Digital Commons Network^™

Application Of Pork Checkoff We Care Sustainability Principles To Pork Production: Water, Nutrition, And Biosecurity, Hannah Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Pork Checkoff program was founded in 1986 as a means to strengthen U.S. pork in the market place (Pork Checkoff). Under this program all U.S. pork producers and importers pay $0.40 for every $100 worth of pigs is sold (Pork Checkoff). Funds are then used for pork promotion, research, and education for producers and consumers (Pork Checkoff). The Pork Checkoff program uses the We Care ethical principles as a means to address “continuous improvement in the pork industry’s production practices and promote a strong record of responsible farming to those outside of the industry” (National Pork Board, 2018a). The …

A Modified Spectroscopic Approach For The Real-Time Detection Of Pollen And Fungal Spores At A Semi-Urban Site Using The Wibs-4+, Part I, Emma Markey, Jerry Hourihane Clancy, Moisés Martínez-Bracero, Finnian Neeson, Roland Sarda-Estève, Dominique Baisnée, Eoin Mcgillicuddy, Gavin Sewell, David J. O’Connor

Articles

The real-time monitoring of primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP) such as pollen and fungal spores has receivedmuch attention in recent years as a result of their health and climatic effects. In this study, theWideband Integrated Bioaerosol Sensor (WIBS) 4+ model was evaluated for its ability to sample and detect ambient fungal spore and pollen concentrations, compared to the traditional Hirst volumetric method. Although the determination of total pollen and fungal spore ambient concentrations are of interest, the selective detection of individual pollen/fungal spore types are often of greater allergenic/agricultural concern. To aid in this endeavour, modifications were made to the …

Impacts Of Plastic Pollution On A Pelagic Marine Mammal, The Northern Elephant Seal, Lauren M. Kashiwabara

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

As plastic pollution increases, top marine predators such as marine mammals are becoming increasingly susceptible to plastic particles and their additives. Plastic particles have been found in gastrointestinal tracts and scat of many marine mammals, and quantifying plastic pollution in those that are pelagic can provide insight into plastic pollution in mesopelagic ecosystems that are just beginning to be analyzed. Adapting well-developed laboratory techniques for microplastic (MP) isolation (i.e. density separation and chemical digestion), I isolated MPs from the scat of the deepest diving pinniped, the northern elephant seal (NES), and found that100% of scat samples (n=11) contained high counts …

Review Of Loon Lessons: Uncommon Encounters With The Great Northern Diver, By James D. Paruk, Kristin Bianchini

The Prairie Naturalist

Gavia immer Brunnich (Common Loon) is a bird that has captivated bird watchers, wildlife enthusiasts, campers, cottagers, and others interested in the natural world for centuries. The loon also features prominently in Native American mythology. For many, the loon symbolizes the wildness of the north, and it is often used as a sentinel of lake health. Indeed, the Common Loon has inspired a wealth of literature, both scientific and popular, describing this species’ ecology, behavior, and fitness in the face of environmental changes. To this literature, Loon Lessons: Uncommon Encounters with the Great Northern Diver adds a complete and accurate …

Grassland Bird Responses To Bison And Prescribed Fire Disturbances At Nachusa Grasslands And Kankakee Sands, Antonio Del Valle

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Grazing from native herbivores such as bison (Bison bison), in combination with prescribed fire, are applied to tallgrass prairies by managers to recreate important disturbance patterns in this ecosystem. Bird communities may be indirectly impacted by these disturbances through their direct impact on plants that provides critical breeding habitat for grassland birds. The objectives of this research are to determine the impacts that bison and prescribed fire have on grassland breeding birds in two tallgrass prairie preserves, Kankakee Sands and Nachusa Grasslands. Birds, vegetation structure, and bison activity were surveyed systematically at these two preserves in 2020 and 2021. Prescribed …

Catch My Drift? Perceptions And Experiences Of Pesticide Contamination Of Organic Crops In Montana, Sarah Rodgers

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Pesticide drift and inadvertent contamination pose particular risks to organic production. Some organic producers have lost their crops, certification, and/or organic markets because of contamination events. Through this thesis research, I explain the perceptions and experiences that certified organic farmers in Montana have about drift and inadvertent pesticide contamination. I conducted semi-structured interviews with eleven certified organic farmers from various regions of Montana. Along with one-on-one interviews with organic farmers, interviews with industry and regulatory officials were conducted to better understand the policies and procedures that control what happens when drift occurs at the state level. Industry and regulatory official …

Combined Effects Of Temperature And Heavy Metals On The Performance Of The Giant Salmonfly., James Frakes, Amanda Andreas, Benjamin P. Colman, Aurthur Woods

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In many freshwater ecosystems, communities of aquatic insects are facing the combined stresses of warmer waters due to climate change and increased exposure to heavy metal toxicants. Although each stressor may threaten aquatic insects independently, they also likely interact in important ways to affect insect physiology and performance. Here we investigate this potential interaction using two populations of aquatic nymphs of the giant salmonfly, Pteronarcys californica, collected from adjacent rivers in Montana: naïve individuals from Rock Creek, a relatively pristine stream, and individuals from the Upper Clark Fork River, which has a history of heavy metal pollution and higher …

Re-Modeling The Interior: Spatial Methods And Policy Revisions To Improve Inventory And Designation Of Blm’S Areas Of Critical Environmental Concern, Amy H. Katz

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages a vast amount of public land in the western United States, most of which they currently manage for multiple uses. Specific conservation and management of these lands could mitigate climate change impacts and contribute to the global initiative to conserve 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030. Particularly, the agency can achieve this through more effective administration of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), a designation that is prioritized under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA). To do so requires updated regulations that set clear parameters around inventory and designation, …

Evaluating Science Communication Efforts And Citizen Scientists' Knowledge Of, Attitude Toward, And Behavioral Intentions Related To The North American River Otter, Karlee D. Jewell

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Citizen Science (CS) and scientific visual, spatial, and graphic art projects have the potential to engage community members, provide opportunities for advances in scientific literacy, increase interest in science and local environmental knowledge, and elevate pro-environmental attitudes. CS depends upon public participation, and motivation for participation is varied, including participants’ desire to learn something new or contribute to science or scientific knowledge. An effective CS project will be rooted in an understanding of individuals’ motivations for participation, striving to meet those motivations, and effectively evaluating not only the scientific outputs of the project but also whether participants’ motivations are being …

Wildfire Simulation Using Agent Based Modeling: Expanding Controlled Burn Season, Morgan C. Kromer

Senior Independent Study Theses

The United States is home to many different and unique forests. Prior to the 21st century, the United States Forests Service assumed that the best way to protect these forests was to put all efforts to keeping them alive. An enemy to these efforts were wildfires, thus the US adopted a complete fire suppression approach. At the turn of the century, the US realized that wildfires are a necessary part of a forest ecosystem, as they help return nutrients to the soil and reduce ground fuels. However, after suppressing all fires for over 100 years, the forests evolved into a …

Rs-Gis Approach On Biomass Energy Potential Estimation Of Sugarcane Residues In Medellin, Cebu, Wenyville Nabor Galang, Ian Dominic Tabañag, Michael Loretero

Applied Environmental Research

The need to use alternative energy sources is driven by the continued rise in fossil fuel price, increasing population and energy demand most particularly in a developing country like the Philippines. Biomass resources such as sugarcane residues provide alternative means to utilize its untapped potential for renewable energy. The use of remote sensing technology and geo-graphic information system enables detailed assessment on the quantification of its distribution, abundance and quality that will yield an effective and efficient use of its potential. Available energy potential measurement was conducted in the town of Medellin, part of Bogo-Medellin mill district, in the northern …

Petrogenic And Biogenic Inputs Of N-Alkanes Along Shoreline Of The Caspian Sea In The Mazandaran Province, North Of Iran, Seyed Raheb Hosseini Bizaki, Ahmad Reza Rabbani, Alireza Riyahi Bakhtiari, Mitra Cheraghi, Parisa Babaie

Applied Environmental Research

The Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the world and is facing an increasing risk of contamination. Sea-based and land-based hydrocarbons inputs are the most critical pollutants of the Caspian Sea. In the present study, n-alkanes and related diagnostic ratios were used to identify the sources of hydrocarbon contaminants in surface sediments along the southern coastal area of the Caspian Sea in Mazandaran province. 27 surface sediment samples were collected from a depth of 5 meters under sea level. Contaminant’s compositions were extracted by Soxhlet apparatus and analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. According to the results, the total …

Prediction Of Groundwater Quality Index In The Selected Divisions Of Srikakulam Using Artificial Neural Networks Approach, Santhosh Kumar Nadikatla, Mushini Venkata Subbarao, M.P.S. Murali Krishna

Applied Environmental Research

Applicability of artificial neural network (ANN) modelling in predicting the water quality index (WQI) and in turn to ascertain the suitability of the water for human consumption has been presented in the paper. In the light of the present study, seventy-nine (79) groundwater samples were collected from two mandals (divisions) Veeraghattam (VGT) and Palakonda (PLKD) and analyzed for physicochemical parameters during the pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons of 2015 and 2016. In computing the WQI, physicochemical parameters such as  pH, EC, TDS, TH, Ca, Mg, chlorine, fluoride, nitrite, DO and TA have been considered. From the results it was found that …

Groundwater Quality Assessment Using Groundwater Quality Index And Multivariate Statistical Methods And Human Health Risk Assessment In A Coastal Region Of The Vietnamese Mekong Delta, Nguyen Thanh Giao, Phan Kim Anh, Huynh Thi Hong Nhien

Applied Environmental Research

This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of groundwater for drinking purposes and assess the associated human health risks for different age groups in a coastal province of Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Twenty groundwater samples were collected in Soc Trang Province, and various water quality parameters were analyzed. The data were employed to calculate entropy-weighted groundwater quality index (EWQI), principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA), and non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks for adult and children health. The results revealed that groundwater in some locations, especially in GW19, was polluted by hardness, total dissolved solids, NH4+, Cl-, Fe, total coliform, and E. …

Using Theory Of Planned Behavior To Determine Consumer Intention In Choosing Cloth Vs Plastic Bags, Zahra Batooli, Saeed Zarein-Dolab, Azam Mohamadloo, Mitra Rahimzadeh

Applied Environmental Research

Plastics bags waste presets serious danger to human and animal health. A descriptive study was conducted on 250 consumers who were shopping in different stores of Kashan city in Iran in 2020 to investigate the consumers’ intention, attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control towards reducing the consumption of plastic bags and using cloth bags based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Stratified sampling was applied to select the consumers to filled out a questionnaire developed based on the TPB in Farsi. A path analysis was used to investigate whether attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control would have …

Assessment Of Organophosphorus Pesticide Residues In Water And Sediment Collected From The Southern Caspian Sea, Reza Golshani, Ghasem Ghorbanzadeh Zafarani, Maksim Rebezov, Samaneh Karbalaei, Tony R. Walker

Applied Environmental Research

Pollution of water resources by uncontrolled pesticide use is a serious health and environmental issue. In this study, concentrations of three organophosphorus pesticides (diazinon, malathion, and azinphos-methyl) in water and sediment samples from five estuaries (Sefidrud, Chalus, Babolrud, Tajan, and Gorganrud) along the Caspian Sea were investigated. Samples were collected from surface water and sediment during summer to autumn, and pesticides were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results indicated that salinity and turbidity in Gorganrud were higher (salinity: range 2–8%; turbidity: range 1–9%) compared to other stations. Higher diazinon (water: 0.08±0.06, sediment: 0.04±0.01), malathion (water: 0.09±0.06, sediment: 0.05±0.01) and …

Sustainable Energy Transition In Thailand: Drivers, Barriers And Challenges Of Waste-To-Energy At Krabi Province, Chariya Senpong, Dawan Wiwattanadate

Applied Environmental Research

Waste-to-Energy (WtE) has been considered as an option to eliminate Krabi’s problems of municipal solid waste (MSW) management. A survey on WtE potential as well as key drivers, barriers, and challenges to overcome the barriers was conducted in this study. The study found high WtE potential due to huge amount of many years accumulated MSW in couple with the increasing trend of new daily waste generation. Meanwhile, Krabi is an island having land limitation for landfill. The urgent need to eliminate the huge amount of MSW has become a key driver for WtE implementation. One more key driver of WtE …

Fish And Invertebrate Use Of Restored Vs. Natural Oyster Reefs In A Shallow Temperate Latitude Estuary, Jonathan H. Grabowski, Christopher J. Baillie, Adam Baukus, Rachael Carlyle, F. Joel Fodrie, Rachel K. Gittman, A. Randall Hughes, David L. Kimbro, Juhyung Lee, Hunter S. Lenihan, Sean P. Powers, Kevin Sullivan

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Coastal marine habitats continue to be degraded, thereby compelling largescale restoration in many parts of the world. Whether restored habitats function similarly to natural habitats and fully recover lost ecosystem services is unclear. In estuaries, oyster reefs have been degraded by multiple anthropogenic activities including destructive fishing practices and reduced water quality, motivating restoration to maintain oyster fisheries and other ecosystem services, often at relatively high cost. We compared fish and invertebrate communities on recently restored (0–1 year post-restoration), older restored (3–4 years post-restoration), and natural oyster reefs to determine if and when restored reefs support functionally similar faunal communities. …

Healing Earth In A Time Of Crisis: Curriculum For Integral Ecology, Caleb Steindam

Dissertations

This intrinsic multiple case study examined secondary- and university-level educators’ experiences teaching with Healing Earth, a curriculum developed by the International Jesuit Ecology Project at Loyola University Chicago, which merges scientific, social, spiritual, and ethical analyses of pressing ecological issues. Based on the conceptual framework of integral ecology, Healing Earth is a response to Pope Francis’s (2015a) call for “a new way of thinking about human beings, life, society and our relationship with nature” (§215).

This study primarily consisted of in-depth interviews with educators who have used Healing Earth in a variety of secondary and post-secondary Catholic educational contexts. A …

Degradation Of Di (2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate By Marine Sediment Bacteria And Identification Of Key Degraders And Degradative Genes, Ritu Ningthoujam

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a toxic phthalate ester (PAE) plasticizer that is predominantly detected in marine sediment and biota. DEHP degradation by bacteria from several environments has been studied, but very little is known about marine sediment bacteria that can degrade DEHP and other PAEs. Therefore, in this study, we enriched a bacterial consortium C10 that can degrade four PAEs of varying alkyl chain lengths (DEHP, dibutyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, and dimethyl phthalate ; separately and as a mixture) from marine sediment. The major bacterial genera in C10 during the degradation of the PAEs were Glutamicibacter, Ochrobactrum, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, …

Strengthening Local Government To Enhance Flood Risk Management:A Case Study Of Xay District, Lao Pdr., Souksamay Manhmanyvong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The Xay district of Lao PDR is vulnerable to flooding because around 80% of the total geographic area consists of mountains, rivers, and tributaries. While the district has limited coping capability. Therefore, strengthening the local government to enhance flood risk management was investigated in the present study with the following four objectives. Desk research, on-site observation, in-depth interviews, and expert focus group were used for data collection. The study found that local people always suffer from flooding in the Xay district almost every year because the district locates on a high mountain surrounded by canals and a high population along …

Knowledge, Attitude And Practices On Potato Pest Management Of Ethnic Farmers In Southern Shan State, Myanmar, Pyae Pa Pa Aung

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Potato is cultivated as the main tuber crop which is essential for ethnic farmers’ household income in Southern Shan State, Myanmar. Most ethnic farmers use chemical pesticides widely to enhance crop yield and to control pests in the farm. The use of chemical pesticides could lead to a series of health impacts of the farmers and environmental issues. The main aim of the study is to explore farmers’ knowledge, attitude and current farm practices on pest management in potato production. The participants of 100 farmers were chosen from each village with a cluster and purposive sampling technique using structured questionnaires …

The Potential Risk And Occupational Exposure Of Pesticides Among Rice Farmers In Delta Ayeyarwady Division, Myanmar, Moe Thu Khin

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study aims to assess the potential risk and occupational exposure of pesticides among rice farmers in the Delta Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 454 rice farmers from March-April 2022. Data collection was done through face-to-face interviews used with a semi-structured questionnaire. The study showed that the mean age of farmers was 44.36 years old while the range was 16 and 74 years old. Rice farmers' average weight (± standard deviation) was 56.86 (± 7.30) kg. In this study, over two-thirds of the rice farmers (77 %) had a moderate level of knowledge regarding environmental …

Assessment Of Greenhouse Gases Emissions From Dairy Cattle Production In Thailand, Phoo Pwint Pwint Thu

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Thailand’s agriculture sector plays a vital role in driving economic growth. Globally, livestock production is estimated to contribute about 18% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Despite its importance, there is a relative lack of research on GHGs assessment in the livestock sector in Thailand. The aim of this research was to estimate GHGs emissions from dairy cattle production in Saraburi and Ratchaburi provinces of Thailand. The 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories was applied in this research. Twenty dairy farms (n=20) including both small farms (n=10) and medium farms (n=10) were selected as the …

Biodiversity In Residential Yards For Sustainability In Small Cities: Understanding Public Attitudes, Opportunities And Limitations In Vermillion, Sd, Rina Thapa

Dissertations and Theses

As urban areas are expanding with the growing size of human population, it is increasingly important to understand the role that residential yards can play in biodiversity conservation because they often comprise a large proportion of green spaces in cities. Most of the research performed to date on the role of residential yards in biodiversity conservation has been conducted in large cities. The role of residential yards in biodiversity conservation in small cities is still largely unknown. In this research, I discuss the relationship between biodiversity and the structure of green space, public attitudes towards the presence of wildlife, public …

Techno-Economic Feasibility Of Electrifying Food Markets In Nigeria With Biogas Hybrid Mini-Grids, Demi Temitope Ogunwo

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This thesis explored the feasibility of electrifying a food market in an urban city in Nigeria with a hybrid biogas-powered mini-grid. Under the Energizing Economies Initiative of the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria, nine markets in the country currently receive constant access to electricity via hybrid mini-grid systems. As a majority of these systems are diesel-solar-battery systems, this thesis explored the use of biogas generators as a substitute for diesel generators in hybrid mini-grids for food markets. A fruit and vegetable market in Ketu, Lagos was used as a case study for the research. The research for this thesis was …

Estimating The Ecosystem Service Of Aleutian Cackling Goose Droppings On Pastures, Brian G. Fagundes

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The Aleutian cackling goose (Branta hutchinsii leucopareia) experienced a population low of 790 geese in 1974 and has recovered to the current estimate of 186,100 geese in 2021. Private livestock producers view geese as pasture competitors and use hazing and hunting to scare geese from private lands to adjacent public lands. I investigated if geese provide an ecosystem service via dropping fertilizing effects to improve pastures in northern California.

A greenhouse experiment was conducted from February-August 2019 at Cal Poly Humboldt, divided into two experiments: freshly sown ryegrass pasture and established plant and soil communities removed intact from …

Comparing Molecular Methods To Estimate Fish Stomach Contents And Gastric Evacuation Rates: Implications For Measuring The Impacts Of Predation On Central Valley Chinook Salmon, Cory M. Dick

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Juvenile Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) migrating through the Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta (the Delta) in central California have higher mortality rates than salmonids migrating through other west coast estuaries. Some hypotheses for high mortality rates include entrainment into water export facilities, physical alterations of the river system, and predation. Of these factors, predation is considered the least understood but may have the largest impact. Predation from large populations of non-native piscivorous fishes in the Delta is believed to effect abundances of Central Valley Chinook salmon, however sufficient data supporting this hypothesis is scarce. In this study, I …

Carnivore And Ungulate Responses To Cattle In A Grazed Forest Ecosystem, Rebecca Carniello

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Habitat disturbance, a leading threat to biological diversity, comes in many forms and can alter the behavior of wildlife and reduce the amount of suitable habitat. Livestock grazing, a form of habitat disturbance, is the most widespread influence on native ecosystems of western North America. Research on the impacts of introduced domestic herbivores on wild carnivores and ungulates varies, and the degree to which wildlife species are affected is often species-specific. I used remote trail cameras to compare the activity patterns of black bears (Ursus americanus), coyotes (Canis latrans), bobcats (Lynx rufus), mountain lions …

Comparison Of Environmental Dna And Underwater Visual Count Surveys For Detecting Juvenile Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch) In Rivers, Jason T. Shaffer

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Environmental DNA (eDNA) has developed into a useful tool for determining the distribution of rare aquatic species, but relatively few studies have directly compared the detection probabilities of this method with other conventional survey techniques. These comparisons can inform which method may be better suited to address study objectives. In this study, the overall goal was to compare the ability of eDNA and underwater visual count (UVC) surveys to detect juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), a species of conservation concern at the southern extent of its geographic range. Specifically, I address two objectives: (1) compare the ability of …