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Articles 1651 - 1680 of 10269

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Bioaccumulation And Partitioning Of Heavy Metals In Cicindelidia Haemorrhagica In Yellowstone National Park, Monica Gotschall Apr 2021

Bioaccumulation And Partitioning Of Heavy Metals In Cicindelidia Haemorrhagica In Yellowstone National Park, Monica Gotschall

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The tiger beetle Cicindelidia haemorrhagica (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) are widely distributed in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and exclusively living on thermal areas. Heavy metals including arsenic, copper, lead, and selenium are present in these thermal springs, presenting an unique environment for C. haemorrhagica. Therefore, from 2018 – 2020 I sampled adult C. haemorrhagica from YNP and adult C. haemorrhagica from a known population in a salt flat in Idaho not associated with a hot spring and measured heavy metal concentrations. All populations of C. haemorrhagica bioaccumulated heavy metals. Cuticular waxes showed small concentrations of metals indicating that those metals are …


Fish Disease Outreach Messages: Testing Of Gain And Loss Frames, Erin L. Pavloski, Heather A. Triezenberg Apr 2021

Fish Disease Outreach Messages: Testing Of Gain And Loss Frames, Erin L. Pavloski, Heather A. Triezenberg

The Journal of Extension

Gain and loss framing has been used as a technique in risk communication to shape individuals’ behaviors in many fields. Our community-engaged research, conducted in partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), experimentally tested five message frames to determine efficacy for outreach programs. We found: a) to increase risk perceptions of fish disease use a loss frame in a management context, b) to decrease risk perceptions of fish disease management use a gain frame in a disease context, and c) to motivate behavioral intentions for prevention and risk reduction use a gain frame in a disease context.


Optimization Of Grow-Out Of Bouldering Coral Microfragments: Land Vs. Offshore Nursery, Ashlee A. Steinberg Apr 2021

Optimization Of Grow-Out Of Bouldering Coral Microfragments: Land Vs. Offshore Nursery, Ashlee A. Steinberg

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Corals along the Florida Reef Tract and the wider Caribbean have been declining for decades. Low densities of adult colonies hinder the ability of corals to replenish themselves through sexual reproduction, thus reef managers are focusing on restoration actions that increase coral biomass. Microfragmentation is a way to quickly increase the biomass of bouldering corals by cutting the coral into small pieces which forces the coral to allocate its resources away from reproduction and back into growth, increasing its growth rate. This study assessed the optimal location for grow-out (land vs. offshore nursery) and its synergy with size of fragment …


The Effect Of Changing Substrate On Arctic Aquatic Invertebrates Abundance, Tom Dolman Apr 2021

The Effect Of Changing Substrate On Arctic Aquatic Invertebrates Abundance, Tom Dolman

Michael D. Wilson Symposium

Climate change is directly affecting tundra ecosystems in northern regions, and warming temperatures have caused discontinuous permafrost and thawing sediments across the region. This project investigates how increasing erosion and the foraging patterns of migratory snow geese may degrade habitat for aquatic invertebrates in the upper Mast River, located in Wapusk National Park, Manitoba, Canada. In the past two decades, many of the important species of aquatic invertebrates have shown declines. Declining invertebrate populations are predicted to affect aquatic ecosystems and decrease the resources available to shorebirds and waterfowl, which breed and migrate through this area.


Informing Drought Mitigation Policy By Estimating The Value Of Water For Crop Production, Renata Rimsaite, Justin Gibson, Nicholas Brozovic Apr 2021

Informing Drought Mitigation Policy By Estimating The Value Of Water For Crop Production, Renata Rimsaite, Justin Gibson, Nicholas Brozovic

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Farmers use irrigation to mitigate drought risk and reduce yield uncertainty. A clear understanding of the monetary value of irrigation water and how it varies across time and space can help to inform farmers and policymakers about the potential impacts of water shortages and reduce uncertainty in decision making. Here, we introduce a framework for understanding the economic value of water used to produce corn in the central High Plains region during the period 2010–2017. Our analysis uses publicly available data for corn price and for irrigated and non-irrigated yields and incorporates irrigation requirement adjustments to account for the hydrologic …


Distribution And Conservation Status Of Camellia Longzhouensis (Theaceae), A Critically Endangered Plant Species Endemic To Southern China, Zhanhui Xu, Hai Ren, Xiao Wei, Kangting Ouyang, Dongxing Li, Yili Guo, Shujun Wen, Jifeng Long, Jun Wang, Dafeng Hui Apr 2021

Distribution And Conservation Status Of Camellia Longzhouensis (Theaceae), A Critically Endangered Plant Species Endemic To Southern China, Zhanhui Xu, Hai Ren, Xiao Wei, Kangting Ouyang, Dongxing Li, Yili Guo, Shujun Wen, Jifeng Long, Jun Wang, Dafeng Hui

Biology Faculty Research

Camellia longzhouensis (Theaceae) is an endemic evergreen shrub or small tree with a distribution restricted to South China. It is listed as Grade-II in the National Key Protected Wild Plants List. In this study, we surveyed its distribution, examined its population structure, identified factors affecting its survival, and reassessed its extinction risk. We found that C. longzhouensis was only distributed in the Nonggang National Nature Reserve and the surrounding area. Its individuals only grew under the secondary forest canopy in the karst mountain. A total of 58 individuals of C. longzhouensis in three sub-populations were found. Soil fertility and understory …


Considering The Use Of The Terms Strain And Adaptation In Prion Research, Robert M. Zink Apr 2021

Considering The Use Of The Terms Strain And Adaptation In Prion Research, Robert M. Zink

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Evolutionary biologists and disease biologists use the terms strain and adaptation in Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) research in different ways. In evolutionary biology, a strain is a nascent genetic lineage that can be described by a genealogy, and a phylogenetic nomenclature constructed to reflect that genealogy. Prion strains are described as showing distinct host range, clinical presentation, disease progression, and neuropathological and PrP biochemical profiles, and lack information that would permit phylogenetic reconstruction of their history. Prion strains are alternative protein conformations, sometimes derived from the same genotype. I suggest referring to prion strains as ecotypes, because the variant phenotypic …


Revegetation Of Native Plant Communities In Great Salt Lake Wetlands: The Effects Of Native Seed Mix Composition And Sowing Density, Laura Beck Apr 2021

Revegetation Of Native Plant Communities In Great Salt Lake Wetlands: The Effects Of Native Seed Mix Composition And Sowing Density, Laura Beck

Student Research Symposium

One of the threats currently facing Great Salt Lake wetlands is Phragmites australis. Its rapid expansion since 1987 has displaced native vegetation and changed the composition of plant communities. Removal is very costly and takes multiple years of different treatments like herbicide, mowing, and flooding. To ensure Phragmites australis does not return, native seeds will need to be sown. This experiment is to determine the best seed composition and sowing density. In the USU greenhouse, I will sow four different native seed mixes: 100% desirable perennial natives, 75% perennial natives and 25% fast growing natives, 50% perennial natives and 50% …


Testing A Global Standard For Quantifying Species Recovery And Assessing Conservation Impact, Molly K. Grace, H Resit Akcakaya, Elizabeth L. Bennett, Thomas M. Brooks, Anna Heath, Simon Hedges, Craig Hilton-Taylor, Michael Hoffmann, Axel Hochkirch, Richard Jenkins, David A. Keith, Barney Long, David P. Mallon, Erik Meijaard, E.J. Milner-Gulland, Jon Paul Rodriguez, P J. Stephenson, Simon N. Stuart, Richard P. Young, Pablo Acebes, Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto, Silvia Alvarez-Clare, Raphali Rodlis Andriantsimanarilafy, Marina Arbetman, Claudio Azat, Gianluigi Bacchetta, Ruchi Badola, Luis M.D. Barcelos, Joao Pedro Barreiros, Sayanti Basak, Danielle J. Berger, Sabuj Bhattacharyya, Gilad Bino, Paulo A.V. Borges, Raoul K. Boughton, H Jane Brockmann, Hannah L. Buckley, Ian J. Burfield, James Burton, Teresa Camacho-Badani, Luis Santiago Cano-Alonso, Ruth H. Carmichael, Christina Carrero, John P. Carroll, Giorgos Catsadorakis, David G. Chapple, Guillaume Chapron, Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury, Louw Claassens, Donatella Cogoni, Rochelle Constantine, Christie Anne Craig, Andrew A. Cunningham, Nishma Dahal, Jennifer C. Daltry, Goura Chandra Das, Niladri Dasgupta, Alexandra Davey, Katharine Davies, Pedro Develey, Vanitha Elangovan, David Fairclough, Mirko Di Febbraro, Giuseppe Fenu, Fernando Moreira Fernandes, Eduardo Pinheiro Fernandez, Brittany Finucci, Rita Foldesi, Catherine M. Foley, Matthew Ford, Michael R.J. Forstner, Nestor Garcia, Ricardo Garcia-Sandoval, Penny C. Gardner, Roberto Garibay-Orijel, Marites Gatan-Balbas, Irene Gauto, Mirza Ghazanfar Ullah Ghazi, Stephanie S. Godfrey, Matthew Gollock, Benito A. Gonzalez, Tandora D. Grant, Thomas Gray, Andrew J. Gregory, Roy H.A. Van Grunsven, Marieka Gryzenhout, Noelle C. Guernsey, Garima Gupta, Christina Hagen, Christian A. Hagen, Madison B. Hall, Eric Hallerman, Kelly Hare, Tom Hart, Ruston Hartdegen, Yvette Harvey-Brown, Richard Hatfield, Tahneal Hawke, Claudia Hermes, Rod Hitchmough, Pablo Melo Hoffmann, Charlie Howarth, Michael A. Hudson, Syed Ainul Hussain, Charlie Huveneers, Helene Jacques, Dennis Jorgensen, Suyash Katdare, Lydia K.D. Katsis, Rahul Kaul, Boaz Kaundra-Arara, Lucy Keith-Diagne, Daniel T. Kraus, Thales Moreira De Lima, Ken Lindeman, Jean Linsky, Edward Louis Jr., Anna Loy, Eimear Nic Lughadha, Jeffrey C. Mangel, Paul E. Marinari, Gabriel M. Martin, Gustavo Martinelli, Philip J.K. Mcgowan, Alistair Mcinnes, Eduardo Teles Barbosa Mendes, Michael J. Millard, Claire Mirande, Daniel Money, Joanne M. Monks, Carolina Laura Morales, Nazia Noareen Mumu, Raquel Negrao, Anh Ha Nguyen, Nazmul Hasan Niloy Md., Grant Leslie Norbury, Cale Nordmeyer, Darren Norris, Mark O'Brien, Gabriela Akemi Oda, Simone Orsengio, Mark Evan Outerbridge, Stesha Pasachnik, Juan Carlos Perez-Jimenez, Charlotte Pike, Fred Pilkington, Glenn Plumb, Rita De Cassia Quitete Portela, Ana Prohaska, Manuel G. Quintana, Eddie Fanantenana Rakotondrasoa, Dustin H. Ranglack, Hassan Rankou, Ajay Prakash Rawat, James Thomas Reardon, Marcelo Lopes Rheingantz, Stephen C. Richter, Malin C. Rivers, Luke Rollie Rogers, Patricia Da Rosa, Paul Rose, Emily Royer, Catherine Ryan, Yvonne J. Sadovy De Mitcheson, Lily Salmon, Carlos Henrique Salvador, Michael J. Samways, Tatiana Sanjuan, Amanda Souza Dos Santos, Hiroshi Sasaki, Emmanuel Shutz, Heather Ann Scott, Robert Michael Scott, Fabrizio Serena, Surya P. Sharma, John A. Shuey, Carlos Julio Polo Silva, John P. Simaika, David R. Smith, Julia L.Y. Spaet, Shanjida Sultana, Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, Vikash Tatayah, Philip Thomas, Angela Tringali, Hoang Trinh-Dinh, Chongpi Tuboi, Aftab Alam Usami, Aida M. Vasco-Palacios, Jean-Christophe Vie, Jo Virens, Alan Walker, Bryan Wallace, Lauren J. Waller, Hongfeng Wang, Oliver R. Wearn, Merlijin Van Weerd, Simon Weigmann, Daniel Willcox, John Woinarski, Jean W.H. Yong, Stuart Young Apr 2021

Testing A Global Standard For Quantifying Species Recovery And Assessing Conservation Impact, Molly K. Grace, H Resit Akcakaya, Elizabeth L. Bennett, Thomas M. Brooks, Anna Heath, Simon Hedges, Craig Hilton-Taylor, Michael Hoffmann, Axel Hochkirch, Richard Jenkins, David A. Keith, Barney Long, David P. Mallon, Erik Meijaard, E.J. Milner-Gulland, Jon Paul Rodriguez, P J. Stephenson, Simon N. Stuart, Richard P. Young, Pablo Acebes, Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto, Silvia Alvarez-Clare, Raphali Rodlis Andriantsimanarilafy, Marina Arbetman, Claudio Azat, Gianluigi Bacchetta, Ruchi Badola, Luis M.D. Barcelos, Joao Pedro Barreiros, Sayanti Basak, Danielle J. Berger, Sabuj Bhattacharyya, Gilad Bino, Paulo A.V. Borges, Raoul K. Boughton, H Jane Brockmann, Hannah L. Buckley, Ian J. Burfield, James Burton, Teresa Camacho-Badani, Luis Santiago Cano-Alonso, Ruth H. Carmichael, Christina Carrero, John P. Carroll, Giorgos Catsadorakis, David G. Chapple, Guillaume Chapron, Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury, Louw Claassens, Donatella Cogoni, Rochelle Constantine, Christie Anne Craig, Andrew A. Cunningham, Nishma Dahal, Jennifer C. Daltry, Goura Chandra Das, Niladri Dasgupta, Alexandra Davey, Katharine Davies, Pedro Develey, Vanitha Elangovan, David Fairclough, Mirko Di Febbraro, Giuseppe Fenu, Fernando Moreira Fernandes, Eduardo Pinheiro Fernandez, Brittany Finucci, Rita Foldesi, Catherine M. Foley, Matthew Ford, Michael R.J. Forstner, Nestor Garcia, Ricardo Garcia-Sandoval, Penny C. Gardner, Roberto Garibay-Orijel, Marites Gatan-Balbas, Irene Gauto, Mirza Ghazanfar Ullah Ghazi, Stephanie S. Godfrey, Matthew Gollock, Benito A. Gonzalez, Tandora D. Grant, Thomas Gray, Andrew J. Gregory, Roy H.A. Van Grunsven, Marieka Gryzenhout, Noelle C. Guernsey, Garima Gupta, Christina Hagen, Christian A. Hagen, Madison B. Hall, Eric Hallerman, Kelly Hare, Tom Hart, Ruston Hartdegen, Yvette Harvey-Brown, Richard Hatfield, Tahneal Hawke, Claudia Hermes, Rod Hitchmough, Pablo Melo Hoffmann, Charlie Howarth, Michael A. Hudson, Syed Ainul Hussain, Charlie Huveneers, Helene Jacques, Dennis Jorgensen, Suyash Katdare, Lydia K.D. Katsis, Rahul Kaul, Boaz Kaundra-Arara, Lucy Keith-Diagne, Daniel T. Kraus, Thales Moreira De Lima, Ken Lindeman, Jean Linsky, Edward Louis Jr., Anna Loy, Eimear Nic Lughadha, Jeffrey C. Mangel, Paul E. Marinari, Gabriel M. Martin, Gustavo Martinelli, Philip J.K. Mcgowan, Alistair Mcinnes, Eduardo Teles Barbosa Mendes, Michael J. Millard, Claire Mirande, Daniel Money, Joanne M. Monks, Carolina Laura Morales, Nazia Noareen Mumu, Raquel Negrao, Anh Ha Nguyen, Nazmul Hasan Niloy Md., Grant Leslie Norbury, Cale Nordmeyer, Darren Norris, Mark O'Brien, Gabriela Akemi Oda, Simone Orsengio, Mark Evan Outerbridge, Stesha Pasachnik, Juan Carlos Perez-Jimenez, Charlotte Pike, Fred Pilkington, Glenn Plumb, Rita De Cassia Quitete Portela, Ana Prohaska, Manuel G. Quintana, Eddie Fanantenana Rakotondrasoa, Dustin H. Ranglack, Hassan Rankou, Ajay Prakash Rawat, James Thomas Reardon, Marcelo Lopes Rheingantz, Stephen C. Richter, Malin C. Rivers, Luke Rollie Rogers, Patricia Da Rosa, Paul Rose, Emily Royer, Catherine Ryan, Yvonne J. Sadovy De Mitcheson, Lily Salmon, Carlos Henrique Salvador, Michael J. Samways, Tatiana Sanjuan, Amanda Souza Dos Santos, Hiroshi Sasaki, Emmanuel Shutz, Heather Ann Scott, Robert Michael Scott, Fabrizio Serena, Surya P. Sharma, John A. Shuey, Carlos Julio Polo Silva, John P. Simaika, David R. Smith, Julia L.Y. Spaet, Shanjida Sultana, Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, Vikash Tatayah, Philip Thomas, Angela Tringali, Hoang Trinh-Dinh, Chongpi Tuboi, Aftab Alam Usami, Aida M. Vasco-Palacios, Jean-Christophe Vie, Jo Virens, Alan Walker, Bryan Wallace, Lauren J. Waller, Hongfeng Wang, Oliver R. Wearn, Merlijin Van Weerd, Simon Weigmann, Daniel Willcox, John Woinarski, Jean W.H. Yong, Stuart Young

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Recognizing the imperative to evaluate species recovery and conservation impact, in 2012 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) called for development of a “Green List of Species” (now the IUCN Green Status of Species). A draft Green Status framework for assessing species’ progress toward recovery, published in 2018, proposed 2 separate but interlinked components: a standardized method (i.e., measurement against benchmarks of species’ viability, functionality, and preimpact distribution) to determine current species recovery status (herein species recovery score) and application of that method to estimate past and potential future impacts of conservation based on 4 metrics (conservation legacy, …


Impact Of Whitetail Deer Overpopulation With Hunting On The Decline, Matthew J. Lamprinos Apr 2021

Impact Of Whitetail Deer Overpopulation With Hunting On The Decline, Matthew J. Lamprinos

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

The whitetail deer is a key species for Pennsylvania’s forests, but their ecological balance has been disturbed by unregulated growth and urban sprawl. The deer population in Pennsylvania has exploded since the 1880’s causing a wide range of damage on the ecosystem, and humans. To reduce deer populations to sustainable levels, the Pennsylvania Game Commission relies heavily on hunters to dedicate time in the fall to go out and fill the tags the they issue. Hunter participation all around the world is decreasing for a variety of reasons. Fewer hunters out in the field causes revenue losses for the Game …


Moderate Grazer Density Stabilizes Forage Availability More Than Patch Burning In Low-Stature Grassland, Edward J. Raynor, Devan Allen Mcgranahan, James R. Miller, Diane M. Debinski, Walter H. Schacht, David M. Engle Apr 2021

Moderate Grazer Density Stabilizes Forage Availability More Than Patch Burning In Low-Stature Grassland, Edward J. Raynor, Devan Allen Mcgranahan, James R. Miller, Diane M. Debinski, Walter H. Schacht, David M. Engle

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Spatially patchy fire creates landscape-level diversity that in turn stabilizes several rangeland ecosystem services, including forage production and habitat availability. To enhance biodiversity and livestock production, efforts are underway to restore fire regimes in rangelands throughout the Great Plains. However, invasive species such as tall fescue Schedonorus arundinaceus syn. Festuca arundinacea, initially introduced for forage production, hamper prescribed fire use. Grazer density, or stocking rate, modulates the effect of patchy fire regimes on ecological patterns in invaded, seminatural rangeland pastures. We compare three diversity–stability responses—temporal variability in aboveground plant biomass, portfolio effects among plant functional groups, and beta diversity in …


Using Enclosed Y-Mazes To Assess Chemosensory Behavior In Reptiles, M. Rockwell Parker, Andrea F. Currylow, Eric A. Tillman, Charlotte J. Robinson, Jilian M. Josimovich, Isabella M.G. Bukovich, Lauren A. Nazarian, Melia G. Nafus, Bryan M. Kluever, Amy A. Yackel Adams Apr 2021

Using Enclosed Y-Mazes To Assess Chemosensory Behavior In Reptiles, M. Rockwell Parker, Andrea F. Currylow, Eric A. Tillman, Charlotte J. Robinson, Jilian M. Josimovich, Isabella M.G. Bukovich, Lauren A. Nazarian, Melia G. Nafus, Bryan M. Kluever, Amy A. Yackel Adams

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Reptiles utilize a variety of environmental cues to inform and drive animal behavior such as chemical scent trails produced by food or conspecifics. Decrypting the scent-trailing behavior of vertebrates, particularly invasive species, enables the discovery of cues that induce exploratory behavior and can aid in the development of valuable basic and applied biological tools. However, pinpointing behaviors dominantly driven by chemical cues versus other competing environmental cues can be challenging. Y-mazes are common tools used in animal behavior research that allow quantification of vertebrate chemosensory behavior across a range of taxa. By reducing external stimuli, Y-mazes remove confounding factors and …


Removal Of Carbamazepine Onto Modified Zeolitic Tuff In Different Water Matrices: Batch And Continuous Flow Experiments, Othman A. Al-Mashaqbeh, Daniel D. Snow, Diya A. Alsafadi, Layal Z. Alsalhi, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt Apr 2021

Removal Of Carbamazepine Onto Modified Zeolitic Tuff In Different Water Matrices: Batch And Continuous Flow Experiments, Othman A. Al-Mashaqbeh, Daniel D. Snow, Diya A. Alsafadi, Layal Z. Alsalhi, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is the most frequently detected pharmaceutical residues in aquatic environments effluent by wastewater treatment plants. Batch and column experiments were con-ducted to evaluate the removal of CBZ from ultra-pure water and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent using raw zeolitic tuff (RZT) and surfactant modified zeolite (SMZ). Point zero net charge (pHpzc), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) were investigated for adsorbents to evaluate the physiochemical changes resulted from the modification process using Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMA-Br). XRD and FTIR showed that the surfactant modification of RZT has created an amorphous surface with new alkyl …


Parasite Prevalence In Marsh Rice Rats (Oryzomys Palustris) On Sites Affected By The 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Layni Leblanc Apr 2021

Parasite Prevalence In Marsh Rice Rats (Oryzomys Palustris) On Sites Affected By The 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Layni Leblanc

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.


Design Portfolio For The Tri-Cities Homestead 2.0: A Second Look At A Doe Solar Decathlon Net Zero Home Design, Talia Dreicer Apr 2021

Design Portfolio For The Tri-Cities Homestead 2.0: A Second Look At A Doe Solar Decathlon Net Zero Home Design, Talia Dreicer

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The redesign of a Solar Decathlon Design Challenge home attempts to correct inaccuracies and works to create a more energy efficient and cost-effective home design. Comparative analysis is conducted to identify design characteristics that created the greatest efficiency increases for the lowest cost. The comparative analysis results in three versions of a house design: a “worst” efficiency, “best” efficiency, and final home design. The final, reimagined design is significantly more efficient than the original design and the associated pricing and energy analysis are more accurate and robust than their counterparts in the original design.


A Foray Into Laboratory Scale Soil Incubations With Corn Stover And High Lignin Fermentation Byproduct, Michelle Wang Apr 2021

A Foray Into Laboratory Scale Soil Incubations With Corn Stover And High Lignin Fermentation Byproduct, Michelle Wang

ENGS 88 Honors Thesis (AB Students)

As the production of biofuels increases to meet the demands of a growing low carbon economy, questions of sustainability surrounding its feedstock and waste streams have become increasingly relevant. In the biofuel production process, crop residues like corn stover are harvested from the field and converted to biofuels leaving generating a residue called high lignin fermentation byproduct (HLFB). From extensive process modelling in the literature, it is suggested that HLFB should be either combusted to fuel auxiliary conversion processes or returned to the soil in place of the crop residues that were harvested. Currently, there is little literature testing the …


Occurrence And Potential Transformation Pathways Of Nitrogen Species In The Intermediate Vadose Zone, Jordan Shields Apr 2021

Occurrence And Potential Transformation Pathways Of Nitrogen Species In The Intermediate Vadose Zone, Jordan Shields

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Nebraska is a large agricultural producing state with a heavy reliance on groundwater resources and nitrogen fertilizer application to maintain output. Poor management, such as excessive fertilizer application, improper timing, and over irrigation can lead to contamination of groundwater. Nitrate is the leading groundwater contaminant in Nebraska and chronic consumption at medium to high concentrations leads to adverse health effects. Nitrate, a highly soluble anion, is present in the root zone in numerous forms and undergoes biogeochemical transformations before being leached through the profile. In order to predict the timing and quantity of nitrate contamination in groundwater, researchers study the …


Educating For Sustainable Forestry: Perspectives On The Career Readiness Of New Professionals, Samantha Jones Apr 2021

Educating For Sustainable Forestry: Perspectives On The Career Readiness Of New Professionals, Samantha Jones

Education Doctorate Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored forestry career readiness from the perspective of forestry employers and early career forestry professionals. A virtual focus group interview, individual online interviews, and a review of forestry education documents produced study data. Participants were selected through snowball sampling. Data were analyzed through open and axial coding. Salient themes emerging from this inquiry centered on the dynamic complexity of forestry, field competence, interpersonal skills, and situated learning. Study findings concluded that sustainable forest management required field skills to conduct remote forestry activities and interpersonal skills to negotiate diverse stakeholder interests. Implications for educational practice and recommendations …


Unprecedented Migratory Bird Die-Off: A Citizen-Based Analysis On The Spatiotemporal Patterns Of Mass Mortality Events In The Western United States, Di Yang, Anni Yang, Jue Yang, Rongting Xu, Han Qiu Apr 2021

Unprecedented Migratory Bird Die-Off: A Citizen-Based Analysis On The Spatiotemporal Patterns Of Mass Mortality Events In The Western United States, Di Yang, Anni Yang, Jue Yang, Rongting Xu, Han Qiu

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Extensive, severe wildfires, and wildfire-induced smoke occurred across the western and central United States since August 2020. Wildfires resulting in the loss of habitats and emission of particulate matter and volatile organic compounds pose serious threatens to wildlife and human populations, especially for avian species, the respiratory system of which are sensitive to air pollutions. At the same time, the extreme weather (e.g., snowstorms) in late summer may also impact bird migration by cutting off their food supply and promoting their migration before they were physiologically ready. In this study, we investigated the environmental drivers of massive bird die-offs by …


Examining Natural Resource Conservation: In The Classroom, Through Collaborative Conservation, And Across Public Communication Platforms, Shauni Seccombe Apr 2021

Examining Natural Resource Conservation: In The Classroom, Through Collaborative Conservation, And Across Public Communication Platforms, Shauni Seccombe

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.


Observational And Modeling Analysis Of Land-Atmosphere Interactions Over Adjacent Irrigated And Rainfed Cropland During The Grainex Field Campaign., Eric Rappin, Rezaul Mahmood, Udaysankar S. Nair, Roger A. Pielke Sr. Apr 2021

Observational And Modeling Analysis Of Land-Atmosphere Interactions Over Adjacent Irrigated And Rainfed Cropland During The Grainex Field Campaign., Eric Rappin, Rezaul Mahmood, Udaysankar S. Nair, Roger A. Pielke Sr.

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Continued scientific study has revealed that land use and land cover change play a key role in climate and that the application of irrigation is an important biogeophysical contributor to climate modification across spatial scales. The Great Plains Irrigation Experiment (GRAINEX) was conducted in the spring and summer of 2018 to investigate Land-Atmosphere interactions just prior to and through the growing season across adjacent, but distinctly unique, soil moisture regimes (contrasting irrigated and rainfed fields). GRAINEX was uniquely designed for the development and analysis of an extensive observational dataset for comprehensive process studies of Land-Atmosphere interactions, by focusing on irrigated …


Revisiting Hudson County Water Co. V. Mccarter: Realism, The Public Trust Doctrine, And Environmental Conservation In The Lochner Era, Steven Huffman Apr 2021

Revisiting Hudson County Water Co. V. Mccarter: Realism, The Public Trust Doctrine, And Environmental Conservation In The Lochner Era, Steven Huffman

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Legal histories of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era tend to focus inordinately on economic regulation within a doctrinal framework in which private rights, equal protection, and “substantive” due process guided judicial decision-making. Consequently, the overarching economic context in prevailing legal historiography obscures an important yet oft-overlooked development in the linkage between public rights, natural resource trusteeship, and the early-twentieth-century environmental conservation movement. This development is inextricably tied to the evolution of water law in the late nineteenth century and the expansion of the American commercial republic. A normative understanding of public water rights during this period is confined to …


Reimagining The Duck Stamp, Hunting Licensure And Public Land Preservation, Alec Wayne Boyd-Devine Apr 2021

Reimagining The Duck Stamp, Hunting Licensure And Public Land Preservation, Alec Wayne Boyd-Devine

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The American Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, or Duck Stamp, is a form of licensure issued by the Federal Government for waterfowl hunters. Why do physical stamps act as licensure to hunt waterfowl on both public and private land in the United States? How did the stamp become the key that grants access to resources that supposedly should be owned by the public? The duck stamp has been well-documented in conservation communities as a resource which has made significant positive impacts on the environment. The increase of anti-hunting sentiments in our society combined with fewer hunters per capita may …


Dredging Implementation Prioritization And Management For Middle Peninsula Shallow Draft Channels, Donna A. Milligan, C. Scott Hardaway Jr., Christine A. Wilcox, Nicholas J. Dinapoli Apr 2021

Dredging Implementation Prioritization And Management For Middle Peninsula Shallow Draft Channels, Donna A. Milligan, C. Scott Hardaway Jr., Christine A. Wilcox, Nicholas J. Dinapoli

Reports

To develop a regional dredging program for the localities of the Middle Peninsula, a database of 120 creeks and rivers was created of its waterbodies from Tappahannock to West Point. Generally, these waterbodies can be categorized into three basic types of shallow draft channels: federally-defined, non-federal with ATONs (aids to Navigation) and non-federal without ATONs. For the Middle Peninsula there are 13 federal channels, 12 non-federal channels in creeks with ATONs, and 94 in creeks without defined channels or ATONs.

Physical parameter data was collected or created for each of these creeks. This data included creek mouth morphology, amount of …


Expanding The Use Of Natural And Nature-Based Infrastructure To Enhance Coastal Resiliency, Marcia Berman, Pamela Mason, Jessica Hendricks, Tamia Rudnicky Apr 2021

Expanding The Use Of Natural And Nature-Based Infrastructure To Enhance Coastal Resiliency, Marcia Berman, Pamela Mason, Jessica Hendricks, Tamia Rudnicky

Reports

The vulnerability of coastal communities and the growing risks of coastal infrastructure continue largely due to past and ongoing patterns of development in high risk areas. This project is focused on increasing the use of natural and nature-based features (NNBFs) to increase resilience of coastal communities to flooding caused by extreme weather events.


Effects Of Marsh Management In Coastal Marsh Impoundments On Marsh Vertical Accretion In The Face Of Sea Level Rise., Scott P. Graham Mar 2021

Effects Of Marsh Management In Coastal Marsh Impoundments On Marsh Vertical Accretion In The Face Of Sea Level Rise., Scott P. Graham

LSU Master's Theses

Many coastal marshes are managed for wildlife through the use of levees and water control structures. Management techniques such as water manipulation, herbicide application, and controlled burns are used to set back succession and facilitate recruitment of annual plant species, which are highly sought after by many wildlife. These marsh impoundments alter or prevent natural tidal exchange, which might alter or prevent sediment and nutrient inputs to the marsh. Although these management techniques are effective in managing for wildlife, there are few studies comparing vertical accretion between managed and unmanaged marshes. Vertical accretion is important because it allows coastal wetlands …


Comparison Of Modern And Mid-Holocene Benthic Foraminifera To Assess Recent Environmental Change In Almirante Bay, Caribbean Panama, Maria N. Gudnitz Mar 2021

Comparison Of Modern And Mid-Holocene Benthic Foraminifera To Assess Recent Environmental Change In Almirante Bay, Caribbean Panama, Maria N. Gudnitz

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study used the diversity and distribution of benthic foraminiferal assemblages of Almirante Bay, Caribbean Panama, as environmental proxies to compare modern coral, seagrass and mangrove habitats to mid-Holocene coral reef facies on the island of Isla Colón, to investigate both natural and human-influenced changes.

The modern study associated species and assemblage characteristics with environmental conditions related to degraded water quality. Assemblages were fairly similar among neighboring habitats but differed in species proportions, while several stress-tolerant taxa might indicate eutrophic conditions. Diversity appeared to be regionally controlled by freshwater input irrespective of habitat type, was generally lower near the mainland …


A Dynamic Programming Approach To Determine Optimum Modularity Level In Industrial Packaging, Marshal Louie, Kumar B Mar 2021

A Dynamic Programming Approach To Determine Optimum Modularity Level In Industrial Packaging, Marshal Louie, Kumar B

Journal of Applied Packaging Research

Modular packaging facilitate customization for accommodating variable product sizes in a product family. When determining package sizes for product variability, packaging engineers does not find difficulty to determine package dimension for less product variety whereas if the product variety is more, then determining the dimension of modular package involves complex decision-making and time-consuming process to find the optimal solution. This in turn directly impacts the overall lead time of the supply chain. Thus, in this paper a dynamic programming is developed to determine the quantity and dimension of modular packages for every demand of assorted products sizes. The program helps …


Solutions Human Centered Approach To Conservation, Illustration Department, History, Philosophy, + The Social Sciences Department Mar 2021

Solutions Human Centered Approach To Conservation, Illustration Department, History, Philosophy, + The Social Sciences Department

Illustration Course Work & Materials

"These essays were were written and illustrated by students at the Rhode Island school of Design in February, 2021. Their perspectives are entirely personal and reflect their efforts within a 5.5-week fused studio/seminar course that was centered on the Sixth Mass Extinction and how biodiversity is changing because of humans. Discovering that science communication is more than delivering just the facts, students were invited to research a topic of personal interest that is relevant to human impacts on biodiversity. Through analysis of data and other scientific information, each sought to synthesize their research and opinions on their topic through a …


Resource Assessment Report Abrolhos Islands And Mid-West Trawl Managed Fishery Resource, Mervi Kangas, A Chandrapavan, Anne Wilkins, E. A. Fisher, S. Evans Mar 2021

Resource Assessment Report Abrolhos Islands And Mid-West Trawl Managed Fishery Resource, Mervi Kangas, A Chandrapavan, Anne Wilkins, E. A. Fisher, S. Evans

WA Marine Stewardship Council report series

This document provides a cumulative description and assessment of the Abrolhos Islands and Mid-West Trawl Managed Fishery (AIMWTMF) and all of the fishing activities (i.e. fisheries / fishing sectors) affecting this resource in Western Australia (WA). This resource comprises of a single species of scallop, Ylistrum balloti which occurs in inshore waters to around 40 m depth at the Abrolhos Islands. This species is captured exclusively by demersal otter trawl gear in the West Coast Bioregion.