Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Information Base Needed For Sustainable Management Of Rangeland Resources For Improved Livelihoods, K. I. Johnsen, M. Niamir-Fuller, A. Bensada, A. Waters-Bayer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Pastoralism is one of the most sustainable production systems worldwide and plays a major role in safeguarding ecosystem services and biodiversity in rangelands. The unique biological and cultural diversity of rangelands contributes to goods, services and knowledge that benefit humans also beyond the herding communities.

Yet data currently available on grassland, forestry, agriculture and livestock are inadequate for informing policymaking on rangeland-based livestock systems. A review of global environmental assessments, online databases, peer-reviewed literature and international project documents showed that available information seldom disaggregates rangelands from other ecosystems or pastoralists from other rural dwellers. Few peer-reviewed publications address pastoral and …

Land-Use Dynamics Associated With Mangrove Deforestation For Aquaculture And The Subsequent Abandonment Of Ponds, Aslan Aslan, Abdullah F. Rahman, Scott M. Robeson, Muhammad Ilman

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Highlights

• SAR data is useful for tracking dynamic changes in mangrove ecosystem.

• Time series SAR data can be used to estimate lifespan of pond.

• During 22+ years, over half of the mangrove forest in Mahakam Delta has been converted to aquaculture.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatiotemporal dynamics of large area mangrove deforestation, aquaculture pond building, and the subsequent abandonment of ponds in a large delta in Indonesia, namely the Mahakam Delta. So, we developed and applied a novel methodology for exploring the lifespan of aquaculture ponds. Using historical multispectral and radar data, the …

Climate Variability In The Woodbush Granite Grasslands Of South Africa: Effects On Grassland Diversity, M. Muller, F. Siebert, A. Linstädter, D. I. Thompson, S. J. Siebert

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

South African old-growth grasslands are hyper-diverse ecosystems which evolved under naturally occurring rainfall variability. It is predicted that future precipitation patterns will become more variable, which could lead to increased frequencies of extreme and prolonged drought events. This study aimed to investigate the effects of climate variability on plant diversity of the fragmented pristine, mistbelt grasslands of the Woodbush Granite Grasslands (WGG) at Haenertsburg, South Africa. It has been reported that species composition has changed substantially in this area, as disturbance-tolerant species enter these systems or existing competitor species become more dominant. A Temporal Beta-diversity Index (TBI) was used to …

Assessment Of The Impacts Of Urbanization On Land-Use And Land-Cover Changes Using Remote Sensing And Python At Gazipur District, Bangladesh, Atika Rahman Akji, Nowshin Ahsan Priyanka, Anwar Zahid, Muhammad Qumrul Hassan, Jowaher Raza, Nazrul I. Khandaker

Publications and Research

Urbanization has been the central demographic trend, not only in the Asia-Pacific region, but also for the entire world. Local geo-mapping is the vital tool for analyses of land-use and land-cover. This study attempts to classify land-use in unsupervised settings and create land-cover map by using open-source Landsat data integrated with GIS technologies and other ancillary resources. This work concentrates on Gazipur Sadar (an upazila or sub-district of the Gazipur District in central Bangladesh, part of the Dhaka Division) and Kaliakair, which are rapidly growing unplanned urban and industrial zones. The usage of python coding greatly assisted accomplishing the post-classification …

Investigating Epikarst Recharge Dynamics Under Agricultural Landuse Using Hydrometeorological And Isotopic Tracers, Austin Shane Deering

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Epikarst systems have complex recharge – discharge processes in telogenetic karst systems, including highly variable storage, flowpaths, and mixing dynamics. This research aimed to characterize the epikarst zone using hydrogen and oxygen isotopic tracers of these processes within south-central Kentucky’s Crumps Cave system located in the Pennyroyal Sinkhole Plain. Data and statistical analyses were applied to highresolution rainfall (RF), lysimeter (10 cm, 20 cm, 30 cm depths), and an epikarst Waterfall 1 (WF1) isotope data collected on a weekly basis between 2011-2018. These data were coupled with WF1 discharge measurements and weather station data collected at Crumps Cave Preserve during …

An Adaptive Hazard Planning And Mitigation Framework For Responding To Urban Contamination In Karst Aquifer Systems, James Edward Troxell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Environmental hazards in karst regions are damaging and often go unnoticed until an issue has escalated to a point of affecting life or property. The field of emergency and environmental contamination response lacks planning or preparedness focused on remediating groundwater contamination in karst systems. A lack of preplanning before an incident can lead to confusion, delayed response, and the inability to remediate the contaminant. Due to the rapid movement of contaminants through urban karst groundwater aquifers, an efficient response plan that leverages localized data in a GIS should be developed and maintained in order to adequately respond. The objective of …

A Case Study Using 2019 Pre-Monsoon Snow And Stream Chemistry In The Khumbu Region, Nepal, Heather M. Clifford, Mariusz Potocki, Inka Koch, Tenzing Sherpa, Mike Handley, Elena Korotkikh, Douglas Introne, Susan Kaspari, Kimberley Miner, Tom Matthews, Baker Perry, Heather Guy, Ananta Gajurel, Praveen Kumar Singh, Sandra Elvin, Aurora C. Elmore, Alex Tait, Paul A. Mayewski

Geological Sciences Faculty Scholarship

This case study provides a framework for future monitoring and evidence for human source pollution in the Khumbu region, Nepal. We analyzed the chemical composition (major ions, major/trace elements, black carbon, and stable water isotopes) of pre-monsoon stream water (4300–5250 m) and snow (5200–6665 m) samples collected from Mt. Everest, Mt. Lobuche, and the Imja Valley during the 2019 pre-monsoon season, in addition to a shallow ice core recovered from the Khumbu Glacier (5300 m). In agreement with previous work, pre-monsoon aerosol deposition is dominated by dust originating from western sources and less frequently by transport from southerly air mass …

Tectonic Transport Directions, Shear Senses And Deformation Temperatures Indicated By Quartz C‐Axis Fabrics And Microstructures In A Nw‐Se Transect Across The Moine And Sgurr Beag Thrust Sheets, Caledonian Orogen Of Northern Scotland, Richard D. Law, J. Ryan Thigpen, Sarah E. Mazza, Calvin A. Mako, Maarten Krabbendam, Brandon M. Spencer, Kyle T. Ashley, Robin A. Strachan, Ella F. Davis

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

Moine metasedimentary rocks of northern Scotland are characterized by arcuate map patterns of mineral lineations that swing progressively clockwise from orogen‐perpendicular E‐trend-ing lineations in greenschist facies mylonites above the Moine thrust on the foreland edge of the Caledonian Orogen, to S‐trending lineations at higher structural levels and metamorphic grades in the hinterland. Quartz c‐axis fabrics measured on a west to east coast transect demonstrate that the lineations developed parallel to the maximum principal extension direction and therefore track the local tectonic transport direction. Microstructures and c‐axis fabrics document a progressive change from top to the N shearing in the hinterland …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, October 2021, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 2, Issue 10

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards and Recognition; Introducing Natural Sciences Student Ambassadors
Page 3 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 4 Spooky Science Outreach
Page 5 The BIG Event Outreach
Page 6 Geography Club Road Trip
Page 7 Aamlid Family Anatomy Lab
Page 8 Hobo Day Recap
Page 10 Open PRAIRIE Data; Grants Awarded in CNS

Geology And Hydrogeology Of Northeastern Nebraska: Geology, Water Management And Geological Hazards, Nebraska Geological Society Field Trip 2021, Robert F. Diffendal Jr., Sue Olafsen Lackey, Douglas R. Hallum

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

The 2021 Nebraska Geological Society field trip will provide an overview of the geology and hydrogeology of northeast Nebraska, the groundwater quality and quantity issues unique to the region, water management issues and decision-making, and ongoing work relating to water quality and geologic (hydrostratigraphic) framework, along the lower Niobrara and Missouri rivers Between Spencer Dam and Homer Nebraska. This program will be comprised of an auto tour with multiple stops on Saturday October 16 through Monday October 18 as illustrated in Map 1. The tour will begin with an examination of the Spencer Dam site and several locations in and …

45th Biennial Convention Of Sigma Gamma Epsilon Virtual Meeting Hosted By Eastern Illinois University April 10, 2021, James Walters, Paula Even

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

The 45th Biennial Convention of Sigma Gamma Epsilon, the national honor society in the Earth Sciences, was originally scheduled for April 3 – 5, 2020 at The University of Tennessee at Martin, but it was postponed until April 10, 2021 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Since COVID-19 was still a serious issue this spring, the SGE National Council decided to conduct this meeting in a virtual format using the Zoom platform. The meeting was hosted by SGE Gamma Chi Chapter in the Department of Geology/Geography at Eastern Illinois University and presided over by Dr. Diane Burns, Chair of the Department …

Land, Racial Formations, And Power: Exploring The Network Of Power Relationships During Climate Change Planning In Coastal South Carolina, Teresa Norman

Theses and Dissertations

Climate change projections for the coastline of South Carolina predict that by mid-century there will be around 1.2 feet of sea level rise, and potentially up to 4 feet of rise by 2100. Additionally, climate change is linked to intensified hurricanes, a hazard for the South Carolina coastline every year. Both of these scenarios result in increases in the regularity and severity of coastal flooding, making the threat of permanent or temporary displacement (relocation) from coastal lands a reality. This is a particularly pressing matter for African American communities already made vulnerable by the long history of racial discrimination in …

44th Biennial Convention Of Sigma Gamma Epsilon Eastern Illinois University: Charleston, Illinois September 22 – 24, 2017, James Walters, Paula Even

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

The 44th Biennial Convention of Sigma Gamma Epsilon, the national honor society in the Earth Sciences, was held September 22 through 24, 2017 on the campus of Eastern Illinois University (EIU). The meeting was hosted by Gamma Chi Chapter of SGE in the Department of Geology/Geography. As part of the meeting, a local field trip to investigate the area’s geology was led by Dr. Diane Burns, Chair of the Geology/Geography Department at EIU. This report summarizes the Convention and includes information on the deliberations and actions of the attendees.

Geology In And Around Charleston, Il: Rocky Branch Conservation Area & Charleston Quarry Field Trip, Diane M. Burns

The Compass: Earth Science Journal of Sigma Gamma Epsilon

A field trip guide for Rocky Branch Conservation area and Charleston Quarry, in and around Charleston, Illinois. This field trip occurred during the 44^th Biennial Convention at Charleston, IL on September 23^rd, 2017.

Letters To A Glacier; An Experiment And Critique Of M. Jackson’S Glacier-Ruins Narrative, Lily Fife Schaeufele

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

“Words are events, they do things, change things. They transform both speaker and hearer; they feed energy back and forth and amplify it. They feed understanding or emotion back and forth and amplify it.” —Ursula K. Le Guin

Letters to a Glacier; The Buoy Project Isafjordur is an ongoing invitation to the people of Isafjordur to write a letter to a specific glacier in Iceland onto a collection of discarded buoys gathered from the Isafjorudur and Bolungarvik junk yards. Over a period of two days on November 9th and 10th, I actively invited customers in the local cafe Heimabyggð to …

Tectonic Transport Directions, Shear Senses And Deformation Temperatures Indicated By Quartz C-Axis Fabrics And Microstructures In A Nw-Se Transect Across The Moine And Sgurr Beag Thrust Sheets, Caledonian Orogen Of Northern Scotland, Richard D. Law, J. Ryan Thigpen, Sarah E. Mazza, Calvin A. Mako, Maarten Krabbendam, Brandon M. Spencer, Kyle T. Ashley, Robin A. Strachan, Ella F. Davis

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

Moine metasedimentary rocks of northern Scotland are characterized by arcuate map patterns of mineral lineations that swing progressively clockwise from orogen-perpendicular E-trending lineations in greenschist facies mylonites above the Moine thrust on the foreland edge of the Caledonian Orogen, to S-trending lineations at higher structural levels and metamorphic grades in the hinterland. Quartz c-axis fabrics measured on a west to east coast transect demonstrate that the lineations developed parallel to the maximum principal extension direction and therefore track the local tectonic transport direction. Microstructures and c-axis fabrics document a progressive change from top to the N shearing in the hinterland …

Air Pressure Propagation Through Wind Cave And Jewel Cave: How Do Pressure Waves Travel Through Barometric Caves?, Annika K. Gomell, Daniel C. Austin, Marc J. Ohms, Andreas Pflitsch

International Journal of Speleology

In barometric caves, air pressure gradients between the outside atmosphere and the cave induce strong bidirectional compensating currents, which control almost all elements of speleoclimatology, including air temperature, humidity, and CO₂ dynamics. Therefore, this study set out to investigate air pressure propagation through Wind Cave and Jewel Cave – two major barometric cave systems in the Black Hills of South Dakota, USA. Based on high-resolution air pressure data from both the surface and several measurement sites inside the caves, four systematic changes of pressure waves during their journey through the caves and their related speleoclimatological processes were identified and …

Geology & Geography News, Georgia Southern University

Earth, Environment & Sustainability: News & Publications (2013-2021)

• Sea Level Rise Symposium – Chatham County

Prediction Of Biome-Specific Potential Evapotranspiration In Mongolia Under A Scarcity Of Weather Data, Khulan Batsukh, Vitaly A. Zlotnik, Andrew E. Suyker, Paolo Nasta

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

We propose practical guidelines to predict biome-specific potential evapotranspiration (ET_p) from the knowledge of grass-reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) and a crop coefficient (K_c) in Mongolia. A paucity of land-based weather data hampers use of the Penman–Monteith equation (FAO-56 PM) based on the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) guidelines to predict daily ET₀. We found that the application of the Hargreaves equation provides ET₀ estimates very similar to those from the FAO-56 PM approach. The K_c value is tabulated only for crops in the FAO-56 guidelines but is unavailable …

Blue Carbon In South Florida's Mangroves: The Role Of Large Roots And Necromass, Zoë I. Shribman

LSU Master's Theses

Blue carbon sequestration and storage in mangroves largely result from belowground biomass allocation in response to flooded anaerobic soil conditions and nutrient availability. Biomass allocation to belowground roots is a major driver of mangrove soil formation and organic matter accumulation leading to blue carbon storage potential. Belowground biomass sampling in mangroves is labor intensive, limiting data availability on biomass stocks, particularly for large roots (>20 mm diameter) and necromass (dead roots). The mangrove nutrient model (NUMAN) uses mostly literature values to parameterize a soil cohort approach to simulate depth distribution of root mass and organic carbon concentration. We evaluated …

A Dispersive Force Model Of Caribbean Island Biogeography, Anthony Sarkiss

The Yale Undergraduate Research Journal

Framework-based models serve as an important tool to describe, predict and manage ecological systems. In this paper I construct one such model, a dispersive force model based on MacArthur and Wilson’s (1963) theory of island biogeography, in order to assess island species richness with varying climatic patterns. Specifically, I use island–mainland distance (d), insular area (A), a climatic dispersal parameter (f), and a climatic disturbance parameter (h) to calculate the insular species richness ratio at equilibrium. To test this model through hurricane impact on marine islands, it was executed with data from islands of the Dutch Caribbean. Future climatic conditions …

College Of Natural Sciences Newsletter, September 2021, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

Volume 2, Issue 9.

Page 1 Dean's Message
Page 2 Awards and Recognition
Page 3 Student Clubs in Natural Science
Page 4 Media Coverage of CNS
Page 5 Hobo Day Festivities
Page 6 Open PRAIRIE Data; Grants Awarded in CNS
Page 7 One Day for State Recap

(Re)Proposal Of Three Cambrian Subsystems And Their Geochronology, Ed Landing, Gerd Geyer, Mark D. Schmitz, Thomas Wotte, Artem Kouchinsky

Geosciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Cambrian is anomalous among geological systems as many reports divide it into three divisions of indeterminate rank. This use of “lower”, “middle”, and “upper” has been a convenient way to subdivide the Cambrian despite agreement it consists of four global series. Traditional divisions of the system into regional series (Lower, Middle, Upper) reflected local biotic developments not interprovincially correlatable with any precision. However, use of “lower”, “middle”, and “upper” is unsatisfactory. These adjectives lack standard definition, evoke the regional series, and are misused. Notably, there is an almost 50 year use of three Cambrian subsystems and a 1997 proposal …

Geochronological Implications Of 210Pb And 137Cs Mobility In Cave Guano Deposits, Donald A. Mcfarlane, Joyce Lundberg

International Journal of Speleology

Some recent publications on the paleo- and historical environmental interpretation of bat guano sequences have relied on ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs distribution to establish age-depth models, even when these are at odds with radiocarbon models in the lower parts of the sequence. Here, we present both field and laboratory evidence for the unpredictable mobility of lead and cesium in decomposing bat guano deposits. We suggest that ²¹⁰Pb- and ¹³⁷Cs-based chronologies of bat guano deposits should only be used when independently supported, for example, by a robust radiocarbon age-depth model.

Hydraulic Connection Of Aquifers In Barapukuria Coal Mine, Bangladesh, Yu Bo, Wang Hao, Liu Feng, Liu Ji, Wang Qiangmin, Shang Hongbo

Coal Geology & Exploration

Hydraulic connection of aquifers in Barapukuria Coal Mine, Bangladesh

Study On Exploitation And Utilization Mode Of Tourism Resources Of The Underground Space In Abandoned Mines, Han Yun, Liu Qinjie, Wu Benniu, Yang Ke, Dong Zhiyong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Study on exploitation and utilization mode of tourism resources of the underground space in abandoned mines

Prediction Of The Height Of Water Flowing Fractured Zone Based On Pso-Bp Neural Network, Lou Gaozhong, Tan Yi

Coal Geology & Exploration

Prediction of the height of water flowing fractured zone based on PSO-BP neural network

Big Earth Data Supports Sustainable Food Production: Practices And Prospects, Lijun Zuo, Bingfang Wu, Liangzhi You, Wenjiang Huang, Ran Meng, Yingying Dong, Tianshi Pan, Yafei Wang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Ensuring food security is a fundamental issue for global sustainable development. Sustainable food production is the basis for food security and an effective approach to address global challenges such as climate change, land degradation, and ecological degradation. At present, there is a data gap in the monitoring and assessment of the sustainability of food production, and the supporting role of the Big Earth Data is increasingly prominent. This paper summarizes the current practice of Big Earth Data in support of sustainable food production, including the role of Earth observation technology in the monitoring of various elements of food production system, …

Harnessing Big Earth Data To Facilitate Land Degradation Neutrality Goals—Practices And Prospects, Xiaosong Li, Qi Lu, Xiaoxia Jia

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Transforming Our World:The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in which land degradation neutrality (LDN) is one of the important targets of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 15.3). However, due to varies indicative symptoms of land degradation in different climatic/geographical zones and land use types, the complexity of factors affecting land degradation or improvement, and the limits of spatial and temporal scope to define land degradation, for a long time, there was lack of common accepted methodology to identify land degradation, and short of key data set to establish reference baselines, and measure progress …

Progress And Prospect On Monitoring And Evaluation Of United Nations Sdg 6 (Clean Water And Sanitation) Target, Shanlong Lu, Li Jia, Yunzhong Jiang, Zongming Wang, Hongtao Duan, Ming Shen, Yu Tian, Jing Lu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Clean water and sanitation (SDG 6) is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, but so far, the world is not on the right track to achieve SDG 6 targets. In order to change this situation and lead the world to achieve the goal of sustainable water resources management, the United Nations initiated the SDG 6 global acceleration framework including financing, data and information, capacity development, innovation, and governance. From the perspective of data and information that serving SDG 6 target monitoring and evaluation, this study analyzes the current global data progress, the role of …