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Full-Text Articles in Environmental Sciences
An Analysis Of Agricultural Land-Use Effects On Surface Water Quality In Skagit County Streams, Marysutton Carruthers
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 …
Integrating Ensemble Species Distribution Modeling And Statistical Phylogeography To Inform Projections Of Climate Change Impacts On Species Distributions, Brenna R. Forester
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
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 …
Salmon In The Trees: An Assessment Of A Dendrochemical Technique For Detecting Marine-Derived Nitrogen In Riparian Tree Rings, Jody Gerdts
WWU Graduate School Collection
Quantifying the relationship between salmon escapement and riparian tree-ring δ15N could contribute greatly to understanding trends in historic salmon abundance. Such an understanding could have far-reaching consequences for understanding historic carrying capacities of river systems and help guide future restoration efforts. This study investigates the reliability of using naturally occurring isotopic variations in annual tree rings to produce quantifiable estimates of historic salmon runs. Three study areas with temporal and spatial changes in salmon spawning abundance were examined. I found that currently available techniques for removing mobile nitrogen are not sufficient to overcome problems associated with radial mobility, as indicated …
Seasonal And Age-Based Aspects Of Diet Of The Introduced Redside Shiner (Richardsonius Balteatus) In Ross Lake, Washington, Carmen A. (Carmen Ann) Welch
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 …
Traditional And Alternative Delivery Methods Of General Chemistry Labs: Environmental, Monetary, And Pedagogical Comparisons, Sarah Steely
Traditional And Alternative Delivery Methods Of General Chemistry Labs: Environmental, Monetary, And Pedagogical Comparisons, Sarah Steely
WWU Graduate School Collection
The main objective of my study was to investigate and compare a traditional and alternative mode of general chemistry laboratory delivery using environmental, monetary, and curriculum comparisons. I conducted an environmental carbon footprint analysis of traditional laboratory experiments versus laboratory kit counterparts. A dollar cost assessment of the delivery modes was also calculated. Both the environmental and dollar costs were determined on a per student basis for each experiment evaluated. The results demonstrate that traditional experiments had higher carbon emissions than the kit experiments, and the kit experiments were more expensive per student than the traditional experiments when I accounted …