Digital Commons Network^™

Detecting Prescribed Fire, Haying And Grazing Events Via Remote Sensing To Create Grassland Disturbance Landcovers For The Ring-Necked Pheasant (Phasianus Colchicus), Megan A. Baldissara

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation developed disturbance detection models to fulfill the need for remote sensing landcover products describing grassland structure. The use of landcover products derived from remote sensing is increasing over time in pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) research. Such landcover, however, does not provide relevant pheasant structural habitat information (Chapter 1). Pheasants require tall, high-density grassland for nesting, tall grassland with medium density for brood rearing, and tall grassland for wintering. Time since disturbance can serve as a proxy for structure, as it shapes vegetation by removing biomass and resetting succession. Disturbance is easier to detect than structure with current …

Content And Consequences: Impact Of Representation In Stem Higher Education Instructional Content On Marginalized Students, Nichole Ventura

Doctorate in Education

This qualitative study examined representation of historically marginalized students in STEM instructional content at the higher education level and its impact on their learning experiences. Despite growing diversity initiatives in STEM enrollment, curricular materials often fail to reflect the identities of underrepresented students. Using critical theory and interpretivist approaches, this research investigated how representation—or its absence—shapes students' sense of belonging, academic identity formation, and persistence. Through semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students from historically marginalized backgrounds, and purposeful sampling, this study captured the lived experiences of students engaging with STEM instructional materials. Interview protocols explored how students perceive their representation in …

An Investigation Of Paleoclimate Through A Sedimentological Lens In The Gulf Of Mexico And Western North Pacific, Sarah Monica

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the use of sediment cores as proxy data for the reconstruction of paleoclimatic and environmental conditions. Human-caused climate change is leading to dramatic shifts in the global climate. As the instrumental record of climate is relatively short compared to the amount of time Earth has experienced weather, this work aims to extend our knowledge of climate beyond the instrumental record, thereby improving our holistic understanding of the climate system. In Chapter one, sediment cores from the central Texas inner shelf are used to produce a record of intense tropical cyclone (TC) activity over a ~4500-year period. X-Ray …

Advancements In Sinkhole Remediation: Field Data-Driven Sinkhole Grout Volume Prediction Model Via Machine Learning-Based Regression Analysis, Bubryur Kim, Yuvaraj Natarajan, K. R. Sri Preethaa, V. Danushkumar, Ryan Shamet, Jiannan Chen, Rui Xie, Timothy Copeland, Boo Hyun Nam, Jinwoo An

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Sinkhole formation poses a significant geohazard in karst regions, where unpredictable subsurface erosion often necessitates costly grouting for stabilization. Accurate estimation of grout volume remains a persistent challenge due to spatial variability, site-specific conditions, and the limitations of traditional empirical methods. This study introduces a novel machine learning-based regression model for grout volume prediction that integrates cone penetration test (CPT)-derived Sinkhole Resistance Ratio (SRR) values, spatial correlations between CPT and grouting points (GPs), and field-recorded grout volumes from six sinkhole sites in Florida. Three data transformation methods, the Proximal Allocation Method (PAM), the Equitable Distribution Method (EDM), and the Threshold-based …

Understanding Outer Solar System Ice Composition Through Impact Processes: Simulations And Hydrates, Jill Rebecca Mcdonald

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work concerns solar system ices, particularly water ice and clathrate hydrates. Water ice is abundant as a mineral in the outer parts of the solar system, providing source material for the formation of clathrates. We explored constituents through a combination of numerical modeling and laboratory experiments. Understanding the differences and similarities between these materials can shed light on planetary habitability, composition, and evolution. Chapter one contains relevant background information. This chapter introduces the ices that will be studied and gives insight into the locations of interest within our solar system. It also explains the mechanics of impact cratering processes …

Tracing The Journey Of Dissolved Organic Matter: From Leaf Litter Photodegradation To Microbial Processing In Tropical Streams, Samantha Nicole Sullivan

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a major reservoir of organic carbon in aquatic ecosystems and plays a central role in global carbon cycling through its transformation and remineralization to carbon dioxide (CO₂). As DOM moves from terrestrial environments into streams and rivers, its chemical composition is altered by a combination of microbial and photochemical oxidation processes that regulate both its reactivity and its persistence during transport. However, the molecular mechanisms governing these oxidative transitions, particularly in tropical ecosystems characterized by strong hydrologic seasonality and substantial inputs of plant-derived material, remain insufficiently resolved. This dissertation integrates ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry, optical characterization, …

Private Sand Mining In The Mississippi River: Sediment Budget And Morphology Implications Between Baton Rouge And Belle Chasse, Louisiana, Brett Mcmann

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This analysis examined how private sand mining within the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge, LA and Belle Chasse, LA affected its sand budget from 2004-2012.

Records assembled indicated that private mining removed an annual average of 2.8 million cubic yards of sand. A HEC-RAS one-dimensional sediment transport model was utilized to assess this practice. Three scenarios were simulated: a baseline without mining, conditions reflecting documented mining rates, and a hypothetical case with excessive extraction.

Results suggest that private mining constituted approximately 26 percent of the total sand deficit between Baton Rouge and Belle Chasse. Mining appeared to cause localized changes …

Modern Water And Sediment Transport Patterns In Alluvial Ridge Basins Of The Rio Grande Delta, South Texas, Usa, Waqid Nabi

Theses and Dissertations

Alluvial ridge (AR) basins are shallow, marine-influenced depressions within river deltas, yet their flow and sediment dynamics remain poorly understood. This study examines hydrodynamics and sediment transport patterns in the Bahia Grande Complex, which are AR basins of the Rio Grande Delta, using tilt current meters, water-level and turbidity loggers, and suspended and bed-sediment sampling. The AR basins function as wind-dominated, microtidal environments, where pre-existing basin geometry and hydrodynamic forcings control water flow and sediment distribution patterns. Seasonal wind patterns and storms modulate water levels and flow connectivity. Substrate patterns reflect frequent resuspension in the shallow northern basin, maintaining coarse …

Hydrological Responses To Rainfall Pulses In Desert Vadose Zones: A Multi-Scale Approach Integrating Geophysical, Isotopic, And Eddy-Covariance Measurements, Alfredo Dagda-Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Drylands are shaped by natural episodic precipitation, where short, intense rainfall pulses interrupt prolonged drought and drive most hydrological and ecological activity. Yet the mechanisms that determine how pulse water infiltrates, is redistributed, stored, evaporated, and ultimately used by desert vegetation remain under quantified in landscapes underlain by shallow petrocalcic horizons. This dissertation integrates three complementary approaches 1) three-dimensional electrical resistivity tomography, 2) eddy-covariance evapotranspiration partitioning, and 3) stable-isotope tracing to improve a mechanistic understanding of pulse-driven water movement and plant water use in a caliche-rich piedmont at the Jornada Experimental Range. The first component characterizes how infiltration pulses interact …

Earthquake Relocation, Fault Complexity, And Nucleation Patterns In Interior Alaska, Nealey Sims

Geosciences

Interior Alaska is one of the most seismically active intraplate regions in North America, yet its faults remain poorly defined due to diffuse seismicity and limited surface expression. Bounded by the Denali and Tintina fault systems, the region hosts the Minto Flats, Fairbanks, and Salcha fault zones, which produce large earthquakes, as evidenced from the 1937 Ms 7.3 Salcha and 1995 Mw 6.0 Minto Flats events. Despite their hazard potential, these structures have historically been represented as broad seismic zones rather than mapped faults. This dissertation applies mod­ern seismological approaches—network matched filtering, waveform cross-correlation, and rela­tive relocation—to build high-resolution earthquake …

Climate Change Has Increased Global Evaporative Demand Except In South Asia, Saeed Karimzadeh, Arman Ahmadi, Dennis Baldocchi, Joshua B. Fisher

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Climate change alters how strongly the atmosphere draws water from the land, yet a consistent global assessment of this evaporative demand has been lacking. Here, we analyze 45 years of climate data and global models to quantify trends in the key drivers—air temperature, humidity, radiation, wind speed, and cloud cover—that determine the atmosphere’s drying power. We find that evaporative demand has increased worldwide, indicating a stronger atmospheric thirst, except in South Asia, where it has declined. There, widespread irrigation has increased soil and air moisture, enhanced cloud formation, and reduced sunlight reaching the surface, counteracting the global signal. These contrasting …

High Variability In Flood Discharge And Stage Accelerates River Mobility, Chenliang Wu, Wonsuck Kim, Shuo Yang, Frank Tsai, Jeffrey A. Nittrouer, Tian Y. Dong, Duhwan Keum, Kyle M. Straub

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Lateral channel migration is a fundamental process in natural alluvial rivers; however, the factors that control the rate of migration remain unclear. Despite its importance in shaping river morphology, the impact of water discharge on river mobility is still largely unexplored. Here, we leverage a dataset of 64 rivers across the globe to show that higher variability in river discharge and stage promotes higher rates of river migration. To reveal the physical processes behind this relationship, we focused analyses on the lowermost 500 kilometers of the Mississippi River, where a pronounced gradient in water stage variability and migration rate exists. …

An Objective Method To Locate Shear Lines During The Northeast Monsoon Season In The Philippines, Lyndon Mark P. Olaguera, John A. Manalo, Jun Matsumoto, Faye Abigail T. Cruz, Jose Ramon T. Villarin

SOSE Affiliate: Manila Observatory

The shear line is a narrow zone of maximum horizontal wind shear, typically identified as a confluence zone of low-level wind streams. Previous studies showed that this system can trigger heavy to extreme rainfall events in the Philippines during the northeast monsoon season. However, a research gap remains in objectively identifying and locating this system. Thus, this study develops a detection method that may be used for monitoring and forecasting the location of shear lines. Results show that the gradient of meridional winds in the y-direction (∂V925hPa/∂y), the boundary layer moisture flux convergence, and the 925 hPa relative vorticity may …

Playa Sediment Bioaccessibility Presents Previously Unknown Risks To Population Health In A Water-Stressed Region Undergoing Lake Desiccation: Salton Sea, Usa, Jordan Jaeger

Theses

Globally, drylands are expanding, and endorheic basins are in rapid decline. Saline lake desiccation exposes lakebed playa likely to become dust, posing potential health risks to surrounding communities. Studies investigating health risks from playa dust exposure often focus on health effects associated with the presence of airborne particulates, but fewer studies investigate health risks associated with dust source chemistry. This study examines dust source particle composition in a desiccating inland sea in a water-stressed agricultural region of California. Specifically, chemical bioaccessibility of bound trace elements uncovers risks to children, adults, and agricultural worker health. Arsenic exposure via sediment ingestion poses …

Spatially Mapped Statewide Estimated Potential Evapotranspiration Using An Efficient Surface Interpolation Method: A Case Study Of South Carolina, Sudhanshu S. Panda, Devendra M. Amatya, Ka Kit Liu, Augustine Muwamba, Timothy J. Callahan

Journal of South Carolina Water Resources

Potential evapotranspiration (PET) exhibits substantial spatial and temporal variability across large landscapes, necessitating site-specific estimation for accurate environmental and water resource assessments. However, obtaining PET or ET data for specific locations across an entire state remains challenging due to the limited number of weather stations and associated environmental datasets. This study aimed to develop an automated geospatial modeling framework to map PET distribution across South Carolina, USA, using PET estimated by the temperature-based Hargreaves–Samani (H–S) method with daily weather data from 59 NOAA stations. Because the accuracy of spatial interpolation depends on both the target variable and the desired spatial …

Seagrass Persistence In The Indian River Lagoon And Lake Worth Lagoon, Florida, Kelly Kibler, Melinda Donnelly, Vincent Encomio, Madison Giuntoli, Manisha Thenuwara, Brice Bennett, Laura Andrade Barron, Mariam Sonbol, Wynter Raine Seppala, Namritha Ramakrishnan, Jennifer Jordan Báez, Beth Orlando, Irene Arpayoglou, Melissa Meisenburg

Indian River Lagoon Shorelines

The spatial dataset: UCF_seagrasspersistence_IRL_LWL.shp was created with support from the Indian River Lagoon National Estuaries Program and Florida Sea Grant. These projects cumulatively led to creation of a living shoreline restoration prioritization model and hydrodynamic habitat suitability models for 1,550 km (963 miles) of estuarine shorelines in Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and Lake Worth Lagoon (LWL). The dataset presented herein represents persistence of seagrass throughout waters of the IRL and LWL.

Locations Of Outfalls In The Indian River Lagoon And Lake Worth Lagoon, Florida, Kelly M. Kibler, Melinda J. Donnelly, Vincent Encomio, Madison Giuntoli, Manisha Thenuwara, Brice Bennett, Laura Andrade Barron, Mariam Sonbol, Wynter Raine Seppala, Namritha Ramakrishnan, Jennifer Jordan Báez, Beth Orlando, Irene Arpayoglou, Melissa Meisenburg

Indian River Lagoon Shorelines

The spatial dataset: UCF_Outfalls_IRL_LWL.shp was created under grants from the Indian River Lagoon National Estuaries Program and Florida Sea Grant. These projects cumulatively led to creation of a living shoreline restoration prioritization model and hydrodynamic habitat suitability models for 1,550 km (963 miles) of estuarine shorelines in Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and Lake Worth Lagoon (LWL).

The dataset presented here includes the location of outfalls identified throughout the study region and general characteristics of the shoreline where they were identified.

Studies Of Seismicity In The Alaska Subduction Zone And Antarctica, Patrick Matulka

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation utilizes multiple methods of earthquake detection, relocation, and characterization to investigate the patterns of seismicity along the Alaska subduction zone and Antarctica. The studies of the Alaska subduction zone are built on the data collected during the Alaska Amphibious Community Seismic Experiment (AACSE) that deployed temporary land and ocean-bottom seismometers along the Alaska Peninsula and offshore regions from May 2018 to September 2019. Using seismic arrivals at those stations, as well as a combination of other land-based networks, I relocated 1307 earthquakes in the incoming plate and trench slope regions of the Alaska subduction zone with an absolute …

Living Shoreline Prioritization And Hydrodynamic Habitat Suitability Models For Restoration In The Indian River Lagoon And Lake Worth Lagoon, Florida, Kelly M. Kibler, Melinda J. Donnelly, Vincent Encomio, Madison Giuntoli, Manisha Thenuwara, Brice Bennett, Laura Andrade Barron, Mariam Sonbol, Wynter Raine Seppala, Namritha Ramakrishnan, Jennifer Jordan Báez, Beth Orlando, Irene Arpayoglou, Melissa Meisenburg

Indian River Lagoon Shorelines

The spatial dataset: UCF_shorelinemodel_IRL_LWL.shp, was created with support from the Indian River Lagoon National Estuaries Program and Florida Sea Grant. These projects cumulatively led to creation of a living shoreline restoration prioritization model and hydrodynamic habitat suitability models for 1,550 km (963 miles) of estuarine shorelines in Indian River Lagoon and Lake Worth Lagoon.

The dataset presented herein includes:

1. shoreline data from >15,000 transects collected in the field,
2. shoreline wave climate data created through hydrodynamic modeling and frequency analysis of historic data,
3. categorization of potential risk for shoreline boat wake impact,
4. persistence of seagrass within 210 m of the shoreline, …

An Assessment Of The Impact Of Illegal Sand Mining On The Coastline Of Liberia, Alphena J. Logan

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Final Draft Report - Mapping Pfas In Groundwater Of The West Plains, Spokane County, Washington, 2023-2025, Chad Pritchard

EWU PFAS Research Collection

Since 2017, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected in West Plains groundwater. Sampling conducted by Fairchild Air Force Base (FAFB) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have measured PFAS concentrations in private wells that exceed drinking water standards. Two known sources of PFAS have been identified on the West Plains: FAFB and Spokane International Airport (SIA). Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) awarded the City of Medical Lake an area-wide groundwater grant to develop a groundwater model of PFAS contamination in the West Plains, the grant was originally written by Eastern Washington University (EWU) and Spokane County Water Resources …

Risk Prediction Of Surface-Water Bursting In The Gully-Crossing Mining Section Of Shallow Coal Seams Within Thin Bedrock Zones, Niu Chao, Luo Yutao, Liu Ning, Xiao Lele, Sun Qiang, Zhang Weiwei, Xue Xicheng, Zeng Dabao, Bai Yang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The gully-crossing mining of shallow coal seams within thin bedrock zones is prone to connecting hydraulically conductive fracture zones in the overburden with surface water bodies, significantly increasing the risk of water disasters, such as water inrushes and surface-water bursting in mines. Some mining faces in the Shandong Coal Mine, Shaanxi Province are located beneath the Shajie Gully basin, where storm runoff is highly likely to flow into the underground mine through mining-induced fractures, posing a serious threat to mine safety. Therefore, there is an urgent need to research risk identification and assessment of surface-water bursting. Methods This study …

Influence Patterns Of Nanomaterials On The Properties Of Ultrafine Sulfoaluminate Cement, Li Xiaolin, Wang Pengfei, Gao Yinghui, Zhang Mingxuan, Dong Enyuan, Qu Yue, Zhao Yue

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Methods This study aims to reduce the economic cost of sulfoaluminate cement-based grouting materials while also achieving excellent grouting reinforcement effects. To this end, it investigated the variation patterns of the compressive strength, setting time, and fluidity of the ultrafine fly ash (UFA)-ultrafine sulfoaluminate cement (USC) system by incorporating different dosages of silica fume (SF) and nano-silica (NS). Furthermore, the mechanisms behind the hydration reactions of the system were explored. Using multiple distinct testing techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD) mineralogy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), this study analyzed …

Structural Characteristics Of The Overburden And Water Yield Property Of Weathered Bedrock Aquifer In A Representative Medium-Deep Coal Seam, Wang Lu, Hua Zhaolai, Huang Hao, Li Zenglin, Ren Shuaifeng, Wang Sitong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The weathered bedrock aquifer represents a major water-filled aquifer encountered during coal mining in the Jurassic coalfield in northern Shaanxi Province. Therefore, evaluating the water yield property of the weathered bedrock aquifer is the key to the prevention and control of water hazards in coal seam roofs. Methods This study investigated panel 12 of the Caojiatan Coal Mine, Shaanxi Province. Analysis of the stratigraphic and lithological structure types of the overburden of coal seam 2^–2 identified the weathered bedrock as the primary overlying water-bearing aquifer of the coal seam. Using net-to-gross (NTG) ratio, sandstone thickness, weathering influence index, …

An Experimental Study On The Breakthrough Pressure Of Different Co2 Phases Against Cap Rocks For Carbon Storage In Saline Aquifers, Dan Wendong, Li Yi, Wang Fugang, Hu Zhikai, Diao Yujie, Ma Xin, Liu Ting

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective CO₂ breakthrough pressure, a core parameter for characterizing the sealing performance of saline aquifers as cap rocks, holds important scientific significance and application value for ensuring the safety of CO₂ geological storage engineering and assessing its storage potential. However, there is a lack of systematic studies on the variation patterns and mechanisms of breakthrough pressure under different occurrence phases of CO₂ (supercritical, liquid, and gaseous) currently. Accordingly, universal and reliable conclusions are yet to be reached. Methods This study conducted experiments on a natural low-permeability unsaturated sandstone core. Using the step-by-step method, 13 groups of breakthrough …

Characteristics And Driving Forces Of The Spatiotemporal Evolution Of Surface Water Bodies In Ecologically Fragile Mining Areas In The Yellow River Basin: A Case Study Of The Yushenfu Mining Area, Chen Chao, Xuan Ang, Hu Zhenqi, Wang Yiming, Zhang Jiachao, Wang Guo, Yang Fuqin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background This study aims to respond to the strategic demand for ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River basin. To this end, research on the characteristics and driving forces of the spatiotemporal evolution of surface water bodies under the disturbance of intensive coal mining serves as the basis and a prerequisite for mitigating the contradiction between coal mining and water resources in ecologically fragile mining areas of the Yellow River basin. Methods Based on 10 stages of remote sensing image data from 1980 to 2023, information about surface water bodies in the Yushenfu mining area was extracted using …

Compressive Deformations And Energy Dissipation Characteristics Of Broken Rock Masses Under Lateral Confinement, Tian Yu, Lin Haifei, Li Shugang, Shuang Haiqing, Xu Peiyun, Liu Sibo, Ji Pengfei, Cui Mingwei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective This study aims to investigate the deformation and energy dissipation characteristics of broken rock masses in the caving zones of goafs during compression and to reveal their impacts on the movement and failure of overlying strata and surface subsidence. Using a self-developed experimental system, this study conducted compression experiments on broken rock masses under lateral confinement under different Talbot index values and axial stresses. Then, it analyzed variations in axial displacement, void ratio, relative breakage index, fractal dimension, and strain energy density of the broken rock masses during compression. Accordingly, this study quantified variation patterns of strain energy density …

Mechanisms And Risk Criteria For Water Inrushes Caused By Mining-Induced Propagation Of Concealed Faults In A Coal Seam Floor, Zhang Wenquan, Shao Jianli, Shi Junwei, Li Liangning

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Concealed faults in a coal seam floor, characterized by random distribution, are prone to induce water inrushes, which are difficult to prevent and control. Objective and Method This study aims to investigate the mechanisms behind water inrushes induced by concealed faults in a coal seam floor under the influence of coal mining. Through a theoretical analysis, this study established the mechanical models of the initial cracking and wing crack propagation of concealed faults under seepage pressure. By analyzing the maximum propagation height of concealed faults in the floor and the post-propagation safe thickness of aquicludes, this study proposed criteria …

Overview And Prospects Of Plain Reservoir Construction And Utilization In Coal Mining-Induced Subsidence Areas With High Water Tables In The Lower Reaches Of The Yellow River, Chen Shaojie, Jiang Ning, Zhang Genwang, Jiang Chunlin, Gao Qun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Coal mining-induced subsidence areas with high water tables in the lower reaches of the Yellow River are encountered with pronounced contradictions between large-area water accumulation and issues including urban water scarcity, groundwater contamination, ecological degradation, and low farmland reclamation rates. These contradictions severely restrict the green, low-carbon transformation of cities with coal mines and hinder the high-quality development of the Yellow River basin. This study aims to explore the construction of plain reservoirs in these subsidence areas as a critical approach to the intensive utilization of water and land resources in the subsidence areas, as well as the ecological …

Discussion On Multi-Sphere Responses And Damage Reduction-Oriented Geological Guarantees In Coal Mining, Wang Shuangming, Sun Qiang, Li Shibo, Hu Xin, Gu Chao, Geng Jishi, Zhou Shutao, Yuan Shihao, Song Shijie, Niu Chao, Wu Yun, Chen Yang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Coals serve as a cornerstone for ensuring the energy security of China. However, coal mining activities break the original in situ stress equilibrium, triggering multi-sphere damage conduction and coupling responses in the lithosphere, hydrosphere, pedosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere from underground to the surface, involving rock mass structure, groundwater, and surface environment. Consequently, the original structural relationships, occurring elements, and functions of these spheres will be changed. Presently, investigating the multi-sphere structural evolution, conservation, and utilization in coal mining to underpin the role of coals as an energy cornerstone is significant for resolving the contradiction between the high-quality development of …