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Life Cycle Assessment Of Novel Electrochemical Struvite Recovery In Municipal Wastewater Treatment At The Plant And U.S. Watershed Scales, Karla Morrissey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the supply of phosphorus decreases, nutrient recovery in municipal wastewater treatment has become an important area of research. Recovery methods for phosphorus-containing fertilizers, such as struvite, and other products are currently being developed and assessed for their efficiency and economic feasibility. Potential environmental impacts from nutrient recovery are also being assessed as design for the environment is important, especially with regards to the eutrophying potential of phosphorus in phosphorus-limited freshwater aquatic systems. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool that can be used to estimate potential environmental impacts of a product or service focusing on its entire life cycle. …

Atlantic Surfclam (Spisula Solidissima) Population Demographics And Distribution Along The Middle Atlantic Bight, Mauricio González Díaz

OES Theses and Dissertations

The Atlantic surfclam (Spisula solidissima) is a long-lived benthic biomass dominant organism that occurs on the Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) continental shelf between 10 m and 50 m. Trends in Atlantic surfclam population specific growth and mortality rates were analyzed using four decades of age and length observations obtained from NOAA stock surveys from the 1980s to 2010s in six regions distributed along the MAB. Atlantic surfclam specific growth rates and asymptotic lengths were estimated from the age and length observations using the von Bertalanffy growth model. The analysis showed that the Atlantic surfclam median asymptotic length in …

The Role Of Inputs Of Marine Wrack And Carrion In Sandy-Beach Ecosystems: A Global Review, Glenn A. Hyndes, Emma L. Berdan, Cristian Duarte, Jenifer E. Dugan, Kyle A. Emery, Peter A. Hamback, Christopher J. Henderson, David M. Hubbard, Mariano Lastra, Miguel A. Mateo, Andrew Olds, Thomas A. Schlacher

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Sandy beaches are iconic interfaces that functionally link the ocean with the land via the flow of organic matter from the sea. These cross-ecosystem fluxes often comprise uprooted seagrass and dislodged macroalgae that can form substantial accumulations of detritus, termed ‘wrack’, on sandy beaches. In addition, the tissue of the carcasses of marine animals that regularly wash up on beaches form a rich food source (‘carrion’) for a diversity of scavenging animals. Here, we provide a global review of how wrack and carrion provide spatial subsidies that shape the structure and functioning of sandy-beach ecosystems (sandy beaches and adjacent surf …

Wics Conference 2022: Driving Research, Teaching, And Extension Impact, Daren Redfearn, Daran Rudnick

Water and Integrated Cropping Systems Conferences

The Water and Integrated Cropping Systems (WICS) Hub was established to facilitate and provide collaborative opportunities for IANR faculty to leverage their individual and collective knowledge, talents, and interests to drive impact in Research and Discovery, Teaching and Learning, Extension and Outreach. This past year we focused on building connections as well as identifying and prioritizing big challenges and opportunities facing Nebraskans. The faculty identified and organized around the following themes, Digital/Precision Agriculture, Soil Health, Integrated Cropping Systems, Water Quality, and Water Quantity. The Theme Groups are faculty led and multi-disciplinary with representation across IANR Departments and Faculty appointments. We …

Nexus Between Animal Welfare, Environment, And Sustainable Development: Resource Document, Wellbeing International

Nexus – UNEP – Animal Welfare, Environment, Sustainable Development

This Resource Document has been developed to explore the Nexus (links) between Animal Welfare, the Environment, and Sustainable Development. The document includes relevant citations and reports addressing the topics encompassed by the Nexus. It will be maintained as a “living document” (subject to revision) in the WellBeing International Studies Repository. The original document and subsequent revisions will be kept in the Repository to provide a record of the changes.

Natural Resource System Size Can Be Used For Managing Recreational Use, Derek S. Kane, Kevin L. Pope, Keith D. Koupal, Mark A. Pegg, Christopher J. Chizinski, Mark A. Kaemingk

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Outdoor recreation provides societal benefits that are often measured by the amount of use natural resource systems receive. Still, the amount of resource use natural resource systems receive is often unknown or unstudied. Monitoring and quantifying resource use is often logistically difficult and costly but is paramount to optimize societal benefits. Identifying a simple and readily available metric that can indicate the quantity of recreational use of natural resource systems would benefit natural resource management. Using recreational angler participation data during an 11-year study period from 73 public waterbodies in Nebraska, USA, we developed a resource size-use model that demonstrates …

Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment For State Wildlife Areas Surrounding Humboldt Bay, Northern California, Robert M. Sullivan, Aldaron Laird, Brian Powell, Jeffrey K. Anderson

Local Reports and Publications

Humboldt Bay has the highest rate of sea level rise (SLR) in California (47.2 cm/century). Due to compaction and tectonic subsidence, former tidelands and pastures behind dikes surrounding Humboldt Bay are lower in elevation than bay waters at high tide. Adaptation to future climate change and SLR requires that resource managers understand vulnerability and risk to each wildlife area at a local level, because adaptation to SLR is a risk-based management strategy against an uncertain future requiring site-specific solutions. We conducted a vulnerability assessment of the shoreline of three State wildlife areas surrounding Humboldt Bay: Elk River (ERWA), Fay Slough …

Overview Of The Role Of The Party’S Scientific Authority In Implementation Of Convention On International Trade In Endangered Species Of Wild Fauna And Flora, Jiang Zhu, Fuwen Wei

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) aims to ensure the survival of endangered wildlife species from the threat of international trade, and is one of the powerful international conventions in the field of wildlife conservation. As an important part of the party's compliance body, scientific authority (SA) is responsible for ensuring the international wildlife trade to meet the requirements of sustainability, legality and traceability. The mandate of SA is involved into many aspects, like starting up the scientific research program for obtaining the basic information on wildlife species, providing the scientific advice for …

Enhanced Photo-Fenton Activity Using Magnetic Cu0.5Mn0.5Fe2O4 Nanoparticles As A Recoverable Catalyst For Degrading Organic Contaminants, Athaphon Angkaew, Chainarong Sakulthaew, Matura Nimtim, Saksit Imman, Tunlawit Satapanajaru, Nopparat Suriyachai, Torpong Kreetachat, Steven Comfort, Chanat Chokejaroenrat

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Interest in using various nanoparticle catalysts to activate H₂O₂ with light for organic contaminant and wastewater treatment is steadily increasing. We successfully synthesized magnetically recoverable Cu_0.5Mn_0.5Fe₂O₄ nanoparticles using a simple co-precipitation method followed by melamine-assisted calcination. Material characterization revealed that melamine acted as a coordinating agent during the calcination process that promoted a ferrite structure. Copper (Cu)-substitution effectively decreased material aggregation and promoted catalytic activities. Cu_0.5Mn_0.5Fe₂O₄ nanoparticles showed outstanding catalytic performance on several organic contaminants (87.6–100.0% removal within 2 h). Using oxytetracycline (OTC) …

Held At Bay: A Case Study Of A Lake Community’S Effort To Prevent A Zebra Mussel Invasion, Benjamin Breske

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This case study was completed in a lake community in the upper midwestern United States. It seeks to understand the social factors that allowed a lake community to establish an effort to protect against a zebra mussel invasion, as well as the perceptions of the different stakeholders and the steps they took to get the effort going. Rural community action is important for the sustainability of many of the world’s natural resources as these communities are often the first line of defense. Understanding how efforts like this one come together is vital for creating similar efforts elsewhere. I conducted a …

Using Stable Isotope Analyses To Assess The Trophic Ecology Of Scleractinian Corals, Michael P. Lesser, Marc Slattery, Keir J. Macartney

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Studies on the trophic ecology of scleractinian corals often include stable isotope analyses of tissue and symbiont carbon and nitrogen. These approaches have provided critical insights into the trophic sources and sinks that are essential to understanding larger-scale carbon and nitrogen budgets on coral reefs. While stable isotopes have identified most shallow water (<30 m) corals as mixotrophic, with variable dependencies on autotrophic versus heterotrophic resources, corals in the mesophotic zone (~30–150 m) transition to heterotrophy with increasing depth because of decreased photosynthetic productivity. Recently, these interpretations of the stable isotope data to distinguish between autotrophy and heterotrophy have been criticized because they are confounded by increased nutrients, reverse translocation of photosynthate, and changes in irradiance that do not influence photosynthate translocation. Here we critically examine the studies that support these criticisms and show that they are contextually not relevant to interpreting the transition to heterotrophy in corals from shallow to mesophotic depths. Additionally, new data and a re-analysis of previously published data show that additional information (e.g., skeletal isotopic analysis) improves the interpretation of bulk stable isotope data in determining when a transition from primary dependence on autotrophy to heterotrophy occurs in scleractinian corals.

Microbiome Diversity And Metabolic Capacity Determines The Trophic Ecology Of The Holobiont In Caribbean Sponges, Michael P. Lesser, M. Sabrina Pankey, Marc Slattery, Keir J. Macartney, Deborah J. Gochfeld

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Sponges are increasingly recognized as an ecologically important taxon on coral reefs, representing significant biomass and biodiversity where sponges have replaced scleractinian corals. Most sponge species can be divided into two symbiotic states based on symbiont community structure and abundance (i.e., the microbiome), and are characterized as high microbial abundance (HMA) or low microbial abundance (LMA) sponges. Across the Caribbean, sponge species of the HMA or LMA symbiotic states differ in metabolic capacity, as well as their trophic ecology. A metagenetic analysis of symbiont 16 S rRNA and metagenomes showed that HMA sponge microbiomes are more functionally diverse than LMA …

Bison Influences On Composition And Diversity Of Riparian Plant Communities In Yellowstone National Park, J. Boone Kauffman, Dian Lyn Cummings, Cimarron Kauffman, Robert L. Beschta, Jeremy Brooks, Keeley Macneill, William J. Ripple

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Riparian zones are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the Intermountain West, USA, and provide valuable ecosystem services, including high rates of biotic productivity, nutrient processing, and carbon storage. Thus, their sustainability is a high priority for land managers. Large ungulates affect composition and structure of riparian/stream ecosystems through herbivory and physical effects, via trailing and trampling. Bison (Bison bison) in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) have been characterized as “ecosystem engineers” because of their demonstrated effects on phenology, aboveground productivity of grasses, and woody vegetation structure. Bison have greatly increased in numbers during the last two decades …

Surviving A Broken System: Synergies Between Solidarity Economies And Sustainable Development Goals, Julie Beach

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Capitalism has created problems including wealth polarization, rapid depletion of natural resources, and pervasive systemic societal issues. Hard work is not enough to solve the unequal distribution and barriers preventing access to necessities. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were created to remedy the harsh reality of global inequities and negative environmental impacts by working towards a more just and equitable future for all. Solidarity Economies (SE) offer an alternative framework to achieve these goals.

This research used multiple qualitative methods to investigate the synergies between SE and SDGs in a growing urban environment. St. Petersburg, FL struggles with affordable housing, food …

A Novel Vaccine Candidate Against Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (Rhdv2) Confers Protection In Domestic Rabbits, Angela M. Bosco-Lauth, Bethany Cominsky, Stephanie Porter, J. Jeffrey Root, Amber Schueler, Gary Anderson, Sara Vanderwal, Andy Benson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

OBJECTIVE To evaluate efficacy of a novel vaccine against rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2) in domestic rabbits.

ANIMALS 40 New Zealand White rabbits obtained from a commercial breeder.

PROCEDURES Rabbits were vaccinated and held at the production facility for the duration of the vaccination phase and transferred to Colorado State University for challenge with RHDV2. Rabbits were challenged with oral suspensions containing infectious virus and monitored for clinical disease for up to 10 days. Rabbits that died or were euthanized following infection were necropsied, and livers were evaluated for viral RNA via RT-PCR.

RESULTS None of the vaccinated animals …

Do Pharmaceuticals In The Environment Pose A Risk To Wildlife?, Thomas G. Bean, Elizabeth A. Chadwick, Marta Herrero‐Villar, Rafael Mateo, Vinny Naidoo, Barnett A. Rattner

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The vast majority of knowledge related to the question “To what extent do pharmaceuticals in the environment pose a risk to wildlife?” stems from the Asian vulture crisis (>99% decline of some species of Old World vultures on the Indian subcontinent related to the veterinary use of the nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug [NSAID] diclofenac). The hazard of diclofenac and other NSAIDs (carprofen, flunixin, ketoprofen, nimesulide, phenylbutazone) to vultures and other avian species has since been demonstrated; indeed, only meloxicam and tolfenamic acid have been found to be vulture‐safe. Since diclofenac was approved for veterinary use in Spain and Italy in …

A 14,100 Cal B. P. Rocky Mountain Locust Cache From Winnemucca Lake, Pershing County, Nevada, Evan J. Pellegrini, Eugene M. Hattori, Larry Benson, John Southon, Hojun Song, Derek A. Woller

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The remains of approximately 1000 (MNI) Rocky Mountain locusts (Melanoplus spretus) from an archaeological cache pit in Crypt Cave, Winnemucca (dry) Lake, Nevada, date to between 14,305–14,067 calendar years before present (95.4 % confidence; 12,238 ± 18 ¹⁴C yrs. B.P.). The age of this western Great Basin occupation along the shoreline of Lake Lahontan is consistent with occupation of several other Western North American terminal Pleistocene sites dating prior to 14,000 cal. B.P., including distinctive petroglyphs on the western shore of Winnemucca Lake dating as early as 14,800–13,200 cal. B.P.

From Biowaste To Product: The Functionalization Of Biochar For Agricultural And Environmental Applications, Baoyue Zhou

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Biochar is a porous carbonated substance that is manufactured through pyrolysis of biomass feedstocks in an oxygen-deficiency environment. The production of biochar from agricultural waste materials provides a potential solution for eliminating pollution while improving carbon sequestration. While biochar is shown to provide multiple benefits to soil health and fertility, its use in environmental remediation has been hampered by its low affinity for hazardous anionic species and the difficulty in isolating from water phase. To overcome these obstacles, various efforts have been made to modify biochar surface chemistry and morphology.

Fe/Mg co-doped biochar composites from sugarcane harvest residue were prepared …

Stability Of Fishes Assemblage Structure Over A Lustrum In Coastal Wetlands Under Different Disturbances In An Industrial Zone Of The Central Gulf Of Mexico Coast, Carlos E. Cintra-Buenrostro, Alejandro Fierro-Cabo

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Shallow coastal wetlands within the territory of an industrial port in southern Tamaulipas, Mexico, were monitored seasonally over a lustrum, focusing on their fishes assemblage and water parameters. The purpose was to characterize these ecosystems that are affected by different disturbances of industrial origin, document changes, and assess potentially degrading terms as the affectations prevailed over the period of study. The wetlands are differentially affected by impacting land uses in their immediate surroundings, by crude oil leaks, and/or by diverse industrial wastewater discharges. Water parameters varied only slightly over time for most sites, and relative disparities among sites remained. The …

Striving To Be Resilient: The Role Of Crop-Poultry Integrated System As A Climate Change Adaptation Strategy In Semiarid Eastern Kenya, Kelvin Mulungu, Daniel Kangogo

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Climate change continues to pose significant challenges to food security and livelihoods of smallholder farmers specifically in semi-arid regions. One approach that holds prospects for climate risk management is climate-smart agriculture (CSA). CSA has concentrated on crop practices with little attention to livestock especially indigenous (village) chickens as a potential practice that can be combined with crop agriculture. This study considers the adoption of three CSA practices: improved maize seeds (IS), soil management (SM), indigenous chicken (IC) enterprise and their various combinations. Using survey data collected from 300 farming households in semiarid Kenya, we estimate the impact of integrated crop-poultry …

An Improved Bio-Based Activated Carbon For The Water Treatment Of A Lagoon In Northern Mexico Based On Life Cycle Assessment Methodology, Leticia Elizabeth Rodriguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In this research, different options in the preparation of activated carbon are investigated looking at potential environmental impacts, production cost improvement and physical characteristics for water treatment. The activated carbon made with agricultural waste is compared to activated carbon made with hard coal. Life cycle assessment techniques follow ISO 14040 to 14044 standards are used and calculations were performed using GaBi _education 18® software and databases at mid-point TRACI impact categories. The results of the life cycle impact assessment show that, compared to activated carbon made with hard coal, activated carbon made with peanut shell and rice husk allows reductions …

Perceptions Of Mangrove Ecosystem Services And Conservation Priorities By Decision-Makers And Key Stakeholders In Nigeria, Saratu Inuwa Audu

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Human Pressure On Mangrove Vegetation In Nigeria : A Case Study Of The Niger Delta, Bashir Shehu Abubakar

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Impact Of Coastal Erosion At Coastal Communities In Liberia, Mariah Rhoda Williams

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Selection Of The Optimal Alternative Fuel In Terms Of The Sustainability Of The Shipping Industry Through The Multi-Attribute Decision Making, Kyungrok Kim

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Regulating Single-Use Plastic Marine Pollution : A Case Study Of Nigeria, Oseghale Anthony Ebhaleme

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Concentration Of Heavy Metals In Three Distinct Algae Families From Humboldt County, California, Kodiak E. Miller, Caleb J. Strait, Jacob I. Begorre, Brittney L. Mitchell, Claire P. Till

IdeaFest: Interdisciplinary Journal of Creative Works and Research from Cal Poly Humboldt

Anthropogenic impacts on marine environments can impact metal fluxes and concentrations available to marine species. Monitoring these impacts is necessary to better understand the interactions between the biotic and abiotic components of these ecosystems and mitigate the risk posed by harmful toxins introduced by human activities. Biomoniters, like macroscopic algae, are useful indicators that illuminate the bioaccumulation of toxins commonly introduced from anthropogenic activity. With this in mind, the concentrations of heavy metals zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu) were analyzed via the assessment of algae (Representatives from Ulva, Mastocarpus, Fucus) in two sites in Humboldt County: …

Evaluating The Effect Of Woodchips On Soil Matric Potential, Temperature, Weed Biomass, And Yield Of Selected Crops, Leonard Githinji, Patrick Johnson

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Organic mulches are very popular for weed control in sustainable agricultural systems where the application of synthetic herbicides is restricted. A study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of organic mulch in controlling weeds, enhancing soil matric potential, and soil temperature. Blended hardwood mulch was applied to the soil surface at a thickness of 10 cm. The experimental design was laid out as a completely randomized design with two treatments, viz., mulch and no-mulch, replicated 5 times. Data were collected during the growing period for weed biomass, soil matric potential, soil temperature, and yield of selected crops. Results from a …

Addressing Specific Safety And Occupational Health Challenges For The Canadian Mines Located In Remote Areas Where Extreme Weather Conditions Dominate, Rachid Halabi, Mustafa Kumral

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The number of mining operations is increasing in the Canadian North, where extreme weather conditions govern. Currently, many mine development projects are also in progress in this region. These mines’ working atmosphere and employment circumstances are highly different from regular mines. One of the main differences is the special safety issues of the Canadian North. The primary sources of these special issues are: the difficulty of finding skilled employees; high employee turnover rate; insufficient training and certification requirements; delicate employment circumstances affecting the psychological well-being of employees; permafrost; mine inspection challenges; inventory and logistic hardship; and the legislative and regulative …

Accelerate Construction Of New Pattern Of Ecological Protection In Northwest China, Qi Feng, Guangzu Bai, Zongxing Li, Bao Wang, Lijuan Chen, Penglong Wang, Tengfei Yu, Hongfei Meng, Wen Liu, Zhixiang Lu, Tingting Ning, Chengqi Zhang, Meng Zhu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Based on a profound understanding of the great significance of constructing an ecological protection pattern in Northwest China, this paper systematically summarizes the achievements, new problems and new trends of ecological protection in Northwest China, and accordingly, puts forward an overall spatial arrangement for the ecological protection under "two regions (watersheds)-six zones (core ecological function zones)-multiple points (key ecological points)". In addition, a key path to construct a new pattern of ecological protection in Northwest China is expounded in order to make more contributions to the acceleration of the harmonious co-existence between human and nature. The path is mainly based …