Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Master's Theses

Theses/Dissertations

2020

Environmental studies

Articles 1 - 4 of 4

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Effects Of Urbanization And Habitat On The Diet And Reproduction Of Red-Shouldered Hawks In Central California, Catherine Y. Fisher Oct 2020

Effects Of Urbanization And Habitat On The Diet And Reproduction Of Red-Shouldered Hawks In Central California, Catherine Y. Fisher

Master's Theses

Urbanization alters biological community interactions and trophic structures compared to natural habitats; these changes may be reflected in the diets of apex predators such as raptors. The red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) is a dietary generalist that is expanding from natural and rural habitats into urbanized areas. In this study, direct observation was used to quantify the diet and reproductive success of red-shouldered hawks in Santa Clara County, California during the 2019 breeding season. GIS methods were used to quantify the nesting habitat and level of urbanization at each nest. Hawk diet consisted of mammals (50.4% by frequency and 77.7% by …


An Examination Of Garden-Based Education Impacts On Title 1 Elementary School Students’ Environmental Literacy In San José, California, Alexandra Dahl May 2020

An Examination Of Garden-Based Education Impacts On Title 1 Elementary School Students’ Environmental Literacy In San José, California, Alexandra Dahl

Master's Theses

The objective of this research was to assess garden-based pedagogy as an effective strategy to increase environmental literacy in elementary-aged students. With severe environmental issues facing children today and into the future, environmental literacy is a desired outcome of environmental education programs. Such interventions create environmentally responsible citizens who understand how humans impact the natural environment and thereby act sustainably. Currently, little research exists on garden education’s influence on students’ environmental literacy, especially in underrepresented communities. Using a nonequivalent control group study design, this project investigated the impact of a garden education program in Central San José, CA in an …


Understory Response To Restorative Thinning In Coast Redwood Forests, Alyssa Hanover May 2020

Understory Response To Restorative Thinning In Coast Redwood Forests, Alyssa Hanover

Master's Theses

Restoration of late seral features in second-growth Sequoia sempervirens forests is an important management concern, as so little of the original old-growth remains. The abundance of herbaceous species provides a metric for assessing recovery in these forests where associated understory plants are adapted to closed canopy conditions. Data were collected using a stratified random sampling design across three treatments: mechanically thinned second-growth, un-thinned second-growth, and old-growth reference stands. Pairwise PerMANOVA indicated greater abundance and diversity of native herbs in old-growth and un-thinned second-growth compared to thinned stands, as well as higher measures of canopy cover, basal area, and dominance of …


Noise Pollution, Environmental Justice, And Urban Green Space Accessibility: A Case Study In San José, California, Lauryn Duoto May 2020

Noise Pollution, Environmental Justice, And Urban Green Space Accessibility: A Case Study In San José, California, Lauryn Duoto

Master's Theses

Noise pollution is an environmental stressor associated with a number of poor health outcomes. Promisingly, recent studies have identified urban green spaces such as public parks and community gardens as-built environments that can minimize noise pollution in the urban context. The objective of this project was to identify low-income communities of color that lack urban green space accessibility within the city of San José, California, to determine if sound level could be an indicator of urban green space usage and to evaluate whether urban green space can mitigate noise. Neighborhood demographics based on census tract data, including ethnicity and socioeconomic …