Environmental Sciences Commons^™

Blue Resilience: Is There A Need For An Alaskan Coastal Career Development Framework?, Jared Fuller

All Theses And Dissertations

Youth career outmigration has increased in Alaska’s coastal communities in the last few decades. The ocean and ocean-adjacent industries that comprise the blue economy make up the majority of the employment options in places have experienced declines within these regions which has been attributed to the outward movement of young people. The dynamic history of Alaska has had specific impacts with regards to Alaskan coastal communities, their ocean-resource economies, and thus, the potential for young people to find career paths within them. Potential economic-resource vulnerabilities could be mapped along with the complex systems to help build resilience within those communities. …

Climate-Driven Stock Shifts And Expansions In The U.S. Northeast Shelf: Identifying Challenges, Opportunities, And Barriers Through Fishermen And Manager Perspectives, Sophie A. Swetz

All Theses And Dissertations

Climate-driven warming in the U.S. Northeast Shelf (NES) has led to changes in the spatial distributions of many marine resources. Shifts and expansions of commercially important fish stocks pose major challenges to fishermen and fisheries managers in this region. American lobster (Homarus americanus) in the Gulf of Maine (GOM) is one of these impacted stocks and is projected to continue its shift towards more northern and offshore areas. Continued ocean warming could potentially reduce the GOM lobster stock by up to 60% over the next several decades. Given Maine’s reliance on its lobster fishery—which contributes over 80% of …

Analyzing The Potential Of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis In Identifying The Effects Of Freezing In Atlantic Sea Scallop Products (Placopecten Magellanicus), Joseph Ehrhard

All Theses And Dissertations

The sensitivity of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) was investigated to assess the potential of identifying the effects of freezing in market-ready Atlantic sea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus). Measurements of resistance (R) and reactance (Xc) were recorded using a Certified Quality Reader (CQR) (Certified Quality Food Inc., Clinton Township, MI 48035) BIA device at 50kHz. Prior to investigating the effects of freezing on BIA measurements a standard operating procedure (SOP) was established to limit sources of error. BIA measurements were used in establishing an SOP which focused upon the preparation of samples through blot drying, as well as, proper orientation …

Long-Distance Dispersal By Eastern Gray Squirrels In Suburban Habitats, Noah G. Perlut

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Natal dispersal by Sciurus carolinensis (Eastern Gray Squirrel) is poorly understood, given so rarely reported, yet dispersal patterns in small mammals can affect seed dispersal and predation, as well as population dynamics of predators. Herein, I document long-distance dispersal by 3 Eastern Gray Squirrels from the suburban coastal campus of the University of New England in Biddeford, ME. Mean dispersal distance was 10.1 km (min–max = 6.3–14.5 km), occurring in random directions (SW, S, NW). These results, combined with the previous studies, better describe the distribution of natal dispersal by Eastern Gray Squirrel—critical information in understanding population processes and potentially …

Aquatic Invasions: Causes, Consequences, And Solutions, Corey Ackerson, Melissa Carmichael, Olivia Carpenter, Hannah Crull, Jillian Henrichon, Maeve Mcgowan, Allison Mills, Nicholas Paolini, Everett Pierce, Nicole Scherer, Nicole Volosin, Kady Winsor, Markus Frederich

Marine Sciences Student Projects

Invasive species represent a global threat to ecosystems, human health, and the economy. A basic knowledge of invasive species biology is crucial to understand current and future impacts and implications. The purpose of this book is to provide a broad background on invasive species, and also details on specific examples through case studies.

The students in the course Aquatic Invasive Species (MAR 442) at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, have researched and reviewed scientific literature to educate readers about these issues. The class, comprised of twelve junior and senior Marine Science, Marine Affairs, Applied Mathematics, and Environmental …

Can The Marsh Migrate? Factors Influencing The Growth Of Spartina Patens In Upland Soil, Tessa M. Dowling

All Theses And Dissertations

Although high elevation salt marsh plants, such as Spartina patens (salt hay) can cope with accelerated sea level rise by migrating inland, it is not well known whether environmental factors, such as soil, plant litter, and salinity, will influence the ability of S. patens to colonize upland forest areas. For one growing season, I tested how S. patens vegetative growth (the final number of stems, aboveground stem biomass, and belowground rhizome biomass) and reproduction (presence of flowers) responded to upland or marsh soil, the presence or absence of plant litter, and 4.5ppt or 14.5ppt salinity levels. In order to determine …

Age-Specific Differences In Fat Reserves And Migratory Passage Of Setophaga Striata (Blackpoll Warbler), Emily N. Filiberti, Noah G. Perlut

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Adequate fat reserves are vital for long non-stop transatlantic avian-migration movements, such as those made by Setophaga striata (Blackpoll Warbler). Over a 5-y period, we studied differences in preparedness (determined by presence of fat content and arrival time at stopover locations) between hatch-year (HY) and after hatch-year (AHY) Blackpoll Warblers at 3 stopover sites (Hancock and York counties in Maine, and Plymouth County in Massachusetts) covering 2.65° latitude along the Gulf of Maine. Migration timing varied across a latitudinal gradient and between age classes. In September, AHY Blackpoll Warblers were more abundant in the northern and central counties, but HY …

Tony The Trash Turtle, Brianna Frankina

Environmental Studies Student Projects

Pollution is both a global and local issue. Tony was created from marine debris found at Freddy Beach and East Point Sanctuary. If you look at Tony's shell, you will notice that it is constructed from pieces of plastic straws. If you want to support Tony and keep straws off the beach, you can pledge to skip the straw! Tony is a reminder that we must all be responsible and clean up our trash when we go to the beach!

Ella Savesthe Beach, Leena Aly, Maddie Hodgdon

Environmental Studies Student Projects

The intention of this project is to start educating children on the consequences of polluting our planet with seemingly harmless waste such as plastics. Many do not realize how small plastic objects can be fatal to many animals. We asked elementary school children to collect trash as part of their participation. Then the trash was used to make a poster featuring Ella the crab. This poster is paired with a children’s story book, where Ella and her animal friends are featured dealing with the consequences of littering. The story book depicts how people’s behavior in natural areas can harm innocent …

Colin The Cormorant, Chelsey Jankauskas, Samantha Schultz

Environmental Studies Student Projects

Colin the Cormorant was an art project created to represent the effects of pollution on local organisms, such as Colin the Cormorant. We hope by seeing this sculpture people think twice about how they dispose of their trash. Colin is made from trash collected at Fortunes Rocks Beach in Biddeford Pool. We chose to make a cormorant because we frequently see cormorants around the Biddeford Pool area and they are a seabird that has been impacted by various types of pollution (garbage, air pollution, etc.).

Saving Santa's Workshop, Chase Kaupin, Elise Grabowski

Environmental Studies Student Projects

Our book is a story about an elf encouraging children to go eco-friendly in order to help the environment. Santa delivers gifts such as a reusable water bottle to get children involved. By helping the environment, Santa's workshop is going to be saved from melting ice caps! The goal of this book was to get children involved to help the environment.

Esmerelda's 1600 Feathers, Corinne Casey, Ellen Wise, Kendall Ericksen

Environmental Studies Student Projects

ESA’s 1,600 Feathers is a children’s story that was created in response to a Congress letter from August 2017 addressed to several members of the Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture. This letter requested for the 1973 Endangered Species Act to be “modernized” in order to reduce the economic burdens it imposed on farmers and ranchers. They argued the existing ESA was a “clear failure” having only accomplished recovery and delisting of 42 out of the 1,652 plant and animal species under its protection. The intentions of our story were to highlight the endangered and threatened species that have successfully …

Baby Bay And The Big, Loud Ocean, Kelcey Salois, Dominique Mellone

Environmental Studies Student Projects

This is a children's book that depicts some of the serious effects of noise pollution on marine organisms, especially larger mammals such as Baleen Whales. Through this little story about a baby whale and his mom, trying to find the rest of their pod amidst an ocean filled with noise pollution, we hope to spread awareness about this problem and provide hope to younger generations that if we work hard enough at protecting our oceans, we can provide a much nicer and safer life for the creatures that live within it.

Conversations In The Rainforest: Culture, Values, And The Environment In Central Africa, Richard B. Peterson

Environmental Studies Faculty Books

This book examines the environmental perceptions, values, and practices of inhabitants of Central Africa’s rainforests in order to help build a more firm foundation for ecological and social sustainability at the local level, while also making contributions to global environmental ethics from underrepresented African cultural traditions. It focuses on two case studies in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), one an integrated health and sustainable development project in the Ubangi region, and the other a large wildlife reserve in the Ituri Forest. Through in-depth interviews, focus groups, and participant observation conducted with local farmers and foragers, project staff, and local …

Ocean Optimism, Jenna Pannone, Madison Mark, Crista Kieley

Environmental Studies Student Projects

In our class, Intro to Environmental Issues, we focused on marine mammals for a section. We chose to highlight two cases, the Hawaiian Monk Seal and the Vacquita, in which severely endangered species may have a chance at survival due to the work of highly dedicated individuals and organizations. We wanted to raise awareness of these species, the work being done, and the power we have to create change.

Cows - Clean Ocean Wave Sculpture, Kim Bernard

Artist in Residence: Kim Bernard

Description and images from Kim Bernard's University of New England Artist in Residence fall semester 2016 culminating project. Kim worked with UNE students and faculty to gather ocean debris and weave it into a permanent art installment at UNE's Arthur P. Girard Marine Science Center.

Local Parasite Lineage Sharing In Temperate Grassland Birds Provides Clues About Potential Origins Of Galapagos Avian Plasmodium, Iris I. Levin, Rachel E. Colborn, Daniel Kim, Noah G. Perlut, Rosalind B. Renfrew, Patricia G. Parker

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Oceanic archipelagos are vulnerable to natural introduction of parasites via migratory birds. Our aim was to characterize the geographic origins of two Plasmodium parasite lineages detected in the Galapagos Islands and in North American breeding bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) that regularly stop in Galapagos during migration to their South American overwintering sites. We used samples from a grassland breeding bird assemblage in Nebraska, United States, and parasite DNA sequences from the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, to compare to global data in a DNA sequence registry. Homologous DNA sequences from parasites detected in bobolinks and more sedentary birds (e.g., brown-headed cowbirds …

The Ecology And Evolution Of Natal Philopatry In Migratory Songbirds Breeding In Managed Habitats, Jenna A. Cava

All Theses And Dissertations

Knowledge of which cues attract natal dispersers back to natal areas is important for conservation because these cues could be used to attract breeders to source habitat or discourage breeders from settling in sink habitat. We examined the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic variables on natal philopatry using two metrics, short-distance natal dispersal and the probability of philopatry to the natal field, in two obligate grassland bird species breeding in an agricultural landscape: the Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) and Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis). We also measured heritability and evolvability of morphological traits in the Savannah Sparrow. During 2002-2014 we detected 90 …

Sustaining The Saco Estuary: Final Report 2015, Christine B. Feurt Ph D, Pamela A. Morgan, Mark D. O. Adams, Anna L. Bass, Carrie J. Byron, Michael C. Daley, Michael O. Esty, Noah G. Perlut, Kayla Smith, Tyler Spillane, Michelle M. Steen-Adams, James Sulikowski, Stephan I. Zeeman, Jacob Aman, Michele Dionne, Jeremy Miller, Kristin Wilson

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

This study focuses on the Saco estuary, the tidal portion of the Saco River, which drains the largest watershed in southern Maine. With headwaters in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the watershed encompasses more than 4,400 km², and provides clean healthy drinking water to over 100,000 people living and working in communities in southern Maine.

When the study began in 2009, very little was known about the ecology of the Saco estuary. Researchers at the University of New England and the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve employed the process of collaborative learning to bring together people who …

Rescuing Economics From The Discipline: The Green Learning Community, Michael Daley, Owen Grumbling, Richard B. Peterson

Business Faculty Publications

Undergraduate economics is poised for reform because of readily available data and multimedia content. However, we argue that deep reform is needed to teach complex contemporary problems. This requires including institutional and historical content and restructuring the classroom to facilitate interdisciplinary pedagogy. Using Colander’s (2006) analysis of reform as a starting point, we review the economics literature to identify alternative approaches and interdisciplinary pedagogy. The Green Learning Community is introduced as an intentional approach that links economics, humanities and environmental studies and provides first-year students adequate time to study, reflect upon, and internalize economic assumptions, models, values, and interdisciplinary insights.

Application Of A Bioenergetics Framework For Assessing Sub-Lethal Effects Of Pollutants In The Freshwater Mussel Elliptio Complanata, Christopher G. Goodchild

All Theses And Dissertations

Although biomarkers are frequently used to assess sublethal effects of contaminants, a lack of mechanistic linkages to higher-level effects limits the predictive power of biomarkers. Bioenergetics has been proposed as a framework for linking cellular effects to whole-animal effects. We investigated sublethal effects of exposure to wastewater treatment facility effluent in freshwater mussels in situ, thereby capturing ecologically relevant exposure conditions. Our study focused on the energetic biomarker AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), while also considering more traditional biomarkers like heat shock proteins (HSP70), and antioxidant enzymes (i.e., superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST)). We examined biomarkers at mRNA and protein levels. …

Nestling Sex Ratios Do Not Support Long-Term Parity In Two Species With Different Life-History Strategies, Noah G. Perlut, Steven E. Travis, Catherine A. Dunbar, Allan M. Strong, Derek M. Wright

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

To maximize fitness, breeding adults may respond to environmental processes by adjusting their progeny’s sex ratios. R. A. Fisher in 1930 hypothesized that frequency-dependent selection would result in equal investment in sons and daughters over the long term, yielding a balanced sex ratio if the costs of raising a son and daughter are equal. Diverse hypotheses have tried to explain population and brood-by-brood deviations from this mean as well as annual variation by focusing on adult sex ratios, resources, abiotic conditions, and female and male quality. We collected data in 2002-2010 to explore population-level variation in nestling sex ratios in …

An Introduction To Marine Invasive Species, Teresa Berndt, Natasha Bourdon, Rebecca Buchanan, Abigail Doane, Laura Doyle, Jacob Farrell, Angela Henrich, Blaise Jenner, Christopher Lockwood, Ashleigh Novak, Kiera O'Donnell, Hanna Pultorak, Wyler Scamman, Alec Strohmeyer, Keenan Tilsley, Markus Frederich

Marine Sciences Student Projects

Countless marine species are invading new environments with devastating effects on the ecosystem, the local and global economy, and on human health. The frequency of marine invasions has been increasing in recent decades with a respective raised interest of invasive species in the scientific community, and the general public. The Aquatic Invasive Species class (MAR442) at the University of New England offers an informative overview of invasive species, targeting educated readers with a general interest in invasive species biology. Students in the MAR 442 class have worked on identifying the most important topics on marine invasive species, have reviewed the …

Minor Fitness Benefits For Edge Avoidance In Nesting Grassland Birds In The Northeastern United States, David G. Perkins, Noah G. Perlut, Allan M. Strong

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Grassland birds are often affected negatively by habitat fragmentation. Outcomes include greater nest predation and brood parasitism, decreased colonization rates of small, isolated patches, and greater nest density in remnant core habitats. These effects have been well documented in the Midwest, but little is known about fragmentation and edge effects on grassland birds in the fragmented agricultural fields within the forested landscapes of the northeastern United States. From 2002 to 2010, we assessed how edges and edge types affected nest-site location and daily nest survival (DNS) of Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) and Bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) breeding …

Evaluating The Roles Of Visual Openness And Edge Effects On Nest-Site Selection And Reproductive Success In Grassland Birds, Alexander C. Keyel, Allan M. Strong, Noah G. Perlut, J. Michael Reed

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

In some species, habitat edges (ecotones) affect nest-site selection and nesting success. Openness, or how visually open a habitat is, has recently been shown to influence grassland bird density and may affect nest-site selection, possibly by reducing the risk of predation on adults, nests, or both. Because edge and openness are correlated, it is possible that effects of openness have been overlooked or inappropriately ascribed to edge effects. We tested the roles of edges and visual openness in nest-site selection and nesting success of two grassland passerines, the Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) and Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), …

Collaborative Learning And Land Use Tools To Support Community Based Ecosystem Management: A Final Report Submitted To The Noaa/Unh Cooperative Institute For Coastal And Estuarine Environmental Technology (Ciceet), Christine Baumann Feurt

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

This project developed a model conservation plan for local land use decision making that engaged diverse stakeholders in discussions about conservation values, ecosystem services and strategies to balance conservation and economic development. This locally focused action research case study tested the application of ecosystem based management (EBM), Collaborative Learning and land use technology tools to land use planning. Lessons learned were scaled up to create capacity building training for land use decision makers and coastal managers to increase interdisciplinary skills for implementing ecosystem based management.

Collaborative Learning and EBM Tools were tested and evaluated for their contribution to implementing EBM …

Collaborative Learning Strategies To Overcome Barriers To Science Translation In Coastal Watershed Management: A Final Report Submitted To The Noaa/Unh Cooperative Institute For Coastal And Estuarine Environmental Technology (Ciceet), Christine Baumann Feurt

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

An important non-point source pollution challenge facing municipal officials in southern Maine is the conversion of forested and undeveloped land to development (Krum & Feurt, 2002; Wells NERR, 2003; 2001). There is a critical need, during the next decade, to apply science-based knowledge and facilitate the adoption of practices associated with low impact development, protection of riparian buffers, preservation of wetlands and innovative stormwater management technology to land use decision-making. The science and technology that supports municipal efforts to preserve the ecological services provided by an undeveloped landscape as it is converted to what is considered economic use are the …

Differential Response Of Amp Activated Protein Kinase (Ampk) And Hsp70 To Temperature Stress In The Gastropod, Nucella Lapillus, Emily Zimmermann

All Theses And Dissertations

Populations of the gastropod Nucella lapillus are polymorphic for shell color, with light-colored shells predominating on warmer, wave-protected shores and dark-colored shells limited primarily to cooler, wave-exposed shores. During thermal stress, darker shells attain higher body temperatures than lighter shells. These results suggest that heat stress may determine field distribution patterns. However, there is currently little evidence of physiological consequences of thermal stress in these organisms. Following the guiding hypothesis that heat stress leads to cellular energy depletion, we explored whether the central energy regulator AMP-activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) is activated by heat stress. We compared this response in both …

Natal And Breeding Dispersal Of Bobolinks (Dolichonyx Oryzivorus) And Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus Sandwichensis) In An Agricultural Landscape, Natalia Fajardo, Allan M. Strong, Noah G. Perlut, Neil J. Buckley

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Dispersal is a key process in the metapopulation dynamics and genetic structure of spatially segregated populations. However, our knowledge of avian dispersal, particularly in migratory passerines, remains limited. We studied dispersal of Bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) and Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) to determine whether agricultural management practices affected dispersal patterns and habitat selection. From 2002 to 2006, we banded adults and nestlings on six focal hay fields and two pastures in the Champlain Valley of Vermont and New York and searched for banded birds within 1.5 km of Vermont field sites during two years. Natal dispersal distances were …

The Functions And Values Of Fringing Salt Marshes In Northern New England, Usa, Pamela A. Morgan, David M. Burdick, Frederick T. Short

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Although large salt marshes of the northeastern United States have been studied extensively, very little is known about the smaller, fringing marshes in this area, despite the fact that they are a common habitat type. We compared the functions and values of five fringing salt marshes (FM) to those of five meadow marshes (MM) along the southern Maine/New Hampshire coast. Specifically we compared their primary production, soil organic matter content, plant diversity, sediment trapping ability and wave dampening properties. Also explored were the relationships between these functions and several physical characteristics at each site, including soil salinity, percent surface slope, …