Life Sciences Commons^™

Incorporating Biodiversity-Ecosystem Function Relationships Into Models And Conservation Planning, Sarah R. Weiskopf

Doctoral Dissertations

Unsustainable use of nature and climate change are leading to unprecedented biodiversity declines. These declines have cascading impacts on ecosystem function and ecosystem services, and ultimately on human well-being. International agreements have been adopted that aim to address both crises. The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, set global emission reductions targets. In 2022, most countries agreed to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The GBF sets 23 ambitious targets for 2030 ranging from reducing threats to biodiversity, meeting people’s needs through sustainable use and benefit sharing, and solutions for implementation. Although adopting global goals and targets is an important first …

Ecological Change And Livestock Governance In A Peruvian National Park, Kenneth R. Young, Eyner Alata, Rodney Chimner, Randall B. Boone, Gillian Bowser, Laura Bourgeau-Chavez, Beatriz Fuentealba, Jessica Gilbert, Javier A. Ñaupari, Molly H. Polk, Sigrid Resh, Cecilia Turin, Melody Zarria-Samanamud

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 2

While the grazing of livestock has occurred for millennia in the Andes, current sustainability debates center on concerns with co-managing climate change and pastoralism. These discussions have special resonance in places protected by the state for biodiversity, scenery, and sustainable and traditional land uses, such as those found in protected areas and biosphere reserves. For this article, we integrate data from a social-ecological research project on the land use systems that affect high-elevation ecosystems in Peru’s Huascarán National Park, with special emphasis on the wetlands. We used land cover and land use data and insights from interactions with pastoralists to …

Response Of Reproductive Phenology To Soil Water Content Of Stipa Breviflora Under Warming And Nitrogen Application, L. Bai, H. Y. Ren, G. D. Han

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Plant phenology is considered as the most direct and sensitive characteristic indicators of plant response to regional climate change. Based on the observation data of phenology and soil water content of Stipa breviflora in an experimental platform of warming and nitrogen application in Inner Mongolia desert steppe from 2009 to 2019. The results showed that warming and nitrogen application significantly advanced the reproductive phenological period (P < 0.001), and the interaction of warming and nitrogen application promoted the advance of reproductive phenological period (P < 0.05).

Using Biometrics, Behavioral Observations, And Multiple Molecular Techniques To Assess The Impacts Of Changes In Temperature And Salinity On The Common Bay Mussel (Mytilus Trossulus), Casey Martin

Dissertations and Theses

The intertidal zone is a place of rapid and frequent change that is home to a variety of creatures who are essential to the integrity of the habitat. Mussels are robust sessile bivalves that anchor to the rocks of the intertidal. The prominent species on the Oregon Coast, the Common Bay Mussel (Mytilus trossulus), plays an essential role as a coastal food source, water column filter, and barrier to prevent erosion due to wave action. Mytilus trossulus withstands daily shifts in temperature, salinity, and tide, as well as seasonal changes. Global climate change due to excess carbon emissions …

Depaul Digest

DePaul Magazine

College of Education Professor Jason Goulah fosters hope, happiness and global citizenship through DePaul’s Institute for Daisaku Ikeda Studies in Education. Associate Journalism Professor Jill Hopke shares how to talk about climate change. News briefs from DePaul’s 10 colleges and schools: Occupational Therapy Standardized Patient Program, Financial Planning Certificate program, Business Education in Technology and Analytics Hub, Racial Justice Initiative, Teacher Quality Partnership grant, Intimate Partner Violence and Brain Injury collaboration, School of Music Career Closet, Sports Photojournalism course, DePaul Migration Collaborative’s Solutions Lab, Inclusive Screenwriting courses. New appointments: School of Music Dean John Milbauer, College of Education Dean Jennifer …

Climate Change, Food Security, And The Myth Of Unlimited Abundance, Susan A. Schneider

Journal of Food Law & Policy

The Biden-Harris White House can be commended for convening the historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health highlighting the critical connections between

The Coastal Monitor: Vol. 10 No. 2, John Tanacredi Ph.D.

The Coastal Monitor

Stephen J. Gould’s prophetic piece, “The Golden Rule: A Proper Scale for Our Environmental Crisis”, noted that, “Patience enjoys a long pedigree of favor”, which he elaborated, “usually involves a deep understanding of the fundamental principle… rarely grasped in daily life – the effects of scale.” Scientists observe changes incessantly, in dimensions and time, from microscopic conditions of cellular biology to the inconceivable distances of galaxies and their influences on Earth.

Increasing Temperatures Can Pose An Opportunity To Recover Endemic And Endangered Oriental Sweetgum Tree (Liquidambar Orientalis Mill.) From Extinction, Okan Ürker, Nurbahar Usta Baykal, Eren Ada

Turkish Journal of Botany

Evidence suggests that past climatic oscillations caused many species to drastically change their distribution range and had significant impacts on their survival capabilities. There is significant evidence suggesting that today's changing climate threatens many species to face a rapid extinction period in the coming decades and centuries. Understanding the changing range patterns provides significant input on biodiversity and conservation biology studies. However, warming climatic conditions may also present an opportunity for some species to expand their habitats?particularly those adapted to warmer environments. In this study, we asked how near-future climate change will affect the distribution range of the oriental sweetgum …

Is Climate Change Causing The Range Contraction Of Cape Rock-Jumpers (Chaetops Frenatus)?, Gregory D. Duckworth, Raquel A. Garcia, Rheinhardt Scholtz, Res Altwegg

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Species distribution models often suggest strong links between climate and species' distribution boundaries and project large distribution shifts in response to climate change. However, attributing distribution shifts to climate change requires more than correlative models. One idea is to examine correlates of the processes that cause distribution shifts, namely colonization and local extinction, by using dynamic occupancy models. The Cape Rock-jumper (Chaetops frenatus) has disappeared over most of its distribution where temperatures are the highest. We used dynamic occupancy models to analyse Cape Rock-jumper distribution with respect to climate (mean temperature and precipitation over the warmest annual quarter), …

Timing Is Everything: Climate Change Implications For Phenological Events And Reproductive Success In River Herring, Meghna N. Marjadi

Doctoral Dissertations

Anadromous river herring (alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis)) make annual spring spawning migrations from the ocean to freshwater, where juveniles reside before emigrating to the ocean. Climate change may alter environmental and biological cues that prompt both adult migration and juvenile emigration, with implications for adult spawning success and offspring survival for these imperiled species. Shifts in adult migration have been observed in some rivers, while impacts on reproductive success and juvenile survival remain unknown. Cues for juvenile emigration are poorly understood as they have been explored at limited spatial and temporal scales. …

The Ecological Effects Of Nitrogen Enrichment In Aridlands, Jennifer Holguin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition is one of the most prominent factors driving global change. Across the globe, N deposition has driven major changes in terrestrial ecosystems, such as declines in plant biodiversity, enhanced exotic plant growth, and changes to biogeochemical processes involved in carbon and nutrient cycling. While noteworthy effort has been put forth to investigate the effects of N deposition on terrestrial ecosystems, a disproportionate number of N addition studies have been conducted in temperate mesic systems. Thus, we lack a holistic and mechanistic understanding of how N deposition impact aridland ecosystems. Additionally, our predictions of the effects of …

Agricultural Research Service Weed Science Research: Past, Present, And Future, Stephen L. Young, James V. Anderson, Scott R. Baerson, Joanna Bajsa-Hirschel, Dana M. Blumenthal, Chad S. Boyd, Clyde D. Boyette, Eric B. Brennan, Charles L. Cantrell, Wun S. Chao, Joanne C. Chee-Sanford, Charlie D. Clements, F. Allen Dray, Stephen O. Duke, Kayla M. Eason, Reginald S. Fletcher, Michael R. Fulcher, Brenda J. Grewell, Erik P. Hamerlynck, Robert E. Hoagland, David P. Horvath, Eugene P. Law, Daniel E. Martin, Clint Mattox, Steven B. Mirsky, Patrick J. Moran, Rebecca C. Mueller, Vijay K. Nandula, Beth A. Newingham, Zhiqiang Pan, Lauren M. Porensky, Paul D. Pratt, Andrew J. Price, Brian G. Rector, Krishna N. Reddy, Roger L. Sheley, Lincoln Smith, Melissa C. Smith, Keirith A. Snyder, Matthew A. Tancos

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) has been a leader in weed science research covering topics ranging from the development and use of integrated weed management (IWM) tactics to basic mechanistic studies, including biotic resistance of desirable plant communities and herbicide resistance. ARS weed scientists have worked in agricultural and natural ecosystems, including agronomic and horticultural crops, pastures, forests, wild lands, aquatic habitats, wetlands, and riparian areas. Through strong partnerships with academia, state agencies, private industry, and numerous federal programs, ARS weed scientists have made contributions to discoveries in the newest fields of robotics and genetics, as well …

Shower Thoughts: Why Scientists Should Spend More Time In The Rain, John T. Van Stan Ii, Scott T. Allen, Douglas P. Aubrey, Z. Carter Berry, Matthew Biddick, Miriam A.M.J. Coenders-Gerrits, Paolo Giordani, Sybil G. Gotsch, Ethan D. Gutmann, Yakov Kuzyakov, Donát Magyar, Valentina S.A. Mella, Kevin E. Mueller, Alexandra G. Ponette-González, Philipp Porada, Carla E. Rosenfeld, Jack Simmons

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Stormwater is a vital resource and dynamic driver of terrestrial ecosystem processes. However, processes controlling interactions during and shortly after storms are often poorly seen and poorly sensed when direct observations are substituted with technological ones. We discuss how human observations complement technological ones and the benefits of scientists spending more time in the storm. Human observation can reveal ephemeral storm-related phenomena such as biogeochemical hot moments, organismal responses, and sedimentary processes that can then be explored in greater resolution using sensors and virtual experiments. Storm-related phenomena trigger lasting, oversized impacts on hydrologic and biogeochemical processes, organismal traits or functions, …

Potential Climate Change Impacts On Beef Production Systems In Australia, David H. Cobon, K. L. Bell, G. M. Mckeon, J. F. Clewett, S. Crimp

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

There is increasing evidence suggesting that Australia's climate is changing due to enhanced levels of greenhouse gases and that it will continue to change (Pittock 2003). Climate changes are partly established, however the impact on systems, industries and process are unclear. Industry distribution reflects climatically imposed boundaries and the relative profitability of alternative land use. Climate change may negatively impact some existing industries but create opportunities for others. This study provides an assessment of the likely impacts of plausible climate change on the beef industry in central Queensland.

Yield Progress Of Perennial Ryegrass And Silage Maize - Genetic Gain Or Climate Change?, Antje Herrmann, A. Kornher, Friedhelm Taube

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Gains in annual dry matter yield (DMY) from breeding achieved during the last decades are reported to range between 2.5 and 6% per decade for perennial ryegrass (Wilkins & Humphreys, 2003). In contrast, accelerated progress in improving DMY has been achieved for silage maize, varying between 8 and 13% per decade (Lauer et al., 2001). These gains are mainly attributed to (i) genetic yield potential increase, (ii) improved crop management and (iii) increased stress tolerance. The potential impact of climate change on yield progress, however, is disregarded in most studies. The objective of this study therefore was to quantify …

Shifts In N-Efficiency Of Different Farm Types In Response To Climate Change, S. Dueri, P. L. Calanca, Juerg Fuhrer

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Climate change may affect European farms, but in contrast to individual crops - the sensitivity of whole farming systems has not been the subject of much research. At the farm level, where different farm units are linked through the availability and flow of nitrogen (N), effects on individual crops are interlinked, and through shifts in grasslands and related animal production with altered nutrient flows. Ideally, N flows into the system and N-export with products should be equal, and thus N-use-efficiency (NUE), expressed as the ratio of N export to N loss, would be maximal. The objective of this study was …

The Effect Of Extremes In Soil Moisture Content On Perennial Ryegrass Growth, A. Scott Laidlaw

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Seasonal distribution of rainfall in the UK and Ireland is predicted to become more variable (Sweeney, 2003). The problems of excessive soil moisture on grass utilisation and the effect of deficit in soil moisture on grass growth are well known. However the effect of excess rainfall on the growth of sown grass is less clear and is usually not taken into account in grass growth models. This study was carried out to investigate the potential impact of excess moisture on perennial ryegrass growth in the field and to investigate the relative effect of soil moisture varying from deficit to excess …

Forage Grass Phenology In Relation To Climate Change, G. Żurek

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Phenological phases of plants, such as heading or flowering are mainly driven by environmental factors such as pests, diseases, competition, soil properties, genetics, age and, most importantly, weather conditions (Menzel & Fabian, 1999; Menzel 2000). At the end of the last century there was an emerging recognition that phenological records can be especially useful in environmental monitoring and it has gained the UK government approval as an indicator of climate change (Sparks et al., 2000). The aim of this work was to analyse long-term trends in the mean heading date for Polish ecotypes of three forage grass species.

Long-Term Responses Of A Mesic Grassland To Manipulation Of Rainfall Quantity And Pattern, A. K. Knapp, J M. Blair, P. A. Fay, M. D. Smith, S. L. Collins, J. M. Briggs

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Climatic variability is an inherent feature of grassland biomes, with large fluctuations in temperatures combined with precipitation regimes characterised by floods and severe drought occurring on both an interannual and seasonal scale. Global climate models and emerging data indicate that extremes in precipitation regimes are increasing worldwide coupled with increases in temperature. Thus, variability in spatial and temporal patterns of water availability in grasslands, as directly influenced by altered precipitation patterns and indirectly by increased temperatures, will likely increase in the future. The objectives of our experiments were to experimentally manipulate rainfall amount and temporal patterns (amount and timing of …

Sources And Sinks Of Greenhouse Gases From European Grasslands And Mitigation Options: The ‘Greengrass’ Project, Jean-François Soussana, V. Allard, P. Ambus, C. Amman, P. Berbigier, C. Campbell, P. Cellier, E. Ceschia, P. Ciais, J. Clifton-Brown, S. Czóbel, R. Domingues, T. De Groot, R. Falcimagne, C. Flechard, J. Fuhrer, G. Gaborit, L. Horváth, A. Hensen, M. B. Jones, S. Jones, G. Kasper, K. Klumpp, P. Laville, C. Martin, C. Milford, Z. Nagy, A. Neftel, E. Nemitz, J. E. Olesen, A. Patterson, K. Pilegaard, A. Raschi, R. Rees, U. Skiba, P. Stefani, S. Salètes, P. Smith, M. A. Sutton, Z. Tuba, A. Van Amstel, A. Van Den Pol-Van Dasselaar, N. Viovy, N. Vuichard, M. Wattenbach, T. Wedinger

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Adapting the management of grasslands may be used to enhance carbon sequestration into soil, but could also increase N₂O and CH₄ emissions. In support of the European post-Kyoto policy, the European 'GreenGrass' project (EC FP5, EVK2-CT2001-00105) has three main objectives: i) to reduce the large uncertainties concerning the estimates of CO₂, N₂O and CH₄ fluxes to and from grassland plots under different climatic conditions and assess their global warming potential, ii) to measure net greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes for different management which reflect potential mitigation options, iii) to construct a model of …

Impact Of Climate Change On Potential Distribution And Relative Abundance Of The Migratory Grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae) In The Prairie Ecosystem Of Canada, Owen Olfert, R. Weiss

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Climate is the dominant force determining the distribution and abundance of most insect pest species. There has been considerable concern in recent years about climatic warming caused by human activities and the affects of these changes on agriculture in North America. Warming conditions may affect insect populations by altering timing of emergence, increased growth and development rates, shorter generation times and reduced overwintering mortality (McCarthy et al. 2001). Given that the magnitude of predicted temperature change associated with global warming is beyond the historical experience of modern agriculture computer models are one method by which researchers can study the possible …

The Effect Of Dietary Thiaminase On Cardiac Function And Morphology In Lake Trout (Salvelinus Namaycush), Peter Baker

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thiamine deficiency from the consumption of invasive, high-thiaminase prey fishes is considered to be a major barrier for lake trout restoration in the Great Lakes. In fishes, an understudied aspect of thiamine deficiency is its effect on cardiac function. I examined the effects of dietary thiaminase on cardiac function and morphology in lake trout, specifically as they relate to thermal tolerance. Two hatchery strains of lake trout (Seneca and Slate) were raised on a control or thiaminase diet for nine months. The thiaminase diet was associated with significant ventricle enlargement, impaired cardiac function, and reduced thermal tolerance; these effects were …

Improving The Land Trust Model’S Impact On Environmental Conservation In Northern California, Peter Talbot

Master's Projects and Capstones

For years, the land trust sector of California and much of the United States has operated with a dollars and acres mentality that has prioritized fundraising as a result of acreage protected. Within California, nearly 5.8 million acres of land have been protected by 132 land trusts throughout the state. To accommodate for the diverse cross-section of land and the many needs of the population, land trusts take on numerous shapes and sizes. A unique aspect of this diversity is the rich agricultural and natural spaces found throughout the state. This mix of land and variety of land uses has …

Why Agriculture Productivity Falls: The Political Economy Of Agrarian Transition In Developing Countries, Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir

Purdue University Press Books

Why Agriculture Productivity Falls: The Political Economy of Agrarian Transition in Developing Countries offers a new explanation for the decline in agricultural productivity in developing countries. Transcending the conventional approaches to understanding productivity using agricultural inputs and factors of production, this work brings in the role of formal and informal institutions that govern transactions, property rights, and accumulation. This more robust methodology leads to a comprehensive, well-balanced lens to perceive agrarian transition in developing countries. It argues that the existing process of accumulation has resulted in nonsustainable agriculture because of market failures—the result of asymmetries of power, diseconomies of scale, …

Illuminating The Drivers Of Genomic Diversification In Lamprologine Cichlids Of The Lower Congo River, Naoko P. Kurata

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Freshwater fishes are extraordinarily diverse, considering their available habitats represent a tiny proportion of the earth’s surface. Rivers connect heterogeneous habitats in a linear form and provide excellent simplified models to understand how aquatic biodiversity evolves. In particular, the lower Congo River (LCR) in west Central Africa consists of a dynamic hydroscape exhibiting extraordinary aquatic biodiversity, endemicity, and morphological and ecological specialization. This system is thus an excellent natural laboratory for understanding complex speciation and population diversification processes. In my research, I explore various drivers of diversification, and adaptive evolution in rheophilic lamprologine cichlids endemic to the LCR, including Lamprologus …

Climate Change Imperils Pediatric Health: Child Advocacy Through Fossil Fuel Divestment., Sandra H. Jee, Elizabeth Friedman, Ruth A. Etzel, Vi T. Nguyen, Todd L. Sack, Kathi J. Kemper

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Climate change poses an existential threat to children's health. Divestment of ownership stakes in fossil fuel companies is one tool available to pediatricians to address climate change. Pediatricians are trusted messengers regarding children's health and therefore bear a unique responsibility to advocate for climate and health policies that affect children. Among the impacts of climate change on pediatric patients are allergic rhinitis and asthma; heat-related illnesses; premature birth; injuries from severe storms and fires; vector-borne diseases; and mental illnesses. Children are disproportionately affected as well by climate-related displacement of populations, drought, water shortages, and famine. The human-generated burning of fossil …

Effects Of Climate Change On Human Health, Sara El Houzaly, Richa Gupta

Publications and Research

The effects of climate change are evident worldwide as average global land and air temperatures have been rising, glaciers and ice sheets are shrinking with the concomitant rise in sea levels, extreme weather events have become more frequent, and oceans are warming and acidifying. Humanity is facing a big environmental challenge which not only impacts our habitat but will also have ramifications on our health. The present review describes a detailed examination of the scientific evidence proving the relationship between climate change and various fatal human diseases in different geographical regions. Our findings indicate that variations in the patterns of …

Pasturelands As Natural Climate Solutions: A Socioecological Study Of Tree Carbon And Beef Production Trade-Offs, Bela Starinchak

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Forest restoration is the most effective natural climate solution, with the potential to sequester 37% of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) needed to reach the Paris climate mitigation goal. Cattle pastures offer an underutilized opportunity to increase global forest restoration efforts, improve biodiversity, and maximize carbon storage through the adoption of management strategies that prioritize the incorporation of trees into pasturelands. However, remote estimations of tree carbon storage in pastoral systems have never been field-verified and their accuracy is unclear. Furthermore, the effect of increased trees on cattle production is understudied across biomes. Lastly, the restoration potential of these …

Understanding Context Dependent Responses To Climate Change In Arizona Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma Mavortium Nebulosum), Kentrell Richardson

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Future emissions scenarios project climate change to increase average global temperatures by at least two ℃ in the next 50 years resulting in changes in local climate and causing increased variability within microclimates. Ectotherms are especially sensitive to climate change due to their dependence on environmental temperatures to regulate physiological functions. Changes in temperature are likely to impact thermally cued processes within amphibians and result in changes in variable magnitudes and directions within local populations.

Salamanders were placed in cups and partially submerged in a water bath and heated at a rate of ~0.27℃/ minute. Once salamanders were unable to …

Rapidly Changing Range Limits In A Warming World: Critical Data Limitations And Knowledge Gaps For Advancing Understanding Of Mangrove Range Dynamics In The Southeastern Usa, Rémi Bardou, Michael J. Osland, Steven Scyphers, Christine Shepard, Karen E. Aerni, Jahson B. Alemu I, Robert Crimian, Richard H. Day, Nicholas M. Enwright, Christopher A. Gabler

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Climate change is altering species’ range limits and transforming ecosystems. For example, warming temperatures are leading to the range expansion of tropical, cold-sensitive species at the expense of their cold-tolerant counterparts. In some temperate and subtropical coastal wetlands, warming winters are enabling mangrove forest encroachment into salt marsh, which is a major regime shift that has significant ecological and societal ramifications. Here, we synthesized existing data and expert knowledge to assess the distribution of mangroves near rapidly changing range limits in the southeastern USA. We used expert elicitation to identify data limitations and highlight knowledge gaps for advancing understanding of …