Geography Commons^™

The Operation Was Successful But The Patient Died: The Politics Of Crisis And Homelessness In Post-Katrina New Orleans, Evan Casper-Futterman

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

On July 4^th, 2007, a small group of housing activists set up a tent city encampment in a plaza adjacent to New Orleans City Hall. The action resulted in the creation of Homeless Pride, a small group of politicized Plaza residents. Six months later, hundreds of homeless people were moved from the park, and it was fenced off. Using archival videos, interviews, and news media, this thesis analyzes the opportunities and constraints that activists, service providers, and local officials faced in light of two intersecting and overlapping contexts. The first context is the immediate crisis of the levee …

Territoriality, Sovereignty And The Nation-State System In Israel-Palestine: The Creation Of The Palestinian Bantustan “State” And Shifting Palestinian Resistance Tactics, Sara Nichole Hughes

Master's Theses

The conflict in Israel-Palestine is over the sovereign control of territory and takes place within a global framework made up of clearly defined nation-states. It is within this framework that Israeli colonial expansion and construction of the separation barrier in the West Bank attempt to maximize Israeli annexation of the oPt while creating a Palestinian Bantustan “state” to contain and isolate the Palestinian people in non-sovereign territorial enclaves through the use of territoriality as a strategy for exercising sovereignty. In response to this obvious process of cantonization, Palestinians are resisting by supporting Israeli annexation – of the West Bank and …

Whole-Rock Lead-Lead Systematics And Major Element Analyses On The 1.85 Ga. Flin Flon Paleosol, Manitoba, Canada: Implications For Uranium Mobility., Federico Arturo Valencia

Geosciences Theses

The 1.85 Ga Flin Flon paleosol located in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada, is studied with the purpose of determining the timing and geochemical trend of uranium migration. Radiometric minimum ages of sediments and paleosols indicates the presence of a post-depositional event, these ages are bracketed by the Trans-Hudson orogeny event (2155–1750 Ma) which resulted in the alteration of κ(Th/U) and µ(U/Pb) ratios by exposing volcanics to the atmosphere and instigating the mobilization of U. The profile shows that the Missi sediments lost Uby 84% average relative to corrected average upper crust value. The upper paleosol gained U by 11% and …

Assessing Landscape Change In Western Honduras, 1957-2010, Eric Lenhardt Mcgregor

Master's Theses

Human impacts on environmental conditions have long concerned researchers investigating changing forest conditions in the world's tropical regions. This thesis uses repeat photography, satellite imagery, and quantitative spatial statistics to evaluate landscape change in western Honduras between 1957 and 2010, and specifically focuses on changes in tree cover. Results from repeat photography and satellite classification show an increase in tree cover. Spatial statistics indicate that increases in shade coffee production may also be related to much of the observed increases in tree cover. Forest transition theory is used as a framework to help explain the observed changes, such as dooryard …

Land Use/Land Cover Change And Its Hydrological Impacts From 1984 To 2010 In The Little River Watershed, Tennessee, Chunhao Zhu

Masters Theses

Land use/land cover (LULC) change, especially the conversion from farmland to residential and commercial land, has led to significant environmental issues in changing fluvial dynamics, accelerating sediment erosion and degrading water quality. The Little River, which provides drinking water for over 100,000 residents in Blount County, Tennessee, and serves as a source of agriculture and recreational activities, was listed as one of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Targeted Watersheds because the water quality of its tributaries has become impaired due to several reasons. In this study, a detailed record of LULC change in a roughly 2-year interval was documented …

Perception Of Aquifer Depletion And The Effects Of Land Use Change Across The Madaba Plain, Jordan, Mohammad Salem

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In Jordan, demand for water for agricultural purposes has put a high strain on aquifer resources. Water mining, erosion, and desertification have all increased as global temperatures rise. This along with fragmentation of the landscape have altered the environment in a profound way. The Madaba Plain was chosen for this study due to the agricultural activities that take place there, as well as the proximity to a number of population centers. The purpose of the study is to examine how fragmentation of irrigated landscape has affected the aquifers underneath, while taking into account perceptions of risk of the local population. …

Geospatial Tools And Techniques For Watershed Management Using Swat 2009, Naresh Pai

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this study, geospatial tools and techniques were developed to support specific aspects of watershed pollution management, such as quantifying land-use change (LUC) impacts, prioritizing subwatersheds, and communicating field-scale impacts, using the soil and water assessment tool 2009 (SWAT 2009) model.

For the land-use change objective, a geospatial tool titled SWAT2009_LUC was developed that enables SWAT modelers to prepare specific input files for simulating concurrent land-use changes during the SWAT 2009 model simulations. Testing of the tool for the Illinois River Drainage Area in Arkansas (IRDAA) watershed showed that the tool accurately represented temporal land-uses within the model. Model simulations …

Analyzing Spring Freeze Impacts On Deciduous Forest Productivity Using Modis Satellite Imagery, Karl Lintvedt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The impacts of an April 2007 spring freeze event on the productivity of deciduous broadleaf forest were analyzed using geographic information system (GIS) tools. Forest productivity was modeled using the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), as recorded by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite sensor. Measures of spatial autocorrelation were used to quantify the degree of spatial congruence between a map depicting the severity of the freeze event, and maps modeling forest productivity throughout the year. The results show a geographic correlation between the unseasonably low minimum temperatures sustained during the freeze and the unusually low forest productivity that followed. …

Improvements In Multi-Tool Surveying Efficiency For Archaeological Geophysics, Caitlyn Marie Williams

Masters Theses

Conventional archaeological excavation methods are, by nature, extremely invasive and result in study areas being irrevocably altered for the sake of research. For this reason, near-surface geophysical techniques have been incorporated into archaeological investigations to aid in determining the locations of buried features with minimal damage to the site. The objective of this research was to perform a geophysical survey at an archaeological site on the Akrotiri Peninsula in Cyprus to locate evidence of a Roman naval base and to develop an improved data management workflow that will improve the usefulness of geophysical data to archaeologists.

An on-site archaeologist determined …

A Landscape Approach To Late Prehistoric Settlement And Subsistence Patterns In The Mojave Sink, Tiffany Ann Thomas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The environment of the Late Prehistoric period (1200 A.D. to Historic Contact) Mojave Sink was wetter than modern conditions. The settlement and subsistence patterns of the occupants of the region during this period were driven by the availability of water, subsistence resources, raw material sources, and tradition. These people utilized the regional landscape based upon the seasonal availability of these resources. Supplemental agricultural production has been proposed for the Mojave River Delta due to the more favorable environmental conditions of this period. If agriculture was being practiced it would have affected the regional land-use patterns. For this thesis I propose …

A Geochemical Analysis: Application Of A Chelating Agent On Potential Asr Reactive Aggregates, Jennifer N. Garcia

Geosciences Theses

Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) is a deleterious, expansive reaction in concrete. Several ASTM methods test potential aggregates for ASR risk. One method uses NaOH digestion, followed by spectroscopic methods, to estimate the amount of reactive silica present in an aggregate. NaOH, however, can digest both crystalline (i.e. quartz) and non-crystalline (e.g. opal), or poorly crystalline silica, potentially yielding falsely high estimates of reactive silica. Studies in soil and plant sciences have used Tiron, an alkaline chelating agent (C₆H₄S₂O₈Na₂), as a method of digesting opaline silica for spectroscopic analysis. Here we …

Vulnerability Of Adolescents To Hiv/Aids In Malawi, Paul Mkandawire

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis aims at examining vulnerability to HIV/AIDS among adolescents in Malawi. The study uses mixed methods that combine quantitative and qualitative techniques in order to better understand whether there are significant variations in the pattern of sexual behaviour between adolescent orphans and non-orphans. Results of a quantitative analysis (n=1214) revealed that orphans are less likely to undertake voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) for HIV/AIDS, that they tend to experience their first sexual intercourse earlier in life, and that they are generally more likely to engage in high risk sexual behavior than non-orphans. In addition, female orphans in particularly are …

Surface Modeling Topsoil Distribution On A Reclaimed Coal-Mine Site At Blackmesa Mine Complex, Kayenta, Arizona, Janine Ferarese

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

A necessary precursor to ensure proper vegetation growth on reclaimed coal-mine areas is even distribution of topsoil. This capstone discusses development of surface models to describe the accurate determination and visualization of the distribution of topsoil. Prediction surfaces from topsoil-depth point samples were created using the surface interpolation methods, Inverse Distance Weighted and Kriging. The validity and accuracy of each method was assessed to determine the best method to evaluate actual topsoil distribution at a coal mining site. The model can be utilized by non- spatially trained personnel working in the mining arena as an aid in assessing how appropriately …

A Google Earth-Based Framework For Visualization Of The Chesapeake Bay Operational Forecast System, Gary Lawson

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

For the persons who live near and travel the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, the data provided by the Chesapeake Bay Operational Forecast System (CBOFS) is invaluable. The information provided includes measurements and forecasts of surface wind velocity, water current velocity, salinity levels, water level, and temperature. Currently, this information is freely available on the CBQ_FS website hosted by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It is offered as Nowcast, measured data, and Forecast data and is visualized using 2D images which describe a subset of the data in an easy to read chart. However, if the data were …

Assessment Of Watershed Model Simplification And Potential Application In Small Ungaged Watersheds: A Case Study Of Big Creek, Atlanta, Ga, Zoia A. Comarova Ms

Geosciences Theses

Technological and methodological advances of the past few decades have provided hydrologists with advanced and increasingly complex hydrological models. These models improve our ability to simulate hydrological systems, but they also require a lot of detailed input data and, therefore, have a limited applicability in locations with poor data availability. From a case study of Big Creek watershed, a 186.4 km² urbanizing watershed in Atlanta, GA, for which continuous flow data are available since 1960, this project investigates the relationship between model complexity, data availability and predictive performance in order to provide reliability factors for the use of reduced …

Stakeholders' Perceptions Of Risk For Gentrification In Atlanta's Pittsburgh Neighborhood, David C. Holmes

Geosciences Theses

The 2008-2010 foreclosure crisis and the Beltline project present two significant forces shaping neighborhoods throughout Atlanta. Both the high foreclosure rates and the promise of public and private investment create conditions for the displacement of existing residents and for the gentrification of the southwest Atlanta neighborhood of Pittsburgh in particular. Through qualitative analysis, including interviews with residents, community leaders, and government officials, the development of overlay analysis maps of Pittsburgh, as well as studying the various stakeholders' perception of risk for gentrification in Pittsburgh, this research examines how and why these stakeholders' perception of the risk of gentrification in Pittsburgh …

Digital Mapping As A Student And Staff Communication Tool, Ryan Gyurkovitz

Horticulture and Crop Science

A study in the use of Geographic Information Systems in the development of digital maps for use by students and staff in Plant Identification Courses.

Human Interactions In Physical And Virtual Spaces: A Gis-Based Time-Geographic Exploratory Approach, Ling Yin

Doctoral Dissertations

Information and communication technologies (ICT) such as cell phone and the Internet have extended opportunities of human activities and interactions from physical spaces to virtual spaces. The relaxed spatio-temporal constraints on individual activities may affect human activity-travel patterns, social networks, and many other aspects of society. A challenge for research of human activities in the ICT age is to develop analytical environments that can help visualize and explore individual activities in virtual spaces and their mutual impacts with physical activities.

This dissertation focuses on extending the time-geographic framework and developing a spatio-temporal exploratory environment in a space-time geographic information system …

Discovering Park History And Natural Resources Through Interpretive Geocaching, Jessica Leigh Rosier

Culminating Projects in Geography and Planning

Since its invention in 2000, geocaching is enjoyed by enthusiasts who wish to combine technology with a love for the outdoors. Geocachers use Global Positioning Systems (GPS) receivers and satellite data to search for latitude and longitude coordinates all over the world. Upon locating the coordinates, participants can find anything from a hidden object to a scenic viewpoint. Aside from fostering outdoor recreation, geocaching can serve as a useful tool to promote learning about the natural resources and history of the area being explored.

It was proposed that those who participated in geocaching at Wild River State Park in Minnesota …

The Shadow State And Refugees: The Role Of Nonprofit Organizations In Refugee Participation, Austin Penrod Judkins

Masters Theses

The devolution of welfare services in the United States has increased the importance of the nonprofit sector. Geiger and Wolch argue that decentralization has left nonprofit organizations (NPOs) under the purview of the state. They refer to this as the “shadow state.” Trudeau argues for a more nuanced view of the shadow state in which governmental agencies and NPOs are highly interdependent. This research expands on the findings of Trudeau by extending the shadow state construct to the individual. I examine the role of refugees in the shadow state construct and their ability to affect government policy through participation in …

"Motorbike Guide For Westerners": Entrepreneurial Development And The Creation Of A Cultural Tourism Product In Transitional Vietnam, Karl Russell Kirby

Masters Theses

Vietnam is undergoing economic transition from a command economy to an economy with greater market characteristics. Transition is fundamentally reshaping the country through economic liberalization and increased exposure to foreign markets. The Vietnamese are developing institutions necessary for market growth and international tourists are arriving in ever-larger numbers. This research project is a case study of businesses that provide guided motorbike tours and evaluates the businesses based on two criteria: as a study of institutional growth during economic transition and as an examination of tourism production through guide interpretation. The author interviewed and observed sixteen guides in Vietnam—from Dalat in …

Design And Implementation Of An Object-Oriented Space-Time Gis Data Model, Ziliang Zhao

Masters Theses

Geographic data are closely related to both spatial and temporal domains. Geographic information systems (GIS) can capture, manage, analyze, and display spatial data. However, they are not suitable for handling temporal data. Rapid developments of data collection and location-aware technologies stimulate the interests of obtaining useful information from the historical data. Researchers have been working to build various spatio-temporal data models to support spatio-temporal query. Nevertheless, the existing models exhibit weaknesses in various aspects. For instance, the snapshot model is plagued with data redundancy and the event-based spatio-temporal data model (ESTDM) is limited to raster dataset. This study reviews existing …

The Role Of Landscape In The Distribution Of Deer-Vehicle Collisions In Two Counties In South-Central Mississippi, Jacob Jeremiah Mckee

Master's Theses

The number of deer killed by vehicle collisions each year in the United States exceeds the number of deer killed annually through hunting. Deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) have a vast negative impact on the economy, traffic safety, and general wellbeing of otherwise healthy deer populations. To mitigate DVCs, it is imperative to gain a better understanding of the factors that play a role in their spatial distribution. Much of the existing research has been inconclusive, pointing to a variety of factors that cause DVCs that are specific to study site and region. Very little DVC research has been undertaken in the …

The Use Of Remote Sensing For Mapping Possible Vectors Of West Nile Virus In Mississippi, Brian Matthew Moore

Master's Theses

There is renewed interest in disease surveillance due to the persistence of numerous vector-borne diseases. Though the life-history processes of disease vectors are known to dictate their distribution patterns, it has been hypothesized that vectors, such as local mosquito abundance, could be predicted from factors such as climate and land use/land cover. Remote sensing has been used as a supplement to traditional methods of mosquito surveillance and to map the spatial distribution of mosquito habitats. This, in turn, affords optimism for improved vector/disease management to identify the best use of remote sensing data and geo-statistical techniques to predict and map …

Employment And Business Establishment Growth In The Appalachian Region, 2000-2008: An Application Of Smooth Transition Spatial Autoregressive Models, Wan Xu

Masters Theses

Industry clusters can be important components of regional development. The effects of industry clusters on growth typically vary across geography, which has implications for targeted development strategies. Employment and business establishment growth in the Appalachian region (2000 – 2008) was regressed on industry cluster concentration indexes controlling for local determinants. The hypothesis that local response to growth determinants is geographically heterogeneous was tested using Smooth Transition spatial process models. This class of models exhibiting regime switching behavior is useful for identifying regional clusters, providing another tool for exploring relationships between geographical determinants and economic growth.

Predictive Modeling In Western Louisiana: Prehistoric And Historic Settlement In The Kisatchie National Forest, Erik Nicholas Johanson

Masters Theses

This thesis is an effort to provide the US Forest Service with a tool to effectively and efficiently protect and manage the cultural resource heritage of the Kisatchie National Forest. The development and subsequent evaluation of modeling efforts are vital to the archaeology of the region. There are two goals of this modeling project: to evaluate the active US Forest Service Predictive Model and secondly, if warranted, which it was, to improve upon previous models in the region. To do so 23 environmental variables were analyzed, many of which are inter-related, to develop a new set of probability zones while …

Critical Thresholds For Sediment Mobility In An Urban Stream, Ross H. Martin

Geosciences Theses

Bed load transport measurements were made in a small urban stream in Decatur, GA, from which thresholds for motion were calculated using methodologies from the published literature. These methodologies are discussed in terms of their limitations and assumptions. Mobility frequencies were calculated for single grains of each grain size fraction to illustrate the transition from size selective transport to equal mobility. In general, urban streams behave differently than many gravel rivers in non-urban settings because of differences in the availability and character of sediment sources and altered flow hydrographs. This comparison allows for discussion about the way sediment is transported …

From Lakes To Plants: Spatial Assessment Of Vegetation Dynamics Along 52 Disappearing Lakes In The Boreal Forests Of Alaska From 1984-2009 In The Yukon Flats Wildlife Refuge, Steve Ewest

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

A spatial assessment of vegetation change along the areas of shrinking lakes was conducted in 2011. The analysis utilized Landsat TM/ETM imagery bands 3 and 4 to calculate NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) from 1984 to 2009 and applied cell and zonal statistics to measure the change as well as create an animation of the change. Also, three 30 meter bands and the zonal averages for the maximum values were assessed. The band in the 60-90 buffer bands has the greatest ratio amount of the maximum vegetation values when compared to the 0-30 meter and the 30-60 meter buffered bands. …

Crime And Social Strain In Fairfax County, Va: Using Geographical Information Science To Test For Social Strain In The Aftermath Of The Great Recession, Jason D. Reyes

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

Robert Merton, through the Social Strain Theory, suggests that crime exists because of society’s demands do not meet individuals needs. The following study is a qualitative study that first explains what the Social Strain Theory is, then tests to see if this theory has any validity to one of the most affluent counties in the United States. This study compares Fairfax County’s socioeconomic variables with the their crime data during the Great Recession to uncover any trends or patterns for which Robert Merton would say are due to high amounts of Social Strain. The overall results of the study suggest …

A Comparison Of The Transition Of Denver Neighborhood Crime From 2000 To 2010, David Muenkel

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

The purpose of this project was to study crime in the City of Denver, Colorado and show how crime moves between neighborhoods over time. The study involved looking at crimes aggregated at the neighborhood level to determine how crime transitioned within the City of Denver from 2000 to 2010. The crime data was also compared with calls for service to determine how police activity and citizen reporting related to crime in the City of Denver. The results indicated that the City of Denver, while increasing in population from 554,636 in 2000 to 600,156 in 2010 had a reduction in the …