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Articles 1 - 25 of 25
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Missouri Soybean Exports And The Democratizing Market Force, David D. Hammons
Missouri Soybean Exports And The Democratizing Market Force, David D. Hammons
MSU Graduate Theses
A commonly held assumption of America’s post-Cold War place in the world is that prolonged contact with American capitalism and democracy will lead to the adoption of these systems in all nations that participate in international trade. This paper attempts to verify or disprove that assumption by examining a specific traded commodity between two specific nations, the institutions that support this trade, and the people actively participating in it. The growth of soybean exports from the state of Missouri provides this vehicle for examining the trade history between the United States of America and China, and provides evidence that disproves …
Evaluating The Impact Of Off-Farm Decisions On Federal Government Program Utilization And Financial Success For Missouri's Beginning Farmers, Lyndsey Ann Parker
Evaluating The Impact Of Off-Farm Decisions On Federal Government Program Utilization And Financial Success For Missouri's Beginning Farmers, Lyndsey Ann Parker
MSU Graduate Theses
Farmers and ranchers will have to increase production by approximately 70% by the year 2050 according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (2017). People in the agriculture industry face several challenges from start-up costs to limited land availability (Ahearn, 2011). There are federal and state government programs available to assist with some of these challenges but bring their own hardships as well. This study measures off-farm decisions that affect financial performance and utilization of government programs for Missouri’s farmers and ranchers. Three types of financial performance of Missouri farms are prioritized in this study, liquidity (current ratio), solvency (debt-to-asset ratio), …
An Exploration Of The Role Of Farm Business Decisions In Addressing Financial Challenges For Missouri's Beginning Farmers, Lucas Paloschi
An Exploration Of The Role Of Farm Business Decisions In Addressing Financial Challenges For Missouri's Beginning Farmers, Lucas Paloschi
MSU Graduate Theses
The next generation of farmers takes an important role in the food production for subsequent years. The American Farm Bureau Federation’s (2017) estimation that 70% increase of production will need to be achieved within the next 30 years set awareness across the globe. Researchers have been studying and trying to find means to aid beginning farmers in a variety of ways. This study measures farm decisions that affect financial performance of farmers aiming to facilitate beginning producers’ decision making. Three regressions were used to analyze how different variables affect farmers’ profitability and repayment capacity. Using a county-level data for the …
Spatial Variability Of Nonpoint Source Yields In Ozark Highlands Watersheds Under Historical And Recent Land Use Conditions, Tyler J. Pursley
Spatial Variability Of Nonpoint Source Yields In Ozark Highlands Watersheds Under Historical And Recent Land Use Conditions, Tyler J. Pursley
MSU Graduate Theses
Many of the environmental problems facing communities today stem from historical as well as present land use disturbances related to agriculture, urbanization, and resource extraction. It is important to evaluate a range of land use and soil effects on nonpoint source (NPS) pollution to fully understand land use-water quality relationships. The Ozark Highlands region has undergone significant phases of land use change throughout its settlement history and is actively developing today (2020). This study used nonpoint nitrogen (TN), phosphorus (TP), and sediment (TSS) yields predicted by the US EPA’s Spreadsheet Tool for Estimating Pollutant Loads (STEPL) model to evaluate human …
Defining A Region, The Great River Road, Evan Arthur Telle
Defining A Region, The Great River Road, Evan Arthur Telle
MSU Graduate Theses
The Great River Road (GRR) is a set of scenic byways connecting the headwaters of the Mississippi River in Minnesota to its mouth in Louisiana. This route follows both the East and West banks of the river through the heartland of the United States. Since the 1970s, the GRR has been established as a tourism corridor for both domestic and foreign travelers. The GRR’s intended purpose is to enhance local economic development through showcasing the Mississippi-regional culture and its natural environment. Chapter One analyzes data based on industry, occupation, education, and demographics to attempts to identify the economic and social …
Stream Bank And Bar Erosion Contributions And Land Use Influence On Suspended Sediment Loads In Two Ozark Watersheds, Southeast Missouri, Kayla Ann Coonen
Stream Bank And Bar Erosion Contributions And Land Use Influence On Suspended Sediment Loads In Two Ozark Watersheds, Southeast Missouri, Kayla Ann Coonen
MSU Graduate Theses
In-channel sources and storages of fine-sediment such as in banks and bars can influence sediment loads and overall geomorphic activity in stream systems. However, in-channel processes and effects on sediment load are rarely quantified in geomorphic or water quality studies. This study uses a sediment budget approach to assess the influence of bank erosion and bar deposition on fine sediment loads in Mineral Fork (491 km2) and Mill Creek (133 km2) watersheds located in the Ozark Highlands in Washington County, Missouri. These watersheds were disturbed by historical lead and barite mining which included the construction of …
Without Personhood: The Missing Point Of Slaves In Missouri's Emancipation-By-Residency Freedom Suit Jurisprudence, 1824-1837, Jacob Alfred Brandler
Without Personhood: The Missing Point Of Slaves In Missouri's Emancipation-By-Residency Freedom Suit Jurisprudence, 1824-1837, Jacob Alfred Brandler
MSU Graduate Theses
From 1824 to 1837, the Supreme Court of Missouri developed a sophisticated caselaw establishing emancipation-by-residency—where a Missouri court could liberate an enslaved petitioner because of their residence in a free jurisdiction—as a basis of freedom suits. In 1852, however, the Court undermined the precedential value of those decisions and dismantled this basis when deciding Dred Scott’s case, Scott v. Emerson. Scholarship on Missouri’s freedom suits has highlighted how partisanship and the political atmosphere in Missouri as well as across the nation contributed to this outcome. This study adds to the historiography how the previous caselaw itself predisposed the result; …
Assessing Bioavailability, Metal Fractionation, Magnetic Susceptibility, And Organic Matter Interactivity In Mine-Waste Contaminated Sediments In Turkey Creek, Joplin, Missouri, Zachary Joseph Collette
Assessing Bioavailability, Metal Fractionation, Magnetic Susceptibility, And Organic Matter Interactivity In Mine-Waste Contaminated Sediments In Turkey Creek, Joplin, Missouri, Zachary Joseph Collette
MSU Graduate Theses
Joplin, Missouri, part of the Tri-State Mining District (TSMD), has a long history of mining that resulted in mine waste piles proximal to the mines throughout the area. A local lead smelter also resulted in smelter fallout in Joplin. Mine waste pile runoff and local smelter fallout resulted in contamination of sediments, soils, and waterways. In the 1990s, remediation of residential soils and play areas began after blood lead levels in children were much higher than the national average. Soon afterwards, the chat piles were removed and used for beneficial reuse purposes. In May of 2011, an EF5 tornado devastated …
The Assessment Of Predictor Variables For Hard Tick Abundance In Southwestern Missouri, Casey L. Adkins
The Assessment Of Predictor Variables For Hard Tick Abundance In Southwestern Missouri, Casey L. Adkins
MSU Graduate Theses
The risk of tick-borne infection is increasing across the United States, and in Missouri, ticks are expanding into novel regions due to climate change, habitat fragmentation, and biodiversity loss. Regions in which ticks are encroaching experience novel vectors for lineage associated pathogens. Novel tick detection can be low due to sampling practices targeting known ticks, which can lead to unreliable distribution maps and poor predictive distribution models. Such models should account for biotic factors, abiotic factors, and their interactions to provide a dynamic view of their impact on tick abundance and identify variables that can serve as indicators. Further, a …
A Low-Water Crossing Impacts Movement Behavior Of Northern Hog Suckers In An Ozark Stream, Jeff Michael Williams
A Low-Water Crossing Impacts Movement Behavior Of Northern Hog Suckers In An Ozark Stream, Jeff Michael Williams
MSU Graduate Theses
Low-water crossings are common in Ozark streams and can restrict longitudinal movement in fishes. I evaluated the impact of the Cedar Grove low-water crossing on Northern Hog Sucker Hypentelium nigricans movement behavior in Missouri’s Current River. Radio-tagged fish upstream (henceforth ‘above’; N = 24) and downstream (henceforth ‘below’; N = 26) of the crossing were followed monthly for a year to assess 1) frequency of fish passage, 2) direction of passage, and 3) maximum displacement of mobile (displacement > 1 km) fish. I then looked at diel movement behavior of stationary (displacement < 1 km) fish near the crossing to assess 1) total displacement and linear home range, 2) direction of diel displacement, and 3) habitat use. Passage was limited to four below-tagged fish and was more likely to occur in the upstream direction and during high flow. The direction of maximum displacement in mobile fish was primarily away from the crossing, and below-tagged fish exhibited over seven times greater displacement than above-tagged fish. Diel displacement and linear home range were greater in above-tagged fish, likely due to degraded upstream habitat that increased the distance between day and night habitats. My results suggest the crossing is a semi-permeable barrier that also affects local-scale movement behavior of Northern Hog Suckers. Alternatives to the low-water crossings at Cedar Grove, such as modifying the side channel into a fish bypass, should be considered to promote natural longitudinal movement of fishes in the upper Current River.
Missouri Meat Goat Producers: A Focus Group Approach To Identify Opportunities And Challenges, Samantha N. Riley
Missouri Meat Goat Producers: A Focus Group Approach To Identify Opportunities And Challenges, Samantha N. Riley
MSU Graduate Theses
This study was conducted to better understand opportunities and challenges for Missouri meat goat producers. The meat goat industry is expanding and is one of the fastest growing segments of livestock production in the United States, both in inventory and markets for products produced from goats. This study used focus groups as a way to determine what a sampling of producers in Missouri see as opportunities and challenges based on themes and patterns found in the focus groups. The participants in the three focus groups did not always agree with the literature, but they did see the following as opportunities …
Provenance Analysis Of The Grover Gravel Using Detrital Zircon Geochronology, Petrology And Heavy Mineral Analysis, Grant Spoering
Provenance Analysis Of The Grover Gravel Using Detrital Zircon Geochronology, Petrology And Heavy Mineral Analysis, Grant Spoering
MSU Graduate Theses
The Grover Gravel in the St. Louis, Missouri area contains a mix of chert, quartzite, jasper, and ironstone in clast sizes ranging up to 60 cm. The gravel varies in thickness from a veneer to over 30 feet and rests on upland surfaces at elevations sometimes exceeding 300 feet above the floors of major valleys. A pre-Pleistocene age generally has been proposed or assumed for the gravel, which classically has been interpreted to be a meandering-stream deposit atop an extensive flat upland surface, which was subsequently eroded and dissected by rejuvenated streams. However, large quartzite boulders in the gravel also …
Urban Detention Basin Contamination With Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Pahs) And Metals, Holly Marie Duff
Urban Detention Basin Contamination With Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Pahs) And Metals, Holly Marie Duff
MSU Graduate Theses
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are organic compounds that can be toxic to wildlife and humans when released to the environment. Coal-tar sealants, which are applied to parking lots or driveways, contribute up to 1,000 times more PAHs than alternative sealants. Over time, these sealants abrade and are transported into drainage networks. Coal-tar sealants are currently used in Springfield, Missouri, however the extent of PAH contamination throughout urban drainage systems is unclear. This study focused on PAH contamination within an urban detention basin on the Missouri State University campus which receives runoff from several coal-tar sealed parking lots. Sediment samples collected …
Channel Bar Morphology, Distribution, And Mining-Related Geochemistry In The Big River, St. Francois County, Missouri: Implications For Geomorphic Recovery, Lindsay Marie Olson
Channel Bar Morphology, Distribution, And Mining-Related Geochemistry In The Big River, St. Francois County, Missouri: Implications For Geomorphic Recovery, Lindsay Marie Olson
MSU Graduate Theses
Tailings releases associated with large-scale historical Pb mining in St. Francois County, Missouri resulted in system-wide contamination of Pb and excess sediment in the Big River. Previous studies have addressed basin and segment scale variability of the contaminants; however, little is known about reach and bar scale variability. This study addresses how mining sediment inputs influence bar form and geochemistry across a range of scales. Bar sediment samples were collected at 21 reaches and analyzed for particle size and geochemistry, while air photo analysis was used to evaluate channel morphology, bar type, and area. Bar area is initially low in …
Geomorphic Effects Of Logging Railbeds On An Ozarks Headwater Stream, Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri, Nickolas S. Bradley
Geomorphic Effects Of Logging Railbeds On An Ozarks Headwater Stream, Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri, Nickolas S. Bradley
MSU Graduate Theses
Geomorphic characteristics of headwater streams draining the Missouri Ozarks have not been studied as much as larger rivers in the region. Further, while the effects of historical logging on channel form and sediment supply have been identified, no studies have investigated the effects of logging tramways constructed along Ozark headwater rivers. This study examines the geomorphic characteristics and channel disturbances of Tram Hollow (1.67 km2) within the Mark Twain National Forest in the Ozark Highlands. The purpose of this study is to classify and quantify natural and disturbed channel morphology in Tram Hollow which has been affected by …
Channel Sediment And Mining-Lead Storage In Flat River Creek, Old Lead Belt, Missouri, Ralph Joseph Hill
Channel Sediment And Mining-Lead Storage In Flat River Creek, Old Lead Belt, Missouri, Ralph Joseph Hill
MSU Graduate Theses
Historical mining for lead (Pb) in the Old Lead Belt District introduced large volumes of tailings into nearby streams resulting in the large-scale contamination of channel bed and bar deposits in Big River which drains the southeastern Missouri Ozarks. Tailings pile sites have been remediated so that present contamination sources to the river are primarily from the remobilization of Pb stored in channel and floodplain deposits. This study examined the channel geomorphology and sediment geochemistry of Flat River Creek (FRC), a major tributary to the Big River which drains an area that includes three of the six major mines in …
Swamp Boat, Gravy Boat: Memory And Place In Fiction, Kaycie Surrell
Swamp Boat, Gravy Boat: Memory And Place In Fiction, Kaycie Surrell
MSU Graduate Theses
The importance of memory to place is of particular interest to me and forms the basis for the bulk of my work. In my critical introduction I explore the work of authors and essayists who inspire my fiction work through their focus on place and memory. Specific authors include Sandra Cisneros, David Sedaris, and Pam Houston. Through my short fiction pieces I weave together the stories of my childhood from Florida to Missouri into a quilt that covers the important pieces of my life thus far. I am interested in how people are motivated by fear to write around their …
Spatial Distribution And Geomorphic Factors Of Lead Contamination On Floodplains Affected By Historical Mining, Big Rover, S.E. Missouri, David Bower Huggins
Spatial Distribution And Geomorphic Factors Of Lead Contamination On Floodplains Affected By Historical Mining, Big Rover, S.E. Missouri, David Bower Huggins
MSU Graduate Theses
Historical mining in the Old Lead Belt resulted in lead (Pb) contamination of floodplain soils for over 170 km along the Big River in southeastern Missouri. The overall pattern of contamination are understood. However, Pb distribution across floodplain surfaces has not been investigated at the scale needed for site-level remediation planning. The goal of this project is to examine spatial distribution of Pb with more detail and identify the role of geomorphic processes. Predictive models are needed to evaluate factors affecting Pb distribution such as elevation, distance from the channel, and geochemistry. This study evaluates Pb distribution at three ~1km …
Producer Interest In A Food Hub: A Look At Attributes, Adaptations And Attitude, Jennifer Michele Muzinic
Producer Interest In A Food Hub: A Look At Attributes, Adaptations And Attitude, Jennifer Michele Muzinic
MSU Graduate Theses
Demand for locally-sourced food in the United States has spurred the introduction of a number of food hubs in recent years. The objective of this study was to examine the attitudes of agricultural producers in the Missouri Ozarks towards participation in a food hub. A survey of 218 farmers was conducted to assess how likely producers were to sell into a food hub and whether those producers would be willing to alter their supply to accommodate the needs of the proposed hub. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis and regression analysis were used to uncover which variables were most likely to contribute …
Gravity And Magnetic Investigations Into Possible Economic Mineral Deposits Within The Northwest St. Francois Terrane, Southeastern Missouri, Brandon Todd Ives
Gravity And Magnetic Investigations Into Possible Economic Mineral Deposits Within The Northwest St. Francois Terrane, Southeastern Missouri, Brandon Todd Ives
MSU Graduate Theses
The exposed Precambrian St. Francois Mountains in southeast Missouri are a well-studied terrane of rhyolites, granites, and basaltic dikes, but much of the buried basement lithology west of the exposed region is still poorly delineated. The western St. Francois is host to large hydrothermal Pb-Zn and Fe-oxide ore deposits, some of which were located with previous geophysical investigations. The economic ore deposits specifically in the Pea Ridge Mine in Washington County contain known economic minerals and rare earth element deposits. In order to further investigate the Precambrian basement lithologies and the possible locations of additional economic ore deposits, a gravity …
Horse-Stealing And Man-Hanging: An Examination Of Vigilantism In The Missouri Ozarks, Connie Sue Yen
Horse-Stealing And Man-Hanging: An Examination Of Vigilantism In The Missouri Ozarks, Connie Sue Yen
MSU Graduate Theses
The purpose of this thesis is to determine what factors did or did not have an impact on the formation of the Slickers, the Regulators, and the Sons of Honor, three vigilante organizations that formed in the Missouri Ozarks during the nineteenth century. Primary source documents indicate that vigilante organizations formed in Missouri, and throughout the United States, for a variety of reasons. This study disproves the theory that vigilante violence in the Missouri Ozarks was based on any social or political struggle between an old or new order. This study contributes to our understanding of Ozarks history, as well …
Management And Production Practices Of The Missouri Beef Cattle Industry, Jordan Lee Kinder
Management And Production Practices Of The Missouri Beef Cattle Industry, Jordan Lee Kinder
MSU Graduate Theses
A survey of beef cattle producers in Missouri was conducted to evaluate the management and production practices of the beef cattle industry. Production and demographic data from 112 (response rate of 5.9%) were analyzed to identify areas in need of future research and education. The web-based survey was conducted through Survey Monkey© and distributed by the Missouri Cattlemen's Association to a list of their members. Responding producers were located in 65 of the 114 counties in Missouri, with 63.3% located north of Interstate 44 and 36.7% south of Interstate 44. The majority (47.3%) of producers were between ages 31 and …
Archaeological And Historical Research To Establish The Jasper County, Missouri Civil War Museum And Park, Christopher Dennis Dukes
Archaeological And Historical Research To Establish The Jasper County, Missouri Civil War Museum And Park, Christopher Dennis Dukes
MSU Graduate Theses
In May, 1863 a group of Confederate guerillas led by Major Thomas Livingston attacked Union troops at William Rader’s farm in western Jasper County Missouri. The guerillas killed eighteen Union troops, who were unarmed at the time, and mutilated their bodies. Most of them were from the first African American regiment of the civil war. The following day Union troops retaliated by burning the town of Sherwood, Missouri and multiple homesteads in the area. These events caused an increase in the brutality of the civil war in Southwest Missouri. To commemorate these conflicts and provide a “living history” site for …
Geology And Wine In Missouri: Spatial Analysis Of Terroir Using A Geographic Information System And Remote Sensing, Kathryn Nora Barnard
Geology And Wine In Missouri: Spatial Analysis Of Terroir Using A Geographic Information System And Remote Sensing, Kathryn Nora Barnard
MSU Graduate Theses
The concept of terroir, based on the French word meaning 'sense of place,' suggests that flavor and quality of wine is associated with certain physical characteristics of the earth as well as viticulture and viniculture practices. The physical characteristics of terroir include soil, geology, topography, and climate. Designated American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) are discrete appellations in the United States that have well-established and historic viticultural practices, but the relationship between terroir and AVA appellations is complex. Wineries are a growing industry in the United States and the use of a GIS and remote sensing has proved useful in many other …
Temporal Analysis Of Floodplain Deposition Using Urban Pollution Stratigraphy, Wilson Creek, Sw Missouri, Kathy A. Shade
Temporal Analysis Of Floodplain Deposition Using Urban Pollution Stratigraphy, Wilson Creek, Sw Missouri, Kathy A. Shade
MSU Graduate Theses
Alluvial sediments record both hydrologic changes and variations of sediment quality affecting watersheds. This study uses urban pollution signatures as temporal tracers to date alluvial deposits along Wilson Creek located within Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Park in southwestern Missouri. The creek drains Springfield, the third largest city in the state, which was settled in 1833. This study has three main objectives: (1) review historical documents to develop a pollution history for the watershed; (2) determine if there is a correlation between heavy metal and phosphorus concentrations in sediment cores and the timing of release of those elements into the creek …