variables was also investigated. The fertile half-life of C. hvalina sperm was about 1-2 h, although significant decay in fertility occurred within a few minutes after release. Sperm ageing showed no deleterious effects on embryogenesis, larval viability, or metamorphosis. No clear effects of temperature on sperm ageing and fertilization success were found. Allosperm. storage was studied in colonies of C. hyalina. (L. ) under several experimental conditions (see Chapter 3). Recipient virgin colonies were exposed to sexually compatible allosperm suspension and the appearance of the last newly ovulated oocytes in the coelorn. was used to assess duration of sperm storage. The same experiments examined continuation of brooding cycle and brooding success throughout the period of allosperm storage. Similar obserVations were conducted on wild colonies of C. hyalina taken from the field and kept in reproductive isolation in the laboratory. Production of progeny in females zooids budded beyond the original colonial growing edge was taken as evidence of sperm movement. The results of the present study show that recipient colonies continue producing coelomic oocytes up to 5 weeks after exposure to allosperm suspension. Moreover, the progeny were produced not only by female zooids present at the moment of allosperm dosage but also by female zooids, budded later, beyond the limit of the original growing edge. Since oocytes were not present in control colonies exposed to selfsperm, the results of the present study indicate that recipient colonies store sexually compatible allosperm and transport them within the colony in order to produce viable progeny. The effect of water flow on both sperm release and fertilization success in colonies of C. hyalin (L. ) was studied (see Chapter 4). Maximum numbers of released sperm were found at low and zero water velocities. Moreover, protruded male lophophores were observed only under those conditions. Fertilization success was studied in virgin colonies of C. hyalina (L. ) exposed to compatible allosperm suspensions under different feeding activity and water flow conditions. Fertilization success was higher in colonies with more active feeding autozooids than in those with fewer feeding autozooids. High water flow conditions induced reduction in the proportion of protruded lophophores, and reduced the frequency of ovicells bearing progeny. Moreover, in all the experiments offspring were concentrated in areas of the colony bearing active feeding autozooids. The results of this study suggest that sperm release take place under similar conditions that enhance cross fertilization, with a possible role of feeding activity in bringing sperm to the proximity of receiver colonies. Sperm competition and female choice was investigated in virgin colonies of C. hyalin (L. ) exposed to sexually compatible allosperm cocktails (see Chapter 5). A microsatellite-based. genotyping system was used to determine paternity. Progeny were mainly the product of outcrossing. In a few cases, a small proportion of progeny was attributed to selffertilization. These results suggest that outcrossing is the main reproductive strategy in this species and that neither selective female choice nor sperm competition occur in C. hyalin . Cryptic incompatibility allowing a flexible mating strategy to produce out-crossed progeny Z) in the presence of allospenn and selfing when they were absent was not found. The effects of mating sequence and temporal interval between matings (2 or 48 h) on sperm precedence in double-mated individuals were studied (see Chapter 6). Paternity was determined by using a microsatellite-based genotyping system. Settled colonies produced after short mating showed evidence of sperm mixing and first-male precedence. However, last colonies produced after both short and long mating intervals showed evidence of first-male precedence. When analyses were conducted using all the sampled progeny, low incidence of paternity by the second sperm donor (P2) and absence of self fertilization were found. No effect of mating order on success of the second donor was found. Prevalence of outcrossing was also found. These results suggest that first-male precedence in C. hyalin may promote outcrossing under sperm limitation conditions, by acceptance of the first compatible allosperm to become available. The effects of exposure to sperm suspensions and stressors on sexual allocation in colonies were studied (see Chapter 7). In the first experiment the effect of a waterborne factor on receptor colonies was studied. Adult colonies were exposed to compatible allosperm suspensions that had been filtered through 0.45 Vrn pores potentially able to remove cellular sized particles. As a control, receptor colonies were exposed to non-filtered allosperin suspensions. Appearance and growth of oocytes occurred only in the coelorn. of the control colonies. The active factor is not a dissolved molecule, but a particle that can be removed from water by filtration through 0.45 [im pores. This result plus the absence of developing oocytes in the receptor colonies exposed to similar concentration of selfsperm, suggest the operation of self/honself recognition and an important and active role of allosperm in initiating colonial reproductive investment in C. hyalina. Prevention of colonial growth and others stressors were associated with production of basal male zooids. In other experiments, exposure to sperm suspensions of different degrees of genetic relatedness showed a virtual absence of production of progeny in those colonies exposed to closely related sperm (i. e. self and halfsibs). Finally, in experiments with sexually immature colonies, the onset of sexual reproduction was triggered by exposure to allosperm, resulting in the production of female zooids even before the appearance of male zooids. Contacts between colonies of different genetic relatedness were studied under laboratory conditions (see Chapter 8). Moreover, observations were made on colonies growing on their natural substrata. Five types of responses were observed, from total fusion to overgrowth. Maximum degree of fusion, or morphological fusion, was manifested as morphologic interconnection between the ad oining colonies (i. e. production of coalescent zooids). Fusion occurred in all contacts between colonies of the same genotype, between parental colonies and their progeny and, between full and half sib colonies. In most cases the production of coalescent zooids was found. Absence of fusion occurred in all contacts between unrelated colonies and between some of the half sibs. Observations on wild colonies growing in contact with each other failed to reveal any incidences of coalescence. Non-aggressive overgrowth was confined to dead areas of one colony overgrown by zooids of the other healthy colony, independent of the genetic relatedness of the pairs. Differences in the fusibility between isocontact and allocontact suggest that colony specificity exists in C. hyalin , as has been found in other sessile colonial marine organisms.

abstract: The viscous lung mucus of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is characterized by oxygen gradients, which creates a unique niche for bacterial growth. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, two predominant microorganisms chronically infecting the airways of CF patients, typically localize in hypoxic regions of the mucus. While interspecies interactions between P. aeruginosa and S. aureus have been reported, little is known about the role of low oxygen in regulating these interactions. Studying interspecies interactions in CF lung disease is important as evidence suggests that microbial community composition governs disease progression. In this study, P. aeruginosa lab strain PAO1 and two primary clinical isolates from hypoxic tissues were cultured alone, or in combination, with methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strain N315 under hypoxic or normoxic conditions. Herein, it is shown for the first time that low oxygen conditions relevant to the CF lung affect the competitive behavior between P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Specifically, S. aureus was able to better survive competition in hypoxic versus normoxic conditions. Competition data from different oxygen concentrations were consistent using PAO1 and clinical isolates even though differences in the level of competition were observed. PAO1 strains carrying mutations in virulence factors known to contribute to S. aureus competition (pyocyanin/phzS, elastase/lasA and lasI quorum sensing/lasI) were used to determine which genes play a role in the differential growth inhibition. The lasA and lasI mutants competed less effectively with S. aureus regardless of the oxygen level present in the culture compared to the isogenic wild type strain. These results are consistent with previous findings that elastase and lasI quorum sensing play a role in competitive behavior of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Interestingly, the phzS mutant competed less effectively in hypoxic conditions suggesting that pyocyanin may be important in microaerophilic conditions. This study demonstrates that oxygen plays a role in competition between P. aeruginosa and S. aureus and contributes to understanding CF environmental factors that may regulate microbial community dynamics important for disease progression with potential for development of therapeutic avenues. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Biology 2014

abstract: This study investigates the lived experience of competition in high school band and the manner in which competition influences and frames band curricula. A hermeneutic phenomenological method based on the works of van Manen and Vagle was used to investigate what it was like for participants to be in competition. A theoretical framework organized around Schwab's commonplaces of education was used to interpret findings related to the curricular areas of the teacher, learner, subject matter, and milieu. I examined data through a lens incorporating principles of John Dewey's philosophy related to each of the commonplaces. Twelve individuals participated in the study representing experiences had both as students and as music educators. Participants lived and taught in communities throughout the United States and brought differing levels of teaching and competitive experience. Data were generated through in-depth interviews and collaborative phenomenological texts. Research questions included: What is the lived experience of competing in a high school band like?; and, How does competition frame and influence high school band curricula? Findings indicate that competition was a meaningful and influential part of participants' work as band directors and educational experiences as students. Competition was approached with tension as participants acknowledged negative concerns over the influence of competitions on their students, yet chose to engage in competitive activities. Marching band contests offered a creative outlet where directors could develop custom materials and they did so with a significant motivation to win. Competition was perceived as an influence on band directors' professional reputations, feelings of competence, and how band programs were viewed in the community. Students were motivated by competitions and reacted strongly to competitive results such as rankings, ratings, and other distinctions. Findings also indicate that band curricula emphasizing competition share similar curricular facets: (a) teachers carefully control and manage classroom activities and curricular choices; (b) students are viewed as skilled performers who are dependent upon their teachers for learning; (c) subject matter is narrowly considered around measurable behavioral objectives and repertoire selection; and, (d) the educational environment is dominated by the teacher who may use competition to motivate students to work and practice more. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Music Education 2016