Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A Natural Resource Management Plan For The Historic Ramsey House, Brianna Saylor, Cole Oakey, Devin Hevener, Everett Williams, Haley Cox, Rachel Carpenter

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Seasonal Variations In Nutrient And Total Suspended Solids Sources And Fluxes In Rivers Of Northern New Jersey And Newark Bay, Usa, Jing Nie

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In recent decades, aquatic systems have experienced major problems with water quality due to high nutrient concentrations from both point and non-point sources resulting from industrialization, urbanization, and population growth. While nutrient pollution due to land use change cannot be ignored, point sources such as combined sewer overflows and discharging sites have also contributed to the problem. Integrated hydrodynamic, chemical, and biological models have been developed to simulate nutrient transportation from both sources. This paper reviews and analyzes water quality data from published literature to evaluate nutrient pollution in aquatic systems and emphasizes the need for a continuously developed integrated …

Investigation Of Microplastics In River Bottom Sediment Along The Musconetcong River, Nicole Perkins

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The knowledge of microplastics remains limited since there are scientific challenges in understanding long-term effects and health risks associated with microplastics in all environments. Challenges associated with microplastics investigations include limited approaches to microplastics sampling and analyses, understanding long‐term behavior of microplastics, the organismal and ecosystem health risks, and finding alternatives to using plastic. The research on microplastics has focused mainly on microplastics abundance and distribution in the environment, while their transport and pathways have remained rather understudied. The goal of this study was to expand our knowledge of microplastics in river sediment.

This microplastics investigation consisted of sampling the …

Xylitol As A Phase Change Material: Exploring The Replacement Of Erythritol By Xylitol As A Phase Change Material, Elsa C. Micklin

Physics

To circumvent the cost and environmental damage associated with batteries, phase change materials have been employed in solar cookpots to enable cooking in unfavorable weather conditions. Researchers at Cal Poly have traditionally employed the sugar alcohol erythritol as a PCM due to its high latent heat and a fusion point above the boiling point of water, but have discovered issues with the polyol’s degradation over extended periods of cycling. This paper explores the viability of erythritol’s sister-compound xylitol as a PCM in insulated solar-electric cookers, or ISECs. An ISEC was constructed with a xylitol PCM, and the data collected from …

Predictive Ecology And Management Of Phyllosphere Microbial Communities Through Cross-Scale Synthesis, David W. Armitage, Morgan E. Carter, Robin A. Choudhury, Mitja Remus-Emsermann, Cindy E. Morris, Johan H. Leveau, Linda L. Kinkel, José Pablo Dundore-Arias

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Here we summarize the main takeaways from a symposium and hybrid virtual and in-person participatory discussion focused on the challenges of scale in understanding the ecology and management of phyllosphere microbial communities. We provide an overview of the confounding effects of spatial scale on inference in microbial ecology, the spatial organization of microbial interactions in the phyllosphere, advances and remaining gaps in measuring phyllosphere colonization across scales, and the epidemiology in the phyllosphere. We hope to motivate further discussion and the development and adoption of creative approaches to solving the challenges of scale to enhance fundamental understanding and practical management …

Desert Spring Prokaryotes And Benthic Macroinvertebrates: Geological And Ecological Controls, Ariel D. Friel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Desert springs are aquatic oases, being considered among the most diverse and imperiled ecosystems on Earth. Despite the ecological significance and threatened status of desert springs, few studies have surveyed the microorganisms in these systems or their interactions with other community members. The primary goal of this dissertation was to describe the major controls influencing the community ecology of prokaryotic and BMI communities in cold- and moderate-temperature desert springs of the southern hydrographic Great Basin. Chapter 1 provides a broad overview of spring ecosystems and of each chapter included in this dissertation. Chapter 2 documents the first-ever, regional-scale survey of …

Investigating Haloacetonitrile (Han) Formation Potential From Nitrogenous Antibiotics And Agrochemicals, Kazi Shafayet Haider

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Disinfection can promote safe drinking water. Chlorine and chloramines are the two most used disinfectants. While these disinfectants are effective in inactivating disease-causing pathogens, they also produce hazardous byproducts when they react with organic compounds (precursors). Nitrogenous disinfection byproducts (N-DBPs) are more toxic than their counterparts. The increased use of nitrogen-based agrochemicals and antibitics has led to their detection in different water sources. The presence of secondary amine and aniline in these compounds can act as a source of reactive nitrogen to form N-DBPs. In addition, the increased concentration of bromide in water systems due to anthropogenic activities can enhance …

A One-Dimensional Analysis Of A Microbial Fuel Cell For Efficient Acetate Removal And Power Density Output, David Rouhani

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are electrochemical devices that utilize microorganisms to convert organic matter into electrical energy. MFCs have been discussed to have potential application for sustainable wastewater treatment due to their ability to generate electricity while simultaneously treating contaminated water. To optimize MFC performance, numerical models can be used to understand the complex electrochemical and biological processes occurring in the system. In this study, a numerical model was developed to simulate the performance of MFCs under varying operating conditions and to investigate the performance of a MFC for treating wastewater fuel. More specifically, the MFC was modeled to oxidize …

The Effects Of Habitat Isolation On Fine-Scale Genetic And Geographic Structure Of Populations Of Two Threatened Endemic Insects In Southern Nevada, Pseudocotalpa Giulianii And Icaricia Shasta Charlestonensis, Kristen Tovar

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Assessing the role geographic isolation and ecological specialization have on phylogeographic patterns contributes to our understanding of the evolutionary history of a species and the processes that erode genetic diversity. I used mitochondrial and nuclear genomic sequences to assess whether habitat isolation has shaped the fine-scale patterns of present-day genetic structure and diversity in two threatened insect species endemic to southern Nevada. Pseudocotalpa giulianii (Coleoptera; Scarabaeidae) is a dune obligate scarab beetle endemic to only two small, isolated sand dunes in Nye County, Nevada, with a usable habitat of less than 4.2 km sq that is impacted by on-going degradation. …

The Transaction Costs Of Federal Environmental Policy Changes: The Effects Of The Temporary Covid-19 Cwa Rollback On Local Water Systems, Jesse Lee Barnes

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

An institutional dilemma exists between the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). US surface waters are protected from point-source pollution by the CWA. Community Water Systems (CWSs) that draw from these surface waters for potable purposes are required to treat that water to a level that meets SDWA health standards. Therefore, decreases in CWA regulations could lead to surface water quality declines and, thus, higher SDWA compliance costs for CWSs. This area of inquiry has become increasingly relevant due to Trump-era executive actions to try to decrease the federal government's role in multiple environmental policies, …

Getting The Dirt On Phosphorus Pollution In Mountain Lakes: Are Rising Soil Temperatures Contributing To Eutrophication In Mountain Watersheds?, Gordon O. Gianniny

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Mountain watersheds provide a critical supply of clean water to millions of people around the world. In recent years, evidence of a concerning trend has emerged in these watersheds: rising phosphorus (P) concentrations. P often acts as the limiting nutrient in mountain lake ecosystems, so increasing P availability in mountain lakes and streams has the potential to drastically increase algal growth in these systems. In extreme cases, increasing mountain lake P concentrations may even cause harmful algal blooms that degrade downstream water quality. While the implications of rising P concentrations in mountain lakes are serious, the cause driving this widespread …

Hydrologic Implications Of Snow-Vegetation Interactions In A Semiarid Mountain Climate, Maggi Kraft

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Knowledge of the complex interaction between snow, vegetation, and streamflow in semiarid mountain climates is necessary for predicting water resources. The effects of warming temperatures on snow distribution will cascade into vegetation water use and streamflow. Due to our reliance on snow water resources, it is necessary to understand how vegetation affects snow distribution, how vegetation uses snow water inputs and the subsequent effects on streamflow in the current and warming climate. The overall objective of this research is to improve our understanding of snow-vegetation interactions in a semiarid climate. In this dissertation, I use field data to evaluate how …

Evaluating Snow And Ice Cover In Tierra Del Fuego, Argentina, Zoe Pitman

Geosciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Evaluating changes in snow and ice cover is an important field for studying climate change and its impacts. This evaluation is commonly done using remote sensing because of its ability to evaluate large areas. The purpose of this study is to determine the reliability of one remote sensing technology, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), by comparing it to in-situ snow and climate data from the weather station at the Austral Center for Scientific Research (CADIC). Data was converted from daily to monthly averages and was sorted into a series of graphs to compare the two data sets. Correlations were …

Geochemical Analysis And Numerical Modeling Of Central And East Tennessee Mississippi Valley-Type Ore Districts: Constraints On Ore Genesis, Jackson Price Copeland

Geosciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

A simple two-way stochastic mixing model is presented for analysis of the lead (Pb) isotope compositions of the North American Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) districts of East Tennessee, Central Tennessee, and Central Kentucky. Four distinct mixing scenarios were run to critically evaluate the stochastic model and examine different hypotheses regarding the genesis of Central Tennessee and Central Kentucky MVT deposits. Additionally, Pb isotope analysis was conducted on sphalerite samples from the Central and East Tennessee MVT districts. Model and sampling results suggest that Central Tennessee and Central Kentucky ores likely formed by mixing of three fluids. In contrast to conclusions from …

Online Dashboards For Sars-Cov-2 Wastewater Data Need Standard Best Practices: An Environmental Health Communication Agenda, Colleen C. Naughton, Rochelle H. Holm, Nancy J. Lin, Brooklyn P. James, Ted Smith

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the benefits of wastewater surveillance to supplement clinical data. Numerous online information dashboards have been rapidly, and typically independently, developed to communicate environmental surveillance data to public health officials and the public. In this study, we review dashboards presenting SARS-CoV-2 wastewater data and propose a path toward harmonization and improved risk communication. A list of 127 dashboards representing 27 countries was compiled. The variability was high and encompassed aspects including the graphics used for data presentation (e.g., line/bar graphs, maps, and tables), log versus linear scale, and 96 separate ways of labeling SARS-CoV-2 wastewater concentrations. …

Fabrication Of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Components Using Stereolithography 3d Printing, Hannah Dyer

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Transitioning from fossil fuel supplied energy to renewable technology must meet cost efficient parameters throughout the manufacturing process while possessing the characteristics of a functioning and reliable power source. With a significant demand in renewable energy products, developmental techniques require adaptive approaches and procedures for novel materials in the manufacturing phase. This report proposes how a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), a renewable energy system, can employ additive manufacturing for directly 3D printing its components by utilizing stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing techniques. Fabrication of the printed components from the mixtures were first mixed with varying concentrations of ceramic powder and …

Impact Of Cover Crop Species Diversity On Soil Nutrient Availability And Crop Productivity, Amanda Kramer

Masters Theses

Cover crops provide multiple environmental benefits that improve both soil and water quality; however, farmers only utilize them on approximately 5% of harvested U.S. cropland. Low adoption rates are attributed to yield impact concerns, seed and planting costs, and lack of advocacy. This study, which began in October 2019, assessed the effects of nitrogen rate and cover crop diversity on weed biomass, soil coverage, in-situ residue decomposition, soil nitrogen and phosphorus availability, and cash crop yield to better understand the costs and benefits of cover crop adoption at two locations in Tennessee (Milan and Spring Hill). Treatments were replicated 4 …

Investigating Barriers To Conservation Of Freshwater Mussels In South Carolina, Olivia Poelmann

All Theses

Freshwater mussels are a diverse group of filter-feeding bivalves inhabiting freshwater systems; however, ~70% of U.S. species are imperiled. Many freshwater mussel species use fish hosts to complete juvenile transformation making host fish knowledge important for conservation efforts like captive propagation. While captive propagation programs have produced thousands of juveniles, survival post-release into natural systems is poorly studied. To address these absences of information, my first objective was to investigate differences among host use of naturally infested fishes and timing of larval release. My second objective was to evaluate survivorship of laboratory propagated juvenile Carolina Heelsplitter (Lasmigona decorata), …

Outside, Looking In: A Dissertation On Mindful Walking And How Green Exercise Affects State Mindfulness And Connectedness To Nature, Dustin Wyatt Davis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

INTRODUCTION: Mindfulness, green exercise, and connectedness to nature are increasingly popular topics among academics and the public. These three topics overlap in the underexplored area called mindful green exercise. Mindful green exercise is a blend of mindful exercise and green exercise. Mindful exercise is physical exercise during which people pay attention on purpose without judgment to each new present moment. The person applies an accepting awareness to internal phenomena (thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations) and external phenomena (objects and events in the environment). Green exercise is exercise performed outdoors in natural environments. Despite its name, green exercise does not only …

Metastability And Degradation In Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Thin-Film Solar Cells, Mohsen Jahandardoost

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 or CIGS is a thin-film semiconductor that has shown a device efficiency of 23.35% and 24.2% for single-junction and perovskite/CIGS tandem solar cells, respectively. CIGS offers promising properties such as tunable bandgap and ease of processing making them great candidates for thin-film tandem devices. However, knowledge of the effect of material defects, buffer materials, and post-deposition treatment (PDT) on degradation and metastability behavior in these devices is not well understood.In this dissertation, metastability and long-term degradation of CIGS thin-film solar cells have been investigated under combinatorial stress factors of heat, light, and voltage bias to systematically understand the effect …

Study Of Trace Elements In Southern Nevada Spring Waters And Lakes, Hyejeong Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Comprehending the natural water resource is imperative for the entire state of Nevada and of particular significance for Southern Nevada, where rapid population growth and climate change are placing significant strain on supplies. This research underscores the significance of water chemistry in identifying potential water source areas through trace elements. For the first time, the study proposed measuring the compositions of the entire suite of metal elements, ranging from Li to U, in over 40 springs in the Moapa Valley and its upper gradient valleys, utilizing the iCAP Qc ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer) at UNLV. The research evaluated …

Potential Control Of Invasive Mesquite Through Improving The Consumer’S Understanding Of Liquid Smoke Applications., Seth W. Ellsworth

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mesquite trees continue to invade forests and range lands in many countries across the world. The cost to remove these trees is staggering. In Texas, landowners spent $25 million over a 10- year period to clear 300,000 ha of mesquite trees, a fraction of the 22 million ha of Texas land affected by this invasion. Estimates are that the mesquite continues to negatively impact one to two percent of additional land in selected counties each year in Texas. However, the problem is not unique to Texas, but rather to the 44 species of mesquite trees, belonging to the genus Prosopis …

Mapping Past Land Use Changes And Modeling Future Urbanization Patterns In A Mid-Sized American City, Duncan P. Mccurry

Masters Theses

On a global scale, humans have been moving from rural to urban areas at an increasingly fast rate in a process called urbanization. It is crucial to understand and predict the impacts of urbanization because city expansion encroaches on farmland and woodland, reducing regional ecosystem services. Therefore, urbanization must be well planned in a forecasting manner. The objective of this study is to map the land use change in Knox County, Tennessee, from 2001-2019 to identify the urbanization trends and understand the dynamic geospatial relationships between the urban and rural areas. The geospatial mapping was done using USGS land use …

Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet Dynamics In The Pliocene From Sedimentological Interpretation Of Ocean Drilling Program Site 1097, Ridley Joseph

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Studying ice sheet behavior during the Pliocene Epoch is of great importance. The Early Pliocene was characterized by warm climatic conditions, similar carbon dioxide levels and high sea levels compared to the present. This time frame provides essential information on the foreseeable future of Earth’s cryosphere, particularly if climate change continues to persist. The sedimentary record of the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet (APIS) is the focus of this study. At Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1097, cores were drilled into Pliocene strata at a shallow depth on the Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf. Sedimentary facies were interpreted, and twenty samples were …

Potential Of Increased Thermal Tolerance As A Response To Acute Heat Stress In A Disease-Transmitting Mosquito Species, Nicole Ashley Scanlon

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Each year hundreds of millions of people are infected with mosquito-borne illnesses. West Nile Virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne diseases in the United States (McDonald et al., 2021). The first case of West Nile Virus was detected in the United States in 1999 (Sejvar, 2003). Since that time the number of cases has dramatically risen. Mosquitoes are ectotherms which means their body temperature is dependent on the thermal conditions outside of their body. Because of this they are very sensitive to changes in their environment. The Earth’s average temperature has been slowly but steadily rising. This small but …

Morphologic Comparisons Of Recrystallized And Neocrystallized Fibrous Amphibole Asbestos: Implications For Corresponding Health Risk Potential, Natalie G. Renkes

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The presence of naturally-occurring asbestos (NOA) is increasingly concerning for scientists, health and regulatory agencies, and citizens living in impacted areas. It is commonly believed that fibrous amphibole asbestos can only form through neocrystallization. In southern Nevada, NOA occurs as a result of hydrothermal alteration of granitic rock producing fibrous amphibole both as cross-cutting neocrystallized veins and via recrystallization of original magmatic hornblende crystals. Fibers with a greater aspect ratio are known to have increased toxicity. This study measured the maximum length and average width of both neocrystallized and recrystallized fibers to see if the morphologies were similar. Neocrystallized and …

Trace Dna Detection Using Diamond Dye: A Recovery Technique To Yield More Dna, Leah Davis

Master's Theses

This study aspires to find a new screening approach to trace DNA recovery techniques to yield a higher quantity of trace DNA from larger items of evidence. It takes the path of visualizing trace DNA on items of evidence with potential DNA so analysts can swab a more localized area rather than attempting to recover trace DNA through the general swabbing technique currently used for trace DNA recovery. The first and second parts consisted of observing trace DNA interaction with Diamond Dye on porous and non-porous surfaces.

The third part involved applying the Diamond Dye solution by spraying it onto …

Assessment Of Phytoplankton Assemblages And Harmful Algal Blooms In New Jersey, Yaritza Acosta Caraballo

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Urbanization, industrialization, and climate change have played a major role in the pollution of waterways, leading to a global increasing trend of harmful algal blooms (HAB) while jeopardizing water quality. Phytoplankton and HAB were evaluated within the highly urbanized and historically polluted state of New Jersey to help provide statewide baseline data for HAB and water quality management. A total of three studies were included in this dissertation. In the first study, phytoplankton communities were characterized in freshwaters of New Jersey during the cyanobacterial HAB season and their relationships to water quality at both statewide and ecoregion levels were examined. …

The Fate Of Fraxinus Spp. In New Jersey : A Physioeconomic Evaluation Of The Forest System And Infrastructure Implications, Erik W. Lyttek

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Though the impacts of pest infestation on forested ecosystems vary, the natural factors that facilitate outbreaks are of concern across multiple disciplines across the USA, affecting such diverse fields as economics, ecology, hydrology, atmospheric sciences, and pedology. Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a typical example of an aggressive invasive forest pest; it has proven difficult to eliminate, resistant to natural predators, and damaging to local flora. EAB has recently proliferated through the northern and mid-western forests of the USA, devastating the native population of ash trees (Fraxinus spp.), and has invaded an estimated 28% of all susceptible trees. In New …

Shop Less, Shop Better: Ethical And Sustainability Concerns Throughout The Fast Fashion Supply Chain, Natali Ann Hoeg

Pacific Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference (PURCC)

My capstone project is a series of short essays that describe how fast fashion is having negative impacts on local environments, communities, and supply chains. This research is a review of technical sources describing manufacturing of clothing and certification processes for alternative, sustainable textile production. Additionally, this review incorporates perspectives from journalists and documentarians, visiting and describing farms and factories that are involved with fast fashion production. This project was carried out over the course of a semester, as an independent study. The essays focus on the environmental and social impacts of fast fashion. Each of the six essays approaches …