James R. Triplett

Current status of native fish species in Kansas

Abstract A re-evaluation of the status of fishes in Kansas suggests that 54 of the 116 native species should be assigned special conservation status due to substantial declines in distribution or abundance and/or their rarity in the state. Nine species are recommended for retention in their existing status of endangered, threatened, or species in need of conservation. We recommend elevated conservation status for 44 additional species, and provide information on trends in distribution and abundance for these taxa. A single species, the Arkansas River Shiner, Notropis girardi, is considered to be extirpated recently from Kansas.

Are We Preparing the Next Generation of Fisheries Professionals to Succeed in their Careers?: A Survey of AFS Members

Natural resource professionals have frequently criticized universities for poorly preparing graduates to succeed in their jobs. We surveyed members of the American Fisheries Society to determine which job skills and knowledge of academic topics employers, students, and university faculty members deemed most important to early-career success of fisheries professionals. Respondents also rated proficiency of recently hired, entry-level professionals (employers) on how well their programs prepared them for career success (students and faculty) in those same job skills and academic topics. Critical thinking and written and oral communication skills topped the list of important skills and academic topics. Employers perceived recent entry-level hires to be less well-prepared to succeed in their careers than either university faculty or students. Entry-level hires with post-graduate degrees rated higher in proficiency for highly important skills and knowledge than those with bachelors degrees. We conclude that a...

A Partial Biological Survey of the Spring River Drainage in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri Part III. The Crayfishes

Abstract Orronectes nana motcrgs Williams, Orconectes cvgseri Jester, and Orronectes neglectvs neglectus (Faxon) were collected from ie Spring River drainage system. O. n. neglectxs occurs in most of the drainage, with the exception of Cow Creek. O. nana macrus was found only in ie upper portion of Spring River. O. cxseyi was taken only from Cow Creek and Shoal Creek; its distibution seems to be related to oxygen concentrationX

THE ZOOPLANKTON COMMUNITY OF LACYGNE LAKE: A COOLING POND IN KANSAS

This study provides baseline data on the zooplankton community of LaCygne Lake before its use as a cooling pond and documents changes occurring after startup of the electrical power generation station. The spring zooplankton maximum shifted from July during the summer before plant operation to May and April in the two successive years after plant operation began. Zooplankton density increased significantly after the plant began operation. In situ thermal toler- ance experiments simulated passage through the condenser and discharge canal by exposing zoo- plankton 4 h to temperatures ranging from 35° to 40°C. Bosmina longirostris was the most heat resistant species. B. longirostris increased in density more than other zooplankton species after plant startup. Reservoirs are increasingly being used as cooling ponds to dissipate heat produced during the generation of electrical power. Use of a lake as a cooling pond can potentially affect the lake zooplankton community in many ways. The plant may cause zooplankton mortality when water from the cooling pond is pumped through the plant to remove heat from the steam condensers. Water emerging from the condenser is usually heated from 6 to 17°C above ambient lake temperatures (Clark, 1969) and may ultimately reach tempera- tures above zooplankton thermal tolerances, favoring population growth of heat resistant species. Another effect is that the discharge of the heated con- denser effluent back into the cooling pond may increase lake temperatures and alter zooplankton succession which is, in part, temperature dependent (Hall, 1964; Hutchinson, 1967). Most research related to the zooplankton of cooling ponds has focused on zooplankton thermal tolerance or mortality caused by condenser entrainment (Finesinger, 1926; Brown and Crozier, 1927; Brown, 1929; Heinle, 1969; Goss and Bunting, 1976; Carlson, 1974; Storr, 1974; Buikema et al., 1978). Few stu- dies have examined the combined impact of condenser passage and lake heat- ing on the zooplankton community of the cooling pond (Carlson, 1974; Krza- nowski, 1979). This study establishes baseline data on LaCygne Lake before it was used as a cooling pond and investigates initial changes in the zoo- plankton community of LaCygne Lake following electrical generation startup.

Aquatic toxicology of Turkey Creek, Missouri, USA

Abstract At low flows, ambient toxicity (measured as a reduction in Ceriodaphnia survival) was observed in two tributaries and in the main channel of Turkey Creek. Toxicity during periods of no observable stream flow was absent in Turkey Creek upstream of these sources and reduced downstream of them and a wastewater treatment plant. During stormwater runoff, ambient toxicity increased throughout Turkey Creek, but especially at the downstream sites. Toxicity was not markedly altered at the two tributary sites where there was significant toxicity under runoff and non-runoff conditions. The toxicity from the tributaries was attributed to the presence of zinc, nickel, or cadmium as implied by a follow-up analysis of a toxicity identification evaluation (TIE), known land use, and ambient water quality data. Overall, the aquatic toxicity observed in Turkey Creek is likely due to sources in the streambed, unconsolidated urban runoff, mine tailings, or synergistic effects.

Deflection, disassociation, & acknowledgement: a content analysis of the 2011–2014 media framing of hydraulic fracturing and Oklahoma earthquakes

In June of 2014, geologists reported that, for the first time, more earthquakes greater than magnitude 3.0 occurred in Oklahoma than in California [Terry-Cobo, 2014]. In Oklahoma, the frequency of earthquakes that are strong enough to be felt has increased 44 times in recent years and this has been correlated to a dramatic increase in high-volume, horizontal hydraulic fracturing (HVHHF) operations [Hume, 2014]. The aims of this study are: (1) to determine how hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking, and Oklahoma earthquakes are framed by print-based media at the local, national, and international levels; (2) to understand how the association between these factors has evolved over time; and (3) to further analyze the differences between experts on the subjects of causality and threat characterization (e.g., severity). A total of 169 print news reports were included for analysis: 48 local/Oklahoma reports (28% of total sample), 72 national reports (42% of total sample) and 49 international news reports (30% of total sample). The findings reveal significant differences in the frame techniques, sources of information, and the foci of subject matter between three different media scales in print based media. Results, discussion and implications are provided. Abstract

Controlling Environmental Crisis Messages in Uncontrollable Media Environments: The 2011 Case of Blue-Green Algae on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, OK

This chapter documents a content analysis of 62 media reports related to the 2011 blue-green algae (BGA) outbreak on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, Oklahoma. A three-stage crisis model is used to understand the media framing and crisis communication related to the event. Media reports were categorized according to modality. The data set included: traditional media reports (n = 21, 33 %), online blogs (n = 7, 11 %), and online press releases (n = 34, 54 %). These units of analysis represent both controlled and uncontrolled media representations of the crisis event. The objectives of this analysis are to understand how risk and crisis communication strategies were utilized before, during, and after the BGA outbreak. Five strategies and techniques for improving crisis communication effectiveness are detailed. Limitations and implications are provided.