Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

Environmental Consciousness: Human Motivation For Thinking Ecologically, Rob Pigue

Student Theses 2001-2013

What is the motivation for acting environmentally? Why do people care? What is the reason for buying fluorescent bulbs and hybrid cars, energy efficient appliances and reusable water bottles? Why is it that people turn off the lights when they leave a room, turn off the faucet while brushing their teeth, and go through the inconvenience of recycling?

Humans are known to act out of self-interest. Regardless of what people do or why they do it, their motivation can always be traced back to personal gain.

So why go green? Nothing about reducing, reusing, or recycling has any direct impact …

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 …

An Investigation Of How Surface Coal Mining Affects Water Quality., Sara Moore

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Surface coal mining has become the ideal method for extracting coal from the Appalachia Mountains. However, surface coal mining generates large amounts of waste which may decrease the water quality in central Appalachia. This research is an attempt to determine whether surface coal mining negatively impacts water quality. This research consists of a literature review in addition to an analysis of data obtained through the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. This data was analyzed at three separate locations along the Clinch River, VA to determine trends and cycles in pH, temperature, total hardness, and chloride, sulfate and metal concentrations. After …

Identifying Landscape Quality Objectives For Gozo, Stephanie Farrugia

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The study of landscape quality has not been researched to a significant degree in Malta to date. This qualitative study explores different viewpoints in relation to perceptions of landscape quality, at present and in the future, on the island of Gozo, based on provisions of the European Landscape Convention. The latter, to which Malta is a signatory state, calls for the identification of landscape quality objectives, which should reflect public aspirations. Primary data collection methods, comprising community focus groups and key informant semi-structured interviews were used, together with an extensive document analysis, to understand a range of perceptions of present …

Assessing The Potential Benefits Of Learning About Environmental Issues Through A Systems Thinking Pedagogy, Abigail Noble Graefe

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Systems thinking is a fundamental learning methodology in sustainability education and in some K-12 standards-based education systems in the United States. However, there is little research and practical application on the use of systems thinking in environmental education, especially at the elementary level. This thesis uses a case study on climate change to assess whether a pedagogy based on systems thinking can fulfill learning objectives derived from the Illinois Learning Standards for Science (ILSS) and provide further insights and understandings on the subject being studied. Three learning modules on climate change consisting of systems thinking habits of mind, concepts, and …

Assessing Vulnerability To Coastal Hazards Case Study: Gozo, Jonathan Portelli

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

All coastal areas around the globe are vulnerable to a series of potential hazards at different degrees depending on location, altitude above sea level, geomorphological features and socio-economic factors, including demography, human settlement and infrastructural development. Since the 1990s a major effort in developing appropriate methodologies and guidelines to assess coastal vulnerability has been made. Of significant importance, the coast of Gozo embraces both natural and anthropogenic features that occupy a relatively small area. Consequently, coastal vulnerability by multiple coastal hazards is a fact due to the topography of the island, overpopulation in some coastal locations, and intensive coastal development …

A Heuristic For Local Land Planning: Linking Ecological Function And Policy-In Context To Charlotte, North Carolina-, Kimberlee Robertella

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Ecological systems and services are foundational to human well-being, and in recent years have received increasing scholastic attention. The functional ability of these systems is influenced however, by human-induced land transformation related to conventional patterns of growth and development. Such land transformations, which commonly occur as single-family residential development, are criticized as being wasteful and inefficient, leading to issues like air and water pollution, diminished forests and wetlands, and habitat loss and fragmentation. In the United States a patchwork of policy exists aimed at addressing such ecological concerns. Despite best efforts, most local governments and planning offices still miss the …

A Preliminary Assessment Of The Long-Term Prospects For Offshore Wind Farms In Maltese Territorial Waters, Dane Orion Zammit

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Almost all of Malta’s current interest in offshore wind development is focused on the development of an offshore wind farm at Sikka L-Bajda in northwest Malta by 2020, to help the country reach its mandated 2020 RES target. The offshore wind industry is rapidly gaining momentum, with larger projects in deeper waters further offshore being commissioned every year. Countries like Germany and the United Kingdom have actively constructed, or are planning to construct, offshore wind farms at transitional water depths before 2020. The offshore wind energy market has historically been restricted to the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the …

A Landscape Assessment Study Of The South Gozo Fault Area, Mariella Xuereb

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The South Gozo Fault region features a heterogeneous landscape which extends from Ras il-Qala on the east, to „Mgarr ix-Xini‟ on the south-eastern littoral. In recent decades, parts of this region have experienced substantial levels of development while others remain untouched. This study seeks to explore the impact of existing and proposed development projects on the character and value of the South Gozo Fault landscape. A landscape character assessment, together with an assessment of the value of the landscape will be conducted, with the aim of analyzing the present character and value of the landscape, and comparing this with the …

Integrated Waste Management In Malta-Future Scenario Development, Ruth Debrincat

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Waste management is recognised as a major international environmental challenge since it is considered to be the loss of environmental resources. The Sixth Environment Action Programme (European Commission) calls for a cultural shift towards sustainable consumption patterns to bring about a reduction in waste generation. In Malta, the scale of waste generation, presently at 648 kg per capita (MEPA, 2008), and the need for sustainable waste management policies are of particular concern. The main objective of this dissertation was to adopt a systems view to evaluate the current status of integrated waste management in Malta and anticipate possible solutions in …

A Comparative Social, Economic And Environmental Study Of How Malta Could Best Achieve Its 2020 “20-20-20” Goals, Charles G. Sinn

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The European Union has recognized the need for an action plan to facilitate the gradual transition to a dominant, renewable energy production base for the myriad of benefits that renewable over non-renewable production brings. Malta, as a member of the EU, is obliged to achieve nationwide goals as specified in the Renewable Energy Directive with regards to electrical efficiency, carbon emissions and renewable energy production share. The goals for Malta include an achievement by 2020 of a 10 % renewable production base, a 10 % electrical efficiency improvement and an allowance for a 5 % increase in carbon emissions as …

Factors Influencing Macroinvertebrate Diversity And Community Composition In Riverine Freshwater Rock Pools, Chtaura Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

I examined a system of 378-riverine rock pools situated along the James River in Richmond, Virginia, to uncover the factors influencing their macroinvertebrate diversity and community composition. I characterized (total = 60) the physical characteristics, water quality, hydrology, and community assemblages in July 2009 for a subset of pools. I examined whether selected environmental factors (pH, nearest neighbor distance, depth, surface area and inundation height) were related to macroinvertebrate diversity and community composition. Species richness and total abundance of all taxa increased with pool pH and surface area. Ordination indicates that nearest neighbor distance (NND) and pH varied significantly among …

Is Leed A True Leader? Studying The Effectiveness Of Leed Certification In Encouraging Green Building, Megan M. Turner

Pomona Senior Theses

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (or LEED) is the most commonly used green building rating system in the United States, bestowing upon LEED certified buildings the prestige of being considered more sustainable than their non-certified neighbors. The public often assumes that LEED certified buildings are completely sustainable or even net-zero with regards to greenhouse gas emissions, but in actuality buildings certified under the most popular version of LEED are only required to be 15% more energy efficient than required by most state building codes – a far cry from the energy usage cuts needed to stave off global warming. …

African Water: An Experience With Project Management In Bulima, Tanzania, Robert Sharp

Honors Theses

Details the author's experiences researching, designing, and implementing a water system for a boarding school in Africa.

When Curiosity Kills More Than The Cat: The Perils Of Unchecked Scientific Inquiry, Jamie Shannon

Pomona Senior Theses

This work analyzes the ecological, physical, emotional and health impacts of the US nuclear testing done in the Marshall Islands in the mid-20th century.

Bioeconomic And Biophilic Intersect In Nature Centers - A Case Study Of One Nature Center, Carolyn Jeanne Price

Doctoral Dissertations

The purposes of this research were 1) to understand what stakeholders in one nature center are "thinking"about the focus of their center and the niche it occupies; 2) to characterize the role of one nature center in its local community; 3) to examine the nature center in terms of established characteristics of a "best" nature center; 4) to compare stakeholder perceptions with perceptions of directors of exemplar nature centers and environmental education organizations; and 5) to characterize visitor and member stakeholder perceptions and motivations in terms of the extrinsic value of ecosystem services, bioeconomics, versus the intrinsic value of nature, …

The Human Population Growth And Its Ecological Consequences On Kenya And Tanzania, Lauren Noll

Student Theses 2001-2013

The world population is growing at an alarming rate. The rapid growth in population numbers and density along with the steady increase in the rates are causing issues in many countries. Although every country is experiencing many consequences of the growth, the countries of Kenya and Tanzania in East Africa seem to be suffering immensely. Not only does the increasing human population in these third world countries create an overarching competition for natural resources such as food, water, and land, the growth also has detrimental effects on the surrounding environment, wildlife populations, ecotourism, and traditional African cultures.

A Study Of African American Forest Landowners In South Carolina: Implications For Land Ethic And Forest Stewardship, Keenan Adams

All Dissertations

African Americans account for a significant proportion of South Carolina`s
population but reportedly own a disproportionally smaller amount of land. Research indicates that landowners who hold significant sources of sustainable wealth and power can dramatically increase their quality of life and ultimately that of their communities. Current land loss trends for African Americans are increasing at an alarming rate, which may have larger social implications for this traditionally underserved population. The remaining African American landowners are a rapidly declining group, due to an assortment of factors (e.g., age, heirs property). Understanding the experiences of the residual African American forest landowners …

Using Nestling Bald Eagles To Assess Spatial And Temporal Trends Of Environmental Contaminants, Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota, Henry Pittman

All Theses

Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are a avian species used to monitor environmental contaminants such as mercury (Hg), methylmercury (MeHg), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine pesticides (OCs) in North America. Populations of bald eagles nesting along the Great Lakes were very slow to recover after the ban of PCBs and OCs because these compounds were very persistent. Bald eagles at Voyageurs National Park (VNP) have been monitored since 1973 and provide an opportunity to assess temporal and spatial trends of persistent environmental contaminants. Nestling bald eagle feathers were analyzed for Hg concentrations for the past 12 years. Nestling bald …

Conservation From The Bottom-Up: Human, Financial, And Natural Capital As Determinants Of Resilient Livelihoods In Kigoma Rural, Tanzania, Yared J. Fubusa

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Rhetoric of "community-based conservation" has gained prominence among development specialists and environmentalists, yet such projects are often implemented from the top-down in Africa. This dissertation contends that only a bottom-up approach can foster resilient livelihoods and environmental stewardship.

This study focused on determinants of household resilience within a poverty-stricken agricultural community near Gombe Stream National Park (GSNP) in western Tanzania. The research purpose was to explore: 1) relationships between villagers and GSNP management; 2) how groups and individuals view priority livelihood problems and solutions; 3) various attributes of households; and 4) perceived trends for household resilience and how these are …

Residential Landscape Water Check Programs: Exploring A Conservation Tool, Diana T. Glenn

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In response to drought and regional growth in the arid western United States, urban water demand management is increasingly important. Single family residences use approximately 60% of their water consumption to irrigate landscapes often in excess of plant water requirements. This study utilized a quasi-experimental design to investigate outdoor water consumption and assess the effectiveness of a landscape water check conservation program. Study objectives included describing a contextualized landscape system to reveal variables influencing water use, identifying better ways to evaluate landscape water use, and more effectively targeting and delivering water conservation programs.

The study was conducted during the 2004 …

Interclonal Variation Of Primary And Secondary Chemistry In Western Quaking Aspen And Its Influence On Ungulate Selection, Damon A. Winter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) clones within close proximity to one another can exhibit drastically different levels of browsing by ungulates. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine interclonal differences in plant chemistry between adjacent clones exhibiting different degrees of herbivory which may influence the browsing behavior and patterns of ungulates, and (2) determine if correlation exists in the levels of salicortin and tremulacin between current year's suckers and current year's growth on older trees. This second objective was meant to indicate a protocol for land managers for identifying clones meriting increased protection from herbivory after treatment …

Factors Affecting Gunnison Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus Minimus) Conservation In San Juan County, Utah, Phoebe R. Prather

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Due to loss of habitat, Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) currently occupy 8.5% of their presumed historical range. One population survives in Utah, occurring in San Juan County. The Gunnison Sage-grouse Rangewide Conservation Plan and the San Juan County Gunnison Sage-grouse Conservation Plan recommended management strategies to address identified conservation threats to the Utah population. I addressed three conservation strategies identified in the plans: 1) creation and enhancement of brood-rearing areas; 2) assessment of habitat conditions within the Gunnison Sage-grouse Conservation Area; and 3) prevention or reduction of perching events by avian predators on distribution line power poles.

From 2007-2009, I …

Recreation Resource Impacts In The Bear Lake Road Corridor Of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, Usa: An Assessment Of Resource Conditions And Visitor Perceptions, Ashley L. D'Antonio

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Visitor use in parks and protected areas inevitably leads to resource impacts. In order to effectively manage for resource impacts, it is important for managers to not only understand ecological aspects of their system but sociological aspects as well. The two papers presented in this thesis used integrated approaches to better understand the current level of resource impacts within the Bear Lake Road Corridor of Rocky Mountain National Park and to explore visitor perceptions of these impacts. The first paper used traditional monitoring and assessment techniques, as well as recently developed methodologies, to determine the current level of resource impacts …

Pervasive Thermal Consequences Of Stream-Lake Interactions In Small Rocky Mountain Watersheds, Usa, Jessica D. Garrett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Limnologists and stream ecologists acknowledge the fundamental importance of temperature for regulating many ecological, biological, chemical, and physical processes. I investigated how water temperatures were affected by hydrologic linkages between streams and lakes at various positions along surface water networks throughout several headwater basins in the Sawtooth and White Cloud Mountains of Idaho (USA). Temperatures of streams and lakes were measured for up to 27 months in seven 6 – 41 km² watersheds, with a range of lake influence. When they were ice-free, warming in lakes resulted in dramatically warmer temperatures at lake outflows compared to inflow streams (midsummer …

Use Of Sub-Saharan Vultures In Traditional Medicine And Conservation And Policy Issues For The African Grey Parrot (Psittacus Erithacus), Kristina Dunn

All Theses

ABSTRACT
Wildlife populations worldwide are being negatively affected by the illegal wildlife trade. The severity of the impact to both Sub-Saharan vultures and African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus) (AGP) populations are explored in this thesis. Many species of Sub-Saharan vultures are used in the traditional medicinal trade. Previous studies have found that vultures have mystical powers attributed to them due to their keen
ability to find food. AGP's are sought after for international trade due to their ability to mimic human vocabularies and for their aesthetic beauty.
Due to the illegal, secret, and illusive nature of this trade, the monetary …

Home Range, Habitat Selection, And Migratory Pathways Of Canada Geese Wintering At The Santee National Wildlife Refuge, Molly Giles

All Theses

Information on local and flyway-scale space use is lacking for the cohort of migrant geese (Branta canadensis interior) that winter in and adjacent to the Santee National Wildlife Refuge in Summerton, South Carolina. I examined home range and habitat selection of Canada geese in this region. I deployed transmitters on 17 geese (9 VHF and 8 PTT) on wintering grounds at Santee NWR during the winter of 2009-2010. Estimates of fixed kernel home range size ranged from 214.2 to 263.6 ha for VHF-marked geese and 1190.2 to 1915.6 ha for PTT-marked geese. Home ranges of all birds were compact and …

Recommendations For The Chamlidere Petrified Forest Management Plan, Fatma Ertem

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anything inherited from our ancestors or from nature can be considered as our heritage. Heritage can be classified as cultural and natural heritage. Turkey has been the cradle of many civilizations, religions, and ethnic groups because of the unprecedented natural heritage and critical geopolitical location of Anatolia. Given all the treasure of cultural and natural heritage in Turkey, heritage management practices have not been emphasized as they deserve. A petrified forest was found in Chamlidere, Ankara (Turkey) in 2004. Chamlidere petrified forest preserves information related to the biodiversity of forests in the Galatian Volcanic Province during the Early-Middle Miocene. When …

Digital And Printed Magazines’ Effects On The Environment, Jeannie Nguyen

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study was to show how printed magazines affect the environment with their use of paper and how digital magazines affect their environment with their electricity use from servers hosting the digital magazines. It is also to find how the printed magazine industry is reducing their paper use and how digital magazines are reducing the amount of electricity used by servers hosting the digital magazines.

Results show that printed magazines use a massive amount of paper to produce millions of magazines and that the process of getting paper produces a large amount of carbon dioxide which is …