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Full-Text Articles in Natural Resource Economics
Assessing The Economic Tradeoffs Between Prevention And Suppression Of Forest Fires, Elizabeth Trulia Heines
Assessing The Economic Tradeoffs Between Prevention And Suppression Of Forest Fires, Elizabeth Trulia Heines
Doctoral Dissertations
The number of large-scale, high-severity forest fires occurring in the United States is increasing, as is the cost to suppress these fires. These trends have prompted investigations into alternative fuels methods to help prevent these large wildfires. One of the key challenges in studying the costs and benefits of forest fire prevention management is the incorporation of risk and uncertainty surrounding management decisions. We use a technique developed by William Reed to incorporate the stochasticity of the time of a forest fire into our optimal control problems. The goal of these problems is to determine the optimal fire prevention management …
Global And Regional Assessments Of Unsustainable Groundwater Use In Irrigated Agriculture, Danielle S. Grogan
Global And Regional Assessments Of Unsustainable Groundwater Use In Irrigated Agriculture, Danielle S. Grogan
Doctoral Dissertations
Groundwater is an essential input to agriculture world-wide, but it is clear that current rates of groundwater use are unsustainable in the long term. This dissertation assesses both current use of groundwater for country- to global-scale agriculture, and looks at the future of groundwater. The focus is on 1) quantifying food directly produced as a result of groundwater use across spatially-varying agricultural systems, 2) projecting future groundwater demands with consideration of climate change and human decision-making, and 3) understanding the system dynamics of groundwater re-use through surface water systems. All three are addressed using a process-based model designed to simulate …
Process Design, Dynamics, And Techno-Economic Analysis Of A Sustainable Coal, Wind, And Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Hybrid Energy System, Kyle Lee Buchheit
Process Design, Dynamics, And Techno-Economic Analysis Of A Sustainable Coal, Wind, And Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Hybrid Energy System, Kyle Lee Buchheit
Doctoral Dissertations
"The availability of cheap electricity is one of the biggest factors for improving quality of life. With the debate on the effects of carbon dioxide emissions continuing, several countries have either implemented or are considering the reduction of emissions through various economic means. The inclusion of a monetary penalty on carbon emissions would increase the prices of electricity produced by carbon-based sources. The push for large-scale renewable sources of energy has met problems with regards to energy storage and availability. The proposed coal, wind, and nuclear hybrid energy system would combine a renewable energy source, wind, with traditional and stable …
The Challenge Of Realizing Sustainable Natural Resource Management On Private Lands: Problems And Promise, Jamey L. Pavey
The Challenge Of Realizing Sustainable Natural Resource Management On Private Lands: Problems And Promise, Jamey L. Pavey
Doctoral Dissertations
Today’s natural resource problems are more complex than ever and many have yet to be effectively addressed in the United States by regulations or management policies. The challenges presented by these problems require new approaches to the governance of natural resources in the United States. These approaches must recognize that the governance of natural resources is not only a technical task, but a social process. The management of natural resources on private lands presents a unique set of problems and a unique set of opportunities to provide environmental benefits. However, without adequate incentives, landowners are unlikely to manage their land …