Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Collaborative Research: Interactive Effects Of Chronic N Deposition, Acidification, And Phosphorus Limitation On Coupled Element Cycling In Streams, Kevin S. Simons, Ivan J. Fernandez, Stephen A. Norton

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

The overarching goal of this project is to understand how chronic acidification and nitrogen enrichment of watersheds influences coupled biogeochemical cycling in streams. Embedded in the project were two primary research elements: 1) examining nitrogen satuartion and the extent of coupling between nitrogen and phosphorus cycling and 2) resolving the interactions among acidification, phosphorus bioavailability and biotic demand for nitrogen and phosphorus. The research involved a series of stable isotope tracer experiments to document nitrogen uptake under ambient and elevated phosphrous conditions and examination of a suite of key microbial processes (denitrification, decomposition, microbial enzyme activity) at two whole-watershed experiment …

Collaborative Research: Interactive Effects Of Chronic N Deposition, Acidification, And Phosphorus Limitation On Coupled Element Cycling In Streams, Kevin S. Simon, Ivan J. Fernandez, Stephen Norton

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Human activity has doubled the amount of nitrogen on the landscape, creating a pollution problem and changing the balance among multiple nutrients that limit biological activity in ecosystems. At the same time, other disturbances, such as acidification, interact with nitrogen enrichment in ways that strongly influence the productivity and health of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This project examines the interactions among multiple elements and disturbances (nitrogen, phosphorus, metals, and acidification) along a continuum from the atmosphere through soils to streams. This project takes advantage of two unique experiments in which entire watersheds have been experimentally enriched with nitrogen and acid …

Radical Teaching: Scott And Helen Nearing’S Impact On Maine’S Natural Food Revival, Erik Gray

Maine History

Though today sustainable living and locally-sourced food receive increased attention nationwide, these ideas have been important in Maine for several decades. A key part of the state’s agricultural history is a tradition of self-sustaining homesteads. While subsistence farming and self-sufficiency was often a necessity on Maine’s northeastern frontier, homesteading has remained a lifestyle chosen by many of the state’s residents to this day. In this article, the author discusses the legacy of Scott and Helen Nearing, focusing particularly on the couple’s contributions to the “back to the land” movement in Maine and beyond. The author earned a B.A. in History …

Rockfall Detection From Terrestrial Lidar Point Clouds: A Clustering Approach Using R, Marj Tonini, Antonio Abellan

Journal of Spatial Information Science

In this study we analyzed a series of terrestrial LiDAR point clouds acquired over a cliff in Puigcercos (Catalonia Spain). The objective was to detect and extract individual rockfall events that occurred during a time span of six months and to investigate their spatial distribution. To this end local and global cluster algorithms were applied. First we used the nearest neighbor clutter removal (NNCR) method in combination with the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm to separate feature points from clutter; then a density based algorithm (DBSCAN) allowed us to isolate the single cluster features which represented the rockfall events. Finally we estimated …

Dissemination And Geovisualization Of Territorial Entities' History, Christine Plumejeaud, Eric Grosso, Benjamin Parent

Journal of Spatial Information Science

This paper describes an innovative solution for geovisualization of the demographic and administrative history of French municipalities named "communes" in French. This solution allows for the open dissemination of such data. The challenge is to provide a web interface for unskilled users in order to help them understand complex information about the demographic evolution of French territories. Our approach combines interactive thematic spatial and temporal views. We describe our architecture based on open-source technologies and the organization of this imperfect geo-historical information in our spatiotemporal database. Our second contribution concerns the concept of an acquaintance graph that has been used …

The Open Source Dynamics In Geospatial Research And Education, Olivier Ertz, Sergio J. Rey, Stéphane Joost

Journal of Spatial Information Science

No abstract provided.

Geo-Social Visual Analytics, Wei Luo, Alan M. Maceachren

Journal of Spatial Information Science

Spatial analysis and social network analysis typically consider social processes in their own specific contexts either geographical or network space. Both approaches demonstrate strong conceptual overlaps. For example actors close to each other tend to have greater similarity than those far apart; this phenomenon has different labels in geography (spatial autocorrelation) and in network science (homophily). In spite of those conceptual and observed overlaps the integration of geography and social network context has not received the attention needed in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of their interaction or their impact on outcomes of interest such as population health behaviors …

Integrating Cross-Scale Analysis In The Spatial And Temporal Domains For Classification Of Behavioral Movement, Ali Soleymani, Jonathan Cachat, Kyle Robinson, Somayeh Dodge, Allan Kalueff, Robert Weibel

Journal of Spatial Information Science

Since various behavioral movement patterns are likely to be valid within different unique ranges of spatial and temporal scales (e.g. instantaneous diurnal or seasonal) with the corresponding spatial extents a cross-scale approach is needed for accurate classification of behaviors expressed in movement. Here we introduce a methodology for the characterization and classification of behavioral movement data that relies on computing and analyzing movement features jointly in both the spatial and temporal domains. The proposed methodology consists of three stages. In the first stage focusing on the spatial domain the underlying movement space is partitioned into several zonings that correspond to …

Collaborative Research: St. Elias Erosion And Tectonics Project (Steep), Peter O. Koons, Phaedra Upton

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

1) Refinement of a regional scale model to include an approximation of the true 3D geometry of the orogen.

2) Develop a new local-scale model that incorporates topography, GPS data, and glacial erosion processes to refine the initial results.

3) Develop a modeling experiment to test the hypothesis that the rise and fall of ice masses during glacial cycles might influence where deformation is focused at any given time.

Collaborative Research: St. Elias Erosion And Tectonics Project (Steep), Peter O. Koons, Phaedra Upton

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

This project provides funds for a two-year renewal of the St. Elias Erosion-tectonics Project (STEEP). STEEP is a 9 institution, multidisciplinary study of the St. Elias orogen in southern Alaska that involves researchers examining the system from the outcrop to lithosphere scale. To date, STEEP has produced 17 papers with another 9 submitted or nearing submission, sponsored 71 abstracts, will have matriculated 5 masters and 4 Doctoral students by Spring 2010, and fundamentally changed our understanding of Alaskan tectonics and the interaction of tectonics and climate in mountain building. The renewal funds will be used for: 1) final processing and …

Full Issue, The Editors

The Catch

No abstract provided.

On The Whale-Way, Sarah Harlan-Haughey

The Catch

No abstract provided.

At Jasper Beach, Carolyn Locke

The Catch

No abstract provided.

Dirt, Bianca Lech

The Catch

No abstract provided.

Hard Frost, Bianca Lech

The Catch

No abstract provided.

Off To School In The Atlantic (Tremont, Maine), Matthew E. Bernier

The Catch

No abstract provided.

Editor's Note, Volume 2, Kathleen Ellis

The Catch

No abstract provided.

Flocculation, Optics And Turbulence In The Community Sediment Transport Model System: Application Of Oasis Results, Emmanuel Boss

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

The goal of this research is to develop greater understanding of the how the flocculation of fine-grained sediment responds to turbulent stresses and how this packaging of sediment affects optical and acoustical properties in the water column. Achieving these goals will improve the skill of sediment transport models and hence prediction of underwater visibility.

Bridging The Divide: Tensions Between The Biophysical And Social Sciences In An Interdisciplinary Sustainability Science Project, Susan Gardner

Publications

Interdisciplinary research has gained tremendous popularity in higher education over the past several decades and funding for such efforts through federal agencies has underscored its relevance. In sustainability science, in particular, interdisciplinarity is seen as integral to the research endeavor. However, a paucity of empirical evidence exists regarding the process of interdisciplinary endeavors, particularly those that cross the social-biophysical science divide. The current study incorporated insights over a four-year period from 25 faculty members involved in a large, interdisciplinary effort at one institution of higher education in the United States. Issues of disciplinary status, power, and hierarchy were prevalent in …

Land Conservation In Northern New England: Historic Trends And Alternative Conservation Features, Spencer Meyer, Christopher Cronan, Robert J. Lilieholm, Michelle Johnson, David Foster

Publications

Protected areas (PAs) are an important component of the global conservation strategy and understanding the past drivers of land protection can inform future conservation planning. Socioeconomic and policy drivers of protection vary through time and space, but a lack of spatio-temporal data limit the ability to conduct retrospective analyses of PAs. We developed a spatio-temporal database covering 90% of area in PAs in northern New England in the U.S. to quantify trends in the extent, rate of increase, ownership characteristics, and level of protection from 1800 to 2010. We found an accelerating rate of protection and an increase in the …

Colle Gnifetti Ice Core (Kcc) Progress Report (Year One)—Arcadia Ice Core Proposal: Initiatives On The Science Of The Human Past, Paul Mayewski

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

The Colle Gnifetti glacier of the Monta Rosa Massif on the Swiss-Italian border is perfectly situated to offer insight into the intersection of environment (climate) and culture (history of the economy, political stability, pollution, disease) in medieval Europe. While ice cores previously collected at Colle Gnifetti were sampled at state-of-the-art resolution for the time, it was nevertheless impossible to differentiate annual or finer layering in the period older than 1500 A.D. The 2013 Colle Gnifetti expedition thus sought to collect a new ice core that could be analyzed using the ultra-high-resolution laser based technology developed in the Climate Change Institute’s …

Interdisciplinarity And Actionable Science: Exploring The Generative Potential In Difference, Bridie Mcgreavy, Linda Silka, Laura Lindenfeld

Publications

Community practice and actionable science share a commitment to solving complex problems to promote sustainability. Collective abilities to address these types of problems rely on interdisciplinary collaborations that also offer unique challenges. In this case study of a statewide interdisciplinary setting, we focus on key methodological differences related to problem identification, stakeholder involvement, competing research paradigms, and orientations towards communication. We argue the generative potential in interdisciplinarity is enhanced through sustained effort and attention to difference; acceptance of the ethical responsibility to reflect critically on power in shared decision making spaces; and strategic interventions to continually promote and improve learning.

On The Travel Emissions Of Sustainability Science Research, Timothy M. Waring, Mario F. Teisl, Eva Manandhar, Mark Anderson

Publications

This paper presents data on carbon emissions generated by travel undertaken for a major sustainability science research effort. Previous research has estimated CO2 emissions generated by individual scientists, by entire academic institutions, or by international climate conferences. Here, we sought to investigate the size, distribution and factors affecting the carbon emissions of travel for sustainability research in particular. Reported airline and automobile travel of participants in Maine’s Sustainability Solutions Initiative were used to calculate the carbon dioxide emissions attributable to research-related travel over a three-year period. Carbon emissions varied substantially by researcher and by purpose of travel. Travel for the …

Crowdsourcing Water Quality Data Using The Iphone Camera, Thomas Leeuw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ubiquity and advanced computing power of smartphones make them a potential tool for environmental monitoring on a global scale. In an attempt to tap this resource, a water quality application (HydroColor) was developed. Hydro- Color uses the iPhone’s digital color camera as a primitive three-band radiometer. Using three images taken by the user, HydroColor calculates the remote sensing reflectance in the red, green, and blue color channels of the camera. The absolute or relative reflectance between channels can be used to obtain estimates of chlorophyll, turbidity, suspended particle material, and the backscattering coefficient. In the future, HydroColor will be …

Complex-Systems Approach To Simulating The Sea Urchin Ecology, Graham Andrew Morehead

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stocks of the native sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) dropped dramatically during the peak of the urchin fishery in the early 1990’s and have not recovered. The current regulatory regime is based on analytic population models and two monolithic zones. Analytic models are insufficiently complex to capture many features that cause demise or survival of an urchin population. Scale, or granularity size, is too coarse. In contrast, a complex-systems-based model is able to capture these features. Presented here is a fine-scale simulation of a sea urchin fishery in the Gulf of Maine which behaves like a complex system, i.e. exhibits patchiness …

Sustainability's Inconvenient Discourse, Christine Gilbert

Honors College

“Sustainability” has been used to indicate certain values, market a way of life, and possesses a prominent role in a number of different disciplines, yet a commonly accepted definition doesn’t seem to exist. This thesis does not aim in any sense to define this elusive term, rather it examines the themes that inform discussions of sustainability. A number of particular thematic elements are used consistently across almost all of the discourses of sustainability: generational time frames, renewable resources, as well as the relationship between sustainability and economic development. Each unique discourse handles these themes in a specific way. What’s valuable …

Detection Of Iron (Iii) Using Agarose Beads Derivatized With Desterrioxamine B, Kaiya Hansen

Honors College

The goal of our work is to provide marine scientists with a detection system which can be mounted on buoys and gliders for measuring the amount of iron (III) in sea water. Iron is the limiting nutrient for phytoplankton growth. Since phytoplankton play a key role in global carbon cycles and global warming, the iron in seawater does as well. This thesis is meant to be a proof-of-concept for a new approach to measuring iron in seawater. The essential elements of the research discussed herein include identifying particulate beads which are optically transparent in the visible region, modifying the surfaces …

Conserving Maine's Unique Natural Resource: Monitoring, Outreach, And Education On Our Sand Beaches, Kristen Grant

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Objective I: Provide comprehensive volunteer monitoring of southern Maine beaches to improve state and municipal access to the quality-controlled beach elevation data, on a monthly and pre/post storm basis.

Objective II: Strengthen partnerships among beach profile monitoring stakeholders

Objective III: Expand teaching and learning opportunities for beach stakeholders by facilitating presentations by a range of new perspectives to constituents at the 2013 Maine Beaches Conference.

Objective IV: Publish and disseminate new and expanded data in the Maine Geological Survey’s biannual State o f Maine’s Beaches reports in 2013 and 2015.

Estimating Particle Size In The Ocean From High-Frequency Variability In In-Situ Optics, Mary Jane Perry

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

During this 3-year NESSF fellowship and seven-month no-cost extension, I published two papers as first author (Briggs et al. 2011; Briggs et al. 2013) and two papers as a co-author (Alkire et al. 2012; Cetinic et al. 2012). I am also co-author on one submitted paper and have worked on five additional papers that are in preparation (two as first author). I have given talks at four international oceanographic conferences: The 2012 and 2014 Ocean Sciences Meetings in Salt Lake City and Honolulu, the 2012 Ocean Optics meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, and the 2013 Liege Colloquium in Liege, Belgium. I …

The Complementary Niches Of Anthropocentric And Biocentric Conservationists, Malcolm L. Hunter Jr., Kent H. Redford, David Lindenmayer

Publications

A divergence of values has become apparent in recent debates between conservationists who focus on ecosystem services that can improve human well-being and those who focus on avoiding the extinction of species. These divergent points of view fall along a continuum from anthropocentric to biocentric values, but most conservationists are relatively closer to each other than to the ends of the spectrum. We have some concerns with both positions but emphasize that conservation for both people and all other species will be most effective if conservationists focus on articulating the values they all share, being respectful of divergent values, and …