Environmental Sciences Commons^™

Scale And Justice In Water Allocation, Marian J. Patrick

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Water allocation is a fundamental part of water resources management. Water allocation is often a contested process because it involves multiple uses and users of water. Issues of justice arise when resources are, or are perceived to be, in short supply. When water is allocated the rules for the distribution of the resource may result in just outcomes for some stakeholders but may create injustices for other stakeholders. Issues of scale thus form an important component of water allocation. This thesis draws from an amalgam of ideas on justice, scale and water management and aims to present a conceptual framework …

Minimizing Epicormic Branch Formation On Louisiana Leading Commercial Bottomland Red Oaks, Denton William Culpepper

LSU Master's Theses

The goal of this study was to isolate biological, natural, and silvicultural factors that encourage the production of epicormic branches on bottomland red oak saw-timber trees and to use this information to help landowners and forest managers reduce epicormic branches in stands dominated by bottomland red oaks. Quercus nigra, Q. pagoda, Q. phellos, and Q. texana, the most common commercial bottomland red oaks in Louisiana, were evaluated in this study. Both qualitative and quantitative variables were assessed in this study. The following attributes were collected from each sample tree and primary competitor: site class, basal area, crown class DBH, presence …

High-Throughput Sperm Cryopreservation Of Aquatic Species, E Hu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The goal of this dissertation was to integrate multiple disciplines for application of high-throughput sperm cryopreservation to aquatic species. The blue catfish Ictalurus furcatus was selected for research due to its role in production of hybrid catfish with eggs from channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. A high-throughput cryopreservation pathway was developed by systematically evaluating each process factor and using automated processing systems. Large quantities of cryopreserved sperm produced from this protocol were evaluated in commercial-scale hatcheries in cooperation with aquaculture producers. To develop production for commercial requirements, quality characteristics of materials and products were identified and recorded during processing and analyzed …

Pah Concentrations Found Within Gulf Menhaden (Brevoortia Patronus) Populations Located Off Of The South/Southeast Coast Of Louisiana, Gregory Michael Olson

LSU Master's Theses

In April 2010, large quantities of crude oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) raising questions about the possible contamination of marine organisms with constituents of concern known as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). In order to determine the impact of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) crude oil spill, Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus) were harvested from two coastal regions of Louisiana. Tissue analysis to determine total PAH concentration was conducted using an adapted matrix solid phase dispersion (MSPD) method; a Soxhlet extraction process was used to determine fish oil to mass ratios for “small” (fork length < 16 cm) and “large” (fork length > 16 cm) menhaden. Menhaden …

Modeling The Spatial And Temporal Dynamics Of Coastal Marsh Birds, Bradley A. Pickens

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Wetland birds are likely to be influenced by habitat at multiple spatial scales, yet few studies have investigated bird responses at both broad and fine scales. Northern Gulf Coast marshes are dynamic ecosystems, and they provide an ideal place to examine habitat across spatial and temporal scales. My research focused on the secretive marsh bird guild (i.e. bitterns, rails, gallinules, grebes) with an emphasis on the king rail (Rallus elegans), a species of high conservation concern. My objectives were to investigate the wetland bird-environment relationship across scales, and to model annual changes in bird distribution. Study sites were in the …

The Effects Of Hydrologic Modifications On Floodplain Forest Tree Recruitment And Growth In The Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, Usa, Hugo Gee

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Floodplains forests are productive and diverse ecosystems characterized by frequent riverine flooding. Levees and dams have eliminated or altered riverine flooding which can potentially affect floodplain tree recruitment and growth. Increased light availability from canopy disturbances may increase photosynthesis given sufficient soil moisture, but information on the combined effect of canopy disturbances and hydrologic modifications on tree recruitment and growth is lacking. I used dendrochronological techniques to reconstruct tree recruitment, growth (Quercus lyrata, Fraxinus pennsylvanica), and canopy disturbance patterns over a 90-year period at several floodplains in the Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, USA: an unleveed site below dams and two …

Influences On Behavior Adaptations To Reduce Exposure To Environmental Hazards Among Residents Of Louisiana's Upper Industrial Corridor, Corrinthia Marie Hinton

LSU Master's Theses

Over the past century, the growth in petrochemical manufacturing within Louisiana’s Upper Industrial Corridor brought economic development, but also introduced toxic emissions and environmental exposure risks to residents of the area. For the citizens living in close proximity to multiple facilities there is the added risk of chemical exposure from environmentally hazardous accidents. This study seeks to gain insights into patterns of risk-reducing behaviors of residents in East Baton Rouge Parish so that better educational outreach programs can be developed. This research addresses the following questions: To what extent are residents of Baton Rouge taking steps to reduce environmental exposure …

Effects Of Varying Land Use On Headwater Stream Fish Assemblages And In-Stream Habitats In Southwestern Louisiana, Alexandra Marie Fitzgerald

LSU Master's Theses

Although watershed land use effects on in-stream fish habitat and fish-macrohabitat associations have been widely studied in the past, low-gradient, coastal Louisiana streams have been poorly described in the literature. In this thesis, I report the results of a two-year study exploring relationships among regional land use, in-stream physical habitat, and headwater stream fish assemblages. In chapter two, I examined in-stream habitat variables such as depth, flow, and substrate combined with three-pass electrofishing depletion estimates at thirteen 100-m stream sites. I used a combination of principle component analysis and structural equation modeling to determine if trends were present in the …

Composition And Physiological Characteristics Of The University Lake Ecosystem Phytoplankton Community: Impacts Of Seasonal And Episodic Events, Brianne Elizabeth Norris

LSU Master's Theses

This research determined the changes in phytoplankton community composition in a shallow subtropical lake, influenced by urban surroundings. Specifically this research focused on the effects of seasonal progression and episodic events on the changing inorganic nutrient dynamics and the effects those dynamics had on the phytoplankton community composition and productivity. This research quantified gross primary production and respiration to determine if seasonality or episodic events were acting as forcing functions of the phytoplankton community composition. Water samples were collected weekly at three sites on the lake’s perimeter, as well as following episodic events, to monitor nitrate (NO3), phosphate (PO4-3), ammonium …

The Effect Of Inorganic Fillers On The Properties Of Wood Plastic Composites, Birm June Kim

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The effect of inorganic fillers including precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC), glass fiber (GF), and nano-clay on properties of structured WPCs was investigated. In PCC-bamboo-polymer hybrid composites, tensile and flexural moduli were improved with increasing PCC content. After silane treatment of bamboo, RBF-filled hybrid composites showed better mechanical properties compared to those of GBP-filled hybrid composites. The hybrid composites showed 3-4 times higher modulus than those of PCC-filled composites at high PCC levels. Various property differences were observed between weak- and strong-core coextruded systems with shell composition changes. While the weak-core systems showed improved flexural strengths compared to their core-only control, …

Comprehensive Planning And Resilience: A Study Of Louisiana Parishes After Hurricane Katrina, Mary Paille

LSU Master's Theses

When hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit in 2005, widespread devastation was felt in over half of the parishes in the state. More than 200,000 homes were damaged and more than 1500 people lost their lives. During this transitionary period, communities were vulnerable and looked for rebuilding leadership. As part of a post-catastrophe resilience movement, the Louisiana Recovery Authority formulated a 50-year regional plan for recovering south Louisiana called Louisiana Speaks. This planning process opened up an opportunity to reach those communities that otherwise may not have considered planning or how it could help them prepare for future events. This places …

Soil Accretion And Organic Carbon Accumulation In The Tidal Salt Marshes Of The Liaohe Delta, China, Nicholas Lawrence Yuknis

LSU Master's Theses

Wetlands provide a multitude of functions to people and ecosystems and because of this, maintaining or increasing wetland area is important. Wetlands can be significant carbon sinks because of the relatively high primary productivity and slow decomposition of organic matter in these systems and can thus impact the global carbon cycle and potentially climate change. The marshes of the Liaohe Delta are the largest in Liaoning Province; however, very little research has been done in this area to determine the rate of accretion and organic carbon sequestration in the salt marshes there. By using Cs-137 and Pb-210 dating techniques and …

Modeling Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus) Habitat In A Fire-Dependnent Ecosystem In North Florida, Christina Legleu

LSU Master's Theses

Gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) populations have declined with longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystems across their historic range. The influence of gopher tortoise burrows on co-inhabiting plants and animals necessitates an understanding of how landscape features and management practices influence gopher tortoise presence, absence, and abandonment. In this study, naïve gopher tortoise burrow encounter rates from a line transect distance sampling (LTDS) pilot study were used for two methods of modeling gopher tortoise habitat. In Chapter 1, naïve encounter rates were tested for a linear correlation to a HSI model created from three ranked geographic information system (GIS) landscape variables. Initial …

Population Dynamics Of The Eastern Oyster In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Benjamin S. Eberline

LSU Master's Theses

This project examined the economically and ecologically valuable eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) in the Northern Gulf of Mexico using field and laboratory experiments. Specifically, this project focused on natural rates of settlement, growth, and mortality in a variety of temperature and salinity regimes within Breton Sound, LA. Seed and market sized oysters in cages resting on the bottom, as well as settlement tiles, were monitored at four sites in Breton Sound, LA, along what is typically a salinity gradient ranging from ~5 to ~20. In April 2010, the Caernarvon Freshwater Diversion was fully opened with the goal of minimizing the …

Spatial Variability In Response Of Deltaic Baldcypress Forests To Hydrology And Climate, Som Bahadur Bohora

LSU Master's Theses

Changing hydrology and climate have significantly altered ecologically significant cypress-tupelo forests in the deltaic plain of the Mississippi River. Though local responses of these swamps to hydrology are relatively well understood, broad-scale evaluation of ecological response differences of deltaic wetland forests has been limited by the lack of site-specific coupled hydrologic and ecological data. Baldcypress tree-rings from twenty-two sites were used to examine the responses of coastal swamp forests throughout the deltaic plain to environmental variables. The responses of these forests to environmental variables varied spatially; however, broad-scale measures of deltaic hydrology were more correlated with tree radial growth than …

Energy, Environment, And Sustainability: A Hierarchical Analysis Of South Louisiana, Matthew Korbel Moerschbaecher

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation details research into the sustainability of industrial, human, and natural systems in south Louisiana. Chapter 1 is a general introduction. Chapter 2 calculates the energy return on financial investment (EROFI) of oil and gas production in the ultra-deepwater Gulf of Mexico (GoM) in 2009 and the Macondo Prospect (Mississippi Canyon Block 252). I calculated a preliminary Energy Return on Investment (EROI) using a range of energy intensity ratios. The EROFI for ultra-deepwater oil and gas at the wellhead was roughly 0.85 gallons, per dollar. These estimates of EROI for 2009 ultra-deepwater oil and natural gas at the wellhead …

The Ecological Impact Of The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill On Vibrio Parahaemolyticus Type Iii Secretion System And The Vibrio Community, Erica L. Stephens

LSU Master's Theses

Vibrio spp are gram-negative, halophilic bacteria that naturally occur in both shallow coastal waters and parts of the deepest oceans and are a known human pathogen. There have not been extensive studies that analyze an oil spill as an environmental stressor to vibrios. If there were to be an increase in the pathogenicity of vibrios it would be a cause for human health concern. The purpose of the two studies presented was to determine changes in the pathogenicity of V. parahaemolyticus pathogenicity and the vibrio community, with respect to V. cholera, V. parahaemolyticus, and V. vulnificus. The results showed that …

The Effects Of Regulatory Uncertainty On The U.S. Acid Rain Program, Narendra Paramanand

LSU Master's Theses

Title IV of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA 1990) created the first large scale cap-and-trade program as a means to control acid rain in the United States. The program regulated the emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrous oxide (NOx) in the atmosphere—the precursor to acid rain (formerly acid deposition). Economists have long argued for the use of market-based incentive approach as oppose to the traditional command-and-control methods for its ability to be efficient and cost-effective. Title IV went into full effect in 1995 and has been lauded among one of the most successful regulation as it …

Ecology Of Rusty Blackbirds Wintering In Louisiana: Seasonal Trends, Flock Composition And Habitat Associations, Emma Elizabeth Deleon

LSU Master's Theses

With an estimated population loss of at least 5% annually and a 100-year history of decline, Rusty Blackbirds (Euphagus carolinus) are one of the fastest declining bird species in North America. Determining cause of decline is important, both for conserving the species and for identifying threats to the wooded wetland ecosystems they use on their boreal breeding-grounds and their wintering-grounds in the southeastern United States. One hypothesis is that loss of wintering ground habitat, possibly in conjunction with competition or disease, is causing Rusty Blackbird decline. To determine contribution of wintering ground conditions, it is important to understand the behaviors …

Artificial Oyster Reefs In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico: Management, Material, And Faunal Effects, Jessica Nicole Furlong

LSU Master's Theses

Artificial oyster reefs seek to restore reef ecosystem services, such as water filtration, shoreline protection, and habitat for nekton. This study established three objectives to address the dispersed nature of artificial reef information in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and lack of post-construction monitoring assessments. First, to document the extent of activities in the GoM, we developed a database of all inshore artificial oyster reefs created for restoration purposes. Of the 422 reefs in the resultant database, a third or less provided records of entities involved (27%), restoration goals (24%), area (20%), monitoring efforts (15%), relief (9%), and costs (8%). …

The Effects Of Oyster Harvest On Resident Oyster Reef Communities And Reef Structure In Coastal Louisiana Proper, Steven Lee Beck

LSU Master's Theses

Harvest of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is a primary contributor to oyster reef habitat disturbance in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The impacts of oyster dredging on reef substrate and resident fauna have not been thoroughly examined on the extensive sub-tidal oyster reefs of Louisiana. Several reef structure and resident community metrics were compared on unharvested and harvested reefs during the spring, summer, and fall of 2010. Unharvested reefs had higher amounts of oyster clusters, solid reef substrate, and more large oysters, while harvested reefs had higher amounts of loose shell, mixed shell/mud substrate, and elevated chlorophyll-a levels. Overall, …

Method Development For Detecting And Characterizing Manufactured Silver Nanoparticles In Soil Pore Water Using Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation, Annie R. Whitley

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Recent advances in nanotechnology have led to the production of materials with nanoscale dimensions (nm) and properties distinctly different from their bulk (>100 nm) counterparts. With increased use, it is inevitable that nanomaterials will accumulate in the environment and there is concern that the novel properties of nanomaterials could result in detrimental environmental and human health effects. In particular, there has been concern recently regarding the use of silver (Ag) based nanomaterials as antimicrobial agents in consumer and medical products. Current regulations dealing with the discharge of metals into the environment are based on total concentrations with no consideration …

Characteristics Of Kentucky Agricultural Operations Participating In Nrcs Conservation Programs, Carmen T. Agouridis

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) designs and promotes a wide variety of conservation practices and programs that enhance the environment by reducing soil erosion, improving water quality, and enhancing and creating wildlife habitat. The impact of these practices and programs is largely dependent on the voluntary participation of landowners. Thus, central to the success of the NRCS conservation programs is an understanding of the characteristics of landowners and operations participating in these programs.

Using operator and operation characteristics from the 1997, 2002, and 2007 Censuses of Agriculture and controlling for county fixed effects, this study 1) identifies significant characteristics …

From Pond To Pump: Microalgae As A Feedstock For Biodiesel, Anna H. Leavitt

Honors Theses

The global reliance on fossil fuels is an unsustainable practice that has led to the depletion of finite resources and the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to global climate change (Demirbas 2010). Transportation accounts for about a third of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the United States. Demand for oil continues to increase and resources are becoming more uncertain. Increased production of renewable fuels such as biofuels can help ease the dependence on fossil fuels. Although interest and production in biofuels has been increasing in the past decade, current feedstocks do not meet efficiency needs and some …

An Environmental Systems Analysis Of Hydropower And Its Effects Upon Indigenous Settlements In Karnataka, India, Amy Joens

Honors Program Theses

Hydroelectricity is a very common method of energy production. Large dams are constantly being introduced to the river landscape in areas all over the world. There are definite benefits to hydropower, but the drawbacks may be even more evident. As modernization and development expand across developing nations like India, indigenous populations are often subject to the highest ration of negative impacts and consequences. This research explores both the costs and benefits of hydroelectricity, while using specific examples of dam construction projects to analyze aspects of the cumulative effects of a hydropower project. The Kabini Dam in southern Karnataka, India is …

Communication Effectiveness And The Emerald Ash Borer Mitigation Campaign, Jonathon Heide

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Environmental risk communication is scrutinized by several research fields including, as Herndl and Brown (1996) show, technical communications. This technical communications thesis rhetorically analyses how large and small government agencies in the State of Minnesota communicate a specific environmental risk: emerald ash borer (EAB). EAB is an insect native to Asia and arrived in Detroit on a cargo ship sometime in the 1990s (Cappaert 2005, 153; Poland 2011, 46). By 2012, it spread to the 15 states and two Canadian provinces (USDA--APHIS 2012). EAB's life cycle will causes tree decline in Minnesota, the state with the most ash (MNDNR 2012). …

Integrating Ensemble Species Distribution Modeling And Statistical Phylogeography To Inform Projections Of Climate Change Impacts On Species Distributions, Brenna R. Forester

WWU Graduate School Collection

Species distribution models (SDMs) are commonly used to forecast climate change impacts on species and ecosystems. These models, however, are subject to important assumptions and limitations. By integrating two independent but complementary methods, ensemble SDMs and statistical phylogeography, I was able to address key assumptions and create robust assessments of climate change impacts on species' distributions while improving the conservation value of these projections. This approach was demonstrated using Rhodiola integrifolia, an alpine-arctic plant distributed at high elevations and latitudes throughout the North American cordillera. SDMs for R. integrifolia were fit to current and past climates using eight model algorithms, …

The Use Of A Bayesian Network To Calculate The Risks Of Mercury Contamination To Fish And Birds Of The South River, Virginia, Heather M. Summers

WWU Graduate School Collection

The South River watershed in western Virginia has a history of mercury contamination from past industrial practices. My study demonstrates how Bayesian networks can be used to conduct an environmental risk assessment of aquatic and riparian environments to assess the overall effects of mercury contamination to target species in the South River. The risk assessment focused on two species of fish, one game-fish, smallmouth bass and one non-game fish, white sucker and two species of birds, one piscivorous, Belted Kingfisher and one insectivorous, Carolina Wren. By examining the exposure pathways through various habitats in the study area, I created a …

Seasonal And Age-Based Aspects Of Diet Of The Introduced Redside Shiner (Richardsonius Balteatus) In Ross Lake, Washington, Carmen A. (Carmen Ann) Welch

WWU Graduate School Collection

This study investigates the introduced population of the Redside Shiner (Richardsonius balteatus) in Ross Lake, Washington. The Redside Shiner was introduced to Ross Lake around 2000 and in the summer months, can be found in densities of hundreds per cubic meter in the shallow areas of Ross Lake. Ross Lake is a protected thirty-five and a half kilometer long reservoir in North Cascades National Park with cold, clear water of exceptional quality. Fish native to Ross Lake include: Bull Trout, Dolly Varden and Rainbow Trout. It is a commonly held belief that the introduced Redside Shiner have no negative effect …

An Analysis Of Agricultural Land-Use Effects On Surface Water Quality In Skagit County Streams, Marysutton Carruthers

WWU Graduate School Collection

Nonpoint source pollution is a concern in many streams nationwide. Puget Sound cleanup efforts have increasingly focused on targeting nonpoint sources of pollution, including nutrient and bacterial sources resulting from agricultural activities. Skagit County, Washington hosts a robust compilation of agricultural activities from large scale row crops and dairy operations to small hobby farms. It is also home to the Skagit River, the most important river system for Puget Sound salmon, and Samish Bay, the largest shellfish growing area in the north Puget Sound. Enormous efforts have been made to assess the health of Washington's waterways and to find an …