Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Influence Of Karst Landscape On Planetary Boundary Layer Atmosphere: A Weather Research And Forecasting (Wrf) Model–Based Investigation, Ronnie Leeper, Rezaul Mamood, Arturo I. Quintanar

High Plains Regional Climate Center: Personnel Publications

Karst hydrology provides a unique set of surface and subsurface hydrological components that affect soil moisture variability. Over karst topography, surface moisture moves rapidly below ground via sink holes, vertical shafts, and sinking streams, reducing surface runoff and moisture infiltration into the soil. In addition, subsurface cave blockage or rapid snowmelt over karst can lead to surface flooding. Moreover, regions dominated by karst may exhibit either drier or wetter soils when compared to nonkarst landscape. However, because of the lack of both observational soil moisture datasets to initialize simulations and regional land surface models (LSMs) that include explicit karst hydrological …

Baselines Newsletter, No. 7, Winter/Spring 2011, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

Baselines: The Natural Resources Law Center Newsletter (2007-2011)

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Supply Chain And Network Structure On The Environmental Performance Of Sustainability-Focused Companies, Ozan Ozcan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this dissertation was to contribute to our understanding of the relationship between supply chain structure and the pursuit of a sustainability-driven corporate strategy. The literature indicates that in order to pursue a sustainability-focused strategy, an increased level of integration across the supply chain is required. However, there are also industry-level dynamics that impact observed levels of vertical integration. That is, some industries are naturally more integrated than others based on the maturity level of the industry. Thus, some firms may experience opposing forces regarding their sourcing strategies once they choose to pursue a sustainability-focused strategy.

To explore …

Effects Of Solids Loadings And Particle Size Distribution On Siphon Ceramic Candle Filters, Danielle Renzi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the rural areas of Madagascar only 29% of the population has access to clean water and 10% has access to improved sanitation. It has been estimated that environmental risk factors, such as inadequate access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation, are responsible for 94% of the diarrheal disease burden. This study was focused on testing a point-of-use technology called the Tulip filter, which is a siphon ceramic candle filter impregnated with silver. The purpose is to assess its feasibility for implementation in rural regions of Madagascar through a laboratory study performed at the University of South Florida.

The …

Energy Management And Governance In Vermont: A Case Study, Nicole Davis

Capstone Collection

Environmental management has always been important for global sustainability and has becoming even more critical in the face of climate change, the expansion of the global economy, and explosive population growth. Energy resource management is one of the critical areas that need to be address on the international, national, state and local levels. This paper presents a case study of the state of Vermont’s efforts towards energy management. Special attention is paid to governance of its energy systems and the ensuing results. The research looked at the energy supply and consumption profiles of the state, how those factors influenced policies, …

A Case Study Of A Project Entitled Community Skills For A Complex Situation: Managing Mining In The Brazilian Atlantic Forest, Arash Shane Robinson

Capstone Collection

This paper is a case study of a project entitled Community Skills for a Complex Situation: Managing Mining in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, which is located in the Serra do Brigadeiro Territory of Minas Gerais, Brazil – an area rich in biodiversity that is thought to contain the highly endangered woolly spider monkey (Brachyteles hypoxanthus).

Iracambi, a local non-governmental organization with an international staff, designed and implemented the project. Beginning in 2007, the project is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2011, and is funded by the Inter-American Foundation (IAF). Utilizing mainstream sustainable development, the …

Ethnic Minorities And Food Security In Northern Thailand, Monalisa Diamond

Capstone Collection

The issue of food security is complex. By analyzing the relationship between international, national and local society, one can better contextualize food security issues. Using an embedded research design (with a qualitative leaning) supported by quantitative data, research is conducted via surveys, interviews and focus groups. This research design was chosen to offset limited sample sizes with quantitative data to strengthen findings. Research findings were cross analyzed to identify three emergent themes. The three cross-cutting themes identified and analyzed are: Thai citizenship, employment and chemical pesticide use (chemical pesticide use did not arise among Burmese refugees and is only applicable …

The Organization And Status Of The Department Of Interior's Programs And Studies On Climate Change In The Colorado River Basin, Colorado River Governance Initiative, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center, Western Water Policy Program

Books, Reports, and Studies

21 p. : ill., maps ; 29 cm

(Editorial) A Long Term View Of Rare Plant Reintroduction. A Response To Godefroid Et Al. 2011: How Successful Are Plant Reintroductions?, Matthew A. Albrecht, Edward O. Guerrant Jr., Joyce Maschinski, Kathryn Kennedy

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

This is an editorial response to Godefroidet al. (2011). How successful are plant species reintroductions? Biological Conservation 144, 672-682.

An Examination Of The Impacts Of Urbanization On Green Space Access And Water Resources: A Developed And Developing World Perspective, Heather E. Wright Wendel

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the impact of urbanization and land use change on the availability and accessibility of two urban amenities that are often inequitably distributed: green space and water features. Diverse methodologies were utilized in order to gain a better understanding of the role of these amenities in improving urban quality of life and integrated water management. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this research provides a unique perspective within both a developed and developing world context by evaluating aspects of urbanization to emphasize more sustainable and integrated approaches to development.

A preliminary analysis highlights potential drivers of green space revitalization in …

Overcoming The Obstacles To Sustainability In Ghana, Ashley M. Scott

CMC Senior Theses

For several decades following its independence from Great Britain, Ghana’s policies continued to promote over-extraction of natural resources to the detriment of its economy and rural communities. Agricultural and forestry policy has gradually evolved to foster more sustainable and equitable practices, as in building partnerships with the private sector to fund infrastructure improvements. Policy has recently recognized the dire need to adopt agricultural practices and means of forest resource extraction that are compatible with ecological stewardship. However, many shortcomings are still apparent. Large logging operations completely disregard forestry regulations with impunity, whereas rural sustenance extractors are severely punished in the …

Energy Storage: Technology For A More Efficient Grid, Noah Proser

CMC Senior Theses

Energy storage technologies have the potential to revolutionize the electric grid by allowing for the integration of renewable generation while increasing the utilization and efficiency of current grid assets. These technologies include pumped hydroelectric storage, compressed air energy storage (CAES), flywheels, batteries, thermal energy storage (TES), super capacitors, and superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES). While energy storage has been implemented in some areas, its benefits are greatly undervalued by current regulatory frameworks leading to suboptimal outcomes for grid operators, utilities, and ratepayers. Large-scale adoption of storage technologies will require regulatory frameworks that recognize the benefits of grid-scale storage across generation, …

Building A Sustainable Seafood System For Maine, Robin Alden

Maine Policy Review

In this article, Robin Alden notes that Maine could have one of the premier marine food systems in the world. However, that means adequate steward­ship of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and diversifying the fishing industry beyond lobster by creating innovative public policy and a food system that supports community fishing.

Adrift In A Sea Of Information About Sustainable Seafood: The Maine Consumer Perspective, Catherine V. Schmitt

Maine Policy Review

The desire for a sustainable seafood industry that protects the environment and the future of fishing is certainly of interest to consumers, but even here there are conflicting standards, as Catherine Schmitt explores in this article.

It’S Growing Season For Maine’S Food System, Deborah Felder

Maine Policy Review

In the introduction to this special issue, guest editor Deb Felder lays out the elements of a sustainable food system. She notes that the increased interest in more ecologically sustainable, safe, humane, and economical community-supported food systems has “put Maine in the forefront of the food movement.”

Farms And The Working Landscape, John Piotti

Maine Policy Review

After years of losing farms and farmers, Maine is seeing an increase in the number of acres being farmed, due partly to a resurgence of interest in farming and new tools that help preserve working landscapes. These tools include agricul­tural easements such as those offered by the Land for Maine’s Future, the Buy/Protect/Sell program at Maine Farmland Trust, local ordinances, and several federal programs

Historical Perspectives On Resource Use In Food Systems, John Jemison, Amanda Beal

Maine Policy Review

No one would deny that industrial agriculture and fishing have been highly productive—but at what cost? This article explores the historical development and contemporary impact of food production on the environment, availability of water and other resources, energy, food safety, and even our waistlines

Resource, Environment And Energy Considerations For Maine Food Security In 2050 And Beyond, Amanda Beal, John Jemison

Maine Policy Review

This article discusses some of the expensive “externalities” produced by industrial agriculture and fishing. These include impaired watershed quality, soil degradation, pollution, reduction in biodiversity, and impacts on human health. The article also includes a discussion of transgenic crops and how these relate to sustainable agriculture

Efficient Water Conservation In Agriculture For Growing Urban Water Demands In Jordan, Raed Al-Tabini, A.R. Octavio, A,W. Frank, R. Phillips

Raed Al-Tabini

A significant challenge worldwide is to increase food supply to accommodate a population growing to 10 billion in the face of climate change. Per capita water supply in Jordan is among the world’s lowest. Despite this scarcity, three quarters of Jordan’s water use is consumed by irrigated agriculture, while producing low economic values at the margin compared to urban uses. However, irrigated agriculture supports Jordan’s food security, so its policymakers continue to examine measures to produce more crop‐per‐drop in irrigated agriculture to permit scarce water to meet growing urban demands. This paper examines economically efficient measures to conserve water in …

Frameworks For Estimating Virtual Water Flows Among U.S. States, Stanley Mubako

Stanley Mubako

No abstract provided.

Governing Nanotechnology For Solar Fuels: Towards A Jurisprudence Of Global Artificial Photosynthesis, Thomas A. Faunce

Thomas A Faunce

The carbon-based fossil fuels (chiefly oil, coal, and natural gas) implicated in anthropogenic climate change are sequestered outcomes of millions of years of natural photosynthesis. Many emerging areas of nanotechnology research are focusing on artificial photosynthesis as a long-term planetary renewable energy and carbon management option – by providing an alternative form of energy to both fossil fuels and biofuels and as a means of stabilising atmospheric CO2. A macroscience Global Artificial Photosynthesis (GAP) Project, by allowing researchers to refine and enhance the process of photosynthesis, has the potential to become a valuable adjunct to or even supplant other bioenergy …

Artificial Photosynthesis: Feeding And Fuelling The Future, Thomas A. Faunce

Thomas A Faunce

Large research teams in many nations are using nanotechnology to actively redesign photosynthetic components such as light capture antennae, artificial reaction centre proteins, organic polymers and inorganic catalysts. A major aim was to achieve low cost, localised, off-the electricity grid use of sunlight to split water and achieve hydrogen for fuel cells or compression and hyper-cooling to form a liquid fuel that when burnt produces fresh water. The first international conference dedicated to creating a Global Artificial Photosynthesis (GAP) project was held in Australia at Lord Howe Island on 14-18 August 2011. As well as having endorsement from the UNESCO …

Global Artificial Photosynthesis: A Scientific And Legal Introduction., Thomas A. Faunce

Thomas A Faunce

With the global human population set to exceed 10 billion by 2050, its collective energy consumption to rise from 400 to over 500 EJ/yr and with the natural environment under increasing pressure from these sources as well as from anthropogenic climate change, political solutions such as the creation of an efficient carbon price and trading scheme may arrive too late. In this context, the scientific community is exploring technological remedies. Central to these options is artificial photosynthesis – the creation, particularly through nanotechnology, of devices capable to doing what plants have done for millions of years – transforming sunlight, water …

Will International Trade Law Promote Or Inhibit Global Artificial Photosynthesis, Thomas A. Faunce

Thomas A Faunce

Artificial photosynthesis (AP) is an area of well-advanced research involving large international groups at the cutting edge of synthetic biology and nanotechnology. In simple terms it offers to produce a cheap source of hydrogen for fuel through using sunlight to split water, as well as making basic starches by a process involving absorption of carbon dioxide via the enzyme RuBisCO. As the proliferating numbers of university-based research teams working in this area begin to combine, there will be a natural escalation of the expected time for a global roll-out of AP domestic and international devices. Policy attention will then turns …

Offshore Wind Energy: Public Perspectives And Policy Considerations, Erik Edward Nordman

Erik Edward Nordman

West Michigan Wind Assessment Issue Brief #3 This brief examines the social issues related to offshore wind energy including public acceptance, visibility, noise, and tourism. The final section reviews wind energy policy and regulatory issues in Michigan's Great Lakes.

Citizens Views On Offshore Wind: Benefits, Challenges, And Information Gaps, Erik Edward Nordman, Jon Vandermolen, Betty Gajewski, Aaron Ferguson

Erik Edward Nordman

West Michigan Wind Assessment Issue Brief #4 The brief summarizes a public engagement program on the perceived benefits and challenges of potential offshore wind energy development in Lake Michigan. The Delphi Inquiry approach was used to find an informed group consensus on several topics. Offshore wind energy may be more acceptable if property values, tourism, and scenic vista are not significantly impacted, it reduces fossil fuel use and pollution, and if coastal communities benefit.

Community And Stakeholder Consultation For The Lake Macquarie Waterway Flood Management Plan (Report), Neil Dufty

Neil Dufty

No abstract provided.

A Framework For Determining The Reliability Of Nanoscale Metallic Oxide Semiconductor (Mos) Devices, Wilkistar Otieno

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

An increase in worldwide investments during the past several decades has pro-pelled scienti c breakthroughs in nanoscience and technology research to new and exciting levels. To ensure that these discoveries lead to commercially viable prod-ucts, it is important to address some of the fundamental engineering and scientific challenges related to nanodevices. Due to the centrality of reliability to product integrity, nanoreliability requires critical analysis and understanding to ensure long-term sustainability of nanodevices and systems. In this study, we construct a relia-bility framework for nanoscale dielectric lms used in Metallic Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) devices. The successful fabrication and incorporation of metallic …

Urban And Rural-Residential Land Uses: Their Role In Watershed Health And The Rehabilitation Of Oregon’S Wild Salmonids, Michael Harte, Victor W. Kaczynski, Clinton C. Shock, J. Alan Yeakley, Robert M. Hughes, Nancy Molina, Carl B. Schreck

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

This technical report by the Independent Multidisciplinary Science Team (IMST) is a comprehensive review of how human activities in urban and rural-residential areas can alter aquatic ecosystems and resulting implications for salmonid recovery, with a geographic focus on the state of Oregon. The following topics are considered in the form of science questions, and comprise the major components of this report:

1. The effects of urban and rural-residential development on Oregon’s watersheds and native wild salmonids.
2. Actions that can be used to avoid or mitigate undesirable changes to aquatic ecosystems near developing urban and rural-residential areas.
3. The benefits and pitfalls of …

Exploring Sustainable Environmental Management Practices For Golf Courses In Semi-Arid Environments, Angelica V. Gurule

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

For the past several years NM government officials have been working to increase economic growth via tourism in NM. As a result several dozen golf courses have popped up around the state. Golf courses are conceived to be problematic as they consume large quantities of water and typically use lots of harmful pesticides to manage turfgrass. Water scarcity has already shown its face in NM: there are drought plans in place and growing evidence that illustrates the decrease in precipitation and an increase in temperatures, which will further reduce water resources. The scope of this paper is to analyze the …