Digital Commons Network^™

Linear Unmixing Of Hyperspectral Signals Via Wavelet Feature Extraction, Jiang Li

Theses and Dissertations

A pixel in remotely sensed hyperspectral imagery is typically a mixture of multiple electromagnetic radiances from various ground cover materials. Spectral unmixing is a quantitative analysis procedure used to recognize constituent ground cover materials (or endmembers) and obtain their mixing proportions (or abundances) from a mixed pixel. The abundances are typically estimated using the least squares estimation (LSE) method based on the linear mixture model (LMM). This dissertation provides a complete investigation on how the use of appropriate features can improve the LSE of endmember abundances using remotely sensed hyperspectral signals. The dissertation shows how features based on signal classification …

Effect Of Riparian Land Use On The Biotic Integrity Of Fish Assemblages In Black Creek, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Jerri Leigh Phillips

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Black Creek is a third-order Ridge and Valley stream (Tennessee River drainage) in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Most ofBlack Creek's watershed is forested (ca. 71% in 1991 ). However, increasing urban development, particularly along the riparian landscapes, could impact the stream's ecological health. I assessed fish assemblages (biotic integrity), water quality, instream habitat, and riparian land-use features at eight sites in Black Creek, May-June 2000. Water quality conditions (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity) were favorable for stream fishes, but some level of habitat degradation (bank erosion, sedimentation, loss of riparian vegetation) was observed at all sites. Electrofishing samples yielded a total of29 …

A Model Of Carbon And Nitrogen Dynamics For Temperate Grasslands And Forests, Enrique Gomezdelcampo

Doctoral Dissertations

In the last two decades, the importance of hydrological processes for ecosystem dynamics and the effects of plants on hydrological processes has become increasingly apparent. A better understanding of the relationship between plant growth (carbon and nitrogen distribution) and the hydrological characteristics of a catchment would improve ecological assessments and management of forests and grasslands.

TOPDNDC, developed for this study, is a detailed, semi-distributed, quantitative, ecohydrological model for predicting carbon and nitrogen dynamics in small temperate catchments. TOPDNDC establishes an explicit linkage between the biogeochemical process and the hydrology of catchments using the well-known and tested biogeochemical model DNDC and …

Paleoecological Evidence Of Pre-Contact Human Impacts On Fire And Vegetation In Northern New York State, U.S.A., Roger William Brown

Doctoral Dissertations

The impacts of indigenous populations on fire and vegetation dynamics in North America prior to European contact are the subject of considerable debate. They have been overlooked by many researchers, but possibly given more emphasis than is due by others. Interpretations suffer from preconceptions regarding the nature of Native American activities and landscapes, shortages of paleoecological and archaeological data from key locations, and a tendency for researchers to not fully integrate available information. This study investigates the influence of pre-Contact inrugenous populations on fire and vegetation dynamics, using paleoecological evidence from lake sediment studies together with archaeological data.

A 2000-Year History Of Forest Disturbance In Southern Pacific Costa Rica: Pollen, Spore, And Charcoal Evidence From Laguna Santa Elena, Kevin John Anchukaitis

Masters Theses

Paleoecological records reveal information about past changes in vegetation composition and disturbance in tropical ecosystems. These environmental histories have direct bearing on modem ecological studies and the management of protected areas, and provide information about the interaction between prehistoric peoples and their environment. In this study, I reconstruct prehistoric and historic forest disturbance and vegetation change from southern Pacific Costa Rica, in the vicinity of the Las Cruces Biological Station and the La Amistad International Park and Biosphere Reserve. Pollen and charcoal in sediments from Laguna Santa Elena reveal a nearly continuous record of human alteration of these tropical forests …

Fine Root Vitality And Its Application In A Minirhizotron Study Of A Co2 Enrichment In A Florida Scrub Oak Ecosystem, Brandon Todd Herbert

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Minirhizotron images are assigned color codes to approximate the age of individual roots in situ. Triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride (TTC) has been used to measure the vitality of plant tissue by detecting dehydrogenase activity. TTC was used to assess the vitality of root tissue by color in a scrub oak ecosystem at Kennedy Space Center in central Florida. Roots were excavated, sorted into four color classes and stained with TTC. The product of the reduction of TTC by dehydrogenase enzyme, formazan, was extracted and its absorbance recorded using a spectrophotometer. A significant difference (p2 enrichment being conducted on a scrub oak …

A Field And Enclosure Study Of Population Dynamics And The Effects Of Density On Fecundity Of Anolis Carolinensis And Anolis Sagrei (Sauria: Polychrotidae) In Conspecific And Heterospecific Groups, Todd C. Vincent

Doctoral Dissertations

Populations of the lizard species Anolis carolinensis in Florida have declined with the spread of the invading Anolis sagrei. This phenomenon appears to be accentuated by habitat disturbance. I conducted an observational field study to investigate the population dynamics of the two species in undisturbed areas of Florida. The main objective of the study was to measure seasonal dynamics in the relative densities of juveniles and adults in allopatric and sympatric populations of the two species in these vegetationally complex habitats. The results of this study led me to design and conduct an outdoor enclosure experiment to investigate the possible …

Coyote Foraging Ecology, Vigilance, And Behavioral Cascades In Response To Gray Wolf Reintroduction In Yellowstone National Park, T. Adam Switalski

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Vigilance behavior can aid in the detection of predators and may also play a role in observation of conspecifics, in food acquisition, and in the prevention of kleptoparasitism. However, in most occasions, vigilance is most important as an antipredator function. Generally, factors that increase the risk of predation also increase the amount of vigilance. We examined whether the reintroduction of the large predator, the wolf, in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) would influence coyote vigilance and foraging ecology. From December 1997 to July 2000, we collected 1743 h of coyote activity budgets. Coyote home ranges occurred within wolf territories (termed high-use …

Comparison Of Herpetofaunal Species Composition And Response To Edge On The Camp Dawson Collective Training Area, Preston County, West Virginia, Amy B. Spurgeon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Herpetofaunal species composition, abundance, and diversity were evaluated on the Camp Dawson Collective Training Area, Preston County, West Virginia, as a requirement of the Sikes Act (16 USC 670a et seq.), Army Regulation 200-3, and Department of Defense Instruction 4715.3. Herpetofauna were sampled using pitfall traps with drift fences and double-ended funnel traps, and also from area searches. Redback salamander (Plethodon cinereus), red-spotted newt (Notophthalmus v. viridescens ), eastern American toad (Bufo a. americanus), and wood frog (Rana sylvatica) were most common in pitfall arrays; mountain dusky salamander (Desmognathus ochrophaeus), Appalachian seal salamander (Desmognathus m. monticola), and redback salamander were …

Microbial Ecology Of Freshly Sawn Yellow-Poplar Lumber ( Liriodendron Tulipifera L.) In Two Seasons, Mark Ryan Mikluscak

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Each year, the forest products industry sustains considerable product loss due to a reduction in market value of lumber brought about by microbial discoloration. The current practice of treating green lumber with chemical biocides to protect it from discoloration, although successful, is a potential hazard to both the environment and human life. One potential alternative to chemical biocides is biological control. The most recent success in the field of biological control has been achieved in the agricultural industry by first studying the microbial ecology of the substrate in which the biologically based preservative is to be used. Literature on microbial …

Statmod: A Tool For Interfacing Arcview® Gis With Statistical Software To Facilitate Predictive Ecological Modeling, Christine M. Garrard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As geographical information systems and spatial data become more accessible, predictive spatial modeling in ecology is becoming more common. Unfortunately, not all ecologists possess the necessary skills to successfully combine statistical models and geographical information systems. In response to this problem, I wrote an extension for ArcView^® GIS called StatMod. This extension interfaces ArcView GIS with SAS^® and S-PLUS^® statistical software and walks the user through creating and mapping logistic regression and classification and regression tree models.

StatMod was then used to run a series of analyses that would have been difficult without such a tool. A …

Anting Behavior In Birds: Ant Selection And Effect Of Ant Chemistry On Feather Ectoparasites, Hannah Carrington Revis

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Active anting behavior occurs when songbirds apply ants to their feathers. During anting displays, a bird draws its wings forward in front of the head and swings its tail around to the far right or left. Both wing and tail feathers are then rubbed with ants held in the bird's beak. The potential associations among ants, feather ectoparasites and birds make anting behavior an important community-level interaction. Although this behavior is cosmopolitan in distribution and occurs in a wide variety of passerine birds, it remains poorly understood. This dissertation tested hypotheses about anting behavior through controlled experiments with captive songbirds …

Summer Vertical Phytoplankton Distribution In The Lower Chesapeake Bay, Mollie Jill Weinstein

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Autotrophic picoplankton and phytoplankton composite samples were collected from the surface, pycnocline, and bottom water layers at three stations in the lower Chesapeake Bay between June and September 1993. Using light microscopy a total of 170 phytoplankton taxa were identified. Utilizing epifluorescent microscopy, the picoplankton taxa were distinguished by size, representing species with cells less than 2 microns. Diatoms were the dominant taxa during this period, with lesser representation by the other phytoplankton components. Within the picoplankton category, cyanobacteria were dominant. Statistical analyses of the data indicated the vertical composition and abundance of the phytoplankton was not significantly different over …

Groundwater Flow Through A Constructed Treatment Wetland, Andrew C. Entingh

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the flow of groundwater through one of the treatment cells. A major goal of the study is to determine whether the system design facilitates uniform vertical flows through the subsurface soil sediments or if preferential flows occur. Conceptually, uniform flows will achieve the most efficient degree of contaminant removal possible by evenly dispersing the groundwater contaminants throughout the full volume of the subsurface media. A three-dimensional grid of piezometers is used to generate potentiometric contour maps, and in-situ tests of hydraulic conductivity facilitate construction of a numerical computer model. The contours of hydraulic head, measured conductivities, and …

Environmental Audit Of The Rose Hill Campus, Nicole Marshall, Maria Nissi, Brian Flaherty, Carl Van Ostrand, Ian Mcclelland

Student Theses 2001-2013

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Ecology And Growth Of Tamias Palmeri And Testing Of A Protocol To Monitor Habitat Relationships, Christopher Eric Lowrey

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The ecology of Tamias palmeri is investigated. Presence-absence and relative abundance of T. palmeri are related to principle component scores of habitat variables using logistic regression and multiple linear regression, respectively. Relative abundance of Tamias palmeri estimated with live capture-recapture was positively correlated with shrub cover and negatively correlated with slope. Timing of emergence from dens by juveniles was earlier and weights of juveniles were greater in ravine areas as compared to upslope areas. Track plates were not correlated with trap captures. Track plate success was not correlated with habitat variables. The results of this study were used to build …

Fire Response And Seedling Emergence Patterns Of Leucopogon (Epacridaceae) In South-Eastern Australia, Mark K. J Ooi

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

There is a lack of understanding of the ecology of many Australian plant species. In fire prone habitat, natural fire regimes have shaped the evolution, and subsequently the demography and life history traits, of the associated flora. Critical life history stages, like germination and recruitment, are often linked to fire in species that occur in fireprone habitats. Knowledge of plant demography in relation to fire is important, particularly for threatened species. Management decisions are based on understanding the effect of factors such as fire frequency and season of bum and ensuring that the fire regimes implemented do not have a …

Factors Influencing Habitat Selection And Activity Of Ground Beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) In Central Appalachia. Part I. The Influence Of Soil And Soil Surface Characteristics On Habitat Selection By Carabidae. Part Ii. Precipitation And Temperature Fluctuations: Effects On Carabidae Activity. Part Iii. The Effects Of Two Microbial Insecticides For Gypsy Moth Control On Carabidae Populations., Terry R. Carrington

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

No abstract provided.

Growth Increment Analysis Of Marine Bivalves From The North, Stephen D. Houk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aids in developing a sea surface temperature (SST) proxy with monthly temporal resolution using a combination of growth increment and stable isotope analyses of marine bivalves from the north coast of Peru. Faunal assemblages from the Siches and Ostra Base Camp archaeological sites contain shells of warm-tropical mollusks that currently live farther north in Ecuador. The presence of warm-tropical species in these sites and others as far south as 10"s latitude and dating prior to 5730 cal yr B.P. indicates a stable warm-water regime in the eastern tropical Pacific which subsequently changes to a modern temperate-water regime after …

Wind Energy Development Issues, Joseph C. Lerner

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

The Natural Context Of Mother-Toddler Play Interactions In A Rural Nepali Community., Sunita Rajouria

Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014

No abstract provided.

Habitat Selection Of Large Flying Foxes Using Radio Telemetry : Targeting Conservation Efforts In Subic Bay Philippines, Tammy L. Mildenstein

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.

[The Akumal (Mexico) Coral Reef Monitoring Program 1994-2001], Liz Dries

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The value of coral reefs for developing countries and areas where tourism is on the rise make the management of the reef a high priority. Akumal, Mexico is no exception. For management to be effective, information for accurately evaluating the condition of the reef is critical. This study was done to test the hypothesis that there has been no change in percent coral coverage (PCC) on Las Redes Reef, in Akumal, Mexico between 1996 and 2001. To test this hypothesis I compared data I collected during the summer of 2001 to PCC data collected by interns and students working in …

Space And Organizations: The Ecology Of Rural Ngos In San Luis Potosi, Mexico, Patricia Marie Campion

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The field of organizational ecology has been reduced to studies of population dynamics. Ecology, however, is a much broader field, that includes relational, spatial, and temporal dimensions. It allows us to combine existing theories of organizations to study their distribution across space. I combine insights from the new institutionalism, population ecology, and resource-dependence theory, to investigate the factors that influence the location of NGO activities in the state of San Luis Potosí­, Mexico. I conducted interviews and participant observation in 51 rural NGOs. The uneven distribution of NGOs in the state is not the result of their strategy to reach …

Invasion Of Indigenous Vegetation In South-Western Australia By Leptospermum Laevigatum (Gaertn.) F. Muell. (Myrtaceae), Anya Lam

Theses : Honours

The current paradigm of biodiversity conservation requires the assessment of alien plant invaders, and their potential negative impacts on indigenous species and communities. Leptospermum laevigatum (Gaertn.) F. Muell. (Victorian tea tree/ Coast tea tree) is indigenous to eastern Australia. It has invaded ecosystems within its natural biogeographic range, within new ranges in Australia and overseas. The species is listed as a high priority weed in the Environmental Weed Strategy for Western Australia. However, the basis for its listing has been casual observation rather than focussed research. This study of L. laevigatum is unique in being the first to …

Mortality And Cancer Incidence Among Triazine Herbicide Manufacturing Workers., Paul Andrew Maclennan

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Use Of Remote Sensing To Identify Essential Habitat For Aeschynomene Virginica (L) Bsp, A Threatened Tidal Freshwater Wetland Plant, Elizabeth M. Mountz

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

No abstract provided.

The Cultural Ecology Of Pastoralism In Eritrea: A Geographical Inquiry, Woldetensae Tewolde Kahsaye

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation is an investigative cultural ecologic study of the pastoralists in the eastern and northwestern lowlands of Eritrea. Tigre, Hidareb, and Rashaida herders were identified and studied throughout the fieldwork. These ethnic groups constitute people with defined cultural and economic characteristics inhabiting environments characterized by marked seasonal variations in precipitation. Their livelihoods are almost wholly dependent on livestock forming types of modes of production identified as pure-pastoralism and agro-pastoralism. The distinction between these two forms lies primarily in the type of economic strategy pursued (i.e., wholly livestock-based economy versus livestock-crop economy) as well as in the pattern of pastoral …

Teaching Water Conservation To Teachers Of Fourth-Sixth Grade Students, Kristine E. Copp

Theses Digitization Project

This project inserviced teachers for grades fourth through sixth on water conservation activities that they could implement with their students. Project Wet (Water Education for Teachers) was used as the basis for the workshops. All selected activities correlated with the California State Content Standards.

Epidemiology And Host -Parasite Interactions Between Myxobolus Cerebralis The Causative Agent Of Salmonid Whirling Disease And Its Oligochaete Host Tubifex Tubifex, Michael A. Gilbert

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

No abstract provided.