Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

An Assessment Of Icthyofauna And Artisanal Fishing From The Port Of Pedregal In The Golfo De Chiriquí., Kathleen A. Carey

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The artisanal fishery based out of Pedregal, on the Pacific Coast of Panama in the Chiriqui Province was studied to analyze the biodiversity and community structure of the icthyofaunal population and investigate the practices and opinions of the fishermen there. The study area is located in the Gulf of Chiriqui, and is heavily influenced by freshwater runoff from anthropogenically influenced rivers during. This is especially relevant during the rainy season. During two weeks in November, at the end of the rainy season, fishermen from one port in Pedregal were accompanied for the purposes of data collection and interviewing. The data …

Effects Of Coral Stressing On The Feeding Preferences Of The Coral Predator, Acanthaster Planci, Harriet Booth

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Coral predators have always been a natural occurrence on coral reefs, but recent studies have begun to focus on the feeding preferences of these predators in relation to bleached and damaged corals. The recent mass bleaching events, mainly resulting from factors of climate change, have motivated researchers to study the effects of predation on the affected corals to determine the extent of harm these large-scale disturbances may be causing to reefs. This study examined how coral stressing affects the feeding preferences of Acanthaster planci, a coral-feeding starfish that has been known to cause widespread damage to coral reefs, especially during …

El Perro De Monte De Sechura: Su Relación Con El Bosque Seco Tropical Y La Gente De La Región Central De Manabí, Julian O. Buffam

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Cerro Hojas-Jaboncillo, located in Central Manabí, Ecuador, is a Patrimonial site that, in addition to containing the ruins of an ancient culture, is home to a species of mammal endemic to the tumbesian eco-region. Currently listed by the ‘LibroRojo de los mamíferos del Ecuador’ as vulnerable, the Sechuran Fox (Lycalopexsechurae) is a nocturnal and solitary animal, of a medium size, that is rarely seen due to its elusive behavior. This species is the focus of this investigation, which seeks to gain an understanding of the plants and animals that the Sechuran Fox requires for food, the home …

A Study Of Sponge Aquaculture In Jambiani: Is Shallow Farming Feasible?, Sarah Friday

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the village of Jambiani, Unguja, a Swiss NGO called Marine Cultures has established an experimental sponge farming initiative to improve local employment and support economic development. Currently, the main farming site is only accessible through SCUBA diving. This is consistent with experimental farm sites in other oceanic regions, as most are located in depths of at least five meters with sponges suspended vertically to maximize water flow exposure. Farms located in shallower water may not be conducive to sponge growth due to highly variable environmental conditions; however, no conclusive research has been conducted on this matter (Duckworth 2009). Nonetheless, …

Preferencias Sexuales De Aves A Las Carreteras Los Efectos De La Carretera Cuenca - Molleturo – Naranjal En Las Proporciones De Los Sexos En Los Individuos De La Especies De Phrygilus Unicolor En El Parque Nacional De Cajas, Sarah Takushi

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Through the recent years, the Cuenca-Molleturo-Naranjal highway that cuts through the Cajas national park has been the object of much environmental research. In particular, the effects of the highway on the territorial distribution of the local avifauna—that includes many endemic and endangered species—has been a very important subject of study for the conservationists and the park managers. The following study is supplementary to the work of the University of Azuay and the University of Stoneybrook in New York. Here, we analyze how the highway may influence the sex ratios of one of the most commonly found specie—Phrygilus unicolor. Using observations …

Exploring Marine Conservation Efforts In Tasmania: An Internship With Ocean Planet, Lauren Markram

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

I chose to conduct a dual internship with Environment Tasmania and Ocean Planet. Although I was located in the ET office and conducted participant observation within that environment, I specifically worked on the Ocean Planet campaign to promote marine conservation efforts throughout Tasmania. I was drawn to this internship because the oceans are often disregarded within the environmental movement despite the fact that they are the key to life on earth and are in a degraded state. Further, Tasmania’s marine environment is utterly unique, with ninety percent of its marine life found nowhere else on earth. Despite the magnificent biodiversity …

What Is The Value Of A Sea Turtle?: A Case Study Of The Conservation Ethics Of Sea Turtle Fishermen In The Caribbean Coast Of Nicaragua, Alicia Conte

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The sea turtle populations on the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua have dramatically decreased as a result of human use and consumption. All species of sea turtles are endangered and at risk of extinction. This is an environmental issue because if sea turtles go extinct, many other plants and animals in marine ecosystems will be negatively impacted by this loss, and the environment will be drastically altered. This is also problematic for locals who depend on this resource for food and as a source of income. Conservation efforts have been initiated by an international NGO, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS); however, …

Growing Farmers’ Markets: Measuring The Competitiveness Of The Byron Farmers’ Market With Other Local Food Sources, Audrey Gross

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Farmers’ markets are growing across the world at an exponential rate. However, there is little research that challenges the competitiveness of these farmers’ markets in competing with other food distribution locations, including supermarkets and local food stores. The following report focuses on using the principles of perfect competition to evaluate the competitiveness of the Byron Farmers’ Market with other local food sources in Byron Bay, NSW.

Data was collected through 120 consumer surveys (60 from the Farmers’ Market, 30 from Woolworths, and 30 from local food stores: Santos, Fundamentals, and Green Garage), 31 stallholder surveys from the Farmers’ Market, price …

Validating The Culture Of Agriculture: Farmers Groups And Organic Agriculture Mitigating Rural To Urban Migration In Bhutan, Emma Dosch

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Agricultural occupations make up the largest proportion of Bhutan’s workforce. Over the past two decades the occupation has shrunk from 90% to 65% of Bhutan’s employment. The younger generation of Bhutan’s rural population is seeking livelihood opportunities in urban areas, leaving farms with labor shortages. The movement may compromise the identity and sustainability of Bhutan’s rural population and undermine the nation’s goals of Gross National Happiness (GNH) directed policy. Initiatives to retain and legitimize agricultural livelihoods are emerging inside and outside of government policy. Existing efforts are models of ways to reconnect educated individuals with the needs and values of …

Riesgo De Exposición A Los Plaguicidas En Familias Con Niños Menores De 6 Años De Azapa Y Lluta, Andrew Wilbur

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study aims to characterize the risk of pesticide exposure for children under the age of 6 who live in the rural, agricultural communities of the Azapa and Lluta valleys in Region Arica and Parinacota in northern Chile. To achieve this objective, it seeks to understand current perceptions held by parents or guardians with respect to risk of pesticide exposure within their families and identify practices and living circumstances that contribute to this risk. In environmental health, children are an especially vulnerable population as a result of their distinct characteristics. Their exploratory behavior and naivety contribute to their risk of …

A Habitat And Abundance Study Of Octopus Cyanea In Southwest Madagascar, Michael Belazis

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The increased demand for marine products has fueled a worldwide overexpansion of the fishing industry. Furthermore, the shift of lower-income countries, like Madagascar, from subsistence to market-based cash economies has led to increased fishing pressures on marine resources. Recent commercialization of fisheries in Southwest Madagascar has caused an over-exploitation of octopus in the Toliara region. In an effort to create sustainable octopus fisheries, Blue Ventures, a UK-based NGO, created the world’s first community run Marine Protected Area (MPA) for octopus near Andavadoaka called Velondriake.

Here, the results of an Octopus cyanea habitat study performed near Beheloke, a fishing village on …

Examining Trends In Taste Preferences, Market Demand, And Annual Catch In An Indigenous Marine Turtle Fishery In Southwest Madagascar, Kristin Jones

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The worldwide exploitation of marine turtles has been common throughout human history, turtle products including carapaces for decoration and use, skin for leather, and eggs and meat for consumption. The hunting of marine turtles has long established economic importance among Madagascar's coastal inhabitants and is an activity traditionally associated with integral cultural and spiritual values. Due to overexploitation and a combination of relatively newer threats such as pollution, habitat loss, and incidental fisheries take, however, all marine turtle species in the Indian Ocean are considered to be endangered or critically endangered. Although Madagascar's marine turtles have been legally protected from …

Rural Futures: How Can Agricultural Development Lead To A High Quality Of Life?, Jessie Ebersole

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Study Objectives:

Uganda, with its wealth of arable land and water resources, has unrealized agricultural development potential. How food is produced and distributed will impact United Nations Millennium Development Goal targets, including the eradication of extreme hunger, reductions in child mortality, and improvements in maternal health and environmental sustainability, yet advances towards the MDG’s have been limited. This study explores how Uganda’s agricultural sector can be developed in a way that improves the quality of life of smallholder farmers in Katente and Namuyenje parishes in Mukono district, Uganda. Ugandan agricultural production is starved of new sources of knowledge and technology, …